Dickerson and James

[Stallion]

they showed Janes seconds later

[b_caesar]

they showed Janes seconds later

Well, shucks, then. Must have turned back to the field at that point.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Man, you guys have got to give it a rest with the CJ-bashing thing. Bottom line is that SMU turned its back on CJ and his teammates for 20 years. How would that make you feel? But now SMU has reached out and CJ is responding. He certainly didn't have to come to yesterday's game. Nor did he have to say nice things about SMU during the Pony Excess show. His comments yesterday were fine. Sure, his words were carefully chosen. But I think that's totally appropriate considering his role at ESPN. For him to do the rah-rah SMU thing on ESPN would undermine his credibility as an impartial analyst. That's his job for crying out loud. . .as in how he makes a living. He respects that. You don't see Lou Holtz jumping up and down when Notre Dame or Arkansas get a big win.

I thought the shots of CJ and ED on the sideline together were terrific. I also thought the interview was great. Kudos to Orsini, Jones, and. . .yes. . .Turner for bringing the alumni back into the fold as we continue to build the program.

[soccermom]

Welcome back to the hilltop, indeed! I thought it was great to see ED and then CJ & ED on the jumbotron. I'm hoping some of the other guys were there as well.

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

1983 Cotton Bowl..would you conduct a posting clinic for Dawn and some of the other mouth foamers around here? Thanks for a solid post.

[NickSMU17]

Man, you guys have got to give it a rest with the CJ-bashing thing. Bottom line is that SMU turned its back on CJ and his teammates for 20 years. How would that make you feel? But now SMU has reached out and CJ is responding. He certainly didn't have to come to yesterday's game. Nor did he have to say nice things about SMU during the Pony Excess show. His comments yesterday were fine. Sure, his words were carefully chosen. But I think that's totally appropriate considering his role at ESPN. For him to do the rah-rah SMU thing on ESPN would undermine his credibility as an impartial analyst. That's his job for crying out loud. . .as in how he makes a living. He respects that. You don't see Lou Holtz jumping up and down when Notre Dame or Arkansas get a big win.

I thought the shots of CJ and ED on the sideline together were terrific. I also thought the interview was great. Kudos to Orsini, Jones, and. . .yes. . .Turner for bringing the alumni back into the fold as we continue to build the program.

James was our announcer after he lost his NFL career to injury...We never abandoned him...Once he got his cush ESPN job he left us....And actually Holtz picks ND to win national championship every year...Stop making blind statements...

If CJ starts making regular appearences around campus and ith the team, since he lives 30 minutes away in the off-season I will start to like him again, until then, 1 time on the sideline when your employer is broadcasting the game does not a saint make...

However, Both of those guys look like they could still play, must be nice to have all that time to spend in the gym...

[reddevil]

Man, you guys have got to give it a rest with the CJ-bashing thing. Bottom line is that SMU turned its back on CJ and his teammates for 20 years. How would that make you feel? But now SMU has reached out and CJ is responding. He certainly didn't have to come to yesterday's game. Nor did he have to say nice things about SMU during the Pony Excess show. His comments yesterday were fine. Sure, his words were carefully chosen. But I think that's totally appropriate considering his role at ESPN. For him to do the rah-rah SMU thing on ESPN would undermine his credibility as an impartial analyst. That's his job for crying out loud. . .as in how he makes a living. He respects that. You don't see Lou Holtz jumping up and down when Notre Dame or Arkansas get a big win.

I thought the shots of CJ and ED on the sideline together were terrific. I also thought the interview was great. Kudos to Orsini, Jones, and. . .yes. . .Turner for bringing the alumni back into the fold as we continue to build the program.

Again you are off base. Lou Holtz is one of the biggest ND advocates out there. James was not at the game to be an impartial analyst, he was not calling the game. It was absolutely an appropriate forum for James to promote the football team and he didn't. Yes, SMU turned its back on a generation of players following the death penalty and opinions can differ about how SMU should have acted towards these players and what they could have done differently, but the fact remains that SMU has reached out to these players and has been trying to do the right thing. James is one of our more famous football alums and is probably in a better position than anyone to promote the team, but he continues to not do this. He certainly can talk about SMU without going over the top, but he doesn't even do that. Over the last 2-3 years there has been lots of positive and impartial information to report about SMU, but James does not talk about this...ever. He is a major disappointment.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

"James was our announcer after he lost his NFL career to injury...We never abandoned him...Once he got his cush ESPN job he left us....And actually Holtz picks ND to win national championship every year...Stop making blind statements..."

