It is selfish, but…

[Ponyx2]

I'm not happy about not being able to attend the game either. But between the June Jones connection and the fact Lauren Graham was born in Honolulu, it was just Karma.

[San Antonio Mustang]

I have expressed my feelings in other posts. However there are a couple of points in this thread on which I have a comment. Before I get to that I will restate my position. The most important stakeholders in the decision of which bowl SMU should go to are the people who did the work. The players, the coaches, the athletic department, the band, the Peruna handlers. The least important are the fans ( I did not say we are not important - I said least.) I am disappointed that I will most likely not be able to attend (still looking into selling a kid or kidney ) but, I am delighted for the Team. I, like I suspect most of us, can financially go, but is it a prudent expenditure - that is the question I am facing.

The two points in this thread that I want comment on are the statements that June will take us back again and again instead of going elsewhere and Christmas in Hawaii with a child is a problem.

I really am tired of all of you who imply that Coach Jones intention is somehow not related to what is best for SMU. He has shown me that he is a competitor and a man of his word. Ever since he got here I have read complaints questioning whether he is sufficiently flexible. The implication from some of the statements are that we will always be going to Hawaii because Jones wants to go there. There is no question he loves Hawaii, but not at the expense of this program. He promised Coach Gansz he would take the team to Pearl Harbor. He promised the team in August that if they won 6 games he would take them to the Hawaii Bowl. He is keeping his word. When it looked like we might win the Championship, to keep his word, he said he would petition to permit the Champion to play in Hawaii. If that didn't succeed (and it wouldn't) he had at least tried to keep his word. His and the Team's goal for next year will be the Championship. Win that and we go to the Liberty Bowl.

As to children in Hawaii at Christmas, I have an anecdotal comment. When my children were two and 8 months my parents took the family to Hawaii for Christmas. It was one of the best Christmases the family has ever had. I know kids and families are different, but just because a kid is 4 does not mean they can't make and enjoy the trip. I hope Midland Mustang you make the trip and give the entire family a Christmas to remember.

[SMU_is_bowling]

I wish I was in Hawaii right now ... I am glad for the boys, they deserve to go to a great bowl game and experience all it has to offer. For them, this is way better than the Ft. Worth Bowl or New Orleans Bowl, etc. For the fans ... Hawaii is possibly the worst choice! But as stated above, this game is not about us! it is about those players who made it happen!

[Dooby]

Regarding point 1, in his mind, it is in the best interest of SMU. if you don't think June Jones will make sure SMU and Hawaii play in the Hawaii Bowl at some point, you are fooling yourself.

Regarding point 2, travel to Hawaii on 3 weeks notice can be expensive. Second, now, thanks to the genius of charging for bags, if I did take my family, and I did not want to tell my kids that Santa left a bunch of stuff at the house 2,000 miles away and you can't play with it, bringing the X-Mas presents with me will cost an arm and a leg.

[San Antonio Mustang]

Regarding point 1, in his mind, it is in the best interest of SMU. if you don't think June Jones will make sure SMU and Hawaii play in the Hawaii Bowl at some point, you are fooling yourself.

Regarding point 2, travel to Hawaii on 3 weeks notice can be expensive. Second, now, thanks to the genius of charging for bags, if I did take my family, and I did not want to tell my kids that Santa left a bunch of stuff at the house 2,000 miles away and you can't play with it, bringing the X-Mas presents with me will cost an arm and a leg.

Dooby, I agree with you on both points. I just don't believe we are looking at going to Hawaii year after year. I also want us to play Hawaii this year, because I think of the three possibilities we will match up better with them. And yes the gifts are a problem. As i recall we were limited to two bags and had to limit the gifts we took with us and when we got home we found that Santa had made it to Hawaii and home that year. Today, it may be cheaper to send some gifts to the Hotel by FedX.

[huskerpony]

I think it is entirely possible that we keep going back to Hawaii every year, and it has nothing to do with what June wants to do. If we are not conference champions, the Hawaii Bowl has the next pick. Since no one in our conference travels really well--especially to Hawaii on Christmas Eve--the Hawaii Bowl will take whoever sells the most tickets locally. They appear to think that is us right now. Plus, there is that added little part where we already kind of told the Liberty Bowl to shove it, so I hope they don't hold that against us if we ever do manage to win the conference. Only way I see out is if Hawaii is eligible several times in a row. I imagine they want that matchup at least once, but probably won't want a repeat game year after year.

And don't get me wrong--if we can make a bowl game every year from now until the end of time, and it is Hawaii on Christmas Eve every year, I will still be totally excited, and I will eventually make it to one of them at some point, but we all have every right to be a little bit bitter that we can't make it after all these years. Sorry that I don't feel any worse for the band not getting to go than I do for myself and my friends who have been waiting many years for this. Maybe that is selfish, but I will put the band members 5 months-3 1/2 years of waiting for a bowl game up against all the alumni from the 80's and 90's two decades of waiting for a bowl game any day.

