What is the excuse? Students? Fans? Anyone?

[SMUPonyFan]

I am embarrassed about SMU's fan support.

First let me say, parents, band, and about 1,000 other fans, this post does not pertain to you. SMU has VERY loyal parents, band, and about 1,000 loyal fans. The rest of you SUCK.

Here is the list of possible excuses, then my response:

It was hot: YOU LIVE IN TEXAS, and IT WAS NOT THAT HOT LAST NIGHT. Get a new one.

I was too drunk: Grow up and learn how to drink. I have to be ten if you cannot consume alcohol and not be able to sit in a seat and watch football. Dang, I think this why alcohol was invented, for football games.

The team is not good: This one really pisses me off. If you saw the WHOLE game, then fine, but when people say "SMU is not good at football" and they spend 1 hour at the game, SHUT UP you cannot talk when you have nothing to back it up with. The team needs you. You have no idea how much these guys get pumped up when 30,000 people are hollering for them. They perform better because of the fans. Shoot, I think SMU probably was more pumped up at the NC State game because there were 51,000 people for the WHOLE game yelling. Yes, they were yelling at SMU, but it MOTIVATES.

For the 26,000 fans that were at the game, and the 10,0000 fans that stayed for the second half, yes, I am mad at you all too. I have never heard so many people so quiet. Twice you were loud. That was it. You all looked sorry and embarrassing. I felt bad for the football team. Ponytalk was right when he posted that the team is playing for themselves because there is not anyone to play for. Maybe everyone in the stands lost their voice before the game. That is a legit excuse.

Then I was even more embarrassed when I saw SMU die hard fans yelling at the SMU bench. This guy walked from his seat, right behind the defense’s bench and starting screaming at them. It was not motivating either, maybe for Tulane. Then he had the nerve to celebrate and act like he is a fan when SMU scored. Come on, you are sick. These guys are 19-23 years old, outside, busting their [deleted] in the heat and cold and rain(or lack thereof) and you are talking sh*t to them. You should be ashamed of yourself. I saw you, the players saw you, you know who you are. Heckle the coaches all you want, and same for the other team, but lay off the players. They are the ones really busting their asses. They were getting boo's and taunts by the people that "claim" to be the most die-hard. Ridiculous. That pissed me off.

What is it going to take? If you want a national championship, wake up, we had the death penalty, we still have not recovered. Be proud to be a PonyFan, support these players, and quit making a fool of yourself and the school.

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Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[MustangMom]

Anyone who yells and trash talks their own team is............ well I can't think of enough adjectives to describe this person. Probably never even played a sport, wished he/she had been a better athlete and does not know the meaning of good sportsmanship.

If you have been drinking and think this is cute behavior - it is not.

Until you can put on the uniform and do better - shut up! I would rather see an empty seat than a seat occupied by a fan like this.



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Go Mustangs!!
-MustangMom

[graypony]

I was in the same section as the gentleman who went down to the front row to yell at the players. It made me so mad that I went down to sit across the aisle from him. I agree with you completely. You could tell that he angered some of the players. If my information is correct, this man is a regular on this particular board and really true Mustang fan. However, I do not understand why people think that they players are not frustrated, hurt, and down-right angry about a loss. They have invested much more of their heart and soul into this than we have. He might have meant well, but this was not only very inappropriate and counterproductive, but down right classless. I am sure that the recruits that were there, and we had 3 or 4 blue chippers there, would have crossed us off their list had they witnessed this. The players are really down. These are kids. If you know a player, give him some encouragement. We are not a bad football team and have a chance to be a good one before this season is over.

The man who was yelling at the players is a man who I have been told is a good guy and will be the last one to leave the Mustangs. I just think that he was wrong in yelling at the players.

What makes me more angry were some of the people sitting around us. No, they did not witness what I described in the previous paragraph because they had been long gone. I think that there were at least 50 people in the first 10-13 rows of our section who did not get to the game until the middle of the first or start of the second quarter. One couple I saw came with ticket stubs in hand, said their hello's to their family, and left without even sitting down! Hell, save some time and call your family on a cell phone.

Also, my wife is up constantly shouting S-M-U or shouting encouragement to the team. On a big down in the third quarter she was up yelling before the snap of the ball encouraging the defense. Some older man, in his 60's, had the gall to tell her to sit down. Hey, this ain't a movie! We are not watching a Broadway show here! Give me a break!!! The next time he does that, because she is up yelling and cheering most of the game, I am going to turn around and tell him to stand up if he wants to see the game. Better yet, if we are on defense, stand up and yell, "Kill the quarterback!"

OK, I feel better. We, my wife and I, just don't understand it. We grew in another area of the country going to the area's Div 1 school and it wasn't this way. It can be that way at SMU, too. Sorry to be so long.
GO MUSTANGS!!!!

