SMU article

[Santiago]

Good article about SMU, and their alumni. We have heard about their money etc and the famous alumni are listed in this article, who met to get SMU into a power conference and foot the lost TV revenue.

But what is interesting to me is the article talks about their committee of sorts, and how they gathered in 2022 with a purpose and plan to get SMU in a P5 /P4 conference.
It mentions Lashley is part of their Vision 2025 planning, and how they are ahead of schedule.

Smart people. I do imagine they want their say in it all, but they had to develop a plan to get SMU into a P4, and a plan for success.

I am out of the loop on MSU planning and leadership, but do we have that type of planning with alumni?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/smu-s-billionaire-donors-propelled-mustangs-from-aac-to-cfp/ar-AA1vAUvx?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=d3bc308b964547ac81aac7c2ea3f5328&ei=94

[StarkVegasSteve]

Good article about SMU, and their alumni. We have heard about their money etc and the famous alumni are listed in this article, who met to get SMU into a power conference and foot the lost TV revenue.

But what is interesting to me is the article talks about their committee of sorts, and how they gathered in 2022 with a purpose and plan to get SMU in a P5 /P4 conference.
It mentions Lashley is part of their Vision 2025 planning, and how they are ahead of schedule.

Smart people. I do imagine they want their say in it all, but they had to develop a plan to get SMU into a P4, and a plan for success.

I am out of the loop on MSU planning and leadership, but do we have that type of planning with alumni?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/smu-s-billionaire-donors-propelled-mustangs-from-aac-to-cfp/ar-AA1vAUvx?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=d3bc308b964547ac81aac7c2ea3f5328&ei=94

We do but we don't have a rolodex of alumni who are worth 9 figures and above. SMU raised 100 million dollars in 7 DAYS last year. 7. One Week. 168 hours. It would take us at least 8-12 months to raise that amount of capital. And I'm saying this as a person who lives in Dallas, the money that is in Highland Park and on that campus would make your head spin. Range Rovers are like Nissan Altimas.

[Santiago]

We do but we don't have a rolodex of alumni who are worth 9 figures and above. SMU raised 100 million dollars in 7 DAYS last year. 7. One Week. 168 hours. It would take us at least 8-12 months to raise that amount of capital. And I'm saying this as a person who lives in Dallas, the money that is in Highland Park and on that campus would make your head spin. Range Rovers are like Nissan Altimas.

Oh I agree, and thankful that my business is based in TX. It is different than anywhere in the US.
I started with zero and built it to a good sized company. I don't think I could have done this anywhere else.

They money is impressive, but that mention in the article about their Vision 2025, had me wondering what do we have like that.
Do we have a group that has a vision and goal for us other than "just beat ole miss and get to a bowl game". After Arnett took over for Coach Leach, and seeing the meddling and division the following year, I am a little disheartened if we have those type of smart guys in the room.

Being a billionaire or deca millionaire also means those guys, have some pragmatic planning ability.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Oh I agree, and thankful that my business is based in TX. It is different than anywhere in the US.
I started with zero and built it to a good sized company. I don't think I could have done this anywhere else.

They money is impressive, but that mention in the article about their Vision 2025, had me wondering what do we have like that.
Do we have a group that has a vision and goal for us other than "just beat ole miss and get to a bowl game".

Well Cohen's vision was See How Much I Can Move to Baseball Without People Noticing. Our Master Plan has had to undergo some changes due to the house settlement but should be released in the coming months. Selmon had to undo a lot of crap when he took over.

[Santiago]

Well Cohen's vision was See How Much I Can Move to Baseball Without People Noticing. Our Master Plan has had to undergo some changes due to the house settlement but should be released in the coming months. Selmon had to undo a lot of crap when he took over.

That is why Cohen was the smartest guy in any room ***
But also, a reflection of our decision makers that hired him, at least in my opinion. How do you not know the guy for what he is , as our baseball coach for years. It is not like we hired him for elsewhere and discovered deficiencies once he got here.

I am familiar with the final selection processes for AD at that time, and the other couple of candidates, but even then we were not looking at G5 for rising stars.

My comments might be harsh, being a back seat driver today, but I cannot see these SMU alumni, including a Virginia governor, saying "yeah, lets hire that know it all baseball coach because he played here and is one of us"

[Coursesuper]

Now SMU can play the game as they once did and legally to not get the death penalty for it.

[Santiago]

Now SMU can play the game as they once did and legally to not get the death penalty for it.

And not have TX and A&M, who were playing the game, no longer be able to turn them in.

