Facilities

[RGV Pony]

I know I'll catch plenty of flack for this, but here goes.

Facilities are important, but tradition, I think, is more so. Or maybe a big-name coach.

I was in Louisville this past weekend...anyone ever seen their campus and facilities? IMO, they leave a lot to be desired...at best. Like most river towns, everything's grey...now, they've done a lot of beautification things like a riverfront park, a downtown minor league ballpark, etc....but I couldn't help but wonder what it must've been like to rewind 7 or 8 years, when they played in what must've been the crappiest D1 football stadium this side of Ownby. Right next door to said stadium is Freedom Hall, which I think they've remodeled on the inside, but looks like a barn on the outside. Think an enlarged Loos fieldhouse. The soccer stadium, visible from the interstate, is essentially Westcott with a brick facade and a pressbox above metal bleachers. IMO, the campus is ugly, especially compared to Churchill Downs three blocks away. Oh, and the pièce de ré·sis·tance? You know those grain elevators in Carrollton? Imagine something like that in Highland Park with SMU MUSTANGS painted on the side. That's what Louisville has.

Where am I going with all this? At the end of Crum's reign and before Pitino, and even before CUSA football time, before John L. Williams, what was the drawing card to Louisville (for recruits...bball and fball)? My guess would be a great fan base (at least for bball) and the ability to admit pretty much anyone.

Fan base problem is/will be hard to fix (moreso in bball, I think). Admissions problems I'm not sure about. Maybe the big name coach (Pitino) had more to do with things at L'ville.

Apples and oranges maybe, but it was fun looking at things from a PonyFan's perspective.

[McClown27]

I totally agree with you. I feel that the DMN has destroyed our fan base.

[Stallion]

its a conspiracy!!! Tell me how long have you been a fan. Really! How can you sit through the crap many of us have for 17 years and claim the DMN destroyed our fan base. That's ludicous. Please explain how TCU has had success in BOTH Football and Basketball in the same media market but SMU hasn't.

[RGV Pony]

its a conspiracy!!! Tell me how long have you been a fan. Really! How can you sit through the crap many of us have for 17 years and claim the DMN destroyed our fan base. That's ludicous. Please explain how TCU has had success in BOTH Football and Basketball in the same media market but SMU hasn't.

Stallion, you don't think for a second the poor guy was posting in jest?

...and since you bring up TCU, again that suggests it sure as hell isn't facilities.

I'm convinced more and more it's admissions. And a cooperative faculty [senate].

Fan support is nice, but let 'em all in.

[CalallenStang]

they played in what must've been the crappiest D1 football stadium this side of Ownby. Right next door to said stadium is Freedom Hall, which I think they've remodeled on the inside, but looks like a barn on the outside. Think an enlarged Loos fieldhouse. The soccer stadium, visible from the interstate, is essentially Westcott with a brick facade and a pressbox above metal bleachers. IMO, the campus is ugly, especially compared to Churchill Downs three blocks away. Oh, and the pièce de ré·sis·tance? You know those grain elevators in Carrollton? Imagine something like that in Highland Park with SMU MUSTANGS painted on the side. That's what Louisville has.

Quick visual tour:

Old Cardinal Stadium



Freedom Hall




Cardinal Park Track & Soccer Stadium



I've also heard that the Louisville campus is ugly. Two or three red-brick buildings and the rest are 70s style concrete...never been there, but passing on what I have heard.

[McClown27]

its a conspiracy!!! Tell me how long have you been a fan. Really! How can you sit through the crap many of us have for 17 years and claim the DMN destroyed our fan base. That's ludicous. Please explain how TCU has had success in BOTH Football and Basketball in the same media market but SMU hasn't.

I don't see your point. I admit that changes to the academic model are the single most important change needed to make SMU more competitive. In that sense, TCU is able to get players that SMU is not.

As for media coverage, I think the DMN has really hurt the program. Our coverage is worse than the MLS. This lack of coverage hurts attendance in a myriad of ways. In turn, this hurts recruiting.

You are the one who wanted Charlie Waters because of the local buzz it would create, so you already know this stuff.

[EastStang]

I've been to Louisville's football stadium to see Reggie Dupard shred them. It may have had some upgrades since then, but it was a DUMP. We have great football facilities. Our basketball arena isn't perfect, but its pretty good. It could use some upgrades, but that shouldn't turn recruits and fans off. I could name some NBA arenas that are nothing to write home about. So, why don't we have the success of other schools. Stallion is correct that our model is too restrictive in some respects and needs tweaking. The other is that our student body is apathetic whether it is because we've had 15 years of mediocrity or its just not "cool" to go to games. Whatever the reasons, we have little fan support, which leads to little media coverage. What is needed is to win. When we start having solid winning seasons, things can change. Better recruits come, better coaches look at us as a place to consider working, and fans and students start to show up at games again. How do we go from mediocrity to victory. We start this fall. We have a schedule that is built so that we can succeed on the field. Let's get out there for this season and cheer on the Mustangs.

[Stallion]

Louisville built a brand new stadium since SMU played up there.

[The PonyGrad]

I am not making the argument that the DMN has or has not been a big drag on our program BUT you can not compare the coverage that TCU gets in this "media market" with what we get. The Startlegram covers TCU like a home team while SMU gets no such consideration.

[McClown27]

I am not making the argument that the DMN has or has not been a big drag on our program BUT you can not compare the coverage that TCU gets in this "media market" with what we get. The Startlegram covers TCU like a home team while SMU gets no such consideration.

Exactly.

[jtstang]

I am not making the argument that the DMN has or has not been a big drag on our program BUT you can not compare the coverage that TCU gets in this "media market" with what we get. The Startlegram covers TCU like a home team while SMU gets no such consideration.

That's because TCU is good and people in FW are interested and it helps sell papers. Now, contrast that with SMU....

[Pony_Fan]

yea, it's all the DMN's fault. gimme a break.

[couch 'em]

The Startlegram covers TCU like a home team while SMU gets no such consideration.

Perhaps now they do, but how were they covered when they had an SMU record every year?

[PK]

I am not making the argument that the DMN has or has not been a big drag on our program BUT you can not compare the coverage that TCU gets in this "media market" with what we get. The Startlegram covers TCU like a home team while SMU gets no such consideration.

That's because TCU is good and people in FW are interested and it helps sell papers. Now, contrast that with SMU....

Let's see how that plays out when the Cowboys become a Tarrant County Team. Go Fort Worth Cowboys.

[bagice]

I have never understood this argument.

In my mind, the DMN doesn't give us much coverage because we have sucked for so long and not many people care about SMU. Hell, if you go by our attendance figures through the years, they probably give us more coverage than we deserve. Plus they are a sponsor for many SMU sporting events and buy advertising time on our radio broadcasts. Cut them some slack.

We are responsible for our own problems, it is up to us to fix them, not sit around and blame them on someone else.

When we start winning, the coverage will increase accordingly and we can look forward to the front page again.