Texas No. 4 To Commit to UT

[abezontar]

Not really, but then I'm not the one that constantly gripes at everyone for having any kind of optimism for the failure to see that we will never be better until we fix the model the athletic department currently functions under. While I agree with Stallion, that whatever hinderances we have against allowing transfers and jucos into the university need to be lifted, and that we could also do with some more general education majors similar to other schools that would accept more transfer hours from other schools; I get frustrated by his repetitiveness and failure to offer any solutions that are of any real value to anyone on this board, all the while insulting people we still need to support the program.

[Mickey]

Hey Mickey, let me in on it also! What is the "plan" YOU and Stallion have? Please share this information, on what WE can do as individuals!

I never said that I had a plan. It is too late now! I can tell you this, we should try to be as competitive as we can possibly be and set as our goal a membership in a BCS conference. That is what TCU is doing.

Maybe there will be another realignment and we might get lucky. If we get the chance, we should jump at it even if it costs a lot of $$$.

Until then, I plan to keep renewing my Mustang Club membership and my season tickets in football and basketball. I also plan to continue to leave in disgust at the half time of most of the games.

In order to get my sports fix, I will continue to support my other alma mater. I will also continue to attend one big time college football game and one big time college basketball game around the country. This will also include games between schools with whom I have absolutley zero or little affiliation. SMU used to fill this role, but they are no where close to being considered big time anymore.

[jtstang]

I never said that I had a plan. It is too late now! I can tell you this, we should try to be as competitive as we can possibly be and set as our goal a membership in a BCS conference. That is what TCU is doing.

You're right about it being too late for SMU. Not sure how this supports your sentiment that SMU should be looking for BCS conference memebership. It's too late for that, no BCS conference will EVER want SMU.

Maybe there will be another realignment and we might get lucky. If we get the chance, we should jump at it even if it costs a lot of $$$.

If by "get lucky" you mean land in a BCS conference, forget it.

Until then, I plan to keep renewing my Mustang Club membership and my season tickets in football and basketball. I also plan to continue to leave in disgust at the half time of most of the games.

It's big of you to continue spending $ on this program. Feel free to leave at halftime. It will probably be with good reason.

In order to get my sports fix, I will continue to support my other alma mater. I will also continue to attend one big time college football game and one big time college basketball game around the country. This will also include games between schools with whom I have absolutley zero or little affiliation. SMU used to fill this role, but they are no where close to being considered big time anymore.

Truly, if you are looking for "big time" you should look elsewhere.

[White Helmet]

we know the only reason JT wants you to leave at half time is so he can move into your seats.

[Stallion]

There is no reason on earth why SMU can't be at least as successful as TCU in Football-ie dominate its conference, winning championships and go to bowl games-assuming we play on an even playing field as our opponents. Look at who plays in our conference.

As for what each of you can do to improve SMU's situation-I really could care less. The reason I began posting on here about 10 years ago was because there was an absolute vacuum and lack of an articulate voice in the SMU community agressively advocating the importance of a strong athletic program and the measures necessary to return the program to success. I have little doubt my voice and more importantly my arguments supported with facts has been heard in the Head Football Coaches office, the Head Basketball Coaches office, The ADs office, the President's office and the just about every committee that has considered the SMU Model.

Go read the Faculty Committee notes where they talk about SMU being the only school in Texas where there is no curriculm or major designed to appeal to athletes and the problem with transferable hours, go read the rationales given for the SMU Commitment (read Model) and the need to modify recruiting to allow for earlier admissions of athletes and streamlined procedures. Listen to Phil Bennett talk about the necessity of being able to bring in mature JUCOs to help shore up weaknesses. I'm confident that I contributed to those debates and whats more framed the issues and identified the factual support for those issues years in advance. If the only role I played was articulating, advocating and supporting the issues and focusing thousanda of people in the SMU community on the Model under which we compete that's fine with me. At least I haven't been hiding my head in the sand about what needs to be done.

And jtstang-we've talked about this before-I do believe just about every measure I have advocated will eventually get approved and we will be competitive again. I don't think it is a hopeless cause although I agree we lost ground in certain areas that we will never recover like conference affiliation and recognition. The reason I believe that is that the Model I have advocated is reasonable and essential for SMU to compete in Division 1A athletics in Dallas Texas in the 2006. One side will eventually win this argument and I don't think it will be the Pye Crowd.

[Mickey]

.[/quote]Truly, if you are looking for "big time" you should look elsewhere.[/quote]

I already am looking elsewhere. I have been for the past 20 years. That is why I try to attend one of my alma mater's home games, and one BCS football and baketball game every year. I saw the SEC Cahmpionship football game in Atlanta and TT-Ark BB game at AAC this year. Really enjoyed the games and atmosphere.

Regarding your other comments:

You are right it is too late for BCS membership unless they allow more conferences into the group. Highly unlikely, but if it ever happens, we had better be ready to move fast. TCU is ready.