[DDawg]

not to detour into baseball stuff too much but I really dont think we should put any more into it from any nil funds or university money until they can sell season tickets to the average person, tickets where you dont have to either 1. stand all game or 2. run to the berm like a bunch of penned up animals. If they cant build a stadium where a new graduate or someone whose family hasnt been buying season tickets since 1942 can say hey I think im going to buy a few seats for my family this year then let all the existing season tix holders go ahead and foot the bill for everything in the meantime. Dont make the only way to watch miss state baseball like a normal human be that you have to pay secondary every game you wanna go to on seat geek.

[Pancho]

and raise the charge for the lounge as well.

[Coach34]

We do but we don't have a rolodex of alumni who are worth 9 figures and above. SMU raised 100 million dollars in 7 DAYS last year. 7. One Week. 168 hours. It would take us at least 8-12 months to raise that amount of capital. And I'm saying this as a person who lives in Dallas, the money that is in Highland Park and on that campus would make your head spin. Range Rovers are like Nissan Altimas.

I think my ex is the only SMU grad in the world that doesnt make 6 figures.

[Coach34]

not to detour into baseball stuff too much but I really dont think we should put any more into it from any nil funds or university money until they can sell season tickets to the average person, tickets where you dont have to either 1. stand all game or 2. run to the berm like a bunch of penned up animals. If they cant build a stadium where a new graduate or someone whose family hasnt been buying season tickets since 1942 can say hey I think im going to buy a few seats for my family this year then let all the existing season tix holders go ahead and foot the bill for everything in the meantime. Dont make the only way to watch miss state baseball like a normal human be that you have to pay secondary every game you wanna go to on seat geek.

Thats just the way it is for us in baseball. We had people commit big to it in the 1980's and they kept the seats in the family. It's that way with Bama football and Kentucky basketball.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I think my ex is the only SMU grad in the world that doesnt make 6 figures.

Well in fairness to her, there are probably more than a few SMU grads that do not. However, they all married ones that make 7 or 8 figures.

[Santiago]

Well in fairness to her, there are probably more than a few SMU grads that do not. However, they all married ones that make 7 or 8 figures.

To add to that about marrying ....we are friends with a family, and their son is a professional soccer player in the US. Young guy maybe 20.
Dating a girl that is currently at SMU.

[DDawg]

Thats just the way it is for us in baseball. We had people commit big to it in the 1980's and they kept the seats in the family. It's that way with Bama football and Kentucky basketball.

Yeah no problem with that at all but the families should be the ones donating 100% of all nil related funds to baseball, it shouldnt come from anywhere else.

Also its kinda funny to compare our baseball with kentucky bball (8 nattys ) and bama football (18-ish nattys), maybe LSU baseball could be compared to those programs ( they also have a raffle type system btw )

Also Kentucky has a raffle for season tix ( maybe theyll start raffling off starting spots in the berm derby, i think raffling off lounge trailers ( the worst offenders of the baseball gatekeeping btw ) every year would make more sense though )

[StarkVegasSteve]

To add to that about marrying ....we are friends with a family, and their son is a professional soccer player in the US. Young guy maybe 20.
Dating a girl that is currently at SMU.

Smart guy right there. If soccer doesn't work out, they probably have her trust fund to fall back on. The money on that campus is STUPID. There's more G-Wagons on that campus than they are G-Wagons in the entire state of MS

[Santiago]

Smart guy right there. If soccer doesn't work out, they probably have her trust fund to fall back on. The money on that campus is STUPID. There's more G-Wagons on that campus than they are G-Wagons in the entire state of MS

I am jealous of their Basketball arena. I think you mentioned, that would have been a good setup for us.

SMU is now going to be a big player in football.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I am jealous of their Basketball arena. I think you mentioned, that would have been a good setup for us.

SMU is now going to be a big player in football.

Their arena is what we should've done. We obviously would've had to expound on the design a bit because we have 2x the number of students they do, but the way they had the set up was first class. Nice cushioned chairs in the lower level opposite the benches, student sections on both ends and at midcourt behind the bench, and luxury boxes up top. Also had a really nice and large club level on the end, much nicer and larger than ours.

[Coach34]

Yeah no problem with that at all but the families should be the ones donating 100% of all nil related funds to baseball, it shouldnt come from anywhere else.

