Turner speaks to Hashimoto/DMN about SMU athletics

[blackoutpony]

Turner doesn't care about sports. It's just not his prerogative.

It is what it is....

[gostangs]

You are wrong blackout. But I am guessing I won't convince you.

[couch 'em]

You are wrong blackout. But I am guessing I won't convince you.

then why had the entirety of hours tenure seen horrible sports?

[Big12Mustang]

This is my final post on this site.

Can't you people read that RGT has no interest in competing nationally in athletics? It's too much of a burden to manage success. He never once mentions anything more than being competitive in the AAC.

He has the WORST football program in America right now -- and he did it to himself, systematically living in denial, overpaying a deadbeat coach, accepting 6-win bowl teams as the standard.

Frankly, if TCU wasn't kicking our collective asses in all aspects of football, it wouldn't be so bad.

If it's OK with him that we are who we are, then fine. Don't pretend. Any potential high-level athlete and his family will read this and never consider attending SMU. Same goes for any smart football coach, who knows that SMU has been a football coaches' graveyard.

Dr. Turner is an amazing man. Smart. Passionate. Connected. He's accomplished an incredible amount in his tenure. He's raised an astounding amount of money and aided SMU's academic rise in unprecedented ways. He just views intercollegiate athletics as "intramurals with scholarships." It is what it is. It's not going to change.

But, as far as supporting that athletic model, count me out. And, being deceitful to those of us who really care about college sports and SMU athletics is not fair. He obviously cares about his legacy, but doesn't care to have athletics included.

Stanford, Notre Dame, TCU, Rice, Georgia Tech, USC, Northwestern, Tulane, Tulsa -- all schools he calls peer schools -- do care and have had success on and off in the modern era. They see it as important. RGT does not. End of story. Today's glorified press release affirms that.

Tally ho!

He cannot say we want to move to another conference, publicly at least. We are in the AAC for now so that's our current reality.

[Rebel10]

It would have been nice if he would have said that he wanted to be competitive nationally (like top 25 in whatever we do). We can be competitive in the AAC and never even get close to being a top 25 team.

[gostangs]

Couch EM I guess u missed last yrs basketball?

[couch 'em]

Couch EM I guess u missed last yrs basketball?

Ok, I'll revise to say 18 of 19 years

[Big12Mustang]

It would have been nice if he would have said that he wanted to be competitive nationally (like top 25 in whatever we do). We can be competitive in the AAC and never even get close to being a top 25 team.

The goal of our athletic program is to be the best in the American Athletic Conference. Attaining that goal could help lead the American to be included with the other five top conferences or, if reorganization is incomplete within these leagues, SMU individually would be as attractive as possible. Therefore, our goal is to compete at the highest level possible.

I think he means we do want to be competitive nationally. He just needs to execute and commit resources towards that goal. We want to be in the power leagues, whether it be through the American gaining entry or SMU individually, that is the goal.

[Digetydog]

It would have been nice if he would have said that he wanted to be competitive nationally (like top 25 in whatever we do). We can be competitive in the AAC and never even get close to being a top 25 team.

The goal of our athletic program is to be the best in the American Athletic Conference. Attaining that goal could help lead the American to be included with the other five top conferences or, if reorganization is incomplete within these leagues, SMU individually would be as attractive as possible. Therefore, our goal is to compete at the highest level possible.

I think he means we do want to be competitive nationally. He just needs to execute and commit resources towards that goal. We want to be in the power leagues, whether it be through the American gaining entry or SMU individually, that is the goal.

Plus, he really can't say "we want out of the AAC ASAP." If we are where Louisville was (top of our conference every year), we will be fine.

If not, we are screwed.

[fifty]

I want the taj mahal ipf someone spoke of years ago. Fb/track/science lab. Peter weyand is supposedly some track/running guru all he has is a horse treadmill and a nonregulation track with no mens track team. That ipf would give you about 3 points to recruit on plus bring hs track(hint hint: football) guys to campus to compete in meets.
Unfortunately that would cost about as much as our tennis facility.

[NavyCrimson]

He'll be gone in a year or so so it should prove interesting.

If you want to spread the blame for our current delimma, you have to go after the SMU board, too - Turner's boss.

[blackoutpony]

You are wrong blackout. But I am guessing I won't convince you.

Actions speak louder than words. From everything I've seen, he doesn't care. I mean he's on the knight commission. It's not a priority for him.

Like couch em said, he hasn't really shown anything the entirety he's been here. Prove my wrong with Something tangible. I sincerely would like to be wrong, I just don't see it.....

[blackoutpony]

He'll be gone in a year or so so it should prove interesting.

If you want to spread the blame for our current delimma, you have to go after the SMU board, too - Turner's boss.

Very good point. They've been there too long..... Against by law rules by a really long time actually.

[ponyinNC]

The ONLY thing keeping SMU from having a competitive football program is JUNE Jones and a fan base that makes it very difficult to recruit and create the revenue necessary to have a strong program. RGT does not coach

I usually agree with the majority of your posts but I don't agree here- RGT has been at SMU since 1995, and we have win ZERO conference championships in mens bb or football. Also, his track record at Ole Miss was bad - and look at them now. Over the last 20 years, our peers have left us in the dust - notably Baylor, TCU .

He can chirp all he wants - he's done NOTHING for athletic in 20 years at SMU. And years before that at ole miss.

He needs to retire. His record is abysmal - yes, he doesn't coach the team but he bears the ultimate responsibility as the president of the university.

Maybe Dickerson was right all along.

[Puckhead48E]

The ONLY thing keeping SMU from having a competitive football program is JUNE Jones and a fan base that makes it very difficult to recruit and create the revenue necessary to have a strong program. RGT does not coach

Must be nice where you are. Because back here in the real world, Turner has done little to assist the program that can be felt and is tangible. I remember when he started at SMU. He took concrete steps to reign in all aspects of the school to assert his total control over the university. He made it clear that athletics was not a priority at all in speeches and via his actions. He made it know that he would be the most important aspect of the school.

Has this been beneficial to several academic areas? Yes. Has it brought SMU more prestige academically? I believe so. I think he has been brought to the realization that he needs athletics to cement his place in his own private pantheon of SMU leaders. To do this, he often supports smaller and less expensive programs that fit the need. Hopefully he has been brought to the realization that he will be viewed as great if he helps usher in an era of growth and expansion and success in the program.

Remember, he brought in June Jones...otherwise known as the gimmick guy who was the best fit (aka someone whose scheme could make up for the lower level talent and smaller facilities, thereby mitigating any possible capital or professional investment Turner might have to make to gain enough success to shut up those 70's and 80's Pony fanatics that he views as the worst part of SMU's history).

I don't trust Turner when it comes to athletics...never have. I don't trust the board that much either. I do trust Hart, and I do trust the boosters to foot the bill. And if they do, and if they deliver, AND IF THE SCHOOL GOES 110% INCLUDING A NATIONWIDE PR PUSH THAT SATURATES THE DFW MARKET SPECIFICALLY, then we will achieve AAC dominance in a relatively short time and will be in the picture when realignment opens up again.