WHY DOES JUNE THINK HAWAII IS BETTER FOR OUR PROGRAM???

[Hoop Fan]

BEAT MARSHALL!!

Are the Hawaii Bowl bashers going to be happy about us going there if we end up with our head so far up our aces that we forgot to show up for our remaining 2 games??? Has this controversy made the Hawaii Bowl sour grapes even if it's our ONLY choice??

BEAT MARSHALL!!

only have JJ to blame for the situation. He should have said nothing at all instead of publicly suggesting the Liberty Bowl should invite ECU even if we win the title. This is not speculation, JJ said it publicly. I heard it, lots of people heard it. Crazy stuff.

[Wuba]

BEAT MARSHALL!!

Are the Hawaii Bowl bashers going to be happy about us going there if we end up with our head so far up our aces that we forgot to show up for our remaining 2 games??? Has this controversy made the Hawaii Bowl sour grapes even if it's our ONLY choice??

BEAT MARSHALL!!

only have JJ to blame for the situation. He should have said nothing at all instead of publicly suggesting the Liberty Bowl should invite ECU even if we win the title. This is not speculation, JJ said it publicly. I heard it, lots of people heard it. Crazy stuff.

That is true, but you left out another reason he is to blame. If he was a worse coach we would not be in a position where it was an issue at all. Damn him.

[Hoop Fan]

this is true, as far as SMu goes, its a good problem to have. I just have always wanted to play a name school when we finally returned to a bowl game. I think thats pretty important the return from the dead game. Now if we played Idaho in our next bowl game next year, wouldn't be an issue I dont think. Let me say it this way...the first bowl game back from the dead should be a Sports Illustrated event. SMU vs. Idaho does not equal SI.

[huskerpony]

BEAT MARSHALL!!

Are the Hawaii Bowl bashers going to be happy about us going there if we end up with our head so far up our aces that we forgot to show up for our remaining 2 games??? Has this controversy made the Hawaii Bowl sour grapes even if it's our ONLY choice??

BEAT MARSHALL!!

only have JJ to blame for the situation. He should have said nothing at all instead of publicly suggesting the Liberty Bowl should invite ECU even if we win the title. This is not speculation, JJ said it publicly. I heard it, lots of people heard it. Crazy stuff.

That is true, but you left out another reason he is to blame. If he was a worse coach we would not be in a position where it was an issue at all. Damn him.

I keep thinking maybe he is well aware of our history and a) wants to keep the players motivated, and b) wants to keep the Hawaii Bowl people interested should they have a chance to take a 10-3 Houston over a 6-6 SMU. If we win out, he can change his tune and tell the Hawaii Bowl people, "we'd rather be there, but we have to go to Memphis and represent the conference. Please keep us in mind next year if we are not so fortunate."

[Mountain Mustang]

This whole argument that playing a WAC team vs. an SEC team seems silly to me. Do you honestly think that knowing what June Jones knows now if he had it to do all over again he wouldn't have taken his Hawaii team to the Sugar Bowl to play Georgia??? The only way you'll ever know how good you really are is if you put yourself to the test. The level of competition we'd face can't be an argument for Jones to take us to Hawaii. He'd look like a chicken for trying to "protect" his team. It's a loser's mentality to think about only the worst possible outcome which would be a beat down by an SEC team. Winners think about what the best possible outcome would be. Wouldn't the exposure of a victory over an SEC team by a team that hasn't gone to a bowl in 25 years far outweigh any other possible outcome???

Look at it this way: There are four possible outcomes from going to Hawaii and going to Memphis.

1) We go to Hawaii and beat a team like Fresno St. or Idaho. A great accomplishment for a team that went 1-11 the last 2 years and hasn't gone to a bowl in the last 25. This would make for a good story. Jones goes back to Hawaii, and gets a victory for his new team. Recruiting is helped in Hawaii and at home.

2) We go to Hawaii and lose. Now the only thing we have to hang our hats on is that we made it to a bowl. Still something to be proud of after 25 years of sucking. But the story isnt' that great. Jones still goes to Hawaii, which is still a great story LEADING UP TO THE GAME. There's no great story after the game and we leave Hawaii with a bitter taste in our mouth for losing. Maybe it's good for recruiting in Hawaii because Jones is there, but it wouldn't help that much anywhere else in the country.

3) We go to Memphis and lose to an SEC team. We represented the conference and went to our conference's historical bowl and lost. The story is still there about us going to a bowl for the first time in 25 years; June Jones resurrects another program. Not many would expect us to beat an SEC team anyways; so the impact of the loss isn't as great. Recruiting impact is still positive due to national exposure on TV. We're still

4) We go to Memphis and beat an SEC team. Obviously the best story of all. We win the conference and then "David beats Goliath." June Jones is a hero for bringing us back from the dead; this story would get major play on TV before and after the game. Recruiting impact is tremendous. A win like this truly puts us on the map again.

Obviously options 1 & 4 are the two best outcomes, with option 4 being the clear winner. The negative impact from losing in Hawaii is larger than the negative impact of losing in Memphis. To me this puts Memphis as the clear winner. But I'm an optimist.

The argument about Hawaii vs. Memphis from a player's perspective is an interesting one. I'd love to do a straw poll to see if the player's would rather go to Hawaii and play a lesser opponent or go to the CUSA Champion's Liberty bowl against a tougher opponent. It's all speculation for anyone who comments on this question until you actually check with the players, which isn't going to happen. All I can say is if it were me, I'd sacrafice the warm weather for a shot to beat an SEC team and the greater glory; but that's just me.

GO PONIES...BEAT MARSHALL!!!!

[SMU91]

How many threads can we have on this subject?
It's real simple if we win out we will play in Memphis.
If we lose a game we play in Hawaii.

By the way it's about the players not the fans!

[35straight]

Has anyone thought about the parents of these players, and how man of them will not get to go and watch their sons play. Sure we are all big fans, but its those parents tat have had to look those kids in the eyes for the last four years. Don't you think they would want to share this with them also.

[Bergermeister]

Has anyone thought about the parents of these players, and how man of them will not get to go and watch their sons play. Sure we are all big fans, but its those parents tat have had to look those kids in the eyes for the last four years. Don't you think they would want to share this with them also.

Cry me a freakin' river.

[Bergermeister]

We are going to have pathetic attendance no matter what bowl we go to......

It's a tradition. Has SMU played in a sold out bowl since Doak Walker graduated? I know it wasn't the Sun Bowl in the early 60s - we didn't sell out the Cotton Bowl vs. Georgia in 66 - We didn't sell out the Bluebonnet Bowl vs Oklahoma - I don't remember if SMU vs Pitt was a sellout - (I was there but I was not concerned with stuff like that at the time). Holiday Bowl? Aloha Bowl? Why would we travel well when we don't even show up at home???

[EastStang]

We are going to have pathetic attendance no matter what bowl we go to......

It's a tradition. Has SMU played in a sold out bowl since Doak Walker graduated? I know it wasn't the Sun Bowl in the early 60s - we didn't sell out the Cotton Bowl vs. Georgia in 66 - We didn't sell out the Bluebonnet Bowl vs Oklahoma - I don't remember if SMU vs Pitt was a sellout - (I was there but I was not concerned with stuff like that at the time). Holiday Bowl? Aloha Bowl? Why would we travel well when we don't even show up at home???

The Cotton Bowl vs. Pitt was not sold out. If you recall it rained, hailed, sleeted and snowed during that game. I froze my tail off because there was no one around me at the Cotton Bowl. That should have been the game that was sold out. Pony Express vs. Dan Marino.