http://masseyratings.com/game.php?gid=435814242

Rice 17
aTm 47

Two percenters are disliked at A&M because it used to be said that only tow percent of students do not care about the Aggie football team so maybe it is an unlucky number for them.

(08-27-2013 11:30 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  http://masseyratings.com/game.php?gid=435814242

Rice 17
aTm 47

I thought the 2% referred to the 2% of students that were not in the Corp in the old days.

Sad to see that Massey gives Rice a better chance than many of the Rice fans.

Look, let's be honest here. The aggies, for all of their cadet hazing and delusional thinking, are truly a different animal on the football field now. They are legitimately a threat to beat anyone, anywhere, anytime, and they have never been that before, even in the waning years of the SWC.

This is a title contender we are playing, folks. If Rice does somehow manage to pull this one off, it would count as one of the all-time great upsets. Not to say it can't be done, but we don't even have a Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines to navigate the ship (which previously pitiful Stanford did when they ambushed mighty USC a few years back). A 2% chance to win this game is neither pessimistic nor optimistic; if this particular game were played one hundred times, I would expect this Rice team to prevail no more than twice.

I would revel in a Rice victory on Saturday like never before, but I'm not even entertaining the notion at this point. Such an outcome would be nigh miraculous.

(08-27-2013 01:22 PM)Wiessman Wrote:  Look, let's be honest here. The aggies, for all of their cadet hazing and delusional thinking, are truly a different animal on the football field now. They are legitimately a threat to beat anyone, anywhere, anytime, and they have never been that before, even in the waning years of the SWC.

This is a title contender we are playing, folks. If Rice does somehow manage to pull this one off, it would count as one of the all-time great upsets. Not to say it can't be done, but we don't even have a Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines to navigate the ship (which previously pitiful Stanford did when they ambushed mighty USC a few years back). A 2% chance to win this game is neither pessimistic nor optimistic; if this particular game were played one hundred times, I would expect this Rice team to prevail no more than twice.

I would revel in a Rice victory on Saturday like never before, but I'm not even entertaining the notion at this point. Such an outcome would be nigh miraculous.

I wouldn't say NEVER Before. The Aggies of the mid-to-late 1970s, with Woodard and Dickey were Top 10 nationally, and a national title contender.

Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

Back in the days of mandatory Corps before the 1960s, veterans and graduate students were exempted from the Corps. Two percenter has always referred to those not interested in the A&M football team.

(08-27-2013 12:59 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I thought the 2% referred to the 2% of students that were not in the Corp in the old days.

Sad to see that Massey gives Rice a better chance than many of the Rice fans.

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

"An optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds...a pessimist knows it is."

(08-27-2013 11:30 AM)loki_the_bubba Wrote:  http://masseyratings.com/game.php?gid=435814242

Rice 17
aTm 47

See the 1st Dumb and Dumber clip in the Roll Call thread!

As an Aggie, I can say it was about those who didn't give a ****. It was reserved primarily for those who were in the corps but truly not of it and were sometimes openly rebellious of Aggie ways. I was not then or now a 2 percenter, but I will be rooting for Rice Saturday. ( I'm class of '64 and my uncke and dad classes of '22 and '24 respectively. I removed Dad's class ring from his finger when he died and placed it by prior agreement on mine.)

So you're saying there is a CHANCE!

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

As you might guess I prefer to be optimistic most of the time. realism is for after the game, except I try to be realistic when I call my bookie.

(08-27-2013 05:07 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

As you might guess I prefer to be optimistic most of the time. realism is for after the game, except I try to be realistic when I call my bookie.

"The race is not always to the swiftest, nor victory to the strongest. But that's the way to bet."

Damon Runyon

(08-28-2013 10:55 AM)JSA Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 05:07 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

As you might guess I prefer to be optimistic most of the time. realism is for after the game, except I try to be realistic when I call my bookie.

"The race is not always to the swiftest, nor victory to the strongest. But that's the way to bet."

Damon Runyon

He and I would get along. In the meantime, I will continue to root for and have high hopes for our underdog, while betting only if the points are right. I recognize that odds are against us; I also note they are not zero, and am offended by those who assume so. I keep thinking of Appy State at Michigan.

(08-28-2013 12:16 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-28-2013 10:55 AM)JSA Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 05:07 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

As you might guess I prefer to be optimistic most of the time. realism is for after the game, except I try to be realistic when I call my bookie.

"The race is not always to the swiftest, nor victory to the strongest. But that's the way to bet."

Damon Runyon

He and I would get along. In the meantime, I will continue to root for and have high hopes for our underdog, while betting only if the points are right. I recognize that odds are against us; I also note they are not zero, and am offended by those who assume so. I keep thinking of Appy State at Michigan.

Agree.
I hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a runaway.

But even if it is, I'll watch until the end because there's always a chance.

@ChuckCarltonDMN 2m
RT @billyliucci: Latest on Manziel? Per multiple sources, he'll be suspended for first half of season-opener versus Rice on Saturday.

(08-28-2013 02:07 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  @ChuckCarltonDMN 2m
RT @billyliucci: Latest on Manziel? Per multiple sources, he'll be suspended for first half of season-opener versus Rice on Saturday.

Time for Massey to upgrade us to 4%.

(08-28-2013 12:24 PM)JSA Wrote:  

(08-28-2013 12:16 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-28-2013 10:55 AM)JSA Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 05:07 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(08-27-2013 01:39 PM)OwlFan98 Wrote:  Classics sports psychology conundrum: when playing a ridiculous overdog, is it better to be optimistic or realistic about your own chances to win? The "right" answer to this question is not at all clear, and reveals something about how you feel about life in general.

For the record: I like being cautiously optimistic. As a fan, I don't see the point in defeating your own team before the game even starts. Stranger things have happened.

As you might guess I prefer to be optimistic most of the time. realism is for after the game, except I try to be realistic when I call my bookie.

"The race is not always to the swiftest, nor victory to the strongest. But that's the way to bet."

Damon Runyon

He and I would get along. In the meantime, I will continue to root for and have high hopes for our underdog, while betting only if the points are right. I recognize that odds are against us; I also note they are not zero, and am offended by those who assume so. I keep thinking of Appy State at Michigan.

Agree.
I hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's a runaway.

But even if it is, I'll watch until the end because there's always a chance.

Could be, but I would rather not hand it to them until they earn it.

Not always a chance at the end, but I will watch to the end because I am an Owl and they are my team.

I guess our chances just went up to 4% with JFF's half-benching

(08-28-2013 04:01 PM)wiessguy Wrote:  I guess our chances just went up to 4% with JFF's half-benching

So it was a half-assed penalty?