Is SMU more incompetent or unlucky?

[PNW_Stang]

IΓÇÖve always thought SMU is the worst run school. I attended 3 colleges, and everything about SMU was poorly run and frustrating. Other students used to say the same.

[mtrout]

I agree with a whole lot of what you guys are saying, but do you think the NIL could be a way around the Turner/Pye stranglehold of mediocrity in SMU football/hoops?

IPP, i am more optimistic about SMU Athletics today than at any time in the past 30+ years.

Why????, because NIL takes power away from our incompetent leadership and puts it in the hands of our intelligent, successful, visionary alumni.

ThatΓÇÖll be a fun disconnect

[JasonB]

I wouldn't phrase it as incompetent. I would say we over promise and under deliver. We know what the path is, but the board is conservative and doesn't change or progress as quickly as we would like.

Promises were made to JJ and LB that we would change our model to get away from the Pye restrictions. We did to some extent, but hesitated on others, which is why June was always looking to leave and LB always put pressure on his next contract. Leaving was their leverage to drive change.

CM came on board and we promised an indoor facility. But when things were slower than anticipated, CM immediately started looking to force change, and eventually left.

SD again was promised and we stepped up and got the indoor facility built. But the lack of ambition around getting into a better conference pissed him off and he left.

The difference now is that the major donors to SMU are pissed off about how the conference thing was handled the last time with the Big 12, and so they are pushing the prioritization of finding a better conference.

But if you see RL start looking, that will be the sign that either the administration isn't putting the effort forward of getting into a major conference or we are just always going to be on the outside looking in.

[mtrout]

Ambition not welcome here.

We wanted a better conference? Well we got a worse conference instead. Surprise!

[laxdawg97]

I wouldn't phrase it as incompetent. I would say we over promise and under deliver. We know what the path is, but the board is conservative and doesn't change or progress as quickly as we would like.

Promises were made to JJ and LB that we would change our model to get away from the Pye restrictions. We did to some extent, but hesitated on others, which is why June was always looking to leave and LB always put pressure on his next contract. Leaving was their leverage to drive change.

CM came on board and we promised an indoor facility. But when things were slower than anticipated, CM immediately started looking to force change, and eventually left.

SD again was promised and we stepped up and got the indoor facility built. But the lack of ambition around getting into a better conference pissed him off and he left.

The difference now is that the major donors to SMU are pissed off about how the conference thing was handled the last time with the Big 12, and so they are pushing the prioritization of finding a better conference.

But if you see RL start looking, that will be the sign that either the administration isn't putting the effort forward of getting into a major conference or we are just always going to be on the outside looking in.

Great insights, as always!

I'm curious: how would you make sense the claims that Hart remains in place mostly because he reflect the mindset/intentions of the largest boosters, with those boosters being sufficiently unhappy about conference progress that one of them has personally taken over the sales effort? Or are we actually talking about different pools of stakeholders with opposing goals/views?

My sense is Hart has largely avoided jumping on the table for game-changer investments that didn't guarantee results just because that's how ADs get fired at private schools, where it's safer to let boosters generate their own urgency and feel ownership of projects. Which is what it appears happened last fall.

[SoCal_Pony]

Some 35 years & counting (mostly in 2nd tier conferences) without ever seriously competing for a FB conference title.

Some 35 years & counting (and this could be a looong count) without winning an NCAA BB tournament game.

All the while being located in the #1 area in America for HS FB & BB talent.

If thatΓÇÖs not incompetency i donΓÇÖt know what is.

[mtrout]

Some 35 years & counting (mostly in 2nd tier conferences) without ever seriously competing for a FB conference title.

Some 35 years & counting (and this could be a looong count) without winning an NCAA BB tournament game.

All the while being located in the #1 area in America for HS FB & BB talent.

If thatΓÇÖs not incompetency i donΓÇÖt know what is.

https://smumustangs.com/facilities/heritage-hall/11

This room is like a collection of archaeological ruins.

[Mustangs_Maroons]

Some 35 years & counting (mostly in 2nd tier conferences) without ever seriously competing for a FB conference title.

Some 35 years & counting (and this could be a looong count) without winning an NCAA BB tournament game.

