Ruminations on our IPF

[mustangfan4life]

Are they building an indoor practice facility in March or not?

[RGV Pony]

Yep

[SoCal_Pony]

First of all, IΓÇÖve always been of the opinion that we should have put a bubble over the IM fields 15 years ago to have something to point to, and only then try to gather up funding for something grander.

But since we are bemoaning not being able to afford Valhalla...

1) I donΓÇÖt know why it is exclusively on SMU ADΓÇÖs shoulders to ΓÇ£pony upΓÇ¥ the cash for Peter WeygandΓÇÿs world class lab...world-class reseachers use donations or grants from benefactors to build their own world class laboratories all the time...is private, industrial or military money to add the the coffee?
2) We have the Michael JohnsonΓÇÖs Performance center and the American Heart Association both based on Dallas; no relationships to cultivate there with a ΓÇ£world-classΓÇ¥ facility? Hell, why donΓÇÖt we make a push to be an Olympic Training Center for track, athletes already come to Dallas for MJP, perhaps we offer residential housing and bring in world-class coaches on the USOC payroll to work with help our trainers.

If you are focused and aggressive, you can usually get things done. I just donΓÇÖt think SMU wants a world-class facility enough to go beyond an initial ask to RGTΓÇÖs donor friends. ThatΓÇÖs what it really disappointing for all our resources and proximity to major companies and organizations, SMU still operates in a bubble.

Its called setting priorities. Nobody cares that much about track, and nobody cares about having the very best IPF ever - and rightfully so. Even if you care about track - you cant really say having that level of indoor track is worth it to a 6k student university who is trying to be great at things that matter. We can use that time and those connections and resources elsewhere. Thanks goodness you folks are not in charge.

Box checked. Next item on the list please.

I wouldnΓÇÖt bash him too much, gostangs.

Just curious, probably RGV knows...did SMU pursue any corporate sponsorship?

[RGV Pony]

If you mean for the IPF, to my knowledge no. I've heard that question asked a few times, one answer I can remember is that it would absolutely have to be the right sponsor (e.g. Rolex).

Along those lines, the folks that do sponsorships did line up the dfw BMW people this year - you've probably noticed it on the backdrop in post-game pressers.

[mtrout]

I've heard that question asked a few times, one answer I can remember is that it would absolutely have to be the right sponsor (e.g. Rolex).

jesus mary and joseph...

[SoCal_Pony]

Thanks RGV,

I think I got it and I think this is what SMUer was alluding to.

Cox - Good
AT&T - Bad
Clements - Good
Dr Pepper - Bad

I hope everyone realizes that the most ardent opponent to a corporate-sponsored building would be a pious a-hole type like KPye. just saying.....

[tristatecoog]

Which private U's or big time public U's have corporate sponsors on stadiums?
Houston, Tech, Louisville, UNT...yes.
SMU, TCU, UT....no....except baseball at both UT and A&M.

[East Coast Mustang]

Blows my mind how stupid some people on here are

[SoCal_Pony]

Which private U's or big time public U's have corporate sponsors on stadiums?
Houston, Tech, Louisville, UNT...yes.
SMU, TCU, UT....no....except baseball at both UT and A&M.

I guess how I look at it is how many schools had corporate sponsors 20 years ago vs. how many have them today vs. how many will have them 20 years from now.

ItΓÇÖs called being ahead of the curve.

SMU could most definitely use the $$$. My question (and I think to a degree SMUers as well) was did SMU even pursue that route (regardless of whether they get rejected or not).

According to RGV, apparently not.

[SMUer]

Referring to my previous statement: I thought the $200M IPF-indoor track idea was over-priced and silly too. I am MUCH less picky than many of you are about our IPF needs, especially after seeing some of the barn-IPFs in the SEC. Still, I think if we really wanted to get Valhalla built, we could have done it because I can think of lots of organizations that would be interested in using or operating within what sounded Iike a truly world-class facility. The fact that the idea has flopped around in the wind for 5-7 yearΓÇÖs hints that RGT is very successful at getting finds from a small group, but not very successful in expanding his net beyond SMU community if they tell him no. We have no relationships with UTSW, Baylor Hostipal, or Texas Womens for our pre-med and science students, and you see very little Dallas-community involvement on our campus, bring other examples. Speculation sure, but I donΓÇÖt see much evidence otherwise.

If the IPF was truly going to be a jewel that everyone would covet, someway or how it would have been built.

[Black Horseshoe]

I heard from a well placed source that the funding necessary that get over the 80% threshold is looking shaky.

Well, the original plan was that in exchange for a scholarship to play under such a great coach in a high-powered offense, a small honorarium was arranged by Jones to push the IPC funding over the 80% mark. Since Chad left with JerryΓÇÖs blessing and SJS is in all likelihood heading to Arkyland, Hart doesnΓÇÖt have anywhere to turn for the last 4 million. Would have helped if Mrs. Jones had donated the $10,000,000 to athletics not Meadows. Also been bugging me that Jerry was a member of the CoC for June but not Chad.

Sonny understands, but is a little miffed because multiple boosters confirmed to him during his interviews that funding was secured.

DonΓÇÖt want to cause concern but this is why it has been so quiet.

[mrydel]

What has been quiet? It was openly announced to break ground in March. My calendar has not reached that yet.

I am not disputing what you are saying, but I have not noticed any secrecy. I do not need daily updates between now and March if it is still scheduled.

[gostangs]

I heard from a well placed source that the funding necessary that get over the 80% threshold is looking shaky.

Well, the original plan was that in exchange for a scholarship to play under such a great coach in a high-powered offense, a small honorarium was arranged by Jones to push the IPC funding over the 80% mark. Since Chad left with JerryΓÇÖs blessing and SJS is in all likelihood heading to Arkyland, Hart doesnΓÇÖt have anywhere to turn for the last 4 million. Would have helped if Mrs. Jones had donated the $10,000,000 to athletics not Meadows. Also been bugging me that Jerry was a member of the CoC for June but not Chad.

Sonny understands, but is a little miffed because multiple boosters confirmed to him during his interviews that funding was secured.

DonΓÇÖt want to cause concern but this is why it has been so quiet.

wrong wrong and wrong. It hasn't been quiet, the money is secure, and it is not and has never been Jones. It is however a name that is familiar to SMU folks.

Ground breaks in March. Feel free to wring your hands about something that is already done - but that's the news.

[PonyKai]

I dunno, seems to have been pretty quiet to me. Our initial IPC master plan was rolled it publicly and to great fanfare. The only confirmation weΓÇÖve gotten on this is a rambling, incoherent fifteen seconds shoehorned into SonnyΓÇÖs press conference by Turner....

Would make sense if Jones was the lynchpin. His wife kicked in five mil. to Meadows and Jones was on the i Uriah Circle of CHcanpions. He really liked Chad, forced Arkansas into hiring him...

[mtrout]

On Dec 12, 2017 RGT said to expect an announcement soon about the IPC and that the expected break ground date will likely be somewhere between the 1st to the middle of March.

I would bet 2 mustang club priority points that this doesn't happen. I still haven't recovered from Battered Pony syndrome. Had a relapse after the basketball injuries from the past few days.