Moving the Red River Classic Would Help SMU

by **PonyTales** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:32 am

mrydel wrote: .... I love SMU and have no love for UT or A&M but if I am setting up the DMN Sports Section, I am TOLD by mangement to cater to my circulation, which by the way is far heavier in UT and A&M than in SMU folk.

Which goes back to the fact that the DMN is in the business of selling papers, not reporting news on the community it claims to cover.

by **mr. pony** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:10 am

Folks, nobody is suggesting that UT not receive ANY coverage in Dallas!!

Just give SMU ITS PLACE, when appropriate, as Dallas' hometown Div. 1A team. What's difficult about that?

I would like to see the UT-OU game move though. It would I believe cut down a little on the worship of the Longhorns by the local media.

by **mrydel** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:25 am

PonyTales wrote:
mrydel wrote: .... I love SMU and have no love for UT or A&M but if I am setting up the DMN Sports Section, I am TOLD by mangement to cater to my circulation, which by the way is far heavier in UT and A&M than in SMU folk.
Which goes back to the fact that the DMN is in the business of selling papers, not reporting news on the community it claims to cover.

Welcome to the capitalistic country in which we live. If they spent all of their time pushing SMU, they would be called the former DMN.

by **jtstang** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:34 am

PK wrote:JT, your recent engagement wouldn't be the source of your sudden entusiasm for UT now would it???

Just a coincidence, PK--if you'll remember I adopted the 'horns as my favorite "winning team" earlier than that. Not that it hurts the relationship....

by **EastStang** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:27 am

Actually moving the Red River shootout would have a positive effect on SMU football in at least one respect, UT and OU would suddenly find that they don't have a game in Dallas for their undoubtedly rich Dallas alums to come and watch. They will see that A&M is going to be playing in Dallas vs. SMU, TT is already playing games in Dallas vs. SMU, Baylor is playing games in Dallas vs. SMU, perhaps they should try and get a game against us. Their other choices would be TCU or the College and University of North Texas. Ft. Worth and Denton would not do it for them like a game in Dallas would. They would probably ask SMU to play the game in the Cotton Bowl or whatever stadium the Cowboys are then playing in to accomodate their fans. But again, it would be a home game for us of sorts. Because they would be the johnny come latelies after the Cowboys, Aggies, Bears, Raiders and Frogs, we could be a bit more tough in the negotiations with them. I could hear Copeland now, well DeLoss we'd love to play you guys, but it'll have to be a 2-2 because the Raiders already want a 2-2 and the Bears want a 2-2. And the Aggies are now down to a 1-1. And I hear the Sooners AD is on hold what will it be?

by **Pony Up** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:13 am

mrydel wrote:
PonyTales wrote: .... If they spent all of their time pushing SMU, they would be called the former DMN.

It is not their job to "push" SMU -- that's what the marketing staff, among others, is for. However, it IS their job to cover Dallas news first.

Look at the great papers around the country -- they cover local news THOROUGHLY. The Washington Post, I realize, is in a unique situation, because of it's location. But it not only covers the goings-on at Capitol Hill and the Redskins games, it also covers the photo opp of the president successfully tying his shoe and Joe Gibbs tying his -- if it's local, they're there. The Athlanta Journal-Constitution is the same way -- does a fantastic job of covering local items first. The woeful Hawks (not to mention the Falcons, Braves and Thhrashers) get front-page (in sports) coverage almost every day, even when Georgia is getting invited to a big bowl game or NASCAR is invading some Georgia town.

At the pro level, the DMN "gets it." The local Big 4 -- Cowboys, Mavericks, Stars and Rangers -- seem to get big coverage. Especially the Cowboys, of course, where Parcells could get a banner headline for picking his nose. Their college coverage, however, is very weak in my opinion.

Of course, now getting the Waco paper, I am very jealous of those who get the DMN with their coffee each morning. The Waco Trib "gets it" -- if anyone at Baylor athletic department walks down the street, it makes the paper -- but it's still Baylor. Bleah.

by **jtstang** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:19 am

Pony Up wrote:
mrydel wrote:
PonyTales wrote: .... If they spent all of their time pushing SMU, they would be called the former DMN.
It is not their job to "push" SMU -- that's what the marketing staff, among others, is for. However, it IS their job to cover Dallas news first.

No , it's their job to sell papers. SMU doesn't. UT does. End of story. SMU gets exactly as much coverage by the Morning News as is warranted...and considering that we have a specific beat writer assigned to us, maybe more than warranted.

by **Pony Up** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:49 am

Wrong - their job, or so they claim, is to report the news that affect the people in their readership area. Based on the name of the paper, I would deduce that they mean that includes the city of Dallas. If they do it well, papers will sell. If their sole objective is to be a newsletter for UT, A&M, Dr Pepper -- whoever -- then they need to stop posing as an actual newspaper.

I read the DMN on-line almost every day, and I think Calvin Watkins does a very good job. It's the editors above him who are the UT fans.

by **mr. pony** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:54 am

Amen, Pony Up.

by **mrydel** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:13 am

Pony Up wrote:Wrong - their job, or so they claim, is to report the news that affect the people in their readership area. Based on the name of the paper, I would deduce that they mean that includes the city of Dallas. If they do it well, papers will sell. If their sole objective is to be a newsletter for UT, A&M, Dr Pepper -- whoever -- then they need to stop posing as an actual newspaper.

I read the DMN on-line almost every day, and I think Calvin Watkins does a very good job. It's the editors above him who are the UT fans.

Your are exactly right. I also amen. You finally get it. It is their job to report news that affect the people in their readership area. That is primarily UT and A&M supporters. That is why the college beat focuses on UT and A&M and the entire Big 12. From a readership standpoint, like it or not, (and I do not like it either) the readership is getting what it wants. It is merely the few thousand SMU folk that have their feelings hurt. If you want to change it, start your own paper and try to compete.

by **McClown27** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:50 am

I would also like to see a media legend--Norm Hitzges--doing the color with Rich Phillips in the booth. He has seemed SMU friendly in the past (Phil Bennett show), and it would be a great pickup for the program.

by **jtstang** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 12:02 pm

Pony Up wrote:Wrong - their job, or so they claim, is to report the news that affect the people in their readership area. Based on the name of the paper, I would deduce that they mean that includes the city of Dallas. If they do it well, papers will sell.

Exactly, and because alums of Texas and other Big 12 schools FAR outnumber those of SMU in Dallas, they are doing it right.

Moving the Red River Classic Would Help SMU

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