All the while being located in the #1 area in America for HS FB & BB talent.

If thatΓÇÖs not incompetency i donΓÇÖt know what is.

https://smumustangs.com/facilities/heritage-hall/11

This room is like a collection of archaeological ruins.

This would be great to pitch to recruits in the 1960s...

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Some 35 years & counting (mostly in 2nd tier conferences) without ever seriously competing for a FB conference title. Some 35 years & counting (and this could be a looong count) without winning an NCAA BB tournament game. All the while being located in the #1 area in America for HS FB & BB talent. If thatΓÇÖs not incompetency i donΓÇÖt know what is.

One of your best posts.
I will always be an SMU fan, but am sick of the "wait til next year" snake-oil.
We'll get excited about the portal
We'll get excited on recruit signing day
People by mid-summer will be predicting "this may be the year"
With UCF, Cincy, and Coogs departing maybe they will be right.
I hope they are right, but after so many beat-downs, I'm not confident at all.

[Pony in SA]

Some 35 years & counting (mostly in 2nd tier conferences) without ever seriously competing for a FB conference title.

Some 35 years & counting (and this could be a looong count) without winning an NCAA BB tournament game.

All the while being located in the #1 area in America for HS FB & BB talent.

If thatΓÇÖs not incompetency i donΓÇÖt know what is.

Probably little of both, but I do think some incompetency. To not compete for titles that long, whether it be the WAC, AAC, whatever conference we have been in since 1989 says it all. It's about results, we just don't have many. Facts matter.

It is part of the reason I was out finally after decades of supporting with season tickets in football, basketball, giving to the Crum Center, and other facilities. I can remember the breakfasts with Caven and coaches at Ownby, events at Sonterra Country Club here in SA, meetings with Bennett - thru all of that still no real results. Little returns on investments in my opinion.

I know it is not apples to oranges in teams played, but I see what UTSA has done in less than 15 years of a program and I know SMU can do better. UTSA has moved up multiple conferences in a short period of time, and heck will already be in same AAC as us. Back to back conference championships, and won something like 23 out of last 27 games. Over 41,000 plus attended a game on a Friday night early start, and they averaged like 30,000 per game this year. Believe me, I wish we had won multiple conference championships and Ford had averaged about 30,000 in attendance over the last 30 plus years. SMU has unfortunately not done the same no matter what conference we have played in.

Maddening because at some point SMU needs to just consistently win and be in hunt for titles, whatever the conference. Some may be bad luck or timing, but not over that long a period of time. Need an honest and objective evaluation of state of things, and a plan to work to improve.

UTSA already has $40 plus million dollar new RACE facility, training center, athletic housing village, etc. It took us years just to get an indoor facility. I don't think that is unlucky, I'd put that in the incompetent column. Same with NIL - Harvey Hajim, one of richest men in Texas, will be at a press conference tomorrow with other big local supporters to discuss keeping the UTSA QB Harris and the increased NIL deals. Point is it appears they have a plan that is being worked and implemented.

Maybe SMU is doing the same, and just not reported, I really have no idea. But it seems there are some simple things other programs are doing, not just the UTSA's of the world, which then translates to actual wins, success, and conference titles. Unfortunately, SMU for some reason has not been able to do the same consistently over the last 30 plus years.

[mtrout]

UTSA with our former coach Jeff Traylor. Dude basically begged for this job when Chad left but we were too good for him and got Sonny instead.

[Arkpony]

IΓÇÖve just about given up.

[One Trick Pony]

Choose a bandwagon Team - live large - love the Pony …

[redpony]

the big issue is that we need wholesale changes- not just RGT and lil rickey but at the board level as well and that will likely not happen anytime soon.
I find it strange that the Hunts would never accept the SMU type of performance with the Chiefs or FC Dallas, nor would Carl Sewell accept the same at his dealerships, nor would G. Ford accept the same at his financial institutions. Then why in hell do they approve of this type of performance at SMU? Perhaps they just don't care. IMO this goes far beyond operational incompetence.

[SMUstang]

UTSA is doing well in football in a rented stadium. But their basketball sucks. And their other sports are nothing special either. In San Antonio they are not competing with the Cowboys for the sports entertainment dollar either.