Owl President - expect more realignment in next few months

[NavyCrimson]

Unfortunately no rationale figures into any of this. You're simply part of the cartel & thriving financially or else(?) The next step is the 64 Team Superconference which will include nothing but the cartel. Perhaps then will the war start between the cartel & the rest of us?!

[PoconoPony]

Only sport covered by the NCAA that does not have a championship play off system is football. All concerns would be answered if the NCAA would do what they are set up to do and initiate a play off system. With a playoff system there would not be the push for all the $$$$$ public schools to be in a select small group of conferences and controll all $$$$. It might even encourage more conferences with fewer teams as schools look for better odds to win the conference and make the playoffs. Existing bowls could continue to exist by bidding on play off games based on $$$$ they throw into the pot. Each bowl game would now be important, each would have exclusive prime time slots delighting TV and TV sponsors and we would end up with a true national championship. It is all the fault of a failed and broken NCAA.

[Samurai Stang]

This reads more like a surrender statement than a plan for the future.

Agreed. This could easily serve as a eulogy.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Rice will be just fine with or without big-time football, and they know it. Unlike many Texas schools, Rice does not define itself by its athletic department. And why should they? Rice has a $4.6 billon endowment (according to US News & World Report) and is the 17th ranked national university in the United States (again according to US News & World Report). To the extent those rankings matter, its worth pointing out that Rice is far and away the highest ranked major university in Texas (UT-Austin is second at #47). Rice athletes graduate. . .and they graduate with a degree from an elite school that speaks volumes about their ability to succeed in the real world. And hey. . .they managed to do all that and win a national championship in baseball to boot. Not bad at all.

I for one am a great admirer of Rice. Whether or not they continue to play football at the highest level, Rice will not be diminished in any way.

[couch 'em]

Rice will be just fine with or without big-time football, and they know it. Unlike many Texas schools, Rice does not define itself by its athletic department. And why should they? Rice has a $4.6 billon endowment (according to US News & World Report) and is the 17th ranked national university in the United States (again according to US News & World Report). To the extent those rankings matter, its worth pointing out that Rice is far and away the highest ranked major university in Texas (UT-Austin is second at #47). Rice athletes graduate. . .and they graduate with a degree from an elite school that speaks volumes about their ability to succeed in the real world. And hey. . .they managed to do all that and win a national championship in baseball to boot. Not bad at all.

I for one am a great admirer of Rice. Whether or not they continue to play football at the highest level, Rice will not be diminished in any way.

Well whoopty-do. There are great academic institutions with and without football, and shockingly crappy schools like UNT or Amberton with or without football. What's your point?

We're discussing Rice's football program. What are you talking about?

[smupony94]

I think Couch'em is right

[couch 'em]

I think Couch'em is right

Feeling left out?

[smupony94]

I think Couch'em is right

Feeling left out?

All is right with the world now

[EastStang]

My guess regarding Rice is that they are waiting for the 1950's and early 60's grads to die off and then they'll move to FCS status. After 1965, they became basically irrelevant in football and alums who graduated after that date are not as passionate about their football. They can then pitch the FCS status as a $$$ savings and an academic integrity issue. If they can get Tulane to follow suit, they'll be happy. SMU fortunately got back into the arms race before too many more years passed or we would definitely be joining Rice and Tulane in FCS status. When I was at William & Mary the discussion regarding 1-AA status was starting and there was some division about it among the students. Finally, when they met with their historic rivals (Delaware, VMI, Richmond, Furman, Appy State) and decided together to move to 1-AA, it made the transition quite smooth for them. For SMU, it is not going to drop to FCS so long as TT, Houston, UT, A&M, Baylor and TCU are staying at FBS regardless of whether we play them any more.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

[quote="couch 'em"]Well whoopty-do. There are great academic institutions with and without football, and shockingly crappy schools like UNT or Amberton with or without football. What's your point?

We're discussing Rice's football program. What are you talking about?[/quote]

I was responding to the comments that the Rice statement represents a "surrender" or a "eulogy."

[NavyCrimson]

I think you nailed it, East Stang.

Just because you have a good football team doesn't necessarily mean you're not an "excellent" academic university. There's countless examples out there. This whole thing is simply pointless.

[couch 'em]

I was responding to the comments that the Rice statement represents a "surrender" or a "eulogy."

........of their football program. I doubt you'll find many people who think a statement about conference realignment is a surrender or eulogy for their university.

[htownponyfan]

I think what 1983 CB was trying to say is that this statement by Leebron outlines Rice's priorities in terms of its overall goals as a university. In my opinion Leebron was actually saying, "this conference realignment hoopla is great and all, but I'm focused on making sure Rice delivers what a top research university should deliver, research and strong acedemics." If you look at the 16 schools that are ranked above Rice on the US News Report, only Stanford and Duke have athletic programs that are worth a darn. Sure there are top-tier schools with good programs (UT, USC, Michigan, UNC), but Rice does not compare itself to these academically. Academically, Rice is more on the level of a Columbia, Univ of Chicago, or Penn. When you compare Rice to its' academic peer schools in terms of athletics, the difference is pretty astounding.

[Nacho]

when lance berkman was asked what he majored in at rice he responded, staying eligible.

[Stallion]

if we never played Rice again I wouldn't miss them.