(11-24-2020 01:14 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Sure was a lot of whining and complaining in the Bailiff years (and the Hatfield years)...and yet the game threads were several times as long.
All we need is some winning. If we start winning, people will come back. Winning cures just about everything.

But the problem that a number of us see, some for slightly different reasons, is that we are currently following an approach that can't lead to winning.

Bailiff's idea was that we were just going to out-recruit everybody. When our Jimmys and Joes got to be better than the other guys, we would win without regard to the Xs and Os. Bloomgren has improved the defense and kicking game, primarily because he has hired some good coordinators, but his offensive philosophy has no chance to work with the people we can recruit.

Ruowls has a following on here because he advocates the things that Bailiff and Bloomgren have not--a unique scheme and perfected execution.

(11-24-2020 07:51 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

It’s time we go independent and follow the athletics example set by Liberty. They would sadly blow us out in football. They play a much more interesting schedule than us. Their alumni actually care.

Wow that’s so disgusting and painful to type out. Too bad Leebron is a sorry excuse for a President.

Liberty is not necessarily independent by choice. It does want into an FBS conference, though I'm sure it has its own conditions, too. The G5s aren't too hot to bring them in, and this year is showing why - they don't spend on their athletics like a regular G5 program (and that's more than just football). The results could quickly make them a top program and crowd the existing "powers" out of their comfortable positions.

They choose to spend the money they make (through their in-person students, but also a very robust online set of programs) in part on upgrading their athletics, to increase their profile.

Their football won't be top 25 every year - I think this is a year that is special for them, and they have taken a loss now. But their men's basketball has been dangerous for a while. And look at the visibility they're getting out of just winning.

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

The basketball program is handicapped by an NCAA that basically allows P5’s to use G5’s as a developmental league. While I do have issues with some in game strategy from Pera, you have to applaud his ability to recognize under the radar talent and to improve that talent. This year’s team could have been anchored by Malik Osborne, Petersen, and Murphy.

(11-24-2020 07:54 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:14 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  Sure was a lot of whining and complaining in the Bailiff years (and the Hatfield years)...and yet the game threads were several times as long.
All we need is some winning. If we start winning, people will come back. Winning cures just about everything.

But the problem that a number of us see, some for slightly different reasons, is that we are currently following an approach that can't lead to winning.

Bailiff's idea was that we were just going to out-recruit everybody. When our Jimmys and Joes got to be better than the other guys, we would win without regard to the Xs and Os. Bloomgren has improved the defense and kicking game, primarily because he has hired some good coordinators, but his offensive philosophy has no chance to work with the people we can recruit.

Ruowls has a following on here because he advocates the things that Bailiff and Bloomgren have not--a unique scheme and perfected execution.

My point was that winning, under whatever coach or scheme, is the main thing to bring fans back. I don't care if that winning is under Bloom or the next iteration of AnybodyButBailiff. I don't care if it comes about through running or passing or defense. Just win, baby!

I am part of RUowls following. I would love to see him get a chance.

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

WWCD

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.

As my out of town son said at a game two years ago, it is obvious they are not trying. So are folks supposed to ignore the fact that the emperor has no clothes?

(11-20-2020 07:07 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  If the shutdown last spring worked, why do we need another one?
If the shutdown last spring didn't work, why do we need another one?

The shutdown last spring worked in the sense that it helped significantly reduce the spread of the virus in places where outbreaks were out of control. Some places that shut down probably did not need to do so and could have survived with various lesser restrictions that many places have now instituted. The big problem was that testing was so limited, it was hard to really gauge what was happening in a lot of locales and shutdowns were the one sure way to get things under control with such limited testing.

Not a single location in the USA would need another shutdown, so long as people wear masks, socially distance, avoid mass gatherings, and be particularly careful following various recommended protocols with indoor settings. Places that follow none of those recommendations...

What does that have to do with Rice vs. UTEP?

(11-20-2020 07:29 PM)cr11owl Wrote:  Europe shutdown before and they’ve shutdown again. Lots of Republicans in Europe?

My wife has friends in France. At the very beginning of their current spike, we were mystified that they didn't put in place more significant restrictions to help avoid future confinements. They waited too long (likely due to covid fatigue) and when they finally started implementing lesser restrictions, it was apparently too late to avoid confinements (though less restrictive confinements than in the spring).

I was hoping the US would avoid the same problem since our fall spike lagged a little behind Europe's.

