Horrible Season

[Sam I Am]

A really good coach makes an immediate impact on a program. There isn't any promise in the way the ponies have played the past two years. What you see is what we will keep getting. We've have not added any BIG name recruits yet. Unless we get somebody signed this year, then the final verdict is in on Tubbs.n

[abezontar]

Cause people gave money specifically for the engineering buildings, and no offense, but the engineering school needed them just as bad as the basketball program does.

[abezontar]

... there are teams (a lot of them) out there that are better than us.

Do you get to wear a cape and leotard Captain Obvious?

Awesome!

[Ponymon]

A really good coach makes an immediate impact on a program. There isn't any promise in the way the ponies have played the past two years. What you see is what we will keep getting. We've have not added any BIG name recruits yet. Unless we get somebody signed this year, then the final verdict is in on Tubbs.n

Sam, I fear that you are in for a HELL of a lot more disappointment going forward. This program won't be able to attract the type of coach you seek unless we bring in a "big" time athletic director who can get these facilities improved and change the "Pye attitude" of the professors and student body at this school!

[ASpelling]

There are schools that have done more with less. It is a general attitude from the top that needs to change. How many of you guys were really 'excited' to have Tubbs come in and take over? I suspect not many of you. If you guys, who are the most loyal of fans SMU has, are not excited, then how can anyone we are recruiting be excited. Perception is reality. Anyone who thinks we have a shot at Arthur is nuts!

We need someone that literally shakes things up! I don't want anyone who is glad to have this job. Tubbs is not the answer.

[friarwolf]

Hi, I am Friarwolf and I am a basher.

I also give more money than I should to the Mustang Club and will continue to do so. I have taken friends to see the Ponies and now when I call those friends, they always seem to have something better to do. Go figure......

From early on with Tubbs, I have been extremely disappointed with the teaching and development that goes on with this coaching staff. My buddies that like Tubbs keep saying give the guy time - he inherited bad players, they got hurt, yadda yadda. That's fine but what has the Tubbs and his staff done to improve what he inherited and what he has recruited the last 2 years? Can anyone say Hopkins got better the last 2 years? Did Willingham get better as the season progressed? Did Pearson? Fall???? Did anyone??????? I will live with a coach if I see the team makes progress through the year. I just haven't seen any indication to make me think that is going to change - and I don't care who we recruit - we better be able to mold them into better players and at this point, I have zero confidence this will happen..........

[Ponymon]

Hi, I am Friarwolf and I am a basher.

I also give more money than I should to the Mustang Club and will continue to do so. I have taken friends to see the Ponies and now when I call those friends, they always seem to have something better to do. Go figure.

You should be proud of yourself, friarwolf. Its always good to have a "positive" attitude. Its also good to see that someone on this board shows up to games, brings friends and also contributes to the Mustang Club. Now if we could just get another 5,000 alumni and students to also follow your lead we might have something!

And since you are so supportive, maybe you could open up your wallet and get us a coach that will change the program dramatically. That will only require an increase in salary from the current occupant of the position of at least $500K, but I am sure you can come up with the difference. No problem!

[friarwolf]

Hey Mon,

See my post regarding Tulsa on the "will we ever....." Yes, we could pay a name guy $750k a year but we don't have to......Find the young upcoming Nolan Ricardson, Tubby Smith, Bill Self.............Tulsa did.

[Ponymon]

I don't disagree with you that someone is out there that could make this team an instant winner. However, we might have to go through many more coaches before finding him. Most of these guys are going to require 5 year contracts not 1 year look-see contracts. This school can't afford the buyouts on all those contracts that it will take before we find the right guy. Hopefully, the new athletic director can find him on the first try, but after watching this team and my other alma mater, Missouri, try to locate him, I am not going to hold my breath!

