Copeland Must Go First!

[Mexmustang]

We have a failing athletic program. Responsibility begins at the top. He is the last one to leave in charge of judging our coaches and recruiting their replacements. An example needs to be set and set now! I can think of no other business enterprise that would not set the responsibility for failure at his doorstep.

Let's be more specific:

He has no positive energy for the position. Last week when asked if he thought last nights game would be a sellout, he remarked to a friend at the opening lunch, "when has SMU ever had a sellout?". This is the leader reponsible for filling the stadium? This is the man incharge of being the university's no. one cheerleader?

He is not a leader. He told me personally that he doen't get close to our coaches as it makes it more difficult for him to fire them if it gets to that. What? How can a leader be a leader, especially to the number of head coaches we have that have never previously been a head coach? How do you mentor? how do you decipline? how do you encourage? how do you assist them in acheiving their goals? Quite frankly how do you get these people to buy into your goals and objectives? In short, how do you lead if you don't get close? Are you too gutless to lead?

He doesn't want to be here. We all know about the number of interviews he has taken when at other instituitions. Great! Leave! We don't want you either.

He has limited vision for SMU athletics. His vision and his goals are not ours. Ask him! Would you settle for a top 20 finish every decade? A Conference USA title every five years? No! Our goals are much higher than those he will settle for. Quite frankly, if we don't aspire for higher goals we will never meet those mediocre goals he has set for our program. Just ask TCU what their goals are? What are Copeland's?

What are his acheivements? He is not responsible for Ford Stadium. He was not a supporter of the new stadium as quite simply he didn't think it was possible. President Turner was responsible for setting the goal and convincing our alumns and of course Mr. Ford to make it happen. Again, where is the vision? Where is the leadership? I am sure that President Turner made is happen in regards to Conference USA, not Copeland.

He has no love or passion for SMU. Sit down with the man and find out. He will spend most of the time talking about his retirement and how to successfully transition into to it. Great! At no time does he even give an indication that he might settle in Texas, might want to be close to SMU, might even attend a game in the future. Go back to Virginia where you express your desire to be. Why wait?

People, you can't have this person associated with our program any longer. Too many decisions haven't been taken. Fire a head coach? hire a head coach? you have got to be kidding. He hasn't even dealt with a golf coach that is so fat, he couldn't participate in the NCAA tournanment with his team.

Our turn around has got to begin somewhere. Let's have a big bondfire and exorcise our death penalty. Lets bring back those blacklisted and welcome them back into the university. In all honesty hundreds of us should have been blacklisted as we knew what was going on. But, even in Texas, when someone gets life sentence, they generally are considered for parole after twenty years! Tell the NCAA that with regard to that penaly, we are through letting both them and ourselves keep penalizing us or our university. Until we see Ohio State and Alabama get treated the same way, stay out of our backyard, we won't be your easy target for your young investigators. You are no longer relevant to this university, we will police ourselves, as others claim. Let's move forward, but with a new general, a new leader.

I want Coach Bennett to succeed, but where does he go after a loss like last night? Who is there to get him off the mat? Who has the experience to point out poor coaching decisions, yet get him fired up to beat TCU? In short where is Bennett's support? His leader? His inspiration?

[Stallion]

I too am very concerned about your essential message-what are the goals for this program. Hell if I know. Is our goal eventually to join a BCS conference like TCU and UH? Don't know. Is there are 5 year goal like at NTSU to build new facilities? I dunno I heard back door whispers no stated goal. Is SMU satisfied with simply fielding a team with high graduation rates or are we seeking championships and at least attempting to be the top non-BCS team in the country. Do we have any long range marketing plans to deal with the apathy and non-support? Do we have an identifiable marketing plan? Mustang Mania? Excitement 1968? If these are our goals what is our plan to get there. What are we building here? I too don't think Copeland has this school focused on the steps we need to achieve our potential.

[LakeHighlandsPony]

MexMustang said it best! We can no longer blame the Death Penalty for our problems.

[NavyCrimson]

hey guys - its starts at the top & that is the board -

they do not care & that is all to be said -

end of story

& yes, if that is copeland, get rid of him but then again, this is why the board accepts mediocrity within both our football & basketball programs!

that old idea that losing programs are indicative of great academic institutions & all that bs -

so our target should be the board first & then copeland!

[Pony_Fan]

http://www.smu.edu/trustees/

[DiamondM75]

Thanks for the link. I find it interesting that out of a list of 42 trustees, I only recognize 5 or 6 as sports fans.

I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM! But how do we fix it?

[couch 'em]

You would think Lamar Hunt of all people would not stand for this. I guess he has forsaken our program like nearly everyone else has.

[Water Pony]

As someone, who has been accused by Stallion and others as being naive and a sunshiner (justified in some cases), this thread is right on. Thanks Mexmustang and Stallion!

Last night was discouraging on several fronts, Phil's fourth down choice at the end of the first half (what was the preceived benefit?) and lack of adjustments in the second half. Baylor played terrible in the first half and we could have prevented their win in the second. Plus, I am still buried about the Navy game, when we were outcoached. Phil won me over on his arrival and I buy his commitment. But, he may not be a Head Coach.

Having said that, I do love the players and their commitment and sacrifices. I will remain a fan of the team and each player, who suits up. But I am concerned about the leadership question, which has been raised here.

Hope is a powerful ingredient, but it must be based on some logic or "gameplan", which is understood and pursued with all possible energy. The right gameplan will win the hearts of the students (who often don't value it) and the alumni and friends of SMU. Give us a reason.

As for next steps, let's prepare for the Frogs and beat them, especially when no one thinks we can. I am not thinking beyond next weekend, because anything else is a waste of time and this game is the only thing we can influence right now.

Go Ponies!

[Sam I Am]

It is really hard to fire a bad boss. Now the AD can always fire the head coach, but who can fire the AD? First things first - Bennett can't coach offense, so he goes. Copeland should be given a golden parachute so he can go. But even then, until SMU gets a good QB there will be no improvement in football. We are several years away from winning in just this one key position. SMU is the back hole for passing QB's, and I would say that even if I didn't live in the hometown that produced three Div. I-A quarterbacks from just one family (the McCowns).

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Here is the link to "FireJimCopeland.com"

Click on the link shown below:

http://www.firejimcopeland.com/

[NavyCrimson]

GOLDEN PARACHUTE FOR COPELAND???!!!

oh - get a life!!!!

he's been paid enough so that he doesn't need a 'parachute' -

besides, all a parachute is - is a way to extort money from an organization anyways -

hey - you're fired is all is necessary like what happens to the other 99% of the population when a company decides to change directions!!!


why does he or any other incompetent CEO deserve special deals???

he has a contract - honor the contract & make the change!

[Crong]

When in 1995 was Copeland hired?