PonyFans.com

From tracking this, it seems like the devout SMU fans have created this more than any other source.

I can't find a media link that connects his name to our job.

It seems to me that once he got fired in Detroit, people threw his name out there and all of the sudden it stuck.

Unless a link can be produced, I'm calling total bunk on his name in the bag.

Thanks, I had not seen that one. But again, it was just posted at 10:45 am

google "Mike Martz" and "SMU" and there are a couple of links. The Sporting News link won't work for some reason.

And don't give me that "DMN doesn't count crap" General. Kate is a journalist of exceptional quality, and her research and sourcing are meticulous.

Of course the "source" is probably ponyfans.com.

This is about as concrete as it gets from the media.

Sources: SMU to try to land Hawaii's Jones with big-money offer
By Joe Schad
ESPN.com

Updated: January 2, 2008, 10:02 PM ET

SMU will pursue Hawaii coach Junes Jones and is prepared to pay between $1.5-1.7 million per year to lure him to the Conference USA school, according to two people familiar with SMU's strategy.

Although Jones' contract expires after this year, Hawaii has yet to make a contract offer to the coach, who just completed his ninth season with the Warriors.

Jones led Hawaii to a 12-1 mark this season, the only loss coming Tuesday in the Allstate Sugar Bowl when the Warriors were routed by Georgia, 41-10. He is 75-41 with the Warriors. Previously, he coached three seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and was an interim head coach in San Diego.

After the Sugar Bowl, Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said he would not negotiate with Jones through the media and would not comment on SMU's interest in the Warriors' coach.

SMU may have a backup strategy, however. ESPN.com's John Clayton reports that the school has contacted Mike Martz, who was fired as offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions on Wednesday.

Former Miami coach Larry Coker and former Texas AM coach Dennis Franchione already have spoken with SMU about the job opening.

In October, SMU fired Mustangs coach Phil Bennett, who was 18-52 in six seasons.

Joe Schad covers college football for ESPN. Senior writer John Clayton covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3177298

StangEsq wrote:This is about as concrete as it gets from the media.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3177298

I'm suddenly having visions of Michigan...Les Miles....Kirk Herbstreit...

With all the other HC positions taken care of, we can start "leaking" names all over the place and stay in the national spotlight just a little bit longer.

To hell with the spotlight.
Hire us a coach and get recruiting.

Corso wrote:To hell with the spotlight.
Hire us a coach and get recruiting.

You don't think the spotlight would help recruiting, i.e., recruits' awareness. We obviously have a few days as we await Jone's answer...might as well use them as best we can.

Good point. You'd have to think either coach would draw a serious look from some solid QBs and WRs, at least.

Once again we all assume that we are contacting these people. If I am a good agent, as soon as my client is fired, I contact averyone who has a posted open position, even if only for exposure purposes. That coupled with you never know what offer may come from where just means that the client is being marketed. I do not see any smoke or fire from this rumor, although you never know.

Jeez mrydel, at this point we have to be contacting everybody. The guy who waters the plants in my office told me he'd been contacted.

mrydel wrote:Once again we all assume that we are contacting these people. If I am a good agent, as soon as my client is fired, I contact averyone who has a posted open position, even if only for exposure purposes.

Good point. Word is Bowden's "people" have been doing that for years.

jtstang wrote:Jeez mrydel, at this point we have to be contacting everybody. The guy who waters the plants in my office told me he'd been contacted.

I called them and they returned my call. I have been officially contacted!!