SouthernMustang

This is why I would never want to work in Marketing for a university athletic department. You don't spend $ using an advertising firm to generate a campaign where you put signs in prominent places along the highway -- people b*tch that you aren't doing anything. You do spend the $ and use a top-notch advertising firm, you take their work, and you put it prominent places along the highway -- people complain about the type of work. The billboards look fine. They're not breathtakingly amazing. But if nothing else, it has big letters, and it has SMU football on it. People will at least think about it -- and even though I don't register SMU as much a national blip on the football radar, the June Jones story was huge and did make national headlines. I would venture to say anyone who knows anything about college football knows that June Jones is now coaching at SMU. I had an SMU alumni visor on in the DC airport and people there were congratulating me (as if I had done something to make it happen) on June Jones. I'm not saying we're going to be a national power, I'm just saying that it's fairly common knowledge. As for Pony Up, not really a fan.. but I actually heard commentators all over using the phrase - so at least SMU's getting uttered and mentioned rather than completely ignored like they were previously. And this is directed not just at UNT fans, even some SMUers complain about the marketing. I think SMU is now marketing b/c Orsini knows how to run an AD his own way. If you are not a strong-willed AD, why would you spend $ on marketing? All people are going to do is b*tch about it anyway.. hence they don't spend the $ and you don't see any publicity. SMU was this way every year under Copeland.

I fully agree with #3. If SMU would market the hell out of themselves to the Park Cities, Ford Stadium could be more than half-full with SMU supporters. It's a large contingency of our alumni base. The HS sends over 90 graduate a year to SMU. Get them involved. If SMU became a community area school for Highland Park, all "Parkie" jokes aside, I think it would be a great place to start for a fanbase. SMU is still "cool" in HP and UP, so you wouldn't have to start fighting an uphill battle from the get-go with your marketing and advertising. As for the "shots," if SMU or UNT want to be any more relevant than they are right now, they need to far surpass what both schools have done the last 5 years. Going 6-6 in CUSA and going 7-5 in the Sun Belt isn't going to register any news blips in the metroplex, much less nationally. Do I think we need to schedule Notre Dame and Michigan? Hell no. I'm all about the TCU and Hawaii scheduling. They play jokes for the most part and wind up with 10-win seasons. They are ranked. They get talked about. However, if either school wants to be considered legit, and they want this game to be more than "Saving our Sorry Athletic Dept Budgets b/c We Can't Win and Produce Our Own Fans," then they've got a lot of on the field improvements to make before this game becomes relevant to anyone other than the 100 or so people who post on the 2 message boards. Look at Tulsa, non-BCS followers know them. But they play a decent non-con and only wind up winning 8-9 games, and there's not much national pub. If you go 11-1 or 12-0 with a weak ass schedule, people will at least "wonder" if you are THAT good, and a few people will cast some nice rankings at you... if you get blown out early in the season by an OU or Michigan or Nebraska, your 9 wins become worthless and just "show how weak your conference slate was."

Some people call us: * Ole Mess * Old Mrs (I dont get how that's funny) * Ole P*ss LSU = LS-Who or Corn Dog U TCU = Trash Can Univ OU = Zero U UH = Cougar High I can't think of any others right now..

Watch it there... the UF/UGA Presidents might come after you for referencing the old name "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party." It is now "The World's Largest Outdoor Event That's Not Really a Cocktail Party Party." By taking out that is really a cocktail party, all drinking and tailgating that leads to rough-housing and banter will subside. As for the predictions, Ole Miss in the Liberty Bowl? Hell yes, Damn right! Hotty Toddy! Lets go Rebs. Beware NT fans traveling to Red Stick (Baton Rouge) -- and no this isn't another LSU fans are the worst rant b/c that goes without saying -- the stench of CORNDOGS might follow you back. http://fromthebleachersblog.blogspot.com/2...-corn-dogs.html Hilarious read.. and probably Pullitzer quality writing for an Auburn student. 62 days until the season kicks off!