[MustangMatt]

SMU athletics needs the proper support from the fans. These teams thrive off of it. GrayPony, well said.

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GO PONIES!

[smusic]

Let me start by stating that I am in my fifth year as a student at SMU and at one point worked on the athletic staff. I also have attended every home football game in its entirety for those five years.

Let me now say that it is embarrassing to be an SMU football fan these days and the game against Tulane didn't help. We may talk about talent and potential forever, but it is very clear now that this team is not good. I know that everyone here is as frustrated as me, and most of us tried to keep cheering through the pain of Saturday's loss. But all fans aren't like you positive spinners. Just use today's Cowboys game as an example. Aikman being booed? The fact is that when a team that offers so much promise comes out and stinks like they did this week, people will react. I had to change seats twice because I was not just annoyed, but offended, by some of the words being shouted from the student section. I don't believe these atheletes deserve to be insulted, but I think they should understand that they aren't going to win over the student population just because they wear red and blue. Moreso, by not playing up to potential, they enrage the spirit of those who really belive in these guys. SMU football needs to establish itself as an exciting and competitive program. Until then, the team will witness the effect of a 'fair-weathered' community.

[Joyous]

Let me tell my story. I was between section 101-102 near the top by the handicap section. Last week I sat in the handicap seat because with a 21 month old believe it or not you are handicapped. They made me move because I did not have a ticket for that area. I would have gladly moved had that area been full of handicapped people or if someone came that the seat belonged to. But I will not dwell on that - he is the story. I would scream, yell, holler along with the cheerleaders, do anything to try and get the people up and cheering. Every time I would open my mouth people would turn around and look at me like I was CRAZY. Finally I got so upset that when they turned around to look at me I asked them, What's wrong with you!! I actually started talking about them and how they were sitting there saying nothing. They did not even clap when something good happen. It was so pitiful. The few people Tulane had we louder than us. It is very, very, sad.

[jettison]

Graypony, it was nice to meet you after the game Saturday night, and I agree with everything most of you have said regarding the fans. I, too, felt shamelessly out of place when I stood up to cheer for the team when anything good happened. It's in my natural sports-viewing mindset to yell when the mustangs are in the midst of a goaline stand or whenever they are going for a fourth down, or trying to score from inside the opponent's five yard line. My throat is sore and coarse after every game I attend.

But in a stadium full of overdressed and hypocritical fans, my cheering for the first time felt completely in vain. For very few joined in my enthusiasm. I swear, Ford Stadium looked like the audience on some Sony Playstation football game, lots of colors but no emotion and completely surreal.

In my entire sportsviewing life, and I've seen MANY games in many places, I have NEVER seen so many fans in high heels. It's disturbing to me to overhear so many negotiations and business deal talk in the concourse while standing in line for a pretzel. It's not a football game, but a social class brouhaha where the real sport is corporate handball and you need a liferaft to keep from drowning in the sea of vanity. I work in it everyday and the last thing I want to put up with amidst my energetic release at a football game are a bunch of stares from people that think these fine group of young men OWE them something before they dare stand up and cheer or stay for an entire game. Yes, they ABSOLUTELY deserve our support and cheer simply for putting on the red and blue.. that's the entire frickin point of college football!! If you can't understand that, go play your geetar or french horn somewhere else smusic.

Last year, I attended all but one of the away games, and not once did I find the other school's support lacking. San Jose didn't even have a game because of the blackout, and despite the team's poor record, hell, they were cheering and singing in the parking lot anyway.

We aren't paying these players millions of dollars and they don't owe us anything, but their will to perform and strongest efforts. While at least a half dozen of them were throwing up during the game and taking IVs because of a bad stomach virus, I was throwing up inside at the pitiful, pitiful silence coming from the 26,000 fans. They are giving their all... we are the ones falling short.

[smusic]

Re: "Yes, they ABSOLUTELY deserve our support and cheer simply for putting on the red and blue.. that's the entire frickin point of college football!! If you can't understand that, go play your geetar or french horn somewhere else smusic."- jettison

I absolutely agree with you, and that is why I and a handful of other students continually offer support to this dismally performing team. Unfortunately, your references to the 'business deal'-like atmosphere of the older fans is a perfect description of what happens on the student side. The football team must prove itself to be a popular source of enthusiasm in order to win fans from the overly materialistic and selfish majority of Mustangs (I use the name lightly). In order to do that, they must WIN and receive attention. I think our basketball team is a perfect example. We have had a competitive team for some years now, but it wasn't until people started mentiong SMU in a national light and we began kicking the crap out of some teams and winning big games that students began fighting for seats on the floor. Dallas is a huge sports town, and sorrounded by some major teams and conferences. Until SMU football starts living up to its own hype it will always be just a pre-party for the Elephant or Milo's. There are some very smart oddsmakers out there, and most of them (at least in Vegas) had SMU, though only by a point or so. Had this game lived up to that expectation (a down to the wire battle), and not offered just one total yard of offense on the first two home team drives, you may have heard more than that deafening silence in the seats. SMU students will never cheer for a losing situation, and from what I have learned from numerous alumni, they never have. Ooops... now I'm in big trouble.

