Johnny's Solution

[Pony_Fan]

Pony_Fan thinks Johnny needs to stop typing on this message board. Johnny needs to get go away.

BUT_ I still can't beleive we lost to UTEP and their 17 game losing streak on the road though.

<small>[ 10-08-2003, 10:17 AM: Message edited by: Pony_Fan ]</small>

[Ponymon]

Unfortunately, we don't get any high draft choices for losing the most games!

I do feel that Bennett has a lot to sell potential recruits and he knows how to do it. We are playing too many freshmen to win consistently this year, but our time will come. I know we are tired of losing, but Bennett has just arrived and his recruits are just freshmen and redshirt freshmen this year. The suggestion of dropping to Division II or Division III is ludicrous!

This is a year for gaining experience, especially at the quarterback and offensive line positions! Our main problem, since the death penalty, has been developing an offense that can consistently move the ball, without mistakes! Just like in the pros, you win with a great quarterback and a great defense. The program will start to improve as more of Bennett's recruits become upperclassmen. Unfortunately, it is not going to happen this year so get used to it and stay positive!

[The PonyGrad]

Ponymom - I am still holding out for wins against SJSU and Rice. I will not hold my breath for the others but Fresno might be exciting, if you like defensive matches.

[Johnny Rock]

Johnny is not the only alum who has mentioned going Division II. Many alums Johnny knows are sick and tired of the crap that the administration feeds us every year about the athletic program. Unlike Johnny, many alums have stopped coming to games and contributing to the Mustang Club. SMU needs Johnny whether many of you like my opinions or not. Johnny's first preference is to have the administration quit feeding us crap about The Committment and do something to improve our situation. Talk is cheap. Johnny wants actions. By the way, where are the Juco recruits? Johnny's point exactly. Oh, North Texas has many of them (two straight bowl games) and Baylor has some (beat us and Colorado) and Texas Tech has some (top offense in nation) and TCU has some (wins, wins, wins) and UTEP has some (beat us)...get Johnny's point. Lower the standards and let the coaches recruit. Hell, the best high school players in the country are playing in our own back yards. Wake up people or we will be playing the in Sun Belt before you know it.

[OldPony]

Division 2 is not an option. never has been, never will be. Quit beating that horse.

[Johnny Rock]

Old Pony, Johnny will not beat that 'dead horse' when SMU fully and Johnny means fully commit to Division 1 athletics. Johnny does not mean recruit every questionable character kid just because he can run fast or tackle well. Johnny means recruiting the best players and let the coaches determine what players they go after. The administration handcuffs the coaches with extra rules. Those days are over if we want to win. SMU could easily out recruit many Texas schools if we give our coaches a chance. Bennett suprised us all after last year's recruiting haul. He can do even better without the extra rules. Johnny would cry if we ever went down to Division II, but Johnny hates to see us lose every season. Some people on this board have called for Johnny to quit posting. That hurts Johnny's feelings. Johnny is a Mustang Lifer. All Johnny asks is that his fellow alums put more pressure on the administration to make changes. Please join in my cause.

[MrMustang1965]

Scary thoughts right before Halloween :devil: , my friend.

Would you want to see this regular season Div.1-AA schedule for our Mustangs?

SMU v. Sam Houston State
SMU v. Stephen F. Austin
SMU v. McNeese State
SMU v. Texas State University - San Marcos
SMU v. Nicholls State
SMU v. Northwestern State

Scary thoughts, indeed.

[Charleston Pony]

what exactly is it that you are advocating, Johnny, when you say pressure needs to be put on the administration? Are you saying they need to tap the endowment to create courses of study (such as Miami's "Athletic Training" program) that might allow future professional athletes a place to hide/grow while awaiting professional eligibility? If you are going to criticize the administration and/or advocate revolution, then at least share with us with your SPECIFIC plan for what needs to be done.

[Johnny Rock]

Thank you for asking. Johnny proposes that (1) SMU lower its standards to the bare NCAA minimum; (2) add a few majors such as phyical education, general studies, etc. Majors that are easier to obtain a degree in but that may not necessarily get you a job at a investment banking firm; and(3) make it as easy as possible for JUCO's to transfer to SMU. Allow more credits to transfer for JUCO athletes. Johnny's formula will propel SMU to one of the top teams in Texas. Local players would love to stay near their home and play at SMU if SMU would show the community that it is serious about football. SMU would see immediate improvements if we have several JUCO players every year. Many alums that Johnny has spoken to recently are in favor of such changes. Johnny is not alone in his vision.

