April 7, 2008

Press Conference Video 

Rice Director of Athletics Chris Del Conte
"I'm so fired up to be a Rice Owl. We talk about having brains around this university and now we have Braun. Brains and Braun at Rice are going to postseason play. We excel in excellence at everything we do at Rice. We strive for excellence in the classroom and on the field. We made a change and we looked for excellence in both. I can tell you today that we went no farther than Ben Braun. The first day I heard his name I said Holy Cow can you imagine if I had that opportunity to work with him. It's about student athletics and coaches at Rice. Administrators are here to provide an opportunity for them to be successful. His track record as a winner is second to none. We had an extensive process with a tremendous committee.

Dan Parker and his search team did a wonderful job. I would like to thank Adam Peakes, Bobby Tudor, Ricky Pierce, Torrey Andrews, Frank Liu, Glenn Youngkin and Steve Trauber. These were great Rice Owls that participated in this process to bring us back a winner to this athletic program. I'm greatful to you guys for your effort, your insight and your knowledge about the game of basketball.

I know a winner when I see one. I am honored and blessed to have Ben and his wife, Jessica, who is expecting their first child. We're going to have a baby Owl soon enough. I'm so excited for them. I look to the players and I say to you that in a short order we will be in the NCAA Tournament because of your efforts combined with this coach. They'll be talking about the Rice Owls storming through the NCAA Tournament. Ben has done it before and he'll do it again I promise you that.

Rice Basketball Coach Ben Braun
Opening Statement
I want to first thank Chris Del Conte for his relentless enthusiasm. He's a heck of a recruiter. I hope I can be as good. His passion and commitment along with his sense of teamwork represent everything we need to build a successful program here.

To me coaching is making the difference in the life of others. I want our players to successful in everything they do. I've had the opportunity to meet Bobby Tudor and Adam Peakes, who are tremendous role models in this regard. I am impressed by their continued passion and their commitment to the program. I really believe there is a unique and inspiring tradition at Rice.

My first order of business on campus was to meet with the team and I communicated to them that a learning curve is not a straight line. It never has been. Every success involves adversity and challenges. I understand the challenges that the team went through last year of going through a (gym) renovation and injuries. Those things happen and now a coaching change. It will take courage and tremendous commitment to overcome (those obstacles to) perform and succeed.

Right now attitude and mindset are crucial to bring about a significant turnaround. With the proper attitude, you can face any challenge. My vision is not enough as a coach. Everyone must belief in where we're going and how we're going to get there. I asked the players to take individual responsibility and to ask themselves what they could do to be a better person and better basketball player. What can I do to make our team better? If everybody does that, we're going to be better.

Before I take questions, I want to take the opportunity to thank Willis Wilson and acknowledge his longterm commitment to the program. I deeply respect his loyalty to Rice. I'd also like to thank my wife, Jessica, for her continued encouragement and support for coming to Rice.

On the Correlation from Eastern Michigan to Cal and going from Cal to Rice
"I was telling our players today that we didn't have a facility for two years when I was Cal. Our players had to bring backpacks to practice even when we were outdrawing the Golden State Warriors. There certainly is a correlation in coming from a program where you had to overcome those things. It's a stepping stone and it can plant the seeds of moving forward.

The players have had to endure challenges and they've had to endure being displaced. That's not easy in today's game of college basketball. I think because of the experience of what the team at Cal and what this current team went through it can make them stronger in the end. It's at a point where you want to build something. There's not a player on this team that doesn't want to be where Chris (Del Conte) just mentioned and that's taking your team to the (NCAA) Tournament. That's the greatest feeling in the world. If you can do that, it's a tremendous accomplishment. It's not going to be done without a community and a team effort."

On the Hiring Process and the Decision to Come to Rice
"If you asked my wife, she'll tell you that it happened immediately. I'm not a guy that takes a long time to make a lot of decisions. I think that being indecisive is not a great quality. I think you have to be flexible and you certainly have to weigh things.

When Rice University and Chris Del Conte called, that was a perfect fit. I've got a lot of passion and energy in coaching. To do that at Rice is huge. Rice represents everything I believe a university should have. I know how hungry, how enthusiastic and how passionate people here are. In my mind that was the only job I paid any attention to. It was the only call that I accepted. There are probably a couple of athletic directors that are upset that I didn't return their call. It never got to that with anyone else. It was always about Rice and the team that Chris (Del Conte) has built. This community is a tremendous community. That decision happened pretty quickly.

On Recruiting Players from Texas
"I'm familiar with Texas and believe that there are so many good players from the state that we should be able to get some of those kids to come to Rice. That will be one of my staffs immediate goals to do a good recruiting the players in this state."

On Formulating a Coaching Staff
"I'm going to take this week. I'm very familiar with Brent Scott and I really want to commend the job that he's done. For a player to come back after his career is done, I have a lot of respect for him. In fact, I recruited him out of high school. Two of his teammates came to Eastern Michigan and played on two NCAA Tournament teams that went to a Sweet 16. In all fairness to Brent, I now know why he said no to me and came to Rice. It's a fantastic place. After all of these years, I can finally forgive him for going to Rice and being in a great environment.

With that being said, I hope to have a staff in place by next week. That should happen very soon. The recruiting period starts and I want to be on the court to meet with our players. The job has started and I want a coaching staff in place for this team."

On the Rice Job Being Tough
"I've heard that, but I don't pay attention to what other coaches say because it's a perception. Everywhere you go there are challenges. To me it's about the challenges. I tend not to dwell on the challenges but I tend to dwell on the potential. I think the potential at Rice is infinite. I believe the mission and what Rice stands for in the recruiting process. Every player that has an opportunity to come and play for Rice it becomes a real opportunity in so many things.

I look at Rice in a different light. There are too many pluses here to say that this is a tough job. I think you make your breaks and you build. This is something I look forward to doing. I've been blessed to able to do that in the past. I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to do that here. I feel very optimistic or I wouldn't be here."

On Being Involved in the Community
"I'm already involved in the community and can't tell you how important that is. I believe that a community as a village that stands behind its team and university. That's what you have here at Rice and I tend to be that face in terms of basketball. I want our players to be the face of Rice basketball. I want them to be very visible in the community, and I want to people to understand that this is their team. That's going to be part of the challenge and something we are going to do immediately."

Closing Statement
"In conclusion, I want to thank everybody here. I've had a chance to meet so many people in such a short amount of time. My wife and I are very excited. Chris (Del Conte), Bobby (Tudor) and Adam (Peakes) enthusiasm and passion rubs off on you. I'm bringing all of the passion and energy that is going to be necessary to take this program to the successful level that it deserves to be at. Thank you and I look forward to that challenge."