True.. but if they're looking at your undergrad #'s now - they might be following that magic formula to get to 30,000. I understand being frustrated with the reverse engineering, I just wouldn't overreact to the point of not wanting a brand new stadium merely b/c it will only seat 30,000. With a stadium that seats an additional 15-20k people, thats more restrooms, more lights, more concessions to operate. If you can't fill it up, that's more cost to your school. What if your school can't afford, at this point, to take on that extra cost? If there is no new stadium, I find it hard to believe that, as long many on this board have stated it's taken to get this far in your building process, more alums are going to start giving due to the size of the stadium. However, a new stadium that is nice might cause people to finally see that your school is serious about athletics and start giving. Look what happened when SMU hired Orsini and proved to the alumni base they were serious, we got Matt Doherty, a basketball practice facility, and boosters completely funded a new coach's salary. Giving is way up for athletics, as well as season tickets. Building a new stadium, in my opinion, would be a launch pad for your school. In this day and age, it has gotten harder and harder to attract fans to college games -- esp those outside the BCS. Schools like UNT, MTSU, SMU, TCU, etc are always going to have students that would rather support Texas, A&M, Tennessee, etc. It's not right, but it's very very hard to change that. Even if SMU, UNT, TCU were to win 10+ games every year... I don't see them drawing consistently more than 30-35k fans simply b/c of their conference affiliations. You'd be very hard pressed to find many non-BCS schools that draw 40k fan consistently (yes I realize there are some, but that is not the norm, and even more difficult in a pro-sports town). Even Boise State has a 30k stadium and draws right around 30k. And they've won a BCS bowl and win what seems like 10-11 games every year.

Question, in y'alls figure for 45,000 students at UNT. Are you counting graduate students? SMU only has 6,000 undergrads. 4,000 are grad students at MBA, law school, theology school, etc. I would never build a stadium to include capacity for grad students as most have likely established connections with a previous undergrad. Yeah it suck, but would you want someone from UNT who went to law school or business school to ditch UNT and not travel back to Denton for games? Isn't Southern Miss' stadium around 30,000? Pretty sure it's a large school, and they've had some great opponents show up. SMU has 32,000 and we've gotten Tech, Baylor, OK State, and A&M (coming in the future). Seems like Troy State has gotten some big name opponents, theyre a state school, and it seat around 30,000. I think Marshall has a similiar sized stadium as well. Not saying that you shouldn't want a bigger stadium, but it's not as doom and gloom as some make it out to be.

<Please Note Heavy Sarcasm is inserted throughouth this Post> The most insulting part of your comment was insinuating that SMU students wear Abercrombie. C'mon man, it's Polo and Brooks Brothers, maybe some Lacoste here and there. It's now very obvious you haven't been over to SMU with that kind of generalization and I don't approve of stereotypes. Now if you excuse me, I have to find my Sperry's as I've got to take the yacht out for a spin before our friends come in for the weekend while you go work on your art project/teaching plan/musical performance work. My opinion? Posters on both boards (that haven't been in school 10-15+ years) care way too much about the "social" rivalry between these two schools. SMU has a lot of out-of-state students, it's hard to develop disdain for a school in an area you've just moved to. If these students do have a superior aura about them, I can assure you that UNT is not the only target of this attitude so don't feel shunned and alone. The older alums (read: majority of posters on message board) are probably quite bitter as to the state of the athletics team. I guarantee you no one that's a current student or recent alum thinks that SMU is an elite sports institution, though I think it's sad and pathetic how apathetic the student body is and hope June Jones can change that. I did a little research to try and prove the point that SMU has normal kids, but evidently over 76% of the students come from households that make $200k+ according to College Dirt using FAFSA statistical info. However, money doesn't make one a snob.. and I've found that some of the snobbiest people I've met in life - are people that don't have $ but desperately want others to think they do.. I believe that these people can be found at ANY university or college. Are we really to believe there are no art freaks at SMU? and no preppy-frat kids/sorority girls driving around with POLO (no Abercrombie... major frat violation) in Tahoes and Range Rovers at UNT?

Beware, very wary of LSU fans. LSU fans are the worst (granted I've never been to Morgantown, WV). I remember the first time I heard the F-bomb was at Tiger Stadium as a toddler walking with my parents in Ole Miss garb towards the game. They are probably much less hostile towards non-SEC teams, but I'd hardly call them hospitable. And granted, I'm very biased since I'm coming at this from an Ole Miss perspective. Don't try to engage in any football talk that would point to any weakness on their team. Don't talk about any team on their schedule that might pose a threat. And if you lose by 1 point, 3 points, and take them to OT -- don't tell them good game, they kicked your @$$ - no ifs, ands, or buts.

