Fiscal Responsibility

[Three Putt]

So Orsini, is going to hire June Jones for $2 million a year to a football program that has no attendance, very few wins, local apathy and all of a sudden the SMU faithful are supposed to be ecstatic?

His recruiting strategy will have to do a 180 degree turnaround due to the academic requirements of SMU as opposed to Hawaii's. The type of athlete he has been able to recruit at Hawaii couldn't get accepted at SMU (Colt Brennan wouldn't have been able to transfer to SMU with his background). There are very few top recruits/athletes left for 2008. It's a lost year which translates to how many wins in the future?

No wonder the faculty resents the athletic department. Want the faculty to support it now? Not hardly. More money down the drain. Yes, I know the money is coming from the boosters, but the PERCEPTION of this nationally is catastrophic. "Oh, yeah. SMU throwing money around again. DP on the horizon again."

This has become an disaster. I don't know if Orsini is the cause, or the administration. Either way, it's still an disaster. First to fire a coach and now it's going to cost "somebody" $2 million a year just to hire June Jones? A disaster.

[Alaric]

I know we're all frustrated but Orsini's trying to change the football dynamic at SMU. If he would have done the status quo, he would have hired an unproven assistant right away and we probably would have gotten the same ole same ole. Give this thing just a little more time.

Also, you must have missed the news somewhere along the lines that most of the money for salaries was raised from boosters. That's money outside of SMU's budget. If it's not spent on salaries, it's just sitting in some personal money market accounts. They've got the money to lose, if they're good with it, we don't reallly need to worry about it.

Yes, it's possible we could have hired Fran right away but I'm guessing the trustees and Turner told Orsini to make Fran a fallback candidate because of his possible NCAA violations.

You're absolutely right in your assertion that we don't know if JJ can recruit SMU players. We don't know if the model's changing. That's an unknown we'll have to accept if we hire Jones. Relax a few more days.

[couch 'em]

Yes, I know the money is coming from the boosters, but the PERCEPTION of this nationally is catastrophic. "Oh, yeah. SMU throwing money around again. DP on the horizon again."

So your argument is that we shouldn't spend the money donated to hire a coach because that will look like we are cheating? You're an idiot. Go back to the froggy or NTSU board where you belong.

[Ponymon]

No wonder the faculty resents the athletic department. Want the faculty to support it now? Not hardly. More money down the drain. Yes, I know the money is coming from the boosters, but the PERCEPTION of this nationally is catastrophic. "Oh, yeah. SMU throwing money around again. DP on the horizon again."

Obviously you are new to the SMU experience and have no clue how we got into this mess in the first place. The FACULTY is the major reason that this school has not been able to recover from the DP over 20 years ago. They have resented the athletic department from the get-go and ensured only one winning season over that time period. If they don't like it, they are free to leave. Maybe they can go to another school that is willing to pay them as much as the football coach. Good ideas might be places where they play club football like Washington University in St. Louis, Sewanee, William and Mary, etc. Then again they like their tenure when they get it because all their needs are taken care of by the school. They would have to re-qualify for it at another school. Tough to leave a socialized environment like that. I say screw the faculty.

[papawasamustang]

Dodge or Gill @ 500K
Barnett, Bowden, Fran @ 1.5 mill
Jones @ 2 mill

They are all quality coaches. Take your pick which one makes more sense to you?

[Pony Soup]

I cant even put words together to express how ridiculous the original post is.

[papawasamustang]

The original post makes perfect sense.

Why spend 2 million on June Jones when you could probably get an excellent coach for much less who will probably bring the same type of results as Jones.

[NavyCrimson]

Well said - Ponymon!!!

[Bergermeister]

You're an idiot.

That's putting it mildly.

[Pony Soup]

No wonder the faculty resents the athletic department. Want the faculty to support it now? Not hardly. More money down the drain.

If you want fans, get wins. If you want wins, get players. If you want players, get a proven coach.

Yes, I know the money is coming from the boosters, but the PERCEPTION of this nationally is catastrophic. "Oh, yeah. SMU throwing money around again. DP on the horizon again."

Absurd. Generally speaking, most major schools bend "the rules" and everyone knows it. SMU spending money that has been raised from boosters does not have anyone saying DP on the way.

First to fire a coach and now it's going to cost "somebody" $2 million a year just to hire June Jones? A disaster.

Yes, we showed an underperforming coach the door. The search committee and SO are very aware of the relative cost of the available coaches. THey are not just looking to spend $2mil for the hell of it.

[JasonB]

Fiscal responsibility? The boosters are donating money for this specific purpose. That is much, MUCH more fiscally responsible than having the school pay the prior coaching staff. So, already you are ahead of the game as far as trying to balance the budget of the program.

You get what you pay for. Todd Dodge will NOT be able to turn this program around. As much as I like Turner Gill, he won't either. ONLY a national name will be able to.

As long as we land a coach with a big name, they are going to be able to hit the ground running in the recruiting wars. There is obviously concern there, but we aren't at death's door just yet.

Also, how much money would it cost to get SMU mentioned in pretty much every paper, and every sportscast, nationally, twice in a month? And in a positive light for chasing well known coaches that big name programs are after? I wouild say the ROI on two milion bucks is pretty good right now...

No business can succeed without proper fiscal support. We can't get attendance without a good team. We can't get a good team without a nationally known name coach. We can't get that coach without spending the money. Spend the money and other things come into place.

I love SMU and have supported it through all of the lean years. But if idiots like you have their way again and we go cheap on a coach, SMU will not be getting a donation to the school or to the Mustang Club from me this year. So tell the faculty to put that in their pipe and smoke it.

[papawasamustang]

Its not about being cheap. Its about making wise decisions.

There are alot of tremendous coaches out there not making 2 million.
Spending the $$ does not always bring a positive result.

IMO, hiring Barnett for 1.5 or Gill or Dodge @ 500K will get you the same result as JJ @ 2 million. The hiring of a HC should have been concluded along time ago.

I appreciate SO elephant hunting. The problem is what if you don't get the elephant.

[StangEsq]

It's the same thing the Rangers go through every year with pitching. No one wants to come here, so you have to pay a premium. Until the position becomes more valuable, you deal with it.

[Pony Soup]

dont pick up responses to different arguments and apply them to your thoughts.

[papawasamustang]

I actually thought about Chan Ho Park a few minutes ago.