I think a boycott is an order

[stang_fan]

I understand the pessimism now. The pessimists on this board have been through this time and time again. I can't take it. I'm sorry but this is a game we should have won. This is at least a game we should have played well in. 44-10 is unacceptable!!!!!! That wasn't UT!!!! IT WAS FREAKIN RICE!!!!!!!!!!I'M SICK AND TIRED OF THIS CRAP!!!!!!!!!! If we boycott something will have to be done. We can't drop below 15k for the year so we should just not show up until we see something good. I want our admission standards down to ND's and Miami's. Until they are you can count me out. I will no longer support a product that will not attempt to get better.

[The Q]

Not attempt to get better? Have you been to a practice? I've watched a lot of football, and I haven't seen a team work harder to get better. Granted, hard work isn't all that's necessary - you also need size (we need a lot more), strength (ditto), speed (we need more - although there's a bunch on the redshirt list) and maturity (little-known fact: we're the youngest team in the NCAA). Do not bail out on this team. If need be, contact an administrator, but don't penalize the players for being young by not supporting them. They're working their tails off, and they're going to get better. I'm as disappointed as you are with the result tonight, but I don't see this team as one that knows how to quit. If they're not going to quit, we can't quit on them (remember, recruits read this site). We're PonyFans. We need to be there for our team.

[stang_fan]

This is not an attack on the team. It's an attack on the administration. Stop being so defensive. If you can't play you can't play. Simple as that. The top 20 area high school teams in the Dallas area could have beat Rice tonight. We couldn't. I don't care who's coaching you. Go out there and beat a sorry team!

[The Q]

Point taken - maybe I'm defensive. If so .... guilty as charged. I just can't NOT support my Ponies. Season ticket holder for football and basketball, and I get to a lot of other events (other sports), too. Like I said, I completely understand your thought - I want nothing more than to see us whip some teams and to hear future opponents say "oh no - we've got to play SMU." But comments like yours (even if accurate) will have a negative effect: fewer butts in the seats, and recruits reading this and getting discouraged. I disagree with your assessment that we're not trying to get better, but we're allowed to disagree - that's fair. My only objection is with the way the original post was written.

Didn't mean to jump on your post, and I don't think I'm sunshining, because I'm no more satisfied with the results than you are. The implication that the team wasn't trying to get better is what got to me.

[youngalumpony]

stang_fan, I dont understand how you and so many people on this board could actually think that we should have won this game. Rice is clearly the better and more experienced team, that was obvious prior to the game. I was as pleased as anyone with the improvements we had made the last few weeks, and very dissapointed that we played so poorly tonight. But I'm not going to get overly emotional over any highs or lows this season. The fact is, we aren't a good football team yet, we'll either go 3-8 or 4-7, and take some momentum from that improvement into next season when we will actually have some experienced talent. But once again, anyone that expected a win this weekend frankly doesnt have a clue.

[MrMustang1965]

I want our admission standards down to ND's and Miami's.

Are you kiddin' me?

[Charleston Pony]

Unfortunately, for me, quitting on this team (or the administration) is not an option. I'm still flying my SMU flag this morning, despite another humiliating defeat at the hands of Rice.

I allowed myself to get ahead of schedule and think we were ready to beat Rice and go on to win 4-5 games this year. After seeing UTEP beat Fresno last night, I realize we are at least another year away from being competitive and Nevada may represent our best chance for another win this year.

After 15 years of misery, I can wait another year or two...but I really do believe we have some players on campus right now who will help turn this thing around. Don't give up guys, even if your fans do and you end up playing in front of 5,000 loyalists to wrap up another losing season!

[mrydel]

I think it is cute that he wants to boycott. I guess he is too young to realize that is what has been happening for the past 15 years. Go ahead and boycott stang_fan. The attendance will not drop any more than it already has and you can have peace of mind. Me, I am going to continue to support and be there when the corner is finally turned.

[ponyte]

I agree with boycotting. I am going to boycott rowing. That should show the administration that I am serious! There is actually very little the alums can do to change things. One is to provide money (donations, buy tickets and so forth). The other is to get involved. Whining from afar has no affect on the administration. Whining after working with the administration (i.e. earning respect) has a greater impact. The way to change the system is to get involved and work to change the system

[Sam I Am]

A silent absence is the best recourse for those who are tired of watching an inept regime. But asking others to boycott won't fix the problem. By all means file protests and express your displeasure. An unhappy alumni can have some effect, but don't hold your breath on this one. We may be stuck like Chuck this year and next.

[Stallion]

and the correct answer is Mrydel-the boycott began 15 years ago. I don't advocate a boycott because a similar boycott at SJSU has seriously jeopardized the future of that program when 4,000 showed up for the Rice game. I think the PLAYERS who represent you deserve your support. But it is a fact that the core of SMU alumni fans-which is no more than about 8,000 alumni will continue to dwindle until SMU football will be caught by the new NCAA attendance restrictions. There simply is not enough of a sense of urgency at this critical time in our future. And there are serious storm clouds growing---15,000 attended this rivalry clash between future CUSA opponents. Last year the Rice game attracted 11,000 at Ford, the last SMU/Tulsa home game attracted 12,000, the last SMU/UH game in Houston attracted 17,000. We will see our conference affiliation once again will quickly dissolve under these conditions and we will be left with Ken Pye Magnolia League. See he won the war 15 years ago-some of you just weren't paying attention.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Stallion there wasn't even 15,000 there, mabey 10 to 12,000. Sad but true, I was one of them.

[Mustangs35SMU]

I was glad at how many fans we brought to Houston..Myself be one of them also.

I was VERY! disappointed. We got up 3-0 then just seem to die. I dont understand it.

We hold a ranked team in Boise State in beating us by just 18 but yet we let good ole RICE for god's sake rack up and beat us by 34!

[Dutch]

Attendance: 15,367

[EastStang]

If you want to boycott, go ahead, in two years we'll be in the Southland Conference and having our conference games against Texas State and Sam Houston and others. But hey we might win a few of those. If you want to continue playing 1-A football and seeing games against TCU, Baylor, Texas A&M, at home, then you know what you should do. The players will know when their fans quit on them and then they will quit too. So, go ahead, be a quitter, go root for which ever team you feel will be a winner this year. And then next year pick a new team to root for, and a new one, and who cares about loyalty to a school or a program. So what. I takes a lot more character to stick with a losing team than a winning one.