DMN: Staubach makes Pitch for the Ponies & Morning Fight
Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:14 amAs per the DMN...
Staubach makes a pitch for SMU football
Cowboys great serves as keynote speaker for first Kickoff Luncheon
11:33 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
UNIVERSITY PARK – In a meeting last spring, three members of the SMU marketing department got together with football coach Phil Bennett to discuss finding a keynote speaker for the first Kickoff Luncheon.
When Roger Staubach, the former Navy and Cowboys quarterback, was mentioned, Bennett picked up the phone.
Staubach rarely does public speaking engagements, but former SMU quarterback Lance McIlhenny works for Staubach's real estate company.
Bennett asked McIlhenny, and he asked Staubach. A month later, Staubach agreed.
On Wednesday, across the street from campus at the Radisson Hotel, Staubach spoke to most of the football players, SMU alumni and others for 25 minutes.
And he's a supporter of the rebuilding football program.
"I would love to see SMU successful," Staubach said. "When they asked me about a luncheon, I took it as a honor. It was easy thing for me to do. We have a great city here, and it should be attracting the kind of players who want to play here, and they have a great stadium. So, I'm hoping they get cooking here."
Staubach's appearance brought smiles to the three people that met with Bennett that day: Shawn Heilbron, assistant athletic director for sales and marketing, Kristi Kaiser, special events coordinator and Chris Walker, the assistant athletic director for development.
"It was great to have him here," Heilbron said. "What better person to have for this event? Of course, we're open to bringing former SMU players here as the keynote speaker in the future."
SMU officials to Houston: When the luncheon was over, SMU athletic director Jim Copeland and senior associate athletic directors Carlton Cooper and Scott Secules caught a flight to Houston.
The trio was to attend a ceremony hosted by the Touchdown Club of Houston that honored former SMU coach Hayden Fry as Touchdowner of the Year. The award is given annually to an individual with extraordinary contributions to football. Previous winners included Tom Landry, Darrell Royal, Grant Teaff and Earl Campbell. Former SMU receiver Jerry LeVias, the first African-American football player at the school, was scheduled to speak about Fry.
Briefly: Some familiar football faces in attendance: Greg Gardner, Bobby Leach, Cliff Harris, Lamar Hunt and Lance McIlhenny.
--and--
Fight highlights morning scrimmage
09:26 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
UNIVERSITY PARK – During a two-minute drill session, several players got into a scrum after a hard tackle from receiver Zack Sledge on cornerback Brandon Jones.
Sledge was chasing Jones after the cornerback picked off a pass and started running down the field. Sledge swung Jones to the ground out of bounds, firing up players from the offense and defense. Offensive lineman Chris Urbanus and defensive end Don Ieremia-Stansbury exchanged heated words, as did several other players.
Briefly ...
Conference USA updated its television schedule for the 2005 football season. At least 50 games will be nationally televised on four cable outlets: CSTV, ESPN, ESPN2 and "i," which used to be called PAX.
(Is it just me or does the DMN seem to care about us this year? ... how many days have we had an article and a blurb?)
Staubach makes a pitch for SMU football
Cowboys great serves as keynote speaker for first Kickoff Luncheon
11:33 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
UNIVERSITY PARK – In a meeting last spring, three members of the SMU marketing department got together with football coach Phil Bennett to discuss finding a keynote speaker for the first Kickoff Luncheon.
When Roger Staubach, the former Navy and Cowboys quarterback, was mentioned, Bennett picked up the phone.
Staubach rarely does public speaking engagements, but former SMU quarterback Lance McIlhenny works for Staubach's real estate company.
Bennett asked McIlhenny, and he asked Staubach. A month later, Staubach agreed.
On Wednesday, across the street from campus at the Radisson Hotel, Staubach spoke to most of the football players, SMU alumni and others for 25 minutes.
And he's a supporter of the rebuilding football program.
"I would love to see SMU successful," Staubach said. "When they asked me about a luncheon, I took it as a honor. It was easy thing for me to do. We have a great city here, and it should be attracting the kind of players who want to play here, and they have a great stadium. So, I'm hoping they get cooking here."
Staubach's appearance brought smiles to the three people that met with Bennett that day: Shawn Heilbron, assistant athletic director for sales and marketing, Kristi Kaiser, special events coordinator and Chris Walker, the assistant athletic director for development.
"It was great to have him here," Heilbron said. "What better person to have for this event? Of course, we're open to bringing former SMU players here as the keynote speaker in the future."
SMU officials to Houston: When the luncheon was over, SMU athletic director Jim Copeland and senior associate athletic directors Carlton Cooper and Scott Secules caught a flight to Houston.
The trio was to attend a ceremony hosted by the Touchdown Club of Houston that honored former SMU coach Hayden Fry as Touchdowner of the Year. The award is given annually to an individual with extraordinary contributions to football. Previous winners included Tom Landry, Darrell Royal, Grant Teaff and Earl Campbell. Former SMU receiver Jerry LeVias, the first African-American football player at the school, was scheduled to speak about Fry.
Briefly: Some familiar football faces in attendance: Greg Gardner, Bobby Leach, Cliff Harris, Lamar Hunt and Lance McIlhenny.
--and--
Fight highlights morning scrimmage
09:26 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 17, 2005
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News
UNIVERSITY PARK – During a two-minute drill session, several players got into a scrum after a hard tackle from receiver Zack Sledge on cornerback Brandon Jones.
Sledge was chasing Jones after the cornerback picked off a pass and started running down the field. Sledge swung Jones to the ground out of bounds, firing up players from the offense and defense. Offensive lineman Chris Urbanus and defensive end Don Ieremia-Stansbury exchanged heated words, as did several other players.
Briefly ...
Conference USA updated its television schedule for the 2005 football season. At least 50 games will be nationally televised on four cable outlets: CSTV, ESPN, ESPN2 and "i," which used to be called PAX.
(Is it just me or does the DMN seem to care about us this year? ... how many days have we had an article and a blurb?)
