(07-22-2016 12:52 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Those trenches they dug across the right side dirt bank make it look like tiered seating again.

Maybe it's terracing, so they can grow rice.

(07-22-2016 06:00 PM)Grungy Wrote:  

(07-22-2016 12:52 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Those trenches they dug across the right side dirt bank make it look like tiered seating again.

Maybe it's terracing, so they can grow rice.

That would be kind of funny if we had volunteer students in hats doing that during the games when the opponent was nearing a score in that end-zones' red zone to distract them. Kinda like what basketball fans do when the opponent shoots free throws?

Looks like the stream is down?

Temporary glitch or the end for the EZF camera, I wonder?

(07-24-2016 12:42 PM)Orange County Owl Wrote:  Looks like the stream is down?

Temporary glitch or the end for the EZF camera, I wonder?

I hope not yet, as it's not yet finished/opened. Since the webcam is on the other end zone, I wouldn't see why it would have to be taken down until after the official opening. Either way, I will miss it when/if it's gone. Been fun watching the new facility grow!

(07-25-2016 09:21 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(07-25-2016 07:18 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  The generators are loud as hell and really obnoxious. The more likely option would be to allow them to directly plug into a power source sized for their needs. That's what a lot of places do to avoid the noisy generator problem.

HRS doesn't have a power source sized for their needs. Same for TV, the production crews always bring their own generators. It's something that needs to be addressed in any upgrade.

As one of the previous oft-cited impediments to building a EZF in the north end zone was the electrical/mechanical issues, which they addressed to build Patterson, here's hoping they can also address these type of issues with HRS upgrades in the coming years.

Hope they will give some preliminary announcements about additional phases/plans for further HRS renovation when they formally open Patterson EZF.

As we look forward to the opening of the EZF and the kickoff of this upcoming season, here's a couple of now historic videos of the old girl:




Aerial - Rice University Football Stadium Published on Mar 16, 2014




Remembering when Super Bowl VIII was held at Rice Stadium




Around Campus: Rice Stadium 60th Anniversary Uploaded on Dec 20, 2010




Rice University Football Stadium http://www.campusuniversitytours




Caleb Flying by Rice Stadium with campus views Published on Aug 17, 2014

...and what we'll be leaving behind--big improvement.




Rice University Football Stadium and Football Office Published on Feb 10, 2015

It appears from a twitter pic with the black fence finished in front of the building between the six large columns that they are going to leave those six columns exposed concrete. I thought they would wrap the columns in some finishing material as the rest of the building has finishes on what were exposed concrete surfaces: roof, facade, etc... Also, the fence in front of the building between the columns appears shorter than the fence on the sides.

For a school closer to us... http://smumustangs.com/news/2016/7/26/ge...jects.aspx

Colorado State's under-construction new $220 million football stadium:







Then there's this statement from the Colo. State students:





and this one from ours:

Camera back up.

Just more proof that 'slow and steady' = standing still (relatively).

You don't have to go from 0-60 in 3 seconds, but you DO have to go from 0-30, then 25-50, then 45-60. A few 'major' leaps. This is a big one IMO. We don't need to have the best facilities, because we have the best University.

(07-26-2016 07:36 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We don't need to have the best facilities, because we have the best University.

We need to have better facilities than we have now, inclusive of the EZF. Our FBS academic peers have equal to or better (in Stanford's case, much better) facilities than we do. Stanford is the best university of any FBS school and they certainly have the mentality that they need to impress recruits in all facets of their Stanford experience.

(07-26-2016 08:01 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(07-26-2016 07:36 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We don't need to have the best facilities, because we have the best University.

We need to have better facilities than we have now, inclusive of the EZF. Our FBS academic peers have equal to or better (in Stanford's case, much better) facilities than we do. Stanford is the best university of any FBS school and they certainly have the mentality that they need to impress recruits in all facets of their Stanford experience.

I should have said 'in g5'. If we're honest, we don't really compete for many p5 athletes in football... at least not with schools in p5 and academically in the top 50. Kids come to Rice because they didn't get offered the scholarship at Stanford.

Remove p5 programs who have far more resources than we (most are massive state flagship institutions, PLUS p5 money) and nobody else even really comes close. SMU and Tulane are more than 30 slots away by most comparisons, and then you drop probably another 50 before you hit anyone else. Their facilities are nice, but no nicer than ours (as far as the players are concerned, including the EZF, track and planned baseball upgrades). Of course, they keep improving so we do as well, but we don't need to have 'the best' facilities.

Ours need to be nice, neat, well maintained and functional. We can't 'not' have something that someone else has that makes a difference (indoor practice facility?) but we don't need to replace our locker room every 7 years just to keep 'the best' locker room.... Our locker rooms need to be maintained and cosmetically/functionally updated from time to time... so I hope part of the construction 'ask' included maintenance endowments.

Said differently... while you understand why someone doesn't want to spend 4 years in a moldy locker room with duct tape on the worn carpeting and rats in the walls... the guy who turns down a Rice scholarship for a UNT scholarship because their players lounge had a 4k TV and ours was 1080 probably doesn't need to come to Rice.

About those planned baseball upgrades... are those a unicorn? Been a while, and I don't see a Reckling cam link on the Owls website.

(07-27-2016 10:41 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(07-26-2016 08:01 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(07-26-2016 07:36 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We don't need to have the best facilities, because we have the best University.

We need to have better facilities than we have now, inclusive of the EZF. Our FBS academic peers have equal to or better (in Stanford's case, much better) facilities than we do. Stanford is the best university of any FBS school and they certainly have the mentality that they need to impress recruits in all facets of their Stanford experience.

