What this really comes down to is winning. Of course there's other variables, but they are minute when looking at the real factor. The only thing that will appease both sides of the Rice coin is victory. Do these kinds of threads even exist if we're just ending our season after a S16 run? Does TKM even have to "publicly back" Dave if UNLV has won 25 games and is dancing? The short answer is a resounding no. This civil war, this divided front is unfortunate and even a laymen can see it would have consequences. The split though isn't a personal thing as some would make it out to be. I see that now. Sure, there's personal feelings involved when a friend is the face of the program. Sure it stings when said friend isn't cutting it and it's being pointed out. All personal feelings aside, if there's recruits second guessing coming here, if fans are reticent to back the coach, it is squarely and unequivocally because the last 2 years haven't been good enough.
I myself was a very devout Rice supporter up until about January 7th of this year. Another home loss to unr. That's when it became crystal clear to me that this program was going in reverse. At that point in time is when i decided it would probably be best if someone other than Rice was head coach. Now, fast forward a few months and despite everything that has transpired since, i wanted Dave back as coach. Even when a proven FF coach was dangled in front of us, i backed the current regime. Now, some would call me disloyal and less of a fan for having my doubts, but here i sit wearing my Hey Reb shirt, my official Nike UNLV game shorts and a backer of Dave Rice. Not one Rebel fan i have spoken too feels any differently and i've had dozens of conversations with people who don't even post on this forum. Whether they are pro-Rice, or anti-Rice the feelings have been mutual, it's about the winning. Win and all is forgotten and forgiven. Sure, UNLV is weird in that there will always be malcontents, but their voices would be drowned out by the near universal support for a coach that has brought us back to prominence. Win and the naysayers shut up. Win and recruiting takes care of itself. Win and all of this has been moot, because we are winning.
I myself was a very devout Rice supporter up until about January 7th of this year. Another home loss to unr. That's when it became crystal clear to me that this program was going in reverse. At that point in time is when i decided it would probably be best if someone other than Rice was head coach. Now, fast forward a few months and despite everything that has transpired since, i wanted Dave back as coach. Even when a proven FF coach was dangled in front of us, i backed the current regime. Now, some would call me disloyal and less of a fan for having my doubts, but here i sit wearing my Hey Reb shirt, my official Nike UNLV game shorts and a backer of Dave Rice. Not one Rebel fan i have spoken too feels any differently and i've had dozens of conversations with people who don't even post on this forum. Whether they are pro-Rice, or anti-Rice the feelings have been mutual, it's about the winning. Win and all is forgotten and forgiven. Sure, UNLV is weird in that there will always be malcontents, but their voices would be drowned out by the near universal support for a coach that has brought us back to prominence. Win and the naysayers shut up. Win and recruiting takes care of itself. Win and all of this has been moot, because we are winning.