That's more like it! I expected to get blasted after my post. I was frankly surprised that my post got some love. But we're back to normal on PF! LOL

I love the comment that "once he got his cush ESPN job he left us." I'm just trying to think of any human being on the face of the earth who would pass up an opportunity to become an ESPN analyst in order to remain an SMU announcer and not "leave" SMU. To imply that career move is some sort of sign of CJ's disloyalty to SMU is just not fair. Would you have made a different choice? Would Rich Phillips? Would anyone? I don't think so.

But what's the point?. . .if the folks on this board are hell-bent on bashing one of the two greatest living athletic alumni of SMU and a man who could really be a national face for the program, go for it.

Just curious. . .did Holtz really pick ND to win the national championship this year?

[NickSMU17]

"James was our announcer after he lost his NFL career to injury...We never abandoned him...Once he got his cush ESPN job he left us....And actually Holtz picks ND to win national championship every year...Stop making blind statements..."

That's more like it! I expected to get blasted after my post. I was frankly surprised that my post got some love. But we're back to normal on PF! LOL

I love the comment that "once he got his cush ESPN job he left us." I'm just trying to think of any human being on the face of the earth who would pass up an opportunity to become an ESPN analyst in order to remain an SMU announcer and not "leave" SMU. To imply that career move is some sort of sign of CJ's disloyalty to SMU is just not fair. Would you have made a different choice? Would Rich Phillips? Would anyone? I don't think so.

But what's the point?. . .if the folks on this board are hell-bent on bashing one of the two greatest living athletic alumni of SMU and a man who could really be a national face for the program, go for it.

Just curious. . .did Holtz really pick ND to win the national championship this year?

Did I ever say he shouldn't take the ESPN job, you really have a great imagination...You said we abandoned him, and I'm telling you we helped him...I'm glad he took ESPN job just wish he wouldn't tell jokes at our expense which he did as recently as the conf. USA championsip game vs UCF...I watched him joke that there was no upset in the UCF/SMU game and laugh that SMU wasn't even close to being favored...Did he have to say that? Couldn't he have said it was a good game and nice to see SMU playing at a high level again?

Holtz did pick ND this year as he does every year, I watched it with Mark May laughing at him, but at least he had the loyalty and courage to get poked at in support of a school he loves...

You made a comment, I countered it, consider it bashing or whatever, its my opinion CJ could do more and doesnt...He had a daughter go to SMU and could have been around more...I don't have the off-season that CJ does or live 30 minutes from campus, but if I did I would be doing more than he is. In fact, I do far more than him from Chicago...Take it or leave it...

[tristatecoog]

Andre Ware and Jim Nantz are very positive about UH on the air. Rich is positive about SMU in general Ticket sports talk and Dunham is positive about UNT.

James was very measured in his comments but he's more supportive than the average alumnus. The facial expressions and banter with ED were more positive for SMU than the words he spoke during the interview.

Overall, it was great to have them both on the sidelines in a fan setting.

On a side note, can you get anymore homer than Condy Rice at the Stanford/UConn game? ESPN showed her more than the Stanford coach. That was really cool. And she wasn't sitting in a box or with the team, just out in the stands.

[EastStang]

Speaking of Condi Rice, where was "W" yesterday? I half expected him to show up for the game with Army playing and SMU being the home of his new Library. Was he there and did I miss him on the TV?

[Stallion]

Actually I bet Craig James attendance percentage at games where he could POSSIBLY attend is better than 90% of SMU Football Lettermen. He had a USFL and NFL gig on weekends as a player. He was the radio color guy the year before he got the ESPN job and he went to the first game he POSSIBLY could have during this year's Bowl Game. Can't remember if he made it to the 1982 Reunion Game. He has a gig on Thursday Nites and Saturdays and has for years in case you haven't noticed so I wouldn't hold my breath that he will be able to attend many more games. That criticism is really sad and pathetic.

[ponyboy]

It was a big thrill for me to see them there. Further legitimizes this program.

[mrydel]

I just watched the replay and saw the interview. It was excellent. James said he wanted to get involved with the Institution in order to help the kids adapt to the college life and better enjoy the experience. (My words not exact quotes) What I heard him saying was that we need to be sure the kids attend classes and understand what it takes to remain eligible and excel in both the classroom and on the field.

This was a very positive statement from a former star that can have great influence over future recruits and current players.

[jtstang]

The criticism that Craig James should have suspended reality for the last 20 years and talk glowingly about SMU football is nonsense. That kind of mentality got us the record that he poked fun at over the last 20 years...