Steve Orsini, you are proving to be a bumbling idiot

[jtstang]

The wait will have been worth it to land Jones IMO.

And if we don't?

[Butts in the Stands]

The wait will have been worth it to land Jones IMO.

And if we don't?

Still worth it.

[jtstang]

What's worth it?

[Mountain Mustang]

The wait will have been worth it to land Jones IMO.

And if we don't?

Then we won't know if the wait was worth it until we make the hire. We haven't blown anything yet. If we make a great hire then it was worth the wait. I'd rather have a coach that we all think is outstanding and could have a great future at SMU than a lesser candidate that we could have had a while back just to say we got our man.

[jtstang]

We haven't blown anything yet.

We haven't?? How's that 2008 recruiting class looking?

[Texas Red]

I would take Fran over Martz any day because of the recruiting issue. We know Fran can recruit well; while Martz is a big question mark. You just don't make that big of a gamble on an unknown quantity as a recruiter. Talent has so much to do with the college game -- just look down the road to Austin.

And yes, the search may wind up extremely well in the end, but there is no doubt that this recruiting class is negatively impacted (and may be beyond hope this late in the game). That will hurt for years to come. But as I've always said, the right hire (if he's a great recruiter) will balance all of that out in the end.

[BRStang]

We haven't blown anything yet.

We haven't?? How's that 2008 recruiting class looking?

jtstang, all these guys do is look with blinders at one issue in a situation with many variables. Perhaps, this is the same thought process that is going on in the mind of Orsini and/or Turner. All they see is "an A+ coach is better than an A."

Never mind that perhaps what they consider an A+ coach is maybe really an A- or a B+. Never mind that going after the A+ causes us to get a D or F in recruiting. Never mind that there may be A BETTER coach than the A+ they are trying to get. Never mind that the length of this search has made us look like buffoons to everyone outside of the bubble (who even know what SMU is). Never mind that verbal commitments are leaving because they don't want to be part of this joke. Never mind that the people that love and support SMU, even though it ALWAYS hurts, want some type of answers or information on what is happening.

Like I said, I suspect many on here who continue to tow the company line are AD employees. Otherwise, they are just too naive and inexperienced in practical issues. This whole thing about "I blindly trust Orsini" and "leave it to the professionals" is ridiculous. He didn't go to any special AD-training school and he hasn't been doing this for 40 years. Those that typically think for themselves or advise others in business or the law see what is going on here. It appears that you will NEVER be able to convince the pollyannas on here that things just MIGHT BE going badly. The SMU football program could get shut down and they would say they think soccer is the wave of the future anyway. They, and their attitude, are the reason we have been so bad for so long.

[Mountain Mustang]

I don't profess to be a recruiting expert like some on this board, but I do know that signing day is just over a month away. I know many of the top recruits have made their commitments, but I do know that there still many recruits that are undecided. Is it completely unrealistic to think that if we hire a high profile coach in the immediate future (such as Jones) , then he could get out and recruit those players from the area that might possibly be on the fence?? And is it also completely unrealistic to think that a guy like Jones might attract some recruits strictly on his name and his pedigree? In Jones' case, I would think that this would apply especially on the offensive side.

If I'm wrong or completely in the dark, I'm sure you'll tell me; but my main point is let's not judge this recruiting class (and to a larger extent this coaching search) until all is said and done, because at this point it's an unfinished process. And that is not to say that I don't see the need for a sense of urgency, I do. I would just like to see this program hire someone of high quality now (even if it means we have to suffer a bit in the immediate future with recruiting) than have to start this whole process over again in a few years.

[jtstang]

If I'm wrong or completely in the dark, I'm sure you'll tell me; but my main point is let's not judge this recruiting class (and to a larger extent this coaching search) until all is said and done, because at this point it's an unfinished process.

I'm no recruiting expert either but you don't have to be to take a snapshot of where we are now and know it's bad. But at least you acknowledge that the coaching search and recruiting are intertwined, and that both will need to be considered after all is said and done to determine whether the process failed.

