Free the athletes!

[Stallion]

we could have been 0-8 by now if they'd just start Davis all season

[PoconoPony]

Stop suspending athletes for victimless crap (IE: Niemchi smoking weed).

If he had any regard to his team mates and the integrity of the team he would not be smoking weed.

[Stallion]

players are suspended every week for drugs-they just don't announce it. Missouri just had one. NCAA has periodic tests as well as schools who are required to follow NCAA and school rules

[JasonB]

We have Nlemchi and Davis going. Now put in Malone or Walker for Nelson, run all deep to intermediate routes and go with zone read/play action the rest of the game. Spread the field and move the ball.

We can't block long enough for intermediate routes much less deep routes.

I hear what you are saying, but at least it opens lanes so that we can scramble after three seconds.

[knuckleup]

Nlemchi showing that he should have been paying all along

Can you imagine how the season would have turned out if they had just let him play?

He was to busy smoking the reefer to care about his team.

[Stallion]

did he get suspended again for smoking dope at Halftime because he barely touched the ball in the 2nd half

[mrydel]

Perhaps what he smoked pregame wore off by halftime.

[footballdad]

The answer is pretty simple and clear for all to see, these coaches are horrendous. Yes, the players are doing their part headed to 0-12, but this staff is laughable!

Can anyone explain why we would go for 2 with a swinging gate after the first score? The criticisms are endless and much deserved.

[ALEX LIFESON]

did he get suspended again for smoking dope at Halftime because he barely touched the ball in the 2nd half

+1

[Pony in SA]

Stop suspending athletes for victimless crap (IE: Niemchi smoking weed).

And this.

And get your major impact players eligible instead of worrying about some stupid history class or whatever the hell it is.

If we are truly serious about trying to compete this needs to be included in the plan we make, and we need to make sure if we get kids into school they have the proper tutors and support to stay eligible. If I was potential new coach I would want to know this is non-issue and kids I recruit who are admitted can play.

Aaron Green plays now for TCU and was not Einstein at Madison HIgh School and couldn't cut it at Nebraska but magically can see the field at TCU, like the DB from Jay down here, and even Robert Merrill from Taft years before. TCU's had drug issues with players yet they stayed in school and some continue to play. Point is not at all to bash TCU as this is the case other places also, in fact I hope TCU makes the final 4 this year. Point is they've make decision to go certain way and if we want to have success like others we need to start acting like the big boys. I don't think Patterson has nearly the trouble getting kids in he wants to play and keeping them eligible, and until we don't have such resistance administratively we are at a disadvantage.

I get we have relaxed admission requirements, and can get some kids in, but having support system to keep them eligible and not making it such an issue for the coach and kids and instead having the coach know he has the school's support will at least put us in same position as others.

[Stallion]

Aaron Green was a full qualifier
TCU has had more players FLUNK OUT than SMU in recent years
TCU has KICKED OUT more kids because of drug issues than SMU in recent years
In fact, their APR is so bad that it is very possible that they will be ineligible for a bowl game next year if they have a few more guys flunk out or get kicked out.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/05/14 ... lties.html

[ReedFrawg]

Stop suspending athletes for victimless crap (IE: Niemchi smoking weed).

And this.

And get your major impact players eligible instead of worrying about some stupid history class or whatever the hell it is.

If we are truly serious about trying to compete this needs to be included in the plan we make, and we need to make sure if we get kids into school they have the proper tutors and support to stay eligible. If I was potential new coach I would want to know this is non-issue and kids I recruit who are admitted can play.

Aaron Green plays now for TCU and was not Einstein at Madison HIgh School and couldn't cut it at Nebraska but magically can see the field at TCU, like the DB from Jay down here, and even Robert Merrill from Taft years before. TCU's had drug issues with players yet they stayed in school and some continue to play. Point is not at all to bash TCU as this is the case other places also, in fact I hope TCU makes the final 4 this year. Point is they've make decision to go certain way and if we want to have success like others we need to start acting like the big boys. I don't think Patterson has nearly the trouble getting kids in he wants to play and keeping them eligible, and until we don't have such resistance administratively we are at a disadvantage.

I get we have relaxed admission requirements, and can get some kids in, but having support system to keep them eligible and not making it such an issue for the coach and kids and instead having the coach know he has the school's support will at least put us in same position as others.

