Amazing (not really) how some run support makes the pitching so much better. Congrats Owls on getting your 1st win of the 2020 season. Now have some fun and string a few together!

Collins and Combs both got off the wagon last night. Combs, in particular, hit the ball hard each time up, and just missed his first HR, getting just under it and sending a sky high blast to the RF wall. Duluc also had a very good night, though I don't know why he was replaced by LaRue (who continued his struggles) for his final 2 ABs.

Once Comeaux returns (and I hear he hopes to be back soon from a back injury he sustained while turning over in bed!), I'd put Rodrigo in LF (as Hernandez is 0 for his last 6 games), Bulman back at 1B and Combs at DH.

Offensive woes have returned today. We're down 3-0 in the 5th. We've had chances but have left 7 guys on base in the first 4 innings. In the 5th, we currently have 2 on with 1 out. Missouri State is making a pitching change.

And the comedy show continues. We score a run on a SF, but Cruz is called out for leaving the base too early. 3-0 after 5.

The replay really didn’t show that Cruz left early. Seemed pretty clear to me.

The wheels are off the bus. 9-1.

(02-29-2020 05:55 PM)NYNightOwl Wrote:  The wheels are off the bus. 9-1.

Maybe it is time to throw somebody under it. Which of the usual suspects should we blame?

No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.

If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.

It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

(02-29-2020 07:23 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.

If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.

It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

It was a joke, man.

(02-29-2020 10:04 AM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  Amazing (not really) how some run support makes the pitching so much better. Congrats Owls on getting your 1st win of the 2020 season. Now have some fun and string a few together!

Or not. Sigh!

Optimistically, Astro recruiting tactics could be the strategy here. Change ownership. Clean house, hoard talent. Bring in some quants. Some interns to take out the trash. Win World Series.

(02-29-2020 07:29 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:23 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.
If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.
It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

It was a joke, man.

I know. Mine wasn't. We're just not going to be very good for a couple more years. Get used to it.

DBU is a better program. DBU cost of attendance $41,170.

(02-29-2020 08:09 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  DBU is a better program. DBU cost of attendance $41,170.

Context? Not following.

(02-29-2020 07:57 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:29 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:23 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.
If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.
It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

It was a joke, man.

I know. Mine wasn't. We're just not going to be very good for a couple more years. Get used to it.

Unfortunately, I am used to it. I do not expect very much from Rice baseball, and they still fail to meet my low bar. Hope you are right about a couple of years.

Now in my sixth decade of Rice fandom, my optimism is beginning to fade. But I am, and always will be, a fan of Rice University.

(02-29-2020 11:02 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:57 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:29 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:23 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.
If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.
It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

It was a joke, man.

I know. Mine wasn't. We're just not going to be very good for a couple more years. Get used to it.

Unfortunately, I am used to it. I do not expect very much from Rice baseball, and they still fail to meet my low bar. Hope you are right about a couple of years.

Now in my sixth decade of Rice fandom, my optimism is beginning to fade. But I am, and always will be, a fan of Rice University.

Optimistic is right on point (and similar to mine in timeframe with my first memories being 1969 FB and 1970 SWC bskb champs and my struggle to be optimistic) . It's amazing that its been 30 yrs ish, yes THIRTY!!!!, since Bobby May made the moves to bring in Scott Thompson (and yes Willis Wilson), Fred Goldsmith/Ken Hatfield and Wayne Graham. Really seemed to have gotten things on the right track. And yet now we have regressed to the "equivalent" of about 1977 (Homer Rice and Bob Polk?-OMG), but playing in a pathetic conference whose members even in that timeframe we would have blown away and of which I suspect that Jess Neely is rolling in his grave.

Thank goodness for the women sports, but let's face it, these don't pay the bills or get the pub.

