Oct. 21, 1989 -- 21 years after the despicable act

[SMU 86]

It is my charge that every year we play these ba$tards, I will always remind them of one of the most disgraceful moments in college athletics history.

I was there in the Astrodome that afternoon to watch 95-21. This will never, never, never be forgotten.

They are and always will be Cougar High and I do not care for anything that that university represents.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... wanted=all

P.S. God Bless you Aaron Wallace!

I think it was William N. Wallace.

[ender3]

I despise the Cougars like I despise no other school other than Texas.

I was there.

And Choirboy up above who says we need to get over it doesn't have a clue. I will hate them until the day I die.

[SMUChoir]

Ok, but you should at least recognize that most of the players on the Houston team in 1989 are well on their way to 50, most likely did not graduate and have already suffered the indignity of their college choice many times over in the real world. Hanging onto that one moment of embarrassment just gives them continual joy in an otherwise generic life.

[b_caesar]

The year before, in 1988, Tulsa suffered a similarly ignominious defeat at the hands of the Cougs in the Astrodome. The final score was 82-28. That kind of embarrassing display of poor sportsmanship is difficult to forget.

[George S. Patton]

Ok, but you should at least recognize that most of the players on the Houston team in 1989 are well on their way to 50, most likely did not graduate and have already suffered the indignity of their college choice many times over in the real world. Hanging onto that one moment of embarrassment just gives them continual joy in an otherwise generic life.

Thank you, Mr./Ms. Austria 1938.

You can take you superficial superior attitude toward us and go stuff it.

That's fine if you don't have any problem with what happened in the Astrodome. That's your call. And you can say whatever want.

But I can tell you this. There are those of us who feel differently. You can lecture us all you want and tell us we're this and that. It's not going to change my mind. And it's probably not going to change others.

The bottom line is that you're wasting your time. I was there. I know what I saw. And I know how the Cougar High followers reacted to this during the game and years after.

So if you want to keep up the argument, go for it. You're not going to be changing any minds.
You have a nice day.

[redpony]

Ok, but you should at least recognize that most of the players on the Houston team in 1989 are well on their way to 50, most likely did not graduate and have already suffered the indignity of their college choice many times over in the real world. Hanging onto that one moment of embarrassment just gives them continual joy in an otherwise generic life.

NEVER,NEVER,NEVER- that will never be forgotten in my mind. I hope they all burn in hell forever after. Now, ask me how I really feel

GO PONIES- Kick the [deleted] out of houston high.

[BIGHORSE]

Well, I am not sure but I imagine many still feel the same about SMU and our behavior 25 years ago. This is not the same University it was 25 years ago and I imagine it is not in Houston either. Different coaches, administrators, President-Provost ect.... Give it up and come back with something more recent to hang your hate banner on.

We have the same fans that remember that day, and they do too.

[peruna81]

Well, I am not sure but I imagine many still feel the same about SMU and our behavior 25 years ago. This is not the same University it was 25 years ago and I imagine it is not in Houston either. Different coaches, administrators, President-Provost ect.... Give it up and come back with something more recent to hang your hate banner on.

Interesting perspective. The 'hate banner' you mention is only relative to those that experienced that time/place/event.

Personally I still find joy in watching Baylor die a thousand deaths, due to games 1977-81...don't care a lick for BYU either. That goes for basically any SWC foe to this day...crumudgeon or product of my times, I am probably guilty of both.

I do have a grudging respect for Lou Holtz and Notre Dame, if for no other reason than an act of sportsmanship (or charity) vs. SMU during that period of life after death.

Might want to take a bit of time to go back and watch a bit of that Houston game from 1989 before lumping the 'hate banner' bit so easily...while it may not move you, for those that were still reeling from the latter 80's demise of SMU football, it has meaning to this day.

[SMUChoir]

"That's fine if you don't have any problem with what happened in the Astrodome. That's your call. And you can say whatever want."

Ok. I prefer to stay in the present and hope that tomorrows victory will bring us closer to the CUSA Championship we all want. If remembering 1989 creates an environment that helps us win the game tomorrow, louder stadium, more passion from the fans.....that would be great. So, I retract, and adjust your quote accordingly. That's fine if you do have problems with what happened in the Astrodome. That's your call. And you can say whatever want.
I think I hate hearing the past so much when the DMN and the various affiliates always remind us of the death penalty. I prefer to just move forward with positives and a great deal of excitement about the June Jones era and the future of Southern Methodist University. It is pretty bright!! Bottom line for me is always Go Mustangs!!

[George S. Patton]

Thanks, but your position is one akin to the ostrich.


That said, a few weeks later during that return season, I went with some friends to Kyle Field to watch Texas A&M 63, SMU 14. I had no problem with that score because A&M was really good and they beat us like they should have. In fact I would have had no problem if they got to 70.

My approach to the game is that if you're team is getting it handed to them, then I don't have much sympathy because your team should find a way to stop them.

