Orsini=Awesome

[jtstang]

McClown is a fool, and I'm starting to really think he may BE Max Williams. Isn't that right, Maxie?

[McClown27]

McClown, it really doesn't matter what your thoughts are, they are going to go forward with improving facilities regardless of attendance. Attendance will certainly help but the plan is already in place. Get over the McClown model.

Orsini clearly believes in my model. He is already talking about changes to the academic model. He also fired an unproductive and cheating coach. He knows that the only way to build new facilities is to create a winning program that also draws fans.

[McClown27]

McClown is a fool, and I'm starting to really think he may BE Max Williams. Isn't that right, Maxie?

It sure is surprising you have turned to personal attacks after all that brilliant stuff you have been posting.

My favorites over the past couple of weeks:
1) We should re-hire Tubbs, I am being half serious.
2) SMU is one of the worst jobs ever, we are going to get a 95 year old coach.
3) SMU is one of the bottom 5% jobs.
4) We should hire a high school coach in Dallas again.

[DickerJames]

Orsini clearly believes in my model. He is already talking about changes to the academic model. He also fired an unproductive and cheating coach. He knows that the only way to build new facilities is to create a winning program that also draws fans.

YOUR model? Thats a good one. I think you forgot so I will refresh your memory on what your model is. NO IMPROVED OR NEW FACILITIES EVER UNTIL ATTENDANCE DOUBLES AND SMU IS IN THE FINAL FOUR!

You need to obey your wife and quit posting so much.

[Treadway21]

Y'all are being ridiculous. Take your sqabbling somewhere else. Can we please get back to the point?

[BrianTinBigD]

Dougherty is nothing special. Not sure if this is an upgrade or not. He is not the 2nd coming and I hope that we are not the final stop before his career ends. He fails here and he won't even get a job coaching at Skyline.

As for the comments on the model of McClown, it is totally insane. We need facilities now. Not when we win. Better facilities means better recruits. A new state of the art practice facility and a revamp of Moody will go a long way to getting better. Not sure if Dougherty is the guy to get us there though.

I was hoping for a young up and comer, not a failed coach crashing back to earth.

[McClown27]

As for the comments on the model of McClown, it is totally insane. We need facilities now. Not when we win. Better facilities means better recruits. A new state of the art practice facility and a revamp of Moody will go a long way to getting better.

Some of you must be too young to remember the building of Ford Stadium. Before it was built, the same folks on this board touted it for its enhancement of recruiting. We recruit the same caliber athletes now. There has been no improvement. This year, when HP won the state championship, we only got a grey shirt commitment.

Am I against facility building? No, I am all for building facilities when the program is able to support them. Ford Stadium being completely empty has been a black eye to our school and its recruiting. Why on earth would we build a new basketball facility when we regularly draw 500-1000 fans? As we have seen with Ford, new buildings do not automatically draw big crowds. Wins and attendance have to grow before we renovate Moody.

[Otto]

Orsini clearly believes in my model.

Right. I remember him citing the McClown model during his press conference as the reason he decided to come to SMU.

He is already talking about changes to the academic model.

Is he? Where? When I listened to the recording of the press conference, someone asked him about academics and its role in recruiting, etc., and he was very careful not to touch on that other than his statement about how SMU is now "on a level playing field" (a statement which sparked its own share of debate here). I assume it's because he is not yet an employee of SMU, but he was extremely careful to not go anywhere near that subject, as I recall.

He also fired an unproductive and cheating coach.

Orsini didn't fire Coach Tubbs. SMU fired him, or you could say that Jim Copeland fired him.

He knows that the only way to build new facilities is to create a winning program that also draws fans.

Really? At Central Florida, he raised the funds for new football and basketball facilities, and just this year did the football team come to life.

Some of you must be too young to remember the building of Ford Stadium. Before it was built, the same folks on this board touted it for its enhancement of recruiting. We recruit the same caliber athletes now. There has been no improvement. This year, when HP won the state championship, we only got a grey shirt commitment.

I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm not too young to remember Life Before Ford Stadium. If you care, I'm 28. However, if you think the athletes being recruited now are no better than those being recruited then, then perhaps you're too old. No, we're not swiping the HS All-America players from USC just yet, but the pure ability and size and strength of these recruits is lightyears ahead of where we were before Ford Stadium.

Ford Stadium being completely empty has been a black eye to our school and its recruiting.

Really? How many recruits come to SMU claiming part of the reason for coming is because of Ford Stadium? Countless players have said when we start winning more, that place will be full. They're right. The pre-Ford life you seem to long for had a hell of a lot more empty seats at the Cotton Bowl or a prehistoric Ownby Stadium .... with many empty seats. Our attendance is not what we want it to be, and not we hope it will be, but as the wins increase, so will the numbers of people in the seats.

