Doom & Gloom Off The Pony Board

[UNTflyer]

I said it before... only a fool would pay that much for an SMU education. What you are actually payng for is an entry fee into the Good Ol' Boys club. I've seen some SMU grads who couldn't tell the difference between a cost-benefit analysis and a chicken salad.

[UNTLifer]

their best bet would be Coach P. He got the shaft at Syracuse and look where Greg Davis has taken them. They are an embarassment this year possibly the worst team in the nation.

Davis is still at Texas. I think you meant Greg Robinson, UT's old defensive coordinator.

Please let SMU hire DD and RF.

[Eagle1855]

I said it before... only a fool would pay that much for an SMU education. What you are actually payng for is an entry fee into the Good Ol' Boys club. I've seen some SMU grads who couldn't tell the difference between a cost-benefit analysis and a chicken salad.

actually, that's not entirely factual. They have very good faculty to student ratios and counselors that actually check with you to see how everything is going, etc. Having a brother there, I can tell you there are a lot of things that are really really nice about a private school.

And to be fair, I've seen plenty of UNT grads that don't know the difference between your and you're, loose and lose.

[Quoner]

actually, that's not entirely factual. They have very good faculty to student ratios and counselors that actually check with you to see how everything is going, etc. Having a brother there, I can tell you there are a lot of things that are really really nice about a private school.

And to be fair, I've seen plenty of UNT grads that don't know the difference between your and you're, loose and lose.

My god, you can't deflate generalizations with real world examples. True, I could point to my lady friend doing post graduate work there or perhaps to my brother-in-law's MBA or even three good friends in the law school who have had great educational experiences coming from a variety of schools, but that would deflete the image of the smoking, snarling SMU-saurus who descends from his mighty perch to cast down NTSU (why won't he call us by the right name?) every 25 years, eat my children and destroy our stadium plans.

Pony up...or die.

[Poneez]

That's pretty funny...I didn't realize we messed up your stadium too!

Speaking of your future stadium plans, is it true it will be on the site of the former Eagle Point golf course? Nice location but sorry to lose the course.

[SouthernMustang]

Ohhh, PonyFans.com. They are the last dear souls left that put expectations on SMU football. I can't bear to read it anymore, they get so emotional over SMU football. I do agree, that after 6 years of rebuilding, SMU should be at least 2-1 at this point. I know that Arkansas State pushed Texas, but after 6 years, I think SMU fans thought SMU should "push" Texas... Tech, at the very least. I think Bennett's fate is sealed. He'll be gone by year's end bar some miracle season where they win 7-8 games.

I think the best coach for SMU to go after would be Mike Shula, formerly at Bama. He got a raw deal. He was hamstrung by probation, and managed to crank out one Top-10 team in his tenure, and kept the program steady rather than it going into oblivion like it very well could've. I think he'd a great success at a place like SMU..but Orsini tends to be more of a splash hire, so perhaps something like Neuheisel or Barnett, people looking to re-vamp their image, would be more his style. Who knows.

[perunapower]

I said it before... only a fool would pay that much for an SMU education. What you are actually payng for is an entry fee into the Good Ol' Boys club. I've seen some SMU grads who couldn't tell the difference between a cost-benefit analysis and a chicken salad.

Umm... I guess you're entitled to your opinion. I will admit that I don't know precisely what a "cost-benefit analysis" (though I'm sure I have some sort of idea, not being a business major it's not horribly important in my studies at the moment) , but I would presume I can differentiate between it and chicken salad.

First, most SMU students receive financial aid (from the university itself, external scholarships, or the government), so that offsets, even if only slightly, the ever-increasing tuition costs. Regardless, there are many uppity, rich people that attend.

As for partying all the time and classes being easy, that's a trait present at every college. Some people party too much and fail out of classes, some don't party very much and do well. That's the way college is. Some majors allow for lots of extracurricular activities and free time to do whatever, some don't. No need to generalize the entire student body off one person's experience.

