Hawaii Bowl is the best choice...

[mustang musashi]

Let me break it down...

This is the first bowl game in 25 years, and the whole reason SMU is even sitting here right now doing the bowl talk is because of JJ. As fans you guys dont owe him anything except team support, but you do owe the players the best chance to win their bowl game. They're the ones shedding blood and sweat, just trying to get a W week in and week out. Fans of course want to see the team play the best team no matter what, but it doesnt mean its the best thing for the program. When you've been on the losing end for the past 25 years, the only thing you really need right now are more wins.

Now lets talk recruiting, if SMU gets 2-3 million viewers imagine what that will do for the teams exposure and possible recruiting hype, especially if you win... Thats what you get out of the Hawaii Bowl because its the ONLY bowl game being played on the 24th of December... Theres also the Independence Bowl vs a bottom of the barrel SEC team who frankly could care less about this game, but probably will win on sheer talent and athletic ability alone... but on the bright side you get 1 million dollars more, but not many viewers to witness this game that means so much more to SMU than it does to this SEC team... WHY? because you share that date with 4 other bowl game 5 including the one you'll be playing in, 3 games before yours and one after, 3 out of the 5 are BCS conf matching up...

International (Big East vs. MAC), Papajohns.com (Big East vs. SEC), AT&T Cotton (Big 12 vs. SEC), AutoZone Liberty (C-USA vs. SEC), and the Valero Alamo (Big Ten vs. Big 12)...

so viewer ship will be minimal at best except for the fans of those 2 teams involved, since no one is going to stick around for 8 hours to watch 2 bowl games, maybe fans and gambling addicts...

So, winning your bowl game in front of 3 million viewers is a lot more beneficial to both the team and to recruiting. Losing the game will just say see SMU was a fluke and theyre only bowling because they play in a weak conference. You only benefit from playing a BCS team if you win...

SMU needs this victory to build confidence and momentum for next season to continue their winning attitude and mentality. As fans you may not want to see this matchup but if you want a successful program a bowl win would be a nice start...

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

This year should be about the fans.

Just my 2 cents. This year belongs to the fans. Most of the seniors and juniors were recruited under Bennet's 1-11 season. They were not recruited by JJ and I doubt that anyone (JUCO or transfers) were recruited with a posibility of a Hawaiii Bowl game before this season.

The fans have suffered for 25 years. I suffered thru last year's 1-11 season. Big deal. Try going thru 20 years. These are big time SMU football fans. They are special. They deserve more than most fans. The fans come first. JJ only recruited 2 years. Did JJ promise his recruits a Hawaii vacation in his first and second year? Especially after going 1-11 last year and recruiting basically high school players?

The seniors and juniors that Bennett recruited were not promised a Hawaii Bowl. They would love to play a well deserved Liberty bowl game after two straight 1-11 seasons. They will also have a chance to play a bowl game in front of their family and friends at the Liberty Bowl. Not many can make it to Hawaii. Same for the freshmen and sophs.

These are special fans. They derserve some respect too. Being a freshman or sophomore and going to a bowl game is big time. Any bowl game. They get to go to a Bowl game in their first or second year. They also have the chance to go to Hawaii next year.

Going to Hawaii? For free???? It should be worth a repeat next year. Big coaching and player incentive and motivation. I think the SMU fans will go to Hawaii too. Players and fans will be hungry next year. Winning two straight years does that. Next year..............

Priceless!!!!!

[mustang musashi]

ok i gotta ask, is this your "unbias opinion"??? or do you have a different agenda? do you actually want to see SMU fail and fall back to ground zero??? i think after 25 years of waiting they want the program to be built the right way... and not just a flash in the pan... yeah the fans deserve it, they deserve a ressurection of their once storied program..

[hawaiisashimi_smu]

These are decent and classey people.

They have proved to be the best college football fans in America.

They deserve better.

I believe in JJ. But, I believe in SMU even more. Maybe that is why JJ said SMU is the only place he would go too except Hawaii.

JJ was right. SMU was the only football team he would consider. The rest is history.

Hawaii was special and JJ still believes in Hawaii but you have to experience why JJ came here. Give it a shot. These people are 20 years plus. They make me feel like the Alabama fans. They know how to win but they know even bettter how to win and lose with class.

I only know this after two seasons on this board.

These people have class. Show respect to JJ but most of all show respect to these SMU fans.

They earned it, more than most.

[Hoop Fan]

wow, nice words sashimi. SMU does have a core of super and loyal fans. It was nice to be able to see them celebrate yesterday. As for the Hawaii Bowl, I sort of wish we could save that for next year and actually play UofH. That would be truly fun. SMU vs Idaho thousands of miles a way would be a bummer for many mustang fans.

[mustangxc]

Thanks for the kind words Hawaiisashimi_smu!!!

mustanmusashi: if you want to talk about the reason for this turnaround, look no further than the circle of champions!!! They put their money down without any guarantees!!! If JJ thinks money grows on trees, he should pay the difference in bowl revenue received out of his own pocket!!! SMU football is not about JJ! He is merely our current leader, and will eventually be replaced. SMU football and this season is about the SMU community!!! If you want to increase attendance, don't spit in the face of the fans (the 15000) that have supported SMU football throughout 20+ losing seasons!!! If he is such a great coach, we will win again next season and can go to Hawaii next season!!! The die hards with money can easily make that trip, and the die hards without money can live with watching it on TV. This year should be about bringing the SMU community together! The bowl game should help bring fans out of the woodwork that have ignored their team for all these years!! SMU playing in Hawaii with JJ will still be a big story next season!!! Aim for the Libety Bowl! Going to Hawaii would make me question the reason for fielding a team!!! IT is about the community, not just JJ and his players!!! Mahalo!!!

