Trust

[ponyinNC]

There are many businesses that have massive turnover and it is just a given that moving on is a part of the job. Coaching is one such business. The Bobby Bowdens and Joe Paternos are not the norm for coaches, and even those guys were forced out earlier than either wanted.

I worked on Capitol Hill for years and lost my job twice because the Senator that I worked for lost his re-election. It was just a reality that staffers came and went. I now work on K St., and I can tell you that lobbyists come and go with the election cycle. In some businesses, if you are not constantly looking for better opportunities, you will be left behind. Simple fact.

But I agree the timing sucked on this one.

Well said. Hell, LSU lost Saban to the NFL after he won a NC there. There is ALWAYS a better gig out there.

I wonder if Nick would've fired Les Miles at LSU when he interviewed at Michigan??

I think everyone has, at one time or another, applied for a new job while they were already employed. Most do so in secret, by sending a resume or going on interviews. Most people do NOT notify their current employer b/c they fear the repercussions. I'm okay with JJ looking, but I wish it wasn't so public and I wish he had waited until the visiting recruits had already left.

[redpony]

OK- lots of agreement and disagreement. Time to move on and quit beating a dead 'pony'

GO PONIES!!!

[Hoofprint]

Right you are, redpony

[reddevil]

ECM still doesn't get it and won't get it. He fails to see the big picture again and again.

Everyone, Nick included, expects that a successful college coach will interview elsewhere or at least put feelers out. The biggest concern is the manner about how Jones has gone about it two years in a row, which was entirely different than how he left Hawaii. His move from Hawaii was kept a secret and demonstrated a lot of respect for Hawaii, his players at Hawaii and the Hawaii community. His attempts to go to or at least listen to Maryland and ASU have been anything but quiet, shows no respect for our school or those who spend a lot free time supporting SMU and giving to SMU. In fact there is a fair amount of evidence that Jones was making no so veiled recruiting pitches for ASU, while recruits were visiting SMU. It is hard to imagine more disloyalty in the realm of college football. Moreover, Jones actions are possibly to his own detriment. If he does wind up staying, how has he not impacted his standing with recruits. From the perspective of a HS recruit Jones has a great resume, but so do a lot of other college coaches who foster more stability and don't give the overt impression of wanting to leave their school. A recruit would have to think twice before committing to Jones, even if Jones stays for now, given Jones' recent actions. If Jones wants to look elsewhere, that is fine, but do it in a way that doesn't hurt SMU and make it look like a joke. Other coaches give the impression of being open to better opportunities, which is reasonable. Jones gives the impression of being desperate to leave, which is unacceptable.

Furthermore, your point about winning fails to see the big picture as well. To suggest that another coach who experienced the same institutional support and change as Jones would not have also been successful at SMU is shockingly short sighted. In fact, the on field product has underperformed over the last two years. This is more of a commentary on Jones' abilities as a coach. Furthermore, he has failed to garner significant increased support for our team, gives very little effort to do so, but it the first to complain about the lack of support. He is the best positioned individual to help garner support, but fails to do so and his recent actions will only serve to perpetuate a continued lack of support. Furthermore, the manner in which he goes about directing his staff is also problematic and will lead to future difficulties for our team. We effectively have one recruiter - Klemm. Reinbold gives effort, but is not a star recruiter. Jones has not established or even given the appearance of attempting to establish a recruiting base for our team that can survive when Klemm leaves.

Jones' work in making SMU an average team is an improvement from the past, but there are significantly more factors that created our recent marginal success than Jones. He does not go about his work as an SMU employee in a way that shows he is committed to SMU or has the best interest of SMU as a priority. This is the problem. He can look elsewhere as long as he is working to make SMU better and more stable for the longer run. His actions in this regard over the last few years are lacking.

[Mitch McConnell]

ECM still doesn't get it and won't get it. He fails to see the big picture again and again.

Everyone, Nick included, expects that a successful college coach will interview elsewhere or at least put feelers out. The biggest concern is the manner about how Jones has gone about it two years in a row, which was entirely different than how he left Hawaii. His move from Hawaii was kept a secret and demonstrated a lot of respect for Hawaii, his players at Hawaii and the Hawaii community. His attempts to go to or at least listen to Maryland and ASU have been anything but quiet, shows no respect for our school or those who spend a lot free time supporting SMU and giving to SMU. In fact there is a fair amount of evidence that Jones was making no so veiled recruiting pitches for ASU, while recruits were visiting SMU. It is hard to imagine more disloyalty in the realm of college football. Moreover, Jones actions are possibly to his own detriment. If he does wind up staying, how has he not impacted his standing with recruits. From the perspective of a HS recruit Jones has a great resume, but so do a lot of other college coaches who foster more stability and don't give the overt impression of wanting to leave their school. A recruit would have to think twice before committing to Jones, even if Jones stays for now, given Jones' recent actions. If Jones wants to look elsewhere, that is fine, but do it in a way that doesn't hurt SMU and make it look like a joke. Other coaches give the impression of being open to better opportunities, which is reasonable. Jones gives the impression of being desperate to leave, which is unacceptable.

