Eric Dickerson Spoke The Truth

[smumustang1980]

What are some of the specific points that you think need to be addressed?

First, we need an unequivocal statement and a strategy from SMU - a strategy that would include alumni, students, athletes and former players. All of us who love SMU know the importance of rebuilding a competitive program. I've never heard President Turner voice a strong commitment. I think he owes this to the SMU community. The message is simple: if Stanford, TCU and Baylor can do it, why not SMU? Having a competitive program would be good for SMU and Dallas.

Having a competitive football program is not incompatible with academic excellence. All universities preach diversity, but when it comes to practicing this, many in the SMU administration have lost focus. One the former players I spoke with last week would have never been accepted under the current regime. Yet, this man finished his SMU degree and is now successful within the community. I believe the SMU administration has missed the mark and needs to hear more stories like this.

SMU has not executed well for a variety of reasons, and this leads all the way to the top. President Turner may have done well in other areas, but he has made a serious mistake in failing to appreciate the importance of a successful football program.

[smumustang1980]

Look pal if you are going to indict the SMU President for not supporting SMU athletics you better damn sure come up with more than the empty crap you've been posting. I'm not against you making the claim but you have not written one fact supporting your cause. That appears to be a near unanimous omission of guys like you. Make your point-back it up with credible facts that survive critical analysis or shut the hell up

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. As an 1980 alumnus, and avid fan since I was three, I think I have a decent perspective of the results. Your tone is indicative of someone who is terribly afraid of the truth.

[stc9]

I understand the hurt, but would you have recommended SMU over A&M at the time and given the circumstances? Don't blame Eric, blame an administration that has misled the fans, the athletes and the students for too many years. We need unequivocal support from SMU's President.

Will any of you work with us to make a difference? We need to send a unified message to President Turner. Are you interested?

No, in that one case I probably wouldn't have recommended SMU over A&M, I can't say that for sure but it is plausible. That being said, I wouldn't broadcast that to the world at large!

I also wouldn't have said that, "I don't like football and I don't watch football". How the hell can he know what the problems are if he is not watching? What his buddy June tells him? That he looks at the Box score on Sunday morning?

He also goes on and on about how he and his teammates don't feel welcome on campus. He did the interview to plug his speaking event at SMU! Why is he doing the speaking engagement at a place that doesn't welcome him? Does he need the money that badly? Does he want SMU to fly him in for games? Does he want a statue? What would make him feel warm and fuzzy?

So after going down that road trashing the University he starts talking about cheating. So is his real complaint that we didn't offer his nephew or any other recruit cash? We're we supposed to buy June a team and we just didn't know? Is that why JJ doesn't know the name of the head coach at HPHS?

smumustang1980 - I'm not attacking you. I didn't like ED's comments. Given the situation they were just not helpful. They certainly didn't do his public image any good.

I agree with you about presenting a united voice, but what is that message? What needs to happen? What needs to be changed? What is your and your friends' plan? I'm sure if you shared the thoughts and ideas you and your friends are bouncing around you would get a bunch of people to jump aboard.

[Stallion]

Still waiting

If your friend was qualified under NCAA rules then he likely would be admitted today. In fact in 2013 SMU admitted at least 8 students who could not be admitted when the NCAA had a minimum 700 SAT floor (which now has been recentered to 830 SAT) under the old Proposition 48 which was passed in the 1980s. This is documented in the 2013 SMU Provost Report

[smusic 00]

We admit NCAA qualifiers now. Next.

[lwjr]

I think if you had only been getting only one side of the story from a friend that just resigned you would probably lash out as well. It still does not make it right.

[smumustang1980]

Look pal if you are going to indict the SMU President for not supporting SMU athletics you better damn sure come up with more than the empty crap you've been posting. I'm not against you making the claim but you have not written one fact supporting your cause. That appears to be a near unanimous omission of guys like you. Make your point-back it up with credible facts that survive critical analysis or shut the hell up

The man who has this as his byline is defending SMU? "Forrest, Tom, Mike Cavan and Phil didn't have a chance to win...The system was not set up to win. I really think I'm the only Coach since the Death Penalty that's been given an opportunity to truly be on a level playing field" Coach June Jones?

[Stallion]

Exactly-you are about 7 years late to the bonfire.

