It seems to me

[Stallion]

they can't take an official visit until they at least take it-and I think but not absolutely positive they have to already be registered with the Clearinghouse

[stc9]

Do I believe SMU should get rid of its academic integrity? NO, I don't. BC, UVA, Stanford, ND...etc. don't have to sacrifice their integrity. I want the process fixed. I have stated before that Boston College has a "pre-approval" process. If a prospect is a marginal student the coaching staff goes to an admissions subcommittee to determine whether they should continue to pursue the kid. If the committee gives its blessing then they recruit the kid, if not the staff doesn't waste their time and the kid is free to pursue other options. The school can maintain its academic standards and avoid looking ridiculous for leaving two kids twisting in the wind. Read the comments from Hall's HS AD. I don't think JJ and company will be very welcome on that campus. College football recruiting is more relationship driven (College Coach and High School staff) than any other college sport. Everybody recruits in Texas (even the Florida schools). In a highly competitive market, being shut out of schools is a major problem. If they fix the process, they won't have these problems going forward.

The football advantage that huge public schools have over SMU is that they can stash a "Dexter Manley" type student in the "Parks and Recreation Department". Before tying Turner and Tunks to stakes, we should ask ourselves, "is that what we want to transform SMU into?"

[PonyKai]

Well we aren't UVA or Stanford, not even close. UVA is also a terrible comparison to make for football success as they have been, at best, plainly mediocre over their entire history. UVA and Stanford have sacrificed integrity for years on the football field by being utter punching bags for their conference mates. Revenue college athletics are the front porch to the University. I want to have a nice front porch, damn it.

The total roster of the football team accounts for about 0.014% of the total undergraduate population here at SMU. Letting a few marginal candidates in, or even ones that need to have their own name stapled to their mittens isn't exactly going to tarnish the reputation of this school. SMU has done a good enough job tarnishing its own image without any help from wayward athletes. One of, if not our most valuable, not necessarily best, players over the last two decades would likely fall into your category of "is that what we want to transform SMU into". He played a very integral part in landing us in the Hawai'i Bowl, 30 million in advertising, national pub, etc. I think it's a fair trade.

[stc9]

I am sure that if I went to UVA or Stan I would have a laundry list of things that could be improved in their programs. My point is, if you are going to have standards, you have to fix this process that doesn't notify kids until July. SMU needs to create a proactive rather than reactive system. It will prevent us from looking stupid in the future.

[Mama Bouche]

Here's my thoughts. When this first hit, I came out hard against Turner. I don't like University presidents in general, just like most politicians. However, I would like to know what Stanford, et al's policies and procedures as these are schools we should emulate. I was at the "beat down" Standford put on Oregon last year. That was no fluke. Maybe the value placed on a Stanford degree is so high that they don't have a problem getting qualified student/athletes. I think our time will come. In the meantime, here's the rub. If you get kids in who become academic casualties, that looks bad too. Witness this year. I don't like to see the players lives and our resources wasted. So what's the program look like for tutors, majors, computer lab, etc.? That needs to be a major focus as well. In our position, we have to cut some corners for a while. It's the liberal pukes on the academic side that have kept us in this mess for the last 20 years. This suits them fine. They have a different vision for the University. For their information, SMU is no University of Chicago either and I don't think any of us want it to be. It's like the years that schools took partial qualifiers until things improved, then they stopped the practice. For now, I think we need to take NCAA qualifiers and work like he%& to keep them in. I don't think we are in a position to be that selective. Granted things have improved dramatically. Certainly, the process needs to be fixed. I keep thinking how much this situation reminds me of the "keystone" campus cops and other bush league impressions I have of SMU. Ok, now where's the football schedule so I can plan my Fall.

[cutter]

Do I believe SMU should get rid of its academic integrity? NO, I don't. Before tying Turner and Tunks to stakes, we should ask ourselves, "is that what we want to transform SMU into?"

Here's my thoughts. For now, I think we need to take NCAA qualifiers and work like he%& to keep them in. I don't think we are in a position to be that selective.

just curious.... did y'all vote in the poll for your positions?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46502

[Mama Bouche]

I don't think so.

[cutter]

I don't think so.

feel free to do so.
here's the link viewtopic.php?f=1&t=46502