CSNbbs

Sadly, I think the Big 12/P5 are out of reach. But, the AAC is the next best thing and if SMU can do it, why can't Rice!

I would try to get in as a non-football member initially. Navy is football only. I have advocated this in other threads. The question is, what does Rice add to the AAC? Not much, unfortunately. Especially with baseball trending the wrong way.

AAC would be super. I think we still offer AAC plenty since baseball will recover, basketball improving along with Olympic sports, and some are even top 25 (tennis). We have to hope UH might eventually support this since would be tough if they actively oppose.
Best scenario is the far flung teams (e.g. UCONN) bolt and AAC decides to backfill with closer regional rivalries like Rice to join UH, Tulane, SMU, Tulsa. Most Rice sports except football & basketball are already regularly playing those schools. All conferences outside the P5 -- including AAC -- are due a rude awakening at their next TV contract with the rapidly declining finances of ESPN due to changing consumer behavior (e.g. cord cutting cable). That would make rational regional conferences a "back to the future" need.
We can dream of a healthier conference future, can't we?

Moving Conferences is going to be a tough task. I fully agree it is a goal Rice should work diligently to achieve that goal, but while the team is situated in Conference USA, the Administration also needs to aggressively position itself as a strong leader in their current conference and push the other schools and the conference itself to improve. Case in point. I cannot believe that only Rice and Middle Tennessee were the only two schools in the men's basketball conference that participated in post season basketball. I am sure other teams were invited to CIT/CBI tournaments but chose (probably for financial reasons) not to participate. This was a bad decision overall for the conference. Post season experience and exposure for as many teams as possible should have been a goal. Improving out of conference scheduling should be a conference goal as well and working media markets collectively to reposition the league is essential. The 4 CUSA Texas Schools should be working together in a number of areas to improve their conference athletic footprint and profile in the state.

I suppose...but wow it's just not a good set of peer schools for us on any measure: athletically, academically, socially, or geographically. So...we have to really squint to see the light there even though the only way ahead is via CUSA for now.

(03-31-2017 12:04 AM)Owl1912 Wrote: [ -> ]I suppose...but wow it's just not a good set of peer schools for us on any measure: athletically, academically, socially, or geographically. So...we have to really squint to see the light there even though the only way ahead is via CUSA for now.

Unfortunately, it is appropriate athletically. I agree that it is not an appropriate peer group for any of the other purposes listed, but CUSA is not an organization for any of those other purposes. If you think it is not appropriate athletically, what do you think would be more appropriate and why?

When we weren't spending enough to keep up in the 70s and 80s, this is the course we charted inevitably for ourselves.

(03-31-2017 06:41 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 12:04 AM)Owl1912 Wrote: [ -> ]I suppose...but wow it's just not a good set of peer schools for us on any measure: athletically, academically, socially, or geographically. So...we have to really squint to see the light there even though the only way ahead is via CUSA for now.

Unfortunately, it is appropriate athletically. I agree that it is not an appropriate peer group for any of the other purposes listed, but CUSA is not an organization for any of those other purposes. If you think it is not appropriate athletically, what do you think would be more appropriate and why?

When we weren't spending enough to keep up in the 70s and 80s, this is the course we charted inevitably for ourselves.

If we were dominating (see Boise, VCU, Gonzaga), one could argue that we don't belong. Sadly not even close......

Looks like Wichita State has beat us to the punch (for basketball, at least)

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/20...uri-valley

Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

(03-31-2017 02:58 PM)Barrett Wrote: [ -> ]Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

Koch Brothers' money buys lots of influence in lots of places.

(03-31-2017 02:58 PM)Barrett Wrote: [ -> ]Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

Reading the article, it sounds like AAC is focusing on NCAA basketball credits, rather than potential TV markets. The article notes that most of Witchita State's basketball roster is returning next year and the hope is they would win a few NCAA tournament games, each game worth $1.6 million in NCAA credits. Additionally, there is virtually no buyout for the MVC.

Agree this would be a big missed opportunity for Rice, but if NCAA basketball credits are the focus, obviously Rice lags far behind. Plus, we have no idea whether Rice would consider letting the football team go independent even if the AAC had interest in Rice as a non-football entrant.

(03-31-2017 03:18 PM)Owl Movement Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 02:58 PM)Barrett Wrote: [ -> ]Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

Koch Brothers' money buys lots of influence in lots of places.

