DMN-SMU will bring the PONY and band to Hawaii!

[ponyscott]

This is old news (This Kate Article is DMN on Dec 15, but was news last week)but we should give props to whomever was responsible to make sure that all should be rewarded, as we all had doubts that we wouldn't have these SMU representatives with us in Hawaii! Thanks to Steve Orsini and Turner first of all. We look forward to seeing the Mustang Band, Peruna and the SMU Spirit Squad all in action on the Hawaii Bowl turf on National TV, nothwithstanding the Mustang Football Team!



http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 2b178.html





SMU will saddle up the pony and bring the band to Hawaii


11:36 PM CST on Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
UNIVERSITY PARK – Taking a trip to Hawaii for Christmas isn't cheap. Try taking an entire football program, spirit squad and even Peruna, SMU's live pony mascot.

But SMU athletic director Steve Orsini said the department is on track to bring all of the above to the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24 at Honolulu's Aloha Stadium, and break even.

"It's one of the more challenging financial experiences because of the high demand, and yet the high expense," Orsini said. "It's still a reward. It's an investment in our football program, one we're happy to make."

The charter for the team and others in the official travel party leaves for Hawaii on Saturday.

Orsini declined to divulge the cost of going to the bowl, but explained where the money is coming from.

The biggest source will come from Conference USA and its predetermined reimbursement policy for the Hawaii Bowl. C-USA shares all of its revenue from bowl payouts.

SMU also asked its boosters – including a key group called the Circle of Champions – to contribute toward extra expenses, such as bringing the band.

SMU will also defray some of the costs by keeping a percentage of the tickets it sells. SMU is working with supporters to buy tickets that will be distributed to servicemen and servicewomen from Hickam Air Force Base, located in Honolulu.

Orsini said he and SMU president R. Gerald Turner quickly agreed that with SMU going to its first bowl in 25 years, "we need to thank a lot of people," Orsini said. "This is a university trip."

Worth waiting: About seven SMU seniors won't be on Saturday's plane, staying back a day to go through graduation ceremonies. Senior receiver Emmanuel Sanders is among them, and is expecting some 50 family members in attendance.

He was there: Strangely enough, SMU coach June Jones actually attended SMU's last bowl game – a win over Notre Dame in the Aloha Bowl in 1984. He had been an assistant at Hawaii before leaving to coach for the Houston Gamblers in the USFL and was making a return trip to pick up some of his belongings.

No go: Cornerback Sterling Moore (knee) is expected to be cleared to play in the bowl, but Jones said he's leaning toward holding him out for precautionary reasons since Moore hasn't played since being injured in the Nov. 14 game against UTEP.

[Lebanese4Life]

It's gonna hurt if Moore doesn't play. That showed in the Marshall game..

[Mestengo]

He's out!

[Dukster]

Sterling brings a physical presence to the game which we will miss. JR can contribute. It's better that SM continue to rehab for next year. Nevada's offense can be contained by smacking the QB in the mouth every play possible. One of their 1000 yard rushers is already out. Make the QB feel some pain as often as possible and you'll slow down their rushing attack. Nevada needs to score 36, because our offense is getting 35. Hopefully, special teams and defense will contribute some points and this game can be a shootout. Go Ponies...bring it!

[CalallenStang]

This info about Peruna, the band, etc. is old news. Nice of Kate to give it pub, though.

[Diamond Girl]

It is old great news about Peruna and the band. I don't think I'd give too much credit to the AD for sending Peruna over, though.

[SMU89]

Without our AD, nobody (including peruna) would be going to Hawaii or any other bowl for that matter.

[smupony94]

Band and Peruna get to go but Kate won't take me

[Diamond Girl]

AD as in athletic director, not athletic department.

[PK]

AD as in athletic director, not athletic department.

I think SMU89 is refering to our AD's hiring of June Jones as the reason everyone even has a chance to go to this Bowl Game.

[mustangdm]

You would think someone who works for a major newspaper would know the difference between bring and take. Unless she is already in Hawaii lol.

[Statler]

Latest word is that the band folk got their per diem cut.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Hey Statler, the band IS going, will you be joining the rest of us?

[Statler]

Hey Statler, the band IS going, will you be joining the rest of us?

Unfortunately not...I don't have 2k to drop. More importantly as much as I am a fanatic about SMU Football, my father, family, friends, and more importantly my faith is more important as I have never missed a Christmas Eve Eucharist (as far as I can remember) and don't plan on it this year.

Remember band is a function of the middle class and not all people who went to SMU have the bucks to plop down.

I wish the Ponies well and will be watching a TIVO version after church. Drink an umbrella drink for me and be sure to say ALOHA to Peruna for me.