I too almost ditched SMU

[RyanSMU98]

If I thought they would actually listen, I would do that. I sent JJ, SO, and RGT an email when we didn't admit those 2 kids so close to the signing date a few years ago, and never got a response. I've met SO a few times, and he is a great AD, but c'mon man...is he really going to listen to John Q. Fan?

I don't know if they "listen" or not, but after the whole ASU thing I wrote an email to JJ to express my displeasure at how it went down and got a response back that acknowledged my input and reconfirmed his commitment to SMU. Whether it changed any minds or not isn't the point; I was raised that if you have a problem with someone, you take it up with them directly. He at least took the time to read it and respond, so at least I can put those feelings behind me as they have been duly expressed and acknowledged. Others who likewise feel hurt/disappointed/etc. should consider taking the opportunity if they feel it suits them to do so.

Sometimes I want to speak to my fellow fan and express my opinion and listen to theirs. That is why it is called a MESSAGE BOARD - so I can post and view messages from my fellow ponyfans. Positive or negative.

I completely agree with this; the very purpose of a board like this is to celebrate the successes and lament the frustrations we feel with the school and program we love. It just seems that anyone who tries to accentuate the successes is labeled a "sunshiner" and readily dismissed, while those who harp on the negative ad nauseum are considered the representative voices of the "SMU fan". To someone new out here (or to a recruit, player or parent), that is not the first impression one wants to make. This forum is a great source of knowledge about the program and its history, and allows people to interact in a variety of ways, and I would never suggest silencing or censoring one's views (not even the ones I find idiotic). But taking a second to be mindful of the impact of a post before blasting it out here for the entire world would likely do some folks some good. Are we as bad as some of the "big boy" boards? Not even close. But then again, is that really the depth to which we want to "aspire"?

[SMUer]

If I have learned anything during my time at SMU, the Athletics Department is not going to be a strong or effective impetus for mobilizing students or casual fans. We need creative start-up efforts like SMU2B12 and RBA, if anything immediate is going to be done. I wish I could expect otherwise but looking over the last decade of being a Mustang fan, I cannot.

[sbsmith]

June will gone this time next year, will you be following him to his next destination?

I disagree. Both JJ and SMU dodged a bullet on the ASU scenario. Although I share some of JJ's 'apparent' frustration, both parties, the school and the coach, are a good match, committed to each other long term now and learned something in the process.

If change or attitude adjustment is needed, I suggest the Student Body step up and not have Pony Fans be the primary voice of fandom. JJ can help with the students, both encouraging their enthusiasm and working the crowd more. Everyone has a role and responsibility, included this web-site.

Pony Up!

I don't buy June's rhetoric about being recommitted to SMU, his ego isn't getting the sustenance it needs at SMU so he wants out and will find a taker after the 2012 season. The split will end up being the best thing for both parties.

[SMU Football Blog]

All I know is everything always sucks

[ericdickerson4life]

Let me say my 2 cents and disappear, again. I loved reading this board, long before I ever posted anything. I thought although two side might not agree it was fun to watch the banter. Since the ASU fiasco things have changed a bit. Now we have one side that every post is fire Jones, Jones should leave, Jones is an idiot, Jones is just collecting paychecks, Jones is lazy, etc. It's pure hatred, predictable and BORING. It's like arguing with a child that comes back to the same argument over and over and over again. Sooner or later you just walk away and let them throw their temper tantrum.

That's it folks. I've stopped coming here because you are all predictable and boring. We lose a recruit, which we do every year, and it's rinse and repeat lines about Jones. A coach leaves for another job and it's more trash about Jones. We win another bowl game and it's more lines about how Jones really doesn't know what he is doing with the R&S. You all have the right to vent and post whatever you want. But I think there is a good deal of us fans that are just bored with the commentary.

No one here likes what happened at ASU. No one here like the fact Klemm left (for a promotion). Everyone will agree about those topics. But I'll let you guys get together and have a daily powwow to [deleted] about Jones. I'll visit other sites, the web is vast. But hey, I'm just toeing the corporate line because I won't join in.

