Just Read Jake's Manager the Riot Act

[DiamondM]

Went to Jake's in Uptown for lunch and noticed the table tent with specials. Under "Football" it had a special for all Texas, A&M, Tech, Baylor & TCU games. No mention of SMU. So I asked the waitress to ask the manager to head over to our table for a little talking to.

I was polite, yet firm, about my disappointment in the situation.

[giacfsp]

So what kind of reaction did you get from the manager? A promise to add SMU games?

Speaking of which, I get the fact that businesses have to appeal to all potential customers, or as many as possible anyway, but it really rubbed me the wrong way when I went into 1st & 10 and saw an SMU flag displayed even with those from UT, Froggy High, A&M, etc. Yeah, I know, there are alums of those other schools in Dallas, and they buy burgers, too. But I'll visit more frequently when it's clear that the mindset there is "yes, we recognize other schools, but we're in Dallas, and SMU is our team."

Just my two cents.

[Dutch]

So what kind of reaction did you get from the manager? A promise to add SMU games?

Speaking of which, I get the fact that businesses have to appeal to all potential customers, or as many as possible anyway, but it really rubbed me the wrong way when I went into 1st & 10 and saw an SMU flag displayed even with those from UT, Froggy High, A&M, etc. Yeah, I know, there are alums of those other schools in Dallas, and they buy burgers, too. But I'll visit more frequently when it's clear that the mindset there is "yes, we recognize other schools, but we're in Dallas, and SMU is our team."

Just my two cents.

guess you missed the 2 SMU helmets above the bar, the signed football above the bar, the Dickerson framed practice jersey, the SMU Daily Campus in the mens room announcing our first bowl in 25 years, the Doak framed jersey, the framed & signed mcilhenny jersey that he wore in the Sun Bowl.
(the only other signed jerseys on the walls belong to Jason Whitten and Mike Modano)

SMU IS OUR TEAM. WE'RE ALL ALUMNI, but we're also businessmen that recognize our customer base is much greater than the SMU fan base.

[giacfsp]

Nope — didn't miss any of the SMU stuff. Love it. Leave it to me, and every square inch of the place would be decked out in red and blue Mustang gear. I understand you have a business to run, and I don't really harbor any illusions of complete elimination of the UT and TCU crap. I just dislike those schools, and would would like to see one of my favorite hangouts go "all SMU, all the time."

Not complaining — just expressing a wish, that's all.

By the way, I had no idea your cheese fries were so good.

[Dutch]

Nope — didn't miss any of the SMU stuff. Love it. Leave it to me, and every square inch of the place would be decked out in red and blue Mustang gear. I understand you have a business to run, and I don't really harbor any illusions of complete elimination of the UT and TCU crap. I just dislike those schools, and would would like to see one of my favorite hangouts go "all SMU, all the time."

Not complaining — just expressing a wish, that's all.

By the way, I had no idea your cheese fries were so good.

i dislike those schools too, but we sure do like their money.

[DiamondM]

Didn't make it to the men's room. Sorry.

Seriously, though. If it had said UT, A&M, and Tech games only, then I wouldn't be happy, but it would have been par for the course and I wouldn't have been half as upset. But I was particularly put off by the fact that someone went through the thought process of putting both Baylor and TCU on the list and specifically excluding SMU, the only one of those schools actually located in Dallas. (From a numbers standpoint, someone is going to have to prove to me with actual numbers that it makes better business sense for a Dallas-based business to have specials for Baylor football games, but not SMU games).

I am not unrealistic enough to suggest that business ONLY cater to SMU fans/alumni/students/supporters. But unfortunately, it's not until we SMU fans actually start making a stink about being excluded that local businesses will start making a point to include us.

[jtstang]

But unfortunately, it's not until we SMU fans actually start making a stink about being excluded that local businesses will start making a point to include us.

What does it matter?

If you must go to places that have SMU "specials" either find and frequent them, or just stay home. If a person feels like they are a second class citizen because there is no SMU "special" on their favorite burger place's menu, there is likely something more deeply wrong with them than being an SMU fan.

My advice is, go to places you like to hang out. It does not matter if they have SMU "specials." If you like them, go. SMU fan is not a protected class under the discrimination laws, why must we pretend like we are?

Really?? Reading the riot act to the Jake's manager?? Unbelieveable.

[smupony94]

Where do you hang out now JT?

[Bergermeister]

You gotta speak up for SMU. I don't know what qualifies as "reading the manager the riot act", but you oughta speak up for the Ponies. We can always use a foot in the door to get the ball rolling. TCU has Dutch's - Horned Frog decor exclusively. Pappas Burger is 75% TCU and 25% Big XII. I talked to the man in the carpeted office in Houston and he said there would not be any SMU decor in Pappas Burger because the TCU people "don't want it." And Pappas Burger has no plans to open one in Dallas. Dixie House staff (on Airport Fwy. in Hurst) wears TCU shirts on game days. I'd love to see an SMU-exclusive decor in some burger joint but I guess the Dallas entrepreneurship is too collegiately correct (no balls) to do such. Again, speak up. I do.

[jtstang]

Where do you hang out now JT?

home.

[CalallenStang]

I don't know what qualifies as "reading the manager the riot act"

Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made in the first year of King George, for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King!

[Junior]

Didn't make it to the men's room. Sorry.

Seriously, though. If it had said UT, A&M, and Tech games only, then I wouldn't be happy, but it would have been par for the course and I wouldn't have been half as upset. But I was particularly put off by the fact that someone went through the thought process of putting both Baylor and TCU on the list and specifically excluding SMU, the only one of those schools actually located in Dallas. (From a numbers standpoint, someone is going to have to prove to me with actual numbers that it makes better business sense for a Dallas-based business to have specials for Baylor football games, but not SMU games).

I am not unrealistic enough to suggest that business ONLY cater to SMU fans/alumni/students/supporters. But unfortunately, it's not until we SMU fans actually start making a stink about being excluded that local businesses will start making a point to include us.

Then again, how many of our games were televised last year? Two?

[SMUFan]

So what kind of reaction did you get from the manager? A promise to add SMU games?

This interests me, too. What did the manager say?

I am not unrealistic enough to suggest that business ONLY cater to SMU fans/alumni/students/supporters.

I am. That's exactly what I'm looking for in a sports bar!

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

THANK YOU, jtstang!! Some of these people make me spit out my coffee....

[abezontar]

THANK YOU, jtstang!! Some of these people make me spit out my coffee....

I don't think there is anything wrong with letting an establishment know that you would be more likely to frequent the location if they included SMU specials.