Daily Campus

[ClassOf81]

I visited the campus today and picked up a copy of the Daily Campus, and was struck by the same thing I've noticed several times this year: Does the Daily Campus not cover SMU sports anymore?

Today's DC sports section consists of a column by basketball-ex Trent Redden about Texas jumping to the top of the BCS standings and the positions in which the nation's top teams find themselves heading into the second half of the season. (And, to be fair, it's very well-written -- Trent is as good a sportswriter as that paper has had in years.) It also includes an AP story about the White Sox and their fans celebrating the World Series title.

I realize that the DC operates independently of the university, so it is not bound to espouse a certain opinion or perspective on the Mustangs, but isn't the purpose of the paper to cover SMU and its students, faculty, staff and the university community in general? I've been on campus more than a dozen times this fall, and not once have I seen a feature story on an individual athlete or coach. Surely there are SMU stories worth writing. To wit:

* The football team is trying to shake a two-game losing streak, and faces a long-time traditional rival. Rice runs the option, with which SMU has had great difficulty in recent years. SMU had a winless season two years ago, and the players and coaches certainly could shed some light on what it's like to be in the Owls' shoes, some of the emotions they're going through, how hard it is on the player and coaches, etc. There are a lot of football stories that could be written.
* The SMU men's soccer team has two games this weekend, at East Carolina and South Carolina. If they win both (or is it just one?), SMU clinches the C-USA title. How about a preview? How about a story on Matt Wideman, who has had to step in at goalkeeper at a crucial time in the season after starter Steve Sandbo got hurt? How about a story on the different challenges Coach Hyndman faces getting such a young team ready for the NCAAs, as opposed to some of the veteran-laden teams he's had in the past?
* The women's soccer team hosts two games this weekend. How about a preview story, to let people know the games exist? Profile UAB and Memphis? Let people know what's on the line with these games? A profile of Kimber Bailey, one of the top scorers in the nation? Or Ashley Gunter, who has been sensational at goalkeeper as a true freshman?
* Volleyball has two matches this weekend, at East Carolina and Marshall? Does the DC know that volleyball has had a good season, that they're extremely tough in Moody Coliseum? That they're young and have a chance to be very good in upcoming seasons?
* Cross country is at the conference championships this weekend in Orlando. THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS! Sure, cross country isn't the most spectator-friendly sport in the world, but that's a big deal. Profile the top runner. Talk to the coach about his expectations for the meet, or the chances of getting to NCAAs, or how the season has gone compared to expectations.
* The golf teams have tournaments Monday. How have the golf teams done this fall? Who are the top players? How does this fall season set up the Ponies for their spring seasons?
* Then there's the fact that the winter sports -- including .... ahem .... basketball -- are starting soon, if they haven't started already.

I have no problem with an opinion column like the one Trent Redden wrote, and like I said, it's very good. But use those as a filler when there's nothing going on. There's a lot going on now, and the DC has absolutely dropped the ball in its coverage this year. Does the paper still try to sell subscriptions to the paper? If your interest is in SMU sports, who would buy it?

[EastStang]

I agree with you. When I was there, if we didn't have a football game or another sporting event to cover, we'd cover intramurals. That was pre-Title IX, so we had very few women's sports. But those that we had, we'd visit the coaches, talk to them about the games coming up, and even if we weren't going to cover them, we'd at least write up something about the event coming up and do a follow up story later. A hint to the genius' at the Daily Campus. Writing lots of sports stories allows you to put lots of names in the paper. The more names you put in the paper, the more people read the paper, the larger your distribution, the more advertising revenue that you get. Its a real simple formula.

[BRStang]

I don't think the DC has ever really gotten the point...As a journalism major, I was actually a reporter and editor for the DC when I was at SMU. At that time (early 90s) the staff all seemed to be a bunch of nerds who, like the faculty, seemed to be indifferent to sports. I was there when the SWC disbanded and we were sent to the WAC, and I seem to remember complaining that the DC wasn't really grasping the significance of the event or covering it properly.

[PonyPride]

Interesting -- when I was at the DC, we were told to have as many stories about as many sports in the paper every day, and if we had limited space available and there was a need for a story on football, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's swimming and .... I don't know -- cross country -- then we trimmed them down to just a few paragraphs, if needed. I always complained that my award-winning epics were being unjustly butchered in favor of the sports I wasn't covering (my ego problem started early), but it was not a matter of debate. So in Tuesday's paper each week, we'd have a wrap-up of the weekend for football, both soccer teams, cross country (both of them) and fall tennis or golf or whatever was competing. And we had an SMU athlete of the week, complete with interviews with that athlete and his/her coach. Then, during the week, we'd preview upcoming football/soccer games, and we always had at least one feature story on an athlete, sometimes more than one. Granted, we had more space in the paper then than they do now, but we sure didn't fill up what space we had with AP stories about a World Series parade.

[HorsePower]

So it was a newspaper when you were in school?
Interesting.

[that's great raplh]

dc sports coverage? does not exist

it stinks

[MrMustang1965]

Looks like anyone who writes for the DC has a foot in the door to the DMN. Neither one covers SMU sports on a regular basis.

[jtstang]

Looks like anyone who writes for the DC has a foot in the door to the DMN. Neither one covers SMU sports on a regular basis.

The Morning News gives SMU more coverage than it warrants.

[PK]

Looks like anyone who writes for the DC has a foot in the door to the DMN. Neither one covers SMU sports on a regular basis.

The Morning News gives SMU more coverage than it warrants.

You are right jt. It has been rather surprising lately that we have gotten quite a few decent SMU related articles and fairly good game coverage this year. Don't know what MM65 is [deleted] about.

[PonySnob]

Looks like anyone who writes for the DC has a foot in the door to the DMN. Neither one covers SMU sports on a regular basis.

Maybe if football and men's basketball had decent teams and won on a regular basis, they would put more in the DMN. Feel good stories about our players and their children born out of wedlock....have gotten a little old! Maybe if our players spent more time getting ready to play the game and not so much time fornicating, we would have more sucess.

[MrMustang1965]

Don't know what MM65 is [deleted] about.

Wow. Everyone else on here can [deleted] and moan but I can't? Sheesh!

[PK]

What? Are you having a bad day today or just [deleted] to feel like part of the group?

[Pony_Fan]

DC sucks and when they do write articles about SMU sports, it's off base usually incorrect, and avoids the truth. The opinions are usually absurd like the most recent one posted a week ago. All you get are geeks who don't know anything about college sports. I did a PR class and had to write articles as well.

As for the DMN, they cover SMU fball and bball probably more than is deserved. If there was a real dedication to sports by SMU, that might change. Calvin probably thinks it's a whip to cover his beat his is assigned to...

[PlanoStang]

Subscriptions to the D. C.? All you had to do was pick one up outta the
open bin in the mid 70s. They covered S.M.U. sports priority #1.

Lots of info on why Dave Smith's Ponies were going on major double
secret probation for $2 for a tackle of a punt returner, when the
supporters of Darrell Royal's University of Texas were building a house
for the MOM of a great running back from E. TX.

[jtstang]

Maybe if our players spent more time getting ready to play the game and not so much time fornicating, we would have more sucess.

Actually, if you spent a little more time fornicating you'd probably be a lot happier person.