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Ok, I post infrequently but all the recent activity surrounding our program and head coach has given me pause for reflection. I see very few people on here that are indifferent to Jones; most either really like him or would like to see him leave. I would like to think (but could be wrong) that more people think like me which is kind of a mixed bag of likes and dislikes, so here goes:

LIKE
- what he has done for our wins and loses
- 3 bowl games in 3 years
- generally raised expectations of both fans and players
- recruited a higher level of talent
- facilities upgrades
- latitude on admission requirements
- put a few players in the NFL
- allowed me to not be embarrassed to admit I've been a season ticket holder for 15 years

INDIFFERENT
- The Mustangs: generally not a fan, but as long as Peruna remains our mascot and the geldings a side show, I'm ok with it.
- Black uniforms: once again, generally not a fan, especially using the lame excuse of honoring our opponent. Suggestion; if you are going to do it, go all out and make yourselves look completely ninja badass (see ASU), not just throw a black jersey on with your normal uniform and use a poor excuse of honoring your opponent to wear it. Use no more than 1 time per year. On the subject of uniforms, I really like the blue jerseys and think they should be mixed in periodically.

DISLIKE
- The lei and all other things Hawaii. I'm ok with Jones and some of his staff calling Hawaii home and wanting to retire there when they are done, but damn, at least pretend and put on a game face of embracing SMU, some of its traditions, and the city of Dallas. Grass skirts, coconut bras, luaus, poi parties, flower leis, Henry Kapono, and Polynesian tribal helmet stickers do nothing to show the casual or hardcore fan that Jones is serious about being here and lends a very much rent a coach feeling to the entire experience.
- Generally being stubborn and pigheaded. Ok, give him bonus points for finding running backs out of former LBs and NTs and for turning a discus and shot put specialist into a solid player. He gave up on Padron very early and he never had another shot. I have a feeling Padron would never have gotten a look if BLM had not gone been injured. Other examples include having the QB run to the sidelines for every play, doing things mostly the same way because that's the way he's always done them, and poor clock management.
- Wardrobe. Not talking fashion here, but how hard is it to tell someone he'd like a closet full of red and blue stuff with a mustang logo on it to wear for media interviews, etc. If he wants to dress like Johnny Cash or Don Ho to go to the grocery store, great.
- Not positive I believe a lot of what he says

Having said all that, I am grateful for the turnaround that has taken place and hope that bigger things await SMU in the Big East. I do believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

Hawaii volleyball player-1
ASU head coaching job-0

ponywhupp9202 wrote:Ok, I post infrequently but all the recent activity surrounding our program and head coach has given me pause for reflection. I see very few people on here that are indifferent to Jones; most either really like him or would like to see him leave. I would like to think (but could be wrong) that more people think like me which is kind of a mixed bag of likes and dislikes, so here goes:

LIKE
- what he has done for our wins and loses
- 3 bowl games in 3 years
- generally raised expectations of both fans and players
- recruited a higher level of talent
- facilities upgrades
- latitude on admission requirements
- put a few players in the NFL
- allowed me to not be embarrassed to admit I've been a season ticket holder for 15 years

INDIFFERENT
- The Mustangs: generally not a fan, but as long as Peruna remains our mascot and the geldings a side show, I'm ok with it.
- Black uniforms: once again, generally not a fan, especially using the lame excuse of honoring our opponent. Suggestion; if you are going to do it, go all out and make yourselves look completely ninja badass (see ASU), not just throw a black jersey on with your normal uniform and use a poor excuse of honoring your opponent to wear it. Use no more than 1 time per year. On the subject of uniforms, I really like the blue jerseys and think they should be mixed in periodically.

DISLIKE
- The lei and all other things Hawaii. I'm ok with Jones and some of his staff calling Hawaii home and wanting to retire there when they are done, but damn, at least pretend and put on a game face of embracing SMU, some of its traditions, and the city of Dallas. Grass skirts, coconut bras, luaus, poi parties, flower leis, Henry Kapono, and Polynesian tribal helmet stickers do nothing to show the casual or hardcore fan that Jones is serious about being here and lends a very much rent a coach feeling to the entire experience.
- Generally being stubborn and pigheaded. Ok, give him bonus points for finding running backs out of former LBs and NTs and for turning a discus and shot put specialist into a solid player. He gave up on Padron very early and he never had another shot. I have a feeling Padron would never have gotten a look if BLM had not gone been injured. Other examples include having the QB run to the sidelines for every play, doing things mostly the same way because that's the way he's always done them, and poor clock management.
- Wardrobe. Not talking fashion here, but how hard is it to tell someone he'd like a closet full of red and blue stuff with a mustang logo on it to wear for media interviews, etc. If he wants to dress like Johnny Cash or Don Ho to go to the grocery store, great.
- Not positive I believe a lot of what he says

Having said all that, I am grateful for the turnaround that has taken place and hope that bigger things await SMU in the Big East. I do believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

I believe you nailed it, sir/ma'am - though
I'd add the stadium light excuse/expense to the "dislikes."

late edit:
I must say, though, having a coach you're not sure you can believe is a big thing to overlook.

Good post.

One small point - the wardrobe.

I've seen him in interviews during practice with 'SMU' gear on' But during games he purposely stands out, wearing black without the SMU letters, and, now that I think of it, the lei, in order for the QB to be able to find him.

i think you absolutely nailed that - i would have written basically the same thing - and I think 90% of SMU fans that follow somewhat closely would say the same thing.

