Attention Smu And Tcu!

[Legend500]

I'm just ....shocked. As an occasional contributor and of lurker on the board for many a year, I'm horrified by the sort of attitude we're giving our VISITORS to this board. This smacks of the same elitism that we've always charged SMU with. Yes, assuming that we are better than SMU because they are a bunch of pretty Gucci boys whom eat off of gold plates is a form of elitism as well. Really, I expected better.

Clearly, it will be the current generation of students at all the area schools (whom grew up together and chose to go to TCU, SMU or UNT on an equal basis) which will get past this nonsense (except for smack, which this topic has gone past). SMU is no longer the prissy school it used to be, and has some great people. TCU still has its oddities, but is a fine school as well. UNT has come from nowhere to international prominence in the short time since I started attending and graduated (the traditional NT 7 years).

As for the past: GET OVER IT! For whatever reason, we are here now, worrying about past wrongs (that old chestnut SMU keeping UNT out of the SWC is about as valid as SMU's rightful suspicion of a certain local sports director whom gives money to UNT and was key to the DP investigation in the 80's.)

Let's also be honest. For mostly outdated and ignorant reasons, SMU and TCU have a high reputation either academically or athletically which is not equaled by UNTs. The SMU posters are correct: SMU has prestige to lose in the short term by playing and especially by losing to UNT. Even if it is their own alumni, it is an important factor. We should all work to overcome that and establish a permanent arrangement, but sadly it appears that some old attitudes need to die out first.

[NT03]

I'm just ....shocked. As an occasional contributor and of lurker on the board for many a year, I'm horrified by the sort of attitude we're giving our VISITORS to this board. This smacks of the same elitism that we've always charged SMU with. Yes, assuming that we are better than SMU because they are a bunch of pretty Gucci boys whom eat off of gold plates is a form of elitism as well. Really, I expected better.

Clearly, it will be the current generation of students at all the area schools (whom grew up together and chose to go to TCU, SMU or UNT on an equal basis) which will get past this nonsense (except for smack, which this topic has gone past). SMU is no longer the prissy school it used to be, and has some great people. TCU still has its oddities, but is a fine school as well. UNT has come from nowhere to international prominence in the short time since I started attending and graduated (the traditional NT 7 years).

As for the past: GET OVER IT! For whatever reason, we are here now, worrying about past wrongs (that old chestnut SMU keeping UNT out of the SWC is about as valid as SMU's rightful suspicion of a certain local sports director whom gives money to UNT and was key to the DP investigation in the 80's.)

Let's also be honest. For mostly outdated and ignorant reasons, SMU and TCU have a high reputation either academically or athletically which is not equaled by UNTs. The SMU posters are correct: SMU has prestige to lose in the short term by playing and especially by losing to UNT. Even if it is their own alumni, it is an important factor. We should all work to overcome that and establish a permanent arrangement, but sadly it appears that some old attitudes need to die out first.

Well said. We should be glad that people from other programs want to get on here and not only read but post.

We get mad that SMU or TCU looks down on us , but I'm sure most would look down on someone like a Texas St. Im just glad the Bobcats didn't try to play us the last few years , because you know what ...they would of won.

Edited September 11, 2007 by NT03

[NM Green]

A lot of people on this board have a hard on for SMU and like many I am not sure why. The Ponies would be a great program to renew a series with for all of the reasons stated above. It will take the dying off of those old attitudes to finally make it happen, and when it does it will be fun! If NMSU, UNM and UTEP can play each other every year and all sit in different conferences then TCU, SMU and UNT can make it happen and build the tradition and rivalries.

I

Thank you SMU for hosting us and hopefully we get a chance to keep this thing going. I've missed both of them in person and hope to see a live one down the road.

GMG

[perunapower]

Your pathetic posters on ponyfans can dish out the insults to us all the time but when we give you a taste of your own medicine, you start crying about it??