[Butts in the Stands]

Regardless of all of the stuff you mention, let's focus simply on June Jones. He seemed to be engaged and committed to turning around SMU right up until he decided to bolt for ASU. Since then he has basically mailed it in. I won't repeat all of the evidence here but it's certainly out there for those willing to look for the truth. As a result, there are 2 phases to the JJ era at SMU. I think the issue is that some, such as ED, seem to focus only on the first and ignore the second. Those who are not wearing the rose-colored glasses recognize the existence of the second phase. In all fairness, ED has a personal relationship with JJ and was instrumental in SMU landing him. So it's not difficult to see why ED takes this personally. That said, if he steps back to honestly assesses the situation he can't help but recognize the truth. Let's give credit to JJ - he did what probably no one else could do - he brought SMU back to respectability. But that does not give him a free pass for what happened after ASU. (side note: art of the blame, however, lies with SMU. Instead of firing him then, we welcomed him back with open arms, maybe because we didn't think we could find anyone better. That is our fault - if coach doesn't want to be here, then we shouldn't want him either.) Nevertheless, after ASU he was not engaged. So while I, for one, appreciate what he accomplished early in his tenure at SMU, it was long past time to move on. Again, we can debate whether SMU cares about football, whether Turner cares, whatever, but the facts about JJ are pretty clear for those willing to take an honest look

[Water Pony]

Eric is expressing his feelings about JJ, not facts. Throwing his/our school under the bus is counter-productive. For reasons that are hard to refute, JJ didn't have his heart, time or energy in recruiting, while failing to engage students and alumni in supporting the team and players. I believe the players liked him. Although our recruiting improved a bit at the beginning of his tenure, we clearly have not changed our recruiting results. I blame JJ for this, not current administration.

[smumustang1980]

I understand the hurt, but would you have recommended SMU over A&M at the time and given the circumstances? Don't blame Eric, blame an administration that has misled the fans, the athletes and the students for too many years. We need unequivocal support from SMU's President.

Will any of you work with us to make a difference? We need to send a unified message to President Turner. Are you interested?

No, in that one case I probably wouldn't have recommended SMU over A&M, I can't say that for sure but it is plausible. That being said, I wouldn't broadcast that to the world at large!

I also wouldn't have said that, "I don't like football and I don't watch football". How the hell can he know what the problems are if he is not watching? What his buddy June tells him? That he looks at the Box score on Sunday morning?

He also goes on and on about how he and his teammates don't feel welcome on campus. He did the interview to plug his speaking event at SMU! Why is he doing the speaking engagement at a place that doesn't welcome him? Does he need the money that badly? Does he want SMU to fly him in for games? Does he want a statue? What would make him feel warm and fuzzy?

So after going down that road trashing the University he starts talking about cheating. So is his real complaint that we didn't offer his nephew or any other recruit cash? We're we supposed to buy June a team and we just didn't know? Is that why JJ doesn't know the name of the head coach at HPHS?

smumustang1980 - I'm not attacking you. I didn't like ED's comments. Given the situation they were just not helpful. They certainly didn't do his public image any good.

I agree with you about presenting a united voice, but what is that message? What needs to happen? What needs to be changed? What is your and your friends' plan? I'm sure if you shared the thoughts and ideas you and your friends are bouncing around you would get a bunch of people to jump aboard.

I agree with you. Having some insight into this, I would say there are things which have taken place behind the scenes which caused the reaction. Did you hear him on Saturday?

[footballdad]

How about we just keep any reference to Dickerson off this board until he comes out publicly with a show of support for the SMU football program and it's new coach.

At best he is a whiner, and at worst he is a liar for spouting all of the long debunked nonsense about the school somehow not supporting June. Total nonsense. June was shown the door because he was lazy and did not live up to the responsibilities of his job.

Good riddance to June, and good riddance to ED if he doesn't want to get on board.

[smumustang1980]

Eric is expressing his feelings about JJ, not facts. Throwing his/our school under the bus is counter-productive. For reasons that are hard to refute, JJ didn't have his heart, time or energy in recruiting, while failing to engage students and alumni in supporting the team and players. I believe the players liked him. Although our recruiting improved a bit at the beginning of his tenure, we clearly have not changed our recruiting results. I blame JJ for this, not current administration.

Agree. What we need to ensure is that SMU is committed.

[smusic 00]

Eric is expressing his feelings about JJ, not facts. Throwing his/our school under the bus is counter-productive. For reasons that are hard to refute, JJ didn't have his heart, time or energy in recruiting, while failing to engage students and alumni in supporting the team and players. I believe the players liked him. Although our recruiting improved a bit at the beginning of his tenure, we clearly have not changed our recruiting results. I blame JJ for this, not current administration.

Agree. What we need to ensure is that SMU is committed.

So was ED speaking the truth or do you agree that it was JJs fault not the admin's? Which one?

[smumustang1980]

How about we just keep any reference to Dickerson off this board until he comes out publicly with a show of support for the SMU football program and it's new coach.

At best he is a whiner, and at worst he is a liar for spouting all of the long debunked nonsense about the school somehow not supporting June. Total nonsense. June was shown the door because he was lazy and did not live up to the responsibilities of his job.

Good riddance to June, and good riddance to ED if he doesn't want to get on board.

I started the post to see how many of you would actually want to do something constructive instead of simply making noise.