(11-24-2020 07:51 AM)cr11owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

It’s time we go independent and follow the athletics example set by Liberty. They would sadly blow us out in football. They play a much more interesting schedule than us. Their alumni actually care.

Wow that’s so disgusting and painful to type out. Too bad Leebron is a sorry excuse for a President.

I know it. We lose to teams now that we were too good to even schedule when we were in the SWC. As far as independence is concerned, that only works out if you're willing to spend big money. Hugh Freeze makes $2.5 million a year. Liberty has the will to have a meaningful athletics program. Rice does not.

So, even if we find a way to beat UTEP on Saturday, we're still looking at a 2-4 losing season, Bloomgren's third in a row. No "good" coach is losing this badly in his third season. I can't wait for this guy to be gone, and for someone to be brought in who can do something with all this great "talent" we supposedly have right now. Am I correct in my belief that if we lose again next season, both Bloomgren and Karlgaard will be gone? Certainly they wouldn't let this incompetent AD make another hire. Right?

(11-24-2020 03:33 PM)Ourland Wrote:  So, even if we find a way to beat UTEP on Saturday, we're still looking at a 2-4 losing season, Bloomgren's third in a row. No "good" coach is losing this badly in his third season. I can't wait for this guy to be gone, and for someone to be brought in who can do something with all this great "talent" we supposedly have right now. Am I correct in my belief that if we lose again next season, both Bloomgren and Karlgaard will be gone? Certainly they wouldn't let this incompetent AD make another hire. Right?

Karlgaard's contract is up in seven months, so I'd assume he'd have to be terminated/extended by the end of the school year. Bloomgren is under contract through the 2022 season.

(11-24-2020 03:46 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 03:33 PM)Ourland Wrote:  So, even if we find a way to beat UTEP on Saturday, we're still looking at a 2-4 losing season, Bloomgren's third in a row. No "good" coach is losing this badly in his third season. I can't wait for this guy to be gone, and for someone to be brought in who can do something with all this great "talent" we supposedly have right now. Am I correct in my belief that if we lose again next season, both Bloomgren and Karlgaard will be gone? Certainly they wouldn't let this incompetent AD make another hire. Right?

Karlgaard's contract is up in seven months, so I'd assume he'd have to be terminated/extended by the end of the school year. Bloomgren is under contract through the 2022 season.

Over on the conference board is a list of the CUSA coaches and their salaries. Bloom is third, at over $1.3m/yr.

We have been told so long that higher salaries = better coaches, we have forgotten which side of that equation pushes the other.

The BOT better not dare renew Karlgaard's contact.

(11-24-2020 06:56 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 03:46 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 03:33 PM)Ourland Wrote:  So, even if we find a way to beat UTEP on Saturday, we're still looking at a 2-4 losing season, Bloomgren's third in a row. No "good" coach is losing this badly in his third season. I can't wait for this guy to be gone, and for someone to be brought in who can do something with all this great "talent" we supposedly have right now. Am I correct in my belief that if we lose again next season, both Bloomgren and Karlgaard will be gone? Certainly they wouldn't let this incompetent AD make another hire. Right?

Karlgaard's contract is up in seven months, so I'd assume he'd have to be terminated/extended by the end of the school year. Bloomgren is under contract through the 2022 season.

Over on the conference board is a list of the CUSA coaches and their salaries. Bloom is third, at over $1.3m/yr.

We have been told so long that higher salaries = better coaches, we have forgotten which side of that equation pushes the other.

For Bloomgren's next trick, he'll become the CEO of a failing shale oil and gas company

Since rain is in the forecast, Rice should use Jovoni Johnson with Mike Collins as the quarterbacks. Jovoni Johnson is the much better running quarterback, and if rain is in the forecast, he should be used as much as possible. He played so well against UTEP last year, making at least 5 yards or more on each running play that he was running. Use both quarterbacks to keep UTEP's defense off balance. And use Otoviano. Was he injured against North Texas? I did not see him in a single play as I did not see Jovoni Johnson! What is going on?

Someone in the UNT game thread said Juma got hurt in practice last week and wasn't at full strength on Saturday so they didn't use him. I also read today that Trammell is hurt and may not play this week that will hurt.