(02-29-2020 11:56 PM)texowl2 Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 11:02 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:57 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:29 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 07:23 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  No point in throwing anybody under the bus. The problem is simple. We simply don't have the talent we once had.
If a team of Lance Berkmans or Matt Andersons or Phil Humbers or Jeff Niemanns or Wade Townsends or Joe Saverys or Anthony Rendons was playing like this, it would be past time to throw somebody under the bus. But this isn't a team of those people. When the people you are recruiting against can promise a $20,000 lower sticker price, they're going to get the best players and you aren't. Wayne's best coaching jobs were probably near the end, when he held things together without the talent we once had.
It's going to be a long road back. The Rice Endowment should help reduce or eliminate the difference in sticker price. Then it comes down to recruiting and player development. Sitting on the talent gold mine that is Houston baseball, we should be able to get killer recruiting classes again, if Bragga can mend fences with the THSBCA. If not, then we are in deep kimchee.

It was a joke, man.

I know. Mine wasn't. We're just not going to be very good for a couple more years. Get used to it.

Unfortunately, I am used to it. I do not expect very much from Rice baseball, and they still fail to meet my low bar. Hope you are right about a couple of years.

Now in my sixth decade of Rice fandom, my optimism is beginning to fade. But I am, and always will be, a fan of Rice University.

Optimistic is right on point (and similar to mine in timeframe with my first memories being 1969 FB and 1970 SWC bskb champs and my struggle to be optimistic) . It's amazing that its been 30 yrs ish, yes THIRTY!!!!, since Bobby May made the moves to bring in Scott Thompson (and yes Willis Wilson), Fred Goldsmith/Ken Hatfield and Wayne Graham. Really seemed to have gotten things on the right track. And yet now we have regressed to the "equivalent" of about 1977 (Homer Rice and Bob Polk?-OMG), but playing in a pathetic conference whose members even in that timeframe we would have blown away and of which I suspect that Jess Neely is rolling in his grave.

Thank goodness for the women sports, but let's face it, these don't pay the bills or get the pub.

I was a freshman in 1963. Followed athletics through the lean years (decades?). Been at every CWS game the Owls played.

But I have let all my season tix (FB, Basketball, BB) in every sport lapse. Haven't been to Houston for more than two years. Lots of reasons for those, but just cannot keep up the enthusiasm I once had for even winless teams.

(02-29-2020 09:20 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-29-2020 08:09 PM)Tiki Owl Wrote:  DBU is a better program. DBU cost of attendance $41,170.

Context? Not following.

The constant theme that the financial aid at other private schools was a big reason for the decline of the program. Just pointing out that a school that has passed us by during our decline also has a high cost to attend and one that I doubt sweetens the offer with financial aid that Rice couldn’t match.

I do think the cost to attend played a part in the decline in quality during the final 5 -10 years of Wayne’s tenure. But if as noted here (can’t recall who made the comment), Rice wasn’t sending coaches to the showcase events like Perfect Game, damaged our visibility and our chance to recruit some of the better players as well.

My freshman year, we beat Texas in Austin. My sophomore year, we began the season beating LSU at home, and then pulling defeat from the jaws of victory against #2 UCLA, SWC champion SMU, and Texas. We were competitive with the best, and relevant. Then Jess was forced out and Bo Hagan started the destruction of Rice athletics. Homer Rice, Ray Alborn, Watson Brown, and Jerry Berndt produced 27 wins in 13 years against the SWC. We are now getting back to that two wins a year pace, but against CUSA, which isn't what CUSA used to be, which in turn was nowhere close to what the SWC was. SMU, which got the death penalty, is now ahead of us.

Baseball had never won a conference championship, or been to the NCAA tournament, much less Omaha, until Wayne. In 27 years, Wayne won conference championships and/or tournament championships in 21 years (20 consecutive), got invited to the NCAAs 23 years, got to Omaha 7 times, and won one national championships. Rice has more national championships under Wayne than conference championships under all other coaches combined.

As far as DBU, I don't know what they do with financial aid, but my guess is that they didn't build their program without doing some of the same (legal) stuff that TCU and Baylor were doing.

(03-01-2020 09:22 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  SMU, which got the death penalty, is now ahead of us.

Being in AAC vs CUSA is a big advantage they have. I think our chances of getting into that conference were almost zero due to UH being in same city no matter what we did. Our big hope was UH getting a Big 12 invite to open up a spot but unfortunately that didn't happen.