I was stoked, but for obviously biased reasons. I know the Eli love fest might be overboard, but it was great to see a Rebel do that on such a large scale. And he played fantastic down the stretch. Flashy? No, but steady and consistent. I'd say he's finally learned to play within himself and manage the game. Great job, and Hotty Toddy! If there is any justification for the love-fest that will take place, it's to make up for the fact he took more harsh criticism and bashing than any other QB in the NFL. And great to see him still calmly handle himself and just give credit to his team. Great job Eli, and great win for the Giants!

There was another candidate I think we could've tied up much more quickly and neatly -- but at this point, I think someone like Jones is needed to try and salvage the recruiting season. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully this is a legit article and its all over now.

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/...5907241368.html Jones takes coaching job at SMU Advertiser Staff June Jones, University of Hawaii's winningest football coach, has reportedly accepted a position to be the next head coach at Southern Methodist University today. Last night, signs pointed to momentum changing in UH's favor as the school made an all-out effort to keep Jones, whose contract expires June 30. Steinberg said Jones arrived in Dallas yesterday morning with the intent of becoming SMU's next head football coach. But Steinberg said Jones began to have second thoughts after receiving an outpouring of e-mails and cell-phone calls from Warrior supporters. However, this morning sources said Jones accepted the job to become SMU's coach, replacing Phil Bennett, who was fired Oct. 28.

This is SMU; they will lose out. Am I mentally retarded for asking for them to at least contact Mike Shula instead of going after Fran or Coker?? I mean, I just don't see that as comparable between those 3. Shula was given a raw job in a really bad situation. He held a steady ship and did no worse than Sabans done. Fran and Coker took jobs that were established and teams that were enjoying some success (and A&M recruited just fine under Slocum) and disapointed at places where they had great resources..

Orsini said that 20 boosters agreed to plege $100k/year for 5 years to fund the coaching hire. If this falls through, and Mike Shula is not immediately contacted, that might be the final nail in the coffin of me and SMU football. Fran or Coker are terrible hires and could've been made since Dec and saved the recruiting season.

I don't understand how SMU, TCU, or UNT being good and having good coaches affects the other schools' ability to be successful. We're all in different conferences. You can lose to the cross-town school and still manage to run through your conference. It was like when Florida State, Miami, and UF were in different conferences. Even if one of them knocked each other off (before realignment) you could still win your conference and have a good season. And I think they were competing for much more highly touted recruits than TCU SMU or UNT would be and they were still all dominant in their respective conferences.

From what I read, it seemed that Jones wouldn't agree to come to SMU until they ironed out the admissions restrictions. I think it's a bit much $ to pay Jones, but I think with the lack of support the school has shown -- that kind of $ needed to be spent to show that there is going to be support in the future. The $ is coming from 20 boosters, so the school's not letting other departments get funding cuts just so we can hire him. I still would've rather had Shula but this is certainly still a good hire. I have ?'s on how he's going to work out, but SMU certainly could have done much worse. And I like this hire much much more than Francione or Coker. Didn't Fran come in and take a 1-10 TCU team to a bowl the next year? I think with some decent coaching, SMU has a roster that can get to 6-7 wins in CUSA. Justin Willis just became a much better QB.

I don't think it'd be that hard to win 6-7 games next year. I didn't follow too closely this year, but it seems like SMU lost 5 or 6 games by 7 points or less and 3 of them were in OT or at the last second. I think June Jones would be able to make Justin Willis a good QB, not just a great athlete with potential to be a great QB. I saw part of their game vs. UH(oustun) and they were in it and lost by 10 or something like that. It's CUSA, not the SEC. The talent gaps just really aren't that wide. It shouldn't take 4-5 years to turn around a program, Bennett didn't recruit that bad compared to the other conference mates. Hell, they won 6 games the year before -- and left 2 or 3 games on the table they could've won. Kragthorpe turned around Tulsa in 1 year, Graham with Rice (and then look what happened when he left). It can be done anywhere. But just b/c Hawaii got blown out by UGA I'd say they're more than "okay." I think LSU would lose to UGA if they played right now. And I'm not sure the score of a VT/UGA or KU/UGA game would've been much less lopsided than the UGA/Hawaii game anyway. If Jones can't get the support he wants from the university admin in Hawaii, he may bolt.. I'd imagine the reason this is taking as long as it is might be due to Jones wanting confirmation that SMU will change its admissions policies.

