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http://washingtontimes.com/weblogs/d1sc ... s-101-105/




101. Southern Methodist.

"One of my least favorite words or phrases in the Big Bag of Sportswriters Cliches is "learning/knowing how to win." It's incredibly prevalent in baseball --- i.e. a pitcher who pulls a Rick Helling, circa 1998, and "wins" 20 games with a 4.41 ERA with the help of some nice run support. If Helling "knew" how to go 20-7 that year, why did he manage a 16-13 record two seasons later when he recorded two more outs and allowed two more earned runs in two extra starts over the course of the season? He most certainly didn't "forget" how to win, did he?

OK, enough about Helling, who probably doesn't deserve to have the highlight of his Brett Tomko-like, $15 million career dragged through the mud. But the phrase "knowing how to win?" That's another matter.

It pops up in other sports as well. And if Southern Methodist happens to get better in Year One under June Jones --- and after going 1-11, it almost certainly will --- it seems like a sure bet that folks who cover that program or Conference USA will invoke the Mustangs are "learning how to win."

Here's my two cents: One, Jones is a good coach who will squeeze a little more out of the Mustangs than Phil Bennett did. Two, it takes an extraordinarily unlucky bunch to go 0-6 in games decided by 10 points or less, including 0-3 in overtime.

That's not to say SMU was a decent team last year. It was horrific on defense and committed far too many turnovers. But the Mustangs were much closer to being a nondescript 5-7 than a woeful 0-12, regardless of their record.

Jones will deserve every bit of credit he receives if/when he manages to finally get the Mustangs a post-death penalty bowl invitation. But modest progress this fall should be expected, since the odds say SMU won't be nearly as snakebit this time around."

--- Patrick Stevens

Can't disagree there.

Many good points there. It's true we were totally unlucky losing that many close games, especially games we had in the bag but gave up. It's all true that we were udderly TERRIBLE on D and our offense was sporadic at best. June should be able to get the program back on track.

That being said, seriously dude? 101? I know it's my prejudice talking, and going 1-11 last year really didn't help matters much (which I put much of the blame on bad coaching and playcalling), but I would have hoped to be somewhere around 95, especially with as much talent we have.

PonyGolf13 wrote:It's true we were totally unlucky losing that many close games

I don't think it had to do with lucky. It was just the ability to close games was never found for some strange reason.

Even in the North Texas game, when we got down...came back and took a pretty good lead. UNT came back before we were able to finally put em away.

Hopefully the defense can step up this upcoming season.

PonyGolf13 wrote:Many good points there. It's true we were totally unlucky losing that many close games, especially games we had in the bag but gave up. It's all true that we were udderly TERRIBLE on D and our offense was sporadic at best. June should be able to get the program back on track.

That being said, seriously dude? 101? I know it's my prejudice talking, and going 1-11 last year really didn't help matters much (which I put much of the blame on bad coaching and playcalling), but I would have hoped to be somewhere around 95, especially with as much talent we have.

You have to have some type of reputation in order to get a higher ranking, oh and a better track record and players. JJ will develop all of that in due time.

PONY UP!!

does it really make any difference if you are 95 or 101 (or 50 something) during a preseason ranking? Interest drops off pretty fast after the top 25.

what Jones will do for our program would have been like Bennett "squeezing" water out of a rock.