Mustangs...it's gonna be OK

[PonyPatrol]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude. Like a previous poster mentioned, I too have heard players over the last 10 years complain about how ridiculous it is to have a DOG serve as our Mustang mascot. Some of you throwing these fits may want to question your criticisms of a perspective that is shared by many current and future SMU players.

I understand tradition and I appreciate how furvent some of the supporters on this board are about particular topics, but why does this offend so many of you? Peruna may have been relavant decades ago, but as our program teeters on extinction, it may be time to acknowledge a change is appropriate to connect with a new generation. All traditions must begin and end somehwere - this is evidence of a new beginning and hopefully it coincides with the rebirth of our program.

True, changing our mascot (to an infinitely more accurate representation of its name) will not win us more games this year. However, it will strip off another layer of perceived failure by our athletic department to represent a real football product.

There are much better ways of supporting your team than whining about the inevitable phasing-out of Peruna. This program needs to start embracing changes and not pointing to success that predates the current college football landscape. After 100 years in existence, SMU finally has real Mustangs. Personally, I think it's long overdue.

[fivemon]

I have to agree, I don't kow how many people I have told this and said thank god we will no longer be the smu ponies

[PonyKai]

It's incredible how everything can go to hell in a hand basket simply because of the fact that we have sucked pathetically for about 30 years in football. If this team had been winning more than 1-4 games a season, this would be a complete non-starter. The reason it's not relevant now is because we aren't relevant now. Maybe it's time to put on our big boy pants, stand up, win seven games in a season, and stick with what we have. Maybe once the players, the team, and the school aren't a complete laughing stock in college football, the mascot wouldn't be either. Maybe winning 7-10 games a year might shockingly make it a point of pride. Yeah, yeah I know that wasn't a really viable option until now. Fix the product on the field.

To be clear, this is not about whining about anything inevitable. It's only inevitable if people sit around and don't call the school out on their incompetent behavior.

[couch 'em]

If we continue to lose for 30 more years the new horses will be considered silly and symbols of ineptitude.

If A&M gets worse people will start complaining about their stupid dog.

If UT goes for 2 decades of suck people will complain that bevo just stands there drugged up.

Any of these teams start winning after that..... suddenly the mascot becomes loved.

[DiamondM75]

Real mustangs can help to create wins.


Just get a complete herd, say about 25, and let the team run out behind them. Make sure the opposing team is already on the field. The Mustangs could take out 20 -25 of the opposing team players.

[PonySoprano]

While I think it makes no sense to change the mascot because the players think it will be cooler to run behind a larger horse, my real fear is that just like almost everything else the athletic department has tried to do in the past 20 years, we will screw this up so bad at the Navy game that it will be a huge embarassment and a total joke. They can f^*k up a wet dream.

If the students really think that having a full size horse will increase the university's standing and make us feel better about ourselves - I guess it our own fault - see what years of youth soccer without keeping score will do?

[PK]

Peruna is a mascot...period. Many schools do not have a real animal as a mascot, but caricatures instead. For instance...pirates. They don't have a real pirate for their mascot, it is a caricature. Or a horned frog (no such creature...horned toad yes, but no horned frog).

The problem of having a real full size mustang is that it will have to have a rider and the rider will become the focus rather than the mustang he/she is riding. What will the rider wear? Will we by default become the cowboys? Or perhaps the equestrians? At least Peruna does not need a rider and can be "wild" like a mustang.

[fivemon]

Peruna is a mascot...period. Many schools do not have a real animal as a mascot, but caricatures instead. For instance...pirates. They don't have a real pirate for their mascot, it is a caricature. Or a horned frog (no such creature...horned toad yes, but no horned frog).

The problem of having a real full size mustang is that it will have to have a rider and the rider will become the focus rather than the mustang he/she is riding. What will the rider wear? Will we by default become the cowboys? Or perhaps the equestrians? At least Peruna does not need a rider and can be "wild" like a mustang.

could you image if TCU had a horned toad as a mascot and peruna or anything for that matter smashed the cr*p out of it

[KnuckleStang]

I understand tradition

After reading your post, I respectfully disagree that you have an understanding of tradition.

[EastStang]

And don't forget Peruna is a stallion not a gelding. I don't know, do I want to run out on the field behind a horse with no huevos?

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude. Like a previous poster mentioned, I too have heard players over the last 10 years complain about how ridiculous it is to have a DOG serve as our Mustang mascot. Some of you throwing these fits may want to question your criticisms of a perspective that is shared by many current and future SMU players.

I understand tradition and I appreciate how furvent some of the supporters on this board are about particular topics, but why does this offend so many of you? Peruna may have been relavant decades ago, but as our program teeters on extinction, it may be time to acknowledge a change is appropriate to connect with a new generation. All traditions must begin and end somehwere - this is evidence of a new beginning and hopefully it coincides with the rebirth of our program.

True, changing our mascot (to an infinitely more accurate representation of its name) will not win us more games this year. However, it will strip off another layer of perceived failure by our athletic department to represent a real football product.

There are much better ways of supporting your team than whining about the inevitable phasing-out of Peruna. This program needs to start embracing changes and not pointing to success that predates the current college football landscape. After 100 years in existence, SMU finally has real Mustangs. Personally, I think it's long overdue.

If the Athletic Department is going to give a us a football product representative of a Division I school, then the mascot is the last place to start as far as whittling away these perceived failures.
However, maybe the new horses are representative of SMU. Apparently, no one in the administration has a pair.

[jtstang]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude.

And I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 do not show up for games, stay for games, or otherwise support Mustang football, and that their collective opinion as it regards Mustang football should therefore be disregarded in its entirety.

[PK]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude.

And I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 do not show up for games, stay for games, or otherwise support Mustang football, and that their collective opinion as it regards Mustang football should therefore be disregarded in its entirety.

A+++

[ponydawg]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude.

And I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 do not show up for games, stay for games, or otherwise support Mustang football, and that their collective opinion as it regards Mustang football should therefore be disregarded in its entirety.

You mean Pony Football.

[jkflamebo]

I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 think Peruna is a joke and a longstanding symbol of our ineptitude.

And I can say with 100% certainty that the vast majority of alumni under 30 do not show up for games, stay for games, or otherwise support Mustang football, and that their collective opinion as it regards Mustang football should therefore be disregarded in its entirety.

Uhhh no. Bring in the new mustang and get it done with already.