Orsini=Awesome

[McClown27]

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.

Oh sorry, I was making the point that we were able to recruit the same players before we had Ford. As far as I can remember, Rossley also coached before the opening. My point is that we recruit the same type of players now. Ford has done nothing for recruiting, no matter what stories Otto tells about current players.

[jtstang]

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.

Thanks for helping me make my point. Not one of those posts were from me, fool.

[PonyTales]

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

That IS fortunate, and I'm sure he detailed his opinion to you the last time you two met. However, one thing he has said quite openly is that one of the keys to improvement in competition is having first-rate (actually, he referred to it as "top 25-caliber") facilities, and he said quite plainly that a basketball practice facility and a Moody upgrade are near the top of his priority list.
Sounds like maybe he doesn't agree with you as much as you'd like to think.

[McClown27]

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

That IS fortunate, and I'm sure he detailed his opinion to you the last time you two met. However, one thing he has said quite openly is that one of the keys to improvement in competition is having first-rate (actually, he referred to it as "top 25-caliber") facilities, and he said quite plainly that a basketball practice facility and a Moody upgrade are near the top of his priority list.
Sounds like maybe he doesn't agree with you as much as you'd like to think.

He agrees with me in the sense that he is intolerant of a losing and cheating coach. The rest of you would have been happy trying to build a new facility with a losing coach and the Kenneth Pye model (a repeat of Ford).

[PonyTales]

Who exactly said they'd be happy with a losing coach - or team - in a new building?

[Pony_Fan]

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.

That's funny. *your model* - So you guys talk on the phone do you? I think we all get your point, but it's gonna get done regardless. Also funny how the attendance dwindles in every post of yours. Now it's 500 fans. Ford being called a disaster is idiotic. We could be playing at Ownby or Cotton Bowl, take your pick. That is a disaster. Moody is old, the coaches offices suck [deleted], and it needs updating. To recruit you need a practice facility now - esp. since we aren't on a level playing field yet.

[Ponymon]

Why don't we play our games in the brand spanking new American Airlines dome Then maybe we could recruit the soon-to-be professionals like Darrel Arthur, who would like the feel of the big-time arena before they actually eligible

[PonyTales]

[McClown27]

:idea: Why don't we play our games in the brand spanking new American Airlines dome Then maybe we could recruit the soon-to-be professionals like Darrel Arthur, who would like the feel of the big-time arena before they actually eligible

It does seem to make the most sense.

[RGV Pony]

:idea: Why don't we play our games in the brand spanking new American Airlines dome Then maybe we could recruit the soon-to-be professionals like Darrel Arthur, who would like the feel of the big-time arena before they actually eligible

It does seem to make the most sense.

Worked for Ron Meyer and the Pony Express

[gostangs]

Ford has been far from a disaster. Home games on our own campus, blvd has changed the entire feel of the community of SMU, and thanks to Mr Ford we dont pay rent and get to keep more of our money instead of sending it to that ninny Laura Miller.

Its been a great decision, and Moody is heading for the same thing soon.

That said, the Tubbs thing did not bother me a bit and I am happy to see if we can get a better combination of things going our way (coach, recruits facilities, even playing feild admissions, and some luck maybe).

[mrydel]

Obviously McClown you never had the opportunity to see first hand the Ownby faciilites and Ownby Stadium prior to the post death penalty renovation. It was a rat hole. They attracted recruits that wanted to play Div 1A (like me) but were not gettng offers from the other schools. Other than my father's desire for me to attend SMU for reasons other than athletic, I would have jumped at the chance to go to a Div 1A school with outstanding facilities. We dressed and worked out in chipped up concrete tombs. Old wooded cage lockers that were falling apart. We played our games at the Cotton Bowl which had a great aura but was also in terrible condition. Recruiting could use the CB as a sales point as long as they did not take them on a tour of the locker rooms. Now argue that we should have continued playing games at Texas Stadium rather than building Ford, and you might have a leg to stand on. TS was a recruiting draw. The Cowboys play there. It was a beautiful facility. Big selling point and guess what...payola or not we recruited very well while playing there.

I personally, at this time in SMU's life like Ford. I like the Boulevard. I think it greatly enhances recruiting. And the workout facilities are even better. No it does not give us the 5 stars you say we should get before we build anything, but it get us better than we could get without it. You need to realize that the glitter sells. The Cowboys did not say "lets put some old ladies out there and if fans come we will put in some hot chick cheerleaders". The hot chicks were put out there and people came. It is so basic I do not see your argument against good facilities. I want to be proud of my school not only for the score at the end of the game but the presentation we make before, during, and after playing. And so would recruits. Go wage your holy war against the BCS and what the have done to unlevel the field. Go to the SMU administration and wage your holy war on equality in recruiting and admissions. But do not continue to wage your holy war against good and needed facilities. It is what the man you act like you hired and presented your model even says. Trust me, no children will starve with a new BB practice facility and a Mooody upgrade. And the loyal 1500 will look just as lonely in an old as a new. But if you want to ask the prettiest girl to the prom you should look kinda nice when you do. She may say yes, or she may say no, but I can guarantee you she will say no when you show up in your hush puppies and bell bottoms.