I should have said 'in g5'. If we're honest, we don't really compete for many p5 athletes in football... at least not with schools in p5 and academically in the top 50. Kids come to Rice because they didn't get offered the scholarship at Stanford.

Remove p5 programs who have far more resources than we (most are massive state flagship institutions, PLUS p5 money) and nobody else even really comes close. SMU and Tulane are more than 30 slots away by most comparisons, and then you drop probably another 50 before you hit anyone else. Their facilities are nice, but no nicer than ours (as far as the players are concerned, including the EZF, track and planned baseball upgrades). Of course, they keep improving so we do as well, but we don't need to have 'the best' facilities.

Ours need to be nice, neat, well maintained and functional. We can't 'not' have something that someone else has that makes a difference (indoor practice facility?) but we don't need to replace our locker room every 7 years just to keep 'the best' locker room.... Our locker rooms need to be maintained and cosmetically/functionally updated from time to time... so I hope part of the construction 'ask' included maintenance endowments.

Said differently... while you understand why someone doesn't want to spend 4 years in a moldy locker room with duct tape on the worn carpeting and rats in the walls... the guy who turns down a Rice scholarship for a UNT scholarship because their players lounge had a 4k TV and ours was 1080 probably doesn't need to come to Rice.

Very well stated.

(07-27-2016 10:39 PM)owlatheart Wrote:  

(07-27-2016 10:41 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(07-26-2016 08:01 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(07-26-2016 07:36 PM)Hambone10 Wrote:  We don't need to have the best facilities, because we have the best University.

We need to have better facilities than we have now, inclusive of the EZF. Our FBS academic peers have equal to or better (in Stanford's case, much better) facilities than we do. Stanford is the best university of any FBS school and they certainly have the mentality that they need to impress recruits in all facets of their Stanford experience.

I should have said 'in g5'. If we're honest, we don't really compete for many p5 athletes in football... at least not with schools in p5 and academically in the top 50. Kids come to Rice because they didn't get offered the scholarship at Stanford.

Remove p5 programs who have far more resources than we (most are massive state flagship institutions, PLUS p5 money) and nobody else even really comes close. SMU and Tulane are more than 30 slots away by most comparisons, and then you drop probably another 50 before you hit anyone else. Their facilities are nice, but no nicer than ours (as far as the players are concerned, including the EZF, track and planned baseball upgrades). Of course, they keep improving so we do as well, but we don't need to have 'the best' facilities.

Ours need to be nice, neat, well maintained and functional. We can't 'not' have something that someone else has that makes a difference (indoor practice facility?) but we don't need to replace our locker room every 7 years just to keep 'the best' locker room.... Our locker rooms need to be maintained and cosmetically/functionally updated from time to time... so I hope part of the construction 'ask' included maintenance endowments.

Said differently... while you understand why someone doesn't want to spend 4 years in a moldy locker room with duct tape on the worn carpeting and rats in the walls... the guy who turns down a Rice scholarship for a UNT scholarship because their players lounge had a 4k TV and ours was 1080 probably doesn't need to come to Rice.

Very well stated.

+1. Excellent post, Hambone.

Posted this on AAC board's Rice thread yesterday, in response to some of their comments about Rice's "YMCA-like" facilities. That is incorrect, of course, although it was probably true 20 years ago:

(07-25-2016 06:26 AM)BigHouston Wrote:  Rice doesn't used to not support their athletics department.

The AAC needs someone who does

We do now:

$32 million spent this year (all paid for in advance) just on new End Zone Facility (replacing old north seating stands) including coaches offices, weight room, training and therapy areas, players locker rooms and lounge, players meeting auditorium, and more says you're mistaken:




Also, $23 million complete recent renovation and expansion of Basketball facility Tudor Fieldhouse:



Reckling Park, one of the nation's premier modern college baseball stadiums, seating 7,000 +, 9 suites, spacious press box and radio spaces and host to many NCAA Regionals and Superregionals as well as the 20003 National baseball Champion Rice Owls and scheduled for additional multi-million dollar expansion of facilities down third base line:



Brand-new $8 Million 120,000-sf, 14-court George R. Brown Tennis facility and Stadium Seating for 600+:



Brand-new $2 Million Wendel D. Ley Track & Holloway Field. The grandstand accommodates 1,500 people with a mixture of chairback and bleacher seating, as well as a new press box. The teams' building includes meeting rooms, a weight room and space for visiting teams, in addition to restrooms for fans.



Rice Aquatics Center Natatorium Size: 12,650-sf 50-meter completion pool Completion: 2009 Highlights: 8 lanes and 4 diving boards, 4-ft wide moveable bulkhead, 20 cross course lanes available




Rice in the last several years has dramatically upgraded its facilities and has been spending millions to get back to where it once was long ago. Additional phased renovations are planned for the football stadium including press box, seating areas and suites, concessions, bathrooms and more.

Very nice post. I'm hoping our athletic department has a presentation with that info and more in every member schools' hands already. Big 12 MWC and AAC

Also don't forget the 10? Million more for renovating the back of Tudor for golf/soccer/ track locker rooms that is already funded if I remember the last podcast correctly. Like SMU we can also tout ~100 million of athletic facility improvements from private funding over the last decade.

and more to come for football as well. It may not be $30-50mm at a whack, but it will be substantial. We need to not forget that unlike many of our peers, the 'guts' of our stadium (something which many of them need to pay $50+mm to match) is still highly usable.