throwing in the towl on smu athletics

[football_fan]

somethings have finally sunk into my head after years of denial and false hope.

1. we're in the wac
2. we're never going to get out of the wac (unless it folds)
3. our football will never be very good again
4. our basketball has never been very good, and never will be. (in my opinion good teams make the nit in a down year, not their best year in over a decade)

i'll still cheer for smu, but i have no real hope that they will ever be good again.

[Pony_Fan]

1. I am hoping the WAC loses Hawaii and Fresno and we remake a regional Conference...ala Tulsa, etc
2. see above
3. agreed
4. i hope you are wrong here. NIT is AFTER 64 teams make the dance, I would hope we can get back there at least.

I am starting to feel the same way.

[MustangFan]

How you can be un-excited about the future of the football team escapes me. I think we have another lean year or two in front of us, but Coach Bennett is successfully recruiting a completely different level of athlete, and he'll win -- and win a lot. There will be some growing for these young guys, but this is the kind of player who can help us win - even dominate - in the WAC. And if we dominate in the WAC, conference alignment will change.

On the other hand, I'm as frustrated as you are with the basketball team.

[Nacho]

Even the announcers last night ,who given the performance of our team I thought were remarkably restrained in their comments, were amazed at the configuration and travel in the WAC, comparing it to the Louisiana purchase. The WAC is hopeless on a longterm basis. Rivalries as they noted are impossible. Somebody needs to pull the plug on this conference and start all over again. That said I am hopeful about football given recent recruiting success. Basketball is another story.

[KnuckleStang]

I hope I don't need to remind those of you who see little hope for the future of SMU basketball that we've got one of the top PG's in the U.S. currently sitting on the bench (and that's not Dement's fault). That won't be the case for long, and we are a different team with that guy on the floor.

[Pony_Fan]

Knuckle- yes, Hopkins is on the bench. If he plays anywhere near what I saw him do at Moody, he will make a big diff. and at least give me something to watch and be excited about.

It just seems to be SMU's luck that this guy isn't 100%.

[SHAQFU]

Football_fan:

I hope you choke on your on BS. You are the problem with SMU athletics. You and your thoughts that you bring to this board. I hope that you throw in the towel on posting for this board. I think we would all be a lot better off.

[Charleston Pony]

Don't know how long some of you guys have been following this program, but for those of us who have been SMU fans since the 60's...well, we've had a lot of ups and downs...but clearly the years since the death penalty have been the toughest.

I don't see us EVER returning to the days of the SWC, so those who hope to see SMU rejoin their former "BCS" mates better get a grip on reality. Because we are a small private school with a small following, we might be forever branded as a "mid-major" program in today's world of collegiate athletics. BUT...there's no reason we can't be one of the best at that level, enjoying the same success as TCU, Colorado St, Marshall, etc...have in football and Gonzaga, Tulsa and others have in bball.

We are just now seeing the 1st sign of any real "commitment" on the part of the administration. We aren't that far from turning the corner and enjoying some success here at SMU. When we start competing again, others will take note and I fully expect a realignment of some of the mid-major conferences (Mike Giminski was dead on when he said last night the WAC could not survive with the far flung nature of the conference). The same can be said for CUSA and the SBC and MAC are falling into the same situation.

The mission is to improve the product on the field/court and to increase fan support for the program. A regional conference is likely to come in the not too distant future so be patient...but keep supporting our guys if you care at all!

[Guest]

Both programs in question have made astounding improvements in the level of recruits we are dealing with. The teams we have lost to in basketball are great teams and it is hard to play three road games against two awesome teams and a good team right after finals...give the guys a break..they'll be back during WAC play. Not to mention that we are projected to be in the top 30 in recruiting in football this year..I think we should start wearing the return to glory shirts..not Notre Dame..they've been bad for a couple of years...wahh wahh....We need to return to glory not them. The last thing I've got to say is good teams start with the fans...you've got to believe your team can win before they do...give it time. We'll be back.

[Guest]

I'd also like to say that I like the WAC...I'm sorry but I do. I would like to see us play more regional opponents yes but I find WAC football to be exciting. I'd like to see it become a top conference. And remember it could be worse(or better depending on how you feel). We could be in the SUNBELT winning all of our conference games, losing every nonconference game and getting lucky in the toilet bowl(sorry UNT fans who don't really belong in this forum anyway)