June's logic ... SEC or WAC foe?

[SMU 86]

It has not really helped any other team that has gone to the Liberty Bowl. But I do remember East Carolina beating Boise in the Hawaii bowl and it gave them and especially RB Chris Johnson national recognition. Also, I would not wish a beatdown on our players.

[huskerpony]

Actually, there hasn't really been a beat down since the SEC joined this contest. Why do you assume we would be any different? It isn't like we are getting Florida or Alabama. We would be playing either the #7 or #8 team from the SEC--Assuming 2 SEC teams in the BCS--who will likely be sorely disappointed in their season and not very motivated to play SMU.

December 29, 2006 South Carolina 44 Houston 36
December 29, 2007 Mississippi State 10 UCF 3
January 2, 2009 Kentucky 25 East Carolina 19

[SMU 86]

Actually, there hasn't really been a beat down since the SEC joined this contest. Why do you assume we would be any different? It isn't like we are getting Florida or Alabama. We would be playing either the #7 or #8 team from the SEC--Assuming 2 SEC teams in the BCS--who will likely be sorely disappointed in their season and not very motivated to play SMU.

December 29, 2006 South Carolina 44 Houston 36
December 29, 2007 Mississippi State 10 UCF 3
January 2, 2009 Kentucky 25 East Carolina 19

If that is the case I hope you are right. Because the mental effects of a beatdown for the young team would not be good. A win or close game would be good but not a beatdown. I hope our wr's and QB are ready for the cold weather.

[ozfan]

it absolutely would have had june jones stayed there. A bcs appearance is 10x better for a non-bcs school than a win in any non bcs bowl

Show us your stats to prove your point.

[leopold]

Damnit, TCU is as good as, or better than, any mid-level SEC team right now (and I'm an SEC homer when not pulling for SMU) and we made it a respectible game until the fourth quarter, and I actually think we are improved since then. We beat ECU, and might have to beat them again to go to the LB, so don't tell me they match up better if we beat them 2x to go. Wouldn't we match up better against a pass happy Arkansas, who some expect to be the team (I'm hearing them or Auburn)?
Besides, has any C-USA team won this bowl since we started playing the SEC?
It's also still possible we run into Boise State (who hasn't clinched the WAC yet) in Hawaii.

I'M FROM MEMPHIS. I WANNA GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND SEE MY TEAM IN THE LIBERTY BOWL, selfish as that may be.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TAILGATING AT (AND DUCKING BULLETS AT) THE FAIRGROUND!

PARTY AT LEOPOLD'S HOUSE! (Or, err, my parents.....)

[expony18]

if we go to the liberty bowl i say we let Padron sit that one out

[smuuth]

Amazing how many non-athletes are on this board. Anyone who has played competitive sports knows that if our SMU boys had it their way, they would welcome the opportunity to play anybody, anywhere, anytime....and that goes for UT, Alabama, and Florida. If you can go toe to toe with Navy who has given mighty Notre Dame a whippin and TCU then we can compete with anybody. The problem a team like SMU or even TCU competing in the SEC or Big 12 South would be the week after week of physical play. On a one game basis, no big deal. Look at UH and their victories over OSU and TT. By the way, has anyone played TCU closer into the third quarter than us? The dropped int in the flat for a td, the controversial Dalton fumble overruled after a 10 minute delay, the continuous and stubborn kicking coach insisting on kicking to Kerley and company. As I said after the TCU game, even though we were dominated on both lines and struggled offensively, we were still in the game thanks to our never give up defense and TCU turnovers.

[ReedFrawg]

Wow...you really think we are "as good as" a mid-level SEC team? What a compliment! I'd say we are clearly better than the 7th or 8th place team from any BCS conference and SMU should not run from anybody! Go to Memphis and beat the crap out of Kentucky or Tennessee! Hell Wyoming beat Tennessee last year in Knoxville...don't run away to hawaii and play some spare WAC opponent. These games against BCS teams can out you on the freakin map - just look at the '98 Sun Bowl for TCU.