[Prof X]

1.) what exactly is the difference between SMU's current requirements and the NCAA bare minimums?

2.) as soon as Johnny and his many alum buddies put up the money to pay for these programs, you'll get them. And thats the only way its going to happen.
SMU dropped its PE degree program in the late 80's because no one wanted one. Nobody paying $30,000 dollars a year in tuition wanted a degree that would get them a job paying $18,000 a year. The university already supports the Athletic Department to the tune of 5 million in operational cash and 7 million in scholarships every year. Most people figure thats enough. If you want something done specifically so that it can benefit athletics, then you're going to have to pay for it. Time to put your money where your mouth is. If you cant do that, then your best bet would be to talk to the folks at Tulsa and find out how they do it. They seem to get all the JC players they want, without a PE or General Studies program, or anything similar.

3.) #2 actually should take care of most of #3. I have a feeling that you are seriously clueless about how this actually works. You're one of those people who whines and cries from long distance without ever actually looking deep enough to find the reality of things. Good luck with this, I actually hope you succeed in creating a PE major, perhaps then people will see that its not the magic wand that most people think. Also, JC players arent magic, they can be helpful but this team needs so much more than just a few jc kids that its hardly worth talking about. Best of luck to you.

[Johnny Rock]

Johnny is sorry Professor X. SMU's way of doing things the last twenty plus years has produced winning football teams and has produced several trips to bowl games.

[OldPony]

Johnny- SMU is not doing things the same way they were only 4 years ago. No move will give instantaneous success. We were severely handcuffed for the first 10-12 years following DP. 90% of those shackles have been removed. We may not be able to recruit JUCO's with K-State but is that what we really want for SMU? I'm not sure what majors are available at SMU today. There are probably some that don't require Supreme Court Justice type intelligence. I start to worry a little when people advocate a football school along side of the regualar curriculum. Give preferences in admission, give them all the academic help we can within the rules and steer them to the least challenging majors if necessary but don't create an "Idiot U" within the school. I am willinng to give any student athlete the benefit of the doubt and a chance to succeed. I don't want the "thug" athlete or total moron who has no business on a college campus at SMU. I want winning football headlines-not police report headlines.

[Prof X]

Originally posted by Johnny Rock:
Johnny is sorry Professor X. SMU's way of doing things the last twenty plus years has produced winning football teams and has produced several trips to bowl games.

No, it hasnt, but I'm not surprised that you cant come up with a real response. You cant even get the dates correct, the DP was 16 years ago, not 20. SMU did go to bowl games in 83 and 84, and did have winning teams in 85 and 86, just couldnt go to bowls because we were on probation.

I'm not trying to bash you, but real problems require real work and real solutions. If you really want JC players that badly, and think they are the solution to everything, then start raising the money for a PE program, and look into exactly what kind of classes will transfer here, and what wont. If you're going to advocate SMU using the minimum NCAA standards as part of your solution, at the very least you should know what those standards are, and if there is any difference between them and what SMU has already admitted.

If the best you can do is the lame response you gave me, then you really are someone who cant back up his talk, and there isnt any reason for me to respect your ridiculous little rants.

[Johnny Rock]

Professor X, we can both agree to disagree on what changes need to be made. However, we can both agree that changes need to be made. Whether such changes will be made for SMU to be successful in football remains to be seen. Johnny just hopes that the next ten years are better than the last. If not, get ready to road trip to San Marcus.

[Stallion]

now Professor X you suggest that JUCOs really aren't going to make a big difference-let's agree to disagree in Football because I know we will disagree there-but what about BB where JUCOs now play such a prominent role-I forgot the number I calculated of WAC recruits last year in BB-it was something like 66% were JUCOs/CC. I would submit to you that I can make an argument that the essential difference between SMU and the WAC championship in each year we have been members were outstanding JUCOs on the champion. You're not going to concede to me that JC/CC players have become an integral component of just about every successful program in the WAC, MWC, Big 12, CUSA and SEC-and again those are the conferences I know best. And if not-name one?

<small>[ 10-09-2003, 08:01 AM: Message edited by: Stallion ]</small>