Furthermore, your point about winning fails to see the big picture as well. To suggest that another coach who experienced the same institutional support and change as Jones would not have also been successful at SMU is shockingly short sighted. In fact, the on field product has underperformed over the last two years. This is more of a commentary on Jones' abilities as a coach. Furthermore, he has failed to garner significant increased support for our team, gives very little effort to do so, but it the first to complain about the lack of support. He is the best positioned individual to help garner support, but fails to do so and his recent actions will only serve to perpetuate a continued lack of support. Furthermore, the manner in which he goes about directing his staff is also problematic and will lead to future difficulties for our team. We effectively have one recruiter - Klemm. Reinbold gives effort, but is not a star recruiter. Jones has not established or even given the appearance of attempting to establish a recruiting base for our team that can survive when Klemm leaves.

Jones' work in making SMU an average team is an improvement from the past, but there are significantly more factors that created our recent marginal success than Jones. He does not go about his work as an SMU employee in a way that shows he is committed to SMU or has the best interest of SMU as a priority. This is the problem. He can look elsewhere as long as he is working to make SMU better and more stable for the longer run. His actions in this regard over the last few years are lacking.

You better be careful or gostangs will accuse of you of writing a manifesto...

[jtstang]

There is but one Manifesto.

Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:20 am Post subject: Setting the Record Straight

________________________________________
I have decided that S.M.U. athletics does not need me. And I do not need it. I have better things to do with my life than care about S.M.U. and its athletics program. For too long, I have cared about matters on The Hilltop that are completely out of the control of the few remaining fans of S.M.U. athletics.

Some folks on this forum think that I got upset about something involving athletic director Steve Orsini, someone on his staff or something involving one of the athletic programs. It was no one particular incident or person that made me decide to devote less time to matters involving the Mustangs.

I have read and pondered a lot of things that have been said by other posters since joining this fan board almost 6 years ago. After much thought, I finally decided that S.M.U. athletics is � overall � a product that I am no longer willing to invest my money and time on. If S.M.U. athletics were a material good, it would have gone out of production a long time ago. It�s a product that does not live up to the claims of its manufacturer. It�s only bought by a small handful of consumers who continually complain about its quality. All the advertising and promotion in the world won�t save a product that doesn�t work. And that�s what S.M.U. athletics has become, at least to me.

So many Mustang fans continue to be duped by S.M.U. president Turner and athletic director Steve Orsini with their �smoke-and-mirrors� trick. There is no true �commitment� to athletics at S.M.U. and that�s why I will spend less money and time on it.

I won�t be duped any longer. My eyes have finally been opened. If I attend an S.M.U. sporting event, I will go to it fully understanding that the outcome will, most likely, be a defeat because that�s what has happened so often in the past. If the Mustangs happen to win then it�s a pleasant surprise. Perhaps this is what the S.M.U. student body has understood all along and explains why they so seldom turn out for sporting events.

In closing, I�d like to set the record straight: I have always posted as Mr. Mustang 1965 and always will. Yes, I was a �sunshiner� and a �cheerleader� but I am no longer.

I wish the Mustangs well in all their sporting contests.

[East Coast Mustang]

ECM still doesn't get it and won't get it. He fails to see the big picture again and again.

Everyone, Nick included, expects that a successful college coach will interview elsewhere or at least put feelers out. The biggest concern is the manner about how Jones has gone about it two years in a row, which was entirely different than how he left Hawaii. His move from Hawaii was kept a secret and demonstrated a lot of respect for Hawaii, his players at Hawaii and the Hawaii community. His attempts to go to or at least listen to Maryland and ASU have been anything but quiet, shows no respect for our school or those who spend a lot free time supporting SMU and giving to SMU. In fact there is a fair amount of evidence that Jones was making no so veiled recruiting pitches for ASU, while recruits were visiting SMU. It is hard to imagine more disloyalty in the realm of college football. Moreover, Jones actions are possibly to his own detriment. If he does wind up staying, how has he not impacted his standing with recruits. From the perspective of a HS recruit Jones has a great resume, but so do a lot of other college coaches who foster more stability and don't give the overt impression of wanting to leave their school. A recruit would have to think twice before committing to Jones, even if Jones stays for now, given Jones' recent actions. If Jones wants to look elsewhere, that is fine, but do it in a way that doesn't hurt SMU and make it look like a joke. Other coaches give the impression of being open to better opportunities, which is reasonable. Jones gives the impression of being desperate to leave, which is unacceptable.

