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a DMN editorial about the Baylor BB scandal today stated "SMU's football program was shut down for two years and probably will never return to its glory years" Poor ole SMU! Nevermind the fact that many of the players being recruited this year weren't even born when the scandal broke. Poor ole SMU! Nevermind that not a single recruit in ten years gave a rat's [deleted] about what happened in 1987. Poor ole SMU! How long will this school rely on this same old tired excuse. The Death Penalty has ZERO to do with our present problems-the handicaps forced on this program have everything to do with the problem. I can see 50 years from now the apologists for SMU's program will still be crying about Poor ole SMU-this Pity party makes me sick.

Actually, I think our DP coupled with, and our DP might've helped along the Arkansas defection to the SEC which caused the ultimate demise of the SWC. If the SWC had survived, the Cotton Bowl Classic, and SMU would probably be in the BCS.

We might've been in the SWC 16, or Big 16 with the likely upcoming merger with the Big 8 . Rice might've been chosen to take a hike.

Just thinkin, speculating, and dreamin a little here.

Stallion wrote:a DMN editorial about the Baylor BB scandal today stated "SMU's football program was shut down for two years and probably will never to its glory years" Poor ole SMU! Nevermind the fact that many of the players being recruited this year weren't even born when the scandal broke. Poor ole SMU! Nevermind that not a single recruit in ten years gave a rat's [deleted] about what happened in 1987. Poor ole SMU! How long will this school rely on this same old tired excuse. The Death Penalty has ZERO to do with our present problems-the handicaps forced on this program have everything to do with the problem. I can see 50 years from now the apologists for SMU's program will still be crying about Poor ole SMU-this Pity party makes me sick.

It led to, but is not the problem today. Agreed.

That was an editorial in the News being reported apparently...NOT an SMU source. Therefore I don't understand it being attributed to SMU as being relied upon as an excuse for our problems. I must have missed something (no! wait! I didn't)

Actually, it had everything to do with the current state of affairs on the Hilltop. With no DP, chances are the Pye restrictions never would have been put into place, meaning Coach Gregg and Coach Rossley would have had a shot at recruiting the caliber of athletes Coach Bennett is getting. Had we had that kind of talent for the past 10-12 years, we likely would have done a lot more winning. It was the DP that caused the creation of the rules many have wanted lifted or altered, and Coach Bennett and Jim Copeland are starting to get that done. And that's without any change in the academic requirements, just the recruiting policy and procedure.

I agree with Hoss. Had there been no interruption in the football program I suspect that corporate contributions and ticket purchases - as well as by individuals - would be at a higher level today.

Oh no. Do my eyes deceive me? Did a Judge just disagree with a lawyer?

I agree that our Ramadan self flagellation should end. We have run around beating ourselves to death like crazed Iranians for too long. The DP is behind us and hopefully the Pye model and its pervasive and perverse culture as well.

Great! this is exactly what I'm talking about-we got at least three posters who think what happened in 1987 has anything to do with 0-12 and 10th place in Basketball. GET OVER IT! You are PATHETIC!

Stallion,

I 've heard you make the same comment and call names before, but unless you've changed your mind fairly recently and so announced in a post I missed, you've stated you do not contribute to the Mustang Club and won't until all the recruiting restrictions adopted after the end of Football I at SMU are removed. To me that is a clear example of what I mentioned, less financial support than would otherwise be the case, and one I think is often repeated although not always for the same reason.

To your credit I believe you've also stated that you've been to all the home foorball games for many years and purchased multiple season tickets for FB and BB for a long time which I find admirable.

Nothing I've written has anything to do with self flagellation. It is about the aftershocks which SMU is not past, and still suffers. Evidently the NCAA agrees since they have yet to impose the same penalty on another athletic program.

Stallion wrote:Great! this is exactly what I'm talking about-we got at least three posters who think what happened in 1987 has anything to do with 0-12 and 10th place in Basketball. GET OVER IT! You are PATHETIC!

What happened in 1987 led to the Faculty control over athletics, which initiated policies in c.1987 that have since hampered our teams ever since. That as much is true.

Some of these policies were overturned under Cavan (eg., priority registration so that the team could practice together - unlike under Rossley where the CENTER never practiced with the rest of the offensive line) AND moreso under Bennett (eg., the practical admission policy before an athlete could even visit the campus, etc.)

There are a few other issues to be addressed that still hinder the teams (i.e., majors that allow for PE and Teaching Certificate JC students to qualifty as a transfer) that have been addressed recently (bringing back Teaching Certification). This area has/may have a ways to go.

But, no, the DP is not 'responsible' for our demise today, it is the policies that arose out of that which had not been properly addressed until recently.

GRGB is absolutely correct.. Stallion, no one has blamed the DP directly for ANY problems we're having today. But we still have a conservative administration unwilling to lift ALL the restrictions and take steps to make a serious financial committment to the revenue sports. It's ALWAYS too little too late.

Stallion wrote:Great! this is exactly what I'm talking about-we got at least three posters who think what happened in 1987 has anything to do with 0-12 and 10th place in Basketball. GET OVER IT! You are PATHETIC!

Hello, Kettle - this is Teapot. You're black.