By the way, the music program at SMU receives a lot more national and international attention than any sports team here. I halfway wish it weren't true.

[This message has been edited by smusic (edited 09-25-2000).]

[This message has been edited by smusic (edited 09-25-2000).]

[THE ROCK]

Speaking of odds, something really weird happened the day of the game. SMU went from being a 2 point favorite to a 2 point dog in a matter of 8 hours. The line slowly went the other way. I wonder what the Vegas boys knew that everyone else did not?

[MustangMom]

GrayPony,

Your statement reflects my feelings exactly! When are the SMU students and fans going to wake up and get it???

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Go Mustangs!!
-MustangMom

[PK]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MustangMom:
<B>GrayPony,

Your statement reflects my feelings exactly! When are the SMU students and fans going to wake up and get it???

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think we may need to review a little history here and take a reality check. Most of the players and their parents are probably fairly new to the SMU family. Some of you are just starting your first year. I for one have been a loyal SMU football fan for many years. You have to understand that we went without SMU football for two whole years and then through 11 seasons with only one winning season. I still show up and yell and stomp and do what I can to support the team including giving as much as I can to help pay for those scholarships. That doesn't mean that I don't get very frustrated. I don't think anyone should yell negative things at the players ... but I can understand the frustration that may have led to that, particularly when the team is losing and you see players chatting and trading jokes and not yelling to support their fellow team members. Every player down on the field should have his head totally into the game whether he gets to play or not.

The reality is that there are probably not 20,000 SMU alums living in the Dallas area. Before we had pro football in Dallas, we were Dallas' team. Today we get some loyal alums and the rest are people related to them or folks who just like college football. Take me for instance. I buy 4 season tickets...I am the only one who sits in my seats who is an alum. My wife is not a big football fan but comes because of me. My guest are freinds that have no ties to SMU but come for the entertainment. In other words, less than half of the people in the stands have any direct tie to SMU. They would probably like to support the team but they are not going to stand and yell until there is something exciting happening on the field...that's just reality. The team is going to have to understand that they are playing for their own pride as much as they are playing for the relatively small number of loyal fans. They should go out there and have fun...be excited...and play hard for their own dignity. If they will play with enthusiasm and pride, that base of loyal fans will get bigger.

As for the students...I find it hard to relate. When I was a student back in the mid-sixties, I loved going to the games and staying to the end. I do not know the answer, but winning some games can't hurt.

So go Ponies, kick some butt.

[SMUPonyFan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PK:
<B> I don't think anyone should yell negative things at the players ... but I can understand the frustration that may have led to that, particularly when the team is losing and you see players chatting and trading jokes and not yelling to support their fellow team members. Every player down on the field should have his head totally into the game whether he gets to play or not. </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I did not see any players joking around, chattering. All I saw was a battered SMU football team sucking wind and being pissed off they were loosing. Did anyone else see this social event on the sidelines? I think you are mistaking the empty stands for the bench.

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Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[This message has been edited by SMUPonyFan (edited 09-26-2000).]

[PK]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SMUPonyFan:
<B> I did not see any players joking around, chattering. All I saw was a battered SMU football team sucking wind and being pissed off they were loosing. Did anyone else see this social event on the sidelines? I think you are mistaking the empty stands for the bench.

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, I'm sorry to say, I saw them joking around. I'm on row 11 in section 103 and they were right in front of me. This occurred during the fourth quarter...it wasn't funny!! The reason it made an impression on me is that I had heard last year of some players doing the same thing when we played Tulane in New Orleans.

Unfortunately you seem to have missed the real point of my post. Please go back and read it again.



[This message has been edited by PK (edited 09-26-2000).]

[smusic]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MustangMom:
<B>GrayPony,

When are the SMU students and fans going to wake up and get it???

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think that is exactly what has happened. Most people have realized that this team was handed a win against Kansas and doesn't know how to win any other way. Poor performance leads to ambivalent support. SMU students today have never experienced any exciting football at their own school. Why should they now be excited about a team that has squandered all chances of winning? Like I said before, this is exactly the opposite of what you will see in a few months at the basketball games because that team has worked with its talent to overcome the general apathy of SMU students.

[Big D]

Yeah, ya'll are right! These players of today are not deserving of your support. I wish they had all gone to some other school where the students were from lowly backgrounds such as they were from, and ya'lls players were such high and mighty's as Eric Dickerson and others like him!!