Probation

[Julian Grendel]

"get this kid eligible, whatever it takes"

" 'whatever it takes' will have to pass muster with compliance"

"good news, compliance and the get this kid eligible people are mr and mrs"

If anything, that's brilliant. How does one "have a real problem" with it, and how large a pile of whatever would the pile have to be to believe that one was so offput at the admission of one student athlete that they would jeopardize their own employer?

[Mustang1980]

We were probably (most certainly) guilty. But, the NCAA doesn't play by the rules either.
First, unlike all the other programs mentioned here with earlier academic violations, or worse violations, it took a book, or a former player(s) to turn them in. Are we just stupid, stupid, stupid? The NCAA is a corrupt organization how can you trust them to be anything to objectively.

We, turned ourselves in. How can you go into a police station, announce you were guilty of a felony and then expect to lower your penalty? or to successfully appeal your sentence? SMU is a volunteer, not a victim. We didn't prepare for our defense, did we lawyer up Larry Brown? did we aggressively appeal? rather, we naively trusted an organization to be fair when we all knew they are not. Those other schools, aggressively lawyered up, defended and protected their coaches, and for the most part, retained them, and either got a reduced penalty or off scot free.

SMU went into full gear, spent a great deal of time and money going through our servers, identifying the computer and turning in the evidence to the NCAA trying to prove guilt.

Stallion, you are probably correct about the timing and penalties required, but did we even argue the points as finely or as aggressively as UNC? --that the course wasn't even required for HS graduation? I just think we did a poor job all around. Typical limp wrist SMU support for our coaches and athletic programs.

We still have a major conflict in our Athletic Department, positions of husband and wife effectively bookending our athletes and coaches. One in charge of atheltic admissions and eligiblity and the other in charge of compliance. I have a real problem with this. Husband and wife? The same department? Compounding their power? The coaches I've talked to say that the former, is absolutely no help to them, treats them like the enemy and has a real attidude because she knows her husband's position allows her the power she in not entitled to have.

Once more, there isn't a single person in the Athletic Department played D-1 football or basketball.

My own feeling is she got angry with Keith's academic admission that was done over her head. Keith obviously required someone over her head to make an exception, and as a result she was out to prove to everyone she was right.

Looking back, I still feel that as Larry gained popularity, the administration wanted him out. Popular coaches, don't have time for the amateurs in our Athletic Department.

I laugh at the reasoning behind our "reseat". The comparision of SMU to the other schools mentioned just doesn't measure up. We don't have one NCAA tournament win in decades. Many of these schools have had big NCAA runs and several national championships. Unless we have some luck in recruiting, and do so quickly, we won't see a "win" in the next three tournaments. In two years we will have yet another coaching search.

Stallion I understand your views on pricing of BB tickets (support), but this sure seems like terrible timing. Quite frankly I find it insulting. The same group trying to increase ticket prices (donor level, etc.) was the same group that mishandled our sanctions and penalties, that has done absoultely nothing to market football (I've seen no effort at all). Even our so-called Olympic sports don't measure up.

This group of administrators are looking for the easy way out, rather than work aggressively on the community to increase football support they schedule a Michigan paycheck in football or increase the cost of basketball, a program that now seems to be in decline. We used to joke about the loyal "700" or "1200" fans that put up with supporting one of the worst athletic programs in D-1 over the past 30 years. Well, we finally lost much of their support--and I find it very sad. These people are now in their retirement years, have less dispossible income and don't see an end to the mediocrity. The school has essentially told them, we don't care about your passion, your loyalty, your years in the Mustang Club, we are elitists.

You have absolutely no freaking clue what you’re talking about. Which is why when people systematically distantle your axe grinding sessions in other places you stroll over here to peddle the same garbage. If your anger and irritation blinds you to obvious truths and creates the need to invent these fanciful, mythical multi-level conspiracy theories with zero actual evidence to support then, please, I beg of you, find something else to do with your time and money.

Let me guess, you're R. Gerald Turner?

[PonySnob]

We still have a major conflict in our Athletic Department, positions of husband and wife effectively bookending our athletes and coaches. One in charge of atheltic admissions and eligiblity and the other in charge of compliance. I have a real problem with this. Husband and wife? The same department? Compounding their power? The coaches I've talked to say that the former, is absolutely no help to them, treats them like the enemy and has a real attidude because she knows her husband's position allows her the power she in not entitled to have.

Once more, there isn't a single person in the Athletic Department played D-1 football or basketball.

My own feeling is she got angry with Keith's academic admission that was done over her head. Keith obviously required someone over her head to make an exception, and as a result she was out to prove to everyone she was right.

