Practice Field Gone

[smuuth]

Novel idea.....why not construct a multi-purpose indoor facility that ties-in with the beautiful campus where part of the practice fields are located but have the ability to convert it to a facility for weddings, banquets, museum soirees, rainy-day boulevard tailgating alternatives. It would have to have a beautiful fascade to enhance instead of take-away from this beautiful campus and the beauty of the church across the street. Maybe even have a beautiful archway/walkway!

[Bergermeister]

Install a "cover" Central Expressway from Mockingbird Lane to SMU Blvd. Build an indoor facility and a baseball park on top and let the traffic flow underneath. It might take more than one bake sale to get this done.

[Mexmustang]

For what its worth, Moody was considered part of the Unbridled Campaign--something promised for the Presidential library--for their larger functions, etc. They called Turner to remind him and he was forced to comply. Funny how that works on him.

But, now that I think on it, "W" played baseball didn't he?

[gostangs]

Unbridled campaign is different and seperate from the presidential library campaign. Very little connection between the two. The moody re-do effort has been underway for a long time - longer then the Bush library discussions. It was aided by basketball guys that helped make it happen.

If any of our ex baseball players want to fund the program then maybe it will come back - until then any time or money spent on that would be a waste. We are more likely to make lacrosse a D-1 sport then to bring back baseball.

IPF should be next over anything else - we fix revenue sports (and there are only two potential revenue sports) or we are dead.

[Longtime]

Do we want to be a BCS school or not? Because nearly every BCS school fields a baseball program. Every major program in Texas, except for SMU and UTEP, has baseball. Having a baseball team won't make us a Top 25 athletic program, but at least we won't look like an oddball for not having one. I think Orsini understands this which is why he's been quoted as being in favor of adding baseball. If someone gave him the $$ and the land for a ballpark on or near campus, I think he would do it, Title IX be damned.

Even if it's a money-loser, baseball would be a team sport the SMU fan base could rally around in the spring when SMU basically drops off the sports landscape. An SMU-TCU series would garner some headlines. And there's no reason SMU couldn't be competitive in baseball. Hell, if Rice can do it...

Just go to a baseball game at TCU or Baylor. Great facilities, great atmospheres.They have to be making money, and much more in terms of PR. There's no other sport SMU could add that would bring that much positivity to the school and athletic department - if it's done the right way. That means a minor league-quality ballpark and doing the proper marketing and promotions to draw crowds and keep them coming back. I know, SMU isn't exactly the greatest at marketing and promoting right now, but as long as I'm dreaming about a baseball program, why not?

Hopefully our ties with the former President - both he and his dad are huge baseball fans - will lead to the construction of the Bush Family Ballpark.

[soccermom]

I haven't seen Baylor or TCU's baseball facilities, but have seen Rice's and it looks nice. We were w/friends this past weekend and I was asked about our (SMU) baseball team and the people there (obviously they don't follow SMU sports) were surprised when I told them we haven't had a team in years.

[PonyPower]

Hopefully our ties with the former President - both he and his dad are huge baseball fans - will lead to the construction of the Bush Family Ballpark.

Oh puke. I'm a huge baseball fan, too, but having the Bookmobile will be more than enough — way more than enough — of a Bush connection, without the stupid metal bats and games in late May that are 98 degrees. Besides, it's not a financial issue, or at least not only a financial issue. To add baseball — and men's track HAS to come back first, considering how much it would help football — the school would have to add probably two or three women's sports. This administration cuts budgets, it doesn't expand them. Won't happen.

[PonyKai]

Oh please, don't whine about the name attached to it it's an effin donation. If Jimmy Carter, George Soros, or Obama want to fork over a boatload of cash to build us a ball park, I'll happily accept it smiling all the way and be very thankful for their part in making SMU the best damn University in the country.

[gostangs]

we can just stop talking about baseball. It is not going to happen, and probably shouldn't.

I will predict we are trendsetters - there will be way more schools that stop baseball then add it in the next few years.

[Charleston Pony]

baseball would be costly because we would not only need to have a baseball facility nut also would need to add softball at the same time; so where do we have room for a baseball/softball facility? I'm a big baseball fan and would love to see it's return, but do we do this at the expense of our "country club" sports? We had a T-shirt in my day for "Southern Methodist Country Club". I think it came out shortly after the outdoor pool was built.

For those who are in the know on long range plans, I'd like to know what those are. Sounds like there will be a need for more parking garages