I welcome civil discussions between fans/alumni of both schools but don't come over talking about how much better SMU is and that you expect to beat little ole North Texas every year. Your team sucks this year and I'll be surprised if you win four games all season. In fact, I think your defense is one of the few in the nation that is worse than ours right now.

I've got news for you...we expect to beat SMU every year too and, if that contract gets renewed, you better savor this victory because it'll be your last for quite some time!!

Poneez - I will offer you a half-ass apology because I think you did have good intentions, but it was this statement that pissed me off:

I challenge you to repeat that statement to Phil Bennett and the SMU football team...please post his response.

Pathetic posters is a bit harsh, don't ya think? No one is crying about anything, especially harsh words from a college football forum. If anyone is, then I suggest they take a long hiatus from their computer and get a grip, maybe take a vacation. Poneez stated that SMU has more to lose, not that SMU is better and UNT is worse. Now we can all moan and groan about socioeconomic differences until either of us get invited to the Big XII (never), use the always colorful stereotypes and equal animosity to further divide SMU and UNT from one another (though I highly encourage banter, very amusing), and disrespect one another for one reason or another, or we can invite this banter, embrace the growing rivalry (yes, I said rivalry), and get over what perceptions and prejudices you happened to have developed through antiquity. By the way, you have yet to welcome civil discussion (disrespect and misplaced stereotypes go a long way to destroying civil discussion), so I suggest you don't jump into that arena just quite yet.

That's just not nice to say we will only win 4 games all year. We both know that we improved vastly AFTER the UNT game last year, what's to stop us from making the same improvements throughout this year. We have 3 new guys on the DL that need to acclimated to collegiate football and a secondary that (to say the least) played a pitiful 3 quarters on Saturday. (I would include the fourth quarter, but they stepped it up when the game was on the line. I also expect the secondary to work quite hard this week, as I would assume that is will be a focal point of practices this week.) If we do only win 4 games all year, I guess we'll start anew with a new coach and system (which I would hate to see, but as I have high aspirations for SMU, I would welcome any change that would bring relevancy back to the Hilltop).

Oh, and I'm glad you don't think SMU and UNT will be playing for awhile since you don't think we'll win for quite some time.

And just because I got so tired of hearing it over and over like a broken record. 45-31.

[TIgreen01]

I'm just ....shocked. As an occasional contributor and of lurker on the board for many a year, I'm horrified by the sort of attitude we're giving our VISITORS to this board. This smacks of the same elitism that we've always charged SMU with. Yes, assuming that we are better than SMU because they are a bunch of pretty Gucci boys whom eat off of gold plates is a form of elitism as well. Really, I expected better.

Clearly, it will be the current generation of students at all the area schools (whom grew up together and chose to go to TCU, SMU or UNT on an equal basis) which will get past this nonsense (except for smack, which this topic has gone past). SMU is no longer the prissy school it used to be, and has some great people. TCU still has its oddities, but is a fine school as well. UNT has come from nowhere to international prominence in the short time since I started attending and graduated (the traditional NT 7 years).

As for the past: GET OVER IT! For whatever reason, we are here now, worrying about past wrongs (that old chestnut SMU keeping UNT out of the SWC is about as valid as SMU's rightful suspicion of a certain local sports director whom gives money to UNT and was key to the DP investigation in the 80's.)

Let's also be honest. For mostly outdated and ignorant reasons, SMU and TCU have a high reputation either academically or athletically which is not equaled by UNTs. The SMU posters are correct: SMU has prestige to lose in the short term by playing and especially by losing to UNT. Even if it is their own alumni, it is an important factor. We should all work to overcome that and establish a permanent arrangement, but sadly it appears that some old attitudes need to die out first.

