Dallas Austin American Statesman

[ThadFilms]

I've given up being angry over the lack of coverage. Most news papers have suffered a great deal from the interweb. The DMN is no different.

They have laid of great writer in every department. Just look at the movies section... what is there one reviewer there now?

And what's the cash cow for the newspaper? The sports section.... a section that has consistently won national awards for excellence, and they have even had to layoff people there.

I would venture to guess that in the order of selling papers, vis a vis the sports section would be -

Dallas Cowboys
Texas Longhorns
Dallas Mavericks
Texas Rangers
Big XII Schools
Dallas Stars
SMU and other local universities
High School Football
FC Dallas

As in maybe high school sports should rank higher and who knows where the Desparados fit in there... and maybe high school football is to low... but I am almost one hundred percent on the top two...

America's Team is a gimme' ... as for number 2?

Football is king and what's the biggest football story, outside of the cowboys every year? The Texas Longhorns.

I hate it too, in the sense that I want to be reading something new and exciting and interesting on my Mustangs every day... I mean I always keep a tab open for the DMN sports just hoping some SMU news will pop up... as I also always keep a tab open for ponyfans. Well not always... I take few months off between football seasons... but you get my drift.

We just have to deal with the fact that once we start winning and warrant the press, people will come. I think we are really at a turning point... the national press have started to take notice. An ad campaign is being unveiled. Dallas loves a winner. We have a gorgeous stadium... if we just start winning.... we'll get the publicity. Never Cowboy level.... but we'll get out due.

If all goes to plan, we will be THE story in CUSA ... and out of towners, etc. ... people not conditioned to ignor the ponies will start to come. Folks will look forward to reading about us in the paper. It will come. I can feel it.

Will we ever get Texas level press (again)? I don't know, let's try to get in to the Top 25 first. That's a bold enough goal for today.

[Cadillac]

You can disagree without being a jerk.

That's what I was doing prior to your asinine post. Why would you act like a jerk then complain when it comes back at you?

-CoS

[RGV Pony]

What I would give for a little competition from another newspaper.

What I would give for a little on-field performance by SMU warranting more coverage.

How much would you be willing to give, and to whom? (Wink wink, nudge nudge)

[mr. pony]

I am saying that the DMN is biased toward UT. I understand the economic reality that we don't buy as many papers as UT but there are as many A&M and TT fans in Dallas as UT and they don't get the coverage UT does. We aren't even on their radar screen any more. We are like a high school in their eyes.

I also am old enough to remember how the DMN and Ch 8 gloated over the fact that they helped us receive the death penalty and I will always resent that. We were wrong in what we did but as history has proved, we were singled out in the harsh penalty we received and I don't remember the DMN pointing that out in any column.

I'm with you. Most folks on this board don't get it and never will.
The ONLY paper in town must cater to the Horns or go under? Right....

[mr. pony]

BTW- Per his mother, Stanley was paid $25,000 by Ch.8 for his story. He committed suicide last year.

I'd never heard that. Can someone confirm this?

Seems that would be a big story for the DMN......

[SWC Grey Hair]

Several years ago there was a TV interview with his mother on a West Texas TV station where she told the story of Ch 8 offering $25,000 for his blowing the whistle on the payments he was receiving from SMU.

Sadly, it was referred to again last summer when he died.

The DMN is not about to cover this as they are part of the same holding company, Belo. I always wondered how ethical it was for WFAA to pay an informant for a story they received so many awards for. We were guilty and have paid a hell of a price.

[mr. pony]

What station in West Texas?

[couch 'em]

I'm with you. Most folks on this board don't get it and never will.
The ONLY paper in town must cater to the Horns or go under? Right....

They are not the only paper in town - they are the only print paper in town. Very few outside of you grayhairs actually reads a physical newspaper. Why pay to get a paper with finite news on subjects you have no control over when you can just use the internet?

[mr. pony]

That's funny. Ha Ha.

OK - The only PRINT paper in town.

My point was we've got, what, 6 or 7 local television newscasts? That's competition.

The DMN has the whole enchilada, PRINT-wise. And still it's not enough - in a Metroplex of millions.

[PK]

The DMN has the whole enchilada, PRINT-wise. And still it's not enough - in a Metroplex of millions.

OK...take a deep breath. When you talk Metroplex, don't forget the Ft Worth Startlegram. It may not have the circulation numbers of the DMN, but it is a daily print newspaper. And then you have the Dallas Observer that is constantly throwing rocks at the DMN. They at least share your disdain for the Belo rag.

[Stallion]

High School Football in toto is way way more important in selling papers than SMU. Seriously its not even close which is why the DMN hits high school sports so hard. Just think of all the fans of Southlake, HP, Plano schools, Garland schools, Irving schools, Arlington schools, Lewisville schools, Coppell, Allen, Ducanville, HEB and then multiply by about 10 for the 100s of other high schools. High School sports is very important to the DMN and they cover it well.

[mr. pony]

Stallion, had you ever heard anything about David Stanley committing suicide?

[Stallion]

No I believe the media has reported some problems though which involved I believe drugs. I think that was part of the problem after he got to SMU as SMU officials tried to get him some treatment. Jeff Atkins too had some severe drug issues and I believe ended up in prison.

[mr. pony]

Had you seen this earlier post on this thread?

BTW- Per his mother, Stanley was paid $25,000 by Ch.8 for his story. He committed suicide last year.

[mrydel]

I think this may be a little off. If my memory serves me (which is always in doubt), Stanley was paid $25,000 by SMU to come and play. There was no pay for his story that I ever saw reported. He had allegedly been offered more by other schools but chose SMU. He is, I believe, dead, having died a few years ago, but I think it was a drug related death and to the best of my recollection was not ruled a suicide. Does not mean it was not, but I never heard it stated as such. There was a small town newspaper article linked on this site that talked about it, but I have never been able to use the "search" section of ponyfans.