Looks like we have ourselves a new coach

[SMUPonyFan]

and Phil Bennett is that. I am not upset. I feel bad for Water because he may be the best canidate or the second best, but it seemed like he REALLY wanted it.

Oh well, that is coaching. Let's hope we did this the right way.

Good Luck Coach B!

------------------
Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, S M U

[TCUSA]

Come to killerfrogs.com and see what kind of genuine respect we have for Phil. The Ponies made a great hire and should be proud they could land someone of his quality.

[DiamondM]

Attention Mac: Phil Bennett is not a low-priced "no name" simply because you've never heard of him. The only reason I had heard of Charlie Waters before this process was started was because I went to the Grant Hill/Calvin Hill Athletic Forum luncheon and he sat in the last seat at the end of a long head table. Does that mean he's a "no name?" Of course not. I myself eventually found myself wanting Charlie if for no other reason than the apparent cliff dives so many alumni seen ready to take because they didn't get their man. But Bennett has a great coordinator track record, and two brothers coaching high school in Texas. Can you say pipeline?

[Grider]

I do like the fact that Bennett is taking the reigns immediately. I think it's very important for recruiting. I guess my worries are that he won't be able to recruit players from the same pool as Kstate(i.e. Juco and Non-academic qualifiers).

As for defensive coordinator, I am willing to bet that Bennett will assume that position himself. And, from everything I've read, he runs an all out aggresive defense that creates alot of turnovers. It should be exciting to watch.

[jettison]

DiamondM, you read my mind.

I think Mac may need a vacation to the real Paris and loosen up at the Moulin Rouge.

[Mac]

Jettison,

Listen. All I am trying to say is that the coach or coaches are the only people on the field that we can actually BUY. I am a little upset that SMU didn't go after a big-name guy only because SMU can afford to buy someone with a big name. Look what Lou Holtz did for USC and look what Bobby Knight is doing at Texas Tech.

As far as I am concerned SMU screwed the pooch last time by hiring Cavan. I don't know who you are or even if you went to SMU but I was there when Cavan didn't get the job done. One winning season, NO BOWL GAMES. REPEAT NO BOWL GAMES. NO BOWL GAMES. As far as I am concerned hiring a guy with no head coach experience is questionable but I support Bennett and I think he will do a good job.

My college experience was tarnished due to crappy SMU football teams. Therefore, I am against hiring someone who doesn't get national media attention. I am a little skeptical. That is all I am saying.

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 12-05-2001).]

[jettison]

You are right. I did not go to SMU, but I've experienced 3 years of the Cavan era via the eyes and despair of someone who has had to play through the 11-22 record.

Where I went to school, we had a chance for a perfect 12-0 record and national championship if it weren't for a loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. It was a fun season. Upset Nebraska. Swept the Pac-10. I'm not sure that coach had much of a big name before that, or even now in reality, as he is unemployed a short 4 years later after fading into mediocrity. He showed MAYBE 15-20% more than Cavan on each year's tax return.

But, you see, I don't think it's the big NAME with the big SALARY that makes a team great and brings in top recruits. It's knowing your school has an opportunity of finishing 5th or 6th in your conference (i.e. South Carolina or Texas A&M) and still having the chance to go to a bowl. It's having the chance to play in front of 70,000 plus each week. And knowing that what you may want to study is availabe at the college you elect to attend. These perks, along with countless others that are increasingly becoming collectively availabe only to a select few conferences and their participants, are what gives a team and their coaching staff the opportunity to excel on a continuous basis.

Changing a basketball team in Lubbock involves running off a few players and bringing in a few others, and poof.. an entirely different program. Publicity stunts have a greater chance for success in basketball I imagine.

I think, ultimately, hiring someone with Bennett's connections in Texas who is coming from an elite program during the past several years will be the better choice. I admit, I had no idea who Phil Bennett was just last week. But I absolutely felt SMU's situation would be best served by getting someone with 'no name,' because they are often the ones away from the spotlight helping inflate someone else's name.

With that, I am very happy with who SMU has hired and I wish him the best in turning this program around.

[SMU00]

Coach Bennett sounds too good to be true!
Welcome Coach!

[Pony Soup]

BUMP - -- just wanted to see what people were saying was important back then.... been snooping around for a while. Not much activity really but Texas Connections were huge. I like the call for someone that brings national attention....

[dcpony]

This is great material LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[QuikSStang]

wow...

[FWMustangGirl]

Coach Bennett sounds too good to be true!

Truer words were never spoken. Also, lesson learned: Beware anyone the frogs think is a great hire for us!!

[Pony Soup]

I buried myseld in the 300 section and found some AMUSING stuff, only bumped some. I recommend taking a special lady back there to see what you can find...

[mustangxc]

I do like the fact that Bennett is taking the reigns immediately. I think it's very important for recruiting. I guess my worries are that he won't be able to recruit players from the same pool as Kstate(i.e. Juco and Non-academic qualifiers).

As for defensive coordinator, I am willing to bet that Bennett will assume that position himself. And, from everything I've read, he runs an all out aggresive defense that creates alot of turnovers. It should be exciting to watch.

yes he does!