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View from Arkyland,

1. Rumor is Arkyland offered Les Miles (got this from a student who states it’s a rumor but seems to believe it).

2. Casual Arkyland folks think we are doing much better and are now somewhat relevant. The fact we are bowling and the Beloved Razorbacks are at home this Holiday does make an impression on these folks

3. Outside the state of Texas most folks considered us the pits for the longest and now they know we are somewhat decent. I know many think we should be playing for the national championship now or in a few years but outside the most avid SMU fan base; we have made huge strides and are no the laughing stock of NCAA football.

4. Jones has changed us from begging for a .500 season to expectations of better. And did it in five years. I think this is huge success. To change the worse program in the NCAA for a generation to relevance is a major accomplishment. Recruiting has to be Hades because most kids grew up either never hearing of SMU or knew it was the abyss of college football and one needed to avoid playing there at all cost.

5. Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable. He is in a major rebuilding year and still went to a bowl. And we have enough depth that we can avoid returning to the Bottom 10 next year.

6. I know many have a difference of opinion and feel that I am the ultimate sunshiner. Hopefully we can amicably agree to disagree. Jones screwed up last year’s ASU situation to be sure. I am a bit sentiment in that I believe in an opportunity for redemption. Prodigal son or Norman Dale in Hoosiers or June Jones at SMU, doesn’t matter, I am willing to give him another chance.

couch 'em wrote:Because those people don't follow our weak recruiting, or our non-offense, or how unusually bad CUSA was this year.

Ask them. They'll assume we have a top 10 offense with June. We have a bottom 25% offense.

Yep. Exactly.

Most outside fans don't know it was the changes the administration made more so than the coach that helped SMU win.

ponyte wrote:View from Arkyland,

1. Rumor is Arkyland offered Les Miles (got this from a student who states it’s a rumor but seems to believe it).

2. Casual Arkyland folks think we are doing much better and are now somewhat relevant. The fact we are bowling and the Beloved Razorbacks are at home this Holiday does make an impression on these folks

3. Outside the state of Texas most folks considered us the pits for the longest and now they know we are somewhat decent. I know many think we should be playing for the national championship now or in a few years but outside the most avid SMU fan base; we have made huge strides and are no the laughing stock of NCAA football.

4. Jones has changed us from begging for a .500 season to expectations of better. And did it in five years. I think this is huge success. To change the worse program in the NCAA for a generation to relevance is a major accomplishment. Recruiting has to be Hades because most kids grew up either never hearing of SMU or knew it was the abyss of college football and one needed to avoid playing there at all cost.

5. Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable. He is in a major rebuilding year and still went to a bowl. And we have enough depth that we can avoid returning to the Bottom 10 next year.

6. I know many have a difference of opinion and feel that I am the ultimate sunshiner. Hopefully we can amicably agree to disagree. Jones screwed up last year’s ASU situation to be sure. I am a bit sentiment in that I believe in an opportunity for redemption. Prodigal son or Norman Dale in Hoosiers or June Jones at SMU, doesn’t matter, I am willing to give him another chance.

*We're no longer the laughing stock of college football?
You must've missed the Tulane game, the A&M game, the Baylor game. I know folks in Arkansas too. SMU is minor leagues, baby.
*JJ changed us from begging for a .500 season?
We were .500 in '06. JJ's best seasons here have been with Bennett's players.
*We still went to a bowl?
"Bowls" mean nothing anymore. Conference championships should be in the case by now.
*Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable?
Less than a year ago, this coach was out the door and reportedly recruiting players for ASU.

Odd that you speak for all "folks outside of Texas."
And if JJ is underpaid, let him try to get hired in the Big 12.

JJ should be on the hot seat for his pitiful 4th and 5th years here. He's not because of our desperate rah-rahers.
Just sayin'.

leopold wrote:Or they realize the uphill battle we have had to climb to get to the point where .500 is a major disappointment.

This is true (and no, the DMN does not "give anyone a job" - Belo has gone through many layoffs in recent years). The fact is that every team wants to have a big season, and the mathematics simply don't allow it.

Also, the idea that anyone in the CoC is "happy with mediocrity" is inane, at best. They didn't get to their levels of professional success by settling. On the contrary, they probably understand better than. Let of us the process many businesses go through in order to be successful. I doubt any of them is satisfied with the record this year, but I expect they realize work remains to be done, on and off the field.

mr. pony wrote:

ponyte wrote:View from Arkyland,

1. Rumor is Arkyland offered Les Miles (got this from a student who states it’s a rumor but seems to believe it).

2. Casual Arkyland folks think we are doing much better and are now somewhat relevant. The fact we are bowling and the Beloved Razorbacks are at home this Holiday does make an impression on these folks

3. Outside the state of Texas most folks considered us the pits for the longest and now they know we are somewhat decent. I know many think we should be playing for the national championship now or in a few years but outside the most avid SMU fan base; we have made huge strides and are no the laughing stock of NCAA football.

