(07-29-2016 10:32 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  It's two-fold Bill.

The point of a chair back is that you take in more than they cost... so it increases the money available to invest in the product... and people get something for their money... something that is tangible and visible and perhaps desirable/spurs others to join that group... whether it be season ticket holders who also make a new minimum $500 donation to the Owl club or add a min $250 to whatever they were doing before... (some way not to short-change long-timers, but also not give it away). Yes, it's for us old farts... but it's also a 'I want to be part of that special group' thing. There are some more innovative designs than the traditional chair-back.

http://stadiumback.com/ is an example... Those are pretty lightweight and I'd want something more padded, but it shows that there are other approaches to the concept.

Have some like that (in blue with the R on them) for rent for 10 (paid off in 3 games, often by the old farts who are visiting) and have nicer more padded ones, perhaps with a 'bottom' as well... maybe even with your 'name' across the back in Velcro (making it look more like a Jersey back) that might cost $50 available for the players families... (they keep the name and can buy the chair back) and season with a $250 Owl club donation. I'm just spit-balling

I get that aspect of it, so maybe the Owl Club should do it. I just think that the athletics department has more important things to deal with. From what I saw of serial stadium upgrades at Carolina and NC State over the last 30 years, personal seat backs were the last thing on their minds. They're there, but they came in later.

(07-29-2016 12:20 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  I like the concept, but.... Old farts???!!!! Really????!!!!!

Old is when you need three Advil to finish a 10K jog at half the pace you used to run, just to keep the tendinitis from making you lose interest after a couple of miles. Old is when someone half your age asks "do you really need to make that much noise when you're getting up from a chair" and the answer is "yes, I do". Old is reordering your shopping habits so that you get the most out of senior discount day. Old is when your biggest use of Google is to look up things you used to know, and its driving you nuts that you can't remember them. Old is when your younger colleagues bring you data in nine-point type just to yank your chain. For the record, I'm class of '77. And yeah. All the above.

As for the other... never mind.

Just my RECENT encounters with old...
The grocery store guy INSISTS that I need help getting my groceries to the car.
I AUTOMATICALLY receive the Sr discount at a restaurant. Every time. Without asking.

It took awhile, but this thread has finally been hijacked.

click link to see many more pics and bigger sized ones here:
http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article...660235.php

few pics from the media tour posted for posterity:


Ryan Bucher, assistant athletic director for facilities and events, speaks about the team locker room at the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center, during a media tour, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.


Chuck Pool, assistant athletic director for athletic communications, speaks about the team auditorium during a tour of the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.


Ryan Bucher, assistant athletic director for facilities and events, speaks about the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center during a media tour, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.


Men work on the team weight room during a tour of the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.


Kevin Plath, who works for the architecture firm who designed the building, performs a final inspection of the team locker room at the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.


Ryan Bucher, assistant athletic director for facilities and events, speaks about the sports medicine room at the Brian Patterson Sports Performance Center, during a media tour, at Rice University, Friday, July 29, 2016, in Houston.

click link to see many more pics and bigger sized ones here:
http://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article...660235.php

https://twitter.com/RiceChron

Lots of vids on new EZF right now! Nice!

I will really miss the EZF webcam if they take it down. As it doesn;t really show the field, wonder if they could just leave it up and then move it when Phase 2 renovations of HRS begin?

Guys... PLEASE actually click on the twitter links and chronicle links.

The lights are on inside the weight room tonight. Must be working long hours to move everything over in time.

I wonder whether the weight room lights will be on or off for night games.

(07-29-2016 08:43 PM)Klobasnek Wrote:  The lights are on inside the weight room tonight. Must be working long hours to move everything over in time.

I wonder whether the weight room lights will be on or off for night games.

I don't see how they could leave them on at last night's levels--that was extremely bright and would distract from any gameplay. I would imagine there would be a more subdued level of inside lighting of the EZF for night games.

I am interested to see what the outside night lighting will look like as well.

Right now they have covered over and smoothed out the dirt on the right side; have 'tiered' the ramp area dirt as well as left side for I guess more sprinkler line burying. I guess the grass might come next week?

Working on Saturday - some things must be behind schedule.

(07-30-2016 09:46 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Right now they have covered over and smoothed out the dirt on the right side; have 'tiered' the ramp area dirt as well as left side for I guess more sprinkler line burying. I guess the grass might come next week?

I would think this afternoon.
It would only take one Houston thunderstorm to ruin all of that work, and leave a pile of muck to clean off of the turf.

Turf! Working on Sunday morning, it looks like they've added turf to that right side hill. I guess we'll see some folks sitting on towels there during games?

I'm curious to see if the student section and MOB stay where they are. I'm pretty sure they're located where they are to be close to the team when they run out of the tunnel. The team is now going to be entering the field on the exact opposite corner. It would be a shame if we lost the tradition of the team coming over to the MOB/student section for Rice's Honor and thanking the students for coming out.

I wish my yard looked that green!

Green is on both sides now.

It's grass?

(07-31-2016 12:53 PM)Klobasnek Wrote:  I'm curious to see if the student section and MOB stay where they are. I'm pretty sure they're located where they are to be close to the team when they run out of the tunnel. The team is now going to be entering the field on the exact opposite corner. It would be a shame if we lost the tradition of the team coming over to the MOB/student section for Rice's Honor and thanking the students for coming out.

Yeah, I'm sure they've considered that. I bet threre will be changes. In another direction, that south endzone would look beautiful with green grass. I wonder what the plans are. I hope enough is donated to open it up like the Greenspan plan called for. Maybe there's enough room in the EZF to accomodate The MOB.

(07-31-2016 10:37 PM)Afflicted Wrote:  

(07-31-2016 12:53 PM)Klobasnek Wrote:  I'm curious to see if the student section and MOB stay where they are. I'm pretty sure they're located where they are to be close to the team when they run out of the tunnel. The team is now going to be entering the field on the exact opposite corner. It would be a shame if we lost the tradition of the team coming over to the MOB/student section for Rice's Honor and thanking the students for coming out.

Yeah, I'm sure they've considered that. I bet threre will be changes. In another direction, that south endzone would look beautiful with green grass. I wonder what the plans are. I hope enough is donated to open it up like the Greenspan plan called for. Maybe there's enough room in the EZF to accomodate The MOB.

Doesn't appear to be. But they could always build a smaller air-conditioned metal building back where the Rick plan had its building and open the South side up as a plaza and green end zone space.

I think they'll let the MOB move to the old facilities first and concentrate on Pressbox and West and East side improvements before they'll tackle the south side end zone. Q: Do those old scoreboards on top of south side even operate any more?

(08-01-2016 05:24 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Q: Do those old scoreboards on top of south side even operate any more?

The scoreboards did last year.
The animated message board has been covered with a tarp for years.

(08-01-2016 10:12 PM)Grungy Wrote:  

(08-01-2016 05:24 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Q: Do those old scoreboards on top of south side even operate any more?

The scoreboards did last year.
The animated message board was covered has been covered with a tarp for years.

I've never noticed that.