[PSCA]

Nlemchi … I have scratched my head a few times with this one … why has he not played more over the years. He obviously has talent. I have heard over the years from teammates that;
1) Struggled with the offense.. JJ indicated a few times trouble with blitz p/u.
2) I have heard more than a few of his “D” teammate’s state, he does not like contact. Around the edge OK, but not so much between the tackles. In fact, they called him Mr Wed, referring to Wed practice of shoulder pads and running like Earl Campbell.

Maybe not now with Mason’s practices. Who knows, he has shown some nice moments this year.

As far as Matt Davis at QB, would we have a “W” or “W’s by now if he was there at the start .. IDK. While we still lost Sat, his running ability made a huge diff in the game. The reason we were still in it late. Is he the guy you would want with a stellar “O” Line IDK. But, I did see the Cowboys beat a Jaguar team with a former Michigan QB (now RB) who ran a lot behind some nice “O” lines in college, and he did not have a great arm. I’ll let the next guy decide where Mr Davis best fits his scheme.

As far as team rules … you violate them (victimless or not) you suffer the consequences. Showing up late for your assigned workout time … at least in the Vic days (a Victimless crime … unless you want to get real technical as with weed) you would get busted .. 3 times and you would sit. If coaches think the rules are out-of-touch … add/change/tweak after the season and before the new one. Otherwise, you enforce them. Alabama just suspended a player for violating team rules, happens often with every program. You have to have discipline and respect for the bigger picture. Especially, in a team sport, with life being the ultimate team sport. There is a fine line and inherent risk that Top programs walk/take to be a Top program, recruiting and signing some of the nation’s top talent. We hear and see it every year, but there is a lot more that we don’t hear and see.

I know most blast JJ and others for inferring SMU still has issues with Student Athlete admission, academics, support etc. I do not know the full truth or story … I doubt any of us truly do. I do recall someone a few weeks back quoting LB at some meeting he was speaking at, with words to the effect as reported by the poster “It is easier to get a Student/Ath accepted into Stanford and Duke then SMU, and we need to address that”. I bet the truth lies somewhere between those who say we have addressed everything and are now on equal footing, and those who say we have done little.

Footballdad; I get what you are saying regarding the swinging gate …. But did you see the play Arkansas ran and scored with this weekend from about the 3-4 yard line? Sometimes when things are so bad, and really cannot get a whole lot worse … what the H$$$. You shake the bees nest and see if you can’t stir some emotion, excitement and break the negative Karma … as crazy as that sounds. I remember one time in minor league ball … we were on a 10 game losing skid (pitching was not bad), but hitting was horrendous. We could not hit our a—with a paddle. So, one day at practice, before a big series … our HC goes to the local men’s-club and gets a dancer that was an All-American U-Tenn softball pitcher (yea I get the story line here). Anyway, she can freeking pitch and throw a baseball … and yes, she was dressed up in her Victoria Secrets best. You can imagine what this did to a bunch of 18-23 year olds … we went 18-2 in our next 20 games (get your minds out of the gutter) all she did was pitch BP and only once, but it changed the teams physi. I know this was only practice, but I have seen some weird crap in games also to change the Mojo. Look at the Texans this year vs last. Not great, but much better. When Kubiak went down, injuries, certain players play (heck if they could have kicked a PAT and FG, they would have won 3 more games … they could not even do that). When the wheels are coming off .. it is hard to put them back on at any level … you sometimes say WTF. I am not agreeing with the call … but I get too.

I don’t believe you burn Red Shirts … ever, unless there is a compelling reason. A bad season and a new HC on the horizon is not that reason IMO … you are taking it out on the player at that point. It is not his fault, it is your problem … rise above that.

[blackoutpony]

^ Good Post

[NewAgeMustange]

honestly I can't see any reason that the athletes have any problems with school. The ALEC is in the football stadium, I used it for english all the time, and its some of the best places to get studying done. I had several friends that worked there. Get them enrolled in a study aid class like ORACLE, teach these kids how to organize themselves if they don't know how.

Are there mandatory study hours? If not, why? Can they make the students go to study hours as part of being on the team? Do they need to extend them further?

http://www.smu.edu/Provost/ALEC
http://www.smu.edu/Provost/ALEC/ORACLE