While Mr. Obi may have plenty of talent, I think there are other players who played harder last year, Max and Andrew, for example, and are better fits for Coach Rhoades style of play.

(10-28-2014 04:16 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  While Mr. Obi may have plenty of talent, I think there are other players who played harder last year, Max and Andrew, for example, and are better fits for Coach Rhoades style of play.

I am not sure that Andrew played harder than Sean last year but he sure has worked hard to transform himself physically since he initially arrived on campus. I have not seen such a physical transformation of a Rice hoops player since B. Scott between his Freshman and Sophomore seasons. I will reserve judgment on whether either is a better fit for Coach Rhoades system until I see Mr. Drone compete this season. We'll get to see how Mr. Obi can compete when he is finally able to play in 2015-2016.

(10-28-2014 04:08 PM)I45owl Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 04:08 PM)I45owl Wrote:  Can I hand over my "turd in the punchbowl title, yet?"

Oh, nevermind...

I would have said let's go 2 out of 3 falls, but... best of 5? 7?

Let's face it: This is a Rice message board. We could have an entire subforum called Turds in the Punchbowl. Heck, maybe we should!

(10-28-2014 04:27 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Let's face it: This is a Rice message board. We could have an entire subforum called Turds in the Punchbowl. Heck, maybe we should!

I just assumed that's what "Parliament" meant.

(10-28-2014 05:03 PM)baker-13 Wrote:  

(10-28-2014 04:27 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Let's face it: This is a Rice message board. We could have an entire subforum called Turds in the Punchbowl. Heck, maybe we should!

I just assumed that's what "Parliament" meant.

touché

(10-28-2014 04:08 PM)I45owl Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 04:20 PM)MemOwl Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 11:21 AM)ChicagoOwl (BS 07) Wrote:  

(10-27-2014 11:14 AM)07owl Wrote:  I certainly don't think it's too early to celebrate that our 2016 class is ranked 11th in the country: http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Basketb...amRankings

dude turned down offers from Arizona, Texas, etc. for RICE! How cool is that!

He hasn't really turned it down until he signs a piece of paper in the fall of 2015.

I think the 2016 commitments (not all but certainly some) are somewhat speculative until and unless we prove to be closer to D-1 than to D-3 in the upcoming season. Hint--I'm a bit worried.

I think 8 or fewer wins is a real possibility. So I hope Coach R. has really sought out guys who want to build something and have a four year frame of reference. We haven't had a guy with than attitude and talent to accompany it since Tamir Jackson. And if we are honest about our aspirations and what they take, Tamir would need to be more a role player than a foundation piece.

Can I hand over my "turd in the punchbowl title, yet?"

Turds in the punch bowl; someone spiked the punch!

Media Day Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ozNsxHj...e=youtu.be

Towards the end you can see the new Drone...definitely worthy of an old Charles Atlas ad.

I thought that was a vintage 1950s ad until I saw the website at the bottom...

(10-29-2014 11:11 AM)I45owl Wrote:  I thought that was a vintage 1950s ad until I saw the website at the bottom...

They apparently still use their old ads since the ads do have name recognition.

Can't remember the last time I was this fired up for a basketball team that I fully expect to win somewhere between 7-12 games this season.

I am more fired up for the future of the program than I am for the upcoming season.

(10-29-2014 12:40 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I am more fired up for the future of the program than I am for the upcoming season.

That's why they call you "OptimisticOwl"

(10-29-2014 12:43 PM)Da.Owl Wrote:  

(10-29-2014 12:40 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I am more fired up for the future of the program than I am for the upcoming season.

That's why they call you "OptimisticOwl"

I am more optimistic now than this time last year. I have hope that this guy can do the job. We shall see. If in three years, this board is calling for his firing, I will be disappointed. And silent.

(10-29-2014 12:58 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If in three years, this board is calling for his firing, I will be disappointed. And silent.

I guess there's a first time for everything.

(10-29-2014 01:16 PM)Gravy Owl Wrote:  

(10-29-2014 12:58 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  If in three years, this board is calling for his firing, I will be disappointed. And silent.

I guess there's a first time for everything.

I stand corrected. I meant that I would let the chorus do the work without me piling on.

(10-29-2014 12:02 PM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  Can't remember the last time I was this fired up for a basketball team that I fully expect to win somewhere between 7-12 games this season.

I'm calling it right now, even without all the new recruits, we will break into the top 4 of conference this year - regular season or conf tournament. Rhoades will make that much of a difference.

I don't expect or demand it- and I too will be happy with just steady progress - but I think Owl fans will be very pleasantly surprised by results on the court this season.

(10-31-2014 08:01 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  I'm calling it right now, even without all the new recruits, we will break into the top 4 of conference this year - regular season or conf tournament. Rhoades will make that much of a difference.

I don't expect or demand it- and I too will be happy with just steady progress - but I think Owl fans will be very pleasantly surprised by results on the court this season.

I'm with you. Not sure whether our opponents are expected to improve or fall off, but Rice has plenty of winnable games (last season's Sagarin ranking, Rice finished at 312):
Prairie View A&M - 327
William & Mary - 146
Houston Baptist - 345
St. Edward's - not D1
St. Thomas - not D1
Lamar - 337
UTSA (x2) - 314
FIU - 233
FAU - 266
North Texas (x2) - 235
Charlotte (x2) - 185
Marshall - 245
ODU (x2) - 163
UAB - 174
W. Kentucky - 162

That is 7 games against teams ranked 146-200, 5 against teams in the 200s, and 5 against teams in the 300s or not D1. The path to double-digit victories is not a steep one.

Here are the tougher opponents, in order of Sagarin ranking:
LaTech - 38
Texas - 43
So.Miss - 56
Mercer - 70
MTSU - 91
Or. State - 101
UTEP (x2) - 112
UH - 129

Hardly a murderer's row, and Mercer is the best team in the Great Alaska Shoot-out, so Rice will probably get 2 more games against beatable opponents during that tournament. I'll be a little sad if Rice isn't 7-3 rolling into the 12/29 game @Texas (losses to Oregon St, Mercer, and 1 unknown opponent in Alaska, victories over Prairie View A&M, William & Mary, Houston Baptist, St. Edwards's, St. Thomas, Lamar, and 1 unknown Alaska opponent).

Boy would I love to see a win over UH..........

Great article...

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/news/2014/...um=twitter

Quote:ame.
"I just wanted to 'up' everything," he said on Tuesday. "Their approach, their time, their effort."..."Let's make practices and workouts so hard that you're so excited to play the games because they're so much easier," Rhoades said.

(10-31-2014 11:08 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Great article...

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/news/2014/...um=twitter

Quote:ame.
"I just wanted to 'up' everything," he said on Tuesday. "Their approach, their time, their effort."..."Let's make practices and workouts so hard that you're so excited to play the games because they're so much easier," Rhoades said.

Royal is growing on me.