Don't Call Me Surely!

[Stallion]

...if reports are correct and Utep is the 6th member of CUSA West then SURELY SMU can be competitive with UTEP, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane and UH-but we shall see!!!!

[Sam I Am]

Stallion, you amaze me with the info about UTEP coming into the C-USA. All along, I thought La Tech was the sure thing. As for SMU being competitive in the new alignment, we thought that was supposed to happen when we left the SWC for the WAC. It seems that we have always been able to sink lower to the level of our competion and below it. Someday I know our spiral downward will come to an end. Have we hit bottom yet?

[OldPony]

The bottom was reached last year. We are young but many of the restricitons have been removed and recruiting is improving. The new conference will also aid in recruiting.
The question is how fast can we improve and will the record next year reflect those improvements. Some good luck early would have a great effect on the team.
I think the new conference will also have a beneficial effect on b'ball and if some of Tubbs buddies come through, the turn-around could be close. Basketball will be very interesting next year even before the conference and Tubb's effect. We have some big IFs but there is reason for optimism. Daddy Warbucks- We need some help now.

[DallasDiehard]

OldPony is right - the worst is behind us. We take baby steps this year, showing improvement on the field more than in the win column, I'm afraid, and then take larger steps next year.
My prediction: 3 wins this year, and then we break .500 in 2005 as the young horses begin to reach maturity.

[Charleston Pony]

we are still "over scheduled" in football and could be totally demoralized before conference play even starts. Gotta point to the 9/25 home date with San Jose as a MUST win if this team is going to have a chance to win 3 games. Hey, maybe they will surprise us all...but I'd still look for 2005 to be the year we become much more competitive.

As for hoops, I'd like to think we have the players right now who can at least be VERY competitive. These guys showed at times this past year that they can compete with top 25 teams. Next year's hoops team has much more promise IMO to produce a winner.