Damage Control and Spin in Full Force and Effect

[Statler]

Well Mustang Nation, word has it that the phone calls and emails have the powers at be a little nervous. In fact, Bob Sharp called a Mustang Club member today to give the talking points about the new geldings. Also, the PR dept and adminstration has sent out a talking points memo to recite to concerned callers.

Below is the link to the press release by SMU about the geldings. Notice that the original release is below the fold. The spinmeisters have added a whole schtick about the Squires which nobody has heard of for over 40 years trying to appease the Pro-Peruna crowd.

http://www.smu.edu/News/2009/mustang-donation-30sept2009a.aspx

Talk about a public relation nightmare. Reminds me of Dr. James Zumberge, President of SMU from '75 to '80. He always gave the same advise to graduating seniors.

If you don't know ask.
Always read the directions.
If it ain't broke--don't fix it!

[LakeHighlandsPony]

Statler-I thought of you while I was at Invesco Mile High watching my other bunch of underachievers play football. The Broncos run this horse up and down the field before kickoff named Thunder. Perhaps this is where the idea for this started. God knows we only knockoff other people rather than come up with our own. See you at "The Grove" this weekend.

[Treadway21]

see any similarities - want to be SMU not Ole Miss

[couch 'em]

Below is the link to the press release by SMU about the geldings. Notice that the original release is below the fold. The spinmeisters have added a whole schtick about the Squires which nobody has heard of for over 40 years trying to appease the Pro-Peruna crowd.

The SID posted on here two pictures of "the squires" with a so-called mustang with a rider earlier when this mess was announced.

If you have to dig up two pictures of a spirit group and horse that nobody remembers in order to justify your actions, you have a problem. Not one person on here has mentioned remembering this group.

I still haven't heard what we are getting in return for this. It had better be 8 figures or more.




F U SID. Looks to me like the horse is not the focus of that group, it looks like riding a horse is part of their pseudo-cowboy schtick.

[Diamond Girl]

I always thought the newer logo resembled UVa's main building, never thought of Ole Miss.

[Diamond Girl]

In the top pic, it looks like the horse and rider are being chased by a bunch of Aggies.

[Stallion]

why are Aggie storm-troppers chasing our Big Pony? If that's a legitimate picture its pre-Cotton Bowl-so pre-1945 right or at Kyle Field maybe.

[ALEX LIFESON]

I thought it was German officers?

[couch 'em]

You can clearly see in pic 1 that the flag says "SQUIRES SMU", and the horse just has a normal saddle.

Clearly it is an accessory, and not a focus. SMU's attempt to claim that this new gelding is equivalent to the squires in this pictures is an outright lie. The horse in the pictures has no decoration. It is NOT the same.

[Stallion]

that Big Pony is a phony-see Wikepedia pictures and stories

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... N%26um%3D1

[Stallion]

Good enough for Bob hope-good enough for me

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... 2%26um%3D1

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

"I still haven't heard what we are getting in return for this. It had better be 8 figures or more"

couch'em will that be required to be made public?

In all honestly I think Peruna is priceless and if Pickens is asking us
to throw Peruna off a cliff I'd say take your money and shove it.

[SMU 86]

I don't think we are getting any money, just helping 2 rescued horses.

[Stallion]

Peruna on Rose Bowl Roadtrip

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl= ... 4%26um%3D1

[Diamond Girl]

I found this bit of info that's kinda interesting. It was hidden on the SMU Web site. (The emphasis is mine.):

According to Culwell’s son, C.W. ‘Cully’ Culwell (’54), “He (Dad) would go to every game and serve barbeque to the players after the game; he really loved the school….Dad donated a Shetland pony because they have a greater longevity than a quarter-horse.” (Shetlands will normally live 25 years or more, while a quarter horse will only live 15-18 years.) His generosity continued until his death in 1964 and has been continued by the Culwell family. Until 1993, the mascot was stabled on the 500-acre Culwell Ranch in Grapevine. Since then, the stabling location is kept a secret. To date, eight mascots have represented SMU…6 stallions and 2 mares, although hard-core types prefer all-black stallions because of their alleged vitality and spirit. When Cully Culwell was having difficulty locating a black stallion to replace Peruna VI, he shared that “stallions are hard to obtain now because most young male horses are castrated to make them tamer….a stallion which is more aggressive, better represents the spirit of the SMU Mustangs."