The Mavs and SMU

[RGV Pony]

I saw Don Carter on TV the other night at the Mavs game. It got me to thinking...I've been a Mavs fan since the Brad Davis days, and remember the 88 loss to the Lakers in the conference finals well. My first expensive purchase as a fan was a Mark Aguirre replica jersey. These days, it seems the demo of the average Mavs fan is mid-twenties, or if there are those closer to my age (mid-thirties on up), they're Mavs neophytes. Maybe it's the people I run across, but I'm surprised how many 'true' Mavs fans don't know who James Donaldson is, or that I have to argue that, yes, Sam Perkins did play for someone besides the Lakers.

I'm wondering this: did the stench that emanated from Ross Ave. & Reunion during the 90's chase away most of the original Mavs fans forever, or is it just me? Similarly, WHEN Orsini accomplishes his goals, and SMU bball is going to sweet sixteens etc. and there are fball conference championship games on campus, will most of the old guard SMU fans stay gone? I know Stallion et al have accurately pointed out that SMU's fan base has withered and gone away during these past nearly two decades, but is that fan base forever gone? What will make up the SMU bandwagon? Those fans who are on the 1981 SMU-Texas DVD with their faces painted blue and red...are they part of the 1500, or are they wearing burnt orange these days?

[MrMustang1965]

I know Stallion et al have accurately pointed out that SMU's fan base has withered and gone away during these past nearly two decades, but is that fan base forever gone? What will make up the SMU bandwagon? Those fans who are on the 1981 SMU-Texas DVD with their faces painted blue and red...are they part of the 1500, or are they wearing burnt orange these days?

Here's my take on it: The majority of the people who used to attend SMU football and basketball games did so because they were loyal to their alma mater and they also supported the 'local university'. When the DP was levied, they moved their loyalties to other schools. Many of them now have children who are students at U.T., aTm, TT, Baylor, etc. So, yes...you see them wearing the colors and sporting the insignia of those schools on their cars because that's where their money goes. Very little, if any, of their $$$ goes to The Hilltop now. I can't tell you the number of SMU alumni that I've talked to since moving back to Dallas two years ago (and yes, there are a LOT of SMU alumni living within Dallas' city limits!) who say one of two things when I ask them "When was the last time you attended an SMU football or basketball game?". Their response is either "Oh, I don't want to waste my time going to a game. They're just going to lose" or "I don't care about SMU. That's a part of my life that's in the past". Of course, I encourage them to come to a game because things are getting better and it's still a chance to support the 'local university'.

[PonySnob]

SMU unfortunately has lost most of its alums who graduated in the last 20 years............

[Pony4Life]

That really DOES sound like a Dallas fan.