The Sad Truth

[reddevil]

See new ESPN article:

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-spor ... basketball

Based on football game attendance and victories, SMU ranks 91st out of 119 FBS teams, combining that with the basketball teams RPI index over the last five years, the results are even worse, SMU ranks 110 out of 119 teams. I sure hope the AQ conferences don't read the article.

[Nacho]

glad you didn't post it.

[redpony]

SO obviously hasn't told them that we are top 25 in everything that we do.
Yes, it is sad. However, we have only had decent fball for the last few years. It didn't help that SO gave the bball coach an iron clad contract for 5-7 years with no perofrmance outs and then had to schedule powder puff games just so the bball program would not look as bad as it really was.

GO PONIES!!!

[NickSMU17]

At the end of the day, like all real estate deals...And this is a real estate deal don't kid yourself....

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION....

And we are #4 or 5 in that...

[couch 'em]

I blame Copeland, and his boss R. Gerald Turner.

[redpony]

Couch 'em- it goes back a lot further than Copeland and RGT. IMO if we had taken action to sue the NCAA for selective enforcement we would never have gotten the DP. Maybe a stiff penalty but not what we received. I know many disagree (esp. our orange-blooded poster) but we could have possibly changed the entire fball landscape with that action. Were we wrong? absolutely. Were others cheating just as bad- absolutely.

GO PONIES!!!

[StallionsModelT]

This is why we will likely never be in a major conference ever again. Our own alumni and the greater Dallas area do not care about going to our games. This is why I have real doubts about SMU continuing to exist in D1A football. If we are stuck in a conference with UNT, Rice, Tulane, Arkansas State, etc you will see attendance fall to under 12K average for the season and we will never again compete at a high level. There ate posters here who laugh but I think it's a real possibility. I think this is why you are seeing the full court press by the administration. They know it's now or never and never is right around the corner. We are in no way a player in any realignment right now and I'd say there is a 5% chance we ever move above CUSA. Far more likely we are in a reformed Sun Belt. If that's the case I say we hang it up.

[reddevil]

This is why we will likely never be in a major conference ever again. Our own alumni and the greater Dallas area do not care about going to our games. This is why I have real doubts about SMU continuing to exist in D1A football. If we are stuck in a conference with UNT, Rice, Tulane, Arkansas State, etc you will see attendance fall to under 12K average for the season and we will never again compete at a high level. There ate posters here who laugh but I think it's a real possibility. I think this is why you are seeing the full court press by the administration. They know it's now or never and never is right around the corner. We are in no way a player in any realignment right now and I'd say there is a 5% chance we ever move above CUSA. Far more likely we are in a reformed Sun Belt. If that's the case I say we hang it up.

I agree. Unfortunately, I see this as an all too realistic outcome. I would have liked to see us pick football our basketball and place the majority of our resources (ie. stadium, coaches, staff, MARKETING, IPF) into one major sport (my preference would be football), but with the recent improvements in infrastructure, in the misguided spirit of "if you build it they will come", I do not see this as a reality.

[NickSMU17]

Like many things...it really doesn't matter what the whole thinks...

there is this group, called the Circle of champions, not sure if you have ever heard about them before....

They will not allow us to drop...

[reddevil]

At the end of the day, like all real estate deals...And this is a real estate deal don't kid yourself....

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION....

And we are #4 or 5 in that...

This might be true if the AQ conferences were comparing vacant lots in Waco, Lubbock and Dallas. But they are really comparing modest single family homes in Waco and Lubbock with a run down lot in Dallas with all sorts of environmental impediments.

[NickSMU17]

Disagree...

You have to sell dallas as a package deal...get COC involed, the mayor, hotels/restaurants/TV, ect

You have a top notch relo guy put together a proposal and its a no brainer....

Dallas is rapidly becoming a major player/city and we are the representative...end of story...

[peruna11]

At the end of the day, like all real estate deals...And this is a real estate deal don't kid yourself....

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION....

And we are #4 or 5 in that...

This might be true if the AQ conferences were comparing vacant lots in Waco, Lubbock and Dallas. But they are really comparing modest single family homes in Waco and Lubbock with a run down lot in Dallas with all sorts of environmental impediments.

Lots of deferred maintenance, but the current PM is doing a hell of a job, not to mention a deep Cap-X reserve well. We are an upside play with a high cap rate. A great buy for any investor. #ShopTalk

[StallionsModelT]

I think there is a 50% chance that in 10 years SMU is done with football. The superconferences will be the new D1A and everyone else drops.

[NickSMU17]

Its way less than that....

but there is a chance...

I think we will see a super conference scenario quickly replaced by regional conferences....

If we can hold on, we may be included....We also have the type of boosters capable of taking us independent and being a whipping boy or because of our location we can become the top non conference play for a lot of schools pay to play...

[StallionsModelT]

Lol. Independent?! Now I've heard it all. It comes down to this:

Small school, terrible attendance, no national appeal or even regional appeal.

Major conferences will not see past this. When they are locked in at 64 that will be it. We were too late getting serious about winning and will miss the boat. SMU will have to decide if being in the Sun Belt 2.0 is even worth it. I'd say no and let's be a kickass basketball school. I pray we never have to make that call but it's a 50-50 shot.