Wha, wha , wha...

[PK]

Damn this is getting old. Same ole crap from the same ole people. Never fricking happy about anything. Get a fricking life!!! Football, basketball, whatever...they are all games for crying out loud. People play them for FUN...some times you win and some times you lose. The earth does not stop turning because your favorite team doesn't win. If you really love your favorite team (SMU), you go out and support them...win or lose. Sports is not the end of the world people. I enjoy spending a Saturday afternoon watching a college football game. Would I rather win than lose...hell yes, but the Saturday afternoon at the stadium is still fun regardless the outcome.

This thing is turning around...it may be slow, but it is in the right direction. Remember, these are basically kids out there busting there butts to try to make you guys happy. In some cases I think that is totally impossible...but these kids try anyway. Stop your incessant whining and enjoy the experince for what it is...college football on a crisp Saturday afternoon. Hot damn!!!!!!

[Hal]

Very, very well said. I'm dying for the Ponies to win every time they suit up, whether it's football, basketball or another sport. But being at my school, watching my teams compete is pretty special in and of itself.
With that said .... I'll be at every home game, and a couple of roadies -- GO PONIES!

[jtstang]

Thank you for speaking the truth PK. I always have fun at the games, especially on the 'vard during pre-game activities. The key is to have no expectations of winning, such that losing is no disappointment and when it happens it is a pleasant surprise.

[me@smu]

Though realistic that is the most disappointing thing I have read on this board.

No expectations of winning...what good is that. Why should our players even try to improve? Why should Bennet try to recruit better athletes if we are settling for being mediocre.

I personally love the idea that we at SMU maintain our dreams of past glory days and the illusion that tomorrow will be the return to them. Every saturday, no matter where my money is on the game, I am hoping for a miracle and a win. And every saturday, I get angry with the loss. I know it sucks to be continually let down, but to settle for mediocracy in anything in life is the quickest way to nowhere.

I sure as hell hope that we haven't sunk to the point where the students, the players and the alumni think it is ok for SMU to lose.

Before I get off the soapbox...one of my favorite SMU football memories was a bunch of SMU alumni/students making fun of the Froggies all through the 2000 game, when we lost by like 50+. Even getting our asses kicked, we still maintain the air of support that was so integral.

[jtstang]

Though realistic that is the most disappointing thing I have read on this board.

No expectations of winning...what good is that. Why should our players even try to improve? Why should Bennet try to recruit better athletes if we are settling for being mediocre.

Don't misread--of course the players and coaches should have expectations and work to improve, but historically speaking, as a fan, there is no reason for me to kid myself.

[couch 'em]

We should be happy people are angry. Anger is better than indifference. The next step is to follow the majority of alumni and students - just don't care at all.

[PK]

My post above had nothing to do with expectations one way or another. I may not go into a game "expecting" to win necessarily, but I don't go expecting to lose either. I do expect the team to play their best and hardest and if they have progressed to where they should be, then barring lousy officiating, we should win more often than not. A loss is always a disappointment, but I wouldn't miss the game for anything.

What I am tired of though is the constant whining that goes on here. Nothing is good enough. Every post made to compliment the team's or coaches' efforts are always beaten down by the same naysayers over and over. If it were constructive criticism with constructive suggestions on improving the situation, that would be one thing, but it is not. It's not a matter of "sunshiners" or "realist" either...it's a matter of always putting the worst spin on everything deserving or not, and quite frankly I think is a bunch of [deleted] put out to thump one's own chest as being superior to everyone else. Well stick it where the sun don't shine...I'm tired of listening to it.

[DallasDiehard]

.... I sure as hell hope that we haven't sunk to the point where the students, the players and the alumni think it is ok for SMU to lose....

I hope so, too. But I also hope that more and more SMU recognize the fact that sometimes we'll win, and sometimes we'll lose, and that the student-athletes representing OUR university are busting their tails for us, the fans, and that they deserve our support regardless of the outcome. Indifference is not acceptable, but constant bashing of the players, coaches and school should not be acceptable, either.

[me@smu]

Completely agree that constant bashing of the players and the coaches is not helpful nor what we should be engaged in on this board. They are obviously busting their asses to win the games.

[Stallion]

Rah! Rah! Rah! I think this thread is a BIG WHINE by someone who ALWAYS takes the administration perspective at EACH and EVERY opportunity. I get just as tired of the pathetic whining of the unknowledgeable, naive and perpetually incorrect analysis of our athletic program. This administration deserves every bit of the well deserved criticism it gets for a floundering and embarrassing athletic program. The empty seats define the indifference of the SMU community on this issue.

[PK]

It must be an awesome burden to be the only person knowledgeable about anything and everything. My heart goes out to you in your pain. You have been asked repeatedly by many people to lay out your plan to correct all the evils and more importantly how to go about achieving that goal, but evidently that does not fall within your area of knowledge or you perfer instead to just criticise adnauseum rather than be part of or lead the revolution. To say we have to be on a level playing field with our natural and traditional rivals is obvious to everyone and not just because you say so. The QUESTION is how is that achieved? Certainly not by yacking about it on a message board. What's the plan? You lead and us unknowledgeable, naive, morons will follow because we want that level playing field too. We are just too stupid to know how to do it. What is your plan?

[tmustangp]

Rah! Rah! Rah! I think this thread is a BIG WHINE by someone who ALWAYS takes the administration perspective at EACH and EVERY opportunity.

PK I totally agree with you.

This is for you stallion and I know PK will agree with me and probably alot of other posters. You are the most negative person on the message board. Yes you have good insights and good answers but you way too negative. What you said above is just one of the many examples of your negativity. Another one was a few weeks back when all I was trying to do was give a report from spring practice and you decided to shoot down one of my observances of the practice. Get off your high horse, its a freaking message board, honestly man.

Making fun of someone on the message board is the equivalent of a third grader making fun of a kid on the playground in my opinion.

[jtstang]

I do expect the team to play their best and hardest and if they have progressed to where they should be, then barring lousy officiating, we should win more often than not.

You had me right up until "and if...." The part before is the only reasonable expectation anyone could possibly have. There is simply no evidence to support the rest.

[PK]

It's a very simple "if", "then" statement jt. I did not say they have progressed to where they should be...I said IF. We won't know the answer to that until they hit the field this fall.

[PlanoStang]

Completely agree that constant bashing of the players and the coaches is not helpful nor what we should be engaged in on this board. They are obviously busting their asses to win the games.

Yup, coaches always EXPECT 110% effort from a player, and anything you have leftover. Players EXPECT that the coaching staff will find a way,
and chance (including miracles, see the hockey movie) for them to win each, and every game.