Why on earth would we build a new basketball facility when we regularly draw 500-1000 fans?

Further evidence that you don't attend many games, if any. We drew more than that (admittedly, not many more) for the Harvard and Savanna State games. For the bigger games, we drew significantly more. Not selling the place out, to be sure, but for some of the C-USA games, it was loud as hell in there, and not because of any piped-in crowd noise. There were actual human beings there.

Other than those things, though, you're right on the money.

[mrydel]

I am going to build a high dollar subdivision in the Dallas Suburbs. I am going to use the McClown model. I will get in the infrastructure and plat the lots. I will then offer anyone that wishes to pitch a tent on a lot for the cost of a large new home. Of course they will also have to pay the property taxes and live with whatever type of prospective buyer wishes to come in. After I have witnessed the vast success of my subdivision by he great number of high income families that are moving their tents on to the land, I will start building houses on them that will be grand in size and beauty. I figure after 5 or 10 years the tent inhabitants will get their big homes. Who wants to pitch the first tent under the McClown model? Surely no one would expect me to build a good product to entice people to come, either to live or view.

[McClown27]

I am going to build a high dollar subdivision in the Dallas Suburbs. I am going to use the McClown model. I will get in the infrastructure and plat the lots. I will then offer anyone that wishes to pitch a tent on a lot for the cost of a large new home. Of course they will also have to pay the property taxes and live with whatever type of prospective buyer wishes to come in. After I have witnessed the vast success of my subdivision by he great number of high income families that are moving their tents on to the land, I will start building houses on them that will be grand in size and beauty. I figure after 5 or 10 years the tent inhabitants will get their big homes. Who wants to pitch the first tent under the McClown model? Surely no one would expect me to build a good product to entice people to come, either to live or view.

The danger is too build another Ford. Where a brand new facility has had no impact on recruiting or attendance. It is neat to build new things, but if they will not be supported it does not really matter. Otto, where are all these great athletes? Who is getting drafted? Cavan had players drafted in the mid-rounds.

Ask Stallion, Cavan recruited just as well as Bennett. Until we change the model and get serious about competing, there is no point in building new facilities. All y'all can shout "Rah Rah Rah" and give a bunch of money to build it, but don't be disapointed when it does nothing to make the program more competive.

[Otto]

It's not like SMU is still paying for Ford Stadium. The Gerald Fords, Lamar Hunts, etc., paid for it, so it's not like it's a drain on the school's budget.

As for the athletes: are you basing your stance on Donald Mitchell and Jacoby Rhinehard? I was as excited as any to see them drafted, but it's not like they had long NFL careers (Mitchell's, to be fair, was cut short by injury). Bennett's best recruits will be sophomores, juniors and seniors this year. We're not to the level that we have guys leaving early for the NFL yet. But the overall size, speed and athleticism is exponentially improved. Yes, we all still want to see it improve even more. But it's not even close.

[McClown27]

I just want to avoid what happened when Ford opened. It has been a disaster. The school should commit to winning by changing the model before another facility is built. After those changes are made, build as many as you want. Then, we will be on a level playing field.

[Otto]

OK, we get it: you don't want any more facilities built. Most do not agree with you, but hey, you're entitled to your opinion. Thankfully for the rest of us who give to the Mustang Club, etc., those in charge (like Orsini) do see the need for new and/or improved facilities. By all means, don't cheer for the Mustangs or go to any games or post again until we win the Rose Bowl and the basketball national championship. When the media coverage suits your needs, I'm sure you'll hear the good news, and you can come back then.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Who is getting drafted? Cavan had players drafted in the mid-rounds.

Out of curiosity, who did Cavan get drafted other than Kevin Garrett? The 3 prior picks before him out of SMU(Bordano(1998),Mitchell and Rhinehart(both 1999)) were all Rossley recruits(Cavan was hired in 1996 after these players had arrived on campus).Please don't say McCown because odds are that he'd have been undrafted if he'd not left for SHSU.

[McClown27]

OK, we get it: you don't want any more facilities built. Most do not agree with you, but hey, you're entitled to your opinion. Thankfully for the rest of us who give to the Mustang Club, etc., those in charge (like Orsini) do see the need for new and/or improved facilities. By all means, don't cheer for the Mustangs or go to any games or post again until we win the Rose Bowl and the basketball national championship. When the media coverage suits your needs, I'm sure you'll hear the good news, and you can come back then.

Luckily, Orsini agrees with me that things have to be changed in the program.