Man, that's a pretty crappy thing for Graham to do to those kids. No one expected him to stay there for 10 years, but 1 year? And right in the middle of recruiting season. I hope Tulsa enjoys him while he's there, because if he wins there next year, he's going to jump ship for the first big school that comes calling. This guy is going to make Dennis Franchione look like Joe Paterno.
He got an offer for twice as much money as he was making previously, and its not like graham had alot of money to begin with. I don't blame him, he has to take the money while he can.
College head coaches,who pull this crap, should be held accountable they should be given the equivalent of a red-shirt
And he has every right to do that. But that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. But I guess in this day and age, that kind of thing doesn't really matter anymore. He's gotta get his and to hell with everyone else.
You guys are faulting a guy for leaving RICE... a program that just had its first bowl game since the 60's. C'MON!!! Rice shouldn't even be affiliated with D1 football... its a joke. Let the kids get their education, let the boosters be happy with their baseball/basketball success over the years, but I'm sick of them trying to keep up the charade of putting together a successful D1 football program. UH at least had some past success in the SWC, and plays in a slightly better conference than the WAC. What has Rice ever done?
Meanwhile, poor Willis Wilson continues to coach in the worst excuse for a college gym in the country. Rice should say, screw football, lets get this basketball program up to speed.
So why did he take the job in the first place? I don't buy it. They used to say the same things about Kansas State's and Northwestern's football programs. K-State came within a game of playing for the NC a few years ago and Northwestern played in the Rose Bowl and has turned into a respectable program in the Big 10. You can win at Rice. Hell, look how much the program was turned around in 1 year under Graham. Did you go to UH? If so, that explains, what's coming across, anyway, as some sort of anti-Rice bias.
i'm not faulting him for leaving Rice. i'm faulting him for leaving Rice after one season. he signed a contract extension on Tuesday...and left on Thursday. give me a break. is that illegal?? no, of course not. but it doesn't exactly earn respect, either.
Nah... didn't go to UH... went to a top ranked school (academically) WITHOUT a D1 football program (which is basically what Rice is). Why do K-state and Northwestern play in better conferences? Because they're historically better programs who put more into the football program, and play in much better enviornements/fan bases. My argument is that Rice should scrap D1 football, go to a lesser league, and dominate that... I think it will actually do more for the school (which already ignores football as a reason why its "good") than sucking at D1 football for 30 years (with the occasional year like last year). BTW... did u go to Rice?
They're sitting on the biggest endowment in the nation... but the fan support won't justify spending oodles of money on a new gym.
You think they're not building a new gym because they can't afford it? I don't think they should build one... I'm saying that would be a waste of money, given the amount of Rice students/fans who'd actually go to the game.
I've spent the morning emailing with a couple of my Rice friends who were heavily involved in alumni fundraising, much of which was energized by the coach's repeated heavy invocation of concepts like "commitment", "building", "foundation" and such. The most succinct response was "I feel so used." The gf teaches a few of the players, she talked to a couple this morning. They're shocked, and really, really pissed off. Again, "commitment" was one of coach's mantras.
Rice has other priorites. Rice just broke ground on a 10 story Collaborative Research Center. They are also expanding the number of undergrads and will be be breaking ground for new dorms (colleges in Rice-speak) in the near future. BTW, one of the main drivers for having D1 football is that without it you cannot have a D1 baseball team. BTW2, a new basketball stadium is on the drawing board, just not a high priority.
Then enlighten me... tell me why they continue to play at Autry. Also tell me if the fan support will increase with a new gym.
I agree with that... I understand they have higher priorities, and they should... a new gym wouldn't make a whole lot of difference in both the "prestige" of Rice, as well as how many fans would actually go to the game. Rice is an academic school... first and foremost.
K-State was NOT a historically better program before Bill Snyder got there. They were the preverbial cupcake in the Big 8. Basically like a bye-week for whoever played them. Same thing with Northwestern before....damn, what's his name? (The guy that took the Colorado job and has since been canned) before he got there. My argument is that, had Graham decided to stay, seasons like 2006 would happen a lot more than "occasionally". Look at what he was able to do (before any of his recruits even played, with the non-conference schedule they played this year, with the death of a player, and at a school like Rice) in 1 year. Keep in mind that, unlike K-State or Northwestern, he would be recruiting Texas kids which usually are the best high school players in the country. No, I went to a very highly ranked academic school as well.* Why am I arguing with you about Rice football? Well....that's a good question. Fridays are kind of slow at work, what can I say.... *Sam Houston State
Rice has 2,500 undergrad or thereabouts. Autry seats 4-5,000. Thus, students are not being turned away at the door.