[Ponymon]

Sounds to me like there are many on this board willing to concede the conference title next year in order to go to Hawaii. I want to win the conference EVERY YEAR and if that means a trip to Memphis (or a BCS bowl!) every year in lieu of going to Hawaii SO BE IT!

[MustangLaxer]

just to be clear, SMU will not be able to choose between the Liberty Bowl & Hawaii Bowl. If we win the CUSA, we are going to Memphis. There is no other option. Except not playing in a bowl game.

[mustangxc]

Sounds to me like there are many on this board willing to concede the conference title next year in order to go to Hawaii. I want to win the conference EVERY YEAR and if that means a trip to Memphis (or a BCS bowl!) every year in lieu of going to Hawaii SO BE IT!

I did not say that!!! I am just clarifying that if JJ wants to go to Hawaii after winning CUSA next season, so be it!!! This year, we should go to the Liberty Bowl!!! My personal opinion is that we should make it a goal to play in the Liberty Bowl every season, much like USC's is to play in the Rose Bowl!! Hopefully we can make it to a BCS bowl eventually!

[mr. pony]

just to be clear, SMU will not be able to choose between the Liberty Bowl & Hawaii Bowl. If we win the CUSA, we are going to Memphis. There is no other option. Except not playing in a bowl game.

Sounds like Jones is trying to change that, though.

[ponyte]

As far as recruiting goes, I would prefer the Liberty Bowl. I understand the bowl viewership ratings issue. And a good win in the Hawaii Bowl with a good viewership would be great PR. However, I don't think many potential recruits will be swede base the Hawaii Bowl. I know recruits will be impressed when their athlete host is wearing a big championship ring. And I do know that those kids will be impressed by the local press talking about the CUSA champions SMU.

And the best recruiting tool we could have at this moment is an electric Ford stadium (like yesterday). Another electric stadium against Tulane and then a championship game will impress recruits more than a televised Hawaii Bowl game.

Experiencing the excitement goes much further than passively watching a televised game.

So I think, if possible, the best long term Bowl for us is the Liberty Bowl. After that, Hawaii is good.

[Mountain Mustang]

Let me break it down...

Now lets talk recruiting, if SMU gets 2-3 million viewers imagine what that will do for the teams exposure and possible recruiting hype, especially if you win... Thats what you get out of the Hawaii Bowl because its the ONLY bowl game being played on the 24th of December... Theres also the Independence Bowl vs a bottom of the barrel SEC team who frankly could care less about this game, but probably will win on sheer talent and athletic ability alone... but on the bright side you get 1 million dollars more, but not many viewers to witness this game that means so much more to SMU than it does to this SEC team... WHY? because you share that date with 4 other bowl game 5 including the one you'll be playing in, 3 games before yours and one after, 3 out of the 5 are BCS conf matching up...

so viewer ship will be minimal at best except for the fans of those 2 teams involved, since no one is going to stick around for 8 hours to watch 2 bowl games, maybe fans and gambling addicts...

So, winning your bowl game in front of 3 million viewers is a lot more beneficial to both the team and to recruiting. Losing the game will just say see SMU was a fluke and theyre only bowling because they play in a weak conference. You only benefit from playing a BCS team if you win...

SMU needs this victory to build confidence and momentum for next season to continue their winning attitude and mentality. As fans you may not want to see this matchup but if you want a successful program a bowl win would be a nice start...

The only reason you can hype the ratings for the Hawaii bowl is because you had Notre Dame last year. The Hawaii bowl got a 4.14 rating which was a 147% increase over the previous year. In statistics that's called an outlier. The Liberty bowl last year with Kentucky and ECU got a 3.6 rating which has been about average for that bowl. It's still going to reach plenty of viewers, and historically this bowl reaches more viewers than the Hawaii bowl. The largest factor in bowl ratings is matchup, so unless SMU is going to play Notre Dame in the Hawaii bowl, the ratings will most likely be better in the Liberty Bowl due to SEC ratings dominance over smaller conferences. So there goes that argument.

Here's a link to last year's ratings:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/01/13/ncaa-college-football-bowl-game-ratings-2008-9/10685

[Statler]

Here are the observations:

http://warriorquotes.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/the-hawaii-bowl-had-record-tv-ratings/

Note this game was placed on Dec. 23rd between Hawaii and Notre Dame (they always have a large share).

The Liberty Bowl's rating was:

http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/tvratings

Note: Liberty Bowl still had higher attendance.

Our game would be more like:

http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=11994&change_well_id=2

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina 41, Boise State 38, ESPN: (30,467) & [1,415,395]

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State 10, UCF 3, ESPN: (63,816) & [3,986,674]

Note: the game was between ECU and Boise VS the Liberty Bowl with Miss State & UCF.

Also, the Hawaii Bow is on Christmas Eve when folks will be with family, church, etc. while the Liberty Bowl is on Saturday 1/2 after the Cotton Bowl game.

[NickSMU17]

Could SMU play Notre Dame in this game?

That would be the only way I would consider changing my mind...

[03Mustang]

Could SMU play Notre Dame in this game?

That would be the only way I would consider changing my mind...

This is what I have been wondering as well.

Having a chance to beat the [deleted] out of Notre Dame would put Hawaii at the top of my list....not to mention the "full circle" story that would be for us.