Best post I've seen on the subject. If anyone else opened the Sunday DMN (like I did), there were 3 full length articles (one a front page article slamming both SMU and us--in a backhanded way) just for smu....and one small article from Vito. That alone says they still have a higher profile than us. Have we gotten more press this offseason than they have? Absolutely. Have we won more games in the last 20 years? Yep. Does perception ignore all that? You bet. For goodness sakes they were a 16-17 point favorite this year and were a 8-9 (if I remember correctly) favorite last year for a game in our house. It's going to take time for us to erase that perception. I do think it has been obvious to anyone who attended the last 2 games between NT and smu that our teams are closely matched. We beat them handily last year when they had a freshman QB...they beat us this year while we break in a new coaching staff. With Dodge's first 2 recruiting classes, we stand a chance to separate ourselves from them a bit. We just need to keep improving and I think we'll put them in the rear-view mirror within 5-10 years....that, or we'll develop a great rivalry with them as we both scratch and claw our way up the ladder. Either way, we need to keep this series going....it's good for both schools.

[STE]

It's not elitism. It's the general perception (e.g. what the nation, as well as the DFW area) of a university's program. No one is saying we have the credibility of UT, A&M, or Tech, but it doesn't help our cause to increase success if we lose to a bad UNT team. (Yes I said bad, because it is bad when you gain over 600 yards and still lose.)

Now on that note, I'd like to say I want the series to continue because you guys offer an interesting combination of financial opportunities and local attention to SMU football in a way that playing USM, UCF, and Memphis can't.

Disliked by who? UNT? You seem to have this belief that the Dallas area is anti-SMU, which is just wrong. Sadly, it's mainly apathetic except in close proximity to the university. We win, people get behind the team. That's just the way Dallas fans are.

If you like thinking all of SMU is pastel polos and khakis, Burberry and Gucci, BMW and Lexus, making everyone an uppity, nose turned up snob then go right ahead. There's not a need for Poneez to apologize, in my opinion. You guys need to lay off and chill out.

The general perception is that SMU is a better program because it has more money.

However, SMU (and UNT) need to develop regional rivalries. Both of us play in conferences with opponents that don’t travel well and we suffer from our own fan apathy when playing schools 2-3 states away.

This series is a no brainer for both schools.

This game garnered more local coverage/interest than either us of would have received with any conference opponent in either of our respective conferences.

Moreover, we need to give the local talent a reason to stay home. Every time you turn on the TV and watch a game you always see DFW talent playing at schools you wouldn’t expect. We both lose local recruits to schools like La Tech and Tulane, Houston etc. However, the more important this game becomes the easier it will be to convince recruits that college football is alive and well in the Metroplex.

And while a loss might hurt SMU perception wise in the short run – I believe a win against UNT 4-5 years from now will help SMU (assuming UNT continues to improve). Every year SMU goes 5-6 in a conference with opponents that no one cares about - the distinction between SMU and UNT diminishes. Sooner or later perception catches up with reality.

SMU can have all the money in the world but if joe-blow fan won’t buy their product – it will stagnate or die as a program

[Quoner]

Wow - you know I'm the first to make horrible, undefensible comments about anything, but why is everyone attacking these guys.

Just because someone doesn't want to break out the kneepads at the altar of our potential does not mean they are bashing us. You guys just stick to worrying about uniform colors and sneakers when the friendly people stop by.

[PlummMeanGreen]

I was just responding to the poster who said SMU has more to gain than UNT which, in my opinion, is not true. Sorry to offend.

To Poneez' and other SMU visitors:

UT (our state's sophisticated T-Sipper crowd) and TAMU (our state's fightin' farmer gang for heaven's sake with thier most always rural-like ways along with similar backrounds and country boy/girl attitudes--and oh how I know, I had two 1'st cousins who were in the Corp when it was the "REAL" Aggie Corp of decades gone by); yet, both of these schools (in many ways) have different missions as universities just like SMU and UNT have different missions. They both seem to respect both of their respective missions, too.

Yet you don't catch those two schools spending too much of their mental energy debating on who has the advantage of playing (or not playing) the other--they just do it (& obviously they would since they are league-mates), but they fill their stadiums and they both make money doing it and................their fans have a good time with all this, too, and have for years. Even when one school is down and the other is up, when its UT/TAMU, all bets are off and they both play as if they're are playing for a NCAA National Football Championship.