Also its kinda funny to compare our baseball with kentucky bball (8 nattys ) and bama football (18-ish nattys), maybe LSU baseball could be compared to those programs ( they also have a raffle type system btw )

Also Kentucky has a raffle for season tix ( maybe theyll start raffling off starting spots in the berm derby, i think raffling off lounge trailers ( the worst offenders of the baseball gatekeeping btw ) every year would make more sense though )

oh its downright criminal how Polk underperformed with the facilities and advantages he had in the old days. Us not having 3-4 Nattys in baseball is ridiculous.

[Coach34]

Well in fairness to her, there are probably more than a few SMU grads that do not. However, they all married ones that make 7 or 8 figures.

her roommate from SMU is a big exec with AT&T. Her and her ex-husband's house in Dallas they purchased years ago was from none other than Cowboy Danny White himself.

To be fair- if my ex was in a bigger city like Dallas she would pull 6 figures.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Our arena is bad. I don't care how many wings they build off the side of it.

[parabrave]

SMU has real oil money and all those big buildings owned by Lawyers in Dallas well guess where they went. My cousin is one of them. Just drive up Inwood and see those mega mansions, guess where they went to school/ And how they act well just think "Dallas".

[StarkVegasSteve]

SMU has real oil money and all those big buildings owned by Lawyers in Dallas well guess where they went. My cousin is one of them. Just drive up Inwood and see those mega mansions, guess where they went to school/

Moving out here and just seeing the absolutely insane amount of money just in that area is incredible. Go to ole BankerDog's favorite place in Dallas, Highland Park Village, and it's something to see. Ferraris and Lamborghini are like Nissans and Chevrolets in Highland Colony.

[parabrave]

Moving out here and just seeing the absolutely insane amount of money just in that area is incredible. Go to ole BankerDog's favorite place in Dallas, Highland Park Village, and it's something to see. Ferraris and Lamborghini are like Nissans and Chevrolets in Highland Colony.

And just like the movies about their competition they all try to outdo each other. Get them to give more money for football than their club buddies then they will do it.

[TheLostDawg]

not to detour into baseball stuff too much but I really dont think we should put any more into it from any nil funds or university money until they can sell season tickets to the average person, tickets where you dont have to either 1. stand all game or 2. run to the berm like a bunch of penned up animals. If they cant build a stadium where a new graduate or someone whose family hasnt been buying season tickets since 1942 can say hey I think im going to buy a few seats for my family this year then let all the existing season tix holders go ahead and foot the bill for everything in the meantime. Dont make the only way to watch miss state baseball like a normal human be that you have to pay secondary every game you wanna go to on seat geek.

I feel the same. that's why I stopped sending my nil money there. Until I get seats, I won't send a dollar that way.

[SPMT]

We do but we don't have a rolodex of alumni who are worth 9 figures and above. SMU raised 100 million dollars in 7 DAYS last year. 7. One Week. 168 hours. It would take us at least 8-12 months to raise that amount of capital. And I'm saying this as a person who lives in Dallas, the money that is in Highland Park and on that campus would make your head spin. Range Rovers are like Nissan Altimas.

I also don?t think our alumni that have been in the club for decades is very inclusive of new members. Meaning, there?s not much in the way of cohesion or definitive desire to recruit new money into the club. It?s not their job either. It?s the BDC and other group?s responsibility to do that.

[The Federalist Engineer]

SMU is my graduate school after MSU. My employer was willing to pay for any university at any price. So SMU for Masters. Then Princeton for another masters degree.

SMU is basically perfect for NIL. They have everything except a big stadium and a local fan base for big gameday atmosphere. They may need to play at the Cowboy's Stadium to generate an SEC atmosphere. Being a private school in the most beautiful suburb in Dallas Texas is a challenge of sorts. In a horrible and dirty city like Tuscaloosa, Baton Rouge, Norman, or Tucson you just need to remove lepers, crackheads, dive bars, and pawnshops for more parking lots.

The other issue for SMU is that Dallas is a Pro Town. Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks, and Stars. The other issue is Texas and Texas A&M claim Dallas too. Even TCU (Fort Worth) and Oklahoma try to claim Dallas.

The schools that resurrected SMU could hurt are Arkansas, Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State in the immediate Southwest for Regional recruiting. Moms and Dads will love Highland Park far more than Norman or Fayetteville. In terms of mercenary kids, they could steal the Ole Miss NIL kids and the NIL kids that Colorado and Miami would want. Mustang alumni can easily out-compete Colorado, Ole Miss, and Miami.

[WinningIsRelentless]

I think my ex is the only SMU grad in the world that doesnt make 6 figures.

Is this surprising considering she?s your ex??? You walked into that one man.