I apologize in advance for this post.

[SMUguy]

Thank god for the cowboys. Hopefully their fans will occupy all of the high bridges.

[DFW HOYA]

One reason Orsini has to at least consider some off-season changes is not for the past generation of SMU football, but the next one.

Today's college students have no memory of a winning college football team here in Dallas. They have never seen a bowl bid, never saw Eric Dickerson or Lance McIlhenny (much less Mike Ford or Chuck Hixson), never saw SMU win at places like Lubbock, College Station, or even Austin. They probably assume the DMN always covered UT on page 1 and SMU on page 12.

When it's their turn to step up and support the program, what will they have to look back on? Today's students need some memories of their own, and unless it's Temple, I can't think of a I-A program that has had so little to look back on over the last 18 years. Heck, even Rutgers is winning games now. There is no reason why SMU can't do as much.

[BornRed&Blue]

[quote="DFW HOYA"]One reason Orsini has to at least consider some off-season changes is not for the past generation of SMU football, but the next one.

This is so true.
I am BornRed&Blue because my parents graduated from SMU in 1950. My dad played with Doak at HP and sat next to him, in alphabetical order, at graduation. I watched Jerry Levias as a teenager. I believed in a mediocre team between 74-78m but as someone mentioned, we did have bright spots then, too, Whit, Kelcher, and others, and then there was the Pony Express. As a Young Alum, I attended every game possible, I saw the Miracle on 4th Street in Lubbock, and I sat in the sleet in the Cotton Bowl.
All this gives us hope, but I turned 50 last week . . . we forget that there were SMU students that NEVER attended a football game, and they are now 35-40, those are the raving fans at other schools. And then we aren't raising anymore raving fans, because there hasn't been anything to rave about over the last 20 years, a whole generation.

If TCU can do it, so can SMU. They were so bad, they might as well have gotten a death penalty, so get over it, get decent coaching, and let's get going.

[westexSMU]

[quote="Insane_Pony_Posse"][i]re:

"I think Orsini is going to address all of your valid complaints"........I agree and he did I great job quickly at UCF in hiring George O'Leary as they went from 1-10 to Conference USA Champion in one year. but SMU people better not question Orsini when he comes up with a Coach like O'Leary, or a Coach like a Mike Price who turned around a UTEP program also in one year that had NEVER WON. Those kind of guys would not be at a UCF or a UTEP if they did not have a problem somewhere else. However, if Orsini comes up with someone who is a GREAT COACH like these type guys, SMU people better understand EVERYBODY deserves a " second chance" and President Turner Etc. better realize Orsini will make a good choice if they let him. There are plenty of examples of Great Coaches taking over loosing programs and doing a great job quickly. Sense our large donors spent 58 MILLION on our Football Stadium etc. They also better be willing to finance over 2 % of that 58 Million in annual salaries for a Great Coach/assistants etc. to set up a Coaching Staff commited to SMU for the long haul long .............Everybody who has met Coach Bennett likes him and those who have, pull for him to do a great job. He is a great guy and a good defensive Coach, but in order to be a good Head Coach you have to be able to Manage the Team and that means alot of things that are not happening......Like I said "everybody deserves a second chance",and the Death Penalty effects still hang around. If SMU is going to continue it's football program which it is, it's time we had our second chance.

[MrMustang1965]

With expectations at post-death penalty high this year, this team sunk to a new all-time low last night.

No, it hasn't. Stay tuned.

[buckwheat]

More majors are available for our athletes. Sure they have priority registration now but the real problem is lack of programs.

[EastStang]

Who is he gonna come up with? You cite O'Leary and Price. O'Leary was a no brainer hire. The guy merely fudged his resume, but had no known NCAA problems at Georgia Tech and turned their program around. Price had some bigger issues, but had no NCAA problems either, but has done well. The problem is that they could not do the same thing at SMU? Why, because the students they would want to go after can't be admitted here or worse, won't be allowed to transfer their hours. Price has loaded up on JUCO players. UCF is not known as a terribly challenging school to get into. Yes, they're great coaches. But great coaches don't go to programs where their hands are tied behind their backs like they are at SMU when there are much easier schools to go to. Mark my words, if this season goes south, and I fully expect them to bounce back by the way, we will be debating which NFL secondary coach, or which Offensive coordinator from a Big XII or SEC school will do the job, or which 1-AA head coach will turn this program around. But guys, let's let the season play out. If you go to games and cheer, good things might actually happen. We have six home games this year. If we win those, we only have to win one road game to go bowling and we have four of those left including such powerhouses as Tulane, ECU and Rice. Tulsa showed they could be beaten badly this week. ECU showed that they are not invincible. Rice is better than expected. So, we just have to hold serve and break serve on the road, once.

