(03-27-2013 09:07 AM)oliveandblue Wrote:  You guys mentioned on this how nobody is expected to win at Rice.

We've had the same issues at Tulane for a long, long time. I actually think both schools have picked up this "acceptance for failure" because there aren't enough fans out there to raise hell about the lack of success at either school (I'm especially looking at the basketball programs here).

As for Rice to the B1G - I don't see it happening due to geography and fanbase size. I actually think the Big XII could use a strong academic school right about now but the focus in all of this has moved from tradition/intangibles to now TV money.

The selection of Rutgers validates your point about Big 10 focus completely.

(03-27-2013 09:07 AM)oliveandblue Wrote:  You guys mentioned on this how nobody is expected to win at Rice.

We've had the same issues at Tulane for a long, long time. I actually think both schools have picked up this "acceptance for failure" because there aren't enough fans out there to raise hell about the lack of success at either school (I'm especially looking at the basketball programs here).

As for Rice to the B1G - I don't see it happening due to geography and fanbase size. I actually think the Big XII could use a strong academic school right about now but the focus in all of this has moved from tradition/intangibles to now TV money.

How about Rice petitioning to join the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the consortium of Big 10 schools + UChicago. A seat at the table (wasn't that what Greenspan was supposed to bring us) and an ear to the college presidents who are supposed to be piloting the blimp that college athletics has become.

If no, how about starting a Magnolia League (sans athletics initially) along the lines of the CIS getting like minded schools cooperating on other endevours. Rice, Tulane, Duke, Wake, Vandy, throw in a public AAU or two (Texas, Missouri, Toronto) and see what happens.

It can't be any worse than the status quo.

It must be a different table Greenspan was talking about when hired.

(03-27-2013 04:51 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  It must be a different table Greenspan was talking about when hired.

Golden Corral or Ryan's Steakhouse?

(03-27-2013 07:47 PM)wheredidmypantsgo Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 04:51 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  It must be a different table Greenspan was talking about when hired.

Golden Corral or Ryan's Steakhouse?

Periodic.

(03-27-2013 07:47 PM)wheredidmypantsgo Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 04:51 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  It must be a different table Greenspan was talking about when hired.

Golden Corral or Ryan's Steakhouse?

C'mon man, everyone knows that Greenspan is a Sizzler guy.

(03-27-2013 07:47 PM)wheredidmypantsgo Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 04:51 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  It must be a different table Greenspan was talking about when hired.

Golden Corral or Ryan's Steakhouse?

Definitely Golden Corral - matches Greenspan's level of service/quality.

(03-27-2013 03:36 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  ...How about Rice petitioning to join the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the consortium of Big 10 schools + UChicago....

Huh. Is it possible to crash a conference? Petition to join committees and organizations that the chosen conference's schools are part of, schedule all of our OOC games against the chosen conference, initiate research partnerships with the chosen conference's schools, maybe recruit from their markets...

I'm not serious about this, but I am amused by the thought of how it could be possible to insert yourself in another conference to the extent that it becomes a given that they invite you.

(04-01-2013 02:28 PM)Caelligh Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 03:36 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  ...How about Rice petitioning to join the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the consortium of Big 10 schools + UChicago....

Huh. Is it possible to crash a conference? Petition to join committees and organizations that the chosen conference's schools are part of, schedule all of our OOC games against the chosen conference, initiate research partnerships with the chosen conference's schools, maybe recruit from their markets...
I'm not serious about this, but I am amused by the thought of how it could be possible to insert yourself in another conference to the extent that it becomes a given that they invite you.

We had a chance to do this with the SEC at one time, but passed. Might be able to with the B1G, but I think the geography is against us, plus they don't really need the additional academic cachet we would bring. Geography works with the XII, but most of their members don't have much interest in academics. If I were AD, I'd take another shot at the SEC. I think that's the best chance of something like this going, since we have something to offer them academically, and they have something to offer us athletically.

(04-01-2013 02:34 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 02:28 PM)Caelligh Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 03:36 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  ...How about Rice petitioning to join the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the consortium of Big 10 schools + UChicago....

Huh. Is it possible to crash a conference? Petition to join committees and organizations that the chosen conference's schools are part of, schedule all of our OOC games against the chosen conference, initiate research partnerships with the chosen conference's schools, maybe recruit from their markets...
I'm not serious about this, but I am amused by the thought of how it could be possible to insert yourself in another conference to the extent that it becomes a given that they invite you.

We had a chance to do this with the SEC at one time, but passed. Might be able to with the B1G, but I think the geography is against us, plus they don't really need the additional academic cachet we would bring. Geography works with the XII, but most of their members don't have much interest in academics. If I were AD, I'd take another shot at the SEC. I think that's the best chance of something like this going, since we have something to offer them academically, and they have something to offer us athletically.

And they will say thanks for the presentation, but no thanks.

(04-01-2013 02:36 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 02:34 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(04-01-2013 02:28 PM)Caelligh Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 03:36 PM)exowlswimmer Wrote:  ...How about Rice petitioning to join the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, the consortium of Big 10 schools + UChicago....

Huh. Is it possible to crash a conference? Petition to join committees and organizations that the chosen conference's schools are part of, schedule all of our OOC games against the chosen conference, initiate research partnerships with the chosen conference's schools, maybe recruit from their markets...
I'm not serious about this, but I am amused by the thought of how it could be possible to insert yourself in another conference to the extent that it becomes a given that they invite you.

We had a chance to do this with the SEC at one time, but passed. Might be able to with the B1G, but I think the geography is against us, plus they don't really need the additional academic cachet we would bring. Geography works with the XII, but most of their members don't have much interest in academics. If I were AD, I'd take another shot at the SEC. I think that's the best chance of something like this going, since we have something to offer them academically, and they have something to offer us athletically.

And they will say thanks for the presentation, but no thanks.

Maybe, maybe not.
But getting told "NO" is no worse than not asking--and better, because you at least have more information than you did before.

If we're going to have any expectation of moving up in conference status, we need to find a situation where we bring something to the table. That absolutely means competitive teams and decent fan support, neither of which we enjoy at present. But suppose we get them, there are other places with competitive teams and decent fan support that aren't going anywhere. What can we offer that other schools can't. At that point, academics and location--our two advantages--come into play. The XII don't care about our academics and figure they already have our location covered. The B1G care about academics, but we don't really add anything they don't already have, and the location benefits are offset by the travel time and cost. The ACC members probably like our academics, but the location really stretches them out. If they got Vandy and Tulane in the deal, too, it would be less of a stretch, and depending on what happens they might have that many openings. Of course, in that event, depending on the number of slots, they might not take all 3. Without Vandy, I don't think they look at Tulane, and without Tulane, I don't think they look at us. And I don't expect Vandy to have a beg enought brain fart to leave all those SEC bucks on the ground. SEC is the one place where our academics and location might mean something positive--if we got competitve and started selling some tickets. If we had some ham, we could make ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.