Turner, Knight Commission, and SMU Football

[redpony]

yep- about as relevant as the need for a new natatorium

[Water Pony]

yep- about as relevant as the need for a new natatorium

Feel better?

[redpony]

yep- monkey see- monkey do

[redpony]

BTW- does DIII have swimming as a sport?

[Water Pony]

yep- monkey see- monkey do

Are you a college graduate? I remember that phrase from Junior High.

[Water Pony]

BTW- does DIII have swimming as a sport?

Yes

[redpony]

yep- monkey see- monkey do

Are you a college graduate? I remember that phrase from Junior High.

Sorry- just trying to the conversation at a level you might understand.

[Water Pony]

yep- monkey see- monkey do

Are you a college graduate? I remember that phrase from Junior High.

Sorry- just trying to the conversation at a level you might understand.

Seriously?

[redpony]

guess that I can be as insulting as you.

[JasonB]

I tried to put everything in perspective. I think they might have seen the light, but they continue to say we will be competitive within the American conference. Read into this what you wish, because my group can't figure them out. I'm taking a wait and see attitude. Remember, I wasn't in the room. As I've learned in business, people have differing impressions of reality. Having said this, it appears that they are taking the same approach: hire a new coach and play the cards we are dealt. Apparently, the trustees are not as enthusiastic as we would hope.

I think they are all just dealing with the reality of the situation. Our best chance was getting in the AAC and hoping there were still 6 major conferences. The rug getting pulled out from under us on that one still leaves us on the outside looking in. Everything I have heard, and those on the inside must be in the know more than I, is that we are not in the conversation at all if they further trim the conferences to 4. We hope that an anti-trust lawsuit can keep us in the game with the conference committing to pay stipends.

Outside of that, the only chance we have is to invest enough in football to make it a 10 win team pretty consistently for the next decade. Build interest and investment up over that period of time so that we can compete at a higher level, get noticed, and be brought in with the next line of restructuring. The most important thing at this point is to recognize the realities of the situation, and budget accordingly so that we are spending on the things that give us the best chance for success.

Turner didn't put us in the situation. The Pye administration and all of the restrictions put in place at that time did. Don't forget that. We aren't sitting on the outside looking in because of the last 5 years. It is because of the previous 20.

Also, the sears trophy or whatever it is called now doesn't matter. Winning at swimming won't get us anywhere with anyone associated with major conferences. Building a new swimming and tennis complex and band hall is just a stupid expenditure right now. The plan of action should be to invest everything in men's basketball and football and try to get our foot in the door to another conference. Then use those big contracts to help pay for the new facilities for other sports.

The fact that we are moving forward with those investments is almost an indication that we are in fact throwing in the towel in some respects.

[couch 'em]

Turner didn't put us in the situation. The Pye administration and all of the restrictions put in place at that time did. Don't forget that. We aren't sitting on the outside looking in because of the last 5 years. It is because of the previous 20.

.

Just pointing out, that 'previous 20' (1989-2009) was 5 years of Pye and 15 years of Turner.

[smumustang1980]

Turner didn't put us in the situation. The Pye administration and all of the restrictions put in place at that time did. Don't forget that. We aren't sitting on the outside looking in because of the last 5 years. It is because of the previous 20.

.

Just pointing out, that 'previous 20' (1989-2009) was 5 years of Pye and 15 years of Turner.

THIS!

[smumustang1980]

"Building a new swimming and tennis complex and band hall is just a stupid expenditure right now."

Well, to this I have to say B.S. The Mustang Band has worked from under Perkins Nat. for decades and damn well deserves a decent building. Much of the money was matched by alumni donors. As one of the few student organizations that gives a damn about the football program, I think they deserve the new digs...

SMU can afford the new aquatics center and Mustang Band hall. Let's keep our focus and perspective.

[ponyswim]

Jason - get real. SMU is sitting at minimum sports for Men by NCAA rules. Perkins no longer is viable and we are just supposed to through 800 swimming alums SMU history out and not have a program? Thne we would have to add another women's sport as well with the requisite facilities.
The Natatorium will be built overwhelmingly from funds from swimming alums. I dare say that if most of those alums did not give money for a nat., they would not give it to something else at SMU. So that money is not really coming from money that would be used for FB or BB.
Turner has been asleep at the wheel for many years in terms of athletic facilities. Instead of leading the way in providing excellent facilities we have built as little as possible until we absolutely had to. That general attitude has put us in the position we are now in regard to overall athletics.

[Puckhead48E]

Another thing to remember regarding facilities. If I am correct, that most recent Dallas olympics bid included several new facilities being built on campus with joint funding. The possibility exists that Turner and others decided that, no matter the outcome of that candidacy, the future of actual growth in athletic facilities would lie with that bid. Well, the Dallas bid died a quick and quiet death, and it seems so did growth for SMU for a long time. Am I crazy with this link?