(08-07-2026 01:12 PM)Seventyniner Wrote:  

(08-07-2026 11:50 AM)Ourland Wrote:  All I care about is our new AD being hired away after three years. If that happens, we're improving.

What the McClelland hire tells me is any Rice AD who has at least as much success as him stands a good chance to be hired away within a few years.

A good problem to have if Rice keeps making good AD hires, to be sure, but still a problem. The idea of a Rice AD who is both great at the job and sticks around for a decade plus just doesn't survive contact with reality.

Probably the only way we get the combo is if he/she is a Rice alum.

But in any case, I'm happy with being seen a stepping stone to better jobs - McClelland, Del Conte, others - as that means we can attract a better quality of candidate, even if they are going to keep their bags packed.

(08-07-2026 01:12 PM)Seventyniner Wrote:  

(08-07-2026 11:50 AM)Ourland Wrote:  All I care about is our new AD being hired away after three years. If that happens, we're improving.

What the McClelland hire tells me is any Rice AD who has at least as much success as him stands a good chance to be hired away within a few years.

A good problem to have if Rice keeps making good AD hires, to be sure, but still a problem. [/b]The idea of a Rice AD who is both great at the job and sticks around for a decade plus just doesn't survive contact with reality.

LOL. Right.

The slam(s) against Bobby are ridiculous. He became the AD after 1988, which may have been just about the lowest time in Rice sports history. Except for a blip with Mike Schuler and bskb, basically non-competitive in all sports and no titles since track and tennis in the early 70's.

Let's see what did he do:
Hired Wayne Graham (and criticized for hiring a too old jr college coach). That alone was more than enough.
FB in the 90's was probably as strong as any era post Jess
BSKB generally solid-they were so close with the Michael Harris teams
Hired solid women's coaches
Greatly improved Olympic sports
No longer an embarrassment almost across the board

Unfortunately, he did not navigate the coming change in college sports led by DeLoss Dodds of tu. But I have never been convinced then or now that Rice had or has the intestinal fortitude to compete in the way it did during the Jess Neely era (wasn't just FB either)

I'd say pretty darn solid compared to those before and after.

(08-08-2026 01:51 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The slam(s) against Bobby are ridiculous. He became the AD after 1988, which may have been just about the lowest time in Rice sports history. Except for a blip with Mike Schuler and bskb, basically non-competitive in all sports and no titles since track and tennis in the early 70's.

Let's see what did he do:
Hired Wayne Graham (and criticized for hiring a too old jr college coach). That alone was more than enough.
FB in the 90's was probably as strong as any era post Jess
BSKB generally solid-they were so close with the Michael Harris teams
Hired solid women's coaches
Greatly improved Olympic sports
No longer an embarrassment almost across the board

Unfortunately, he did not navigate the coming change in college sports led by DeLoss Dodds of tu. But I have never been convinced then or now that Rice had or has the intestinal fortitude to compete in the way it did during the Jess Neely era (wasn't just FB either)

I'd say pretty darn solid compared to those before and after.

Agreed 100%

(08-08-2026 06:49 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(08-08-2026 01:51 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The slam(s) against Bobby are ridiculous. He became the AD after 1988, which may have been just about the lowest time in Rice sports history. Except for a blip with Mike Schuler and bskb, basically non-competitive in all sports and no titles since track and tennis in the early 70's.

Let's see what did he do:
Hired Wayne Graham (and criticized for hiring a too old jr college coach). That alone was more than enough.
FB in the 90's was probably as strong as any era post Jess
BSKB generally solid-they were so close with the Michael Harris teams
Hired solid women's coaches
Greatly improved Olympic sports
No longer an embarrassment almost across the board

Unfortunately, he did not navigate the coming change in college sports led by DeLoss Dodds of tu. But I have never been convinced then or now that Rice had or has the intestinal fortitude to compete in the way it did during the Jess Neely era (wasn't just FB either)

I'd say pretty darn solid compared to those before and after.

Agreed 100%

Given what he had to work with and what he had to work against, I always thought he was our best AD.

(08-08-2026 01:51 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The slam(s) against Bobby are ridiculous. He became the AD after 1988, which may have been just about the lowest time in Rice sports history. Except for a blip with Mike Schuler and bskb, basically non-competitive in all sports and no titles since track and tennis in the early 70's.

Let's see what did he do:
Hired Wayne Graham (and criticized for hiring a too old jr college coach). That alone was more than enough.
FB in the 90's was probably as strong as any era post Jess
BSKB generally solid-they were so close with the Michael Harris teams
Hired solid women's coaches
Greatly improved Olympic sports
No longer an embarrassment almost across the board

Unfortunately, he did not navigate the coming change in college sports led by DeLoss Dodds of tu. But I have never been convinced then or now that Rice had or has the intestinal fortitude to compete in the way it did during the Jess Neely era (wasn't just FB either)

I'd say pretty darn solid compared to those before and after.

I thought the slam of ‘Bobby’ you’re mentioning in this thread was of Bobby Tudor..

