Thank Goodness for Progress

[ponyte]

OK, I have been out of town and unable to follow what all has transpired. So I may not have all the facts.

I can't think of the last time we had a coach that a major college program wanted and tired to hire from us. That is progress. Fry, fired, Smith fired. Meyer headed to NFL. Collins really fired. Gregg moved to AD. Rosely, Caven and Bennett were all fired.

Not that it sooths any trust or loyalty issues, but it represents progress that a bigger school in a better conference wants our coach! We have been the coaching dead bed for decades. Now, things have changed.

[DiamondM]

I haven't posted anything about the events of the last few days, as I am still sorting out how I feel (versus how I SHOULD feel). But this sentiment is my first reaction. The reality is that we should WANT our coaches to be WANTED by the bigger programs. And we have to acknowledge that we should not begrudge a coach for investigating opportunities at those programs that come a-courtin'.

However, I am EXTREMELY disappointed in how June (and/or his agent with his permission) handled this whole situation. It's not so much the timing. I don't think I can realistically ask Jones to tell ASU to talk to the hand until after the BBVA Compass Bowl. Sure, he made us wait until after the Sugar Bowl, but (a) it was the Sugar Bowl, and (b) we were not exactly pursuing a bunch of other candidates and needing an immediate answer.

My problem is with the complete lack of discretion in this whole mess. To me it demonstrates a complete lack of respect for SMU (yet again -- even if it wasn't "intended" or malicious disrespect or sabotage, which I don't think it was), especially in light of how it has overshadowed a HUGE announcement for our university. In the end, however, Jones'/Steinberg's indiscretion has embarrassed Jones a lot more than it has us.

My other problem is that Jones' public statements seem to be blaming SMU (and its fans) for both his desire to look elsewhere and the deal blowing up. If Jones had been saying good things about SMU while this was going on (e.g. "SMU has made great strides the last 4 years, and I am proud to have been no small part of that. With SMU joining the Big East, they are poised to climb even higher, and whether it be with me or another great coach, I will be rooting for them"), rather than burning bridges complaing about a university who (a) pays him $2 million a year, and (b) jumps when he says jump (e.g "I need new lights because lights are the reason receivers aren't catching the balls throw by our NFL caliber QB"), I would be much more forgiving.

Instead, we get to hear on the radio and read in the papers how disappointed he is in our fan support, something he knew coming in and was supposed to be part of the challenge he wanted to take on. If he seriously thought that 3 just over 500 seasons going to lower tier bowls, not to mention a plodding offense suffering from a series of blowouts without hardly seeing the endzone for weeks was going to change the mind of the lost generation of SMU alums let alone the non-affiliated Dallas resisdent, then Jones is not nearly as smart as I thought. Him complaining is not going to bring those demographics into the stadium, his team winning more with a more exciting offense will. To those of us loyal fans who stuck around through the down years and want to give him the benefit of the doubt, it just feels like he's alienating us.

All this said, I am actually glad he is back, as I think there is unfinished business, and I really like a lot of the things some of his staff is doing for this team. If he can somehow mend fences with players, admin, and fans by actually showing us he does care about not only his own future, but the future of SMU through actions AND words, then I hope this will all just seem like an interesting blip down the road to SMU's rise.

[gostangs]

+ 1 nicely said and cant find anything to disagree with in there.

[SMU21TCU10]

I haven't posted anything about the events of the last few days, as I am still sorting out how I feel (versus how I SHOULD feel). But this sentiment is my first reaction. The reality is that we should WANT our coaches to be WANTED by the bigger programs. And we have to acknowledge that we should not begrudge a coach for investigating opportunities at those programs that come a-courtin'.

However, I am EXTREMELY disappointed in how June (and/or his agent with his permission) handled this whole situation. It's not so much the timing. I don't think I can realistically ask Jones to tell ASU to talk to the hand until after the BBVA Compass Bowl. Sure, he made us wait until after the Sugar Bowl, but (a) it was the Sugar Bowl, and (b) we were not exactly pursuing a bunch of other candidates and needing an immediate answer.

My problem is with the complete lack of discretion in this whole mess. To me it demonstrates a complete lack of respect for SMU (yet again -- even if it wasn't "intended" or malicious disrespect or sabotage, which I don't think it was), especially in light of how it has overshadowed a HUGE announcement for our university. In the end, however, Jones'/Steinberg's indiscretion has embarrassed Jones a lot more than it has us.

My other problem is that Jones' public statements seem to be blaming SMU (and its fans) for both his desire to look elsewhere and the deal blowing up. If Jones had been saying good things about SMU while this was going on (e.g. "SMU has made great strides the last 4 years, and I am proud to have been no small part of that. With SMU joining the Big East, they are poised to climb even higher, and whether it be with me or another great coach, I will be rooting for them"), rather than burning bridges complaing about a university who (a) pays him $2 million a year, and (b) jumps when he says jump (e.g "I need new lights because lights are the reason receivers aren't catching the balls throw by our NFL caliber QB"), I would be much more forgiving.

Instead, we get to hear on the radio and read in the papers how disappointed he is in our fan support, something he knew coming in and was supposed to be part of the challenge he wanted to take on. If he seriously thought that 3 just over 500 seasons going to lower tier bowls, not to mention a plodding offense suffering from a series of blowouts without hardly seeing the endzone for weeks was going to change the mind of the lost generation of SMU alums let alone the non-affiliated Dallas resisdent, then Jones is not nearly as smart as I thought. Him complaining is not going to bring those demographics into the stadium, his team winning more with a more exciting offense will. To those of us loyal fans who stuck around through the down years and want to give him the benefit of the doubt, it just feels like he's alienating us.

All this said, I am actually glad he is back, as I think there is unfinished business, and I really like a lot of the things some of his staff is doing for this team. If he can somehow mend fences with players, admin, and fans by actually showing us he does care about not only his own future, but the future of SMU through actions AND words, then I hope this will all just seem like an interesting blip down the road to SMU's rise.

Thats great that he is wanted. But the guy has said numerous times he has no interest in other jobs, and that he only wanted here or Duke when leaving Hawaii. And that god has a plan for him at SMU and he is staying until that job is done.. So when he goes shopping around last year, agrees to coach at ASU this year , all that can be said is WTF LIAR!!! Its one thing to say I am happy here, but then take another job. It is another when we have given him so much, and he has said all that stuff, and is not under much pressure right now, to just leave when we are finally recruiting good and going to the BE.

Plus as his son posted on FB, he obviously just doenst like it here. His son didnt come up with that on his own. Saying SMU is the sh!ttiest football program in America, when your dad just took another job, shows June must have ill feelings towards SMU in my opinion.

Like that FSSW article said, we have given him everything he wants. Yeah we are not Hawaii, so there are some recruits he has been unable to get in academically. There are non-qualifiers at every school. That is why schools over sign and we have JUCO's . Eventually SMU will get those problems fixed. Guy needs to quit [deleted] and promote the school, and produce exciting football if he wants the fans. Thats what he said he came here to do anyway...