https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

That ship has long sailed. Try keeping up with the $40 million a year Vandy gets from the SEC alone.

(10-12-2017 11:06 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

That ship has long sailed. Try keeping up with the $40 million a year Vandy gets from the SEC alone

Wonder if we gave SEC millions, they would let us in SEC west as mirror to Vandys being the Easts whipping boy. Of course we would have to improve to be whipping boy.

(10-12-2017 11:06 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

That ship has long sailed. Try keeping up with the $40 million a year Vandy gets from the SEC alone.

The "If you build it they will come" Theory doesn't work at Rice.

Baseball has been relatively insulated from the P5/G5 divide, but it's hard to imagine how that will remain the case when the P5 schools are bringing in so much more $$ now and can afford to pay much more to coaches and invest in facilities.

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

The upgraded facilities are nice, but as we've seen with our EZF, they play only a minor role in recruiting. What's really benefited Vandy, TCU and LSU baseball in the recruitment game is their ability to supplement the 11.7 allowed scholarships, and provide full scholarships to over half their baseball players. Even they acknowledge this is a key factor in their recruiting success.

(10-12-2017 03:43 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

The upgraded facilities are nice, but as we've seen with our EZF, they play only a minor role in recruiting. What's really benefited Vandy, TCU and LSU baseball in the recruitment game is their ability to supplement the 11.7 allowed scholarships, and provide full scholarships to over half their baseball players. Even they acknowledge this is a key factor in their recruiting success.

Agree, and this will be the un doing of baseball once coach Graham is gone, unless there is a hire of coach that kids will come play for and that wins and get kids to pros.
Smart kids and middle class to upper class kids want the pros, just like a poor kid. Why bust your butt academically on 1/4 scholarship at Rice when you can get a free ride elsewhere, especially if you know you are going pro, and most know that in High School.

(10-12-2017 04:45 PM)ETx Owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 03:43 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 10:55 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  https://twitter.com/KendallRogersD1/stat...4559075328

We have nice facilities at the Reck but Vandy, TCU, etc are really running away in the facility department. Hence the outrageous number of top 100 caliber recruits they're consistently committing 2,3,4 years out.

Say what you want about the "difficulties" Rice has over other schools but having facilities like the ones at Vandy, TCU, LSU, etc are making the biggest impact on recruiting. Kids are visual beings nowadays and we desperately need to keep up with the times.

The upgraded facilities are nice, but as we've seen with our EZF, they play only a minor role in recruiting. What's really benefited Vandy, TCU and LSU baseball in the recruitment game is their ability to supplement the 11.7 allowed scholarships, and provide full scholarships to over half their baseball players. Even they acknowledge this is a key factor in their recruiting success.

Agree, and this will be the un doing of baseball once coach Graham is gone, unless there is a hire of coach that kids will come play for and that wins and get kids to pros.
Smart kids and middle class to upper class kids want the pros, just like a poor kid. Why bust your butt academically on 1/4 scholarship at Rice when you can get a free ride elsewhere, especially if you know you are going pro, and most know that in High School.

I don't think it's going to be our undoing, as Coach Graham and Coach Pope have had success this past year in going after academically qualified kids from poorer families who qualify for University-wide financial aid. The only mystery is why it took so long to hatch onto this strategy.

Just think what an allocation of resources from a cancelled football program could do for the baseball program.

(10-12-2017 05:26 PM)Ranger Wrote:  Just think what an allocation of resources from a cancelled football program could do for the baseball program.

That would only be the case if we could maintain conference affiliation, which is anything but a given.

(10-12-2017 05:29 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 05:26 PM)Ranger Wrote:  Just think what an allocation of resources from a cancelled football program could do for the baseball program.

That would only be the case if we could maintain conference affiliation, which is anything but a given.

? It's not like our conference gives us any revenue. I'm not in favor of dropping football but we could probably find a nice home for our baseball program if that happened... AAC would probably like to have us.

(10-12-2017 06:20 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 05:29 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 05:26 PM)Ranger Wrote:  Just think what an allocation of resources from a cancelled football program could do for the baseball program.

That would only be the case if we could maintain conference affiliation, which is anything but a given.

? It's not like our conference gives us any revenue. I'm not in favor of dropping football but we could probably find a nice home for our baseball program if that happened... AAC would probably like to have us.

Try again. Most conferences require football to be even considered for entrance. And it's more than baseball; it's tennis, soccer, volleyball, swimming, T&F and basketball.

(10-12-2017 07:18 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 06:20 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 05:29 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 05:26 PM)Ranger Wrote:  Just think what an allocation of resources from a cancelled football program could do for the baseball program.

