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by **Mickey** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:14 pm

Hartzell gets my vote.

by **Terry Webster** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:22 pm

Is Hartzell interested in the position?

by **Corso** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:46 pm

I think the post from the Tulane fan speaks volumes.

The thing that jump out at me:

"He's an excellent administrator and fund raiser (despite all of the cries from the TU pres about money - he's raised a lot). He moved football season ticket sales from 6K to 14K+ .... "

Maybe not the most glamorous endorsement, but it shows his general ability to do a key part of the job at a school similar to ours.

"I hate to lose him, if we do, but if he must leave, I'm glad that it's to a school like SMU."

This statement, to me, also makes it seem like BenW has a basic understanding of the circumstances under which we operate, and shows a general respect for both the AD and for SMU.

I don't know if he is the right candidate -- I don't know enough about him or about whoever else is in the running. But I would think this guy is a viable candidate, if nothing else.

by **jtstang** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:56 pm

I honestly have no interest in a Copeland clone, and this Tulane guy sounds like one. Fundraiser first, on-field performance a distant second. We already tried a "Commitment" fundraiser, and the Athletic Department didn't hold up its end of the bargain by winning. We need somebody who's gonna be proactive in improving our athletic performance, which means somebody who will take on the administration and get the recruiting problems fixed. Does it sound like this guy has the spine to do it?

by **mrydel** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:59 pm

jtstang wrote:I honestly have no interest in a Copeland clone, and this Tulane guy sounds like one. Fundraiser first, on-field performance a distant second. We already tried a "Commitment" fundraiser, and the Athletic Department didn't hold up its end of the bargain by winning. We need somebody who's gonna be proactive in improving our athletic performance, which means somebody who will take on the administration and get the recruiting problems fixed. Does it sound like this guy has the spine to do it?

You have earned the right to steal my seats one time next season with that post. I agree wholeheartedly.

by **SMU Football Blog** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:08 pm

I am just bewildered by the fact that this guy has been an AD at multiple institutions since the 80's and has never hired a football coach. I am not looking to fire the football coach we have, but this is just mindboggling to me. Seriously, the guy's last significant hire was in 1991 and everyone is OK with that?

by **Hoop Fan** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:21 pm

i dont want an empty suit either, but I dont think you can so easily conclude that about Dickson. I admit, I like Hartzell alot on paper. Thing is, how comparable is Northern Iowa to SMU?? At least Dickson knows what he is dealing with and its not like he has failed at Tulane. They have done some decent things. Their football coach is the same one who went 12-0 a few years ago, so he must not be a bad coach. I submit to you that Hartzell will have no idea what he is dealing with and where to begin at SMU. I bet they have an Agriculture major, Kinesology and all sorts of athlete friendly programs at UNI. So what, we dont need Hartzell to identify what we need. We need someone who can articulate what other private schools have and what they are doing. Remember, SMU is trying to justify to its facultly senate what other like minded instituations are doing athletic wise, not what UNI is doing. Dickson, if the right guy, could hit the ground running.

by **SoCal_Pony** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:27 pm

Corso wrote:I think the post from the Tulane fan speaks volumes.

The thing that jump out at me:

"He's an excellent administrator and fund raiser (despite all of the cries from the TU pres about money - he's raised a lot). He moved football season ticket sales from 6K to 14K+ .... "

Maybe not the most glamorous endorsement, but it shows his general ability to do a key part of the job at a school similar to ours.

"I hate to lose him, if we do, but if he must leave, I'm glad that it's to a school like SMU."

This statement, to me, also makes it seem like BenW has a basic understanding of the circumstances under which we operate, and shows a general respect for both the AD and for SMU.

I don't know if he is the right candidate -- I don't know enough about him or about whoever else is in the running. But I would think this guy is a viable candidate, if nothing else.

Corso,

You are basing all this on 1 post from 1 personâ€¦

That is pretty naÃ¯ve if you ask meâ€¦especially given the nonsense that â€˜occasionallyâ€™ gets posted on this site by certain individuals.

And btw, I suspect the season ticket sales went up not because of the AD but because they threatened to shut-down the program and some alumni decided to show their support not by showing up for the games but by merely buying season tickets. I wonder how long that will last. That is not good enough for SMU; we need a Russ Potts like thinker to actually get fans into the seats, especially given our home schedule this season.

by **Hoop Fan** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:34 pm

A Russ Potts type thinker would be great (or how bout Russ Potts himself), but what makes anyone think that in any way is Hartzell from UNI? Anyway, that might not be Dickson either. I will say this for Dickson and Tulane. Tulane's football team has had a different caliber athlete on the roster from ours for some time. This was evident back in the late 90s when we played them and it was evident last September. They have some nasty linemen, the kind we are only starting to hope to see at SMU. I'd like to find a way to get some of these type guys to SMU that Tulane has attracted the past 10 years and often beaten us out for.

by **BigEasyPony** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:37 pm

It's done. Dickson has accepted the job as new AD. I have mixed feeling about this, but he'll have more resources here than at Tulane. I hope he gets better at picking Head Coaches.

by **SMU Football Blog** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:41 pm

BigEasyPony wrote:It's done. Dickson has accepted the job as new AD. I have mixed feeling about this, but he'll have more resources here than at Tulane. I hope he gets better at picking Head Coaches.

I continue to be told that the whole committee has not met. No Done Deal.

by **BigEasyPony** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:49 pm

I'm very confident that this is done. Perhaps he will be recommended to the Committee for approval, but he's the pick.

by **McClown27** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:50 pm

This is a sad day. :cry:

by **Hoop Fan** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:00 pm

sad day? There is nothing to suggest Dickson cant do the job. He has alot of direct experience in a similar situation and represents an opportunity for the department to get things accomplished that we all know need to be accomplished. In alot of ways, a guy like Hartzell would be a much bigger risk for SMU. I dont want anymore guys like Copeland or Dement who get here from the east coast and express surprise at what they are dealing with at SMU. Dickson is much different than hiring Copeland 10 years ago. Yes Copeland was experienced but I dont think he had any idea what he was getting into at smu. He would probably tell you as much. Now Dickson, he KNOWS what he is dealing with, and I bet he knows what to do.

by **McClown27** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:04 pm

Hoop Fan wrote:sad day? There is nothing to suggest Dickson cant do the job. He has alot of direct experience in a similar situation and represents an opportunity for the department to get things accomplished that we all know need to be accomplished. In alot of ways, a guy like Hartzell would be a much bigger risk for SMU. I dont want anymore guys like Copeland or Dement who get here from the east coast and express surprise at what they are dealing with at SMU. Dickson is much different than hiring Copeland 10 years ago. Yes Copeland was experienced but I dont think he had any idea what he was getting into at smu. He would probably tell you as much. Now Dickson, he KNOWS what he is dealing with, and I bet he knows what to do.

I agree with you. I was just hoping for someone with a different profile. I wanted someone young or someone from a lower level that is real ambitious.

As always, my heart is with the Mustangs. I pray that Dickson will turn everything around.

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