?? for marketing/athletic personnel

[PonyPower]

How will SMU honor Jerry LeVias and Hayden Fry next year?

They're getting in to the College Football Hall of Fame. It would be a crime to NOT have them come to Dallas for a game, so the fans can remember how great they were at SMU and how much they meant to our school, and we can give them one more well-deserved ovation.

It's not every day that a school gets someone in to a Hall of Fame, much less two people in the same year. Do the right thing.

[Nacho]

Hayden Fry is being honored more for his stellar career at Iowa than at SMU, where he was fired. Also I think NTSU gave him an award last year.

Levias is another matter. He definitely should be honored.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited 03-28-2003).]

[Tradition Pony]

Coach Fry should be honored as well. He took us to 3 bowl games; we've only been to 11 in school history. Fry probably would also taken us to the Liberty Bowl in 1972 when we were 7-4 had he not been fired before the season ended. Based on that, his SWC Championship in 1966 and his signing of LeVias, he deserves SMU's recognition. Might even heal some old wounds if he still feels that he was slighted by SMU.

This is my first post here and I look forward to more in the future. Thanks.

[Nacho]

Hayden is a bit of sticky wicket isn't he? He does have some SMU credentials but on the other hand he was fired from SMU. The great majority of his success came at Iowa. I guess we could be like NTSU and give him a little recognition but somethig strikes me that coming from a place that fired him is a touch hypocritical. We could do it. I don't have anything against him. I don't know how he feels about SMU. Before we do anything someone should get in touch with him and make sure that he would accept it. Since he is a class guy he probably would. It just seems a little odd.

[Tradition Pony]

I understand where you are coming from Nacho. Kinda reminds me of the Bobby Collins discussion prior to the 1982 team recognition. However, I think it would be in SMU's best interest if it took the opportunity to recognize both Fry and LeVias. It is just a good opportunity for the athletic department to reach out in my opinion. Unfortunately, contact with our former athletes has been an area of neglect in the past.

[Diehard Pony]

Hayden's firing, and the subsequent hiring of Dave Smith, where two of the biggest mistakes in Mustang athletic history (and we have made some whoppers!).

Hayden did a great job of recruiting and coaching with limited resources when Texas and Arkansas were national powerhouses. His teams were very entertaining, and he constantly made adjustments for the personnel deficiencies he might have in any given year. While he was coach, we always had the possibility of going to a bowl, and that was when there were very few bowls in existence unlike today.

Can you imagine firing a football coach at SMU who had no probations, went to several bowls and was fired during a 7-4 season....well that's what the SMU brain trust did. Hayden's subsequent success at North Texas and Iowa is pretty strong evidence that he knew what he was doing.

To make matters worse (if that is possible), Bum Phillips was an assistant under Fry at the time of his firing, and he was passed over as a Head Coach prospect so that Dave Smith could be hired. Phillips went on to remarkable success in the NFL, and Smith got us into ugly "Ohio State" uniforms; lost consistently; and got us on probation.

Hayden loved SMU while he was coach here, but I would not be surprised if he is still harboring bad feelings. It would please me greatly if we could somehow mend that fence.

[PonyPower]

JerryLevias's number should be retired with Eric Dickerson, Doak Walker, Forrest Gregg, Raymond Berry and Lamar Hunt. He was that great.

[Nacho]

Some of what you say is true but Hayden did go:

62--2-8
63--4-7
64--1-9
65--4-5-1
66--8-3 (SWC Champs)
67--3-7
68--8-3 (won BB Bowl)
69--3-7
70--5-6
71--4-7
72--7-4

He was fired when he was 4-4 in '72 and then proceeded to win out going 7-4. It only goes to show that you shouldn't fire someone until the season is over or you might look like an idiot.

He had 3 winning seasons, including the lame-duck last year. I don't see how this made us SWC contenders year after year.

His great years were at Iowa. I get the feeling we are trying to steal their thunder. Hayden had a fairly average career at SMU. He went 49-66-1. Not legendary numbers.

Again I don't hate Hayden. If SMU wants to honor him and he wants to be honored then I say go ahead.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited 03-28-2003).]

[Tradition Pony]

Regardless of how we feel on this topic, Fry's book "A High Porch Picnic" is a must read for Mustang fans. Has several chapters about his SMU days. That alone is worth the price of the book.

[mrydel]

If you are interested in more about Hayden Fry the man rather than the coach, please read my post down below in the Hayden Fry/Jerry Levias post category. Regardless of how you view his coaching or his records, he is a good man.

[MustangMan]

I'd go one step further and call Coach Fry a great man - as well as a great coach.

[Diehard Pony]

I didn't state that we were positioned to be SWC champs every year under Hayden, just that the teams were entertaining and had a chance at a bowl when bowls meant something. Hayden took us to 3 bowls in his 11 years, and his last season should have been a bowl year as well. The Bluebonnet Bowl in 68 versus Oklahoma still ranks as one of the most entertaining bowls ever.

Also, like I stated previously, anybody that knew or watched Hayden during his years at SMU it was clear he loved the program. That is why I wish we could mend the fence if it is possible.