Both UT and TAMU leave their (somewhat) different academic missions (and egos) outside their stadium's turnstiles when they play each other and most every year they play it is a crowd-pleaser of a game with much pagaentry that accompanies their annual Game Days. Even their marching bands have completely different styles but I'd bet many Horn fans (secretly) enjoy watching the military style of the Aggie Band many times and most likely, many Aggies (secretly) enjoy watching 500 member UT marching band march into DRK Memorial Stadium on a Fall afternoon with the Texas state capital setting very nicely in the background.

NOTE: Confession is good for the soul, right? OK, I have a confession: I have "secretly" enjoyed watching your former marching band director Irving Dreiboldt's SMU Mustang Bands of year's past. They used to have one feature twirler when twirlers with batons were part of college marching bands. The SMU Mustang Band has a different style from our Green Brigade, sure, but isn't it nice that all college marching bands are not facsimile's of each other?

SMU and UNT can live without each other just fine, but since neither are playing the Horns or the Aggies that much of late, both the Dallas and Denton-based schools should leave all their respective differences outside the turnstiles and just tee it up (as Coach Fry used to say.

Actually, what do either have to lose by playing each other in this (non-BCS) era? Hellsbells! Boise State used to be a conference-mate of UNT's and they won a BCS Championship Series Bowl Game last bowl season, but a UNT/SMU game would (still) most years outdraw a UNT/Boise State matchup. Why? Who the hell knows why since we are talking about the typical Metroplex college football fan here.

Poneez, do you really like seeing all those empty seats when the Rice Owls come to your Ford just as we see empty seats when Florida Atlantic U & Howard Schnellenberger come to town?

A UNT/SMU football series not only makes sense, but it should be obvious to all that it also makes cent$. As your former SMU AD (Russ Potts) used to say: An empty seat cannot buy a hot dog, a coke, sports gear, etc, etc, etc, And what better reason does anyone need than that for our 2 schools to play each other when they can. Last I read and heard, UT and TAMU AD's are rarely on each of our respective AD's hotlines lining up future games.

Edited September 11, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[Green Lantern]

Boy, this topic really spun out of control. To the SMU guys, thanks for stopping by and offering your perspective.

I really do happen to agree with what they said for the most part. Realistically, NT really does have the most to gain as far as enhancing perception and creation of rivalries are concerned. SMU and TCU already have each other. I really feel that it's a shame that all three Universities choose to not see the bigger picture. Creating a yearly scenario where all three teams play each other creates more local media attention, gives the winning teams bragging rights for the year, and helps (hopefully) keep good local talent interested in staying and playing for one of these schools when they go to college.

Everyone would benefit from this in the long term...but make no mistake, NT stands to gain the most by a long shot.

[runt96]

I'm just ....shocked. As an occasional contributor and of lurker on the board for many a year, I'm horrified by the sort of attitude we're giving our VISITORS to this board. This smacks of the same elitism that we've always charged SMU with. Yes, assuming that we are better than SMU because they are a bunch of pretty Gucci boys whom eat off of gold plates is a form of elitism as well. Really, I expected better.

Clearly, it will be the current generation of students at all the area schools (whom grew up together and chose to go to TCU, SMU or UNT on an equal basis) which will get past this nonsense (except for smack, which this topic has gone past). SMU is no longer the prissy school it used to be, and has some great people. TCU still has its oddities, but is a fine school as well. UNT has come from nowhere to international prominence in the short time since I started attending and graduated (the traditional NT 7 years).

As for the past: GET OVER IT! For whatever reason, we are here now, worrying about past wrongs (that old chestnut SMU keeping UNT out of the SWC is about as valid as SMU's rightful suspicion of a certain local sports director whom gives money to UNT and was key to the DP investigation in the 80's.)

