Dickerson ripping SMU on The Fan pretty bad this morning :(

[Rebel10]

ponyte is right to call us out. We have a role in this program and our efforts need to be constructive and add to the experience. Recruits and causal fans need us to model that SMU is the school for Texas, Dallas and them.

One thing Dickerson said was that SMU does not market Dallas enough. We have got to reach the t-shirt fan whether some want to or not. So calling out fans that already go to games is one thing but giving a plan to reach the people that do not is more constructive imo.

The thing is, winning is how you do that.

Look around the country. You just aren't going to find many small, private universities in an urban setting that have a strong "walk on" fanbase from the local community.

Rice doesn't. Northwestern doesn't. Vanderbilt doesn't. Even Miami struggles to actually consistently put butts in the seats. TCU does but, let's be realistic - they didn't until they started winning and, if they stop winning for a few years, their stadium will be empty every week.

A small school like SMU attracts the casual fan by winning. All the "outreach" in the world isn't going to get Joe from Mesquite to come out for an SMU game when we're only marginally competitive against weak teams and get blown out by anyone with a pulse.

Winning helps, marketing helps, outreach helps and combing all 3 helps but please tell them not to hire Houston Nutt.

[floridianstang]

Employed coaches only, please.

[SMUer]

Except he didn't rip the fans, he ripped the school itself. Told Jones-Seals "don't even get involved in that mess" and insinuated that SMU was a markedly inferior experience compared to other schools. Bad.

[orguy]

Dickerson is absolutely one of my favorite Ponies. Interesting to see hear some people saying we "bought him". He ultimately chose SMU. People forget that. His mother wanted him to attend SMU and he truly believed in Coach Meyer and what he was trying to do on the Hilltop.

Its fitting that he had so much success here. Hard working talented student athlete who was a part of something very special in the history of the program.

[whitwiki]

Yeah, it wasn't the boatload of cash that brought him in

[Mustangs_Maroons]

if channeled and focused correctly, ED can be a great spokesperson for SMU. He just hasn't felt the love from SMU. He's that type of guy that needs to feel that, and well, I get it, that's what he's been used to his whole life, and he can be a great asset if we can get him reengaged.

having said that, he did choose SMU because every other program under the sun was also showering him with gifts. I mean didn't he come to SMU with the brand new car A&M got him?

[orguy]

I actually like RGT and think he has done a lot of good for SMU, but I think his time here on the hilltop is also up. He will be here almost 20 years, which I think is unprecedented, and while he has done a good job on helping to build up our class profile, has he really done something above and beyond some other schools? I mean, while yes, our SAT scores are the second highest in the state, we are still ranked #58, and we haven't moved up from that to crack the top 50.

He clearly has not had a history for caring about college athletics, making decisions too little too late, and always reactively, and never proactively. He has done a good job raising money, but our endownment is still equal to tcu, which is unacceptable because we used to be higher, and we are so far behind Rice it's not even funny.

So, if we're not showing true progress academically to get us into the top 50 (and not outside) the academic rankings, and our local operational peers like baylor and tcu clearly have understood how to play in the new world of college sports, is he really the right man to be leading us now, almost 20 years into his tenure?

Thank you RGT for all you have done, but I truly feel like we need a provost from a top 25-30 university (with D1 sports) who would love to become the president of a university like ours with so much potential still untapped.

RGT has done much for SMU. Will not argue the in's/out's here. Such a relief to have him. What if SMU still had piggie pye? Additionally, what provost from a top 25 University would want to come SMU? not an easy job and its why Turner has succeeded to such a great degree. Lots to balance. Its tough to crack the top 50 FYI. Not an easy task.

BTW: Rice will always have better students than SMU. Rice has SAT scores that are higher than half the Ivy's for christ sake. Its always been that way going way back. However, SMU will always have better looking women so relax.

[mrydel]

Employed coaches only, please.

So you were against Larry Brown also?

[floridianstang]

Employed coaches only, please.

So you were against Larry Brown also?

LB is a one in a million gift from heaven. Don't feel our chances are the same in Football. We need someone that can reignite our fanbase and keep our young alumni engaged and coming back, since we have had a ton of trouble getting them to become season ticket holders

[peruna81]

Employed coaches only, please.

So you were against Larry Brown also?

LB is a one in a million gift from heaven. Don't feel our chances are the same in Football. We need someone that can reignite our fanbase and keep our young alumni engaged and coming back, since we have had a ton of trouble getting them to become season ticket holders

a 2014 version of Ron Meyer..without a payroll to meet, per se. Someone who knows how to recruit, and recruit [deleted]'t coaches that know how to coach. It has happened before, and can again.

[Rayburn]

Except he didn't rip the fans, he ripped the school itself. Told Jones-Seals "don't even get involved in that mess" and insinuated that SMU was a markedly inferior experience compared to other schools. Bad.

Exactly, he ripped the university itself. Spend 15 minutes with Eric Dickerson. The guy is full of himself and another substance usually found littering cattle pastures. His ego sucks oxygen.

[PonyKris89]

Yeah, it wasn't the boatload of cash that brought him in

Every school offered him cash and cars. He liked what we had to offer better. We won him fair and square!!

[PonyKris89]

But like I said earlier, Eff ED.

[Junior]

But like I said earlier, Eff ED.

i'm on-board with this. he's just pi$$ed off right now because his buddy is gone.

[peruna81]

Sure hope there is a kinder Joab around if I find myself hanging from a tree...