Tough times on The Hilltop

[Harry]

7. SMU: The Mustangs still have one game left, but keep an eye on this situation. Despite much improved play in the second half of the season, there's a lot of unease about the direction of the program, especially in the wake of a 34-0 loss to Houston on Friday. That left SMU 5-6 and needing to beat American Athletic Conference leader UCF next weekend to reach bowl eligibility.

Though SMU has not been inclined to fire June Jones he is well-liked, and such a move would be both expensive and distasteful for school president Gerald Turner it will be interesting to see how high the heat gets turned up. This is one situation where both sides may be unhappy.

Is SMU fully committed to doing what it takes (especially on the academic side and non-conference scheduling) to help build the program and push it to the next level? On the other hand, why hasn't SMU's investment in Jones yielded the financial gains expected from things such as ticket sales?

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/12/01/football-four-misery-index-week-14-alabama-clemson-nebraska-west-virginia-fresno-state-smu/3797321/

[JRock]

Not that I care....but anyone notice how the #8 slot "Best in Texas" Poll on DMN is missing?

[emmitt01]

7. SMU: The Mustangs still have one game left, but keep an eye on this situation. Despite much improved play in the second half of the season, there's a lot of unease about the direction of the program, especially in the wake of a 34-0 loss to Houston on Friday. That left SMU 5-6 and needing to beat American Athletic Conference leader UCF next weekend to reach bowl eligibility.

Though SMU has not been inclined to fire June Jones he is well-liked, and such a move would be both expensive and distasteful for school president Gerald Turner it will be interesting to see how high the heat gets turned up. This is one situation where both sides may be unhappy.

Is SMU fully committed to doing what it takes (especially on the academic side and non-conference scheduling) to help build the program and push it to the next level? On the other hand, why hasn't SMU's investment in Jones yielded the financial gains expected from things such as ticket sales?

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/12/01/football-four-misery-index-week-14-alabama-clemson-nebraska-west-virginia-fresno-state-smu/3797321/

I can answer the ticket sales question. NOBODY in Dallas cares.

[Rudy]

I question just how much he is "well liked".

[DallasGreen]

Look at the five wins SMU has posted ---an FCS by one , bottom feeders of AAC---Memphis, Temple, U Conn, & USF--UCF should make it a track meet, but the DMN will still crow about potential bowl eligibility ad nausea all this week!! When will they get real? The metroplex privates have done NOTHING to distinguish themselves this year except get pub from Gary Patterson's mouthing. Some day someone is going to knock the block off that pompous little ass!!

I know Grey Eagle as a closet Mustang fan that you will plead that we show respect and turn the other cheek to those that have wronged us and disrespected us for decades.

[meangreener]

Look at the five wins SMU has posted ---an FCS by one , bottom feeders of AAC---Memphis, Temple, U Conn, & USF--UCF should make it a track meet, but the DMN will still crow about potential bowl eligibility ad nausea all this week!! When will they get real? The metroplex privates have done NOTHING to distinguish themselves this year except get pub from Gary Patterson's mouthing. Some day someone is going to knock the block off that pompous little ass!!

I know Grey Eagle as a closet Mustang fan that you will plead that we show respect and turn the other cheek to those that have wronged us and disrespected us for decades.

I still have no idea why SMU garners respect from the media. They've done nothing. They have no fans.

The fans are arrogant and delusional; they still think they're top 25 material about to burst on the scene. Makes no sense whatsoever. They suck. They're irrelevant. They are 6-6 because the bottom of the AAC is worse than the bottom of CUSA.

Edited December 2, 2013 by meangreener

[NorthTexan95]

I still have no idea why SMU garners respect from the media. They've done nothing. They have no fans.

The fans are arrogant and delusional; they still think they're top 25 material about to burst on the scene. Makes no sense whatsoever. They suck. They're irrelevant. They are 6-6 because the bottom of the AAC is worse than the bottom of CUSA.

SMU doesn't have many fans but they have some rich and powerful friends.

[meangreener]

SMU doesn't have many fans but they have some rich and powerful friends.

Money can only buy so much though.

[Rudy]

Hey, it's time to "Pony up" LOL

[Baby Arm!]

Schadenfreude!

[untjim1995]

SMU doesn't have many fans but they have some rich and powerful friends.