4. Jones has changed us from begging for a .500 season to expectations of better. And did it in five years. I think this is huge success. To change the worse program in the NCAA for a generation to relevance is a major accomplishment. Recruiting has to be Hades because most kids grew up either never hearing of SMU or knew it was the abyss of college football and one needed to avoid playing there at all cost.

5. Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable. He is in a major rebuilding year and still went to a bowl. And we have enough depth that we can avoid returning to the Bottom 10 next year.

6. I know many have a difference of opinion and feel that I am the ultimate sunshiner. Hopefully we can amicably agree to disagree. Jones screwed up last year’s ASU situation to be sure. I am a bit sentiment in that I believe in an opportunity for redemption. Prodigal son or Norman Dale in Hoosiers or June Jones at SMU, doesn’t matter, I am willing to give him another chance.

*We're no longer the laughing stock of college football?
You must've missed the Tulane game, the A&M game, the Baylor game. I know folks in Arkansas too. SMU is minor leagues, baby.
*JJ changed us from begging for a .500 season?
We were .500 in '06. JJ's best seasons here have been with Bennett's players.
*We still went to a bowl?
"Bowls" mean nothing anymore. Conference championships should be in the case by now.
*Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable?
Less than a year ago, this coach was out the door and reportedly recruiting players for ASU.

Odd that you speak for all "folks outside of Texas."
And if JJ is underpaid, let him try to get hired in the Big 12.

JJ should be on the hot seat for his pitiful 4th and 5th years here. He's not because of our desperate rah-rahers.
Just sayin'.

With respect, I hope we can amicably agree to disagree.

And as I stated, I know many consider me the ultimate rah-rah, sunshining, delusion JJ fan that drops on my knees and sucks supporter.

And it doesn't matter. Nobody has ever ask my opinion including the CoC, Turner, Orsini, Hart or anyone else that makes the decisions about our coaches. So what I say doesn't matter.

And I will support the program regardless of who is our coach. I did it during Gregg's, Rossley's, Caven's, Bennett's and now Jones' tenure. I will continue cause in my own perverse sense of value, SMU has given to me more than I can give back.

ponyte wrote:With respect, I hope we can amicably agree to disagree.

And as I stated, I know many consider me the ultimate rah-rah, sunshining, delusion JJ fan that drops on my knees and sucks supporter.

And it doesn't matter. Nobody has ever ask my opinion including the CoC, Turner, Orsini, Hart or anyone else that makes the decisions about our coaches. So what I say doesn't matter.

And I will support the program regardless of who is our coach. I did it during Gregg's, Rossley's, Caven's, Bennett's and now Jones' tenure. I will continue cause in my own perverse sense of value, SMU has given to me more than I can give back.

do not ever back down or apologize for being a PonyFan, ponyte, and kudos on your comment about SMU giving you more than you can ever give back, and your staunch support of the school ands thee team. A lot of so-called "fans" could learn a lot from you.

I agree that we need to be thankful for 4 straight bowl appearances. While I would love to have accomplished more (conference championships, 10 win seasons, etc.) I do not want our school and fan base to come across as crazy and ungrateful. Too many people stood by idly for too long letting SMU wallow in the bottom 10. Now that we are mediocre/good we have a ton of tough guy fans that are incensed that we are not competing evenly with Texas A&M and TCU? Frankly it doesn't make much sense to me. You have to crawl before you can walk. June Jones is winning with many of the same players that led us to 1 win and 3 win seasons. Now we need to recruit the caliber athletes that lead to 8 win seasons and coach them up to 10 win seasons. Once we get to that point I hope we can compete nationally. I get that we are not improving quickly enough for the impatient fans, but frankly where were you when we were pathetic for so long? The only one I remember screaming for change was Stallion. Stallion is now one of the more sensible posters we have.

