PonyFans.com

So what's with the nastiness going on here as of late? I remember feeling self conscious being a genuine SMU supporter during the PB years when I was an underclassman. Back then, anyone who expressed optimism regarding the program was called a "sunshiner" and was mocked and ridiculed by the majority. For me at least, those feelings of ridicule and self consciousness have returned.

What I'm wondering is... Why? SMU football is in the best position it has seen since the SWC and all I see on here is [deleted], moaning, and conspiracy theories. It's mind boggling to me that some of you on here think we're on the wrong track. I remember losing to UNT.

I was up in Denton for that game.... Miserable. And I second your post. Ponyfans is an invaluable place for information about the athletic goings on, and has many great people on it. But the recent tone of the posts has made it less enjoyable, for me at least.

There is so much to enjoy about SMU athletics, and the way I see it, students benefit and the public benefit. That's not enough for some.


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?03ml3w

The problem with most people on here including yourself IMO is that you are comparing us to where we were and not where we want to be. We are obviously in great shape considering where we came from but IMO I don't see how it is going to get better then what it is right now with the current regime and their way of doing things. I don't think it is going to get any worse either though. I think we will continue to tread water like we have the past 3 seasons that might be enough for some but it isn't for me.

goldenstang wrote:The problem with most people on here including yourself IMO is that you are comparing us to where we were and not where we want to be. We are obviously in great shape considering where we came from but IMO I don't see how it is going to get better then what it is right now with the current regime and their way of doing things. I don't think it is going to get any worse either though. I think we will continue to tread water like we have the past 3 seasons that might be enough for some but it isn't for me.

I may be crazy, but a regime that took us from the ESPN bottom 10 to three straight bowls deserves the benefit of the doubt... No?

No one is saying we aren't better than we were. 3 bowl games in a row, 3 seasons with 7 or more wins. Good results. But we want to take it to the next level and we aren't seeing signs that we are headed there.

In 9 seasons at Hawaii June had 3 9-win seasons and 3 seasons with double digit wins. I don't feel confident that we are on track for a double digit win season this year and we are nowhere even close to dreaming of a BCS game run. Hell, we don't even consistently beat top CUSA teams, much less show well in our games against BCS programs. Fans aren't satisfied with 7 and 8 win seasons just because we used to be miserable and I think that is okay.

You're not alone BigT. I love going into the season with optimism, but for some folks (that I just don't understand) cannot resist bringing us down. It's in their nature to continue the negativity, I guess, not just once but repeatedly... It must be [deleted] the players to read this board, not to mention their parents and students and future students, but I think the mods can't do anything about it. So there you have it. I have noticed much less activity here. probably for that reason.

BigT3x wrote:I may be crazy, but a regime that took us from the ESPN bottom 10 to three straight bowls deserves the benefit of the doubt... No?

You can give them the benefit of the doubt if you want but they are not close to infallible. I don't have a problem with anyone on here raising a concern about the program. Our recruiting is not trending upward while our competition is getting more difficult. What do you think that means for our future?

BigT3x wrote:

goldenstang wrote:The problem with most people on here including yourself IMO is that you are comparing us to where we were and not where we want to be. We are obviously in great shape considering where we came from but IMO I don't see how it is going to get better then what it is right now with the current regime and their way of doing things. I don't think it is going to get any worse either though. I think we will continue to tread water like we have the past 3 seasons that might be enough for some but it isn't for me.

I may be crazy, but a regime that took us from the ESPN bottom 10 to three straight bowls deserves the benefit of the doubt... No?

If we can't discuss the biggest issue in SMU football - sagging really recruiting vs our rival's skyrocketing recruiting, what is the point of this board?

This is why most of the informed quality discussion is on the rivals pay board.

