Jim Copeland should pay the price for losing Track and Field

[Peruna88]

. . . he is the man who oversees the Mustang Club which can't seem to raise enough dollars.

If you would like to do your part to help raise money for the Mustang Club, I will invite you to come up to the press box in Ford Stadium next Tuesday, 3/2 around 6:00-6:30 pm. There will be a small group of volunteers calling for Mustang Club membership renewals.

I will warn you - you'll get lots of answering machines, people who say they'll think about it and those who say they'll give again when we start winning. It's not a lot of fun, but it's important and I've donated quite a few hours of my time to try to make things better.

So, come on up, grab a list and start calling. There's usually sandwiches to eat and a Coke or two.

Or, you can just sit on the Internet and [deleted] about how life's not fair.

[EastStang]

Now for the facts straight from a Virginia State Senator who happened to sit on the education committee at the time Copeland left UVa. Copeland was not being fired or run out of UVa. UVa. was not a challenge at that point. George Welch had a winning football program. Basketball was in the top 1/2 of the ACC. Mostly, it was a job of refereeing basketball and football interests at the school which got tiring to Copeland. SMU presented a challenge to him and offered him a pay raise over a state supported institution in a state which is very stingy with pay. Now as to Copeland's job at SMU. First, his hires have been mediocre at best. Dement has not gone to the dance despite having a good record and graduating players. He is probably gone at the end of this season. Cavan had a great reputation and had been a winner at 1-AA, and was on paper a good hire. That didn't work out. School is still out on Bennett. We'll know more later. He has succeeded in some areas. Easing the restrictions on recruiting and admissions. Allowing partial qualifiers to come to SMU. Scheduing games that will generate larger home crowds. Raising money to build Ford Stadium. Getting out of the WAC and into CUSA. I still think that Turner and the Trustees wanted to be politically correct and not blame Title IX for axing track. But it appears that to stay compliant we would have had to add one or two women's sports to keep track. Now, if you spend $5.4 Million over the next five years to keep track and add one or two women's sports (which generate no money to SMU), you have to take it from somewhere. Right now you can't say that football will sell any more tickets. You can't say that basketball will sell any more tickets. If you can't raise that number inside the department something must go. Given that the Committment just got alums to put up more money than they have in the past, pretty well gave the department a read as to what to expect over the next five years as far as revenues were concerned. So, if you don't cut track where do you find $5.4 Million over the next five years and why do you think that Lance McIlhenney could find it and Copeland couldn't find it?

[FloridaMustang]

The fact is, we also would have had to significantly upgrade the track facilities in the next few years as well in order to stay competitive. It just wasn't making any money, despite its success, and it was axed because of it... Title IX is hurting college athletics in the long run, forcing schools to drop mens sports and focusing on the revenue sports because they cant afford to comply with Title IX.

What a crock.

[3Titles]

Peruna88: In the past, I have actually worked the phones-- several years in a row-- for the Mustang Club. Was even a team captain for the Morgan Campaign. It was frustrating making those calls, no doubt about it. You are lucky this year now that all the right moves have been made by Copeland (new staduim, lower admissions standards) to position the Athletic Department for the future (see Eastang) the dollars should come rolling in.

However, if you call my house you may still feel some frustration--that is if my line isn't busy from me [deleted] on the internet. Hey but good luck anyway maybe we'll have some success in Ford Stadium this year after all.

[Diehard Pony]

Earlier in this thread there was a proposal to establish www.firejimcopeland.com . Truth is, it already exists. It is a petition site, unlike the very polished www.firemackbrown.com site. I promise I am not the author, but I don't promise not to sign up.

[Peruna88]

3Titles - Well, it is frustrating sometimes, but I think it's worth every minute as I feel I'm doing my part to make the situation better. And if you have time, we could still use the help as this year's Morgan Campaign ends on March 5. Thanks for your work in the past and consider joining up again this year or next.

For the record, I'm disappointed that track had to go. But if it positions the overall Athletic Department to be more successful in the programs that we kept, then I trust Jim's decision. I believe that he works hard to be successful and would like nothing more than for him and his staff to succeed.

[3Titles]

Well Peruna88, You just keep believing that and keep making those calls and I am sure it will be all better soon--we have no reason to believe it won't be.

[ponyte]

First, I don't care about the track team, the women's rowing team or the horsy team. I care about football. And some about men's Bball. I know others have a greater interesting in these other sports and I respect that. I just want to clarify my position.

We don't have money. There are a variety of reasons. However, if we win in two sports, other sports will likewise benefit. I have no idea why track was dropped. But if it came down to strained resources on football or Bball, then I whole heartily support Copeland's decision.

I realize that is a very narrow view of our athletic program and that I may have offend some folks. However, we need our revenue sports to improve first and foremost. Other sports are not what will keep the athletic department afloat.

How many alums return to campus just o see the rowing team perform? How many alums talk to their non SMU friends and brag about how successful the women's water polo team has been? We need to win in two sports and then we can worry about other sports.

[PlanoStang]

We don't have any money, but we're going to spend $40 million on renovating Moody sometime in the near future?