And many of them either live in wealthy parts of Dallas or in wealthy suburbs...content is usually driven to cater advertisers to reach those wealthy customers. Plus, SMU still has SWC name recognition that the older media members (Rhyner, Hitzges, Galloway, Hansen, etc..) treat with more respect than they deserve. Those voices will eventually go away. The hardest part about dealing with SMU is that other teams from AQ leagues still like playing them in home and home series. That's probably because they are in the Dallas city limits, but it hurts us as far as scheduling bigger name teams here. TCU, Okie State, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M have all played games at Ford Stadium over the last decade. Feasibly, they could all play here now, but that old SWC mindset comes into play again, especially with TCU and SMU being long-time rivals.

[cogido]

smu does have the money and political leverage which is all that keeps its D-I athletic program afloat. The old SWC helped with their fan base back in the day and during their cheating days. However going to the AAC is a bad move for smu because most Dallas fans don't care about the current schools in that conference. Kinda of like our UNT fan base has never been able to relate to the Sun Belt no-name, out-of-Texas schools and of course we at UNT suffered through almost a decade of atrocious administrative leadership. Having said all that, if smu hadn't of left CUSA UNT would still be locked out. UNT has a very solid base now to jump light years ahead in D-I and fan participation IF, IF, IF the administration doesn't revert back to a worthless budget and poor coaching choices. Lane Rawlins was a positive influence ! Hope the new President makes the most of UNT's current opportunities. As for smu, they'll hang around because of their money supply and key boosters. But still have torrid fan involvement.

[PlummMeanGreen]

When June Jones thought he had the Arizona St or Arizona (?) job sewed up and then didn't, would that not cause a rain on the parade for any school where a jilted coach would have had to stay? SMU'ers seem to have all but disliked him ever since that episode took place.

You tell your fiance you found a better deal who would later turn you down and then you go back to the original fiance? Uh, duh?

GMG!

Edited December 2, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[southsideguy]

June Jones looks like he does not want to be there.

[Rudy]

The few fans in attendance look like they don't want him there either. On a side note, The Washington coach just accepted a job at USC, so expect Junes to look to take his Men's ministry to inner Seattle.

[untjim1995]

smu does have the money and political leverage which is all that keeps its D-I athletic program afloat. The old SWC helped with their fan base back in the day and during their cheating days. However going to the AAC is a bad move for smu because most Dallas fans don't care about the current schools in that conference. Kinda of like our UNT fan base has never been able to relate to the Sun Belt no-name, out-of-Texas schools and of course we at UNT suffered through almost a decade of atrocious administrative leadership. Having said all that, if smu hadn't of left CUSA UNT would still be locked out. UNT has a very solid base now to jump light years ahead in D-I and fan participation IF, IF, IF the administration doesn't revert back to a worthless budget and poor coaching choices. Lane Rawlins was a positive influence ! Hope the new President makes the most of UNT's current opportunities. As for smu, they'll hang around because of their money supply and key boosters. But still have torrid fan involvement.

This is what SMU, UH, Tulane, and Tulsa really don't understand--you can get assocaited in a far-flung league with more travel, but its just gonna cost more and it won't help with attendance or support. The key to most non-AQ teams is to have reasonable travel games to control costs, unless you have bigger names in your conference that are far away (see TCU in the MWC) and people want to watch them play. Otherwise, these SBC, CUSA, and AAC teams are really cutting of each other's noses to spite their faces. I just think you would see this improve so much if they played in regional conferences with each other. There is just no way that Marshall and UTEP should be in a conference, nor should Idaho and Troy, or Temple and Houston. Its just stupid. More people would attend a game in Houston if they played North Texas, UTSA, UTEP, or La Tech than will ever watch Memphis, Temple, East Carolina, or Cincinatti in person. Why those schools think differently is beyond me.

UTEP, UNT, SMU, TULSA, LA TECH, UTSA, Texas State, UH, Rice, ULL, Tulane, and Tulsa

NMSU, ULM, Arkansas State, Southern Miss, UAB, Troy, FIU, FAU,South Alabama, and Georgia State

USF, UCF, Cincy, Memphis, MUTS, WKU, Marshall, ECU, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Temple, and UConn

Edited December 2, 2013 by untjim1995

[cogido]

Obviously June Jones is ready to leave, that's life in the HC business, but he has such a good lolli-pop pay check coming from the Hill Top he's in a Catch-22. So are the little ponies and their bummed out fan base. If smu wasn't such a Sugar Daddy with pay checks they would never get a top tier coach to look at them due to many reason stated in earlier tweets. If UNT leaders, alums and fans take care of business very good things will happen for the athletic program during the next five years. smu's position is much less optimistic.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Obviously June Jones is ready to leave, that's life in the HC business, but he has such a good lolli-pop pay check coming from the Hill Top he's in a Catch-22. So are the little ponies and their bummed out fan base. If smu wasn't such a Sugar Daddy with pay checks they would never get a top tier coach to look at them due to many reason stated in earlier tweets. If UNT leaders, alums and fans take care of business very good things will happen for the athletic program during the next five years. smu's position is much less optimistic.

