Serious question: Do you think the Bush Library factors in?

[MustangLaxer]

It could work in a positive way as well. The Library means more publicity to SMU. The Library makes my degree worth more because SMU name recognition increases. The more the SMU name is out there, the easier it could be to recruit.

[MrMustang1965]

are you kidding? Having Bush around will be great for Recruiting!

Uh, yeah...Kappas, Chi O's, Thetas, DGs, Pi Phi's, Tri Delts, etc. *corrected*

[MustangLaxer]

are you kidding? Having Bush around will be great for Recruiting!

Uh, yeah...Kappas, Chi O's, Zetas, DGs, Pi Phi's, Tri Delts, etc.

No such thing as a Zeta at SMU anymore old timer. We've replaced them with the much more attractive Thetas

[MrMustang1965]

are you kidding? Having Bush around will be great for Recruiting!

Uh, yeah...Kappas, Chi O's, Zetas, DGs, Pi Phi's, Tri Delts, etc.

No such thing as a Zeta at SMU anymore old timer. We've replaced them with the much more attractive Thetas

corrected. Too bad. Zetas were hot when I was in school.

[Phxfan]

All you naysayers seem like a bunch of wayward sheep like the rest of your party.

It is what it is. 90% of America has not even thought about this library. 90% of the UMC membership has no clue this is going to happen. SMU will be in the spotlight more than it has ever been. This is way past party stuff. It will be VERY controversial. Everything about SMU will be seen across America. The good, bad, and the ugly. Laura Bush will be looked at, the football program will be looked at, the UMC will be looked at. Our new coach will be looked at. EVERYTHING. SMU will need to present itself well. I remember when the DP was happening and Dan Rather would talk about the "scandal" with the Mustang as background. Well this thing is far bigger than the DP on national terms. I don't really have an opinion on it, largely because I can see both sides and $500,000,000.00. But SMU needs to be ready for the spotlight. Yes this has been considered, how could it not be???

[TheBestAvailable]

No Way.

[Phxfan]

No Way.

No way what?

[DFW HOYA]

It makes no difference for football, however, the library is a GREAT step forward for SMU.

Why? I've spend much of my life in Dallas, and SMU exerts a great deal of influence here (even if the DMN thinks the world revolves around Austin). But when I was looking at schools, an SMU alumnus plainly told me that the farther you go outside Dallas, the less relevant that SMU is.

For any number of reasons, SMU is not looked upon along with Duke or Vanderbilt anymore, and maybe not even Tulane or Wake Forest. It has settled into a middle of the road US News ranking and the ghost of the DP keeps getting brought up. The library offers the opportuinity to bring some major league academic talent to Dallas and broaden the potential base of students and faculty that will be part of it. It's a win-win for SMU and potentially for SMU athletics.

[Phxfan]

It makes no difference for football, however, the library is a GREAT step forward for SMU.

Why? I've spend much of my life in Dallas, and SMU exerts a great deal of influence here (even if the DMN thinks the world revolves around Austin). But when I was looking at schools, an SMU alumnus plainly told me that the farther you go outside Dallas, the less relevant that SMU is.

For any number of reasons, SMU is not looked upon along with Duke or Vanderbilt anymore, and maybe not even Tulane or Wake Forest. It has settled into a middle of the road US News ranking and the ghost of the DP keeps getting brought up. The library offers the opportuinity to bring some major league academic talent to Dallas and broaden the potential base of students and faculty that will be part of it. It's a win-win for SMU and potentially for SMU athletics.

For the most part I agree. It could turn into a lose/lose thing also. SMU is relevent from my perception of the guy's/gal's that follow football here. Most want to know if SMU will ever get it's act together and have put CJ & ED in an almost mythical state. They all know about SMU and the death penalty. Duke/Tulane are still in a different field. Most collages are in a field far removed from SMU. The fan base of SMU is really much larger than most think. Dallas may not know it, but people in AZ do know about SMU. They need to be ready to weather the storm that is approaching. It will hit soon. SMU will be the most talked about Univ. in the US for a couple, if not many weeks after this is announced. I wish SMU only the best on this thing.

[SMU89]

Don't want to get into library talk but will say --

Laura was a teacher.

Recently, $20 million was donated for education school / facility at SMU.

The library is being designed to tie into the school.

Maybe this can be an opportunity to get the Educational Major part addressed?

[Dutch]

Don't want to get into library talk but will say --

Laura was a teacher.

Recently, $20 million was donated for education school / facility at SMU.

The library is being designed to tie into the school.

Maybe this can be an opportunity to get the Educational Major part addressed?

the Simmons School is set to open next year, correct?

[Billy Joe]

Serious Answer: No.

[BrianTinBigD]

A friend of mine mentioned this thread at lunch. I never bothered to read it since I thought it was a weak attempt at humor. Instead, it has lead me to conclude that some of the members of this board(like the person that started this thread) are starting to lose touch with reality. If we don't get a coach soon, we are going to start seeing threads like "Do You Think that the Bush Librabry being the #1 target for Al-Qaida in the years to come, whill impact SMU's ability to Hire Barry Switzer?"

[Phxfan]

A friend of mine mentioned this thread at lunch. I never bothered to read it since I thought it was a weak attempt at humor. Instead, it has lead me to conclude that some of the members of this board(like the person that started this thread) are starting to lose touch with reality. If we don't get a coach soon, we are going to start seeing threads like "Do You Think that the Bush Librabry being the #1 target for Al-Qaida in the years to come, whill impact SMU's ability to Hire Barry Switzer?"

SMU will not be a target for terrorists. My opinion. Many, including myself have lost touch with reality, now and then. This is really about a football coach, or football. Or is supposed to be. SMU/Orsini is better at keeping secrets than the CIA. I don't mind the wait. It will be great at the end of this drama. Orsini should look at jobs in the CIA, NSA if he leaves SMU.

[planoponyfan]

A small, but very important point: Bush's library committee has not formally said the deal with SMU is done. They've been "exclusively negotiating" with SMU for a year, but still haven't issued a final statement saying the library is coming to SMU.

I'm not saying it won't come, but I am saying that the litigation over the land is holding up the project. At some point, the Bush folks will have no choice but to either commit to a much smaller library at SMU (without the land in question) or go somewhere else.

All of this is to say that the library plays no role at all in the coaching search. SMU has football facilities and money to spend on a coach. They should always strive to hire someone who won't be an embarrassment in some way or another.