Is this our last chance?

[PonySnob]

Given the upcoming changes for the Big East/ACC and the domino effect that it will have on other conferences, is this the last chance that SMU has to be a legitimate Division 1 football school? If we are unable to improve our standing conference wise, is it time to start getting ready to play schools like SWTS and Sam Houston State? Will we even bother with fielding a team at anything level lower than Division 1?

[MustangKurt20]

Why the **** do you post? I swear you must have the most pathetic existence dude. No this is not our last chance. Just shut up.

Kurt

[FloridaMustang]

Seriously, who the **** are you PonySnob? All your questions are just ****ing on the fringe. Step back into reality and join the re-alignment discussion.

[This message has been edited by UNFMustang06 (edited 07-06-2003).]

[Charleston Pony]

actually, there is nothing wrong with our current conference (in terms of I-A legitimacy). The problem is that SMU has done nothing (except one NIT appearance in the Sasser/Davis era) to help the conference's reputation. If the WAC East teams stepped up to the same level that Hawaii, Fresno & Boise have played at in recent years, there's nothing wrong with the WAC except it's far flung geography.

Our worst case scenario in this conference realignment business would be for the WAC West teams to abandon us for the MWC and for SMU to end up in the SunBelt along with UNT. That's assuming the Big East doesn't invite anybody but Louisville & Cincy and CUSA decides not to expand beyond 8-9 football programs (depending on what Army decides). With so many of the SunBelt teams clinging to I-A status, I've got to believe the WAC East teams would be welcome additions.

Worst case scenatio is a SunBelt composed of Idaho, San Jose, Utah St, NMSU & UTEP in the west; UNT, Ark St, SMU, Rice, Tulsa in the central and La Tech, La-Laf, Mid Tenn, Troy St & Fla A&M in the east. Not sure how they'd put that together, but my guess is that there would be enough schools wanting to remain at I-A that every effort would be made to make this happen.

There's also the possibility that SMU, Rice & Tulsa might form some type of alliance with Army & Navy as suggested by the BWI meeting and play as independents (that would allow scheduling during Oct-Nov when others are involved in conference play.

Bottom line is that SMU will make every effort to continue competing at the I-A level. There is no question, however, that this should serve as a final wake up call for our administration.

[Stampede]

PonySnub....is a troll. As I stated in the past, he/she is most likely a TCU troll...afraid to both come out in the open or be in a real conference with SMU.

[The PonyGrad]

Snob is trolling since the discussion is getting embarrassing for TCU.

[Charleston Pony]

I've always assumed Pony Snob is a UNT person with a chip on his/her shoulder. That's why I say our "worst case scenario" is to be aligned with UNT in the SunBelt. UNT folks might not like it, but that's the reality of the situation. SMU would bring an all-sports program to the SunBelt that would help that conference's credibility and it looks like it won't be long before we will be a very competitive football program again.

[PonySnob]

I did in fact graduate from SMU. My biggest issue with our athletic department has been the lack of success in football and basketball since the late 80's. Let's face it, two NCAA bids, one NIT bid and one winning football season in the last 15-16 years is not all that impressive. There is nothing I would love to see more, than SMU having success on a routine basis at Ford Stadium or over in Moody for men's basketball, but in all honesty, the most dissapointing seasons have been the last 3 or 4. I feel that SMU has taken a huge step forward in football with the hiring of Bennett and I hope he can get us headed in the right direction very soon. However, given the changing landscape of Div 1 football, having a team that is consistently well below .500 on the field and has terrible attendance at its games, makes it hard to see how we have anything to offer another conference with legitimate Div 1 teams. I definately want us to keep playing TCU as there is nothing I like better than to see us beat them in football and basketball, but games against UNT, Ark-Pine Bluff, Sam Houston St, don't really sound that exciting. I am hoping that Copeland and Turner can get us into a better conference situation than what we have now because I am afraid that this might be our last gasp at a legitimate Div 1 program.

[ReedFrawg]

FYI, since he trolls the FFF on occassion, I seriously doubt he's a Horned Frog...

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stampede:
<B>PonySnub....is a troll. As I stated in the past, he/she is most likely a TCU troll...afraid to both come out in the open or be in a real conference with SMU. </B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>