Oh and if you guys really think all this [deleted] is going to change anyone's mind on how to run things, you are just plain naive. We all know money talks and daddy war bucks make the decisions on who is going to have this job. Hell, they get to decide if Turner or Orsini get to have a job. So pony up some real buck if you want change.

Now go back to your standard commentary. I'll check back in a week to see if there is anything worth reading/commenting on over here.

[jtoutloud]

I don't know if anyone else heard Leigh Steinberg's interview on The Fan yesterday but I did and it was pretty good. Mostly he discussed his struggles with substance abuse but he did talk a lilttle about JJ and the ASU ordeal. Although he refused to name the schools, he said that he will always listen to offers and JJ had 3 separate offers from 3 "major programs" including ASU. He went on to say that there was never a deal in place in so much as there was never an offer letter or a deal sheet. In short, JJ was always committed to SMU.

If one can believe this, then it lessens the apparent damage that was done. I am trying.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Let me say my 2 cents and disappear, again. I thought although two side might not agree it was fun to watch the banter. Since the ASU fiasco things have changed a bit. Now we have one side that every post is fire Jones, Jones should leave, Jones is an idiot, Jones is just collecting paychecks, Jones is lazy, etc. It's pure hatred, predictable and BORING. That's it folks. I've stopped coming here because you are all predictable and boring. We lose a recruit, which we do every year, and it's rinse and repeat lines about Jones. A coach leaves for another job and it's more trash about Jones. We win another bowl game and it's more lines about how Jones really doesn't know what he is doing with the R&S. You all have the right to vent and post whatever you want. But I think there is a good deal of us fans that are just bored with the commentary.

great post...agree 100%
and dont forget about the horse kooks
remember how we all heard they were gonna "replace Peruna"
that there would never be another Peruna once the old one croaked
and then reality hit last season and the next Peruna was introduced
so they were wrong once again...but we had to listen to all the bs for months
but i guess seeing them wrong again made it worth it! Ha Ha Ha!

[EastStang]

I would say that most of PonyFans folks were giving JJ the benefit of the doubt until the ASU fiasco and that brought out the venom. Many fans are happy at the benefits to our program brought by JJ, but we aren't where we need to be, yet. But we are heading that way slowly but surely. If JJ bolted, then you're looking at having to reload mid-stream and that is not something that I would want. Others are afraid that if we have a good year this year, JJ will just leave next year, so why wait and reload now. Both views are not sound. I would suggest that JJ is our coach, we love our team and we want terribly to beat the hell out of A&M next September.

[ponyinNC]

Yes, there are certain folks on pf.com who are constantly negative - and it is very easy to foe them and never even see a word they write. I've had to do that a few times, and it can be annoying. But this is America, and we do not censor people simply because we disagree with them.

If a recruit or family member makes their decision on what college to attend based on a freaking message board, they are idiots. Anyone can post on this board - smu fans, our rivals, students, profs, etc. You simply can't believe everything you read on the internet, especially message boards.

I think the vast majority of ponyfans are reasonable people and are happy with the success and rebuilding job that JJ and staff have done here. 3 bowls in 3 years! Big East! Vast facility improvements, etc.

But they see room for improvement, especially w/r/t recruiting in 2012, and some folks (including myself) have a serious trust issue with their HC.

Time heals all wounds. So does winning.

Pony up!

[Top Twenty]

The constant, negative, sometimes malicious drumbeat from repetitive posters does, repeat does, have an impact on recruits and their families. And it would you too, if you were seventeen years old. Those posters who can't let go are risking the creation of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Look, our coach is, by all accounts, re-dedicated, he's brought us out of a 25 year wilderness, and he's made a tremendous addition in Jason Phillips. Things are a lot better than some think.

[JonesDoe]

I bet June Jones meant every word he said when he took the SMU coaching job and came to Dallas and I don't think anything has changed in that regard. I'll bet his ambitions, goals and vision of success for SMU is still very near par with the most ardent SMU supporters including the ones who are paying him.

