Can we get a "Town Hall Meeting" with Turner??

LakeHighlandsPony · Post by **LakeHighlandsPony** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:29 pm

I know this sounds Clintonesque but I really want to hear his responses to our questions.

WorldStang · Post by **WorldStang** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:31 pm

He'd never do it.. but I would go for it just to see his response.

Hell, he doesn't even post on his "AD's notepad" anymore.

MrMustang1965 · Post by **MrMustang1965** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:46 pm

WorldStang wrote:He'd never do it.. but I would go for it just to see his response.

Hell, he doesn't even post on his "AD's notepad" anymore.

Umm...that would be Copeland, not Turner.

WorldStang · Post by **WorldStang** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:49 pm

my bad.. still suffering from my bachelor party last night.

All for a Turner town meeting..

MrMustang1965 · Post by **MrMustang1965** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 8:57 pm

Here's the email I sent to Turner today. Doubt I'll get a response but at least I got it off my chest.

Sir:

It's time to show your leadership at Southern Methodist University. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. Now!

The state of affairs in athletics at SMU - especially in its revenue generating programs - is pathetic.

I am a football season ticket holder and I can't take it anymore. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director and get someone in there who has the courage to dismiss Phil Bennett as the head football coach. Buy out his contract and get a head football coach on The Hilltop who can lead this team back to its glory days.

My heart and my pride as an SMU Mustang supporter just can't take it anymore.

Please! Do the 'right thing'. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. NOW!

Signed,
*****
Mustang Club member

Diamond Girl · Post by **Diamond Girl** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:20 pm

Gutsy move, MM65, but someone needed to get things started. I hope he responds.

MustngManiac12 · Post by **MustngManiac12** » Sun Sep 25, 2005 11:59 pm

anybody up for starting a www.firejimcopeland.com website ? haha .. what a fat loser

Insane_Pony_Posse · Post by **Insane_Pony_Posse** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 5:57 am

re:anybody up for starting a www.firejimcopeland.com website ?

It already exists and has for a couple of years.

Click link below to view the "Fire Copeland" site.

Some guy named "Ed" over on Daniel Avenue registered the site awhile back.

Does this guy post on PonyFans?

The site is not promoted and seems a bit "inactive".

http://www.firejimcopeland.com/

2112 · Post by **2112** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:14 am

At least that helmet looks great.

RGV Pony · Post by **RGV Pony** » Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:35 am

there is a guy named Ed who posts on Ponyfans.com. Doesn't have the name 'ed' in his Ponyfans.com name, though. Strangely, haven't seen any posts from him in a long time. Hope he's okay. He even travels to most away games as I recall.

MrMustang1965 · Post by **MrMustang1965** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:15 pm

MrMustang1965 wrote:Here's the email I sent to Turner today. Doubt I'll get a response but at least I got it off my chest.

Sir:

It's time to show your leadership at Southern Methodist University. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. Now!

The state of affairs in athletics at SMU - especially in its revenue generating programs - is pathetic.

I am a football season ticket holder and I can't take it anymore. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director and get someone in there who has the courage to dismiss Phil Bennett as the head football coach. Buy out his contract and get a head football coach on The Hilltop who can lead this team back to its glory days.

My heart and my pride as an SMU Mustang supporter just can't take it anymore.

Please! Do the 'right thing'. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. NOW!

Signed,
*****
Mustang Club member

Here's the reply I got from Dr. Turner today:

Dear ****,

The performance of the team in the Tulane game was unsatisfactory to everyone concerned. However, it is a long season. Like you and everyone else, I hope we improve since there are still seven more games.

By the way, I do not agree that our other programs are pathetic. Their records would suggest that they are in the range of competitive to championship quality.

R. Gerald Turner
President
Southern Methodist University
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Turner does not have a clue as to what is happening with athletics at SMU!

So...here's one more letter to him!

Dr. Turner:

Thank you for your reply. However, you have not
addressed the subject of my original email.