As I said before, you're entitled to your opinion. Though I will admit that "Good Ol' Boys' Club" is too reminiscent of the Jim Crow era and is rather offensive and stereotypical for my tastes. Then again, what fun would the world be without a generic stereotypical joke, even if it's offensive?

[UNTflyer]

Though I will admit that "Good Ol' Boys' Club" is too reminiscent of the Jim Crow era and is rather offensive and stereotypical for my tastes. Then again, what fun would the world be without a generic stereotypical joke, even if it's offensive?

What??

[UNTFan23]

Gary Barnett ... as in former Colorado head coach Gary Barnett? Ummmmmm, why him?

He's best known for

• questionable recruiting tactics involving sex and alcohol
• alleged sexual misconduct of players
• While may have not been directly responsible, looked the other way while student athletes were being under charged for meals

If your fine with reliving the late 80's, fine by me, but I think there are far better (and cleaner) coaches out there to go after.

[Green Mean]

To a SMOO, your academic background is suspect if you don't 'Pony Up' 30k+ a year for an education... To do otherwise means you are doomed to work at Taco Cabana. Like every other aspect of their lives, it's all about appearances and impressing people who don't give a crap about anybody but themselves. But, entitlement breeds weakness.

Some of the best people I have worked with are graduates of state schools who had to work for what they achieved. To quote Gordon Gecko: "Most of these Harvard MBA types don't add up to dogshit. Give me guys that are poor, smart, and hungry. And no feelings."

I disagree that SMU grads think that. All SMU grads that I know and work with are great and humble people and we dont realize how many SMU students attend on half or full blown scholarships. People on this board think that everybody that goes to SMU are rich, white, Highland Park elitists and I have news for you in thats completely wrong. People from all over the world and with different monetary spectrums attend there so lets not make stupid comments like these.

Oh and the Harvard MBA types do very well in life....many/most of the CEO's based in the northeast are generally Ivy League grads at some point. Sure I dont always agree with it but to think that someone says that people with "Harvard MBA degree's dont add up to dogshit" is really rediculous, ignorant and could possibly be quite jealous.

Edited September 19, 2007 by Green Mean

[perunapower]

What??

Good Ol' Boy => Johnny Reb => Icon of Solid South in the late 19th and early 20th centuries => Era of Jim Crow laws (separate but equal facilities)

I could have made that connection after reading about the Civil Rights Movement all night, but that's how it came across to me.

[UNTflyer]

Good Ol' Boy Club as in business execs, CEO/CFO/COO's hiring each other and their friends to fill high-level jobs, usually in industries such as oil and gas, banking and finance, legal services, etc They tend to hire college pals, fellow alum, and fresh recruits who are the kids of friends and have that MBA degree from SMU. Very rarely will they fill a high-paying job based solely on merit and experience.

[Eagle1855]

Good Ol' Boy Club as in business execs, CEO/CFO/COO's hiring each other and their friends to fill high-level jobs, usually in industries such as oil and gas, banking and finance, legal services, etc They tend to hire college pals, fellow alum, and fresh recruits who are the kids of friends and have that MBA degree from SMU. Very rarely will they fill a high-paying job based solely on merit and experience.

If you think the "good ol' boy" network exists only at SMU, you are sadly mistaken. It happens at every level, in various degree-granting institutions and clubs- even UNT.

I would much rather hire a person I know and trust, that is capable of doing a job than go out on a limb hiring someone random, ceteris paribus.

Your rant isn't founded on logic or factual information, rather emotion which unfortunately comes across as jealousy.

[UNTflyer]

If you think the "good ol' boy" network exists only at SMU, you are sadly mistaken.

I never implied such a thing. Just that at SMU, a $30k+/year education is no better than an education one would receive at a public university. But you do get that status symbol of being an SMU grad, which opens a lot of doors in the Texas business community.

