Homer Rice passes away at 97

LT 1967

Jolly Good Fellow
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471
I remember always watching Homer and Kim King on "Sideline Sports". He really worked hard to get GT back in the news. I always looked forward to watching the show to hear any good news about Tech from Facilities to Recruiting. He set up his 5-year plans and methodically worked through them to bring about the success of 1990 with a basketball final four and a Football national championship. I have two of his books which I will be looking back through tonight to remember the good times during his tenure

RIP
 

TooTall

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The man who constructed the Total Person Program is passing away at the threshold of college athletes doing it just for the money. Not for the sport. Not for the degree. Not for the betterment of one's self. Not for leadership lessons. Not for lessons of how to overcome trials and adversity....Ironic.

Truly the end if an era.

Glad he got to see the statue that I'm sure he begged not to erected. I hope he knew how we the fans fully appreciated him.

Condolences to his friends, family and colleagues.
 

jacketup

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1,551
Tech athletics would be FCS level if not for Dr. Rice. Most fans don't realize the importance of an AD, especially at Tech.

Dr. Rice was a fund raiser, and left the program in the black. Braine came in and spent the money Dr. Rice raised.

Dr. Rice had credibility with the Board. They were going to do what he said. Later ADs have not had that credibility, and the Board has made lots of bad decisions in the last 25 years.

He admitted that he made 2 mistakes: Hiring Lewis, and letting Cremins come back. He quickly fixed the Lewis situation by forcing him to hire O'Leary as DC then firing Lewis later. Not letting Cremins come back would have been an almost impossible thing to do.

He was the best. In my opinion, he is the most important person in the history of Tech athletics. He does not get his due.
 

stinger78

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4,005
Simply one of the best minds of our lifetime. So grateful he invested so much at GA Tech, athletics and otherwise. He was missed the day he stepped down. We will miss him even more in the future.

I somehow feel the timing for him is merciful, with his beloved college athletics on the precipice of destruction as he knew it.

RIP, Dr. Rice.
 

Tommy_Taylor_1972

GT Athlete
Messages
199
Simply one of the best minds of our lifetime. So grateful he invested so much at GA Tech, athletics and otherwise. He was missed the day he stepped down. We will miss him even more in the future.

I somehow feel the timing for him is merciful, with his beloved college athletics on the precipice of destruction as he knew it.

RIP, Dr. Rice.
Agree totally with all you say. His Georgia Tech and lifetime legacy should live on by retaining and highlighting the name "The Homer Rice Center for Sports Performance" as a significant part of the replacement for the Edge building. Over 5,000 Georgia Tech athletes have benefited from the opening of the 44,000 square foot sports performance center since it's opening in 2002.
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
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1,456
I also believe he saved our athletic program. Raised money when it may not have been easy to do so. A great leader, will always be grateful for what he did for GT, the student athlete and GT sports fans.
 

stinger78

Helluva Engineer
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4,005
I also believe he saved our athletic program. Raised money when it may not have been easy to do so. A great leader, will always be grateful for what he did for GT, the student athlete and GT sports fans.
Dr. Rice undid, as best he could, the unintended consequences of the Dodd decision, while holding a similar affection for the student athletes as young people under his care.
 

Gtyellowjackets

Jolly Good Fellow
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116
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Atlanta
He absolutely saved GT athletics. Put together a game plan for turning around each sport starting with the revenue sports, hired the right coaches, built the edge center, got all sports fully funded. New/upgraded facilities for each sport. And did it without cheating (as opposed to the schools that we were competing against. Usual suspects UGA, Clemson, UNC, Auburn, Duke,Etc). Very hands off with the coaches. Very easy going. 10 minutes with him and you'd run through a brick wall. He will be missed. Thanks for everything Homer!
 

LT 1967

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
471
Swarm members may like the attached. This is a story from Homer's Book, "Lessons for Leaders". It tells the story of how Homer was recruited twice by Bobby Dodd, once as a 17-year-old
player and later as Athletic Director. Coach Dodd's first attempt failed due to Homer being called to military service before he could attend college.
 

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  • Homer Rice Recruited Twice By Boddy Dodd.pdf
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