Cowlishaw Article 8.17.2011

by **MustangNation05** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:20 am

How is everyone not up in arms right now at the Cowlishaw piece on the front page of DMN SportsDay?!?!?! Cowlishaw re: SMU to Big XII: "Sounds good at the moment, but small stadium, alumni base make it unrealistic." I am e-mailing Cowlishaw immediately, I encourage everyone else to as well!!!!

We MUST get the word out that it IS realistic for SMU to be in the big 12...

E-mail Cowlishaw at [email protected]

by **MustangNation05** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:21 am

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/column ... -power.ece

by **smupony94** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:25 am

Seems like an honest assessment to me

by **StallionsModelT** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:25 am

Let's be honest. This is fairly accurate. If we want to be Big 12 we have to expand Ford. However, like I said, if it meant inclusion to the Big 12 the money to expand Ford would be raised in 24 hours. There is still a chance for us in the Big 12 if they want to expand the conference to a full 12 member league. If they decide to stay at 10 I don't see us as much of an option.

by **Stallion** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:50 am

Shooting the Messenger? You got many, many people on here that are not inclined to even consider that Ford is inadequate for BCS. They have no urgency until some vague date in the future when we fill the stadium. They could be right but its not a recipe for establishing inclusion in a BCS Conference. Also, a top candidate for inclusion would already have been working on an actual plan to fill seats. SMU has no marketing department.

by **SMU 86** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:55 am

Alumni base would seem to be the major argument. An example is when TTech comes we fill up the stadium but mostly with TTech fans. We need the major portion of the stadium to be SMU fans.

by **Stallion** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:56 am

Example No. 1. BCS is apparently not the goal because BCS facilities is a major yardstick for inclusion as Cowlishaw points out. First you decide on a Goal then you implement a Plan. I know what TCU's stated goal has been for a Decade-they have perfectly implemented a Plan that got them there and will have a BCS quality facility.

by **NickSMU17** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:23 am

Point is...there is no attendance because there is no interest in SMU UCF....

We play big 12 schedule we sell 45k every game in dallas with all local alums...

the attendence issue is so stupid....

by **MustangNation05** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:42 am

Okay, you guys go on being rational and talking amongst yourselves. But you are forgetting, none of this is rational!!! Go out, make some noise, tell everyone how great SMU is and where our trend line is going and get on board. Houston is doing it, and that's a glorified commuter school. Baylor does it because they know they have to to save their [deleted].

You all need to show a little fire.

by **MustangNation05** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:43 am

I know I just e-mailed Cowlishaw. But ya;ll just keep sitting on here talking. It's cool. we can forever enjoy SMU vs. UCF unless we get out and make some noise!

by **Eddie P** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:45 am

At least that will bring some amusement to Cowlishaw for a few minutes.

by **Hoop Fan** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:54 am

We should be emphasizing Exhibit 1-A: The TCU game at Ford last year on national tv. We filled the place with mostly SMU fans. I was honestly shocked and thrilled. Lets not dwell on the Tech or OSU games from Bennetts last years, those were pitiful days. Lets be honest, Utep and Marshall are never gonna draw flies for us. Yes, we are spoiled, fair weather fans as a whole but how much can you really blame people for not being capitivated by a couple 7 win seasons and lower tier bowls? Cmon, anyone expecting an attendance spike for this year and this schedule is crazy. We need a regional Big 12 schedule. We need to emphasize positives and try to buy, borrow and beg our way in.

by **ponyinNC** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:57 am

i don't subscribe to DMN...can anyoneone summarize his statements about SMU? I'm happy to email him.

by **leopold** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:01 am

NickSMU17 wrote:Point is...there is no attendance because there is no interest in SMU UCF....

We play big 12 schedule we sell 45k every game in dallas with all local alums...

the attendence issue is so stupid....

No, it's a measuring stick.

Any school will say 'let us in and we will sell tickets' - Memphis cried that at the SEC for now 5 full decades, and now they are trying the same argument to the Big XII and Big East. What the SEC, Big XII and Big East hear: Let us in and your members will buy our tix, and the the conferences already know that. I'm quick to point out South Carolina was winless in Lou Holtz's first year, and they averaged more people per game than the National Champs that year, Florida State. That's a major reason they got an SEC invite - they are coming no matter what the score is.
But you can relax, Houston ain't that great, either, and historically we know they've been awful, too. TCU is maxed out, that's why they can come down on attendance on the new stadium. We are surrounded by no-shows tix-wise.

by **NickSMU17** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 11:09 am

Having this argument in 2 places at once...facebook and here...

I agree attendance plays into this...but Dallas is the schools best weapon...there arent lots of alum from UCF, Marshall, Ect. here...thats a fact...

Proportionally to the size of our U and alumni base they draw isnt terrible..