[smupony]

I have expressed my feelings in other posts. However there are a couple of points in this thread on which I have a comment. Before I get to that I will restate my position. The most important stakeholders in the decision of which bowl SMU should go to are the people who did the work. The players, the coaches, the athletic department, the band, the Peruna handlers. The least important are the fans ( I did not say we are not important - I said least.) I am disappointed that I will most likely not be able to attend (still looking into selling a kid or kidney ) but, I am delighted for the Team. I, like I suspect most of us, can financially go, but is it a prudent expenditure - that is the question I am facing.

The two points in this thread that I want comment on are the statements that June will take us back again and again instead of going elsewhere and Christmas in Hawaii with a child is a problem.

I really am tired of all of you who imply that Coach Jones intention is somehow not related to what is best for SMU. He has shown me that he is a competitor and a man of his word. Ever since he got here I have read complaints questioning whether he is sufficiently flexible. The implication from some of the statements are that we will always be going to Hawaii because Jones wants to go there. There is no question he loves Hawaii, but not at the expense of this program. He promised Coach Gansz he would take the team to Pearl Harbor. He promised the team in August that if they won 6 games he would take them to the Hawaii Bowl. He is keeping his word. When it looked like we might win the Championship, to keep his word, he said he would petition to permit the Champion to play in Hawaii. If that didn't succeed (and it wouldn't) he had at least tried to keep his word. His and the Team's goal for next year will be the Championship. Win that and we go to the Liberty Bowl.

As to children in Hawaii at Christmas, I have an anecdotal comment. When my children were two and 8 months my parents took the family to Hawaii for Christmas. It was one of the best Christmases the family has ever had. I know kids and families are different, but just because a kid is 4 does not mean they can't make and enjoy the trip. I hope Midland Mustang you make the trip and give the entire family a Christmas to remember.

Well said.

[smu96]

You are one to talk, Mr. "My balls hurt from flying to Dubai and back seven times so I am not going to go."

[EastStang]

I feel your pain as well. I might have been tempted to throw financial caution to the wind to go (despite lagging receivables, etc.), if it wasn't on Christmas Eve. I have choir commitments and my wife can't go for church commitment reasons as well. So, we just can't go. Its even worse because these commitments make it so I will even miss the first quarter of the game. I figured if I blew off my church commitments, we'd get slaughtered, so I have resigned myself to follow through on those.

[Ponyx2]

I feel your pain as well. I might have been tempted to throw financial caution to the wind to go (despite lagging receivables, etc.), if it wasn't on Christmas Eve. I have choir commitments and my wife can't go for church commitment reasons as well. So, we just can't go. Its even worse because these commitments make it so I will even miss the first quarter of the game. I figured if I blew off my church commitments, we'd get slaughtered, so I have resigned myself to follow through on those.

If it was a Methodist church, I bet they'd be more understanding...

[BrianTinBigD]

You are one to talk, Mr. "My balls hurt from flying to Dubai and back seven times so I am not going to go."

Let me clarify by stating it is not my balls but my huge arse that has flown about 150,000 miles so far this year. Throw in the fact that I am cheap and decided that instead of blowing $3000 for the trip I will buy a huge new plasma TV to watch the game on. Now I will revel in plasma greatness, make my wife wear a grass skirt, coconut bra, flowered leis, serve me Kahlua pig and fan me while I sip pina coladas, all while watching the Ponies in 1080P clarity. I figure that my alternate plan will save me $1500 and I get to keep the TV.

[MidlandMustang]

San Antonio Mustang,
First you know nothing about my 4 year old. He does not travel well whatsoever. I do not want to spend 2 days of hell with a cranky kid because he has jet lag and because of the time change. He just doesn't travel well period. I don't want to spend that kind of money to be miserable because my kid is miserable. Secondly, as I mentioned Christmas is my favorite holiday and I don't see myself spending it on the beach - I reserve those vacations for summer. I would much rather be in the mountains in the snow - yes I don't mind snow since I enjoy skiiing. Also, I'm just glad we are going to a bowl, I was just simply stating that I'm disappointed that we aren't playing closer to home. And yes, I do know June made promises and I commend him for keeping them.

[San Antonio Mustang]

Midland Mustang,
I do not know your 4 year old or your family traditions. That is why I said that kids and families or different. I did not intend to offend you and if I did I apologize. I was merely relating my experience. I too like Taos and Colorado in the winter. However, I find Hawaii to be a very special place and my Christmas in Hawaii was exceptional. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a win for SMU.

[San Antonio Mustang]

I think it is entirely possible that we keep going back to Hawaii every year, and it has nothing to do with what June wants to do. If we are not conference champions, the Hawaii Bowl has the next pick. Since no one in our conference travels really well--especially to Hawaii on Christmas Eve--the Hawaii Bowl will take whoever sells the most tickets locally. They appear to think that is us right now. ... Only way I see out is if Hawaii is eligible several times in a row. I imagine they want that matchup at least once, but probably won't want a repeat game year after year.

That is a very good point that I had not considered. I have read that the bowl does not want the same team back within 5 years. Don't know if that is true. I do believe the best way for us to be attractive to other bowls is to fill our stadium and to send a large contingent to the away games. In other words travel well.

[RGV Pony]

I think we'll see SMU in the Dallas Football Classic or whatever it is at the Cotton Bowl stadium if we don't make the Liberty Bowl next year.