[WildHorse]

How many of us thought he'd be able to snag Coach Doherty? You have to believe Steve-O knows a hell of a lot of coaches. He'll come up with someone good .... although hopefully Phil Bennett will give him no choice but to keep him around!

[StangEsq]

With expectations at post-death penalty high this year, this team sunk to a new all-time low last night.

No, it hasn't. Stay tuned.

Prophetic.

[NavyCrimson]

You can talk all you want about firing the coach but this problem goes much deeper than just the coach. We've gone through 20 years of coaches & that should tell you it's something deeper than that!!!

Use your heads people but getting "another" coach is not the answer.

Either the administration changes their direction & invest in the athletic program or you fire them. One of the two & nothing else. Any of you who work or run your own companies should know that it starts in the board room & no where else. In most all cases, the coach is nothing more than a scapegoat for the board's lack of direction & leadership & we've had NEITHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


As for the statement by Westex... "...Like I said "everybody deserves a second chance",and the Death Penalty effects still hang around..."

That's because the board & administration has allowed it to happen - nothing more than an excuse to cover up their incompetency as a board of governance. With the leadership we now have in place, we can keep blaming it on the DP & that way, losing is a way of life & change will never occur.

Remember guys - it starts at the top - not the middle where the coaches are. So is getting another coach really the answer?????????????

Even if that occurred & a good coach did come on board, we'll never, ever be able to compete at the highest levels of college football again until the bcs-BS is removed altogether & the playing field is level. So you better get ready to follow other college sports like basketball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, or whatever. Or go read a book or something.

[StangEsq]

You can talk all you want about firing the coach but this problem goes much deeper than just the coach. We've gone through 20 years of coaches & that should tell you it's something deeper than that!!!

1. This coach was hired for his talent in coaching defenses.
2. This coach's defense is one of the worst I've ever seen.

[MrMustang1965]

did anyone else catch the 'love fest' with President Turner and the president of Arkie State (whatever his name is) during half-time?

The Arkie State prez worked for Turner at Ole Miss and almost came to SMU with him...but he got a 'last-minute' offer to go to Arkie State instead and be the top dog there...he said that he and Turner are still 'best of friends'.

During the interview, Turner said that he and his wife were staying at the Arkie State president's house in Jonesboro! WTF?

With expectations at post-death penalty high this year, this team sunk to a new all-time low last night.

No, it hasn't. Stay tuned.

Prophetic.

It's going to get worse. Much, much worse.

[StangEsq]

It's going to get worse. Much, much worse.

Well, the good news is that we don't play a school with a worse football program the rest of this year. Therefore, it can't get any worse until next year. I would feel better with a 70-point loss to TCU than the BS we threw out there last night. Not to say that we won't in fact lose by 70 to TCU.

[wilthestilt]

[quote="StangEsq"][quote="NavyCrimson"]You can talk all you want about firing the coach but this problem goes much deeper than just the coach. We've gone through 20 years of coaches & that should tell you it's something deeper than that!!![/quote]

1. This coach was hired for his talent in coaching defenses.
2. This coach's defense is one of the worst I've ever seen.[/quote]


I THOUGHT HE WAS HIRED BECAUSE OF HIS RECRUITING TALENTS IN TEXAS. GUESS WHAT, I DON'T THINK HE'S BROUGHT IN A THREE STAR RECRUIT YET.

BACKS CAN'T RUN UNLESS THEY HAVE A LINE TO BLOCK FOR THEM,

[mrydel]

During the interview, Turner said that he and his wife were staying at the Arkie State president's house in Jonesboro! WTF?

What is wrong with this. I have friends that actually went to other schools and work at different places that I. I think this is merely a statement of friendship. I am sometimes amazed at the things people look for to criticize. Our problems are many and at many levels, but this is not one of them or the cause of any.