ESPN reports

[Hoop Fan]

Thats right Nacho, which is why parts of Blackistones column were absurd and pure rhetoric. CUSA, as it appears, would be an improvement. But are games against Houston and Tulane going to thrill fans that much more than La Tech? No. Nothing changes drastically in CUSA or even has a chance to until we win. The common alum/casual fan is barely paying any attention to all of this. There will be no groundswell of support without a breakthrough on the field. Blackistone knows that, but his column artfully sets us up to fail by allowing him to say he told us so whenever he wants. And Moody is not that bad at all. Yes, its a hardship for coaches to juggle practice times, but from a recruits persective its a better barn than Oscar Meyer Coliseum. I never know if Blackistone is trying to help us by shedding light on a issue using superlatives or just trying to kick dirt in our face.

[Charleston Pony]

just now getting to this thread and now I realize why the Stallion bashing today. Must say I agree he's picked the wrong targets in going after Turner and Copeland.

Pye was fair game. He was no "friend" of athletics, and I was warned of that by several people I knew at Duke. Admittedly, he came to SMU under dire circumstances and yes, SMU overreacted towards football and basketball in particular, as a result of the death penalty.

We'd all like to be farther along in the rebuilding process, but Turner and Copeland appear to be making significant progress in mending fences between the athletic dept and faculty and have done a great job with fundraising.

The question is: why wasn't Ford Stadium and the Blvd part of the original "Cornerstone" project after SMU returned from the Death Penalty? I agree they are necessary ingredients in turning this thing around, but the effect of those accomplishments won't be realized for a couple of years. If Turner and Copeland had been with us in '88, my guess is that we'd be much farther along than we are today.

[GoRedGoBlue]

HERE'S THE TRUTH:

Pye was a friend of athletics...it was the administration (Faculty Senate) that had the athletic department by the balls post-DP.

Pye ran the 'study' about whether to drop FB precisely to counteract the Faculty Senate, to prove that it was necessary.

Duke was a bastion of athletic tradition, depite being a highly academic institution.

I would have even preferred TURNER to PYE, especially in outward perceptions. However, having TURNER in lieu of Pye is like having Bennett instead of Cavan (or Rossley, or Gregg) WITH the policy restrictions...it wouldn't have mattered.

As a matter of fact, there was talk of buying the DP plant across Central for the new home field during that time...but the Athletic Department was forbidden from discussing or planning it (by the non-athletic administration). I heard rumours that there were people ready/willing to build when Gregg was AD.

[This message has been edited by GoRedGoBlue (edited 09-24-2003).]

[EastStang]

Hoop Fan, I would prefer Tulane and UH, to La. Tech and UTEP. Tulane is in a top 30 media market. UH is in a top 10 market. Tulane has similar academic requirements, La. Tech does not. SMU fans (few that there are) can drive to UH easily, El Paso on the other hand is a hike. Tulane brings the N.O. Bowl to the table. La. Tech has none. UTEP has not delivered the Sun Bowl to the WAC. Given these factors, these schools are better. And compared to San Jose State and Fresno State it is even more dramatic.

[gostangs]

Completely agree with Eaststang - CUSA would draw much better then the WAC. We have a tradition with UH - and Tulane is a like minded institution. The rest of the conference is at least southern and closer then the "who's that" crowd we get with the WAC - who can really work up an opinion about Nevada, SJSU or even Fresno - and not that Houston will travel with 5,000 - but they would be 20 times what we get with the non-regional WAC - can only hope we are not getting teased, or that other shifts leave us on the outside. I don't think they will by the way - we have alot to offer.

[Hoop Fan]

I completely agree, CUSA is the better option. All I am saying is the attendance boost will be marginal unless we win. Blackistone was implying some dramatic change should occur in our fan support/attendance. I don't think it will. Tulane might bring a just a few more folks than La Tech and Houston more than Utep, and I don't see that many more SMU alums distinguishing that much between WAC and CUSA. We play TCU already anyway.