More Ford Improvements

[RGV Pony]

I know we've had these conversations before...seems like a second deck-however small-enhances the "feel" as opposed to just filling in the grassy knoll

same capacity as Ford, within about a thousand:

[expony18]

The meeting rooms are not adequate. We don't even have a theater meeting room where the whole team can meet and view film. The very basic and most fundamentally meeting room we don't have.

that statement is inaccurate




also for all the shaved down grape smugglers, when swimming gets us into a BCS conference your complaints will be worthwhile

[Bergermeister]

We need a T Boone Pickens

We've got one - well, about as close as you can get to one... I imagine he will be making another gigantic donation before too long... Clark Hunt, too. But, you're right, we need some more big money to step up. I'm sure June is working the crowd behind the scenes. He's got the knack.

[hawksrd413]

I for one believe that if we want to continue to get top not recruits to come to SMU, we are going to need to update the locker room, meeting rooms, and build an ipf. The Green Bay Packers were suppose to use our facilities to workout, practice, and use our locker room during the Super Bowl. They only used our facilities for one day and went over to High Land Park High School for the remainer of the week. How come a high school has better facilities then a Division I college? With high school recruits getting recruited, they are expecting better facilities and everything compared to their high school. If they can't get that at SMU, why go to SMU? That is what I believe is a major plus in getting big time recruits.

[smudubs]

The meeting rooms are not adequate. We don't even have a theater meeting room where the whole team can meet and view film. The very basic and most fundamentally meeting room we don't have.

that statement is inaccurate



I'm not sure if this statement is accurate or not, but why on earth would they need a theater room where the whole team can meet and watch film? Offense, defense, and special teams meet separately. Then, unless things have change, the players meet by position and watch film with their position coaches.

[Pony_Law]

we do not need to make Ford bigger, to do So would hurt recruiting in my opinion. We don't have the size as an institution or a large enough interested alumni base to fill a stadium that holds 60K+, Ford feels like the big time when you see it sold out which does not happen very often and would never happen if we expanded it. do you think it helps or hurts UCF that their stadium is usually half empty but holds 50k? great atmospheres come from full stadiums not how big they are. the locker rooms can always bee nicer and its good to have nicer meeting rooms, but honestly these are not as a big deal as people think they are in recruiting. once you have a certain level of facilities where they are noticably superior to highschool you have achieved enough to be competitive based on facilities, SMU has this not to mention the best looking general campus in TX.
i don't think it was the facilities themselves that attracted recruits when we were playing at texas stadium it was the idea that this is an NFL stadium that was attractive. Honestly Kids even in college play the game and dream of the NFL playing in an NFL stadium was part of the dream which no matter how nice the facilities are you do not get at a college stadium period.
Finally we will never have better facilities then UT, or really any major BCS program. we simply can't compete with the Athletic budgets at these schools unless we get into one of these conferences ourselves. I recently hear florida nets almost 8 million in revanue per home game, how much do you think SMU made for the TCU game? The good news is we don't need to match these schools spending to get where I want us to be (consistently top 25, occasional BCS bowl and be in a position to grab a Championship if the chips fall right). We need facilities that are good enough so it is not a reason not to go to SMU, then sell Dallas, a great school, a good route to the BCS, Coaches with NFL connections, and tradition,

[Bergermeister]

I for one believe that if we want to continue to get top not recruits to come to SMU, we are going to need to update the locker room, meeting rooms, and build an ipf. The Green Bay Packers were suppose to use our facilities to workout, practice, and use our locker room during the Super Bowl. They only used our facilities for one day and went over to High Land Park High School for the remainer of the week. How come a high school has better facilities then a Division I college? With high school recruits getting recruited, they are expecting better facilities and everything compared to their high school. If they can't get that at SMU, why go to SMU? That is what I believe is a major plus in getting big time recruits.

I hope you are not submitting this for your TAKS writing prompt. You'd be in a remediation class pronto.

[hawksrd413]

I hope you're not being rude, because all I'm doing is writing what I think needs to happen to SMU facilities.

[expony18]

The meeting rooms are not adequate. We don't even have a theater meeting room where the whole team can meet and view film. The very basic and most fundamentally meeting room we don't have.

that statement is inaccurate



I'm not sure if this statement is accurate or not, but why on earth would they need a theater room where the whole team can meet and watch film? Offense, defense, and special teams meet separately. Then, unless things have change, the players meet by position and watch film with their position coaches.

just from my personal experiences... on sundays the entire team would come together to have a team meeting and would watch the special teams together.... in the same room.

[ponyte]

We have had team rooms for decades. And there is a need for that. Sometimes a whole team comes together for film and meetings. We often had more than one a week in a pretty crummy room. This was in the mid 70s and Arkyland and others already had theater team meting rooms. And I can tell you it is one hell of an impressive situation to sit in a magnificent team theater room when, at that time, Frank Broyles comes in to talk to recruits. One can can only imagine the electricity of a room full of potential student athletes listening to JJ prior to a game. And this was well over 3 decades ago Arkyland had these type of facilities (including an IPF).

In the long run, the greatest asset a football team can put on the field is great athletes. To compete with great programs, we need at least competitive facilities. And we need to show our current and any future athletes that the facilities will be there to take care of their needs.


Does SMU have the basics, sure. Does SMU have the basics of a top notch school? We are at least 35 years behind Arkyland (and this is one hick state) so the answer is definitely no.

[mrydel]

And Arkansas is in the process of breaking ground on a new multimillion dollar expansion as we speak. Already their recruits all talk about the 100 yard long weight room. There are many things that can be done to impress the recruits. I am sure Jones knows what they are. Now we have to do whatever we are able within the means of our funds.

[SMULaxer]

You have to figure that building up the FB and MBB programs and facilities will only lead towards more revenue for all of the athletic department down the line.

Aggressive Investing vs Mutual Fund.

Start aggressive (even though its tough to do when you're starting out), make it big, then diversify into both aggressive and safe funds. . .

[Water Pony]

The meeting rooms are not adequate. We don't even have a theater meeting room where the whole team can meet and view film. The very basic and most fundamentally meeting room we don't have.

that statement is inaccurate

also for all the shaved down grape smugglers, when swimming gets us into a BCS conference your complaints will be worthwhile

Carrying some issues? We haven't attacked FB.

[Dukster]

Swimming is definitely in need of funds. No argument. However, the football program is in need of an IPF. Why can't the administration get it. Turner and crew love to share the spotlight, but can't get off the dime and get an IPF. Let's go folks. Get with the program or retire. Let's grow. How much did applications jump after the football team returned to a bowl game after 25 years of negligence? Correlation? I think so.

[expony18]

The meeting rooms are not adequate. We don't even have a theater meeting room where the whole team can meet and view film. The very basic and most fundamentally meeting room we don't have.

that statement is inaccurate

also for all the shaved down grape smugglers, when swimming gets us into a BCS conference your complaints will be worthwhile

Carrying some issues? We haven't attacked FB.

no it was a partial reference to pauly shore in bio dome.... but its ridiculous to consider upgrading the swimming facilities before the football facilities