POLL: NAME YOUR FAVORITE FOOTBALL COACH IN SMU'S HISTORY

[ponyte]

Ugh, DFFH, Clements Hall is one of the older buildings on campus and was named for a different Clements, not after Former Gov. Clements.

Collins had a great record and a great legacy...the Death Penalty. His teams were well-oiled winning machines with absolutely no class. For some, winning regardless of the means or consequences is important. For others, dignity and class are important as well as winning. There are many coaches mentioned in this tread that I would happily and proudly play for. Bobby Collins is not one of them. That does not mean your choice for the best coach is invalid, just that others do not share your enthusiasm for Collins.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

No it wasn't. It was the second building on campus (after Dallas Hall of course) and it was originally Atkins Hall.

They renamed it Clements Hall after Bill gave
them lots of money.

They didn't take the name off after the slush fund scandal even though there were lots of protests to take his name off the building.

[Dirty Bird]

They also named the new Southwest Studies history department after the dirty bastid.
I agree with you, there is a definite double standard of hypocrisy on this board. But that's what makes it fun.

I VOTE FOR ROSSLEY!

[EastStang]

I liked Coach Collins. I still have not forgiven him for playing for the tie against Arkansas in 1983. That tie cost us the National Championship. If we were undefeated and untied, no way could the polls have given the title to their beloved Joe Paterno. Further, if we were undefeated and untied, we would have probably drawn Penn State to the Cotton Bowl for a National Championship game, instead we drew Pitt and rain.

[ponyte]

The Clements family (officially) gave the money to renovate the building in 1965. Not just Bill Clements. One may consider that splitting hairs. However, one might not agree that the family that donated the money an entire generation prior to Bill's involvement with SMU athletics is justification to punishing the entire family.

Then again, many believe that the sins of the son should be visited upon the entire family.

If one truly wanted to distances oneself form Bill Clements, then one would have to eliminated the history department (Clements Department of History), take a bite out of the math department (Betty Clements Professorship in Applied Mathematics), smack SMU-in-Taos (William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies), and of course eliminate Clements Hall.

[MrMustang1965]

Holy smokes! We're lucky not to have been renamed Clements University!

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Southland]

Reality check--- buildings are named after whoever donates the money for them. We don't name them by vote on ponyfans.com.

This was about coaching, and Collins was undoubtedly the worst hire in the history of the University, and his legacy will always be linked with the two stiffest penalties in the history of the NCAA.

[91Stang]

"We don't name them by vote on ponyfans.com."

No, but we should!

[EastStang]

Hey, if you have a spare $100 Million laying around and give it to SMU, you too can name just about anything you want over there. The 91Stang quad has a nice ring to it. If you give the dough, you have my vote.

[Stallion]

Pretty funny!-Bobby Collins "the worst hire in the history of the University" has the ONLY modern undefeated team in the history of the university. Without question, Bobby Collins was considered by all his peers as an excellent football coach-that's not debatable. Of course some of you geniuses think Tom Rossley was a great coach too with his gaudy 20% winning percentage. GET THIS STRAIGHT BOBBY COLLINS DID NOT RUN THE SLUSH FUND-IT WAS CREATED BEFORE HE GOT HERE. IT WAS NOT ADMINISTERED BY HIM. To blame Collins for the death penalty and not those on the Board Of Directors who had personal knowledge of and approved the continued slush fund is just assinine.

[MrMustang1965]

Stallion: Thanks for the 'reality check' and voice of reason.

Wow! I didn't know that my 'unofficial' poll would spark so much debate and controversy. It achieved its goal, though...it got us all to thinking about SMU's storied past and its future! And it's helping us get thru the hot, humid summer days! KEEP THE POSTS COMING!

(Personal notes to OP and N&C: Thanks for going further back into SMU's history to bring up those names! I wonder just how many people who post here even know who they are!)

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[This message has been edited by MrMustang1965 (edited 07-09-2003).]

[Southland]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Stallion:
<B> To blame Collins for the death penalty and not those on the Board Of Directors who had personal knowledge of and approved the continued slush fund is just assinine.</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The slush fund started with Meyer... unlike Meyer, who exhibited absolute control over the program, Collins had no control as a manager.

Certain members on the Board of Governors (not Directors) played a primary role in the variables that led to the Death Penalty. They took control of the majority of the decisions associated with the program in 1982, because there was not a leader in the coaching position they respected. Had Hitch hired Steve Endicott, the payment program would have expired in 1984 and the program would still be thriving today.

Bobby Collins certainly isn't solely responsible for the Death Penalty or 1985 Probation, but his hire began the domino effect. Much like Presidents who get credit or criticism for the Economy's performance during their term(s), even though all their policies don’t necessarily have a direct effect on the performance of business, a Coach is judged by ALL events that take place under his watch, even though he isn’t necessarily the one who commits the acts (see your boy Mike Cavan and his probation that cost us CUSA membership here).

As far as on the field performance...
After Meyer's final recruiting class graduated, Collins, and a full roster of his players, posted two 6-5 seasons.... and by the way, since leaving the Hilltop Bobby Collins hasn't worked in coaching since. Respected... now that's assinine.

[leopold]

Gregg. Not only for taking the single most thankless job in college football history (and I mean that literally) but also for quality of coach. Can any other coach in our history boast being named NFL Head Coach of the Year TWICE?

[Stallion]

Southland your kind of thinking is EXACTLY why we got the Death Penalty-just keep the boys happy until they graduate and hope the NCAA doesn't find out before it is phased out. LACK OF INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is why SMU got everything it deserved and why the NCAA is justified in not giving the Death Penalty to other schools. Only one MORON at the top of a Board of Trustees has been STUPID enough to do what Clements tried-of course it might have had a little bit to do with a Govenor's election the next year which would have implicated our dear MORON. SMU got sold down the river so that Bill Clements could be reelected as Govenor.

[KnuckleStang]

I gotta go with Gregg too. You don't get any more bad [deleted] than that guy. Loyalty to the University. 2 wins in '89. Granted, it was Uconn (in dramatic fashion) and UNT, but still, 2 wins. That still astounds me, considering his totally absurd circumstances. I remember him coming to the fraternity house that year, and asking ANYBODY WHO PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL to come try out for the team. I didn't consider it for a second, because, though I did play in HS, I am a breast-fed pansy. Forest Gregg is easily the most thoroughly bad-a$$ed coach SMU has ever hired.