Refresh my Memory....Why Did a 10-1 SMU

[FordtoTolbert]

team go to the Sun Bowl in 1983?

[RGV Pony]

because they lost to Texas, who went to the Cotton Bowl and played UGA?

[FordtoTolbert]

...is that the reason? The Sun was our only option? Why no Sugar?

[RGV Pony]

...is that the reason? The Sun was our only option? Why no Sugar?

I'm too lazy to go upstairs and find the book at the moment, but I remember some discussion as to how/why SMU wound up in the Sun Bowl in "A Payroll to Meet." I do think the Sugar Bowl took Michigan, which probably seemed like a bigger draw than SMU would've been.

[jtstang]

...is that the reason? The Sun was our only option? Why no Sugar?

I recall a big article about the Sugar Bowl snub in SI the week after selections were made, which basically argued that Sugar Bowl had chosen a second-rate opponent for the SEC champ (can't recall who) and that it should have chosen SMU. The letters to the editor after SMU got it's [deleted] handed to it were pretty funny.

[OC Mustang]

So even when SMU was in the Top 10, they had perceived, if not real issues with butts in seats. Very little our university can do about that with just alumni.

Unfortunately, SMU's well-deserved reputation as elitest makes building those community relations an uphill battle. Don't get me wrong, I could be just a significantly a [deleted] as the next guy; however, after awhile, it gets old.

Frankly, given the fact that university community traditionally most likely to support the football team (fraternities & sororities) couldn't give less of a [deleted], as a practical matter, I wish the elitist ethos would take a long walk off of a short pier, at least on Saturdays from 8am to 10pm for home games.

[Alaric]

So even when SMU was in the Top 10, they had perceived, if not real issues with butts in seats. Very little our university can do about that with just alumni.

Unfortunately, SMU's well-deserved reputation as elitest makes building those community relations an uphill battle. Don't get me wrong, I could be just a significantly a [deleted] as the next guy; however, after awhile, it gets old.

Frankly, given the fact that university community traditionally most likely to support the football team (fraternities & sororities) couldn't give less of a [deleted], as a practical matter, I wish the elitist ethos would take a long walk off of a short pier, at least on Saturdays from 8am to 10pm for home games.

The reasons above are why SMU should spend the majority of their marketing efforts on the local community here in the DFW metro area and not focus on SMU alumni who have too many entertainment options. There are tons of football fans in the metro area, a lot of them who'd be happy to watch D1 football on a Saturday (esp the people with no alma mater). I'm guessing these people would be a lot more loyal too (no one's going to Buffy's condo in Whistler for the last home game for instance). To be successful SMU might have to work a little harder to shed its elitist perception.

[FordtoTolbert]

Greta post, OC Mustang. The realities of the bowl game are money, money and more money, NOT a reward for somebodies 6-6, small private U. Ad revenues, TV $$, hotel capacites, lines at the rental car counters, waiting lists at resturaunts, and how many t-shirts is Suzie going to take back home is really what it is all about. Not sure a rematch of two mediocore squads in N.O. is what the bowl staff has in mind. Quite frankly, I find it tough to think of a 7-5 SMU team getting an invite....the reason SMU, ranked #5 or 7 at the time in 1983 went to El Paso was due to a perception of "lack of interest" both locally, regionally, and nationally.....YES!, we were jazzed, but no one else was. Also, a 9-2 1984 team had to fly to Hawaii to play......6-6, no way...7-5 maybe, but tough..8-4 = YES!! So....win out fellas, win out....BEAT UAB!!

[BRStang]

So even when SMU was in the Top 10, they had perceived, if not real issues with butts in seats. Very little our university can do about that with just alumni.

Unfortunately, SMU's well-deserved reputation as elitest makes building those community relations an uphill battle. Don't get me wrong, I could be just a significantly a [deleted] as the next guy; however, after awhile, it gets old.

Frankly, given the fact that university community traditionally most likely to support the football team (fraternities & sororities) couldn't give less of a [deleted], as a practical matter, I wish the elitist ethos would take a long walk off of a short pier, at least on Saturdays from 8am to 10pm for home games.

The reasons above are why SMU should spend the majority of their marketing efforts on the local community here in the DFW metro area and not focus on SMU alumni who have too many entertainment options. There are tons of football fans in the metro area, a lot of them who'd be happy to watch D1 football on a Saturday (esp the people with no alma mater). I'm guessing these people would be a lot more loyal too (no one's going to Buffy's condo in Whistler for the last home game for instance). To be successful SMU might have to work a little harder to shed its elitist perception.

I'm sure the university administration will get right on that--working to shed the reputation that somehow the wealthy elite send their kids to SMU. I wonder, too, if the Mansion on Turtle Creek might advertise a $59 a night special with a free buffett next time I come into Dallas.

For the record, I think you're right as far as getting "average" fans to support SMU. The problem is SMU enjoys its reputation and isn't going to sacrifice it to bring in a few thousand more football fans. Tulane and Duke face the same dilemma.

[RE Tycoon]

I wonder, too, if the Mansion on Turtle Creek might advertise a $59 a night special with a free buffett next time I come into Dallas.

Dude, the W is SO the place to stay now...

[carolina stang]

I remember we were scorched in the national media for some of our player's quotes about the disappointment of going to the Sun Bowl. One of the funniest was when Fred Nichols (I think he played in the secondary) called El Paso, "A pitiful town," right after the announcement. Collins must have chewed them all up pretty good. A couple of days later, the players were talking about how happy they were to be going to El Paso. However, the damage was done. My girlfriend at the time lived in El Paso and said, "this whole town now hates SMU." It was obvious at the game, when even the neutrals were all shouting hard against the Ponies. And of course, we didn't really show up for the game. After the following year's bowl game win over Notre Dame it was all downhill! UNTIL THIS YEAR HOPEFULLY!

The 83 team, though not getting the press that the 82 campaign received, was pretty formidable. A swarming defense plus Lance M and Reggie D!

[gostangs]

But ElPaso is pitiful.

[Mama Bouche]

Hey, I was at Buffy's condo in Whistler this summer. Wouldn't miss a home game for that though. On second thought...We will be tuned to the Ocho tonight for the game with a few friends out west here. Go Ponies. Beat UAB!!!