Blackistone actually writes a good article

[RE Tycoon]

Tough to read, but all true... http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... c5f8d.html

[Pony_Fan]

So it doesn't matter who succeeds Copeland. Whoever it is will still have, first and foremost, the unenviable task of trying to wake SMU's moribund fans (if they can be called that), be they alums or, even more disconcerting, classmates of the university's athletes. (There may not be a campus in America with a less-supportive student fan base than that on the Hilltop. They're an embarrassment.)

This is the most telling - I've been to visit a lot of universities and friends at other schools while I was attending and I probably haven't seen more apathetic fans than at SMU.

[RGV Pony]

Highlights of the article:

1) called out ED..someone send Dickerson one of the Morgan Campaign postcards and write 6/1/06 on it for the date to begin his contribution

2) called student/campus support an embarrassment..true!

Lowlights:
1) said SMU where it is now is where SMU always should've been, b/c success was enjoyed only because of cheating. Ouch.
2) made TCU's fans seem like Notre Dame or LSU fans. I was at Amon Carter a couple of times during the Sullivan years...guess those fans missed those games.

[Charleston Pony]

I like the comment about the exchange between the booster and coach when the booster complains about the schedule and who he should be enthused about coming out to see this year. Coach is absolutely right...SMU fans should be coming to see SMU.

I just wish we had more hard core fans like those of us on this board. The comment about our students is dead on but will have no impact. Most just don't seem to care enough about sports that (if they knew about the comments) they would even feel insulted

And...for those who still think we can and should be competing with UT and A$M, he's right about that, too. TCU and our CUSA opponents are who we need to be measuring ourselves against.

[KnuckleStang]

I've had issues with Blackistone, but that article might be my favorite thing I've ever read.

[mustangbill67]

Well said Kevin. Like it or not, it is true. Now the question is how do we change things? We need solutions. This requires more than the usual response of winning cures everything or some new facilities cures everything. We are talking about a University culture including both students and alumni that is strongly apathetic towards the athletic program. I still shutter when thinking about 70% of the students leaving the homecoming game after the half time presentations. Some people on this board even made excuses for them and continue to make excuses for students not attending games. We should accept no excuses. An effort to create (resurrect) a positive, supportive attitude about SMU athletics needs to start at the bottom and work up. Throwing money at the problem is one piece of the puzzle but does not solve the root cultural problem. We need strong leadership at the AD level and the support of the entire university as well as alumni if any change is going to occur. My 2 cents!

[WildBillPony]

True, the article did have some valid points. Student support is an embarrassment. On the flip side, onnce again, the overall slant was very negative. Stating that SMU is now where it should because the SWC is gone and never coming back just paints the picture that SMU was never worthy of being in such a conference. Forget more than fifty years of history. Like it never happend...O.K. That is what I call revisionist history. Kevin says that SMU should strive to be like TCU now. I can gurantee you that TCU is not content with where it is now. They would jump at the chance to become part of the evil BCS.

I do agree with Kevin's point that the SMU alums are more whiners than they are doers....more excuses than solutions. Support is what alums should be about.

[SMUstang]

I hate to post here because my name on a post seems to kill a thread. But here's my 2 cents.

Start a Committtee of 100 really committed men and women.
Make SMU Dallas' HOME TEAM.
Use billboards and advertising.
Send players and cheerleaders to businesses for promotions.
Sell 2 for 1 coupon books for football and basketball games through company stores, etc.
Somehow get to a bowl game and win.
Have more wins than losses year after year.
Don't accept anything short of excellence.
Make it your goal to become a BCS member school, whatever it takes.
Change conferences if necessary to meet your goals.

Does this sound like TCU's formula? That proves it works.

[Stallion]

no it doesn't sound like TCU's formula at all-a formula is a Model not a listing of results. The ONLY thing you listed that was part of TCU's Model was TCU creation of a Committee of 100. I've already listed the Model which TCU used to turn their program around.

[McClown27]

Why does Bennett always sound so smug to the alums? Last year, he flipped out at someone because they dared to question a call in one of the games (I believe it was, "I forgot more football than all of you ever knew"). Now, he gets pissed because we are not excited enough about playing ECU. I support Bennett, but c'mon, gimme a break!

[SMUstang]

no it doesn't sound like TCU's formula at all-a formula is a Model not a listing of results. The ONLY thing you listed that was part of TCU's Model was TCU creation of a Committee of 100. I've already listed the Model which TCU used to turn their program around.

Those of us who lived in Tarrant County in the years following Sullivan, and who worked with an almost 100% TCU alumni work force, had a more intimate knowledge of what TCU was doing than apparently you did Stallion.

[Hoop Fan]

totally unprecedented and uncalled for tone in that article. Could easily torpedo any significant recruiting efforts by Bennett and Tubbs for at least a year. I'm sure the TCU coaches made a copy of that one, laughed smugly, sent it to any '07 recruits we are competing for and put plenty of copies in their files. Sure it had some painful truth in it, but it had zero positives. Not one. Blackistone didnt imply there was even one single thing to build on at SMU whatsover. From the hometown paper no less. Nice. What was his point, what is he trying to accomplish? If no one cares about SMU as he asserts, please dont use the space to bash us even more. Its better that they ignore us like usual. Thats fine. North Texas and plenty of others haver apathy problems, even Knight is chirping about it at Tech, but you would never see an article like that about anybody else anywhere. Heres something funny, even the articles about Baylor during the scandal last year had alot more attempt to throw in some rays of hope and positivity. Its totally unheard of for any college to receive this type of slant. Blackistone couldnt even bring himself to say SMU is a school Dallas should support or take any interest in. The power of the pen. That article will make it into the hands of alot of recruits in the near future.

[jtstang]

Hoop Fan, I have to disagree. He nailed it and it needed to be said.

[Hoop Fan]

really, why? I mean it, why do you think it needed to be said in that way?

[jtstang]

Because I have a feeling more apathetic SMU people read the morning news than this board and that's the audience that needs to hear it.