Walling

[Wuba]

I want WINS, however I can get them. If that means, right now, stacking the schedule with no name cupcakes OUTSIDE of our conference schedule and 1 'big local game' outside of TCU then so freakin' be it! This is NOT the SMU of the early 80s when we had mostly a starting roster of 4-5 star level talent. Not yet. We need our rep back and that only comes from WINS. Every time we played Baylor, when I was there, we got creamed and no one cared about Baylor. I'd rather be sitting at 8-1 and then playing A&M or UT (or TT or whomever else that will be a big draw and possibly get us on national TV) than maybe a big win here or there but still sitting at 6-6 because we played 5 nationally ranked teams. 7-5 doesn't do it. A couple of years of 11-1, 10-2 DOES which will attract more higher talented recruits (especially by getting into a high profile bowl and that kind of record could). THEN you can put more high ranking teams on your schedule (maybe aTM AND UT).

100% agree with you, which means you're a huge dumbarse!

I understand the comments by the Time Machine Gang, but I just remember watching teams like K-State play nobody for the greater part of a decade and stack up 8+ win seasons. Here's the funny thing. After a while, recruits don't question your strength of schedule and you start getting better players. THEN you start scheduling more challenging opponents, because you have a team that can face them -- and win! What's the recruiting pitch coming off a 6-6 season? "We only lost to 5-7 Baylor by 10??"

Regardless, we'll just say I'm 100% wrong. It isn't the first time and it won't be the last.

How was K-State's attendance in those years? Was it as pathetic as SMU's? I would guess not.

It might be that you can pursue that strategy when you are able to fill up your stadium against teams no one cares about, but when you have massive attendance issues you need to play teams people care about?

[sbsmith]

Can we recuit better in the Big East with a couple OOC wins vs garbage teams, or with a couple losses/occasional wins against teams people care about OOC?

A split versus relevant OOC opponents will do far more for us in recruiting than beating up on a weak OOC slate. Problem is we aren't where we need to be talent-wise to win consistently versus those relevant opponents. During this 3 year bowl run we're a combined 1-4 versus A&M, Tech &TCU (relevant OOC opponents), hell we're 1-4 during that same span versus Navy and Wazzu. As we head into the Big East we need to be focused on padding our win total to keep up momentum. We're going to be an AQ team so we need to start acting like it.

[mrydel]

I choose to beat Baylor. I am sorry for those that concede defeat so easily.

[ojaipony]

I choose to beat Baylor. I am sorry for those that concede defeat so easily.

I like that!

[ojaipony]

"Don't show up to a gunfight with sticks (SMU 1989-2008)." (us versus most div 1 schools)

"Don't show up to a gunfight with sticks, rocks, and 1 or 2 guns (2009-2013) when the other fella has cannons (us versus top 25)."

"Let's fight!" (2014+).

My humble opinion.

I'm not "scared" to play anyone but I want to put us in a position of STRENGTH (hence my point about putting ONE strong regional team on our schedule like an aTm or UT). I KNOW the attendance sucks and I hate that (has way more to do than just who we play and everyone here knows it -- history, culture of student body, nature of alums spread out all over the country/world, a lot of competition among alternative events in Dallas, etc) but I'd rather have an empty stadium for 1-2 seasons and be building to 1 or 2 loss season(s) than it be filled with a consistent .500 club (neither will happen in those scenarios anyway).

Again, my OPINION. There is no right or wrong. Glad some of you agree and some of you disagree. We all want what's best for the university. I could certainly be persuaded to change my opinion.

Go 'Stangs!!! Beat Pitt! Beat aTm! Beat Baylor!

[ojaipony]

I totally agree with Stallion on this. I want wins, but I want exciting, packed house wins against rival competition.

Totally agree! But doesn't happen over night. It's a PROCESS. We will beat TCU b/c they're a joke and I say we can pick off aTm with the talent we have RIGHT NOW but we should not just play these teams alone. They should be the EXCEPTION for the next 2-3 seasons, then bring 'em all on, baby! Would LOVE to beat the snot out of UT AT UT (who wouldn't?!?).

[Stallion]

Look we've got long term contracts with both Baylor and TCU-you don't get to check your depth chart to decide every year whether you are too frightened or scared to play the Big Bad Bears or the Poly Wogs. You either play 'em or move on-you don't play games with long term rivals. Get it? You want to flush sellout crowds and big revenue down the drain just to pretend to be a big bad football team playing no one any one cares about-you got to go all or nothing. I guess we should have scratched that "program defining" victory over TCU last year that never should have been played according to you guys. While you're at it-go ahead and forget about any chance at recruiting Texas Top 100 players who could careless about playing any of those teams in the Big East. On the other hand you could do what TCU did-BEAT THEM on the field and then BEAT THEM in recruiting.

