(03-27-2017 11:47 AM)07owl Wrote:  Doesn't bother me too much...that's just the nature of the world these days, and Evans might have a shot at the NBA as a tweener scoring guard. He can definitely play professionally somewhere, and I don't blame him for seeking out a better program.

What bothers me is not the individual transfer but the system we have now in college basketball. Hard to see how Rice can ever rise up if our good players leave after the first year of decent success. This is now the 2nd promising Rice team that has fallen apart this way in the last decade (obviously there were some extenuating circumstances last time). When I was at Rice, the team was borderline NCAA-quality, and made the NIT twice because the team had good players who stuck around. College basketball just isn't like that any more. And of course, I have to admit that we've benefited from this transfer-happy system a bit, particularly getting Koulechov. But my concern is more for the program; basketball can be a opportunity for a school like Rice, but only if we have success to start with, and that keeps dancing out of reach with these transfers

You have to break through like Butler, Gonzaga, and Wichita State then follow that up with more success.

An additional thought. Does anyone think Evans would have transferred if Rhoades had stayed at Rice? I think he would have stayed at Rice (though I don't have him or any inside knowledge, just a guess). If that is the case, I can't blame him too much for transferring. I hate it for the program and think it is a stupid decision for him to sit out a year, but I can't hate him for it. This doesn't look like an Ennis situation.

Any ill will to Marcus is ridiculous. His college choice was basically made solely on where Rhoades was coaching. Very few good players commit to a school like Rice, or most mid majors at that, because of the school itself. They commit to a coach, or a staff, or a team they liked being around. Assuming he goes to VCU, he's not only going to play for the coach he clearly wants to play for, he's going to a place that's way closer to home than Rice is.

There seems to be a black cloud over our athletic department right now. The hits just keep on coming.

(03-27-2017 11:51 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  Any ill will to Marcus is ridiculous. His college choice was basically made solely on where Rhoades was coaching. Very few good players commit to a school like Rice, or most mid majors at that, because of the school itself. They commit to a coach, or a staff, or a team they liked being around. Assuming he goes to VCU, he's not only going to play for the coach he clearly wants to play for, he's going to a place that's way closer to home than Rice is.

You might commit to a coach but once you're here for 2 years at a university and with your team I think it's very disappointing to transfer at your first sign of success. Also, he was a 3 star recruit not some national hot commodity. It's a stupid decision to sit out a year in the middle of your college career.

(03-27-2017 11:54 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  There seems to be a black cloud over our athletic department right now. The hits just keep on coming.

Was the Rice campus constructed over an Indian cemetery?

(03-27-2017 11:58 AM)Pan95 Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:54 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  There seems to be a black cloud over our athletic department right now. The hits just keep on coming.

Is Rice built over an Indian cemetery?

No...this is just what NCAA basketball is these days.

(03-27-2017 11:57 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:51 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  Any ill will to Marcus is ridiculous. His college choice was basically made solely on where Rhoades was coaching. Very few good players commit to a school like Rice, or most mid majors at that, because of the school itself. They commit to a coach, or a staff, or a team they liked being around. Assuming he goes to VCU, he's not only going to play for the coach he clearly wants to play for, he's going to a place that's way closer to home than Rice is.

You might commit to a coach but once you're here for 2 years at a university and with your team I think it's very disappointing to transfer at your first sign of success. Also, he was a 3 star recruit not some national hot commodity. It's a stupid decision to sit out a year in the middle of your college career.

I would think that a 3 star recruit is a pretty hot commodity?

(03-27-2017 11:59 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:58 AM)Pan95 Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:54 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  There seems to be a black cloud over our athletic department right now. The hits just keep on coming.

Is Rice built over an Indian cemetery?

No...this is just what NCAA basketball is these days.

I think that RF2K5 is also referring the struggles of the baseball program in his statement.

(03-27-2017 12:01 PM)Pan95 Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:59 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:58 AM)Pan95 Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:54 AM)RiceFootball2K5 Wrote:  There seems to be a black cloud over our athletic department right now. The hits just keep on coming.