Let's also be honest. For mostly outdated and ignorant reasons, SMU and TCU have a high reputation either academically or athletically which is not equaled by UNTs. The SMU posters are correct: SMU has prestige to lose in the short term by playing and especially by losing to UNT. Even if it is their own alumni, it is an important factor. We should all work to overcome that and establish a permanent arrangement, but sadly it appears that some old attitudes need to die out first.

DID YOU GO TO THE PONY-BORED LINK???

Their views of NT aren't exactly flattering.

[gangrene]

Pathetic posters is a bit harsh, don't ya think?

Maybe I'm just a little bitter because I remember the reception I received on my first attempt to be civil on ponyfans. That actually wasn't too bad. The worst came when I asked a simple question in late July about this year's SMU vs. Tech game being played in the 3PM heat on Labor Day and expressed concern over taking my 8 month old daughter to the game. I had planned to go to the game and cheer on SMU (I was actually a fan in the '70s and early '80s) until I realized they were going to play in the middle of the afternoon. I was called gay by several ponyfans posters for asking about the heat and called an idiot for contemplating taking my daughter to a college football game. The name calling and insults on that thread were so bad the administors deleted the entire thread (at least some over there are civil). Anyway, excuse me if there's no love lost from me when it comes to talking about SMU. I've watched your board insult every UNT fan that ever posted there (emmitt, charlie, overcusser, etc.). Some may have deserved it, most definitely did not. By the way...I took my 8-month old daughter to the SMU-UNT game and she had a blast.

Now we can all moan and groan about socioeconomic differences until either of us get invited to the Big XII (never), use the always colorful stereotypes and equal animosity to further divide SMU and UNT from one another (though I highly encourage banter, very amusing), and disrespect one another for one reason or another, or we can invite this banter, embrace the growing rivalry (yes, I said rivalry), and get over what perceptions and prejudices you happened to have developed through antiquity.

I've never been one to embrace any stereotype (other than the SMU "attitude") and don't buy into that crap theory about SMU blackballing us from any conference. I fully embrace the "rivalry" and I hope we can continue it on an annual basis. Both schools could greatly benefit from the media exposure.

That's just not nice to say we will only win 4 games all year. We both know that we improved vastly AFTER the UNT game last year, what's to stop us from making the same improvements throughout this year. We have 3 new guys on the DL that need to acclimated to collegiate football and a secondary that (to say the least) played a pitiful 3 quarters on Saturday. (I would include the fourth quarter, but they stepped it up when the game was on the line. I also expect the secondary to work quite hard this week, as I would assume that is will be a focal point of practices this week.) If we do only win 4 games all year, I guess we'll start anew with a new coach and system (which I would hate to see, but as I have high aspirations for SMU, I would welcome any change that would bring relevancy back to the Hilltop).

Yeah, I guess anything's possible. But if Bennett gets fired, then I guess you guys will just come and take Dodge away from us.

And just because I got so tired of hearing it over and over like a broken record. 45-31.

601 passing yards and 327 receiving yards by ONE receiver!! Ok, I know that's weak but everyone on this board seems to be happy about it!

Seriously, I welcome all Ponies to our board if they want to discuss things related to football and not who should beat who because of their traditions/credibility and who benefits more by the win. Whether you (and your fellow alums) choose to believe it or not...we're in very similar situations in that we're both fighting to gain respect, media, recruiting exposure, butts in seats and wins in a very cluttered sports market where consumers have an abundance of choices.

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

I'll just say it, I HATE SMU, and I don't like over-priced private schools in general. However, I do like that little stadium and I hope we can figure out a way to steal it.

[NT03]

Maybe I'm just a little bitter because I remember the reception I received on my first attempt to be civil on ponyfans.

Bitter over that ???

Edited September 11, 2007 by NT03

[Poneez]

Well, I certainly didn't mean to stir up a ruckus! After reading all of your opinions, I am willing to rethink how I feel about the series. So, thank you for giving me something to think about.

I hope you enjoyed your day at our campus. If you haven't met very many SMU people, I would urge you to get to know some. I think you will find most of us to be nice people. I confess I don't understand the hatred----I have a dear friend who graduated from UNT and we have never had that type of discussion about our respective universities. The only stereotype I have about UNT is that you have an outstanding music program!

