While I will grant you that UT is the prohibitive favorite in this game, I do believe the days of saying "It's Rice" are pretty close to being over. The football team has won 5 straight and will definitely have a winning record this year. The basketball team went to the NIT last year and will have a very good team this year with NCAA chances. The baseball team is one year removed from a National Championship and has one of the best programs in the nation (and a clean program -- UT fans please take note). You have to respect Rice's success in the big 3 sports given the incredible disadvantage they have with recruiting players. Their talent pool is much much smaller than almost all other schools. My point is Rice is no longer the *weakest* sister anymore. They might not be the strongest, but they definitely aren't the weakest. They are respectable, which is remarkable given their stringent requirements on recruits and student-athletes.
Credit goes to Coach Ken Hatfield. I heard he has a 47% winning percentage at Rice, the highest since Jess Neely. He's obviously a "system" guy who gets his players to execute the wishbone flawlessly. The wishbone is gooe at neutralizing the opposing defense's speed by forcing them to defend sideline to sideline, rather than just stunting the gaps.
what exactly did neely do at rice.. coach? I know we have buildings etc named after him.. street etc here at Vandy...
I vaugely remember that play. Vasher hit him legally (right after the ball and knocking it out), correct?
http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm9/index_large.html Here comes IVAN!! Perfect for the wishbone offense!
Talk about memories. I was in Jester dormitory watching that game downstairs on a big screen in the Lobby with a bunch of other students. It had all the makings for a freakish night. First of all, it was a Sunday night game which is weird for College. Players were suspended. And to top it off, ESPN opened with a clip of JFK giving a speech in Houston. I think it was about going into space. In the speech, he was asking these questions, and he says "Wll Rice ever beat Texas". I knew ESPN put the hex on us at that moment. I think that game also sealed Shea Morenz's fate. That being said, those Texas teams from the mid nineties under Mackovich (sp) were prone to underachieving. First of all their defense was weak as it ever has been. They gave up 262 yards to Curtis Martin that season, and they singlehandedly gave Rashan Salaam the heisman giving up the booty to him to the tune of 317 yards. A game I had the pleasure of attending. That team was sooooo disappointing. Lovell Pickney, Mike Adams, Priest Holmes, Bryant Westbrook, Chris Carter, etc. all made it to the NFL but I think they lost about 5 games that season. That team couldn't have underachieved any worse than they did.
gabs, at least get the quote right. That speech was at Rice Stadium. "But why, some say the Moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountian? Why - 35 years ago - why fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas? We choose to go to the Moon, we choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one in which we intend to win, and the others too."
I'm not talking about the big three sports. I'm not talking about recruiting. I'm talking straight up, this Saturday, Rice vs. Texas. Texas has nothing to be worried about. However, that's not to dismiss all of Rice's incredible accomplishments. I read a great article on how Rice almost dropped down to D-III in the WSJ on Monday. One helluva story. But I'm still not worried.
My current school vs. the only school to which I applied and was not accepted. This should be fun. I went to the game at Reliant last year. I suspect this one won't be much different.
I can't wait to watch our basketball team this year. We should be a very good team. Michael Harris is a man amongst boys out there. We will have a very veteran squad. Harris turned a lot of heads at Fonde this offseason. I expect us to make the tourney this year. As for Saturday, I believe UT will win, no doubt, I'm just hoping we keep it close. I think Ivan will help things.
It wont even be close ... any and everyone on clutch is invited to my kegger before the game. got to be nice and drunk before the game at 6.
I guess this means the admission committee at that school was full of pinhead clueless dorks. Their loss, another schools gain. BTW: Get ready for dish of fried Owl to be offered up, 60-6 Now fried Sooner, that is a different matter unfortunately.
I don't know what it means either. I mean, I can guess from the context, but - is it some kind of acronym? Foreign language? I don't know what it exactly means.