Looking back, I still feel that as Larry gained popularity, the administration wanted him out. Popular coaches, don't have time for the amateurs in our Athletic Department.

I laugh at the reasoning behind our "reseat". The comparision of SMU to the other schools mentioned just doesn't measure up. We don't have one NCAA tournament win in decades. Many of these schools have had big NCAA runs and several national championships. Unless we have some luck in recruiting, and do so quickly, we won't see a "win" in the next three tournaments. In two years we will have yet another coaching search.

Stallion I understand your views on pricing of BB tickets (support), but this sure seems like terrible timing. Quite frankly I find it insulting. The same group trying to increase ticket prices (donor level, etc.) was the same group that mishandled our sanctions and penalties, that has done absoultely nothing to market football (I've seen no effort at all). Even our so-called Olympic sports don't measure up.

This group of administrators are looking for the easy way out, rather than work aggressively on the community to increase football support they schedule a Michigan paycheck in football or increase the cost of basketball, a program that now seems to be in decline. We used to joke about the loyal "700" or "1200" fans that put up with supporting one of the worst athletic programs in D-1 over the past 30 years. Well, we finally lost much of their support--and I find it very sad. These people are now in their retirement years, have less dispossible income and don't see an end to the mediocrity. The school has essentially told them, we don't care about your passion, your loyalty, your years in the Mustang Club, we are elitists.

Who is the current husband/wife in the athletic department?

[hoopmanx]

I dont follow Mexs posts but hear others say hes a one note hack. Now I know on my own. Anyone on Gods green earth that questions the Conders deserves a good mocking. Really, the Conders? And what coaches did you talk to again? The hoops ones who know our compliance guy went to UNLV, loves him some Tark, and is smart enough to know the ins and outs of that sport. The one whose only request to hoops is less Frazier, Markus and more Ben Moore, Sterling and Shake. Seriously though, keep harping on the coup that is that husband &wife team that gets kids eligible and in

[mrydel]

When he said he was on the BOT of the Pye regime I quit listening.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Who is the current husband/wife in the athletic department?

Kyle Conder (Senior Associate A.D./Compliance)
http://smumustangs.com/staff.aspx?staff=199
Conder and his wife, SMU Assistant Athletics Director for Student Services, Susan Vollmerhausen, live in Dallas with their son, Ellis, and daughter, Ada.

Susan Vollmerhausen (Assistant A.D./Student Services)
http://smumustangs.com/staff.aspx?staff=191
Vollmerhausen and her husband, SMU Sr. Assoc. A.D. for Compliance Kyle Conder, have two children, son Ellis and daughter Ada.

[Arkpony]

Eureka!!!!

[MV pony]

I didn't know Mex was on Pye's bot. The things I'd like to say . . . .

[EastStang]

We have one assistant go rogue, we turn ourselves in (as the NCAA rules demand) and we get the book thrown at us. Other schools seem to have done worse than us, then sandbag the NCAA and get nothing. It is frustrating to see that happening over and over again. I understand the frustration. However, the answer is not to start ignoring the rules. One thing we've learned is that we are a convenient punching bag for NCAA enforcement. The NCAA lives in mortal fear that the UT's, A&M's and Alabamas will one day realize that they don't need the NCAA. When they do that, we'll be on the outside looking in. So, we live with this rigged system, until the divorce becomes final.

[Arkpony]

Excellent post! The big boys could pull out and the corrupt NCAA would collapse.

[SoCal_Pony]

However, the answer is not to start ignoring the rules.

There are some 100 teams that will participate in the NCAA & NIT tourneys next month.

Just curious, ES, how many of these do you think ‘play by the rules’?

[SoCal_Pony]

When he said he was on the BOT of the Pye regime I quit listening.

Weren’t Dedman, Cox & Hunt all on the BOT as well? Don’t know why that would disqualify his opinions.

[PonyKai]

When he said he was on the BOT of the Pye regime I quit listening.

Weren’t Dedman, Cox & Hunt all on the BOT as well? Don’t know why that would disqualify his opinions.

Personally, his detachment from reality and painfully transparent axe to grind is what disqualifies them for me.

[mrydel]

I do not need someone who is responsible for our position criticizing the position we are in.

[SoCal_Pony]

I do not need someone who is responsible for our position criticizing the position we are in.

I've never recalled Mex speaking specifically about Pye, but I always feel he is pro-sports, something Pye clearly was not.

I disagree with him on his tiki take, but I agree with him on other points.

I really don't know. What did Mex to that was responsible for our demise*?

* - demise meaning the position we are in