Dickerson wants to get involved again w/SMU

[MrMustang1965]

Right on, Dooby!

[Cheesesteak]

Posted by Stallion:

I could be wrong but I'm on a roll-please identify any program with more losing seasons, less bowls or less championships.

Based on the above criteria Temple University (TU) is tied with SMU. Rutgers University (RU) is a close second.

From the 1989 season thru the 2004 season (16 seasons of football):

SMU 46-130-3
TU 38-140-0
RU 54-121-3

TU is averaging 0.5 less victories per season than SMU
RU is averaging 0.5 more victories per season than SMU

SMU 15 losing seasons (1997 was SMU’s last winning season)
TU 15 losing seasons (1990 was TU’s last winning season)
RU 14 losing seasons (1992 was RU’s last winning season)

SMU 4 seasons with 10 or more loses
TU 6 seasons with 10 or more loses
RU 3 seasons with 10 or more loses

SMU 9 seasons with 8 or more loses
TU 13 seasons with 8 or more loses
RU 7 seasons with 8 or more loses

SMU 0 bowls
TU 0 bowls
RU 0 bowls

SMU 0 championships
TU 0 championships
RU 0 championships

SMU football must improve significantly and soon - leaving this grouping.

[smupony]

Why did it take so long for Copeland to meet with Dickerson? Hello? This is quite possibly the most recognizable athlete SMU has had in modern times. The Dallas Morning News article stated that this was the first time they had talked to each other...EVER!! ED said he has never spoken to Copeland before the breakfast. How long has Copeland been here? What the heck is going on over there!!

Image if you were the new CEO of a company, what would your first month of work entale? Go out and talk with the most influential people of your company like major stock holders, large clients, big executives and create a relationship. That personal relationship down the road may create bigger and better business because your influential clients and workers are the ones who reinvest themselves and their money back into the company everyday. Also, as the new CEO you create instant credibility as you try to steer the ship. This is because you have the most powerful backers in your business riding with you.

Anyone will tell you, sales is all about relationships. Being an AD or a CEO should also be called Most Senior President of Sales. That is what you do, sell a product and create an image.

I guarentee every new AD makes a long list of people to get aquainted with when they start out in a new place. Who has Copeland been talking to?? Jerry Levias got a call from Copeland for the first time last year!!

Are the only people who are important to SMU are the white collar money men of Dallas? Yes, they give money and we should be very greatful, but who else has SMU talked with??

I don't want one comment about the death penalty and how that effected those relationships. The players were not the ones who were at fault. It was the people giving the money. People like ED should not be ignored because of that. I mean, everyone else were paying their player, we just happen to be the ones that got caught.

I did't like what he said last year either, but can you blame him. Everyone avoided him like the plague because he was part of "that class". These guys, no matter how considerate and giving they are (I don't think ED fits this description), need to be asked to get involved. They want to be wanted.

"Eric, I'm the new AD at SMU and I wanted to visit with you and listen to some of your thoughts of OUR (yours and mine) program. We want your involvement in what we are trying to do with OUR program. We NEED your help to create the winning program we once had. How can we help you become more involved?" That's all a 2 minute conversation would need to say.

Too bad in took almost a decade of silence and outspoken nonsense to get to this point.

Sorry for the rambling...

[jtstang]

I don't want one comment about the death penalty and how that effected those relationships. The players were not the ones who were at fault. It was the people giving the money. People like ED should not be ignored because of that. I mean, everyone else were paying their player, we just happen to be the ones that got caught.

BS--everyone involved was "at fault"--if the "people giving the money" did not have the takers, then you got no transaction and no death penalty. And while I generally agree that the givers (all the way up to our illustrious governor) get the lion's share of the blame, I hold all involved in contempt since it happened during my tenure and I therefore got to sit through not one but TWO soccer homecomings. I don't excuse anybody from that fiasco.

However, I doubt that has any bearing on the reasons for the lack of prior contact. It probably had as much to do with Dickerson's lack of interest in the program, as well as a general disregard by Copeland towards anybody not holding a $20M check in hand. I still think it was ludicrous for Dickerson to suggest giving ex-players a discount card to buy t-shirts...let them use the money we already paid them.

[gostangs]

The fact that a discount card even came up is embarassing for anyone involved in this discussion - - we should be giving that stuff to any ex player by the truck load just to get it on them and out in the community. And to bring up a discount card is crazy of Eric - he could happily buy it or underwrite a give away himself. Hell I'll buy him a closet full of the stuff if he would wear it (hes not a student still, right?). Talk about fiddlin while Rome burns. sheezz lets focus on something just a little less ridiculous.

[PK]

I don't think Eric was talking about a discount card for someone like him, but probably for those masses of SMU players that didn't make it to the big time and had to settle for a grunt job like the rest of us (excluding of course Mr. Rich Alum).

[rich_alum]

Can't argue there PK.

I must say that smupony makes some very valid points. College athletics is a business and I would agree that Copeland is the CEO like it or not. He does need to use all available resources to him and that does mean contacting all the SMU greats. Hell, they should honor a different player from the past every home game as part of the marketing campaign.

I don't believe Dickerson has made strong efforts to get involved with SMU but I'm not sure that is his responsibility either.

I don't think getting old alumni involved is the solution to our woes, but it couldn't hurt.

[DiamondM]

If you don't think that Copeland, from the day he set foot on this campus, has been trying to contact former SMU greats and get them involved in this program, you guys are seriously delusional. Copeland has worked very hard to reestablish contact, in all previous attempts to try to get Dickerson back on campus and involved, Copeland has been rejected except for the one time we PAID Dickerson to come back to get honored as an SMU Hall of Fame inductee. FYI, Jerry Levias already IS back involved in SMU -- to a very high degree, including voluntary, unpaid appearances at basketball games, Mustang Club, and Mustang Band events.

I, for one, do not think it is Copeland's job to go groveling to players who were (1) of an age to make an informed decision; (2) knew it was against the rules to accept money from boosters; (3) nevertheless willingly accepted cash and other fabulous prizes (plus a scholarship) from the highest bidder; (4) then turned tail on the alma mater that put their face on tv, gave them free (actually paid the player for) weekly television exposure, never apologizing or admitting that they were a part of the problem.

[NavyCrimson]

so well said 'm' -

i'm sure dickerson is nice enough but his ego is in the stratosphere -

[rich_alum]

Not sure how close to Copeland you are, but you make it sound as if it were factual that Copeland has reached out to these folks. I would be shocked that so many SMU football greats don't give a sh*t about this program. I really find that hard to believe.


No one cares about taking money, willingly accepting money, egos, etc...(besides....its a two-way street in terms of giving and receiving gifts)...People remember guys like ED for greatness on the field and winning. People want to see a winner no matter what the circumstances. It is Copeland's job to engage these guys to help sell our program. Whether you like ED or not, it doesn't hurt to reach out to him and get him involved.

Dickerson and Copeland had never even met before.....I doubt Copeland made any effort.

[DiamondM]

Correction: Dickerson SAID he never met Copeland before, but I distinctly remember him being on the sidelines with Copeland when SMU paid for his appearance at the football game at which he was inducted into the SMU Football Hall of Fame.

[MrMustang1965]

Yep, I saw it, too.