That's It. Its Time For Me To Resurface

[OC Mustang]

Just observations from a person from East Texas who was challenged by SMU and picked up the best and worst of habits from its students, professors, and alumni. What is interesting about your comments, Kurt, is that nobody in their replies to you are implicitly contradicting your opinion of your experience. Now, I will not parse my own frustrations with the culture inculcated within SMU except to say that I am not surprised, having gone there, that a) a member of the Japanese Supreme Court went to school at SMU, b) that the school boasts some underrated but fantastic academic disciplines, c) that collegial relationships do lead to opportunities, and d) that a bunch of simple-minded elitest a$$e$ attend school there, and finally, e) that the school was busted for paying players, among other things. Perhaps it is my rendition of taking the bad with the good, but I think you will find once you are more removed from the situation that you still have choices to make about your experience there. I strongly suggest you find some stake in the ground that you can speak positively about. Otherwise, when you find yourself in LA, or DC, or Austin, or even good ole East Texas, you will have no growth experience for 4-5 years to which you can speak to that you can call your own. Your wife, your children, your friends from home, and your parents, whether they say so or not, need you to have something about these formative years that isn't negative. You got to go to a solid university and get a solid, if "less than rigorous" education. Guys from East Texas do not have that opportunity very much. Come back here and you will figure that out.

That said, I will say the following. If you ever wonder why some football players do not find SMU a palatable choice, notwithstanding the wins/losses, bad model, yadda yadda, all you have to do is compare the visit of a recruit at SMU to one at UT or Baylor. I don't mean the nutso restrictions on personal life at Baylor. I mean the basic exchanges among people there vs. SMU. In a word, they are pleasantly civil at Baylor, and most people are eager to simply say 'hello'. SMU, by and large, can be often described as <ahem> chilly. I loved SMU, and Baylor would have driven me to drink, get drunk, throw up, pass out, and get tossed out. However, at SMU, I had to seek out and find people who would carry on the most basic pleasantries with me.

And I wasn't alone. My closest friends had more money than God, and they thought the same thing. They just dealt with it better. One was from HP, and he was used to it. The other, well, he liked the idea that a chick looking for the BBD (bigger and better deal) and drowning in snobbery would barely give him the time of day. His old man...scratch that...HE could probably buy and sell every one of those lucky ladies' fathers, brothers, and ex-boyfriends. He figured if they were going to be that close-minded, he wasn't missing anything. I liked them both because they didn't flaunt their money. The only expensive thing about them was their liquor, and of that, I bought my share as well. I figured out early that if you are going to get polluted, you might as well dispense with the rot-gut and drink the high-cotton stuff.

Sorry for the long-windedness...I don't post often at all. I figure I will get all of it in at once.

Long live the Bush Library at SMU, and if that joker decides somewhere else, his entire presidency is useless and he is truly the moron that so many left-wing types think he is.

THAT, my friend, is SMU loyalty. I am still peeved about the Miers nomination getting nuked. SMU would have had somebody in Japan AND the US.

[abezontar]

there are a few on ebay if you feel like reliving your youth

[ALEX LIFESON]

Ya gotta love the Bus!

[BRStang]

What's the point of this thread? To talk about SMU athletics or to bad mouth the student body of SMU? If it's the latter, why isn't it transferred to the "general interest" section?

And by the way Kurt, no offense, but if you're a senior and haven't found a group to "fit in" with yet, YOU may be the problem. Ever thought of that? Not one of the 8 or 9 lifelong friends that I've made at SMU came from extreme wealth. And I LOVE my school.

[SoCal_Pony]

Well I came late to this thread but McAndless and Abezontar nailed it, even that idiot HF got it right. Kurt, reread their posts.

I had a very middle-class upbringing. Got my first job because the person hiring was an SMU alum who wanted an SMU grad in his department. We spent the entire interview talking BB. I am forever grateful for that opportunity. I have never interviewed for another job the rest of my life, every job I have held since then was based on contacts I have made.

Point is anger will get you nowhere. Appreciate your degree (it does carry weight), make contacts with people you are willing to do business with and by all means…enjoy the eye candy….you will miss it one day…I promise.

[Pony_Fan]

Thanks So Cal, that is the best stomach I have seen in a while.

Kurt, chill out. Sure there were a few snobs around but you just ignore them and find the cool people. I have friends from SMU that I will be friends with forever. No, the degree isn't the best but most of us would have studied harder looking back anyway. Why didn't you transfer?

The time is now for SMU to get their heads out of the sand - it has been long enough. You might be right on a few points - even if SMU won, I am not sure the attitudes would change a whole lot unless SMU was Top 15 in fball or bball consistently.

[Eddie P]

That boy needs therapy.

[HixsontoLeVias]

Kurt...a little bitter....I came to SMU from a middle class background..had NO idea what a button down was, khackis??, BMW, stereo type, stereo type, narrow minded sterweo type, etc...I found friends, A TON of buds, dates, adjusted, fit in ..absolutely LOVED SMU...sorry to hear about your issues, too bad, SMU is a KICK [deleted] Place!!!~ I heard mcdonalds is hiring....good luck you little [deleted] ant.

[Sam I Am]

While I agree with Kurt that SMU FB and BB suck, and that rich kid snobbery is repulsive, I keep wondering why anyone stays at a school they don't love or respect. This is not a "Love It or Leave" proposition either. But why hang around if there are better things to do at less expensive state schools? Perhaps Kurt has stayed at SMU because he has more ties to school then he realizes.

[ponyplayer]

well, not sure if he well get anything out of therapy and who cares,

the only thing that i got out of this thread was So_Cal`s picture, nice.........

[SMU Football Blog]

[indianmustang]

nice pic

[PK]

well, not sure if he well get anything out of therapy and who cares,

the only thing that i got out of this thread was So_Cal`s picture, nice.........

Agreed...that may be THE perfect tummy...ahhhh, to be 21 again.