What will it take to dismiss Jim Copeland as Athletic
Director at SMU? I am not satisfied with his
performance in this position and if you poll the
majority of the alumni/athletic supporters of the
school you will find that they are in agreement.

The responsibility for the quality of athletics at SMU
and its football program is laid at the feet of Jim
Copeland. As a loyal Mustang and supporter of its
athletic programs, I am not satisfied with his
performance. Are you?

SMU needs to invigorate its athletic programs with new
leadership in the Athletic Director's chair. The new
Athletic Director needs to bring in better coaches
who, in turn, will bring in better student athletes
on The Hilltop.

While there are some fine young student athletes in
other sports like swimming, golf, soccer, etc., it's
the 'revenue generating' sports that get noticed by
the media and the public. Football and basketball at
SMU need a shot in the arm to get back to their once
proud history. That shot in the arm needs to come from
the Athletic Director's office.

You are right. It will be a VERY long football season.
I also hope for continued improvement from the
Mustangs football team.

Please do the right thing and dismiss Jim Copeland as
Athletic Director and get new blood in that position
as soon as possible or SMU athletics will slowly lose
its few remaining fans, like me.

Signed,
*********
Mustang Club member

Pony_Fan · Post by **Pony_Fan** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:20 pm

MrMustang1965 wrote:Here's the email I sent to Turner today. Doubt I'll get a response but at least I got it off my chest.

Sir:

It's time to show your leadership at Southern Methodist University. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. Now!

The state of affairs in athletics at SMU - especially in its revenue generating programs - is pathetic.

I am a football season ticket holder and I can't take it anymore. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director and get someone in there who has the courage to dismiss Phil Bennett as the head football coach. Buy out his contract and get a head football coach on The Hilltop who can lead this team back to its glory days.

My heart and my pride as an SMU Mustang supporter just can't take it anymore.

Please! Do the 'right thing'. Dismiss Jim Copeland as SMU's athletic director. NOW!

Signed,
*****
Mustang Club member

You probably could have been a little more eloquent in your letter to the president of the University

He certainly didn't have to answer but I don't like his response. He seems oblivious to how serious the next couple of years are. I have sent him emails and he does respond to most of them.
I just want answers:

There are some very successful and bright people on the board. The only one I would trust is Lamar Hunt. He seems to get things accomplished. I just wish it would be directed towards SMU and not MLS.

Why can't there be an outside study as to why our university
sucks at bball and fball for 17 years?

What do you expect out of a AD?
What is University goals and realistic expectations?
Why build a stadium if you don't intend to win?
What happened to the Committment? Why did it fail?
How much money are we raising per year?
Why can't some of the campaign funds be re-directed to the athletic budget?
How much longer can we financially hang on losing like this?
Aren't we still paying Mike Dement?
Why is it so difficult for a kid to transfer? Why can't SMU get JC's like
the rest of the conference?

There are deep seated problems that need to be addressed and they seem to continue to ignore them as if things are ok.

SMU Football Blog · Post by **SMU Football Blog** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:57 am

By the way, I do not agree that our other programs are pathetic. Their records would suggest that they are in the range of competitive to championship quality.

We should put that on a T-shirt. Better yet, a banner we can hang on the practice field to motivate the players.

MrMustang1965 · Post by **MrMustang1965** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:47 am

Pony_Fan: I was speaking from the heart and gut. Eloquence is for Ms. Manners.

SMUFan · Post by **SMUFan** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:16 am

SMU Football Blog wrote: .... Better yet, a banner we can hang on the practice field to motivate the players.

Great idea. "Dear Mustangs … the end of the world is near. Please practice hard."
That's better than encouragement? How about we show up and cheer louder, more continuously? Regardless of our thoughts about the coaching and the athletic administration, these kids are out there every day, running in the heat and knocking the hell out of each other, trying everything possible to get better. We owe it to support them -- IN PERSON -- more than ever.