Bring Back Track

[davidsmu94]

Bring Back Track

[jkflamebo]

everybody feels the same except for some high up people in the athletic department

[davidsmu94]

everybody feels the same except for some high up people in the athletic department

Are you sure Orsani feels that way?

[mustangxc]

How would we go about doing this? I would love to see it!

[davidsmu94]

I say we email the young man. Really our area of opportunity is still open.

[SMU Football Blog]

If by open, you mean a "snowball's chance in hell," then yes, the opportunity is still open.

[couch 'em]

Why bother? It has basically gotten the death penalty; I'd rather not watch SMU throw money down the drain for 25 years.

[abezontar]

Why bother? It has basically gotten the death penalty; I'd rather not watch SMU throw money down the drain for 25 years.

Did you ever watch us compete in track?

[mustangxc]

SMU Track & Field was the only truly successful team in the University. By successful I mean a team that consistently brought back national trophies (3rd place or better) and actually won 3 national championships. There were no violations in the program. Dropping Track made and still makes no sense to me. Soccer has been successful along with Women's swimming and golf and tennis have had their moments. However, being in Texas it is atrocious for SMU not to have Baseball and Track!

[d_pony]

it all has to do with Gender equity and money - men's track and field counted for 44 men - that means we had to add women's sports that would add up to 44 - at roughly $400k to $500k a sport it would cost atleast an additional $1.2 millon (3 sports at 15 each) - as "Willy" said "there lies the rub"

[EastStang]

I suspect that Michael Carter might have been getting a little sumthin, sumthin when he was here on those National Championship teams. He was here during the 80's when we were doing all the things we shouldn't have been doing. Track was good, but golf, swimming and tennis have also been consistently good as well. At one point we had what 21 straight SWC titles in Men's swimming.

[Maryland78]

MustangXC...Here's how we do it...believe me it is not rocket science...and doesn't have to involve "gender equity"...at least to start.

1. Budget for FIVE scholarships...that's not too much to ask...and could be financed through additional funding achieved through greater attendence in football and basketball.

2. The scholarships go to eight distance runners, which would also allow for bringing back the Cross Country team, as well...three full scholarships go to elite runners, one scholarship is split for two excellent runners (diamonds in the rough) , one scholarship is split for four good regional runners (maybe two might blossom into good college runners)...also, will probably attract a couple of walk-ons.

3. Now you have a Cross Country team that has a reasonable chance to be successful...remember only need five top runners to compete with the best.

4. These distance runners form the corp of the Track team...competing in 800, 1600, 5000, 10000, steeple chase, relays.

5. Now you are able to take advantage of top high school track guys that are on the football team...bring in some sprinters, maybe even some throw guys...competing in 100, 200, 400, hurdles, jumps, sprint relays...and again, maybe even some throwing events...these folks may not be elite track guys, but at least we have a track team to build on...PB would have to be willing to let the guys compete, but this could also enhance his recruiting, so could be a win-win solution.

6. Down the road, we would hopefully be able to add a few additional scholarships for elite track guys.

7. Remember, this is not a formula for NCAA championship caliber teams that we had in the past...but the question was, how do we do it...pretty easily, I think...Five scholarships isn't too much to ask...it doesn't have to be a large scale operation (travel and other admin costs)...the coaching staff is already in place.

8. Yes, I am an ex XC and track guy, so I have bias...yes, I have brought up this simple formula to Orsini...and haven't finished yet "bugging" him about this (are you listening?!)...this plan will not get too far off our gender equity goals...believe me most of the NCAA schools are not completely balanced like SMU...and the NCAA isn't banging down their doors.

9. A couple more thousand football fans in the stadium and some extra TV money from a bowl game or basketball team and the five scholarships are paid for...I hate under achieving.

[EastStang]

Except to have 5 scholarships for track for men, you need to add 10 scholarships in something for women. So, you're really talking about 15 scholarships. 15 scholarships x $40,000 = $600,000. That's the arithmatic that you'd have to do. Then I'm not sure totally how Title IX works but I think if you have a man competing in two sports, he is counted as two participants for Title IX, and thus for each guy participating in a men's track team, you would need to add two women to participate in some sport. Adding XC gets you a twofer athlete, but you'd have to add twofers for women too. I've noticed up here in DC women play both field hockey and lacrosse. If you added a field hockey and lacrosse team, you might be able to count the same women twice.

[Maryland78]

EastStang, just for discussion sake...I've always wondered if SMU is the only school in the country that adheres completely to the letter of the "law" of Title Nine???...for example in Conf USA, East Carolina matches up Football (85) against Volleyball, Soccer and Swimming and Diving...I'm pretty sure those three sports don't equal 85 scholarships...

Houston matches up Football and Golf against Volleyball, Soccer and Swimming and Diving. and tennis...basically same inequity as East Carolina...

Memphis matches up Football with volleyball...no comparison...

Even Rice matches up Football, baseball, and golf against soccer, volleyball, and swimming and diving...

I could go on and on, just in Conf USA...to be fair, I'm sure some teams in the NCAA are close to SMU's model, including Marshall in the conference...but we are the only team (maybe in the entire NCAA) with just FIVE men's sports...

...to use your $40,000 scholarship figure...five more men's scholarships to restart XC and Track would cost a mere $200,000...basically, going to a bowl game or adding 10,000 tickets sold in football ($20.00 ticket)...or a couple of TV games in basketball, etc...I just don't think five scholarships is an outrageous solution!!!

...to be continued...I welcome more discussion or thoughts on this topic...

[davidsmu94]

Check out the recruiting board under Aldreck Robinson... Apparently we are telling recruits that we are bringing back track in a couple of years...