It might even be worth showing him that if someone has that kind of relationship with him. Its not like this is an unreasonable position. There are some thing he can change and get us and the team right back into rah rah mode - and it wouldn't take all that much.

A cogent argument without profanity. On PonyFans?!? Whoever would have thought it possible?

ponywhupp9202 wrote:Ok, I post infrequently but all the recent activity surrounding our program and head coach has given me pause for reflection. I see very few people on here that are indifferent to Jones; most either really like him or would like to see him leave. I would like to think (but could be wrong) that more people think like me which is kind of a mixed bag of likes and dislikes, so here goes:

LIKE
- what he has done for our wins and loses
- 3 bowl games in 3 years
- generally raised expectations of both fans and players
- recruited a higher level of talent
- facilities upgrades
- latitude on admission requirements
- put a few players in the NFL
- allowed me to not be embarrassed to admit I've been a season ticket holder for 15 years

INDIFFERENT
- The Mustangs: generally not a fan, but as long as Peruna remains our mascot and the geldings a side show, I'm ok with it.
- Black uniforms: once again, generally not a fan, especially using the lame excuse of honoring our opponent. Suggestion; if you are going to do it, go all out and make yourselves look completely ninja badass (see ASU), not just throw a black jersey on with your normal uniform and use a poor excuse of honoring your opponent to wear it. Use no more than 1 time per year. On the subject of uniforms, I really like the blue jerseys and think they should be mixed in periodically.

DISLIKE
- The lei and all other things Hawaii. I'm ok with Jones and some of his staff calling Hawaii home and wanting to retire there when they are done, but damn, at least pretend and put on a game face of embracing SMU, some of its traditions, and the city of Dallas. Grass skirts, coconut bras, luaus, poi parties, flower leis, Henry Kapono, and Polynesian tribal helmet stickers do nothing to show the casual or hardcore fan that Jones is serious about being here and lends a very much rent a coach feeling to the entire experience.
- Generally being stubborn and pigheaded. Ok, give him bonus points for finding running backs out of former LBs and NTs and for turning a discus and shot put specialist into a solid player. He gave up on Padron very early and he never had another shot. I have a feeling Padron would never have gotten a look if BLM had not gone been injured. Other examples include having the QB run to the sidelines for every play, doing things mostly the same way because that's the way he's always done them, and poor clock management.
- Wardrobe. Not talking fashion here, but how hard is it to tell someone he'd like a closet full of red and blue stuff with a mustang logo on it to wear for media interviews, etc. If he wants to dress like Johnny Cash or Don Ho to go to the grocery store, great.
- Not positive I believe a lot of what he says

Having said all that, I am grateful for the turnaround that has taken place and hope that bigger things await SMU in the Big East. I do believe the positives outweigh the negatives.

+1

June's sideline black shirt has an SMU logo and adidas logo on it and anyone that suggests otherwise is not paying attention.

no, there can only be extremes. no room for middle ground.

I like the national exposure. I liked getting top 25 votes in the middle of the season for the first time in a generation. I like Hawaiian guys that sing the national anthem. I like the AQ conference status. I like beating TCU. I like solid defense. I like much improved receivers. I like the players being more active with students. (See Iron Skillet photo ops, lunches with players and more). I like the better attended games. I like people asking me which bowl we are going to attend. I like planning to go to a bowl game. I like proudly displaying SMU flags, stickers, banners here in Arkyland. I like Jones using our past (Pony Excess) for recruiting. I like the upgraded facilities. I like the weekly luncheons (though I have never actually attended one). I like the weekly football program (The Climb/Stampede). I like going to home games cause we usually win them!

ponyte wrote:I like the national exposure. I liked getting top 25 votes in the middle of the season for the first time in a generation. I like Hawaiian guys that sing the national anthem. I like the AQ conference status. I like beating TCU. I like solid defense. I like much improved receivers. I like the players being more active with students. (See Iron Skillet photo ops, lunches with players and more). I like the better attended games. I like people asking my which bowl we are going to attend. I like planning to go to a bowl game. I like proudly displaying SMU flags, stickers, banners here in Arkyland. I like Jones using our past (Pony Excess) for recruiting. I like the upgraded facilities. I like the weekly luncheons (though I have never actually attended one). I like the weekly football program (The Climb/Stampede). I like going to home games cause we usually win them!

Add those to my list please (Henry's version of the Star Bangled Banner is really not bad). And one more thing, let's honor the service academies AFTER we kick their asses; just saying.

Ponywhupp9202, our likes and dislikes are pretty much the same, Go Mustangs!!!

Gotta say, that pretty much sums it up.

Things I'd like to see ...
+ The team play with more discipline and more fire for 60 minutes from the opening kickoff
+ Greater sense of urgency, setting and dictating the tempo of the game
+ A scholarship klcker in place before the first game of the season
+ Something resembling Hawaii's 2008 offense that was fun to watch and captured national attention
+ A (financial) commitment to marketing the program and putting butts in seats.
+ A national non-conference schedule (although Big East brings a more diverse schedule)
+ June's real personality (everyone who talks about June says great things; in football circles, he is generally beloved; that just hasn't translated here yet, for some reason). Part of the reason he is paid well is to help market the program.
+ And, finally, the REAL Pony Express Era uniform with large block "SMU" on the jersey front, no stripes on the jersey, red/white/blue stripes on the pants, no white stripes on the helmet and WHITE socks and shoes.

Excellent. Agree with original post.

LHS81 wrote:Hawaii volleyball player-1
ASU head coaching job-0

Vehicle accident in Hawaii-1
ASU head coaching job-0

Caution: If you dig deeper on the accident, you may not like what you find.