SMU's as perceived by Memphis

[HB Pony Dad]

The Golden Age of U of M athletics

In the end, the criticism of athletic director R.C. Johnson is all about money. It is about facilities, and stadiums and big-name coaches. All those things take money. The critics like to talk about the University of Central Florida and Southern Methodist University, schools that have invested in football, are enjoying success and are in the discussion to join the Big East conference. SMU is a very rich private school in a very rich city in a very rich state. UCF is one of the largest universities in the country, in a rich city, in a rich state. I am certain their funding efforts involved the university presidents, their boards of trustees and, in the case of UCF, the state of Florida.

[mrydel]

YAY for us!!

[smudubs]

The problem with this article defending the Memphis athletic director is in his two examples: UCF and SMU. One man's fingerprints are all over those schools' commitment to athletics. And he happens to be the current AD of one of the schools mentioned and the former AD of the other.

[LHS81]

Memphis AD was the AD of Temple, when the Owls were kicked out of the Big East. Besides, Memphis "deserves" to be in the SEC according to their AD.

[skyscraper]

Memphis' AD is a joke. This oped was written by one of his buddies.

[SMU_Alumni11]

Basically hes complaining that he lives in bankrupt, US. I mean if your insult is you are rich, live in rich city, live in a rich state....Ill take the insult everyday. Our AD clearly is talented enough to send both of his programs to an AQ conference.

[Kynd Tulsa Phan]

[Dutch]

'batin!

[MustangSTATS]

Complains about lack of fans, boosters, state funding, and claiming it makes fb impossible. Also complains about having to play at the liberty bowl and cannot build their own. These are problems all schools face. You can't simply complain yourself to a good football program. People in the community have to want it. If anything the letter reads as a good reason for UM to cancel football. Clearly the people have spoken and none of them want a football program. Memphis basketball has fans, boosters, and cash. Interestingly enough both sports are at the same school. Maybe this is the beginning of the end of Memphis FB. Will be harder and harder to justify such an expensive failing program as state funding continues to shrink. State funds should go to academics not propping up failing programs no one at the school, city, or state want.

[Kynd Tulsa Phan]

Just to be clear...you guys have been to Memphis havent you?

Think of that magical little part of Dallas just east of 175 and south of Fair Park and youve got a good handle on the demographics of Memphis.

[Arkpony]

KTP is correct. Memphis is NOT a pleasant place to be other than Beale Street.

[diamond_tom]

Location! Location! Location!

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

Defending my former home...Memphis is a big small town with tons of smart, classy, well educated, dynamic and forward thinking individuals. East Memphis, mid town, germantown and collierville are very nice, not to menton a growing downtown as a place to live. Electrolux, Mitsubishi, City Brewing, American Steamship have recently announced plans for expansion into memphis, large orgs typically do not make those types of investments in crap holes..Memphis has issues, as does dalls, houston st louis, kc, nyc, nashville, etc., etc., etc..Memphis' biggest challenge is cleaning out old stereo-types from ill informed passer bys...

[johnangle]

Defending my former home...Memphis is a big small town with tons of smart, classy, well educated, dynamic and forward thinking individuals. East Memphis, mid town, germantown and collierville are very nice, not to menton a growing downtown as a place to live. Electrolux, Mitsubishi, City Brewing, American Steamship have recently announced plans for expansion into memphis, large orgs typically do not make those types of investments in crap holes..Memphis has issues, as does dalls, houston st louis, kc, nyc, nashville, etc., etc., etc..Memphis' biggest challenge is cleaning out old stereo-types from ill informed passer bys...

Memphis is the poorest and second most dangerous city in the country, has one of the highest STD rates, and has been dubbed the "capital of hunger in America." It was panned by Travel+Leisure magazine as "dirty, unsafe, and dumb," and with its "[v]isitors [ranking] Memphis dead last among 35 cities in safety, environmental friendliness; athletic/active, attractive and intelligent people; even coffee and pizza." Nashville's problems do not compare with Memphis' problems. That city is a southern Detroit

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngiuffo/ ... us-cities/ and http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... in-nation/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/2 ... 15853.html http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... ne-survey/
http://www.abc24.com/news/local/story/S ... K3yNA.cspx

[ontheedgeofmyseat]

From a business perspective, Nashville can't hold a canlde to Memphis. Site magazine ranks Memphis as the #6 city in the US for corporate relo and expansion...Forbes has admitted using outdated data in its rankings..as for the Huff Post = HA! Let me scoop up some data for ya...it will be my pleasure.