Furthermore, your point about winning fails to see the big picture as well. To suggest that another coach who experienced the same institutional support and change as Jones would not have also been successful at SMU is shockingly short sighted. In fact, the on field product has underperformed over the last two years. This is more of a commentary on Jones' abilities as a coach. Furthermore, he has failed to garner significant increased support for our team, gives very little effort to do so, but it the first to complain about the lack of support. He is the best positioned individual to help garner support, but fails to do so and his recent actions will only serve to perpetuate a continued lack of support. Furthermore, the manner in which he goes about directing his staff is also problematic and will lead to future difficulties for our team. We effectively have one recruiter - Klemm. Reinbold gives effort, but is not a star recruiter. Jones has not established or even given the appearance of attempting to establish a recruiting base for our team that can survive when Klemm leaves.

Jones' work in making SMU an average team is an improvement from the past, but there are significantly more factors that created our recent marginal success than Jones. He does not go about his work as an SMU employee in a way that shows he is committed to SMU or has the best interest of SMU as a priority. This is the problem. He can look elsewhere as long as he is working to make SMU better and more stable for the longer run. His actions in this regard over the last few years are lacking.

Holy hell where do I begin?

So I don't get it because I don't want to run off the ONLY coach who's been successful here in 25 years? Huh? You say that other coaches could have also been successful here with the institutional changes that were made- ok, name me ONE coach in the country back in 2008 who had the name recognition to effect change within our clueless administration and who was actually willing to take this job in the first place? Actually, I'll make it easy for you- June Jones. ALL of the success we've experienced over the past four years is a direct result of his hiring. I know it pains some people on the board to accept that, but it is a FACT. Not an opinion, but a FACT.

I'm not crazy about the way the ASU thing has been handled, and I certainly wish it hadn't happened during a big recruiting weekend- but you know what, [deleted] happens. Remember when Les Miles was rumored to be taking the Michigan job in the lead up to the 2007 SEC Championship game? I bet LSU fans weren't thrilled about that.

He can look elsewhere as long as he is working to make SMU better and more stable for the longer run. His actions in this regard over the last few years are lacking.

umm...we're joining the Big East tomorrow. If you had told me back in 2008 that we'd be in an AQ conference three years later, I would have called you crazy. If we hadn't hired JJ back in 2008, you think we still get a BE invite?

[jtstang]

Jones' work in making SMU an average team is an improvement from the past, but there are significantly more factors that created our recent marginal success than Jones.

I'd be interested in reading that list of significantly more factors.

[East Coast Mustang]

Jones' work in making SMU an average team is an improvement from the past, but there are significantly more factors that created our recent marginal success than Jones.

I'd be interested in reading that list of significantly more factors.

As would I. Doubt we'll actually get to see it, and if we do, it will just be the same out-of-touch, unrealistic BS that we've had to endure on here for the past few days

[ponyinNC]

Just follow Cain's 9-9-9 plan. That's where we win 9 or more games for the next 3 years!!

[East Coast Mustang]

It appears that a prominent sports journalist agrees with Nick, Mitch, reddevil, etc...

http://smu.scout.com/a.z?s=357&p=2&c=11 ... 36346.html

[Mestengo]

I'll trust that if any of you and I end up in white collar prison that you will be picking up the soap.

[RyanSMU98]

ECM, nobody with any grasp on reality can argue that Jones wasn't the right man for the job when he came here and he really has done wonderful things for the program. We should all give him the credit he deserves in that regard. He has started to put the pieces in place for a fantastic future for SMU football, and maybe that is enough for him in terms of his time on the Hilltop.

My concern with this ASU thing is not the looking, or even the mutual interest. My concern is that it has been sloppy, very public, and risks undoing every gain he has made in his tenure here. Does he bring consistent winning? So far, yes (year one being the obvious exception). But, if I'm a recruit (or parent of a recruit) seeing all this uncertainty I'm not sure I stay committed. If I'm the Big East seeing all this instability, I'm not sure I extend an offer to a program that can't help me. This has been much uglier than the MD stuff last year both in timing and duration, and I think even if he stays his bargaining position takes a hit. Orsini needs to take serious stock of the cost/benefit of him staying at this point. I don't want to see him leave, but if he chooses to stay I want him to truly be present and it has not felt this year like that is the case. And with that, I'm done talking about this crap until there is a formal announcement by someone in a position of authority one way or another (and no, Scout.com, "anonymous" sources close to the equipment manager at ASU do not count as "authority").