Worst starts by new head coaches?

[jtstang]

One stat sums it up best-SMU once competed on a reasonably competitive basis in the SWC a BCS level conference. During the 15 years since the DP we have won exactly 11% of our games against our most natural and traditional rivals from that conference in Texas including being dominated by private schools like Rice, TCU and Baylor not to mention the others-this is the true measure of just how sorry this chapter in SMU History has been.

True enough, but comparing the best teams money could buy with what is on the field since the death penalty is apples and oranges isn't it? Although the point about the other privates is well taken.

[Stallion]

I understood what you meant-just disagreeing that the last two senior and junior classes were any worse than the other 10 or so classes that are most responsible for piling up that 11% winning record against our natural and traditional rivals in Texas.

[ponyboy]

Even if I was to give you your point that 00 and 01 were on par with every other class post DP (and I'd have to ignore the nice classes of 98 and 99 to do so), my main point still stands. Namely, the cupboard was bare for Phil Bennett last year. Which is why he chose to play a lot of his own highly talented but very, very young guys last year.

[EastStang]

Having said all of this, I do think the jury is out on Bennett the head coach. He has had two seasons both disasters. He has not been able to win close games and in fact his team has found ways to lose close games. So, let's hope that with an upgrade in talent that his coaching is able to come to the forefront. As far as some players having left or leaving are concerned, that doesn't bother me as much. Coaches many times run off loafing, under-achieving, or the not-very-good players. In fact that may be a positive.

[Stallion]

OK I ADMIT IT! You GOT ME! Yes the cupboard was bare in 2003, 2002, and just about every other year since Kenneth Pye set foot on campus. Its funny I thought I was the one arguing the cupboard was bare when 90% of the people- including you- thought Mike Cavan should have been leading us to bowl games. Geez! I've consistently maintained the cupboard was bare every year since Al Gore invented the internet!!!!!!!

[jtstang]

...Al Gore invented the internet!!!!!!!

Thank goodness for him. Too bad he couldn't have figured out a way to use it to inform those Florida voters in 2000 of the dangers of wayward chads.

[ponyboy]

I've consistently maintained the cupboard was bare every year since Al Gore invented the internet!!!!!!!

Yes you have. And have congratulated yourself at least once a day.

[04stang]

Please pull your head out of your gluteus ponyfans and listen to what are the facts. When bennett got here there were players that simply did not care about winning football games, they were here because they wanted a free ride, bennett was going through the rebuilding phase last year people...Winning football games doesnt just happen overnight like all you people want it to. The 2004 season will be an exciting year and will be full of surprises. The attitude from the players are totally different from what it was last year. We have a great recruiting class coming in that are full of playmakers, and although i cant say anything on behalf of the romo kid, i know that the Tony E. transfer came here ready to win. I would keep my eye on him because he is going to explode on to the scene this year.

[Mustangs35SMU]

At the start of the season last year nobody wanted to win either. We could have easily had 5 of those games last year.

Baylor game if you saw that game and looked at the players they were like they could care less who won. They didnt care.

By the end of the season for the TCU game they were into it they were wanting to win. Hopefully we wont have to wait a whole year for them to want to win again

[dandyfan]

let's hope so 04, however, it will be hard to know if he explodes while he is on the bench. Coach B is going to stick with chris come hell or high water. and the longhorns think ol mack is hard headed...jeeeez.