RICK HART: Where in the HELL are our FANS --- STUDENTS????

[Charleston Pony]

SMU has made it clear they don't want to do what it takes to compete at the highest level and by that I mean our administration is not willing to "bend" the rules and suffer another probation. That was the crux of the contract negotiations with LB and that is why we have been removed from competing at the highest level since the football death penalty. Imagine if Alabama had said they were going to run a perfectly clean program after the probation they suffered through leading into their Shula football years. Does anyone really believe Duke/Kansas/insert your favorite national power here runs a clean bball program?

[PonyTime]

The cleanest basketball "powers" that I can think of in the NCAA include:

Air Force Academy
Rice
Navy
Stetson
William and Mary
Army

Feel free to go look up their collective NCAA tournament appearances over the last 30 years.

[PonySnob]

[Horseshoe]

Here is Jank's record since Milton got hurt after the East Carolina game last year.

Of course Foster got hurt to, but it is pretty eye opening.

Wins - 5
Loses - 11
Home losses - 9

Add the reseat and you have an attendance nightmare.

So you're saying that when the two players who are by far better than everyone else on the team go down for the season, winning is more difficult? Good to know. Thanks.

[Treadway21]

Here is Jank's record since Milton got hurt after the East Carolina game last year.

Of course Foster got hurt to, but it is pretty eye opening.

Wins - 5
Loses - 11
Home losses - 9

Add the reseat and you have an attendance nightmare.

So you're saying that when the two players who are by far better than everyone else on the team go down for the season, winning is more difficult? Good to know. Thanks.

No chump. When you rape your fans when your product can't stay on the floor with AAC teams and CUSA teams on your home floor where you had only lost 3 times in the last 4 years, you don't call out the fans for not showing up to games. Plus the coach recruited a team that is only 2 players deep?

Glad you are happy with the product and are happy with the reseat. Enjoy Moody Sadness.

[Horseshoe]

Never said I'm happy with the product. I'm not. In fact, I agree with most of what you say, so maybe we're saying the same things in different ways, and if so, sorry for the snark. I was just saying that any team that loses its best players is going to struggle - that just makes sense. Hell yes, i wish every player was as good as Shake and Jarrey. But that's not the case.

[One Trick Pony]

Never said I'm happy with the product. I'm not. In fact, I agree with most of what you say, so maybe we're saying the same things in different ways, and if so, sorry for the snark. I was just saying that any team that loses its best players is going to struggle - that just makes sense. Hell yes, i wish every player was as good as Shake and Jarrey. But that's not the case.

This guy's been married at least 10 years

[ponypatrick]

Never said I'm happy with the product. I'm not. In fact, I agree with most of what you say, so maybe we're saying the same things in different ways, and if so, sorry for the snark. I was just saying that any team that loses its best players is going to struggle - that just makes sense. Hell yes, i wish every player was as good as Shake and Jarrey. But that's not the case.

This guy's been married at least 10 years

His frustration is showing , isn't it.......I bet his Mrs. has quite a few headaches too

[One Trick Pony]

Never said I'm happy with the product. I'm not. In fact, I agree with most of what you say, so maybe we're saying the same things in different ways, and if so, sorry for the snark. I was just saying that any team that loses its best players is going to struggle - that just makes sense. Hell yes, i wish every player was as good as Shake and Jarrey. But that's not the case.

This guy's been married at least 10 years

His frustration is showing , isn't it.......I bet his Mrs. has quite a few headaches too

Well actually I was commenting on his empathy and negotiation skills. Very polished - this only comes from at least a decade of marriage haha

[Mustangsabu]

https://twitter.com/AD_RickHart/status/1067815445846216704


This right here, SMU faithful, is a major part of the problem.

What Rick wrote would tend to indicate that he does not possess the judgment or the vision to be in the position he is in. In many ways what he says is correct, programs that are supported by fans who come whether the team wins or not are admirable. The problem is that he had that. He had "the 1500". We went to almost every game. We watched our Ponies languish in the nether reaches of the WAC, balancing the lows of USC Upstate with the highs of beating a ranked Memphis team. The loyalty and optimism of our small fan base is possibly best exemplified by the CIT run in 2011 where we put our $$ into making those games as well attended as possible. And they were fantastic. And it is exactly this group, the group Hart describes in his email as the target fanbase that he has basically annihilated. Poor judgement.

The fact that he thinks he can take new SMU fans, and turn them into the kind of fans that the "1500" represented by continuously raising prices while allowing a schedule that required google to identify the opposition shows that he has no vision either.

Doesn't have judgment, doesn't have vision. Shouldn't have that job.

[redpony]

amen!!!

[PonyTime]

Hey Rick! I found them...

[SMU Pom Mom]

Last year's freefall was not just bad luck. The injuries that killed the season were directly the result of overplaying a tiny roster, and for that the blame lies squarely at the feet of LB. He fed SMU a delicious feast that gave the program food poisoning and people here are all "But it was so taaaaasty." Who cares if you go 25-5 if you are banned from the tourney, lose scholarships, and overwork your remaining players until they break?

As for the students, this was the last week of class and my daughter had multiple papers, presentations, and tests. I doubt she would be at all these games (men's and women's!) if it wasn't required.

[smuhype]

Is there anything Hart can do mid season to turn this around?

I assume with Cowboys game McNeese turnout was season all-time LOW?

Start giving tickets away for free?

No students can earn A unless they attend 2 games? Include all post graduates as well?

Free Food?

More Bobbleheads?

Bush Autograph session?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Is there anything Hart can do mid season to turn this around?

I assume with Cowboys game McNeese turnout was season all-time LOW?

Start giving tickets away for free?

No students can earn A unless they attend 2 games? Include all post graduates as well?

Free Food?

More Bobbleheads?

Bush Autograph session?

Free juice boxes