[EastStang]

We're looking for the hot chick. We may not get her home, but that's what we're looking for. Okay geniuses. Of the names mentioned on this board as reasonable coaching candidates. Which candidates not currently a head coach are still unemployed after all the major jobs have been filled (including I might add West Virginia). Terry Bowden, Major Applewhite, Gary Barnett, Dennis Franchione, Larry Coker and Chan Gailey. If these candidates are so great, why weren't they hired at Duke? Or Georgia Tech? Or UCLA? Or Arkansas? Or Navy? Or West Virginia? Or Michigan? Which ones now have jobs? Rick Neuheisel and David Cutcliffe. And how about current head coaches we all love and desire, how many of them changed jobs this fall? Dodge, Gill, and Graham still where they were. Only Johnson (who we bid on) and Nutt (who we did not bid on) changed jobs. None of these programs saw their value either. We did not go after everyone elses leftovers. Will we pay a price for that? Sure. But apparently June Jones may be the guy and he'd be worth the wait.

[Mountain Mustang]

I definitely realize the correlation of recruiting to this coaching search. Looking at Rivals.com I see that SMU has 5 commits yet to sign. Memphis has 3 with 1 signed, Southern Miss has 3 that have signed and 3 not signed, and the rest of the schools in CUSA have between 10 and 20 signed. Seems to me we're in the same boat as a Memphis and Southern Miss., bringing up the rear in the conference. It just seems to me that IF we hire Jones he could get in quickly and do some good to help this class, and hit the ground running.

Now obviously it does scare me if Jones says no and we've got to wait some more and lose more precious recruiting time, but I'd rather not spend my time worrying and crying about it just yet.

[Junior]

We haven't blown anything yet.

We haven't?? How's that 2008 recruiting class looking?

jtstang, all these guys do is look with blinders at one issue in a situation with many variables. Perhaps, this is the same thought process that is going on in the mind of Orsini and/or Turner. All they see is "an A+ coach is better than an A."

Never mind that perhaps what they consider an A+ coach is maybe really an A- or a B+. Never mind that going after the A+ causes us to get a D or F in recruiting. Never mind that there may be A BETTER coach than the A+ they are trying to get. Never mind that the length of this search has made us look like buffoons to everyone outside of the bubble (who even know what SMU is). Never mind that verbal commitments are leaving because they don't want to be part of this joke. Never mind that the people that love and support SMU, even though it ALWAYS hurts, want some type of answers or information on what is happening.

Like I said, I suspect many on here who continue to tow the company line are AD employees. Otherwise, they are just too naive and inexperienced in practical issues. This whole thing about "I blindly trust Orsini" and "leave it to the professionals" is ridiculous. He didn't go to any special AD-training school and he hasn't been doing this for 40 years. Those that typically think for themselves or advise others in business or the law see what is going on here. It appears that you will NEVER be able to convince the pollyannas on here that things just MIGHT BE going badly. The SMU football program could get shut down and they would say they think soccer is the wave of the future anyway. They, and their attitude, are the reason we have been so bad for so long.

Very well said, BR.

[Alaric]

We're looking for the hot chick. We may not get her home, but that's what we're looking for. Okay geniuses. Of the names mentioned on this board as reasonable coaching candidates. Which candidates not currently a head coach are still unemployed after all the major jobs have been filled (including I might add West Virginia). Terry Bowden, Major Applewhite, Gary Barnett, Dennis Franchione, Larry Coker and Chan Gailey. If these candidates are so great, why weren't they hired at Duke? Or Georgia Tech? Or UCLA? Or Arkansas? Or Navy? Or West Virginia? Or Michigan? Which ones now have jobs? Rick Neuheisel and David Cutcliffe. And how about current head coaches we all love and desire, how many of them changed jobs this fall? Dodge, Gill, and Graham still where they were. Only Johnson (who we bid on) and Nutt (who we did not bid on) changed jobs. None of these programs saw their value either. We did not go after everyone elses leftovers. Will we pay a price for that? Sure. But apparently June Jones may be the guy and he'd be worth the wait.

