Just for GoRedGoBlue

[Stallion]

so what's the official company line on the 12,000 SMU fans who bothered to show up for an SMU season opener against a Big 12 team in a new stadium. Obviously, there is an overwhelming sense of excitement and enthusiasm in the Commitment made by the SMU administration.

[GoRedGoBlue]

Makes no sense.

A) I don't work for the 'Company'

B) I have no 'inside' information about the 'Company'

C) Just because only 12k fans from SMU shows up,
that does not prove that the Commitment doesn't exist ( IF A then B =/= If B then A )

D) 12k fans show up it means that only 12k fans are supporting SMU by showing up to the game, plain and simple

What to make of this: Hmm...I would say that 14 years of losing has turned off a lot of potential supporters.

Does that prove beyond even a 'sort of' a doubt that you are somehow correct that SMU is not committed to winning and competing at the highet level?

No, it does not.

I don't even think it qualifies as evidence.

Have you called and made your appointment yet?

Here is the link to the STAFF DIRECTORY:
<A HREF="http://www.smumustangs.com/dept/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.smumustangs.com/dept/</A>

Call the secretary and schedule your appointment, or you could probably just call Jim, Woody, or Scott directly.

Then, EVERYONE would like to hear what you have to say, after you talk to someone.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy your commentary on football recruiting, even when you are wrong (eg: when Baylor had a Top5 class but still sucked but you failed to acknowledge that I was correct, or that V.Tech never had better than the 26th best class yet played for a National Championship, but that's ok).

But generally, you do a good job here.

However, when you just pull things out of your [deleted] about what is going on inside the Athletic Department, or at SMU's Administration, well, I think you ought to go talk to someone and report back what they say...then we will KNOW that you were informed.

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

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

[Spaz]

Yeah, Give Em Hell GoRedGoBlue!!

[Stallion]

Evidence that you have completely lost touch with reality: EXHIBIT A-"SMU might get into the Big 12 or the SEC" 5/06/03; EXHIBIT B: "we should all hope and expect for 2-2 after 4 games. Tech is winnable and so is Baylor and Nevada" 8/06/03; EXHIBIT C: "SMU can and will beat Tech" "SMU will play ball control offense and score. Tech will sputter on offense in their first game and not score(at will, as with Kliff K) 8/18/03

[This message has been edited by Stallion (edited 09-25-2003).]

[EastStang]

As one of the 12,000 who bothered to show up, including a plane trip to DFW, of course I was disappointed in the result and in our attendance. My wife commented "where are the students"? I said, "in that corner over there". There were what about 500 students at the game (excluding the band and the football team)? That is completely unacceptable. We have what 3500 undergrads? There at least ought to be 1500-2000 of them showing up to games. Where were they? Stallion exactly how many DFW alums do we have?

[GoRedGoBlue]

Make the call, Joel. What are you afraid of?

[PK]

EastStang, I have heard that there are approximately 30,000 SMU alums in the DFW area...how many are in nursing homes was not mentioned.

[cowboypony]

As far as how many alums are in the nursing home brings me to my concerns. I graduated in 1987 (the DP year). So, I'm the last full class from SMU that has ever had a "taste of success." Most of my friends, fraternity brothers, etc. that were a year or so behind me have pretty much disassociated themselves with SMU. I see this as a huge problem for us b/c one of these days, the people like the Fords, Hunts, etc. - along with the rest of the nursing home crowd - are going to be gone. Our 14 year absence with our fans and 30 something crowd is going to yield devasting results when it comes to financial contributions and attendance. In essence, we've lost an entire generation of fans and supporters between 1987 and today. Not only must we begin winning immediately (which I truly believe we're on the right track), we must also focus on bringing back our "lost generation" of SMU fans and alums.

[Hoop Fan]

Cowboy, I have much the same story you do. I have friends from SMU who are big football and sports fans. These guys are good alums for the most part, they probably contribute to the Class gifts at Homecoming etc. But they have no interest in losing, 2nd rate football and basketball. Thats just the way it is. There are people like us who hang in and ride it out, but most people think life is too short and either do something else or follow someone else, like the Cowboys or Fantasy Football or whatever. I don't know if you can ever get the lost generation back. What you can do is not lose the current and next generations.

[KnuckleStang]

If we have winning seasons, and start beating good teams, I have a feeling a lot of this "lost generation" will start coming out of the woodwork, and asking where the tailgate is, and talk about "the lean years," and how hard it was to follow the Mustangs so faithfully through all that losing. That'll be fun to watch. Hope it happens, though.

[GoRedGoBlue]

The lost generation is a huge concern.

Winning will heal much.

[GoRedGoBlue]

The lost generation is a huge concern.

Winning will heal much.

[EastStang]

If there are 30,000 in the DFW area, then 10,000 of them showing up to a game is pretty good. After all, there are some that don't like football, some that have other engagements, and some that are too old or frail to attend, and some that are waiting for something good to happen. What we don't have are fans unaffiliated with the University. Here in DC, Georgetown and Maryland get lots of fans to their games who have no ties to the University during basketball season. On the other hand George Washington, Howard and American Universities all seem to only attract alums. So the task for the athletic department is to get football freaks to the game. I liked what Tulsa did, have a $1 night. Like Russ Potts said, an empty seat does no one any good.

[cowboypony]

Unfortunately, that same comparison exists right here in the metroplex. TCU is drawing pretty well. Many of their fans have no direct affiliation with the school. Many of my friends and clients go to TCU games but never, never mention going to an SMU game. Winning, of course, will get us a seat at the table. I also am encouraged by what our marketing folks are doing. In the end, however, it will take both: good marketing AND a winning team. Remember, their alumni base is smaller than ours. On the positive side, what's going on at TCU shows that we can make inroads in the non-SMU crowd that is merely looking for some good college football.

[LA_Mustang]

I know this is a brilliant revelation, but winning would cure all. If SMU had a 5 year stretch like TCU is having, Ford would sellout every game, DMN would have daily SMU updates and weekly stories, ESPN & Fox Sports would eat the story up (DP team makes a comeback after being down and out for 20 years), casual college football fans would want to come to games (non-SMU Dallasites wont admit it but they would love to see SMU competitive again...remember Dallas loves a winner, hell the Sidekicks used to sellout Reunion), the so called "lost generation" WOULD comeback. The big question is whether this administration truly has made a commitment to win. That remains to be seen.