We should remind them that their father, Fred C. Koch, as well as his older brother (John Anton Koch), both started out at Rice. (Fred transferred to MIT after two years.)

Fred was sophomore class president. (Malcolm Lovett was secretary of that class.)

(03-31-2017 04:44 PM)Almadenmike Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 03:18 PM)Owl Movement Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 02:58 PM)Barrett Wrote: [ -> ]Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

Koch Brothers' money buys lots of influence in lots of places.

We should remind them that their father, Fred C. Koch, as well as his older brother (John Anton Koch), both started out at Rice. (Fred transferred to MIT after two years.)

Fred was sophomore class president. (Malcolm Lovett was secretary of that class.)

Dang! Even potential future big money donors transfer out!

(03-31-2017 05:19 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 04:44 PM)Almadenmike Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 03:18 PM)Owl Movement Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-31-2017 02:58 PM)Barrett Wrote: [ -> ]Man, the fact that that Wichita State is a more valuable commodity than Rice, while sound when you consider the primary metric that conferences care about (money), is just flat-out depressing.

Koch Brothers' money buys lots of influence in lots of places.

We should remind them that their father, Fred C. Koch, as well as his older brother (John Anton Koch), both started out at Rice. (Fred transferred to MIT after two years.)

Fred was sophomore class president. (Malcolm Lovett was secretary of that class.)

Dang! Even potential future big money donors transfer out!

Interesting read on AAC plan to become Power conference.

http://footballscoop.com/news/aac-unveil...onference/

(05-02-2017 12:02 PM)owl40 Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting read on AAC plan to become Power conference.

http://footballscoop.com/news/aac-unveil...onference/

Sounds like a lot of nice platitudes

I found this story in the 1919 Thresher more interesting:

OWL QUINTET DROPS
TWO GAMES TO T. C. U.
Texas Christian University Romped on
Owis in Two Opening Canns of
lMti) Basketball Season —
Teamwork of Christians
Toid (he Tate.

Rice iost t he two openin g game s with
T. C. U. T h e superio r team work of
t h e visitors w a s t he caus e of t he defeats.
Both game s wer e good, aithoug
h t h e Owis appeare d somewha t
nervou s a t their first, trv-out. However,
t h e whoi e squa d did good wor k
a n d showe d muc h promise . T h e st^ore
wa s 25 to 17.
T h e second game wa s a mor e spirited
affair tha n t h e first, and in t h e openin g
rus h it looked a s if Rice w a s goin g to
wipe o u t h e r previou s defeat, but. s h e
soon became wiid a n d t h e steadie r
playin g of t h e visitors began to teii in
t h e score. However, t h e scor e wa s
ciose aii alon g a n d ther e w a s quit e a
bit of suspens e u p to t h e last moment .
T h e scor e w a s IS to 23.
T h e line-up : Rice—Lovett , Geriach,
Rose , forwards; Aiexander, Beii, center;
Brown , Beii, Winsborough , guards.
T. C. U.—Bradford , Smith , Easiing,
forwards; Aiiison, Baxter

BigXII is not much better than AAC so will be top 4 then followed by
BigXII, AAC and Mountain West.

(05-02-2017 12:02 PM)owl40 Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting read on AAC plan to become Power conference.

http://footballscoop.com/news/aac-unveil...onference/

sorry, but this is a pipe dream. Reality is that not far off there will be 4 conferences of 16 each with champs getting autobids and 4 wild cards, maybe one from the lesser conferences. Makes way too much sense and almost is where we are today. Those not in the 64 will be fall further behind. Sorry, but yes the AAC is not as pathetic as CUSA 3.0, but they are just not in the same ball game as SEC et al.

I find it hilarious that "Student health, safety, and well-being" is a "pillar", even the first one. But let's hear it for lip service. We all know that the top 100 pillars are as they have been since at least the demise of the SWC-money, money and more money.

Totally delusional.

(05-02-2017 01:25 PM)75src Wrote: [ -> ]BigXII is not much better than AAC so will be top 4 then followed by
BigXII, AAC and Mountain West.

(05-02-2017 12:02 PM)owl40 Wrote: [ -> ]Interesting read on AAC plan to become Power conference.

http://footballscoop.com/news/aac-unveil...onference/

That's simply not true. Big12 is MUCH better than the AAC in ALL the major sports, as well as most of the others (including volleyball, tennis, golf, womens basketball, swimming).