Is Rice built over an Indian cemetery?

No...this is just what NCAA basketball is these days.

I think that RF2K5 is also referring the struggles of the baseball program in his statement.

Let's not leave out our football program either!

(03-27-2017 11:59 AM)curve Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:57 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 11:51 AM)elw4796 Wrote:  Any ill will to Marcus is ridiculous. His college choice was basically made solely on where Rhoades was coaching. Very few good players commit to a school like Rice, or most mid majors at that, because of the school itself. They commit to a coach, or a staff, or a team they liked being around. Assuming he goes to VCU, he's not only going to play for the coach he clearly wants to play for, he's going to a place that's way closer to home than Rice is.

You might commit to a coach but once you're here for 2 years at a university and with your team I think it's very disappointing to transfer at your first sign of success. Also, he was a 3 star recruit not some national hot commodity. It's a stupid decision to sit out a year in the middle of your college career.

I would think that a 3 star recruit is a pretty hot commodity?

He was in the 200s nationally. Lots of midmajor interest but let's not act like he was a 5 star being recruited by the high majors. Now I think he has proven he could play at a high major but only because Rice gave him 2 years to showcase that.

Yeah, no ill will to Marcus at all. That's just the nature of the game these days.
Ill will should be directed only to our athletic department/university, that can't or doesn't want to pay a coach enough to keep him here, etc.

I am disappointed he didn't feel a commitment to Rice and/or his teammates, but if the depth of his feelings for this place and everybody are so shallow, let him go. We only want people who want to be here.

(03-27-2017 12:05 PM)ChicagoOwl (BS 07) Wrote:  Yeah, no ill will to Marcus at all. That's just the nature of the game these days.
Ill will should be directed only to our athletic department/university, that can't or doesn't want to pay a coach enough to keep him here, etc.

No inside knowledge, but I would be surprised if money was a factor (at least I hope we would have matched VCU's offer, which was likely in the low $1mm range, maybe slightly higher). I think Rhoades just wanted to go back to Va.

Cmon guys enough of the dark clouds stuff. We have some setbacks sure but also a good AD team in place, improving facilities, improving results in basketball and Olympic sports, etc. Lots of non-P5 are facing worse. The way forward is working hard not always "woe is me." I'm as disappointed about completely lousy baseball this year as anyone but we need to avoid throwing good out with the bad and stay clear eyed. Basketball is hopeful here.

Not a surprise to me. I heard from students that know the situation that both Marcus' were 100% gone, and Egor 80%. I think we might still have a chance with Egor because of his relationship with Pera. Rumor is North Carolina was interested in Evans.

Pera had to know the implications of Rhoades leaving so I think he has to have a recruiting plan already in place to take care of the transfers.

(03-27-2017 12:14 PM)bobreinhold1 Wrote:  Not a surprise to me. I heard from students that know the situation that both Marcus' were 100% gone, and Egor 80%. I think we might still have a chance with Egor because of his relationship with Pera. Rumor is North Carolina was interested in Evans.

Hard to fault Evans. Easy to fault the NCAA for not providing a real disincentive to transfer.

We will likely know about any other departures by the end of this week (Unless Pera is like Tim Floyd).

Excited to see who Pera can pick up on the recruiting trail over the next few weeks.

A core of guys like Meyer, Cashaw, Quez, Ako, Lott, Douglas, Harrison, etc is still a hell of a lot better than what Braun left us..

(03-27-2017 12:18 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  

(03-27-2017 12:14 PM)bobreinhold1 Wrote:  Not a surprise to me. I heard from students that know the situation that both Marcus' were 100% gone, and Egor 80%. I think we might still have a chance with Egor because of his relationship with Pera. Rumor is North Carolina was interested in Evans.

Hard to fault Evans. Easy to fault the NCAA for not providing a real disincentive to transfer.

Agreed, but what other disincentive can the NCAA provide other than being forced to take a year off?

99% of coaches and players in major college sports are looking out for #1...the sooner people understand that, the better.