Why SMU President R. Gerald Turner supports athletics

[78pony]

Mex on the money! Turner is the root of the problem and has been since day one. He puts up with the nuisance called sports because he simply had his hand forced. There are more than a few Mustang Club Board members who remember words he spoke at a board meeting some years back.

[PonySnob]

We do realize that LB's salary isn't really paid by the school, like JJ's, right?

Doesn't the CofC pay JJ's?


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[ojaipony]

I don't know much about the guy (he wasn't the president while I was a student) other than what I've read and a conversation I had with him at a fundraising event at The Getty Center here in L.A. a few years back. But here's my take: I agree with Stallion. He had some roadblocks, but it took way too long. He never really "hit the ground running" with athletics. He's proven to be a great fundraiser and he seems to have solid business skills and is a good ambassador for SMU generally. But, I don't think he puts athletics high enough on the priority list ESPECIALLY seeing the goldmine we have in football (the revenue driver) that continues to be completely wasted. (this is all very surprising as he came from Ole Miss).

Anyway, he's been good overall for the university in my view. But he doesn't get a free pass as Stallion says (the TCU and Baylor "lapping" us is downright criminal). I'm very concerned about who our next Prez will be, just as I am with our next head FC (probably the 2 most important hires a university can make) and am eager to get them.