(04-01-2021 10:26 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(03-31-2021 10:53 PM)Ourland Wrote:  I don't know any of the specific details concerning this player, nor does anyone else here. I wish I knew more, and I definitely wish I knew both sides of the story, which I'm sure would differ from one another. If it all happened exactly the way you describe, then yes I'm disappointed that staff didn't even reciprocate by returning a phone call. There's no excuse for it, but that's not a reflection of the university and athletics department as a whole. Perhaps it's a reflection of the coaching staff. It's definitely not the kind of incident that would cause me to withhold donations to Rice, or have me speak disparagingly about my alma mater. That would be petty of me.

Funny, you basically say you know nothing about what happened here, and it would be petty of you to speak disparagingly about Rice, but you have no problem speaking disparagingly about a poster on here. You said you didn't intend offense, but you obviously offended and despite being told by him that it was offensive, and having others on here tell you we found it offensive as well, you have done nothing but defend your statements.

If someone tells you that you offended them and your response is 'I wouldn't change one single word', then despite your claims to the contrary, you INTENDED to offend.

To the facts, actually, some of us have followed him for years now.... but I ALREADY gave you the deference that its their job, not ours to recruit. As has been said a dozen times now, this is about common courtest and respect... not about athletic talent. And I know all about the story that I need to know to know that the Administration is messing up. I've gotten the story from the horses mouth, and so have you. There is NO excuse for them not to have a conversation with this particular alum. Short of a court order barring it, there is NOTHING they could say to me where I would agree that 'no contact' would be appropriate.

(03-31-2021 11:55 PM)Ourland Wrote:  For all we know, he may have indicated that he's not interested in playing for Rice. If he's in the top 60 in Houston, he may want to hold out for something bigger. He still has one more season to improve his ranking locally and statewide. It could also be that the coaching staff won't be signing a QB during the next cycle. There may already be enough of them on the roster. Jovani Johnson could be a star with the proper coaching, and he has four years of eligibility left. That's my take.

Funny, you know nothing about nothing, but you sure can speculate on defense.

MY point was (and I'm sure others agree) that even if he doesn't want to attend Rice, we should still try and leverage the family connection and see if he will 'keep us in the discussion' as a favor. Maybe this has happened and since he's not on here, we're just speculating. Again, while it is an example of an opportunity, nobody has claimed that it isn't happening.

Just as an aside, I don't care if Jovani is on the Ramon Flanigan plan PLUS Covid... You don't simply 'pass' on a top 60 athlete in your back yard with such a strong family connection. That's just insane. How many top 60 QBs are sitting on the bench at UT at any given time? How many have SIGNED with Rice?

(04-01-2021 09:18 AM)Ourland Wrote:  These coaches don't know many of Rice's former players at all, nor do they have an appreciation for what any of them have done for the university since they've been gone. That may be different if we had found someone qualified from the Rice coaching tree, but there isn't anyone. Legacy recruiting is a thing of the past, or maybe there are potential 'conflicts of interest' to take into consideration that would prevent a coach from pursuing a legacy.

More excuses.... and as NO said, there is NO WAY they don't know these things.

Quote:You're right. I won't pretend to know much about the recruiting process. What I do know is that these coaches must have good reasons to pursue some legacies, but not others. Timing is everything. They may project an urgent need in the future that Kalu can immediately fill. At this specific point in time in the program, that may not be the case with Bert Jr. and your son. If Kalu is on their radar, that tells me that they know about and follow legacies. I really do hope your kids get great offers.

Funny, just moments ago you said they don't know any former players and families, and now you say its clear that they do?!?! You say 'legacy recruiting' is a thing of the past and then admit that its still happening?? Other than finding ways to defend things that you ADMIT you know nothing about (that's not me saying that... YOU said that) exactly what IS your purpose in this discussion? To tell others how they should feel about things you have no knowledge about and they do??

There IS no good reason for not being courteous... especially the moment you find out that the person you're ignoring, you're also asking for money from.

Here.. I have a solution and I'm serious. I'll VOLUNTEER my time and my own money to be the 'non-targeted' athletic alumni coordinator. If a coach identifies a child of an alum who has reached out to the school, and the coach isn't interested in that athlete... I'll ask the coaches for a simple reason... full at the position, the child isn't good enough for a scholarship, any of the various excuses you mentioned... and I will PERSONALLY reach out to those parents and 'have the talk' with them. I'll even go so far as to make my own connections with people in financial aid so that I can help direct them. I'll also speak to admissions about ways to help these people make their applications more attractive. I guarantee that I won't tell them... RIce gave YOU a scholarship so you should be grateful, but I will certainly fade the heat that I'm sure will come from a few disappointed parents.

SOME of these kids GREW UP attending Rice games. My kids traveled frequently with the 'official' charter and my daughter was a well known heckler at Reckling.... now personal friends with former Rice and Tulane and current UT coaches wives as a result. If she had become a Rice student, SHE would have been attending home games and encouraging her friends on campus to do the same.... and would have made it fun for others to attend. They're not athletes... Obviously I have no 'angst' against athletics as a result... BUT... its still a good example of 'why' athletics might want to know about 'legacy' children of former athletes... and have a vested interest in them attending.... not to mention the 'legacy' sort of donations I spoke about. I now get solitications from three other universities.

Walter McReynolds was a former Rice athlete and very involved at Rice. His children 'grew up' attending Rice events. They both attended Rice as CHEERLEADERS, meaning they QUITE LITERALLY were campus ambassadors for athletics at Rice.

This isn't rocket science.

Umm, Ham....

Didn’t I once tell you that you should never try to reason with a crazy person. One person in this discussion is obviously delusional and certainly meets this criterion.