GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN

[ponyboy]

In a highly atypical flash of genius, I came up with a plan to help increase attendance. If only half the posters on this board participated, we'd make a pretty nice dent in attendance. Here's the plan.

We had a block party the weekend before last and got a list of everyone on the block. In August, I am going to write a letter to every family on my block encouraging them to attend the first game on September 4th against Texas Tech. I'll emphasize the fun of the Boulevard, the tradition of SMU football, the scheduling of former SWC foes, our new CUSA affiliation. May even have a little pregame get together here at the house.

I sincerely hope that every one of you here in the DFW area join me in this grassroots campaign. Not only will it help with attendance that night, hopefully with a little education and exposure we can get some that come back for more!

Hope this takes off like last night's storm (and the one we're supposed to get AGAIN tonight!) I'll follow up with another post on this board in August to remind those who'd like to participate.

Email me at [email protected] if you'd like to discuss strategy (or if you want to donate free tickets to the cause!)

GO MUSTANGS! GO COACH BENNETT!

[PonySnob]

What tradition does SMU football have? Since the DP, the traditions that have been established are:
- Poor attendance
- Very few victories
- Huge blow-out losses
- A team that seems to get worse every year

The fact that SMU was good back in the 50's and 60's doesn't hold much water in todays world. Everybody knows that the only reason that there was any success in the early 80's was because the payroll was about the same as an NFL team.

Why not copy the model that TCU has used to build a program that enjoys success on the football field? They certainly seem to be building more positive traditions than we are.

[king_k]

I think TCU is a bad example to model our program after. TCU is a fraud and everyone knows it. They might have impressive attendance as compared to SMU's, but its not like there's riots to get into Amon Carter. Presently, I think Houston (even though a large public university) is a better example of how to quickly rebuild a football team. Houston actually plays real teams like OU and Miami.

PonySnob,
Your TCU example does prove one point. That a grassroots effort works. TCU does a good job of promoting their team to the Ft. Worth community, and inferring to your usage of a TCU model as a goal it must be working contrary to your statements.

[MrMustang1965]

ponyboy: I support your grassroots effort! Just wondering: what area of Dallas do you live in? I currently live in Houston but am planning on moving to Dallas within the next month or so. I'll jump on your bandwagon as soon as I get settled in!

ponysnob: you're missing the point. Negative ramblings like that do NOTHING to improve the atmosphere on gameday. Yes, winning is key. If you don't think SMU has traditions, then let's start some!

[ponyboy]

'65, I'm in University Park.

[No Cal Pony]

Ponysnob, I agree winning will help. That is obvious. Yes, we have done poorly since 1987, but look what the administration did to further deepen the hole caused after 1987. Just sitting around slamming the school, coaches, and players is just wrong. Do something to help. or shut up.

Ponyboy, if I lived in Dallas, I would come to your party, start my own, something. Last time I was in town, I bought SMU shirts for my friends' sons, and took them to a game. I look forward to the game against wake forest, as I will be in Winston-Salem. I look forward to joining CUSA, and future visits by my Ponies to Greenville. I look forward to taking my sone to games. I support my school, win or lose, as any self respecting Pony fan should.

I look at the example of USC. Almost everyone I grew up with went to USC. To trojan fans, the days got dark during the tollner/smith seasons, but did the die hard fans give up? No way. Did they begin long term planning to return to excellence? You betcha. Where are they today? Back on top. I do nor belive we can do as usc, (we don't have an endowment or athletic budget to compare) but it is the MINDSET. Yes, maybe as of late, we have done poorly, but support is what will help, not bickering. Ponyboy's idea is great. Get people, friends, neighbors interested. Ford is a nice place. Campus is pretty. The Boulevard fun. Take people to see Doak Walker's Heisman. I mean how often do you get to see a Heisman Trophy? Get fellow alumni interested again. Get future students interested. We have a long and rich history. IT DOES MATTER.

Go Ponies!

[EastStang]

TCU will start to lose soon enough. As for traditions, we beat them 20 years straight, and I see no reason why that won't happen again in the future. TCU won some games, yes. But it was the fact that they won the WAC championship and got a gift from UTEP to play in the Sun Bowl that launched their program. They would not have the excitement if they hadn't beaten USC in that bowl game and the Aggies the following year. Quality wins are what made them exciting, not beating crappy teams. Once they established that level, they could afford to schedule lousy teams, but notice that schedule ended up hurting them last year in their quest for a BCS bowl bid.

[Water Pony]

Ponysnob, I agree winning will help. That is obvious. Yes, we have done poorly since 1987, but look what the administration did to further deepen the hole caused after 1987. Just sitting around slamming the school, coaches, and players is just wrong. Do something to help. or shut up.

Ponyboy, if I lived in Dallas, I would come to your party, start my own, something. Last time I was in town, I bought SMU shirts for my friends' sons, and took them to a game. I look forward to the game against wake forest, as I will be in Winston-Salem. I look forward to joining CUSA, and future visits by my Ponies to Greenville. I look forward to taking my sone to games. I support my school, win or lose, as any self respecting Pony fan should.

I look at the example of USC. Almost everyone I grew up with went to USC. To trojan fans, the days got dark during the tollner/smith seasons, but did the die hard fans give up? No way. Did they begin long term planning to return to excellence? You betcha. Where are they today? Back on top. I do nor belive we can do as usc, (we don't have an endowment or athletic budget to compare) but it is the MINDSET. Yes, maybe as of late, we have done poorly, but support is what will help, not bickering. Ponyboy's idea is great. Get people, friends, neighbors interested. Ford is a nice place. Campus is pretty. The Boulevard fun. Take people to see Doak Walker's Heisman. I mean how often do you get to see a Heisman Trophy? Get fellow alumni interested again. Get future students interested. We have a long and rich history. IT DOES MATTER.

Go Ponies!

To your point, the students need to appreciate and understand their role with this Mindset. If the Dallas community see our student body excited and fun to be with on the Boulevard and in the stadium, it will have a big impact.

Wins, momentum, excitement, recruiting as well as tradition will combined for the Mindset to move and capture the imagination of Dallas, our alumni, fans and students, who may be the most important ingredient in achieving this climate and result.