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In light of the overwhelming response to the call for all SMU fans to wear black to honor the armed forces of the United States of America, SMU is now proud to announce that the football team will not tackle the Army ball carriers.

rumor has it we're just going to forfeit the game to honor them.

Get over it. I don't like the idea a hell of a lot, either, but it's going to happen at some point.

It's weird: when other teams (Nebraska, Texas, VaTech, Maryland, Georgia, etc.) do it, you never hear about their fans crying about it. My SMU gear is always going to be blue and red (and white ... another non-school color, I might add), but I'm completely geeked up about Thursday's game and will not let a different uniform, if the Ponies vary from the norm, get in the way of me screaming my lungs out. I would hope all PonyFans do the same.

Think about the last 20 years. The Ponies can come out in paisley, for all I care, if it means we're in bowl games every year.

Again, it is not the uniform, it is asking the fans to wear the opposing team color.

Does anyone remember that Dandy Don went into the *opposing team's* locker room to give a halftime speech once? Those days of sportsmanship and goodwill do not have to be gone forever. This is the right and honorable thing to do and I applaud it.

Here's another story that might add a little perspective: http://www.crosschronicles.com/2008/12/ ... -team.html

Yes, we want to beat Army. Honoring them doesn't detract from that goal.

The entire bowl game is to honor the military. That still does not mean having to wear the opponent's color in the stands. There is going to be a lot of honoring going on in the surrounding festivities and deservedly so. But again, as a fan, in a football game, my loyalty is to my team. We could hand out small American flags to wave. We could hand out buttons to wear in support of the military. But why do we choose first to honor only one branch, who happens to be our opponent, in a manner that purposely ignores and eliminates support for our own school. Smells like a pure marketing ploy to me.

You know what I think it is, now that you mention it? I think the black uniforms had already been purchased and the team was already told we'd wear them even before we figured out who our opponent was going to be. Not as much marketing ploy as trying to make the best of a premade decision.

Whatever the case: I don't care. As long as my team beats their team I'm good.

Let me again make myself clear from my point of view. If the uniforms are black, and it is not a permanent change, I am fine. It is the request for the fans to wear black to which I am opposed. It is not a military recognition, it is the wearing of the opponents colors. I will wear red and blue. I will support SMU regardless of the uniform. And I will support our military at all times.

You're right.

As usual, my friend mrydel is right on and why some on this board cannot understand the issue is beyond me. Marines wear olive colored (or that magnificent BLUE dress uniform!) and the Navy and Air Force wear BLUE! Black is the Army color and NOT the "armed forces" color. This is nothing more than a marketing ploy with absolutely no rational thought put into it. Silly, Silly, Silly. I will wear my usual red or blue.

Exactly. It's a stretch to say that black is an Army color. It is a West Point (USMA) color for its athletic teams. U.S. Army service uniforms are dark green ("Army green") blue and white.

If TV viewers tuned in and saw the SMU sections filled with people wearing black, I hardly think the reaction would be, "Oh, that must be a display of support for our armed forces." More likely the response would be, "WTF?"

I would bet money this had more to do with Bookstore sales and June Jones' favorite color than supporting the armed forces.

If SMU's administration truly wanted to support the armed forces, how about a Fallen Patriot Fund donation drive?

Well, I had it reversed. It wasn't that we would not tackle, we decided to give them the ball the first half.

Repeatedly give them the ball in the 1st half