PonyFans.com

The installation of our new turf is moving right along. I had occasion to be in the press box area last week and the contractors are making progress. Once completed, it will make Ford Stadium the crown jewel. I know the players are looking forward to it and I hope we have triple-headers on every available high school playoff date. I'd take Ford over Texas Stadium ANY day!!!

it sure would be nice if someone in the athletic department could post a picture of what the field is going to look like when marked. I was never really happy with the markings on the old grass turf. I prefer red and blue endzones and other markings that really identify it as SMU's home turf.

After being somewhat resistant to the idea of fake turf - even the fancy new stuff - at Ford Stadium (already the crown jewel of stadiums, by the way), I'm now totally on board with the idea. I remember reading how much Chris Phillips said he liked playing at Ford Stadium as a senior at Bishop Lynch, and I can't help but think that getting more players in our beautiful facility can only help convince a player or two that SMU is where he wants to play.

And I love Stallion's idea of really marking the field as SMU's home turf. Tennessee's orange and white checkerboard end zones are signature markings at Neyland Stadium - turn on the TV and you instantly know the game is a UT game in Knoxville. I think red and blue (one each? checkerboard?) end zones would be terrific. And an enormous Mustang in the middle of the field, like the one at center court at Moody Coliseum, would look great. More Mustangs in the end zone maybe? Or the words MUSTANGS and SMU in the end zones?

Maybe they should put PonyFans.com in the end zones, and name the field after this site!

Hopefully they've put a lot of thought into this. I would love to see something unique like you've mentioned.

You know how that field in Boise has that blue turf? How about blue and red strips that alternate every 5 yards?

That blue football field at Boise was the very reason UNT left the Big West for the Sun Belt! Naaah, just kiddin'!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Dubbya:
<B>You know how that field in Boise has that blue turf? How about blue and red strips that alternate every 5 yards?</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



[This message has been edited by MeanGreenGem (edited 06-22-2003).]

When speaking with members of the athletic department, they have told me that the feild will be painted exactly as it appeared in the opening season at Ford with Blue Endzones with SMU at one end and Mustangs at the other.

Just like the SMU v. Kansas Picture hanging on so many of our walls.

I can live with that. The field looked great back then.

Question for the Ponyfans.

With the progress we anticipate with . . . Bennett, . . stronger recruiting, . . . success with good OOC teams . . . and a new, strong regional conference alignment (WAC-East, Conf. USA-West or SW Private Schools plus Army and Navy) . . ., can SMU reasonably expect to expand Ford to 42K within five plus years.

Yes, we have to start filling it to 30K routinely; but the possibility of expanding Ford should be the result of the above events with consistent success on the field.

Why build Ford, hire Bennett, seek a more rational conference situation and return to Tradition, if we can't get 35+K with regularity?

This is what we should aspire to. Comments?

Yes, I think it's doable, but you're right - a regional conference (plus service academies - they have national fan bases) is vital. As is winning, of course.