A lot of smack is talked on PonyFans. Most of it is just that and not meant to be taken seriously. Like every other school, we have a few annoying people. (Have you been to RaiderPower.com? That board is brutal.)

I was at SMU during the Pony Express days so I confess I sometimes dream of the olden days. For a college student and football fan, it was a very exciting time! (I am not defending the scandal---I am purely talking about an appreciation for football.)

As far as money, our program is far from rich. We are near the bottom of CUSA. Not something we are proud of and we are working hard to raise the funds to provide for our student-athletes.

One of you pointed out that this is a must win year for our coach. I don't think any of us would disagree---its pretty obvious.

Good luck to you on your next game and the rest of the season. We are off to Arky State...

[Guest Aquila_Viridis]

Oh gosh. Now I'm having second thoughts. OK let's steal someone else's stadium.

[KingDL1]

Thanks Poneez.

I look forward to playing y'all again, good luck on your season.

[gangrene]

Bitter over that ???

No, not really...if you read my all of my post you'd understand. When someone brings my baby into the discussion, you bet your ass I'm going to be bitter. As I mentioned earlier, that thread was so bad the admins deleted it. Besides that, you should see how they treated Charlie (or any other person associated with UNT) when he posted over there. Before you go defending ponyfans posters maybe you should spend some time over there. Let me know if they roll out the welcome carpet for you after you tell them you went to NTSU.

I hope you enjoyed your day at our campus. If you haven't met very many SMU people, I would urge you to get to know some. I think you will find most of us to be nice people.

I know many SMU alums and I'll agree most are nice people. The majority fit the arrogant stereotype, but they are nice nonetheless. I don't hate SMU and shouldn't let a few bad apples on ponyfans distort my perception of the overall fan base...but that's what tends to happen.

A lot of smack is talked on PonyFans. Most of it is just that and not meant to be taken seriously. Like every other school, we have a few annoying people. (Have you been to RaiderPower.com? That board is brutal.)

Yes, I'm well aware of Raiders fans and they don't just act that way on the forum. They were quite upset about the new code of sportsmanship outlined by their AD and the idea that some actually want them to stop using the "f-word" in their fight song. I know several die-hard Longhorns alums that have said they will never go to another game in Lubbock becuase their fans are so obnoxious. Navy fans are still commenting on how bad Tech fans are and they last played in 2003.

[oldschoollefty]

A lot of smack is talked on PonyFans. Most of it is just that and not meant to be taken seriously. Like every other school, we have a few annoying people. (Have you been to RaiderPower.com? That board is brutal.)

I

For hard core whining and sniveling, nothing beats SoonerFans.com (especially after losing to Texas and Boise St.)

[GrandGreen]

I was just responding to the poster who said SMU has more to gain than UNT which, in my opinion, is not true. Sorry to offend.

By the look of that crowd Saturday, both in terms of numbers and enthusiasm, I think you may be living in the deep past. You have a beautiful stadium but you depend on a PA system to make any kind of home crowd noise. It seems to me that SMU who got a large portion of its crowd for Saturday's game from NT may have more to gain than NT that may have gotten 500 attendees from SMU last year. SMU does benefit from beating NT or for that fact anyone. Ask yourself this question, which school needed to win the most on Saturday Night. Sorry to offend, but SMU and NT have both got a long way to go before they can look down on any football program.

Edited September 11, 2007 by GrandGreen

[FirefightnRick]

I'm just curious about a question I had from last saturday. The day was great on all accounts other than the score for us, of course. But I would be interested in hearing from the smu posters if it was as a concern when you first heard about your university HONORING your 1982 football team in public? To me that was a disgusting slap at your current administration, students, new alumni and your program overall and I was embarrassed for you. Your university has tirelessly worked so long and hard to overcome the death penalty and all that those individuals placed on you, I just couldn't believe my ears when I heard this was going to occur? The fact that when they were introduced they recieved a very light clapping of applause at best may answer my question? But I'd like to hear it from you?