Curious... you acknowledge this GOB Club exists, yet claim my "rant" is not based on fact, but rather emotion and jealousy? Hmm. No sir, my observation of this phenomena is actually based on experience, as 3 out of 4 of our C-level positions are SMU grads, and 90% of their direct reports are SMU alum.

[Eagle1855]

I never implied such a thing. Just that at SMU, a $30k+/year education is no better than an education one would receive at a public university. But you do get that status symbol of being an SMU grad, which opens a lot of doors in the Texas business community.

Curious... you acknowledge this GOB Club exists, yet claim my "rant" is not based on fact, but rather emotion and jealousy? Hmm. No sir, my observation of this phenomena is actually based on experience, as 3 out of 4 of our C-level positions are SMU grads, and 90% of their direct reports are SMU alum.

The part that isn't based on fact is your emotional denouncement of the value of private school education using gross generalizations. How do you know a private school education (such as that found at SMU) isn't better than some state schools? How do you know that Ivy league schools don't provide better educations than most state schools? I suppose we'd have to define "better" (educational experience, class sizes, availability of counselors, extracurricular activities, etc), but I think as a whole- in GENERAL- there are reasons people send their kids to these institutions... and it isn't all about money and status.

The GOB network does exist. Everyone knows it. Also, the world isn't "fair". I guess my point is, WHO CARES?

[Quoner]

The GOB network does exist.

[UNTflyer]

Please, tell your friends about this show!

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

--I do not know where to start with all these comments----but here goes.

---First: The first post written by an SMU alum explains a lot. So many of them think that money is the answer to everything and that because several of them have quite a bit they are "entitled" to a great team and success in football and in life.... That is what got them the death penalty.... It also explains why so many people outside of SMU dislike them... their attitude and their belief that since their education was extremely expensive that they are "entitled" to respect, success, and that others are inferior. I will admit, that not all SMU students and alums are this way BUT a large percentage of them are and reflects poorly on all of them. In the article he "belittles" Tech, TCU, Arkansas State?, Sam Houston, UTA, and NTSU (LOL)...... which demonstrates exactly what I am pointing out.... no respect for others and a false sense of superiority. He is now realizing that their football is not a top program but he is also delusional about the "superior" academic program as well and is still holding onto that false claim. Reminds me of a group of very ugly girls telling each other how beautiful they are.... SMU grads are still trying to convince each other that they are superior to the rest of us. .

I'm becoming more aware of the fact that their board is full of some of the most uneducated college football fans than any other board I read.

Rick

I would not limit it to just football knowledge, absolutely life in general, and academics for many of them. Just because their education (or anything else) is expensive does not mean it is good.

Can someone tell me why we are the least bit interested in SMU's problems? This thread is a waste of server space.

--Deep-Green

They have been THE college team of the Dallas area for a long time and in direct competition with us for attention from the media and fans... They are rapidly losing credibility in the Dallas area ( and the state) and we are gaining respect in the Dallas area as well as through out the state (I do not live in Dallas area). They have constantly for decades "trashed" us and the more they get discredited, the better for us.....either that or they need to change their attitudes and don't hold your breath for that to happen.

AND LAST--- Two final comments--

First comment: There are some good decent SMU grads but there are so many of them that are arrogant SOBs that they make the whole group look bad.... sort of like an outlaw in a family reflects on the other members so much that people tend to not trust the other family members much.

Second comment: I mistype and misspell with the best of them (every person should be able to spell words more than one way--a quote by Mark Twain and Ben Franklin) but people who misuse "there, they're, their, lose, loose, your, you're, etc." should check their comments... this too is very public and reflects on our UNT group and our education level.

Apologies to SouthernStang... you don't seem like most other ponies I have known. It is very frustrating to most of them to accept they are not superior to the rest of the world.....

Edited September 19, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[Poneez]

No sir, my observation of this phenomena is actually based on experience, as 3 out of 4 of our C-level positions are SMU grads, and 90% of their direct reports are SMU alum.

