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Memphis is really enjoying the "College GameDay"/ABC prime-time thing. I've checked out their hometown newspaper, the Memphis Commercial Appeal, this morning, and learned a lot of things. Most importantly, these two events are happening in order to highlight the Memphis Tigers. And the City of Memphis. And Beale Street (which is in Memphis). And the Liberty Bowl (which is in Memphis).

The lead article on the Memphis Commercial Appeal's front page right now is headlined: "AAC Commissioner: Memphis deserves 'GameDay,' ABC prime-time game." In fairness to Aresco, he does mention SMU multiple times, but the Memphis paper paraphrases him saying this: "Aresco noted that while SMU’s 8-0 unbeaten start this year was a big factor in the game being featured, it’s also a validation of Memphis’ sustained success."

Among other featured articles is columnist Mark Giannotto, with a contribution headlined: "ESPN's 'College Gameday' [sic] is so much bigger than football for Beale Street and Memphis." It does mention that "Memphis and SMU" will kick off later on Saturday, but other than that one acknowledgment of there being a second team in town on Saturday, there's lots about ... Memphis.

Last, and most interesting to me, there's also an article right up at the top that is headlined: "What Memphis football players said about 'College GameDay,' playing SMU." It includes senior tight end Joey Magnifico talking about how great it is that a primetime game is "coming to Memphis, the fact they even thought about us [Memphis] is huge and the fact that they're coming here [Memphis] is incredible." QB Brady White "called it a childhood dream that his team [Memphis] would be featured on 'College GameDay." The article writer briefly chimes in a couple of times, with thoughts about how "the No. 23 Tigers were thrilled to know the city [of Memphis] and the team [Memphis] would be spotlighted," and how great it is that "Saturday will be the first time Memphis will be featured as ABC's game of the week in the evening," before we turn to Memphis running back coach Anthony Jones Jr. opining that "These [Memphis] coaches have worked extremely hard, the [Memphis] players have worked hard and it's a true testament to the city [of Memphis] and to the university [of Memphis] and this [Memphis] football program." To add some background, the reader next learns what "[a] [Memphis] win Saturday" could mean for Memphis, and then the final player quoted, defensive back TJ Carter, talks about the AAC implications of the game and concludes that "[w]e [Memphis] understand that so we [Memphis] have to go out there and play Memphis football." Like the Gianotto column, this entire article--and remember, it was headlined to be about Memphis players' thoughts on GameDay and on facing SMU--only mentions us in passing filler about who the Memphis Tigers are scheduled to play on Saturday night. Oh, in Memphis.

Please prep the team to pound Memphis into the Memphis turf.

Right on!

yep its all bought Memphis right now

Hard to keep people from drinking their own kool-aid and living in their own bubble. Just so unfortunate, that the schedule didn't have this came at Ford, and the story line should be where it was meant to be - SMU and Dallas.

The way to change the narrative - BTHO of Memphis, and the announcers will be talking up SMU all night long...

If SMU wins it works out in our favor. 60k attendance makes the conference look great on TV. Memphis favored. Everyone knows it is a really hostile environment to go and win. If SMU wins, it gives us a ton of publicity and competent flips the narrative.

Right now, Memphis is probably somewhat distracted while SMU isn’t getting the buzz and won’t have the distractions. If SMU wins, people will give us a lot of respect, and will draw more interest to our home games and bowl game.

SMU can build up its fan base, and get gameday in a few years when Preston Stone is a Sophomore and we are pre season ranked.

Mustangs_Maroons wrote:The way to change the narrative - BTHO of Memphis, and the announcers will be talking up SMU all night long...

Right. And there's an enormous amount of disrespect, if not indifference (which is worse), coming out of Memphis right now. So use it as motivation.

What else is motivating is how they’ve owned us the last few years.

ponyboy wrote:What else is motivating is how they’ve owned us the last few years.

And that, my friends, is what I would be using as a coach. Even X Jones was interviewed a couple of weeks ago and said something to the effect of "oh, yeah, I really want those guys." The vets want payback and go out on a high note and a lot of the transfers (like Shane and McBryde and Stephens) are kinda like "uh, I played against Notre Dame as a true freshman and started for Texas/I played in the SEC championship game/Iron Bowl/I played home games for 3 years at the freakin' Rose Bowl. Not going to really sweat it." LOL.

See, and that's the point I'd make. Forget the transfers - we have 21 of 25 listed starters back from last year. They should remember the past few years and be ready for tomorrow.

ojaipony wrote:

ponyboy wrote:What else is motivating is how they’ve owned us the last few years.

And that, my friends, is what I would be using as a coach. Even X Jones was interviewed a couple of weeks ago and said something to the effect of "oh, yeah, I really want those guys." The vets want payback and go out on a high note and a lot of the transfers (like Shane and McBryde and Stephens) are kinda like "uh, I played against Notre Dame as a true freshman and started for Texas/I played in the SEC championship game/Iron Bowl/I played home games for 3 years at the freakin' Rose Bowl. Not going to really sweat it." LOL.

Good points. If this team wants to beat anyone, it’s Memphis. Didn’t guys like Jones and Proche get beat like 63-0 during the Morris years? I know Shane and most Texas players wanted to beat TCU more than anyone. This is like that for SMU.