Rick

[Stan R]

The fact that when they were introduced they received a very light clapping of applause at best may answer my question? But I'd like to hear it from you?

Rick

Yeah but it seemed like just about every positive play or even touchdown made by SMU was met with a blasé response. Par for the course. Golf clapping = wild applause from our standpoint.

[Poneez]

I'm just curious about a question I had from last saturday. The day was great on all accounts other than the score for us, of course. But I would be interested in hearing from the smu posters if it was as a concern when you first heard about your university HONORING your 1982 football team in public? To me that was a disgusting slap at your current administration, students, new alumni and your program overall and I was embarrassed for you. Your university has tirelessly worked so long and hard to overcome the death penalty and all that those individuals placed on you, I just couldn't believe my ears when I heard this was going to occur? The fact that when they were introduced they recieved a very light clapping of applause at best may answer my question? But I'd like to hear it from you?

Rick

From my standpoint, I was glad we honored the team. To be entirely honest, I was sorry they did not introduce them individually. The death penalty came from our the actions of our boosters and the administration that overlooked them----not the young men who played the games. The hardwork and effort they put forth on the field to have a winning season should not be overshadowed by the circumstances that followed several years later. No need to feel embarrassed on our part----we are quite proud of their accomplishments on the field. And I am not sure where you were sitting, but in my section they were given a hearty reception.

[FirefightnRick]

From my standpoint, I was glad we honored the team. To be entirely honest, I was sorry they did not introduce them individually. The death penalty came from our the actions of our boosters and the administration that overlooked them----not the young men who played the games. The hardwork and effort they put forth on the field to have a winning season should not be overshadowed by the circumstances that followed several years later. No need to feel embarrassed on our part----we are quite proud of their accomplishments on the field. And I am not sure where you were sitting, but in my section they were given a hearty reception.

Hmm, different perception I suppose. To me this wasn't like the Bomar incident in which a booster said, "here kid, take this money". It was a "if you'll come here and play for us, we will give you this and continue to give you this", and also a "Ok, I'll come play for you if you'll continue giving me that".

I'm not suggesting it was in the same light as honoring the Enron executives, but for all the clean programs and their leadership trying to do the right thing in this day and time where OU just completed their 7th probation for violations and other schools are also getting caught cheating, to bring that situation and time to light for a night of being honored, was to me a horrible slap to the clean programs' face and in bad taste in the worst possibly way.

Rick

Edited September 11, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[Poneez]

I don't personally see the difference---you think Rhett Bomar didn't know that was wrong? I'll tell you what I think was in poor taste: the Dallas Morning News' recent article on Bomar and his exciting new career at Sam Houston. But I'm not here to bash OU or anybody else for that matter.

There are people with more knowledge than me about the SMU scandal---I was not involved and do not know all of the intimate details of what happened. We all probably think we know what happened but I suspect we really don't. Frankly, after 20 years, I'm pretty tired of it. We have a lot of great things going on at SMU. We took our punishment, which was devastating not only to our football program but to our entire athletic department and also to our university.

But I won't apologize for the excitement of watching Dickerson, James and McIllheney run over our SWC rivals and then win the Cotton Bowl against Pitt.

[UNTLifer]

Poneez, I'll extend an apology for my reaction to your post and offer you a welcome to our board, but let me be clear about something. I watched SMU in the 80's with the Pony Express, etc..., remember the probations and why they were handed down, and I remember comments from past SMU administrators/BOR's regarding NT student graduating to be housekeepers for SMU grads. I thoroughly dislike SMU, SMU's athletic teams and most of the students and alums I have come in contact with over my 41 years have done nothing to disprove the elitist attitude that comes from the Hilltop.

You are welcome to come over here anytime and discuss our programs, continuing the series (which should be played every year IMHO), etc... but don't tell me SMU has more to lose by playing us than NT does.