No MOre Than Usual

[Hoop Fan]

That's nice, but they decided not to do that 10 years ago.

But what if we could have more success at the 1-AA level? Would it be so bad to have 10-12K to watch a 1-AA SMU team that is 10-1 as opposed to a team that is 1-10? Clearly we can't compete at the 1-A level as SMU is not truly committed to doing so. In an effort to save a financially burdened athletic department, D-III might be the way to go.

Dude, shut up. You are clearly no SMU fan. Go back to the FrogForum, Deep Purple.

[Charleston Pony]

I actually enjoyed watching I-AA football games in the Southern Conference when I lived in Charleston. Citadel played host to Marshall, Georgia Southern, App State...and even Mike Cavan's E.Tenn St team while I was there. I would absolutely continue to support SMU even if we did drop to I-AA and play Sam Houston, Texas State and S.F.Austin...but I will be the 1st to admit it would be a BITTER pill to swallow hoping "big brother" TCU would continue to give us a game every year. There is no reason on this earth that SMU should not be competing with every other non-BCS program out there. That's why I sincerely hope the board and/or Dr Turner NEVER seriously consider the option of dropping down one level.

[SoCal_Pony]

CP.

I am a life-long fan since childhood. Try to take in a couple of games a year even though I live on the left coast.

Have them drop to 1-AA and I would follow them as much as I do my high school football team...maybe an occasional look-see in the paper.

[SWC2010]

I actually enjoyed watching I-AA football games in the Southern Conference when I lived in Charleston. Citadel played host to Marshall, Georgia Southern, App State...and even Mike Cavan's E.Tenn St team while I was there. I would absolutely continue to support SMU even if we did drop to I-AA and play Sam Houston, Texas State and S.F.Austin...but I will be the 1st to admit it would be a BITTER pill to swallow hoping "big brother" TCU would continue to give us a game every year. There is no reason on this earth that SMU should not be competing with every other non-BCS program out there. That's why I sincerely hope the board and/or Dr Turner NEVER seriously consider the option of dropping down one level.

-

Dropping a "D" level is one thing-- but you'll still have academic integrity problems.

SFA & SHSU recruit the same "academic" players as A&M, TT, LaTech, UNT, etc.

You can drop a letter.. & still lose.

[EastStang]

I would add though that the only thing that really made 1-AA palatible to the W&M alums was the fact that Delaware, Richmond and VMI were joining William and Mary in 1-AA. These were their historic natural rivals. In our case, it is problematic because our historic natural rivals are in 1-A. TCU, Rice, UH, and of course the Big XII defectors. Given that, I would not want to see SMU drop to 1-AA. Right now we are in a conference in which we ought to be competitive. We just need to figure out whether its still the model or the guy in the AD's office or on the sidelines. Until that question is forthrightly reviewed by Turner and by the Board of Trustees, any changes will be window dressing. The question is, does our current leadership have the cojones to look seriously into our lack of competitiveness in revenue sports.