Was anyone listening?

[CA Mustang]

A buddy says Jordan Johnson is (or was) on Michael Irvin's show. Apparently only four of the nine players had strikes against them.

Did anyone else hear it?

[DiamondM75]

I don't care if JJ cancelled all 88 scholarships and started all over, if he felt that was the best way to bring the Ponies back.

JJ is a proven college and pro coach and SMU is very lucky to have him. Do I feel sorry for the guys who lost their scholarships? After watching the sidelines last season and seeing players who didn't care if we won or lost, I could care less. They had it coming if they did not produce and did not give their best to be a winner. We are seeing the results of the "everybody gets a trophy" childhood competition.

Welcome to adulthood. If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose and need to work to become a winner.

The only complaint I have is JJ probably could have worded the statement better. He could have said some players were dismissed for team rule violations. So he left out the "some". B F D. Get over it.

JJ knows what he is doing as he has done this before. Take your shots at JJ, but remember one thing when you do.

"You can't argue with success."



- DiamondM75 Steps down from soapbox

[PonyKai]

why does this crap seem to only happen at smu? guy get's cut because he either doesn't work hard enough, isn't good enough, or broke the rules...pick one i don't care, and the story get's multiple full length articles with several media outlets and a f'ing radio interview?

I can't wait to go to a bowl game and win...only to turn to page 37b in the paper and see a four line writeup on it by the AP.

[Junior]

Just what does June Jones think he is doing? Who does he think he is?

There is absolutely no way we can continue our recent traditions of losing if Coach gets guys in here that fit into his system, that are willing to buy into his system.

Shame, Coach Jones! For trying to instill a winning attitude in the Mustangs from top to bottom and trying to put SMU football on the national football map again from a postitive perspective!

I feel for Jordan and his teammates that were let go, but can't we drop this already?

[Sideline]

Do they pay Irvin and his puppet co-host? Hands down the most difficult listen in sports talk radio history. Is Irvin sober?

Just two below average show hosts beating a dead horse a week after the news was released.

To the players released, plead your case and receive a free education or go play where your talents are more appreciated. Life will probably get harder; consider yourself lucky to have dealt with something like this along the way.

[Stallion]

I'm really scratchin' my head trying to figure out how this all got put into a press release in the first place.

[StallionsModelT]

This was poorly handled by the athletic department and we are catching bad press for that. I have no problem whatsoever with these kids being asked to leave for what its worth.

[Mexmustang]

I thought the student did a good job and made a reasonable case. But, he did mention that he had been placed on the "scout" team and that JJ told him he was a good kid. I think it is pretty difficult for JJ to just say, you have been cut because of your play and potential to the press.

If he wins his appeal, I heard he cannot play football, but his scholarship would be honored and then I thought I heard that it would count against the 85, but none of this sounded right. Can anyone clarify?

[SMU21TCU10]

Can't we just get a booster to pay for these guys' school?

[mr. pony]

Now you're talkin'.

[Stallion]

I didn't listen but I was given a pretty lengthy summary of the general tone. I think most callers were using SMU as a whippin' post for the unfairness of the NCAA policy. This same thing happens at most schools-although admitedly I don't remember 9 at one time before. SMU, I don't think is doing any thing much different than what is done at most Division 1A teams. SMU is no longer playing the martyr and appears that it will do whatever is necessary to win. SMU is not breaking any NCAA rules that I can see. End of that discussion.

Now to the real issue-the one which most callers were reacting to.

Are NCAA rules "FAIR". Are universities designed to place athletic success over academic achievement. Are recruits glorified mercenaries that are expendable in pursuit of bowl games despite good grades, apparently(in some cases) following the rules of the university and program. Should a school which after all offered the scholarship decide to revoke it because the recruit isn't athletically good enough. I suggest that the NCAA needs to address some of these issues such as cutting players and revoking scholarship offers shortly before signing date. I don't think it is fair in SOME CASES. Its fair if a recruit continues to visit other schools or if the student is not legitimately following university and program rules more serious than missing a couple of classes or arriving 5 minutes late for practice. Otherwise, all the BS about the Student athlete and Advancement toward Degrees is complete [deleted]. These are issues I have no problem with SMU asserting on the broader NCAA stage but again I don't want to see SMU being the martyr to a lost cause.

My solution which I propse again is to allow schools to award a certain number of scholarships per year PERIOD. Maybe a hard 30 per year. No greyshirts and no "do-overs" from signing non-qualifiers. Each signee is an asset. Schools than retain quality student athletes would have a significant advantage. If you run him off, he flunks or fails to qualify the school has lost an asset. Right now the way it is-you lose a student you get to replace him even though the school was the one who made the mistake in signing him in the first place.

[mrydel]

I thought the student did a good job and made a reasonable case. But, he did mention that he had been placed on the "scout" team and that JJ told him he was a good kid. I think it is pretty difficult for JJ to just say, you have been cut because of your play and potential to the press.

If he wins his appeal, I heard he cannot play football, but his scholarship would be honored and then I thought I heard that it would count against the 85, but none of this sounded right. Can anyone clarify?

What I have read is what you said. If he wins, he keeps his scholarship, he is not on the team but the scholarship does count against the 85 limit.

[ALEX LIFESON]

I listened to it, and could not believe that from the time they started talking about the event, to having Johnson on the air, and wrapping up with callers accusing SMU of racism, it lasted for 40-45 minutes. It was a witch hunt! Irvin's co host, acted as if this was a complete anomoly in college sports, when in fact, it happens all across the country. The only thing I enjoyed, was when they said this was the best recruiting class SMU has had in 25 years!

[Junior]

Who the f--- cares about anything in Irvin's show? He is waste of the airwaves.

Is he ever going to talm to the police about the alleged attempted car-jacking? Did he make that whole story up?

[couch 'em]

Jones is friends with Deion Sanders. He needs to get on there and defend us with bling power.