BigT3x wrote:

goldenstang wrote:The problem with most people on here including yourself IMO is that you are comparing us to where we were and not where we want to be. We are obviously in great shape considering where we came from but IMO I don't see how it is going to get better then what it is right now with the current regime and their way of doing things. I don't think it is going to get any worse either though. I think we will continue to tread water like we have the past 3 seasons that might be enough for some but it isn't for me.

I may be crazy, but a regime that took us from the ESPN bottom 10 to three straight bowls deserves the benefit of the doubt... No?

Yes.

I spend most of my time on rivals these days for that reason.

goldenstang wrote:What do you think that means for our future?

I think that we haven't entered Big East play yet and the [deleted] you pull out of your [deleted] isn't any better than the [deleted] I pull out of my [deleted]. You are extrapolating. Making it up.

Except what I say doesn't have deleterious effects upon the recruits checking out this board when deciding which offer to accept.

We have gone through 3 starting QBs in 4 years. Not a healthy tactic to ensure a complex offense performs to max capacity. We have the potential for a new but truly talented, experienced QB starting for us for the first time in a long time. I for one can't discount that very positive potential.

We will have a better defense. Sure we have players to replace but that happens every year. And we have some players coming back that all of us are excited to see play. Kicking should improve. And if we can improve on the turnover ratio then we can have a very strong season. And yes I am aware that there are some areas where we will need vast improvement quickly (O line). Still, I think we can be a better offense right from the start. We have quality receivers, an exciting situation at QB. RB is as solid as any in decades. We could be very very good on offense this year.

And last, 3 very tough OOC teams on the schedule should really give us an idea where our program is. Last year's win over TCU was huge. Now we get to see if it was a fluke or the being of the real deal.

BigT3x wrote:

goldenstang wrote:What do you think that means for our future?

I think that we haven't entered Big East play yet and the [deleted] you pull out of your [deleted] isn't any better than the [deleted] I pull out of my [deleted]. You are extrapolating. Making it up.

Except what I say doesn't have deleterious effects upon the recruits checking out this board when deciding which offer to accept.

I didn't make anything up. Our recruiting has not gotten any better, it has been stagnant. Our competition will be better. These are both true, if you want to ignore them both then fine by me. We may not be in the Big East yet but I think about the big picture and not just about the season in front of us.

I truly do not believe I have the power that you think I have to influence a kids decision. If I did I would have them mowing my yard and running my errands for me. I have said this so many times on here but I will say it again, I do not want a kid on our team that makes his decisions based on anything that I or anyone else on here thinks. If we can make him cry, what is an opposing defense going to do.

BigT3x wrote:

goldenstang wrote:What do you think that means for our future?

I think that we haven't entered Big East play yet and the [deleted] you pull out of your [deleted] isn't any better than the [deleted] I pull out of my [deleted]. You are extrapolating. Making it up.

I don't see how he's making anything up.

You're basically saying you're completely content with 7 win seasons and just going to a minor bowl game. He's saying he is happy with that but wants more...which we all should. Most people on here remember the North Texas game, or the 0-12 season, or the back to back 1-11 seasons. But just because SMU isn't putting something out on the field where we're lucky to be winning one game anymore doesn't mean you shouldn't be completely content with it.

I think the point some want to make is...No one is content with just 7 win seasons. Everyone want to do better. We all want better recruiting, more fans in the stands, more national attention, etc.

But when it comes to this site, since the ASU debacle (it seems some on here took it personal), there are posters that cannot say one nice thing or credit JJ for anything. That's fine, you can voice your opinions here an no one should get their feelings hurt. But I for one have stopped coming over here as often because it is constant, at nauseum, bashing of JJ with everything. You can't read about a good thing with the BB program without having someone ripping on JJ. Everyone wants to gloss over the fact that JJ did help bring LB to SMU with some conversations he had with LB.

This doesn't mean I don't want 4 and 5 star recruits. This doesn't mean I don't think the coaches can improve, especially in recruiting (we all can improve). It just means, they are not inherently evil, lazy, uncaring, just collecting a paycheck folks that some on here want to portray them as being.