Jim Copeland should pay the price for losing Track and Field

[3Titles]

It is time for Jim to be fired. This guy keeps pointing out the problems (no alum support, no attendance at rev sports, low conference payout) that led to the Track decision and says he can't understand why? Well, I will tell you why. Because he isn't doing the job. He is in charge of the Sports Marketing people who aren't filling Ford Stadium and Moody. He is the man who hired the coaches that aren't winning at Football and Basketball, he is the man who negotiates our conference affiliation, and he is the man who oversees the Mustang Club which can't seem to raise enough dollars. If you are interested in winning and reestablishing a tradition in sports at SMU, then COPELAND MUST BE FIRED!!!!

The only reason he is still around is because he has established good relations with the faculty and our spineless board of trustees likes that there is minimal friction between the faculty and the Athletic Department (like there was in the good old days). Now, think about it, why would the faculty like him so much--because he is well on his way to eliminating sports from SMU, not because he is a good Sports Administrator.

Many good young men that this school was very proud of were told they were no longer welcome at SMU yesterday with the Track and Field decision and the sport with greatest tradition of winning at our school was eliminated. What is next? DII football? If we want to reestablish a winning tradition at SMU then it is time to make a change, Copeland has done nothing to move us in the right direction. NOTHING!

[Mickey]

Copeland has been here almost 10 years and the athletic program has deteriorated to the point that SMU has now cut a sport that has won three national titles and provided numerous Olympic medalists. He MUST be held accountable. If Turner won't do it, then Turner MUST be held accountable. No more excuses and passing the buck.

SMU athletics should be on the same level as Rice and TCU. During Copeland's watch, we have fallen so far behind them that we are closer to dropping athletics than catching them. Rice and TCU both have successful baseball and track programs. We dont even play the sports anymore.

Rice won a national championship in baseball last year. TCU has been outstanding in football, and the football and basketball programs are generating revenue. TCU is striving to get into the BCS, and they are doing EVERYTHING they can to get there. They may not make it, but dammit, they are trying. To their credit, they don't even want to be associated with a bottom feeder like SMU.

Which politician ran on the slogan "Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago?" Is SMU athletics better off now than it was 10 years ago?

NO BOWLS, NO NCAA TOURNEY APPEARANCES! Unacceptable, Big Jim! You have to go!

[davidsmu94]

This [deleted] has driven down the entire athletic program. The people at Virginia ran him out on a rail and it's time we did too. Who wants to buy the rights for www.firejimcopeland.com?

You will get my $$ support.

[FloridaMustang]

if you had all read the article, you'd have seen that the board of directors made the decision. an AD cant just cut sports programs.

[3Titles]

I think you are missing the point UNF. Sure, I am pissed about the Track decision. But it is more than just that that brings Copeland into question. I think the issue is that he hasn't done anything for Athletics at SMU since he has gotten here and last time I checked, he is the ATHLETIC Director. Perhaps you are in the construction business, then maybe you are happy--otherwise you don't seem to have a clue.

[Dooby]

This [deleted] has driven down the entire athletic program. The people at Virginia ran him out on a rail and it's time we did too. Who wants to buy the rights for www.firejimcopeland.com?

You will get my $$ support.

Before misinformation gets out of hand, Copeland was neither fired nor forced to resign at Virginia as evidenced by the fact that Copeland interviewed and accepted the job at SMU before submitting his resignation at Virginia.

I wish you people would quit going off the deep end, you are starting to make me look like an administration apologist (somethign I certainly am not).

[3Titles]

Dooby, I suggest you check your sources a bit. He was on his way out at UVA--no question about it. Think about it, why would you leave a job at UVA to go to SMU given the state of our program (even though he has managed to make it even worse).

[Dooby]

Dooby, I suggest you check your sources a bit. He was on his way out at UVA--no question about it. Think about it, why would you leave a job at UVA to go to SMU given the state of our program (even though he has managed to make it even worse).

I suggest you check your sources, too. Everything I said was factually accurate. Please identify one source that says Copeland was being run out of town (it took me 5 seconds to find articles that said Copeland interviewed and accepted the SMU job before leaving UVA). I understand you are bitter that track has been eliminated, but that is no excuse for making crap up or making the "assumption" that Copeland had been fired or was about to.

[EastStang]

Enlighten us 3Titles, tell us your sources as to what facts you know that tell you that Copeland was out at UVa. And before you answer, let me give you one piece of background, I have lived in Virginia the last 25 years. So, I know some things about Mr. Jefferson's University.

[davidsmu94]

I'll back up 3 titles there. I had overheard a discussion 3 years ago between an SMU employee and a worker at UT who came from UVA, saying that Copeland was being given the Axe, but was allowed time to find another position.

[Dooby]

I'll back up 3 titles there. I had overheard a discussion 3 years ago between an SMU employee and a worker at UT who came from UVA, saying that Copeland was being given the Axe, but was allowed time to find another position.

Oh, that settles it. A track guy backing up another track guy based on a three year old conversation consisting entirely of hearsay about events that had taken place seven years before the conversation of which you were not a part of.

[davidsmu94]

Dooby, thats my source, and I really don't care if you believe it. I'm sure 3 rings has his own. You are such an [deleted]

[Dooby]

Yes, I am an [deleted].

It took me less than a minute on google.com to find the order of events of Copeland's hire. Copeland interviewed; he was offered; he accepted; he resigned from Virginia.

Why can't you track guys put forth the same effort?

[3Titles]

Dooby, Eastang--Sure, I will admit that anything I say will be hearsay about Copeland and UVA so why bother. It's not that relavant anyway. I don't want that argument to diminish the point I am trying to make on this thread. If you want to deal in facts then why don't you give me a counterargument as to why Copeland should be our Athletic Director? That is the issue here. Do me a favor guys let's see if we can avoid the presonal attacks and talk about the issue--I think this is an important topic to discuss.

[Governor Lepetomane]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned actually paying to see Copeland himself run a mile. That might generate some funds...