A++. I don't like the wait and there's almost no doubt that it's going to decimate this years' recruiting class but if the ship's being righted, it's worth the wait. BTW, this years' recruiting class was shaping up to be another mid-lower tier CUSA class anyway. The loss can absolutely be mitigated with JUCOs over the next couple of years if in fact Orsini's doing the other part of his job and changing the model.

[Mountain Mustang]

We haven't blown anything yet.

We haven't?? How's that 2008 recruiting class looking?

jtstang, all these guys do is look with blinders at one issue in a situation with many variables. Perhaps, this is the same thought process that is going on in the mind of Orsini and/or Turner. All they see is "an A+ coach is better than an A."

Never mind that perhaps what they consider an A+ coach is maybe really an A- or a B+. Never mind that going after the A+ causes us to get a D or F in recruiting. Never mind that there may be A BETTER coach than the A+ they are trying to get. Never mind that the length of this search has made us look like buffoons to everyone outside of the bubble (who even know what SMU is). Never mind that verbal commitments are leaving because they don't want to be part of this joke. Never mind that the people that love and support SMU, even though it ALWAYS hurts, want some type of answers or information on what is happening.

Like I said, I suspect many on here who continue to tow the company line are AD employees. Otherwise, they are just too naive and inexperienced in practical issues. This whole thing about "I blindly trust Orsini" and "leave it to the professionals" is ridiculous. He didn't go to any special AD-training school and he hasn't been doing this for 40 years. Those that typically think for themselves or advise others in business or the law see what is going on here. It appears that you will NEVER be able to convince the pollyannas on here that things just MIGHT BE going badly. The SMU football program could get shut down and they would say they think soccer is the wave of the future anyway. They, and their attitude, are the reason we have been so bad for so long.

BR, thanks for lumping me in there with those with blinders on, working in the AD, and those who blindly trust Orsini (By quoting me in your post you did that). I have never said I blindly trust him, and as you'll see by my profile, I live in North Carolina (I'm not an AD employee and I do think for myself). I questioned when Matt Doherty was hired because I thought he might just be a big name without substance behind it, but I will support him and the program and reserve judgement until he's been given an appropriate amount of time to succeed.

Why are you so interested in convincing people of what "MIGHT BE" when you could instead focus on facts and what you know to be true.

I know enough to know that I'm no expert in being an Athletic Director, I don't pretend to know how hard it is to run a program, hire coaches, recruit, etc. And I certainly don't pretend to know how hard it would be at SMU with all of our restrictions/issues. Unless you've been an athletic director or have been someone who's initimately involved in the inner workings of collegiate athletics (and you may be, I don't know) then you're no expert either. Yet you constantly spout off about how Orsini/SMU has screwed up this and screwed up that, that we're not going after the right people, and that we're taking too long.

The thing that bothers me most is know-it-alls. People who claim to know so much about something without any background in the area. I'm a professional in an area outside of collegiate athletics and if you ask me about my profession, then you'll get a well-informed response that comes from years being spent in my field. Otherwise, I'll pretty much mind my own business and root for and support my team. I have opinions on a wide range of topics, but am not so arrogant and to think that I'm an authority on any of them.

Maybe that doesn't encompass you, maybe you are an expert, I don't know (the way in which you express your opinions indicates to me that you at least think you are). It would just be nice to know what qualifies you as one, and what qualifies you to judge people with OPTIMISM (which is not a sin) as polyannas.

[jtstang]

I questioned when Matt Doherty was hired because I thought he might just be a big name without substance behind it, but I will support him and the program and reserve judgement until he's been given an appropriate amount of time to succeed.

Two seasons is the SMU basketball standard. Clock's ticking on him.