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Let me start off by saying that I believe that losing is not acceptable. Losing affects the mind set of every player, coach, fan, and contributor to the school and I believe it can effect other aspects of someones life. Which in my opinion, very simply, is why you see "the rich getting richer" in today's society. Winning isn't just a mindset. It is a lifestyle. It doesn't matter what line of work or what stage of life you are in, everyone who is "successful" is a winner.

I've been following the PonyFans forums for about two years. As a life long SEC fan, (I am now a lifelong SMU fan because I know a few of our players personally) it is truly depressing to get on this board and read the pessimistic comments about the players and coaches and the program. I hope recruits don't get on this forum is all I can say. Haha. Granted, most everyone on this forum is a big SMU fan. So..., why then is it that the biggest supporters are seemingly the least positive? Maybe we are all realist. Or maybe we have too much optimism in what SMU is actually capable of. Nothing wrong with that. Although neither is a valid excuse for being negative in my opinion.

So, as fans, we must ask ourselves...what makes a successful season? Is it ok to be upset that we don't go undefeated or win 10 games every year? Absolutely! But, we aren't Alabama, Florida St., or Michigan.

SMU football as we all know is not a top 25 program. Most years, we are not a top 50 program. Why? Well, the simple fact of the matter is that we aren't as good in many aspects of the college football lifestyle. I could comment more on this, but we all know various things wrong with the program. This is all about staying positive!

The bottom line...The 500 people on this website can only cheer so loud. It's what we "cheer" about outside the stadium that counts and what I believe will inspire the other 31,500 and make SMU the program we all know it can be. I wonder how many more wins we would get if there was a sold out crowd for every home game? Not to mention the recruits coming to the games. And more importantly, how do *****I***** make that happen? Winning will put butts in the seats, but it should be the other way around. Let's support these players AND coaches and...

Let's stay positive! I'm looking forward to a bowl game this year! And even more excited about the possibilities for next year!

"I don't know any other way to lead but by example." - Don Shula

Cannot agree with you more. I think you have to support the program no matter what. Our fanbase tends to go on the pessimistic route and it doesn't help attendance when our "faithful" refuse to go to games because of coach x or coach y.

I think a lot of the negativity has stuck from the Death Penalty aftermath. The school has been slow to accept football because of all the bad things that happened that it may in fact be hindering our rise back to the top. It happened 30 years ago so I think it is time to let it go. Also, remember that our brand has been forgotten and now we are rising back from the dead thanks to our bowl wins and to basketball...now the real trek begins-how do we build up our fledgling Football and Basketball programs into elite powerhouses that attract and keep DFW and Texas talent local?

I completely agree, Big12Mustang. And one thing impeticular that I think would be a big step for the program and for local recruiting...a few billboards represting SMU Football throughout Dallas! Talk about boosting the moral of the players and a local fan base! Like you said, a lot of negative has happened in the past. But, what can we do today that will make it all worth while on Saturdays? The boulevard is one of a kind experience. SMU: we should take that experience and spread it through the city. Being "too supportive" of football in Texas is nothing to be embarrased about. Lol. Pony up.

I've been posting about that recently. I am concerned about how pee wee our Football marketing seems compared to our basketball marketing. No reason why we cannot have Football billboards everywhere in DFW. We need the hype and we need to build it fast!

Smu_rise wrote: SMU football as we all know is not a top 25 program. Most years, we are not a top 50 program. Why? Well, the simple fact of the matter is that we aren't as good in many aspects of the college football lifestyle. I could comment more on this, but we all know various things wrong with the program.

Huh?

Enlighten us.

Did FTHP make another account?

I'll speak for myself.

Here goes . . .