Precisely why some of us went to SMU. Since many of our alums work in the Dallas business community, a degree from SMU often bodes well. (It is probably less important for those who have been out longer and have already established themselves.) Now that I am in a position to hire people, I always give an extra edge to fellow alums. I suspect people from other schools and organizations do the same. Its called "networking".

[Go_UTA]

SMU has noteable academic programs in business, law, and some of the arts. Those are their strong points.

Personally, except for what I sometimes read on this board, I don't give them a lot of thought. I neither especially like or dislike them. (Of course, I guess we from UT Arlington don't have the "history" with them that you guys do.) Regardless, I can see the merits of the above programs.

There may be, for an undergraduate education, some marginal benefit to a good private school compared to a good state school, but, if there is, the cost for that little benefit IS high. Unless money just isn't much of a factor, the cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily in favor of the good state school, IMHO.

Always remember, however, that class has nothing to do with money. You can't buy it. Class is the way you act and how you treat other people.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

SMU has noteable academic programs in business, law, and some of the arts. Those are their strong points.

Personally, except for what I sometimes read on this board, I don't give them a lot of thought. I neither especially like or dislike them. (Of course, I guess we from UT Arlington don't have the "history" with them that you guys do.) Regardless, I can see the merits of the above programs.

There may be, for an undergraduate education, some marginal benefit to a good private school compared to a good state school, but, if there is, the cost for that little benefit IS high. Unless money just isn't much of a factor, the cost/benefit analysis weighs heavily in favor of the good state school, IMHO.

Always remember, however, that class has nothing to do with money. You can't buy it. Class is the way you act and how you treat other people.

The last sentence, Well said.

---I teach mathematics in a community college and I have a lot of students in my classes (the business math ones) that work for local finance institutions (banks, etc.) I have had many students comment about never judging people about how they dress or look. Some of the best dressed one are in there to cover a pile of bad checks.... meanwhile some of those that come in with not-so new khakis, shirts, etc. have bank accounts worth several 100 thousand or more (often in the oil business)... you never know from their looks or their treatment of others that they have what they have..... true class.

Edited September 19, 2007 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Precisely why some of us went to SMU. Since many of our alums work in the Dallas business community, a degree from SMU often bodes well. (It is probably less important for those who have been out longer and have already established themselves.) Now that I am in a position to hire people, I always give an extra edge to fellow alums. I suspect people from other schools and organizations do the same. Its called "networking".

--- Several good friends of mine are lawyers... and what you said is true.... My friends say a SMU law degree is good to have if you work in Dallas... BUT if you decide to go elsewhere it can sometimes work against you because of the attitudes aquired there....one said he had known of people who flat would not hire them if someone else was available. One of my sons is now a 3rd year law student, accepted at SMU, went elsewhere.

[Poneez]

Congrats to your son...

We have fun with it (school rivalries) in the office especially during football season. I tease them that for every Aggie, I will need to hire a Pony to offset.

[UNTflyer]

I just want to say that there are certainly some great SMU grads. As I've said, I work with several. I was merely responding to the poster from PonyFans that seemed to sneer about the academically inferior schools they are forced to play. I initially responded to that comment, and it kind of got out of hand from there.

SMU is a good school. If I had the cash, would I have attended SMU? Probably not. I think I'd take that money and go to Harvard or Yale or Stanford. While SMOOs consider themselves "The Harvard of the South", nobody outside of their circle really thinks of them as such. I guess my ultimate point is that the attitude of SMU students that they attend a superior school is really unwarranted. They simply attend an expensive school.

[Poneez]

It seems that BCS sneers at non-BCS. Mountain West sneers at CUSA. CUSA sneers at Sun Belt. I'm guessing Sun Belt sneers at somebody--maybe 1-AA?

Doesn't make it right but that seems to be the pecking order. We all know any team can be beaten on any given day.

Texas sneered at TCU and TCU is sneering at us right now. Oh well.