That would only be the case if we could maintain conference affiliation, which is anything but a given.

? It's not like our conference gives us any revenue. I'm not in favor of dropping football but we could probably find a nice home for our baseball program if that happened... AAC would probably like to have us.

Try again. Most conferences require football to be even considered for entrance. And it's more than baseball; it's tennis, soccer, volleyball, swimming, T&F and basketball.

Try again. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/aac/AAindex.asp

Part of the problem re:upgraded player facilities is that we are in SEC territory (and to a less extent B12). No other conference puts the emphasis on baseball the way the SEC does. You don’t see these baseball Taj Mahals in the Pac12 except at Nike U. Neither do you see Vandy/TCU facilities at traditional nonP5 baseball powers like Fullerton or Long Beach. Put our program in the West and we would be in the upper 20% or better for facilities.

https://www.google.com/search?q=stanford...uZxCrr0nM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ucla+bas...iZCQa28_M:

https://www.google.com/search?q=southern...IBihX71hM:

http://www.collegebaseballtoday.com/file...xMuni7.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=fullerto...ckd75vhpM:

The EPL champions Chelsea play in this. Its not impressive at all.

When new facilities makes a real difference, let me know. So far history is heavily on the side of "meh".

I mean, facilities are nice. We just need to be smart and not get sucked into the College Athletics dick measuring contest.

There are other ways Rice could spend money to bridge the gap. I hope we don't do the EZF route.

(10-12-2017 08:12 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  Part of the problem re:upgraded player facilities is that we are in SEC territory (and to a less extent B12). No other conference puts the emphasis on baseball the way the SEC does. You don’t see these baseball Taj Mahals in the Pac12 except at Nike U. Neither do you see Vandy/TCU facilities at traditional nonP5 baseball powers like Fullerton or Long Beach. Put our program in the West and we would be in the upper 20% or better for facilities.

https://www.google.com/search?q=stanford...uZxCrr0nM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ucla+bas...iZCQa28_M:

https://www.google.com/search?q=southern...IBihX71hM:

http://www.collegebaseballtoday.com/file...xMuni7.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=fullerto...ckd75vhpM:

Easily top 20%, and I'd venture to guess closer to top 10%...and Reckling is getting further enhanced over the next 3 years.

(10-12-2017 08:54 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

The EPL champions Chelsea play in this. Its not impressive at all.

When new facilities makes a real difference, let me know. So far history is heavily on the side of "meh".

I mean, facilities are nice. We just need to be smart and not get sucked into the College Athletics dick measuring contest.

There are other ways Rice could spend money to bridge the gap. I hope we don't do the EZF route.

EPL players get a gigantic salary. It's already been pointed out how that's a stupid comparison so I'm not sure why you're bringing it up again.

(10-12-2017 10:18 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 08:54 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

The EPL champions Chelsea play in this. Its not impressive at all.

When new facilities makes a real difference, let me know. So far history is heavily on the side of "meh".

I mean, facilities are nice. We just need to be smart and not get sucked into the College Athletics dick measuring contest.

There are other ways Rice could spend money to bridge the gap. I hope we don't do the EZF route.

EPL players get a gigantic salary. It's already been pointed out how that's a stupid comparison so I'm not sure why you're bringing it up again.

It's for all those recruits who are trying to decide between Rice baseball and Chelsea soccer

There are a lot of reasons that Rice baseball has declined from a top-10 program to a top-40 program (just choosing that number to avoid arguments over what the number should be). I believe facilities can make the difference for some recruits, but I truly question whether it makes that much of a difference with the vast majority of the recruits. Obviously, you don't want horrible facilities. But at some point you get diminishing returns in facilities investments and/or you are maybe getting players who are going to your school for the wrong reasons.

(10-12-2017 10:18 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(10-12-2017 08:54 PM)Antarius Wrote:  

The EPL champions Chelsea play in this. Its not impressive at all.

When new facilities makes a real difference, let me know. So far history is heavily on the side of "meh".

I mean, facilities are nice. We just need to be smart and not get sucked into the College Athletics dick measuring contest.

There are other ways Rice could spend money to bridge the gap. I hope we don't do the EZF route.

EPL players get a gigantic salary. It's already been pointed out how that's a stupid comparison so I'm not sure why you're bringing it up again.

Multiple reasons- Chelsea isn't the only team that pays giant salaries. Yet instead of going to play at a new stadium, players have chosen Stamford bridge.

Facilities are overrated. I'm betting if we did something like this, we'll be having this discussion in 5 years a la EZF. How'd that work out for us?

Also see mrbig post. Think that summarizes the issue well