HOWEVER, given the circumstances of where SMU was as it was coming off the death penalty with no seniors and starting something 14 freshman and what Houston was doing with and exceptionally talented team, including a Heisman Trophy QB, 70-21 would have been appropriate.

But when the first number in a score starts with 8 or higher, that's when you know the guy on the other sideline is just being a tool. And that's what Houston did.

Houston will try to claim that it did the right thing by playing Andre Ware for only a half and then playing David Klingler in the second half. I think chucking the ball 55 yards down the field when the score is 88-21 is a bit trite.

The funny thing was that in the following week, SMU beat North Texas and Houston lost at Arkansas. Hmmm.

[tristatecoog]

I was there too and gleefully cheering for every extra point and breaking 1000 yards. 1021 to be exact.

"I do have a grudging respect for Lou Holtz and Notre Dame, if for no other reason than an act of sportsmanship (or charity) vs. SMU during that period of life after death." This is odd to me. ND embarrassed SMU as much as UH did. Didn't they purposely take a knee or punt on third down? Wow! If SMU wasn't ready to play real teams in 1989, you should have waited another year. However, as a guy who's aged 100% since that game, I would now be embarrassed if we ran up the score like that again. For instance, we pummelled TX State in the first half this year but didn't play Case or any starters in the second half. No trick plays in the second half. Just run the offense with second and third teamers and walk-ons. Fine.

We pummelled Rice last year as well with the same formula and got smacked this year. It took SMU 2-3 years to beat an ultimately 4-7 team, which could be our record this year as well.

For the other team, I believe in playing a full 60 minutes. Trot out your best players. If you're beating us by 50, keep Padron, Line, et.al. in the game. Keep pounding away at us. It's a man's game. If you're willing to take the risk of injury, so be it. Pummel us. I want to see how we respond. Do we buck up or buckle? Give it to us full throttle for 60 minutes just like we did in 1989. Would General Patton send out his weakest soldiers to defeat an overmatched opponent -- or taunt them like Holtz basically did?

[ponyboy]

All right tristate. I know where you live, lol.

[George S. Patton]

I was there too and gleefully cheering for every extra point and breaking 1000 yards. 1021 to be exact.

Typical

Your justification for what you all did blows.

And for your information we were only sacked by the NCAA for the 1987 season. We chose to take the 1988 season off to get organized and get the program on better footing.

Yeah, it's a man's game. And it was a cowardly and gutless way to play it -- and you guys know it.

I remember last year's result against Rice and thinking, "You know it's the same crap with those dorkwods. Does UH have any diginity in anything?''

[peruna81]

I was there too and gleefully cheering for every extra point and breaking 1000 yards. 1021 to be exact.

"I do have a grudging respect for Lou Holtz and Notre Dame, if for no other reason than an act of sportsmanship (or charity) vs. SMU during that period of life after death." This is odd to me. ND embarrassed SMU as much as UH did. Didn't they purposely take a knee or punt on third down? Wow! If SMU wasn't ready to play real teams in 1989, you should have waited another year. However, as a guy who's aged 100% since that game, I would now be embarrassed if we ran up the score like that again. For instance, we pummelled TX State in the first half this year but didn't play Case or any starters in the second half. No trick plays in the second half. Just run the offense with second and third teamers and walk-ons. Fine.

We pummelled Rice last year as well with the same formula and got smacked this year. It took SMU 2-3 years to beat an ultimately 4-7 team, which could be our record this year as well.

For the other team, I believe in playing a full 60 minutes. Trot out your best players. If you're beating us by 50, keep Padron, Line, et.al. in the game. Keep pounding away at us. It's a man's game. If you're willing to take the risk of injury, so be it. Pummel us. I want to see how we respond. Do we buck up or buckle? Give it to us full throttle for 60 minutes just like we did in 1989. Would General Patton send out his weakest soldiers to defeat an overmatched opponent -- or taunt them like Holtz basically did?

Holtz's player went out of bounds on a breakaway run, voluntarily. He met the kid on the sideline, talked to him afterwards, and when asked by the press what he told the player said it was personal and not for public consumption. IIRC, the player stated later that he told the kid he would remember that play the rest of his life, and it was the best play he made at ND.

This was the same coach that had every right to hang a hundred on SMU following the 1982 tie (Arkansas, 17-17) in which some folks felt the Ponies were the beneficiary of a pass interference penalty that led to the tying touchdown. It cost Holtz and the Hogs the SWC champioonship.


Spurrier-esque views that the other team "must stop us, we are not responsible to do that for them"
when a score is WAY out of reach teach nothing to players/fans/casual observers. Your analogy to war is a real stretch...that IS life or death, not a contest that will be repeated annually...you send your best out in both, but there is a measure of modicum even in the military arena accepted as the norm. Look no further than Appomattox for that lesson.

Houston went WAY over that accepted line in 1989. I am glad you enjoyed that game...your talented team made a statement that day. I just seem to remember a very different statement than you, one that I had learned before, and remember to this day.

Good luck tomorrow, and GO MUSTANGS.

[ponyboy]

Well said. Bravo.