Guess The Powers At Be Got To PonyPride and Webmaster

[Hoop Fan]

whether its 1500 or 3000, either way the number of core fans is small as a direct result of years of neglect. No matter what the number is, its pretty clear that there is much more downside from this PR debacle than upside. I honestly don't think the new horses will directly or indirecly get SMU even one more new fan. On the contrary though, with continued inepitude and bad handling, SMU stands to actually lose support ($ and fans) over this. I'd estimate 10 to 1. For every one new fan (generous, but maybe one little DISD kid who likes big horseys will like us now) or dollar that may come from the Pickens for this, SMU will lose 10. Not good business or PR.

[SMU 86]

Hopefully we are not hoping for a bad halftime (regardless of viewpoint) because recruits will be at the game.

[George S. Patton]

86 -- If we do, then you can look at Dr. Turner, AD Orsini and others in administration who turned this into a mess.

They screwed this up, so if there is negativity or booing, then they have to live with up because they were not up front with alums and fans.

[ponydawg]

[SMU 86]

86 -- If we do, then you can look at Dr. Turner, AD Orsini and others in administration who turned this into a mess.

They screwed this up, so if there is negativity or booing, then they have to live with up because they were not up front with alums and fans.

Unbelieveable.

[Hoop Fan]

don't imagine there would be any booing, but probably alot of eye rolling and lack of enthusiasm. Like most ceremonies we have seen at Ford lately, could be very awkward and uncomfortable. Honestly hope not even though I oppose multiple mascots and cowboys riding horses around our field.

[George S. Patton]

86 -- If we do, then you can look at Dr. Turner, AD Orsini and others in administration who turned this into a mess.

They screwed this up, so if there is negativity or booing, then they have to live with up because they were not up front with alums and fans.

Unbelieveable.

Well, you have a lot of ticked off people here. I hope we act with decorum. I know I'm not going to boo because I'm not sticking around to watch this fraudulent event.

[ponyboy]

SMU fans overwhelmingly disagree with this football related policy.

With all due respect, where do you get the data on which this opinion is based? Did anyone ever post an actual poll as I suggested earlier?

[Stallion]

Yes there has now been 2 polls-one on Ponyfans showing 72-28 last time I looked and the present Daily Campus poll which last time I looked was 67-33.

[San Antonio Mustang]

I agree with moving all those posts. We are 3-2 and getting ready to play the most difficult offense for our defense and all some of you can talk about is conspiracies. I would love to read your thoughts on how we should defend Navy. Some of you actually know quite a bit about football and your insights would be cool to know. In fact you may have posted them, but they were lost in the mascot conspiracy outrage. None of us know what the school is going to do with the two new horses. Hell, even the school may not know. If you want to make a difference write a letter to Orsini and Turner telling them your thoughts on how the school should use the horses. That will have far more impact then cluttering up the football board. Now lets get back to beating Navy.

[jtstang]

whether its 1500 or 3000, either way the number of core fans is small as a direct result of years of neglect. No matter what the number is, its pretty clear that there is much more downside from this PR debacle than upside. I honestly don't think the new horses will directly or indirecly get SMU even one more new fan. On the contrary though, with continued inepitude and bad handling, SMU stands to actually lose support ($ and fans) over this. I'd estimate 10 to 1. For every one new fan (generous, but maybe one little DISD kid who likes big horseys will like us now) or dollar that may come from the Pickens for this, SMU will lose 10. Not good business or PR.

Let me just ask you straight up--if SMU decides to use these new horses in some capacity at football games, are you going to be one of the 10 fans it loses per your prediction?

[Hoop Fan]

will i turn my back on SMU? Probably not, certainly don't plan to. Might it be one more nick in series of cuts that diminish my overall interest to some degree? maybe. Wasnt making a personal threat, just an observation based on comments i have read and my guess at the pulse of the smu community. Might have been Greenwich Pony who made the strongest statement on the matter. I imagine there are hundreds like him.

[peruna81]

jtstang,

I know your question is directed to another, but I will weigh in that it will not effect my support of SMU...it may effect my support of those that are making decisions that I believe are poorly formed, but not the school.

These two are not mutually exclusive. I believe most folks will sadly yawn. Similar to the bizarrely-dressed character (yeah,not one of PF folks here, yukk yukk) with a forgetable moniker that appeared a few years ago, and the now happily ridded 'Mighty Mustang Thunder'...

This is about money driving the issue, and expanding non-alum buy-in...and I am again thankful for a forum to weigh in about this issue.

BTW, I am beginning to have expectations of stopping Navy's Flexbone offense...

[jtstang]

will i turn my back on SMU? Probably not, certainly don't plan to.

Me either. And I can say definitely not. I've been on this ride for going on 30 years, the last 25 of it watching inept athletics. If I can stick through that, no mascot controversy is going to run me off. Remember the Mustang Maniac?

So this will have no effect on us. Why are we still rehashing it? Is it to point out that SMU f'd up some PR issue? It's SMU--it would be newsworthy if they didn't.

Is it because we are really concerned about SMU losing fans? There's only 1500 left and they ain't going anywhere for the same reasons you and I aren't. Your reference to continued ineptitude and mishandling costing SMU fans cracked me up because SMU fans have never known anything else and we're still here.

Is it because we are concerned SMU athletics will lose money? It's been a money-losing proposition since the day we were born and it's still here somehow. Besides, if the Pickens' like us enough to give us a couple of horses (not mustangs, mustangs live in the wild), maybe next year they'll like us enough to give us the $25 mil they find in their sofa cushions.

Bringing on these horses as any part of the football game presentation is a stupid idea, no doubt, no argument. But there's nothing any of us can do about it. And it is just one more in a long line of stupid ideas out of our control that have come and gone since we've been following SMU, and guess what? We're still following SMU.

I hope we beat Navy.

[Hoop Fan]

So this will have no effect on us. Why are we still rehashing it? Is it to point out that SMU f'd up some PR issue? It's SMU--it would be newsworthy if they didn't.

Agree on alot that...especially the part about it being newsworthy if they didn't... Hoping that Pickens graces us with the spare change in his sofa sounds good, but its not worth splintering your community over. Yes, he might make up technically for the contributions lost or reduced by the common skeptical folks who don't like eating crap sandwiches over and over, but there is something to be said for having a broader base and more contributors/enthusiastic supporters who will travel to bowl games etc. Plus, who knows which one of us might be the next Pickens. As for being a fan, i can only speak for myself, and I think its obvious that I have lost alot of patience over the past few years. The straws on the camels back start to add up. I missed the game last week because I chose to go out town to see some friends. In years past, I probably would have planned around an SMU home game, not so much lately. Thats just honest, not venemous.