some thoughts on situation

[Hoop Fan]

Maybe the Daniel Francis news has me in a bad mood, but I see the real potential for SMU to get left out again. What will make this time different than the times before in '94 (SWC),'97 (WAC 16), and '99 (CUSA)? We have the same losing record, weak attendance for most games, and the same administrators pushing the buttons. We do have a new stadium and the Malin incident is behind us unlike last time, but did have the promise of a new stadium to sell in '99. All but the older TCU fans don't even seem to consider us a rival anymore. I think thats bullcrap, but its scary that we have allowed ourselves to become so uncompetitive that TCU turns its nose up at us. We have some good things to sell at SMU: location, facilities, academics, tradition. But we better not be arrogant and presumptuous like we have been before. Look at the Big East five scrambling to save their lives, pathetic as it appears, at least they are fighting. SMU has been too passive and arrogant in the recent past to save its own skin. I ask you, is this time gonna be any different?

[MustangKurt20]

I hear what your saying and it is something that concerns me too. The real trump card in SMU's favor this time as opposed to the previous times is that CUSA will be w/o three of its top teams. I think they realize leaving SMU out of the loop in 99 was a mistake and SMU has a lot to offer their conference. Again its no gaurantee, but CUSA is in a bind and SMU may well reap the benefits.

Kurt

[EastStang]

Not only that, but we came off a decent baskeball year, not great but decent. When teams get picked by CUSA, basketball will still be a consideration. Marshall, Central Florida, Toledo (other teams mentioned), all had Sagarin numbers worse than us. Tulsa had great numbers. Rice, La. Tech and SMU were bunched together. Even the MWC will consider basketball and TCU will find itself outside because of it.

[Nacho]

Even the most casual of observers of SMU sports over the last 10+ years has been conditioned to feel that some how, some way we are going to blow it. How many close games have we lost? How many insurmountable leads have we squandered? Snubbed out of the Big 12 and C-USA. It's not a pretty picture. You would have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to think that SMU is in for a royal flushing down the old toilet when realignment unfolds. Yet we have hope. Stupid? Probably. But we come back again and again hoping that this time it will be different. This time we will win. This time we will overcome. We are the Cubs and Red Sox of college football. If we didn't lose we wouldn't be Mustangs. Yet we never give up. Amazing.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited 06-12-2003).]

[Stallion]

if we do it will be more like backing in the back-door. This program has done nothing to deserve or expect ANY respect in the last 15 years.

[gostangs]

Not so fast stallion - college football is obviously now only about money - and we have done two things very well in the last three years - 1) - new stadium - state of the art facility
2) - jumped up and paid the freight on a coaching staff - last staff salaries were non-competitive. These two things will keep us at least around the basket on this deal, otherwise your doom and gloom would be dead on, and it would already be over.