SMU statement re: Big East

[PonyPride]

"Admittedly, much has changed since we announced our intention to join the Big East Conference over a year ago, but it is important that we focus on the fact that our overall position is improved as we continue our journey to re-establish SMU as a nationally-competitive athletics program. We have partnered with a quality group of schools and our new television contract will provide us with unprecedented visibility and exposure."
- Rick Hart, SMU Director of Athletics

[PerunaPunch]

Well, that is true. It may not be the progress we wish, but it's progress nonetheless.

[CalallenStang]

4 steps forward followed by three back

[SMUer]

READ:

"I took this job not thinking there was going to be this much of a problem with the Big East. This conference is [#@!#]ed. No other conference will return my calls. Turner is happy because he can schedule more East Coast fundraisers and is telling me to hold on tight. This is the best spin I can put on this cluster[#@!#]. FML!"

[RGV Pony]

Hmm. Think that is more likely a Hart or an LB thought ?

[SMU2007]

We didn't deserve to join a legit bcs conference anyway. Not yet.

Hope we get to the point where we do deserve it- and it happens for us then.

[Junior]

We didn't deserve to join a legit bcs conference anyway. Not yet.

Hope we get to the point where we do deserve it- and it happens for us then.

screw what we deserve. we need to go after what we want.

[DiamondM75]

We didn't deserve to join a legit bcs conference anyway. Not yet.

Hope we get to the point where we do deserve it- and it happens for us then.

screw what we deserve. we need to go after what we want.

Then we need to add mens track and baseball. If you want to be BCS, then act like it.

[Stallion]

can't afford to act like BCS team-we just blew a Million on cancelling the Baylor game

[ponyinNC]

can't afford to act like BCS team-we just blew a Million on cancelling the Baylor game

...and we lost $4-5 M of expected TV revenue to boot.

[East Coast Mustang]

Everyone acting like our new conference is the worst- which conference do you think we should join?

If you say MWC then your opinion is immediately discarded because you've proved what an idiot you are

[Pony Up]

We didn't deserve to join a legit bcs conference anyway. Not yet.

Hope we get to the point where we do deserve it- and it happens for us then.

screw what we deserve. we need to go after what we want.

Then we need to add mens track and baseball. If you want to be BCS, then act like it.

I would love to see men's track, but if we do that and we have to add 2 or maybe 3 women's sports, and that's not happening unless some enormous checks are written.

True, it's not the conference we thought we were joining, but it's still a significant step up. Hopefully the next step up will be even more significant.

[DiamondM75]

I know it will take some cash, but if TCU can do it. We can do it.

Baseball facilities (and womens softball facilities) are relatively inexpensive, womens lacrosse facilities are inexpensive. Add a couple of coaches at 75K x 4, per year and you have track and baseball. $1mil per year would do it.

We can hire $2 and $3 mil coaches, raise $40mil for moody in just a year, but we can't come up with $1mil per year? Who is being fooled here?

The scholarship funds are just journal entries, no actual cash outlay.

[JasonB]

Iowa St doesn't play baseball and they are in the big 12.

You don't have to play baseball and track in order to be BCS.

We would be much better off focusing resources on sports that are definitely going to get us into a major conference (football and basketball), and then at that point worrying about whatever other sports we need to support.

[OR-See-Nee]

PM from Rick Hart:

Nothing to see here. Please move on.

And send money while you are eagerly anticipating the legendary game against Montana State!

XXOO Rick Hart