I think one of the first three might've made bigger "waves," but I don't necessarily think they're as good of a hire. I was truly frightened at the thought of Fran coming to SMU. And while Coker boasts a nice record, I just can't help but see that he took Miami from a national title to a 6-6 caliber team and he just seems way older than everyone else. Of course, I would definitely want Shula first, then Paul Johnson (who they tried to get) - but I think Jones is a better coach and not as washed up as Francione or Coker. Neuheisel never would've come here, he was using SMU to get his name tossed back in the hat for coaching gigs and wound up with his dream job.

Just bumping b/c I mentioned this thread in another thread on the SMU coaching search where someone asked what I thought about who they should hire.. SHULA.

I don't like Martz or Jones. I think they're wasting money when they could've wrapped up Shula for around $1.25 or so and gotten some better assistants. But whatever, anything's an improvement over Bennett I suppose (famous last words, right?) I think the only thing impressive about the $ SMU is throwing at a coach is that it IS in line with the other schools offering jobs -- which were mostly BCS schools where you heard figures around this mark. $1.7 mill/year to coach in CUSA IMHO is f'ng ridiculous. That means June Jones will be making the same amount of dough to coach SMU in C-USA West that Spurrier makes to coach USC in the SEC-East... I'm sorry, but that's just sad. There's no reason SMU can't turn around, Bennett made a lot of changes adminstratively that'll help to make it more competitive and Orisini continues to do that. Tulsa and TCU are both competitive. SMU should just follow the same line. Maybe June Jones will turn it around, but Martz -- mehhh, SHULA SHULA SHULA. If you want to see my rant about Shula, just check the other thread on here about SMU's hiring thing.. I posted about a 2 paragraph synopsis on why they need him. And why he's the best option.

I was being sarcastic.. but I wish, I'd kindly ask her to tutor me in the location of the isle of "Aykindawannalaya" and ask her to locate it on the map drawn on my body... not funny, I know, I tried. And yes, the reason SMU won't hire Shula is b/c it's smart - although the reasons aforementioned on why it wouldnt work at SMU arent what I had in mind.. it's not like any sports team at any preppy private school really fits in with the "stereotype" of the "normal student" there. But I can still hope until we hire the person I don't like.. So until then, HIRE SHULA

Also, despite probation, Shula never had an Alabama recruiting class outside the Top 15 or 20. With rankings being emphasized on class size, that was very impressive. He's young, and got a lot to prove after being fired wrongfully. He's had head-coach experience in the SEC -- and he had SUCCESS there. (That way no one says that Eddie the Ogre-on could take the job) Just do it Turner and Orsini, hire Shula.

He got such a raw deal at Alabama. The reason no one knows why Alabama didn't immediately do well under him was b/c Bama boosters were too proud to admit how far their program had dropped. Despite a HUGE talent difference, Bama fought to a bitter end with eventual NC titles Oklahoma in his first season. Bama had 0 depth b/c of probationary restrictions, and once injury piled up, playing in the SEC is well... not easy. In year 3, when things were coming together, he took them 10-2 despite some KEY injuries on offense and went to the Cotton Bowl where they beat and outgained Texas Tech. Their D shut down a Texas Tech program that put up points on everyone. The next year EVERYONE knew that it would be a rebuilding year. They went 6-6 and were bowl eligible. Outside of 1 game they should have won (Miss St), they did what they were supposed to that year. Evidently, that wasn't good enough for Bama boosters -- and they paid $4 mill/year so they could lose to State again and then lose to freaking UL-Monroe (no offense, losing to a CUSA team I would find equally as awful for a team like Bama with the support and $ they have). Mike Shula righted the ship enough from the Fran era and Price embarassment for Saban to believe he can win in years 1 and 2. They stood toe to toe with LSU and beat Arkansas and nearly beat UGA with that talent. Alabama should have won their games or split them this year against State, UL-M, LSU, and Auburn, and Georgia. I'm not saying Saban won't recruit enough talent to where it doesn't matter (see Les Miles and Mack Brown) how he coaches, but Alabama's talent is not severely lacking like the press now makes it out to be and Saban did no better with it than did Mike Shula. Sorry for the rant -- but as an Ole Miss fan who hates the fact that Bama went out and just paid to be good again (which maybe we did too hiring Nutt for $2 mill/year.. but that's on-par with every other conference mate FINALLY, save Bama who is doubling that), it irks me they fired a stand-up guy who was turning things around the right way in a conference where we have a hard time doing that (save maybe Richt, Brooks, & of course - Spurrier, who really does run a tight/clean ship and watch out for an injury free and experience Gamecock team in the future). My only hope is that b/c Shula is the Jaxville Jaguars QB coach that he hasnt wanted to be contacted until the playoffs are over, and that all this June Jones talk is a smoke screen and that Shula will come to the Hilltop.