Damnit, TCU is as good as, or better than, any mid-level SEC team right now (and I'm an SEC homer when not pulling for SMU) and we made it a respectible game until the fourth quarter, and I actually think we are improved since then. We beat ECU, and might have to beat them again to go to the LB, so don't tell me they match up better if we beat them 2x to go. Wouldn't we match up better against a pass happy Arkansas, who some expect to be the team (I'm hearing them or Auburn)?
Besides, has any C-USA team won this bowl since we started playing the SEC?
It's also still possible we run into Boise State (who hasn't clinched the WAC yet) in Hawaii.

I'M FROM MEMPHIS. I WANNA GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND SEE MY TEAM IN THE LIBERTY BOWL, selfish as that may be.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TAILGATING AT (AND DUCKING BULLETS AT) THE FAIRGROUND!

PARTY AT LEOPOLD'S HOUSE! (Or, err, my parents.....)

[Alaric]

The fear of the SEC is a smokescreen. JJ and crew just want to take the team to Hawaii to show them the part of the world they love and to have a homecoming of sorts for the staff. It's a little nutty but ok by me in exchange for a huge turnaround to our moribund program.

[skyscraper]

While I think the whupping UGA put on Hawaii might be in the back of his mind, I think the more JJ talks, the more it becomes clear he just wants to go home to Hawaii because of all his connections to there.
The NYT blog entry mentioned in this thread sealed it in my mind:
http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42389

[PonySnob]

While I think the whupping UGA put on Hawaii might be in the back of his mind, I think the more JJ talks, the more it becomes clear he just wants to go home to Hawaii because of all his connections to there.
The NYT blog entry mentioned in this thread sealed it in my mind:
http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42389

Then perhaps he never should have left. Has JJ coached team ever beaten and SEC team.......or a Gary Patterson coached team?

[Big C]

this is ridiculous. i registered an account just to reply to this. The payout for the liberty bowl is around $1.7 mil. the payout for the hawaii bowl is $398,000. (last year's numbers). Furthermore, it is not up to SMU or steve orsini or june jones. The liberty bowl gets the c-usa champion (provided not a bcs buster). there is a contract in place.

This is irrelevant. ALL the money from CUSA bowls is put into a pool and split evenly between the bowl teams. Money can't be a part of the argument.

[Blue Horseshoe]

June Jones' first order of business is to win and go to the C-USA championship. I can't believe he seems to think that he would be the story that ESPN would cover instead of the story being about SMU going to it's first bowl in over two decades. His priorities are out of order!!!

This guy was hired to coach and win football games...that's it. Orsini should rein Jones back in and quit all this Hawaii talk. If we truly do want to be top 25 in all we do, this is Orsini's first shot at doing so. Going to Hawaii to play a non-top 25 team doesn't give us this chance.

Everyone who is pro going to Hawaii as to not get our butts kicked should be ashamed of themselves! This is why you play the game!

By the way, we play Marshall on Saturday and I can promise all of you that they are not going to be playing in Santa suits.

[ALEX LIFESON]

While I think the whupping UGA put on Hawaii might be in the back of his mind, I think the more JJ talks, the more it becomes clear he just wants to go home to Hawaii because of all his connections to there.
The NYT blog entry mentioned in this thread sealed it in my mind:
http://www.ponyfans.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42389

Then perhaps he never should have left. Has JJ coached team ever beaten and SEC team.......or a Gary Patterson coached team?

JJ beat Alabama.

[Rebel_Pony]

Big picture: SMU appears to have turned the corner. Are we ready for an SEC opponent? Maybe, maybe not. We don't have the athleticism on paper to match up, though anything can happen in a game like that. But the point is that we are (unless something unexpected happens) going to a bowl - I repeat, a B-O-W-L - and regardless of where that bowl is, or how much it pays out, or who we are playing against, one cannot forget what leaps and bounds we've taken from the last two seasons.

Where do I want to go, personally? I want to go to Memphis -- it's much closer and I could anticipate bringing quite a few people with me. But does it really matter to me? No. I am just beyond happy for SMU to be in this position right now. I plan to let the cards play out as they may, enjoying this moment, getting a taste of things to come, mindful that this is only the beginning.

Let's look forward to a year in the (hopefully near) future where the Liberty Bowl will be the lesser option.