Most outside fans don't know it was the changes the administration made more so than the coach that helped SMU win.

some of those changes were made because jj insisted on them before coming here. so he should get credit for that.

most of us thought 7-5 would be a reasonable expectation before the season started.

lots of big time programs have disappointing losses (ut anyone?) yes, losing to tulane and rice in one year are disappointments. even the best programs have them. does anyone remember when darrell royal said "rice is like a bunch of roaches: its not what they eat, its what they fall into and mess up." And then having Rice beat his No. 1 ranked UT the following weekend? THAT'S a disappointing loss to Rice.


playing 4 top 25 teams in next years nonconference schedule is the real recipe for disaster. we need to fix that by paying the price (a&m fee $250k) to drop a couple of those and move into our new conference and kick some butt. The big east is not the big twelve, the big ten, or the big anything. But it is bigger than CUSA. And for the first time in years, i am looking forward to smu basketball. that's progress, and probably wouldn't have happened without june jones, by the way.

the comment about kids perception of smu is on target. those of you who think you can follow 20 years of ineptitude on campus and on the field by "young aggressive coaches" high fiving 50 or so five star high schoolers---in a few years, without paying them, are unrealistic.

we are in the process of reclaiming at least 2 GENERATIONS worth of alumni and community disappointment. its not a quick fix.

Moreover, June Jones has made SMU a much better job than it was when he got here. I am still upset about the way he handled the ASU fiasco, the losses to Tulane and Rice, and the disappointing recruiting, but lets give credit where it is due and not sound like a bunch of spoiled brats.

ponyte wrote:View from Arkyland,



6. I know many have a difference of opinion and feel that I am the ultimate sunshiner. Hopefully we can amicably agree to disagree. Jones screwed up last year’s ASU situation to be sure. I am a bit sentiment in that I believe in an opportunity for redemption. Prodigal son or Norman Dale in Hoosiers or June Jones at SMU, doesn’t matter, I am willing to give him another chance.

Several on this board need to get over the butt hurt of the ASU debacle. All of the b*thching and moaning is tiresome.

mr. pony wrote:*We're no longer the laughing stock of college football?
You must've missed the Tulane game, the A&M game, the Baylor game. I know folks in Arkansas too. SMU is minor leagues, baby.

Yet you claim to be a "fan"?

mr. pony wrote:*JJ changed us from begging for a .500 season?
We were .500 in '06. JJ's best seasons here have been with Bennett's players.

How many bowls did Bennett reach with those players?

mr. pony wrote:*We still went to a bowl?
"Bowls" mean nothing anymore. Conference championships should be in the case by now.

There are two bowl championship trophies in the case now. If bowls mean nothing to you, please don't go, don't watch, and don't come on here to whine.

mr. pony wrote:*Less than a year ago this coach was untouchable?
Less than a year ago, this coach was out the door and reportedly recruiting players for ASU.

He was courted by a bigger BCS school who saw that he had won games at a school where many coaches had tried and failed. It is a part of the coaching business. Get over it and move on.

mr. pony wrote:Odd that you speak for all "folks outside of Texas."
And if JJ is underpaid, let him try to get hired in the Big 12.

Why? You're bent that he flirted with ASU, and now you're challenging him to get hired at a different BCS school? Makes no sense.

mr. pony wrote:JJ should be on the hot seat for his pitiful 4th and 5th years here. He's not because of our desperate rah-rahers.
Just sayin'.

No, he's not because he has done what four previous coaches -- including one Hall of Famer (Gregg) and one with major NFL experience (Rossley) -- couldn't do: win and reach bowl games. Nobody is satisfied with the record, including JJ, I expect. But while you blast the rah-rahers, you refuse to acknowledge that JJ has done some very good things, too.

mustangxc wrote:Moreover, June Jones has made SMU a much better job than it was when he got here. I am still upset about the way he handled the ASU fiasco, the losses to Tulane and Rice, and the disappointing recruiting, but lets give credit where it is due and not sound like a bunch of spoiled brats.

Fair on the credit, and long overdue on the idea that we need to stop sounding like spoiled brats.

DickerJames wrote:Several on this board need to get over the butt hurt of the ASU debacle. All of the b*thching and moaning is tiresome.

Amen. You're right on.

Cowlishaw just took a 75000 ft. view of the program. "Oh, they aren't 1-11? June do good job. June stay, you dumb."

mustangxc wrote:but lets give credit where it is due and not sound like a bunch of spoiled brats

Considering the vast majority of the student body (past and present) at SMU, should we expect anything else?

JJ raised expectations when he said we would go on a BCS busting run like at Hawaii in years 4 or 5.

It is natural to be disappointed when we go 6-6, in one of the weakest D1 leagues, with outstanding facilities, incredible city / recruiting base, and losses to Rice and Tulane.

It is fair to say that JJ has not lived up to ours or his expectations.

What has made the SMU job attractive is the 2 mm per year salary. Combined with a deep pocketed alumni who want to be competitive. Coaches see the money and they see the commitment to success which makes the job better than when Bennett was a candidate.

JJ couldn't be hired by any school in a power conference. He might land back at Hawaii when Chow finally, fully implodes. If he ever works again as a HC it will be at Hawaii.

Sorry but JJ has been a disappointment and now the question is how to we improve our situation in a thoughtful manner instead of lashing out.