Samuel Willis is fired up....

[J.T.supporta]

SMU DOESNT WANT A BOWL GAME; thats pretty damn sure.

[Ponymon]

Look, it is like my friends who have disassociated themselves from the program under Pye have said, "SMU doesn't want a first class athletc program", "someone is behind this and no one should support SMU or the SMU athletic program until someone comes clean with those involved and those they have asked to financially support the school!" The school has had 20 years to get things right, and they are still screwing around, pretending to do so!

This is pretty sad and I really don't know how to express my anger other than to part with the program.

My guess would be the faculty. The death penalty allowed the faculty to stick their nose under the tent and it hasn't been removed since!

[couch 'em]

Why are we all wasting our time with SMU? And why is it so hard to quit?

[J.T.supporta]

because quitting is for LOSERS and I AM NO LOSER!!!

Go Stangs!!!

[EastStang]

First, we don't know all the facts. We know that we have an assault. We have an excuse for an assault. Whether the excuse is valid or not, whether the excuse is real or imagined, and whether this stemmed from a hate situation needs to be investigated and worked out. If this was UT, Willis would be on the field now. But we've all criticized UT for acting that way. Suspension is not the worst thing the administration has in its arsenal. It could expel Willis and revoke his scholarship. The University has never dealt with these issues very well. I hope that they give the parties an ultimatim. If Beard presses forward with his hate crime b.s. that he be expelled from school for stalking Willis. If Willis doesn't plead guilty to simple assault, he'll be expelled from school. Willis should be told to go to anger management classes and Beard to therapy.

[jtstang]

If this was UT, Willis would be on the field now. But we've all criticized UT for acting that way.

That is the thing that bothers me the most about this--all the hypocrites that have come out blasting SMU on this board for suspending a player who is in legal trouble.

[aus10fromhous10]

That is the thing that bothers me the most about this--all the hypocrites that have come out blasting SMU on this board for suspending a player who is in legal trouble.

That's the problem...he's NOT in legal trouble at this point. No arrests have been made, no charges have been filed. This all rests on the SMU Judicial Affairs Office. It astounds me that the people in charge of dolling out alcohol violations has any say over who Phil Bennett puts on his football team.

If they aren't going to kick him out of school, he should be eligible to practice and play this week.

Instead, the big bad Judicial Affairs Office, who would like you to believe they are competent enough to be judge, jury and executioner any time an SMU student does something wrong, is exerting their ill-gained power over Bennett and the football team.

Think about it...This is the same office that punished DeMyron Martin when he got tazered by DPD.

As if getting tazered wasn't bad enough, they came in to "save the day" and punish him for getting in a fight it looks like he really wasn't involved in.

The Judicial Affairs Office is a joke. Unfortunately, there is very little oversight in what they do. Its run by Dee Siscoe's Office, who reports to Jim Caswell.

Caswell, is by the way, on vacation in Italy right now...

[93Mustang]

Well said. This is such a non-event it makes me sick.

[EastStang]

If its only in the University Affairs Office why are there quotes in the news from the Dallas Police who were called to scene? Why are there allegations of a hate crime? This is not just a University matter, it is also a criminal matter. Willis allegedly beat the snot out of some guy. The University would love to sweep this under the rug and that may yet happen. But in the meantime, they could be trumped by the State's Attorney indicting Willis or charging Willis, or by Beard filing a citizen's complaint with a Justice of the Peace. That's why this has to take time and play itself out. We don't want Willis going back out onto the field if hes' going to be facing a criminal charge. Let's hope that Slater lights up the field on Saturday and Willis is back in uniform to play ECU.

[jtstang]

That is the thing that bothers me the most about this--all the hypocrites that have come out blasting SMU on this board for suspending a player who is in legal trouble.

That's the problem...he's NOT in legal trouble at this point. No arrests have been made, no charges have been filed.

If I admittedly bet the hell out of some gay guy and he filed a Dallas Police report accusing me of a hate crime, I'd consider that to be legal trouble.

There is no question he was in violation of the student code. And his suspension was stated to be for violation of team rules. Are you questioning whether he violated team rules?

[PonyPride]

I'm like many on here who would like to see Willis reinstated right away. Whether he plays or Slater plays .... sort that out later. However, the one thing I find myself (and others) overlooking is that the university has a process through which cases must go, and just because Willis is a quarterback on the football team doesn't mean the non-athletics branches of the school will push him to the front of the line. He's a very gifted player, but he also is a student who must follow university policies.

[93Mustang]

I disagree with your analysis. If DPD thought this was a serious matter, they would have arrested Willis at the scene. As for the DA, doubtful that the Dallas DA's office is going to spend any time on a minor fight between college students. This isn't Mayberry, they have bigger fish to fry. I'm not saying he won't be cited for simple assault at a later date by the DPD, but he's already apologized and missed a game. No reason for the school not to reinstate him. Moreover, the whole "hate crime" bs has already been dismissed by the DPD according to the DMN this morning. Let him play and if the other guy wants to push it, let the process (civil or criminal) sort it out.

[MrMustang1965]

Caswell, is by the way, on vacation in Italy right now...

That's nice. Vacation time while school is in session.

[JoeMU]

Hey guys newbie here in support of old friends, Justin, Sam and the rest of the Willis family. Ive known them for several years and they are all great people. Its good to see so many people supporting them. Now im not supporting what he did because i know as well as everyone else does, he handled it the wrong way. Im also sure that Justin wouldn't just act like that without a reason. Sam also knows this, thats why he is so upset with the situation. Im willing to bet that he was more upset with Justin than anyone else has been or will be when he heard what happened. Sam is a good man, and was always strict with Justin and was always the first to discipline him when he did wrong. He wants nothing but the best for his kids and he'll do whatever it takes to clear Justins name and get him back on the field. Ive never been SMU fan, but ever since Justin has been here ive been rooting for yall. I hope that you guys get him back on the field ASAP and have a great remainder of the season.

As for the other party involved in the situation. I feel bad for what happened to him and Im just glad he wasnt hurt more than he was. Ive seen his older brother posting up here bad mouthing Justin and Sam. He has every right to, hes just doing what every older brother would do. Now i could do the same in Justins defense and call him and his brother all sorts of names and talk down on them but i wont. Simply because i dont know them or what kind of people they are. But he is completely wrong about Justin and Sam, they truly are good people despite everything that has happened. Hopefully this can be resolved in a timely and civil manner so everyone can go on with thier lives.

[BrianTinBigD]

Quite simply, this whole non-event proves that the hand of Pye still directs our athletic program from the grave. Willis should have played last week and the fact that he is sitting out of this game is proof that Orsini has a long way to go to make this athletic program a success. No meaningful changes have occurred that will make us a success. We have just replaced the fiddler as this athletic department continues to burn.