Agree on getting lucky. It won't happen. No way! But then again, did you ever think Baylor would end up in the Big 12? I said our goal should be BCS. The new AD's dream should be the same.

I plan to continue to buy tickets and donate, but I am not even sure that I am an SMU fan anymore. I wish that I were but there hasn't been a lot to cheer about for a long long time.

[jtstang]

And jtstang-we've talked about this before-I do believe just about every measure I have advocated will eventually get approved and we will be competitive again. I don't think it is a hopeless cause although I agree we lost ground in certain areas that we will never recover like conference affiliation and recognition. The reason I believe that is that the Model I have advocated is reasonable and essential for SMU to compete in Division 1A athletics in Dallas Texas in the 2006. One side will eventually win this argument and I don't think it will be the Pye Crowd.

I understand. And you are right, but changes to the model will only allow us to be competitive in our new digs, NOT a BCS conference. If you think we will ever get a BCS invite, I just disagree. Too much bad football under the bridge. I seriously doubt that TCU will either, but that's a different argument.

[Stallion]

Probably true but even the dynamics of that issue/problem have changed now that you can get into a BCS Bowl if you are ranked in the Top 12. I think I've seen written that 5 non-BCS schools would have qualified for BCS Bowls if the new system had been in place in previous years.

[abezontar]

I think i just had a heart attack!!!! Optimism from Stallion that the model will be changed!!!

[mrydel]

Now for something completely ridiculous.

I think we have a better chance than many in gettng to the BCS. That is simply because of the Dallas media and athletic market. We have appeal in that area. Thus, if we can ever become competitive with BCS teams, and dominate our conference, I think the dream lives on. Will it happen in my life time? Depends on when I die but it could not happen very soon. We need to get competitive again, however, so we will be ready if the option arises. The scenario discussed the other day could actually happen, that being Arkansas going to the Big 12. If that occurs, the SEC will be looking for a team to replace them and not having a presence in Texas, make a Texas team a viable prospect. Problem right now is that there are several teams that would be considered before us, or rather, we would not even be considered at this time. Thus the urgency to improve quickly. I would be physically ill to see TCU get an SEC spot if this scenerio were to occur.

My dream is for this to happen so Jtstang will have to sit in his cheap seats and not be able to move inward.

[jtstang]

Now for something completely ridiculous.

I think we have a better chance than many in gettng to the BCS. That is simply because of the Dallas media and athletic market. We have appeal in that area. Thus, if we can ever become competitive with BCS teams, and dominate our conference, I think the dream lives on. Will it happen in my life time? Depends on when I die but it could not happen very soon. We need to get competitive again, however, so we will be ready if the option arises. The scenario discussed the other day could actually happen, that being Arkansas going to the Big 12. If that occurs, the SEC will be looking for a team to replace them and not having a presence in Texas, make a Texas team a viable prospect. Problem right now is that there are several teams that would be considered before us, or rather, we would not even be considered at this time. Thus the urgency to improve quickly. I would be physically ill to see TCU get an SEC spot if this scenerio were to occur.

My dream is for this to happen so Jtstang will have to sit in his cheap seats and not be able to move inward.

Well, I think that us very selfish of you.

[mrydel]

Are you worried it will happen?

[jtstang]

Are you worried it will happen?

No. Just hopeful.

[PK]

The reason I began posting on here about 10 years ago was because there was an absolute vacuum and lack of an articulate voice in the SMU community agressively advocating the importance of a strong athletic program and the measures necessary to return the program to success. I have little doubt my voice and more importantly my arguments supported with facts has been heard in the Head Football Coaches office, the Head Basketball Coaches office, The ADs office, the President's office and the just about every committee that has considered the SMU Model.

Go read the Faculty Committee notes where they talk about SMU being the only school in Texas where there is no curriculm or major designed to appeal to athletes and the problem with transferable hours, go read the rationales given for the SMU Commitment (read Model) and the need to modify recruiting to allow for earlier admissions of athletes and streamlined procedures. Listen to Phil Bennett talk about the necessity of being able to bring in mature JUCOs to help shore up weaknesses. I'm confident that I contributed to those debates and whats more framed the issues and identified the factual support for those issues years in advance.

You cannot seriously, with a straight face, be saying this. I am surprised your head hasn't blown up from getting so big. Do you seriously believe that no one in the athletic department, including the coaches, had any idea what-so-ever what was wrong with the system and what needed to be done to get this program competetive again until you came to the rescue to tell them about it by way of MustangManiacs.com and then PonyFans.com???? That is comical to the to the point of delirious. Geeeez....get real!

[91Stang]

This site didn't even exist 10 years ago, did it?

(Thank god it does now! For those of us who are miles away from Dallas, this is the lifesource for SMU Mustangs info.)