I'm not really all that excited about June Jones. He drove around to polynesian islands and picked people that probably didn't have offers from any schools. He gave them a chance to go to an American school and get a degree. How many games did they win b/c a team had to travel 140000 miles to go over to Hawaii and pretend they were there for a football game instead of a vacation? I'm not saying he's not a good coach, and what he did at Hawaii is oustanding - but turning around SMU is just a different animal. If he can instantly recruit at SMU, it will be b/c of his success at Hawaii, and if he doesn't immediately get things going here, then the recruiting edge will fade pretty quickly. Plus, he's got more competition for the kinds of recruits he needs to go after at SMU (there are a lot of schools going after Texas kids rather than polynesian kids). Look at how he got to 12-0, he went and got Colt Brennan. The kid had been in jail and had hours earned from another college. SMU wouldn't let a kids hours from Northwestern transfer (a much much better school) that had no past problems. He didn't have to worry about $ alums and trustees that wanted arms-length control of the program, and a faculty-senate that pushes academics over athletics (yeah, I know that's the point of college -- but a good athletic department is better than any marketing scheme or rankings publication to drive up application #'s and the quality of students -- just ask USC). From what I heard some of that has lessened due to Bennett, but I would've rather had Johnson who worked at a school with every disadvantage, or get someone like Barnett who knows how to win at a small school in a legitimate conference rather than the joke of one we're in right now. If that doesn't work, throw the $1.7 mill at Mike Shula who got completely jobbed by Alabama b/c of the Bryant-descendants. He's young with something to prove, and his last name lends credibility. If SMU athletics hires Francione or Coker, they can forget my attendance at another game or money. Not because I don't like those people personally, but it just shows that despite every advantage in the books (facilities, location, campus, $) for a school in their conference, the administration on the Hilltop will NEVER get it right -- I'd rather just donate to the business school or the general university fund.

What's funny about this incident... everything occurred MUCH earlier in the season. Rebs always stay in Tupelo for home games and Auburn game was 3 weeks ago. At that time, people had faith that Orgeron would be gone at season's end. When Khayat (Ole Miss chancellor) announced he would not fire O before the NW St game -- the fans boycotted the game and only 25,000 attended. After that dismal turn out, and an even more dismal performance against 3-7 D1AA NW State, Chancellor Khayat stated it would take a major off-the-field incident to put Coach O's job in jeoprady. This report came out immediately after, and it was leaked by an Ole Miss alum according to family sources (all my fam went there) to the press first -- then to the athletic department's press people. Now, that's one way to go about getting your administration to make a coaching change and eat their own words... This reporting was completely self-motivated by alums who want a major change made now. After paying back the $$, there's not even NCAA violations for the players since it was rectified. But it makes Coach O's control over the team look bad -- and it's def "off the field" issues..

As per Barnett, his comments saying "Not only was she a girl, she was terrible." Politically incorrect? Yeah.. absolutely.. but is it really that big of a deal? Maybe I'm insensitive but I don't think so. This girl who claims she was raped, wrote a book to make $ -- but she never filed charges, never made any allegations, nor made any attempts to identify the perpetrator. That seems a bit fishy. I'm not saying something didn't happen -- but it's odd in her activities. Barnett let things happen, and then didn't take enough action when he found out. However, despite all the turmoil and letting the school handle things, he coached his team to 2 Big XII north titles. Does the guy have a clean slate? Absolutely not.. but everything pinned on him was an allegation, and absolutely nothing came out. He was fired b/c they lost to Nebraska and to Texas in the Big XII championship team. I will take SMU losing in the championship game b/c that means they won enough to just get there. CUSA is the conference of reputation redemption. Barnett's fault was that he didn't take enough control over the program at CU.. I think with some time to reflect, and some time to realize that he hasn't gotten any offers, he knows what the stakes are -- especially at an institution under the microscope like SMU. He built the program at Northwestern, and that's a school with higher academic standards than SMU competing in a much tougher conference. And he won the Big XII and kept CU competing, despite being outmanned against OU and TX teams that he somehow found ways to beat. I say forgive the past, don't forget, keep an eye on him -- and let's see if he can rebuild SMU.. watching us play Houston last night, it's bvious they're not that far behind the top of the division.. just need the right coach.