IT'S FINALLY GONNA HAPPEN! S.M.U. VERSUS SAM HOUSTON STATE!

[originaloverthehilltop1]

op asks: do you think smu or shsu gets more from recruiting from this game? answer: the WINNER gets more. who gets more from smu losing to texas tech and Ok state--they do: they get to prove we can't (NOW) compete against them while recruiting the in metroplex for the weekend.

old pony says: low expectations provide low returns. answer: WINNING raises expectations, and returns.

today, its no foregone conclusion that we will win against shsu and ark state or any other of your so called "patsies". that is the challenge that smu has to meet. NOW. continued losing (NOW) to bcs teams does nothing for recruiting and apparently hasn't solved attendance issues either.

If our plan (read model) must be further adjusted, then we have to adjust is further. But expectations (and returns) will not be raised unless we prove we can beat---somebody. NOW

and oh yeah, stop calling everybody who disagrees with you a sissy. in all your great athletic history, you never got put on a team with younger players who were physically overmatched to the point where winning A game was really a challenge? then you missed one of life's great lessons. no matter how great you are individually, these are still team sports, and smu, by its own dumb mistakes and policies, put itself in a position where it's team has been unable to compete with certain foes. scheduling is only one part of the road back. but insisting that we can compete (now) at bcs level is just flat unrealistic.

[OldPony]

Sissy

[jtstang]

Sissy

OP, you gave me my first out loud laugh of the day.

[Stallion]

the correct answer is that in recruiting it is better for SMU to play at the highest possible level rather than sweep the Southland Conference. Most if not all SMU recruits in a particular class may have been overlooked by the big boys but they damn sure want an opportunity to play against them. I really don't want a recruit who would want to "test" himself against SHSU, Texas St and Arkansas St rather than Tech, Arkansas, A&M or OSU at least every now and then. Is there a game on SMU's 2006 schedule where a recruit (or for that matter an alumnus) would look at and say "Man I can't wait to go to SMU and play Team X" That's sad.

[PK]

I really don't want a recruit who would want to "test" himself against SHSU, Texas St and Arkansas St rather than Tech, Arkansas, A&M or OSU at least every now and then.

Personally, I prefer playing the better teams you mention, but we can't always get them to play us...Arkansas certainly isn't interested and Texas isn't interested. We have a start with A&M and Tech will be back. With the 12 game seasons becoming the norm, we certainly will have more opportunities to play those teams if they will just schedule us. I'm not totaly sure, but I believe this "extra soft" 2006 schedule is a one year thing. There may have been scheduling problem or maybe not, but in 2007, I believe, we start another series with Texas Tech and of course we have A&M in 2011 and 2012 so since most players are here for at least four and maybe five years, they certainly will have that type of game now and then. Hopefully the seasons after 2006 will start including more of the better teams again.

[kats89]

You "my little" pony fans are cracking me up. If you think for one minute that SHSU will be a cupcake then you better start getting your boxes of Kleenex lined up to wipe your tears after we come up to Dallas and suprise you. As a matter of fact, you might want to see if you can change that game to this year because we will be a better team next year.

For those of you who are not up to speed on SHSU and the Southland Conferece, let me see if I can give you a little info.

SHSU has been in the I-AA playoffs 2 out of the last 4 years. In 2001, your beloved coaching staff decided that Josh McCown was not good enough to lead the football team. So, he came to Huntsville, led us to the quarterfinals in the playoffs and got drafted in the 3rd round of the NFL draft. We finished ranked #7 in the nation that year. Thanks to the ponies for letting McCown get away.

If you didn't follow last year here is a brief recap. Semi-finals in 2004 I-AA playoffs. 11-3 record finished ranked #4 in the country.

Don't be suprised if we sneak up on Univ of Houston this year. If that does happen, my guess is Coach Bennett will be looking to get out of the game to save him some embarrassment.

And as far as recruiting, I think as a recruit I would rather play in I-AA where every team has a legit shot at a national championship. I think saying "I was on a team that won a national title and here is my ring to prove it" instead of "want to see my patch on my jersey from the Continental Tire Bowl?"

