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... for the Dallas Morning News, which gave us a scrimmage re-cap .... on the UT scrimmage in Austin.

well considering that most people in dallas don't care about SMU and probably don't realize that SMU is in division I-A, does this surprise you? Until we start winning, alot, against REAL teams, we will NEVER get the coverage. Wake up. We aren't in the SWC. We aren't considered a real football program. Nobody cares about SMU. Hopefully this will change. But for now that is the reality.

And before you use the "we are in dallas" argument: UTD, UTA, U of D, dont' get sports coverage either. While there is a big difference between us and them as far as sports participation and level, there isn't too much difference in terms of following, relative to followers of UT, A&M, etc in Dallas. Also, when was the last time the DMN covered Dallas? They are more of a regional paper than a city one. The only real Dallas coverage I find is in the Observer, when you claw through the near communist propaganda that have on their opinion pages, you get some real Dallas journalism. Too bad they don't cover sports.

well said. we are hardly deserving of any coverage at all. the truth is that the DMN probably gives us more coverage than they should...and that is ONLY because we are located in Dallas. On the national scene, we've become insignificant...but you can bet we will be media darlings the next time SMU qualifies for a bowl. You can bet the whole death penalty thing will be revisited and the story will be about how long the program has been down and out.

couch 'em wrote: ... does this surprise you?

No, it's not a surprise. But it's still a disappointing paper.

couch 'em wrote: ... And before you use the "we are in dallas" argument: UTD, UTA, U of D, dont' get sports coverage either...

Right, but in your first paragraph, you pointed out that some don't even know that SMU is a Div. I-A program, and therein lies the difference. Div. I-A programs are more important, and a local paper should cover the only one in town -- period. The DMN plays a role in the perception that Dallas is the ultimate "frontrunners' town" because that's all they cover. As has been pointed out before, the city named in the banner on the front page of the DMN is Dallas -- not Austin, College Station or Norman. And not Richardson (UTD), Arlington (UTA) or Irving (UD), either.

keith whitmire - dmn big 12 editor - is an smu grad

I'm not sure I see your point. I hear Whitmire's also an SMU season ticket holder. And the DMN employs several SMU grads. But they write what they're told to write. If they told Whitemire to write all SMU stuff, he would. If they told Calvin Watkins to cover minor-league hockey, he would.
What am I missing here?

Corso wrote: And not Richardson (UTD), Arlington (UTA) or Irving (UD), either.

Well if you want to get that picky - University/Highland Park (SMU).

The DMN is a major regional news paper. That means they cover major news. SMU is not major news in college sports. We aren't even mid-major news. We are doormat news. SMU does get special treatment because we are in Dallas. If we were not in Dallas, we would not get ANY coverage EVER. Because we are in Dallas, we get the occasional story or blurb. We get what we deserve. We may be I-A in name, but we sure aren't in performance, and we aren't even close to the same level as big 12 schools. You are crazy if you think it would be fair for us to get the same coverage. Be glad we get mentioned at all, and focus your energy on getting the school to field a team worth covering.

couch 'em wrote: .... Well if you want to get that picky - University/Highland Park (SMU)....

Well, in the spirit of being picky, at least HP and UP are municipalities that are entirely within the borders of the city of Dallas. Richardson, Arlington and Irving are not.

couch 'em wrote: .... The DMN is a major regional news paper. That means they cover major news.

A REGIONAL newspaper? Since when? They claim to bring the news of "your city" to you. And to continue splitting hairs, merely being a newspaper of any kind would indicate it should cover news. And there isn't a single reason why that news covered shouldn't include the news of the city it claims to cover.

couch 'em wrote: .... SMU does get special treatment because we are in Dallas. If we were not in Dallas, we would not get ANY coverage EVER....

Huh? SMU gets special treatment? The paper claims (at our games) to "sponsor" SMU athletics. Puh-leeze! I guess I can stomach the stories about the Baylor women's basketball team -- if there's a school that deserves a little good basketball pub, it's BU. But if we get a dozen front-page stories about them again next year .... no thanks. Nice story this year, now get it over with.

If the DMN wants to be a "state" or a "regional" paper, fine. But the insistence by DMN higher-ups that it covers Dallas first is a joke. They ought to call it "The Texas Morning News" or "The Southwest Morning News" or even "USAToday Southwest."

couch 'em wrote: .... You are crazy if you think it would be fair for us to get the same coverage. Be glad we get mentioned at all, and focus your energy on getting the school to field a team worth covering.

On the contrary, you're crazy if you think they're covering college sports objectively. They cover teams that will sell papers, not teams that merit coverage. No, I'm not saying they should abandon the Mavs, Cowboys, or even the Stars and FC Dallas (yes, FC Dallas). But there's no reason things like NASCAR and professional tennis and should get any space in front of the only Div. I-A college in Dallas.

The other thing you apparently forgot is that Coach Bennett has closed practice so who knows if any DMN people were there. They will be there for the Red-Blue game.

Schools get coverage when they deserve it. Maryland and Navy get great coverage from the Washington Post when they're winning, otherwise they're on D-3. UVA and Virginia Tech get passing mention even though there are many people who live in the Post distribution area who root for those schools (except when one of them wins a Conference Title). During basketball season, Georgetown, GW, American, Howard, George Mason, Maryland, and Navy all fight for attention from the Post (plus UVA and VT). Again the winning program gets the best coverage. The pecking order is generally, Maryland, then Georgetown, then GW, then American, then GMU, then Navy, then Howard if all else is equal. Why because Maryland and GT actually have basketball National titles. When we start winning that's news. In football generally, Navy and Maryland get pretty equal coverage. UVA and VT afterward.

Calvin Watkins attends almost every practice. The editor's just choose NOT to run his information.

This topic comes up about once a month. It drives me bonkers. Better coverage won't win us any games; winning games will get us better coverage.

If you travel the country, you will quickly discover that DMN's sports section is one of the best in the country. The sports section is one of the main reasons USA today sells well-most sports sections around the country stink. If you ever work on Capitol Hill you will find that it isn't uncommon for the janitors to ask texas legislators for the sports sections out of the paper. Why? Because the DMN and FWST sports sections are actually head and shoulders above most of the country. I think they are doing something right.

I ask this question whenever this topic comes up and have never gotten an answer. Which do you think there are more of in the DFW metroplex? SMU grads or UT grads? Answer is obvious. What about football season ticket holders-which do think there are more of in D/FW: SMU or UT football season ticket holders? I know a lot of peoplt that drive down to Austin 5 times a year. How about you?

I also notice that nobody has brought up the nice fluff piece WFAA did on SMU spring ball last Wednesday, which WFAA did not have to do. I haven't seen one on Texas or A&M on there. But I guess we ignored that, because it didn't fit our argument.

hmmmmmmmm, sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Are you sure you're an SMU fan?

2112 wrote:hmmmmmmmm, sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed! Are you sure you're an SMU fan?

While I often wonder why, I am indeed an SMU fan.

wait until we (hopefully) beat Arkansas St, Texas St. and Whatsamater U.---then Dallas will really love us!!!!! Be careful of those who propose ideas that continue to make SMU athletics irrelevant to the average fan.