Welcome to Harry's board....cogido. Fasten your seatbelts, though.

GMG!

[MrAlien]

I'm an alumni of both schools, though I got my undergrad at UNT... being involved with both schools I would not say that SMU alums have more money, rather the school is better at getting money out of their alumni. SMU has a very strong connection with their alumni association, they wine us and dine us, and then out come our check books. I have always been a UNT football fan and make most home games, but that alumni center next to the stadium is a joke, its a tool shed with a bathroom, hardly anyone is ever in there. if you ask me, the school needs to turn the alumni center around on game day, make it a place that every alum wants to visit on game day, free drinks and food, shake hands with former players, and the check books will come out.

[meangreener]

I'm an alumni of both schools, though I got my undergrad at UNT... being involved with both schools I would not say that SMU alums have more money, rather the school is better at getting money out of their alumni. SMU has a very strong connection with their alumni association, they wine us and dine us, and then out come our check books. I have always been a UNT football fan and make most home games, but that alumni center next to the stadium is a joke, its a tool shed with a bathroom, hardly anyone is ever in there. if you ask me, the school needs to turn the alumni center around on game day, make it a place that every alum wants to visit on game day, free drinks and food, shake hands with former players, and the check books will come out.

This is very true.

[meangreenthirteen]

I'm an alumni of both schools, though I got my undergrad at UNT... being involved with both schools I would not say that SMU alums have more money, rather the school is better at getting money out of their alumni. SMU has a very strong connection with their alumni association, they wine us and dine us, and then out come our check books. I have always been a UNT football fan and make most home games, but that alumni center next to the stadium is a joke, its a tool shed with a bathroom, hardly anyone is ever in there. if you ask me, the school needs to turn the alumni center around on game day, make it a place that every alum wants to visit on game day, free drinks and food, shake hands with former players, and the check books will come out.

I think the Alumni Pavilion is pretty cool, but what do I know? I was cut from a different cloth.

[meangreener]

I think the Alumni Pavilion is pretty cool, but what do I know? I was cut from a different cloth.

The alumni pavilion is okay. The problem is, for example, the Coach's Caravan. Free wedding food and you have to pay for drinks. No players for autographs, little exterior publicity on it.

[UNTLifer]

I'm an alumni of both schools, though I got my undergrad at UNT... being involved with both schools I would not say that SMU alums have more money, rather the school is better at getting money out of their alumni. SMU has a very strong connection with their alumni association, they wine us and dine us, and then out come our check books. I have always been a UNT football fan and make most home games, but that alumni center next to the stadium is a joke, its a tool shed with a bathroom, hardly anyone is ever in there. if you ask me, the school needs to turn the alumni center around on game day, make it a place that every alum wants to visit on game day, free drinks and food, shake hands with former players, and the check books will come out.

So true. I love the idea of the alumni pavilion, but they need to correct some issues. For instance, I went in there prior to the Idaho game. It was hotter in there than outside due to the crowd. I would love to see this expanded and enclosed with air conditioning for the games early in the year when the heat can be brutal and then host post game events with possibly a live call-in show or something. There are many that have worked very hard on making the pavilion a success and I applaud their efforts and the work they have put in, but some changes could make this the place to be before and after each home game.

[PlummMeanGreen]

So true. I love the idea of the alumni pavilion, but they need to correct some issues. For instance, I went in there prior to the Idaho game. It was hotter in there than outside due to the crowd. I would love to see this expanded and enclosed with air conditioning for the games early in the year when the heat can be brutal and then host post game events with possibly a live call-in show or something. There are many that have worked very hard on making the pavilion a success and I applaud their efforts and the work they have put in, but some changes could make this the place to be before and after each home game.

Stylish green canopies extended around the perimeter of this facility as to give it more depth ?

(Is there going to be an HOD Bowl announcement today or not)?

[UNTFan23]

Stylish green canopies extended around the perimeter of this facility as to give it more depth ?

(Is there going to be an HOD Bowl announcement today or not)?

You even posted in this thread!