[Pony_Fan]

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

Thank you DJ, that made me chuckle

[GoRedGoBlue]

We will see McClown-quite frankly I didn't see Doherty recruit anybody who might be confused as an All-American at Florida Atlantic-in fact I didn't see him recruit a single player that appeared to be highly recruited. And I'm not just blowing wind here-seriously out of 11-12 players signed over the last 2 years only one was even rated by Rivals and he was rated a one star and the only recruiting battles which he apparently won were over New Orleans and Florida A&M. I got a feeling that Evans/Benford would be the better choice if you want to get the higher recruited players to play at a school in Dallas, Texas. They've already proven they can recruit Texas including All-American Ike Diougu, NBA player Charles Smith and Clayton Shields both while Benford was at New Mexico and and Top Dallas recruit George Odufawa this year. The job of mending the DFW recruiting ties would have been easier with Evans/Benford too-and I don't need some 12 year old who has never followed SMU recruiting to tell me that Tubbs didn't get anyone from Dallas anyway. All of the best players for the last 10 years have been from Dallas and Tubbs recruited them. He also got his foot in the door with an incredible percentage of the Top Dallas recruits each of the last two years. They liked him-the coaches liked him and he had many fans throughout Dallas. This breach is significant to SMU basketball.

Give me a [deleted] break. It was FAU. Of course he didn't sign an All-American...god damn

[McClown27]

Obviously McClown you never had the opportunity to see first hand the Ownby faciilites and Ownby Stadium prior to the post death penalty renovation. It was a rat hole. They attracted recruits that wanted to play Div 1A (like me) but were not gettng offers from the other schools. Other than my father's desire for me to attend SMU for reasons other than athletic, I would have jumped at the chance to go to a Div 1A school with outstanding facilities. We dressed and worked out in chipped up concrete tombs. Old wooded cage lockers that were falling apart. We played our games at the Cotton Bowl which had a great aura but was also in terrible condition. Recruiting could use the CB as a sales point as long as they did not take them on a tour of the locker rooms. Now argue that we should have continued playing games at Texas Stadium rather than building Ford, and you might have a leg to stand on. TS was a recruiting draw. The Cowboys play there. It was a beautiful facility. Big selling point and guess what...payola or not we recruited very well while playing there.

I personally, at this time in SMU's life like Ford. I like the Boulevard. I think it greatly enhances recruiting. And the workout facilities are even better. No it does not give us the 5 stars you say we should get before we build anything, but it get us better than we could get without it. You need to realize that the glitter sells. The Cowboys did not say "lets put some old ladies out there and if fans come we will put in some hot chick cheerleaders". The hot chicks were put out there and people came. It is so basic I do not see your argument against good facilities. I want to be proud of my school not only for the score at the end of the game but the presentation we make before, during, and after playing. And so would recruits. Go wage your holy war against the BCS and what the have done to unlevel the field. Go to the SMU administration and wage your holy war on equality in recruiting and admissions. But do not continue to wage your holy war against good and needed facilities. It is what the man you act like you hired and presented your model even says. Trust me, no children will starve with a new BB practice facility and a Mooody upgrade. And the loyal 1500 will look just as lonely in an old as a new. But if you want to ask the prettiest girl to the prom you should look kinda nice when you do. She may say yes, or she may say no, but I can guarantee you she will say no when you show up in your hush puppies and bell bottoms.

Mrydel,

I have never said that we should tear down Ford. My only point is that new facilities will not make us a better program. We still recruit the same type of athletes for football. I wish we didn't, but we rely on the proverbial diamonds in the rough. In upcoming years, I hope it fulfills its recruiting promise. I also like the Boulevaard much better than the Cotton Bowl, and feel that it has the possibility of bringing SMU athletics a "home field" advantage. I will hopefully fly to the Tulsa game next year and spend a few days with the in-laws.

My sole point in this polemic is that changes should be made to the academic model before another facility is built. Otherwise, the great promise of another building will be unfulfilled and we will all rant about what is wrong with SMU athletics. The thing that plagues SMU is the failure to compete with the likes of TCU for the same student athletes.