The knock on Bobby was being inward vs.outward looking which is/was the Rice culture. He did a nice job at keeping the deck chairs organized and rest of ship running as described w/ some of accomplishments above but bigger picture, the ship was heading towards an iceberg and he did not do anything to turn it. Meanwhile all the others were actively estate planning whether via investment (TCU), politics (Baylor), etc.. Was clear tides were changing and Bobby and administration were asleep at switch.

Hinsdight is now 20/20 of poor decisions that are now decades old but turning down the opportunity to go the SEC w/ Arkansas based upon hope that the dysfunctional SWC was going to survive and Rice having no plan is probably worst strategic decision of any AD in Rice history. If Bobby had a plan and said no b/c SEC wanted H-Town market that was one thing but betting on hope is worthy of some criticism.

Fast forward to today, college athletics is on the precipice of a system that could make big time athletics at Rice extinct. Meanwhile, all the other peer schools of the 80's/90's from private academic ones to SWC all had a plan and executed it to find a lifeboat. Many others from Ranger Rick to JK made mistakes too but Bobby was offered a lifeboat, knew an iceberg was out there, but didn't think he needed it. That was the Rice culture and Bobby embodied it...looking inward out vs. outward in.

For a future AD, not sure what options are available. The Rice ship is now staring right at the iceberg and options to navigate it are more limited than in Bobby's era.

Not to dispute your narrative, but I don't think SEC invite was ever extended. No one I have talked to has confirmed that invitation

(08-08-2026 11:39 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-08-2026 06:49 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  

(08-08-2026 01:51 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  The slam(s) against Bobby are ridiculous. He became the AD after 1988, which may have been just about the lowest time in Rice sports history. Except for a blip with Mike Schuler and bskb, basically non-competitive in all sports and no titles since track and tennis in the early 70's.

Let's see what did he do:
Hired Wayne Graham (and criticized for hiring a too old jr college coach). That alone was more than enough.
FB in the 90's was probably as strong as any era post Jess
BSKB generally solid-they were so close with the Michael Harris teams
Hired solid women's coaches
Greatly improved Olympic sports
No longer an embarrassment almost across the board

Unfortunately, he did not navigate the coming change in college sports led by DeLoss Dodds of tu. But I have never been convinced then or now that Rice had or has the intestinal fortitude to compete in the way it did during the Jess Neely era (wasn't just FB either)

I'd say pretty darn solid compared to those before and after.

Agreed 100%

Given what he had to work with and what he had to work against, I always thought he was our best AD.

Agree. He did a terrific job.

(08-10-2026 09:32 AM)Houston Owl 2 Wrote:  Not to dispute your narrative, but I don't think SEC invite was ever extended. No one I have talked to has confirmed that invitation

I have no clue whether an actual invitation was extended to Rice from the SEC, but if it was even considered, Bama probably vetoed the idea since they were tired of losing to Rice in football.

so...did Hunt ever take the job?

(09-02-2026 08:12 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  so...did Hunt ever take the job?

I’m not sure if he even saw the ad.

(09-02-2026 10:36 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(09-02-2026 08:12 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  so...did Hunt ever take the job?

I’m not sure if he even saw the ad.

Wasn't it on a sandwich board?

(09-03-2026 08:35 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-02-2026 10:36 PM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(09-02-2026 08:12 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  so...did Hunt ever take the job?

I’m not sure if he even saw the ad.

Wasn't it on a sandwich board?

You beat me to it....kudos.

Can we get Jeff Bagwell to serve as the acting AD so he’s not able to screw up the Astros while they hunt for a GM?

(09-05-2026 07:17 PM)wiessguy Wrote:  Can we get Jeff Bagwell to serve as the acting AD so he’s not able to screw up the Astros while they hunt for a GM?

+1

Have they started interviewing for the new AD?

(09-07-2026 09:17 AM)Texasowl Wrote:  Have they started interviewing for the new AD?

No

(09-07-2026 10:06 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-07-2026 09:17 AM)Texasowl Wrote:  Have they started interviewing for the new AD?

No

AD? We don't need no stinkin AD.

Ive always thought that the lack of major conference invites has had more to do with diminutive fan base than anything else. Most universities, even if they have nothing academic to toot their horns about, have local fan bases much larger than Rice, mostly because they're commuter schools for normal people who weren't at the top of their class in high school. They just want regular degrees to be qualified to do regular jobs. Teaching, nursing, construction contractors, etc. They aren't necessarily seeking a credential to get into medical school or a PhD for research fellowships. And the tuition is reasonable, sort of. At least affordable, unlike Rice. So, you have the UH's, Texas States, UTSAs, UTEPs, etc., who can all eventually grow to enormous student bodies and fan bases and be invited to major conferences. Baylor and TCU are not academic juggernauts, but they have rich donors who are ready to open their checkbooks, and don't seem to be hindered by any expectations that athletes will fit into the student bodies. Their conference affiliations are providing them with TV revenues which are being plowed back into the universities' infrastructures for larger and larger student bodies. While Rice grows to 7000 over years, they're already well beyond that figure. Rice will always be an afterthought unless they figure out how to grow the student body to include people who didn't graduate high school with perfect 4.0 GPAs.