[ojaipony]

Look we've got long term contracts with both Baylor and TCU-you don't get to check your depth chart to decide every year whether you are too frightened or scared to play the Big Bad Bears or the Poly Wogs. You either play 'em or move on-you don't play games with long term rivals. Get it? You want to flush sellout crowds and big revenue down the drain just to pretend to be a big bad football team playing no one any one cares about-you got to go all or nothing. I guess we should have scratched that "program defining" victory over TCU last year that never should have been played according to you guys. While you're at it-go ahead and forget about any chance at recruiting Texas Top 100 players who could careless about playing any of those teams in the Big East. On the other hand you could do what TCU did-BEAT THEM on the field and then BEAT THEM in recruiting.

Read my posts, dude. I think we should DEFINITELY be playing TCU each year (they are one of the cupcakes).

Anyway, regarding contracts, yes, that's fine I understand that. All or nothing, huh? OK, I hear you.

I'm done with this "conversation". Moving on.

[SMU 86]

SMU arrogance is interesting. We want a tough OOC with a tough BE schedule. Makes since if you want to sellout a stadium a few games and possibly never go to a BCS bowl game or have our team so beat up that when we get to our regular conference games we are not at full blast. We are not god enough at this point to load up on those games. 1 or 2 yes but not the entire OOC schedule. We have 3 Bigs 12 games next year and 4 Big 12 games the year after that so we will see how wise their theory is.

CMF , we will see what the outcome will be. A reality check for some is needed. But if I am wrong so be it.

[mrydel]

Quit being so scared. You are correct that we may not compete well for a while. So the option is to play weak teams and stay weak, or play up to the competition and strive to rise to the top. If you want to watch DII ball, go root for a DII team. I do not let a lot bother me in my old age but the sniveling fear of playing in the awesome, terrifying Big East and adding a Baylor and a TCU makes me ill.

Let's step up and play some real football even if our record dips fir a couple of years.

[goldenstang]

You would think Baylor was Alabama by some peoples comments. We will do just fine in this series. It took a once in a lifetime type player to get them to a bowl game, don't expect it to happen too many more times.

[mrydel]

Oh yeah. Don't forget to ask that 4 star Texas high school recruit if he would rather line up and play against A&M or Northwestern La. Then see if he choose us or a Big 12 or SEC school.

[SMU 86]

Quit being so scared. You are correct that we may not compete well for a while. So the option is to play weak teams and stay weak, or play up to the competition and strive to rise to the top. If you want to watch DII ball, go root for a DII team. I do not let a lot bother me in my old age but the sniveling fear of playing in the awesome, terrifying Big East and adding a Baylor and a TCU makes me ill.

Let's step up and play some real football even if our record dips fir a couple of years.

Not scared so please don't suggest that but I am just concerned about the well being of the team rather than a selfish want to play all BCS team in OOC. Some seem to like the blood and guts theory, the players blood and the fans guts. But you will get your wish for the next few years. If we miss a bowl it will hurt our recruiting. I am not talking about just Baylor or TCU because that is 2 BCS teams in which I am in favor but 3 or 4 BCS teams would not be good for our team at the stage we are at right now IMO.

[mrydel]

Recruiting will be hurt much more by playing no name little schools than missing a trip to Birmingham. The players want to play real teams. When I was there our OCC were teams like Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn. Got beat pretty badly at times, but held our own, were respected, and beat an Oklahoma team with the Heisman trophy winner in a bowl game. Not one thing to be ashamed of. And we played in the then toughest conference in the nation. We have been crawling for the past 20+ years. We are in the AQ BCS. Time to take off the potty pants and grow up.

[SMU 86]

Recruiting will be hurt much more by playing no name little schools than missing a trip to Birmingham. The players want to play real teams. When I was there our OCC were teams like Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn. Got beat pretty badly at times, but held our own, were respected, and beat an Oklahoma team with the Heisman trophy winner in a bowl game. Not one thing to be ashamed of. And we played in the then toughest conference in the nation. We have been crawling for the past 20+ years. We are in the AQ BCS. Time to take off the potty pants and grow up.

You have you opinion and I have mine. I just don't think it is very intelligent to do after we get into a BCS conference. I don't see Bose doing that in fact I don't know of any BCS team that has 3 or 4 BCS teams on it's OOC but I guess we will be the first in 2013. By the way, the potty pants come off when we hit the BE regardless of the OOC schedule.