SMU's New Athletic Director

[lwjr]

Welcome to the Hilltop, Rick

[mrydel]

Gotta have Hart!

[GiddyUp]

front page news -- 11pm Friday
http://www.dallasnews.com/

[SMULaxer]

Great hire.

Add lacrosse.

[Vitale]

Only after bringing back men's track and upgrading the sub-standard facilities for swimming, soccer and of course track.

Welcome, Rick

[PonySnob]

Interested to see what he plans to do marketing wise in a heavily saturated urban environment. This isn't Norman or Chattanooga.

Noticed no names leaked during this search, I wonder why

Does OU really have to do much marketing?

[ojaipony]

Interested to see what he plans to do marketing wise in a heavily saturated urban environment. This isn't Norman or Chattanooga.

Noticed no names leaked during this search, I wonder why

Does OU really have to do much marketing?

This was my first thought upon reading his bio. I don't really get this hire, but maybe it's good timing (for him in his career - younger but experienced - and where we are with our athletics currently).

[DickerJames]

Looks like a solid hire to me, and with his father being the athletic director at Tennessee he certainly is well connected.

[couch 'em]

Looks like a solid hire to me, and with his father being the athletic director at Tennessee he certainly is well connected.

Conspiracy theory: firing Orsini to hire this guy was part of a deal for SMU to SEC

[mustang1108]

How long until we drop one of our non-conference games for a series with the Vols?

[RGV Pony]

How long until we drop one of our non-conference games for a series with the Vols?

About the same length of time it took Orsini to have us play ga tech & notre dame

[gostangs]

have heard that in/out will be allows next year anyway - so that decision is already made.

lacrosse now. nobody really cares about swimming. even when we were great there were only 10 people in the stands. when the swimmers get together and raise the money then we can upgrade - until then there are other priorities.

[Water Pony]

have heard that in/out will be allows next year anyway - so that decision is already made.

lacrosse now. nobody really cares about swimming. even when we were great there were only 10 people in the stands. when the swimmers get together and raise the money then we can upgrade - until then there are other priorities.

Get your facts right. Hundreds have attended swimming meets and more than a thousand have attended big time swimming meetings against national swimming powers in our old Perkins Natatorium. Second, after FB and maybe BB, Swimming & Diving alums are the most active in Mustang Club, Lettermen Association and SMU Hall of Fame events. Third, despite the lack of competitive facilties the Men and Women continue to be Top Twenty (although Men's team has slipped, due to recruiting with marginally training facilities.) Fourth, more than $6+m was pledged by ex-swimmers and friends of SMU Swimming for a new natatorium, but the cost is 2-3x more.

Historically, it has been the strongest non-revenue sport with soccer emerging from a fan atttendance. I am all for Lacrosse, by the way, but sacrificing swimming & diving at another altar of another sports is dumb.

[PoconoPony]

have heard that in/out will be allows next year anyway - so that decision is already made.

lacrosse now. nobody really cares about swimming. even when we were great there were only 10 people in the stands. when the swimmers get together and raise the money then we can upgrade - until then there are other priorities.

Get your facts right. Hundreds have attended swimming meets and more than a thousand have attended big time swimming meetings against national swimming powers in our old Perkins Natatorium. Second, after FB and maybe BB, Swimming & Diving alums are the most active in Mustang Club, Lettermen Association and SMU Hall of Fame events. Third, despite the lack of competitive facilties the Men and Women continue to be Top Twenty (although Men's team has slipped, due to recruiting with marginally training facilities.) Fourth, more than $6+m was pledged by ex-swimmers and friends of SMU Swimming for a new natatorium, but the cost is 2-3x more.

The amount pledged was right at 13 million by former swimmers; however, a lead donor was not forthcoming. The 18 million project fell roughly 3 million short of being initiated with the market crashing in 2008 causing some big $$$$ to be withdrawn. Roughly 2.5 million has been collected and roughly 8 million is still on the table and in play if a lead donor could be found.

Historically, it has been the strongest non-revenue sport with soccer emerging from a fan atttendance. I am all for Lacrosse, by the way, but sacrificing swimming & diving at another altar of another sports is dumb.

The amount pledged was right at 13 million by former swimmers; however, a lead donor was not forthcoming. The 18 million project fell roughly 3 million short of being initiated with the market crashing in 2008 causing some big $$$$ to be withdrawn. Roughly 2.5 million has been collected and roughly 8 million is still on the table and in play if a lead donor could be found.

[squire]

big step up for him.

first thing is allow in/out at SMU football games.

Either that or show up, support your team, and watch the majority of the football game. I know it's tough. I know the boulevard is wonderful, but actually showing up for the kickoff, and watching college football is also fun. Put down the freaking drinks for a while so the stadium looks less like a ghost town to the TV audience.
I can't believe all the crying over this non issue.