(11-24-2020 08:23 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

The basketball program is handicapped by an NCAA that basically allows P5’s to use G5’s as a developmental league. While I do have issues with some in game strategy from Pera, you have to applaud his ability to recognize under the radar talent and to improve that talent. This year’s team could have been anchored by Malik Osborne, Petersen, and Murphy.

Good assessment. These kids at Rice can feel the indifference that administration and faculty have towards athletics. They have friends who play elsewhere who get to brag about their experience. It's hard to blame our best players for getting out as quickly as they can. If Rice were an incredible place for student-athletes, we'd still lose talent, but not nearly as many as we do now. Rice athleticsis at a place where it has to go all in, or just get out. The status quo will bring nothing but more losing, more loss of revenue, and a further decline in fan support, which is an embarrassment to the university.

(11-24-2020 10:13 PM)owlcarlos Wrote:  Since rain is in the forecast, Rice should use Jovoni Johnson with Mike Collins as the quarterbacks. Jovoni Johnson is the much better running quarterback, and if rain is in the forecast, he should be used as much as possible. He played so well against UTEP last year, making at least 5 yards or more on each running play that he was running. Use both quarterbacks to keep UTEP's defense off balance. And use Otoviano. Was he injured against North Texas? I did not see him in a single play as I did not see Jovoni Johnson! What is going on?

Bloomgren is going to stick with Collins. He never rotates quarterbacks like Bailiff did. Johnson won't see the field at all this season. He gains no experience in the system, and we'll be back to square one in the Spring. This coach has blown it at the QB position.

(11-25-2020 01:42 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 08:23 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

The basketball program is handicapped by an NCAA that basically allows P5’s to use G5’s as a developmental league. While I do have issues with some in game strategy from Pera, you have to applaud his ability to recognize under the radar talent and to improve that talent. This year’s team could have been anchored by Malik Osborne, Petersen, and Murphy.

Good assessment. These kids at Rice can feel the indifference that administration and faculty have towards athletics. They have friends who play elsewhere who get to brag about their experience. It's hard to blame our best players for getting out as quickly as they can. If Rice were an incredible place for student-athletes, we'd still lose talent, but not nearly as many as we do now. Rice athleticsis at a place where it has to go all in, or just get out. The status quo will bring nothing but more losing, more loss of revenue, and a further decline in fan support, which is an embarrassment to the university.

??? Do tell us about this mass exodus of Rice student-athletes? Aside from MBB, very few Rice student-athletes leave, and certainly not at a rate greater than other schools...and the MBB transfer situation is not unique to Rice among G5 programs.

(11-24-2020 08:23 AM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  

(11-24-2020 01:26 AM)Ourland Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 11:40 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 10:45 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(11-23-2020 07:32 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The reality is that the traffic on this board has significantly declined. Certainly a lot due to lack of games, etc. But I think that a lot of folks have given up caring.

Most of the decline in traffic is because many of us are sick of the whining and complaining....and have absolutely no desire to get into heated debate on the topic. We still very much care about Rice athletics.

And those that have issues with the state of Rice athletics, excuse me, whiners and complainers, don’t care about Rice athletics? Seems to me the decline in traffic here is due to a dramatic drop in the number of those who still care about Rice athletics and are concerned with its current trajectory.

I think you got it. We've been losing miserably in football since the 2014 season. The basketball program is equally dismal. All the best players transfer out of both programs.
At the same time, Rice continues to be indifferent towards athletics, spending as little as it possibly can, and being proud of it. The gravy on top of the pile of crap is that we're in a conference that's a terrible geographic fit, playing lowly former FCS schools in the east that no one here gives a damn about. It's a terrible situation, and no one at Rice has the balls to stand up for change. Every year is a painful replay of the one before. There's simply nothing to be excited about. I'm disappointed in myself for not caring like I used to, but I can't help it. It's hard for me to care, when Leebron and the BOT don't even care.

The basketball program is handicapped by an NCAA that basically allows P5’s to use G5’s as a developmental league. While I do have issues with some in game strategy from Pera, you have to applaud his ability to recognize under the radar talent and to improve that talent. This year’s team could have been anchored by Malik Osborne, Petersen, and Murphy.

And Millora-Brown who left for Vandy after his first year.

I don't think it is hard to imagine that without all the transfers of the last 10 years or so that MBSKB might have made the NCAA tournament once or twice or at least be in the hunt-in the conference final, at least. It is an absolute abomination but that is the world of 2020 where your word and loyalty means nothing.

But this is also an indictment of Rice's approach to athletics....