And MM65, I sure hope it is not a hard decision on what colors you will be wearing that day. For someone to be an alum of SHSU and say that he has a year to think about where his allegiance will be is ridiculous. I bet you jumped on the bandwagon last year on our run through the playoffs.I thought a wanna-be Aggie was the worst, but a wanna-be Pony is weak.

So, see you pony fans in 2006, maybe?

[ALEX LIFESON]

Yawn..........Another NTS starter kit.

[GUNPERUNA]

SAM WHOSTON??????????

[BrianTinBigD]

I forgot to ask. Is SHSU 4A or 5A?

I don't recall going into the offices of the Tech grads where I work and saying, "Suck it [deleted]! You won by less than 20!" Moral victories are for losers. I'd rather win and build confidence while teaching these kids how to play.

If I remember correctly, you actually told them to go back to the trailer park.

[PlanoStang]

I'm afraid the team will be thinkin the same thing. We can take it easy this year. Won't get beat up on by all those Big Smelve guys. Coach Phil will become a has Bennett.

[Pony4Life]

Yeah, right. Considering our record in recent years, and the desire to win showed by the guys in practice, games and the offseason, I'd wager there's not a guy on this team who thinks we ever can "take it easy." These guys desperately want to win, and are doing what it takes to do just that. The wins are coming. The process has been slower than many of us expected, but we're building the right way.

GO MUSTANGS!

[PlanoStang]

Yeah, right. Considering our record in recent years, and the desire to win showed by the guys in practice, games and the offseason, I'd wager there's not a guy on this team who thinks we ever can "take it easy." These guys desperately want to win, and are doing what it takes to do just that. The wins are coming. The process has been slower than many of us expected, but we're building the right way.

GO MUSTANGS!

18 - 22 year olds who are playing college football have neither the experience to know what you said above, or the time to read about it on the DMN's Sportpage. All they know is Texas State, SHSU, SFA, or Arkie State is a NO NAME, and probably NO where the challenge as OK ST. or TX Tech who they are used to playing. Some of them probably don't know we have only had 1 winning season in 15 or 16 years.

Read, are you more motivated to work hard in the weight room, spring practice, game prep, etc. knowing you're going against the Big Smelve guys next season, or week, or a bunch of patsies who might magically turn into Big Smelve guys on a given Saturday?

[MrMustang1965]

And MM65, I sure hope it is not a hard decision on what colors you will be wearing that day. For someone to be an alum of SHSU and say that he has a year to think about where his allegiance will be is ridiculous. I bet you jumped on the bandwagon last year on our run through the playoffs.I thought a wanna-be Aggie was the worst, but a wanna-be Pony is weak.

Kats89: You know who I am. Does the name 'Spock' ring a bell? I have been on the 'Kat bandwagon every year since I attended and graduated from SHSU. I'm not a 'fair-weather' fan. You know that.

[Dooby]

I don't personally buy it, but I accept the recruiting angle as at least an argument to schedule the creme de la creme. I don't buy it for three reasons.

First, I think kids want to play those games if they think they can win them. Was not Chris Hall (one of our highest rated recruits in years before he decommitted) quoted after standing on the sideline of the OSU debacle in the 2003 season that he wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of that? In other words, getting drilled isn't good for recruiting. I am pretty sure that Bennett would tell you it is easier to recruit after a win than it is after a loss.

Second, I think every kid likes to play the big games on TV. Just because we play some bigname school, isn't going to make it a big game. It will be a big game for us and not our opponent. And in all likelyhood it won't be on TV.

Third, if we have a soft early schedule and pound everybody on it and then go just .500 in conference, then we get 7 wins and decent chance at some schitty bowl game. A bowl game that will be on national TV. That is better for recruiting than our coach being at home on a Saturday night calling kids who are watching those games on TV.

[Stallion]

of course, Chris Hall wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of that-he had other options-None of our recruits had the options he had.