I have also come to believe there may be a silver lining in the ASU debacle. Communication was made on a real big issue that was causing problems for the players and coaches and the people at the top heard. Could JJ have used a better approach in addressing the issue, did he intentionally create the debacle or did unprofessional negotiations result from actions of others involved, yes it was unfortunate. I think the burr under Jones blanket has been removed and the people at the top and Jones are on the same page and have worked out everyone's personal issues and are re-committed and focused on doing their respective jobs better than before.

I believe we will get a full load of highly qualified recruits that may just turn out better than those who were to come from LA. Jones and his crew have the ability to also take a few kids without another scholarship and put them in a position to play in the NFL, so I say support them their track record is steadily climbing. The phone is most likely ringing off the hook with good kids, tips and other leads. I disagree with those who want Jones driving around the country knocking on doors and burping babies. I hope he is in his office overseeing his program and staff, making calls and allowing his coaches make the arrangements for the prospects to come to SMU and meet Jones personally by appointment. In my mind that is professional.

I look forward to all the constructive thought and respectful criticism after the announcement of the lucky recruits who will play for June Jones in one of the most exciting offenses in the country. I look forward to being a supporter of the Coach and Team.

[alyssa]

I've never almost ditched SMU. And I've never ditched SMU.
My love for SMU gets passed on to a lot of my family, which is very very very very....large in numbers on one side of my family, and 5 generations deep.
In this 2012 high school graduating class my family of siblings and cousins has 4 boys who are going off to colleges and will play sports. None are going to SMU but 3 are SMU fans.
The football player is an SMU fan because of me.
The basketball player is an SMU fan because of me.
The baseball player is an SMU fan because of me.
The volleyball player is a Texas A&M fan because of his parents but he likes SMU okay because of me and he's still a sweet guy. But maybe that's also why he is the shortest one at 6'2. (They go 6'2-6'8).
I won't tell which schools they will play for but I will send them support because they are family. (My family has quite a few athletes but it's usually us women who are the really good ones so I don't know how we got 4 boys in one year).
I do wish SMU had many more sports to offer too.

[Stallion]

The thread is extremely nauseating. To those who just can't bear to come to ponyfans and read all those mean comments about the truth-:

http://movieclips.com/oA8br-the-sound-o ... -farewell/

[sbsmith]

I bet June Jones meant every word he said when he took the SMU coaching job and came to Dallas and I don't think anything has changed in that regard. I'll bet his ambitions, goals and vision of success for SMU is still very near par with the most ardent SMU supporters including the ones who are paying him.

I have also come to believe there may be a silver lining in the ASU debacle. Communication was made on a real big issue that was causing problems for the players and coaches and the people at the top heard. Could JJ have used a better approach in addressing the issue, did he intentionally create the debacle or did unprofessional negotiations result from actions of others involved, yes it was unfortunate. I think the burr under Jones blanket has been removed and the people at the top and Jones are on the same page and have worked out everyone's personal issues and are re-committed and focused on doing their respective jobs better than before.

I believe we will get a full load of highly qualified recruits that may just turn out better than those who were to come from LA. Jones and his crew have the ability to also take a few kids without another scholarship and put them in a position to play in the NFL, so I say support them their track record is steadily climbing. The phone is most likely ringing off the hook with good kids, tips and other leads. I disagree with those who want Jones driving around the country knocking on doors and burping babies. I hope he is in his office overseeing his program and staff, making calls and allowing his coaches make the arrangements for the prospects to come to SMU and meet Jones personally by appointment. In my mind that is professional.

I look forward to all the constructive thought and respectful criticism after the announcement of the lucky recruits who will play for June Jones in one of the most exciting offenses in the country. I look forward to being a supporter of the Coach and Team.

No doubt who'll win the Ponyfans Brown Noser Post of the Year Award. You must be related to June or getting paid by him or something.

[HB Pony Dad]

"I think Couch 'em is right."