[Billy Joe]

SMU athletics is a disgrace period. Everyone on this board can take their excuses and shove them where the sun does not shine. Copeland has been a failure as an AD. His departure is a blessing to this school. Bennett wins five games and people praise him? Show me a winning season first. Remember, SMU plays in a sub par conference. If Bennett does not win his easy games next year then he better will be gone. Tubbs or Dement? Take your pick. No post season play. Uninspiring performances. Excuses. And statements like "we are a young team" resinate from both programs. Another [deleted] poor season at the Hilltop. At least I can tell everyone on this board...."I told you so."

[DickerJames]

I don't care who we recruit - we better be able to mold them into better players and at this point, I have zero confidence this will happen..........

You really need to think before you type. If Darrell Arthur came to SMU you would be concerned about Tubbs ability to "mold" him. He is expected to play one year of college ball, two max. SMU players do progress each year, but progressing from poor to decent isn't going to win the conference. The Rack is better this year than last but he will NEVER be what you are wanting him to be. Castro had his best year as a senior but......

[SMU Football Blog]

Regarding facilities:

If you think of a large donation sufficient to build a building as an investment, please name one reason someone should invest in SMU athletics at the moment. Seriously. And because we need it is not a good reason. I am a bankruptcy attorney. I see lots of companies that needed money at one time or another to stay afloat. Some get it and some don't. Many that got it, eventually wind up in the same place as if they had never gotten the money. And the investors and creditors just wind up with bigger losses. The ones that are successful have good leadership who have good plans to turn things around.

Regarding coaches:

The fact of the matter is that a horrible UTEP can pluck a former JuCo college assistant and HS coach that bounced around Baylor, Tulsa and Illinois as an assistant, name him head coach, and have that coach do great things (and yes eventually leave). Tulsa can pick the QB coach for the feakin' Buffalo Bills and go to two bowl games in three years.

Conclusion:
It comes down to one thing. US. They do it better than we do. They don't hinder themselves with some misguided notion that they are too good to take certain athletes. That affects both the quality of coaches willing to come here and the ability of those coaches who do take on the challenge. And the people that selected those coaches made bad choices by and large.

The bottom line is at SMU, we have had bad people with bad plans making bad decisions for the last 18 years. Nobody has any confidence in SMU athletics right now, save a glimmer of hope for SMU football next year. Period.

You want a turnaround? You better hope Turner makes the right call for a new AD. Let's be honest, it is Turner's call. I don't care what the guy's background is as long as he inspires confidence in the program. But I will say this, I don't think that guy is going to be someone that was hired by the same guy that hired Dement, Cavan, Bennett or Tubbs.

[ponyboy]

A really good coach makes an immediate impact on a program.

I don't want to take your comment out of context, Sam, but I've got to say something here. Calvin Watkins got it right this morning: This was a disappointing season, it is true. How much of that, really though, falls on Tubbs' lap? We have nothing to suggest that Tubbs isn't a "really good coach." I like him. I like his enthusiasm -- nay, passion -- for the program. I like that he's brought a toughness to the Hilltop. And I still believe he'll outperform, recruiting-wise, given what he has to work with. We need to concentrate our energies on supporting the guy and giving him the tools he needs to succeed. That starts with a practice court and Moody renovations. I like our future with Coach Tubbs. Go Jimmy! Go SMU!

[friarwolf]

You darn right I would be concerned about Shady's development if he came here based on what I have seen. You are nuts if you think all the kids have not noticed that BHop fell off the map coming here.

And pardon me but I don't think Rack has shown much improvement. Don't mistake one game against a marginal opponent as showing improvement. Improvement would start with winning a starting job for the entire year.

[ponyboy]

You are nuts if you think all the kids have not noticed that BHop fell off the map coming here.

First of all, he was all conference several times and leaves SMU as the leader in several statistical categories and a reputation as one of the greatest ever to suit up for the Mustangs. And he'll play in the NBA. But, even granting your point, how much of that falls in *Jimmy Tubbs'* lap? Support your coach and work to initiate changes that will help him do his job.