Observation by the Wife

[couch 'em]

It is like watching friends in a bad marriage. Why do the keep putting themselves through it over and over?

At least the old can point to the parst and say "it started out good". I am a post DP alum. It was never good.

Is it healthy to keep doing this to myself?

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

It is like watching friends in a bad marriage. Why do the keep putting themselves through it over and over? At least the old can point to the parst and say "it started out good". I am a post DP alum. It was never good. Is it healthy to keep doing this to myself?

I have to admit while sitting there last night I had a "moment" like that too....sitting there in a ridiculously empty stadium...an embarrassing empty stadium...thinking what these Montana State players and fans must be thinking....like "where is everybody? this is Dallas isn't it?"....a stadium with probably less fans than a typical Allen High School game... while we were losing to Montana State....Montana State?.....and thinking to myself...."what the hell am I doing?" Then I woke up from the nightmare when we pulled off a miracle to rally and beat Montana State....yes it took a miracle to beat Montana State.....and decided for some crazy reason I can't give up on the Mustangs!

[Charleston Pony]

Mrs CP " often wonders why I continue to follow a program that has brought me so much misery and I give her the old coach speak line "they may be dogs...but they are my dogs" and I just can't quit on them

[mustangxc]

My last season on campus was 0-12 so frankly I am enjoying winning a little bit. Would I prefer winning 10+ games, beating Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and TCU as well as going to big time bowl games? Of course, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy our present, which is much better than our post-DP past.

[Charleston Pony]

My last season on campus was 0-12 so frankly I am enjoying winning a little bit. Would I prefer winning 10+ games, beating Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and TCU as well as going to big time bowl games? Of course, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy our present, which is much better than our post-DP past.

I give you credit for being a fan when the program stunk so bad during your years at SMU. My era Mustangs never did better than 7-4 which back then did not get you into a bowl game

[malonish]

I have no Mrs. (forever alone, whatever) but my mom was saying "Aren't you supposed to enjoy this?"

[couch 'em]

I was on campus 01-05, so I got the special pleasure of a winless season, and watching a goal post getting torn down to celebrate breaking the longest losing streak in college football.

Since then it has gotten a little better on paper, but at the end of the day we have a few more wins against some bad teams. We are still a pretty poor team.

I still have to suffer the constant humiliation of being asked on Sunday by friends and family "did you go to the SMU game yesterday? Did they lose again?" At this point, I don't want anyone to even know that I attend games, much less invite anyone along. My SMU alum wife has no interest in sitting through these debacles anymore, so why throw away my time away from my family trying to support an entity that doesn't seem to be interested in actually winning? I could be at the office making money. I could be doing something else that is personally fulfilling instead of something that beats me down.

I am tired of the scam. The empty promises from SMU. We are not that far removed from the Turner/Copeland lies with "THE COMMITMENT".

I am seriously considering just mailing it in, at least until if/when we have a change in the football program that mirrors what is going on with the basketball program.

[redpony]

+1

[ponydawg]

Last night was the first time I've left a game early by choice. Graduated in '99. Left at halftime knowing we would probably come back and win but I chose not to be hot and bored knowing when we came back and won i'd feel lethargic about it. Watched from the couch where i could check on more interesting games. Games have become so boring wife doesn't want to come and I honestly don't want to make a friend sit thru that.

I appreciate that we are no longer a laughing stock, but if you are not on the outside, you know it's still a bad product. Can't wait for basketball! Even if we lose, I'll support 100% because I believe they are committed 100%.

[stc9]

It is like watching friends in a bad marriage. Why do the keep putting themselves through it over and over?

At least the old can point to the parst and say "it started out good". I am a post DP alum. It was never good.

Is it healthy to keep doing this to myself?

To answer your question...

I too am a post DP alum. The simple answer is, No. It is certainly not healthy. But you, like the rest of us, are going to do it anyway.

I will give you a positive thought to help get you through the day. How much courage does it take to be a Texas, OU, or 'Bama fan? Absolutely none. At the beginning of every year you actually have hope that you can win the NC. Your team has every possible resource and media exposure to accomplish that goal. A loss is just a setback towards world domination. On the other side of the coin, being an SMU fan, by definition, means that you live in constant hope of a better world. Congratulations, you are one of the dreamers, part of the Rebel Alliance, that looks to change the world.

[soccermom]

My Daddy went to law school @SMU and we were raised knowing there was no other school we wanted to go to but SMU. I remember him listening to our games on the radio and getting so frustrated he would turn it off and a few minutes later, turn it back on and listen. This pattern was the same, it seemed to me, for every game he listened to. If we were lucky and SMU was playing t.v., the same thing. I graduated in 81 so I was the luckiest in my family as far as football was concerned. Last night, I watched some of the game on the computer and found myself doing exactly what my Daddy would do---turn it off and go back and watch it. I didn't see the ending. I've said it before but being a Mustang is the most exciting and frustrating thing in the world.
KICK 'EM MUSTANGS!!

[SMU21TCU10]

I plan on watching every second of every home game (and whatever away games are available to watch) this year and enjoying every second of them.

[gostangs]

i thought i was the only one that did that. my wife thinks i am certifiable - ill tune in - get mad and frustrated - turn it off and then cant help myself later but to look again. last night at the game i was just pissed. that we had to eek out a win vs montana state is a travesty caused by lack of effort and focus in recruiting from our head coach.

There are examples of teams that beat the odds. Boise has done a bunch of giant killing - Vanderbilt is looking better in an SEC gauntlet - TCU pulled themselves up and yes - got lucky but their hard work got them that luck. There are many others. We just need to become one of those programs. This staff is full of decent men, who are experienced at coaching but are mercenaries without passion it seems to me - thus the lack of recruiting.

you cant sell what you don't believe in - and i don't think Jones has ever believed in SMU. We need someone who is smart, young, can pull some great young recruiters in and knows how to win with the tools we give him - which are pretty considerable. it would be a big help if he understood the culture at SMU. We are small but demanding - we think of ourselves as deserving of equality to the Baylor and TCU's of the world in football - and wont give up until we see the rightful order of football restored. Hope it happens in my lifetime.

There is a limit to what we can do without a better conference - we just need to keep our program close enough to the edge so that someone might reach out and save us. right now we are not there.