We were truly on the rise in 2011 after beating TCU and got top 25 votes and had a stud recruiter (and had some really stand up young men who were overachievers . . . Zach Line, Beach, T Reed, etc). We should have seized that opportunity and started marketing the hell out of our program and hit the recruiting trail HARD, HARD, HARD (also had the "going to the big east" buzz happening). Instead the coach makes some very bizarre, borderline unethical moves and we lose our stud recruiter (and a couple of solid verbal commits as well). It's been all down hill since then (other than Garrett Gilbert and Jeremy Johnson and DJ last year and we even lost that coach who put the system in place that actually got us SOME interest nationally - statistically and excitement wise). Now, we've had a FEW stud recruits here and there (Zelt Minor, Gaines, Gresham) since then but they are not enough. We need a class FULL of them (not 1 or 2 plus a bunch of guys with no other D1 offers). That won't cut it here. At SMU. In Dallas, TX.

The bar has been raised. The expectations have been set.

Has nothing to do with the current players (we will all go to the games, buy the tickets, etc) but we need a new HC. Bottom line. Someone who can recruit and embrace the local football culture and hire a staff full of the same. My patience has run out. Especially after what I just saw happen in basketball this year (wins, recruits, sold out Moody). It's POSSIBLE here. Not only that. It is REQUIRED here now. Top 25. Nothing else is acceptable. Not anymore. Not by me anyway.

East Coast Mustang wrote:Did FTHP make another account?

Not everyone who doesn't agree with you or the negativity in this board is FTHP.

At least I am glad Cougar King isn't around anymore...

Clearly our struggles in recruiting and filling our stadium are because 12 of the 35 posters who are on regularly aren't sun-shining enough.

Big12Mustang wrote:

SMUer wrote:Clearly our struggles in recruiting and filling our stadium are because 12 of the 35 posters who are on regularly aren't sun-shining enough.

I think SMU_rise makes a good point that some on this board have commented about. I think it is evident that SMU has not recruited like the board would have liked. However, once a player is committed it is time to welcome and support that recruit. I suspect those potential recruits that read this board would take away a negative image of SMU fan support. I would suppose that has cost SMU a recruit or two. To what extent; I don't think anyone knows including the recruiters.

ojaipony wrote:

Smu_rise wrote: SMU football as we all know is not a top 25 program. Most years, we are not a top 50 program. Why? Well, the simple fact of the matter is that we aren't as good in many aspects of the college football lifestyle. I could comment more on this, but we all know various things wrong with the program.

Huh?

Enlighten us.

First of all, I believe that you can't change things that you can't control. Secondly, a few things that other "elite" schools have that we do not...I think it's pretty self explanatory. Just look around. Go see who is standing on Alabama's sidelines or look at Oklahoma St.'s facilities or Penn St.'s fans. The first thing that I notice is the fact that the fans never sit down. Or, at least they didn't in the games I've been to. That is something that I CAN CONTROL, so that is one way I can try to help our players on the field. You named one 'NEGATIVE' when you said coach Jones wasn't getting it done. But, seeing how you and I are not going to be the ones to change that, we HAVE to support who we do have or we've already lost. - "My responsibility is leadership, and the minute I get negative, that is going to have a negative influence on my team." - Don Shula

SMUer wrote:Clearly our struggles in recruiting and filling our stadium are because 12 of the 35 posters who are on regularly aren't sun-shining enough.

Lol! Touché, SMUer. I was talking more about the SMU fan base as a whole and not just who gets on the forum though. I was using this forum as a prime example of the negative comments throughout the community. (Actions speak louder than words) With that said, you might be suprised who gets on this forum and the effects of negativity in general.

The basketball board is entirely positive. This board is no more, or perhaps less, negative than others with a program in this state of complete disaster.

We need to advertise every year with billboards and maybe even Dart train wraps... We are in an area with 5 professional sports teams and 3 FBS football programs. Everyone of those teams are pursuing fans discretionary dollar. The best campaign that I can remember was the Juneth Cometh campaign. The creative and the messaging got many people excited about SMU football. I remember a lot of my dad's friends who have no SMU ties talking about buying tix that year because of the billboards on 75. The last couple of campaigns Dallas' Team and Game Day were just pretty subpar messaging wise as well as the creative. If I'm not mistaken, The Richards Group was behind the June Cometh Pony Up campaign. I do not know who was behind the others.