Catching TCU

[Mickey]

I hope the slight taste of success will spur SMU in to doing more. The following are some things that will help close the gap with TCU:

1. Indoor Facility- To be used by all sports, but with priority to football. A practice facility designed for football with a field large enough for practicing. Also the facility should have state of the art strength and conditioning accomodations- like maybe a sand pit for running and agility, surface for pulling sleds, etc.

2. Training Table- Year around for all athletes. Quality food with nutritionist that will plan meals. Individual diets for those needing to gain or lose weight. Hours to accomodate team schedules.

3. Top 25 MBB program- This should be easy with all of the talent in Dallas. Renovate Moody and hire a big time coach. Nothing like a rowdy and boisterous Moody to attract recruits.

4. Curriculum- Half way there. We will soon offer an Education Degree. Need a few more athelete friendly majors. A lot of athletes want to go on to coach, so the Education Degree is a must.

5. Restore Track & Field- Again so much talent in Texas. A lot of football players compete in track in HS and this, quite oftern, translates into more productivity on the football field. This should help some players maintain their speed, such as Aldrick Robinson, who may have lost a step or two. JJ could establish a policy that they can participate in track starting with the spring of their 3rd year if they are so inclined.

#1 above is a must!

[deepellumfrog]

baseball would be good too!!

[George S. Patton]

Very good list. If you're football program really starts to bring in the revenue. And I mean really bring in the revenue, then you have a chance of getting that track and field program back to the fold.

As for the indoor practice facility, I suppose the only place we could put it is on that field immediately due west of Ford? Or does someone have a better idea for a location.

And I'll go so far as to say this: When SMU gets committed about something, we do a pretty good job of putting it together and making it run. Let's hope the 2009 season really reveals the start of this program entering a new era.

It has taken TCU -- all the credit in the world to them for their commitment -- 10 years to reach this point.

But SMU will do it in 5.

The sleeping giant is just starting to wake up.

[friarwolf]

I don't think an undergraduate education major is in the works. I thought this as well but was recently told the focus will be on post graduate majors, not undergraduate...............

[gostangs]

No - i'm pretty sure undergraduate education degree is in the works.

[mustangxc]

I was going to say #6 is Baseball

Also, credit TCU for our resurgence. Had they remained dormant like us, we would still be doing the same things that lead to losing. Nothing is as effective in getting your act together as a little jealousy and direct competition. I really wish SMU had the killer instinct to make all the changes necessary on its own, but if it takes TCU being successful for us to get in gear so be it.

[davidpaul123]

Not to turn this into an Indoor Practice Facility thread, but.....

I thought all the indoor facilities were big ugly white bubbles but I did some research on em and realized they're not all that bad.

Below are some pics of Baylor's facility which looks like it would fit right in on our campus. Cost of the facility was projected at 12M but came in at 11.1M.

[davidpaul123]

I also found this information on a post about indoor practice facilities....

SOUTH

A&M: The McFerrin Center is 191,000 square feet and cost $35.6 million, but that includes the Gilliam Indoor Track Center. The football side is 75,000 square feet.

Baylor: The Baylor football team will be able to practice this fall in the 74,000-square foot Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Practice Facility, which cost $11 million.

Oklahoma: The Everest Indoor Training Center is 74,000 square feet and opened in 2002.

Oklahoma State: Its $50 million facility is on hold.

Texas: “The Bubble” was built in 2002. It cost $4 million and is just over 71,000 square feet.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders don’t have an indoor facility. The school’s athletic training center, called “The Bubble,” hosts the indoor track and field teams. The football team does use it during inclement weather.

NORTH

Colorado: The “Bubble” cost $2.9 million and opened in 2007.

Iowa State: The $10 million, 92,000 square foot Steve and Debbie Bergstrom Indoor Training Facility opened in 2004. Softball and soccer also use.

Kansas: The Anschutz Pavilion is 40,000 square feet and opened in 1999 and several teams use it.

Kansas State: It has a 94,000-square foot facility, which will receive renovations.

Missouri: The Daniel J. Devine Indoor Practice Facility cost $12 million and opened in 1998.

Nebraska: The $50 million, Hawks Championship Center is 81,200 square feet and used by all teams.

[davidpaul123]

I was going to say #6 is Baseball

I would love to see baseball back too!!

[Mickey]

I was going to say #6 is Baseball

Also, credit TCU for our resurgence. Had they remained dormant like us, we would still be doing the same things that lead to losing. Nothing is as effective in getting your act together as a little jealousy and direct competition. I really wish SMU had the killer instinct to make all the changes necessary on its own, but if it takes TCU being successful for us to get in gear so be it.

If we are really going to play with the big boys, I would say #6 is a private plane for the Athletic Department that can also be leased to the rest of the school for certain situations. #7 would be baseball. When we build a football fan base- #8 would be completing the north end of Ford Stadium.

[kent dorfman]

I'm sure Margus will be the one who would most appreciate #5!

[Mickey]

I'm sure Margus will be the one who would most appreciate #5!

Precisely!

[Mickey]

As for the indoor practice facility, I suppose the only place we could put it is on that field immediately due west of Ford? Or does someone have a better idea for a location

I would say the intramural fields north of Moody or the the paking lot south of Moody. The intramural people will undoubtedly [deleted] but they can use the indoor facility for a fee since the Athletic Department will be responsible for administering and maintaining the indoor facility.

Alternatively, the intramurals can relocate to another place. Major college football is a business and has to be treated as such. If intramurals can generate revenue, they can dictate some terms. Until then it is Football and MBB that take priority.

#9 is more tutors solely for athletics

[Water Pony]

I hope the slight taste of success will spur SMU in to doing more. The following are some things that will help close the gap with TCU:

1. Indoor Facility- To be used by all sports, but with priority to football. A practice facility designed for football with a field large enough for practicing. Also the facility should have state of the art strength and conditioning accomodations- like maybe a sand pit for running and agility, surface for pulling sleds, etc. Yes, build the Indoor Facility, but put a new competitive swimming and diving pool inside.

Seriously, this is the #1 Athletic Investment, closely followed by renovating Moody! Nothing else is close. Top 25 in all we do means that all sports have too be competitive with their facilities. And, yes, bring back Track & Field/Cross Country for Men.

[Mickey]

[quote][quote="Water Pony"]1. Indoor Facility- To be used by all sports, but with priority to football. A practice facility designed for football with a field large enough for practicing. Also the facility should have state of the art strength and conditioning accomodations- like maybe a sand pit for running and agility, surface for pulling sleds, etc.

Yes, build the Indoor Facility, but put a new competitive swimming and diving pool inside.


Seriously, this is the #1 Athletic Investment, closely followed by renovating Moody! Nothing else is close. Top 25 in all we do means that all sports have too be competitive with their facilities. And, yes, bring back Track & Field/Cross Country for Men.

This was about catching up with TCU in football. Renovating Moody so that the 2 revenues sports are Top 25 teams is a must if football is going to be successful.

Of course for the non revenue sports a swimming a diving pool is high on the list. If a pool can be part of the inddor football facility that is good. SMU's Swimming and Diving teeams have produced aLOT of olympians.