Observation of SMU Students

[jjlovecub]

Here at the airport waiting for my return flight to Tampa. Like I said in an earlier thread we were in a no win situation. This board complains in a win or a loss to SMU. But I did make an interesting observation near the end of the game. During the final drive as USF made its way down the field the USF section was near the end zone where they scored. The entire SMU student fan base overtook our section, getting loud, with the intent of trying to disrupt White and the offense. Were there tons of them - No. But here they were cheering like crazy to get that first win. After we scored a student shook my hand and congratulated us. We talked for a bit. SMU starts a ton of freshman and sophomores like us. Like us they are terrible - we just aren't quite as bad. Yet his outlook and those around him wasn't like those on here. To a man people not this board said 4-5 wins would be success. You don't like how we play or our style and suddenly that isn't good enough. The blame on CWT is relentless despite the youth on this team and doubling our win total. Last I checked CWT didn't fumble the ball, chop block, or DROP pass after pass. To think that with recruiting and the mindset if this team we aren't headed upward is just being a person of instant gratification. These posts of donors won't stand for this and he's lost the locker room are just message board posters being message board posters. I'm NOT in the locker room but there are always players who aren't happy and always some donors who aren't satisfied. Do I like being 4-6 NO. Do I agree with everything CWT does NO. Do I like is style f offense NO. But at the same time I completely disagree that we are worse now then we were at the beginning of CWT and our record backs that up (and I don't care who we beat). We were competitive against Wisconsin and ECU and I think we can beat UCF - last year everyone on here that it was impossible and we almost did. I fully realize I have wasted 15 minutes of my life writing this. We all get frustrated but when I see SMU fans dying for a win and being supportive no matter what (yes I'm sure there are those fans who are like ours) I am thankful that we are in. Better place than SMU, Uconn, Tulane, etc. if we don't make a bowl game next year than Harlan should evaluate and make the decision - Which HE will. But for now to say you are done and not renewing your tickets etc. is not what his team needs. My apologizes for presenting a minority perspective.

[ajusf16]

the only thing I take issue with in that post is that you state it took 15 minutes to write, that seems excessive

[jjlovecub]

the only thing I take issue with in that post is that you state it took 15 minutes to write, that seems excessive

Lol. I stink at typing on an IPAD

[charsibb]

interviewing one student is an incredibly small sample size to generalize from

 

I guarantee you DMU has tons of fans and boosters that are far worse than what you've seen on here - the only difference is you haven't seen it.

 

After all, SMU has MUCH more history than we do, and expectations are VERY high.

 

Which school fired their hugely famous football midseason for incompetence? Oh yeah, that was SMU.

[Triple B]

Excellent post, jj .... Although I do believe even iPads have a Return button for that paragraph break, don't they?

I've got a pic of those SMU students you were talking about. Didn't even think about the angle of trying to disrupt us. I thought they moved to rush the field when they won

[raptorcj]

Those were the "good" fans you got to talk to, the die-hards. That stadium looked pretty empty, a lot of their fans have gone as many of ours have. We still have some die hards too, who probably would have congratulated SMU had the situation been reversed. It's just that many if not most of the fans are frustrated beyond recovery and have to be lured back in with wins.

 

Kudos to you guys for making that trip to Dallas, I'm sure you're glad you stuck it out!

[Bulls1181]

good stuff JJ

 

4 or 5 wins was a fair prediction this year.... 

[Leviathan]

[slick1ru2]

SMU is willing to fork out $32 million for a HC. I wish we were in their position.

 

And no one, not even the USF administration is happy with Taggart.

[NCBull]

Good OP and perspective. If it were only the players' execution on the field I wouldn't be concerned much. But the strange decisions with QB rotation, starters, and game execution (like running on 3rd and goal at the end of the game with no TOs left) are what trouble me.

I'll keep watching and supporting. But if this is progress....well, it's Evolutionary slow.