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Spotlight on Spirit
What ever happened to the spirit of SMU’s football heyday?Fact is, say most alums, SMU football has never really had ahistory of school spirit.
Blythe Larson, a 1980 alum, recalled, during her years at SMU,there was never a significant crowd at games.
“They were never sold out. I remember thinking, why do weplay out games in the Cotton Bowl? We could probably fill theold stadium on campus.”
Bruce Meyer, a 1974 SMU alum, said, “People didn’tgo to games because we weren’t winning. We’d be playingat Texas Stadium with probably only 5,000 people in the stands. Itwas like that until Dickerson and James came along,” hesaid.
The Pony Express emerged in the mid ‘80s and for a fewbittersweet years, SMU made regular appearances in postseason bowlgames. The team played against other teams that had regionalrelevance such as UT, A&M, Arkansas and Baylor.
Chris Anderson, a sports marketing professor and a 1988 alum,described the Mustang team as a powerhouse.
“Our team was among the best in the nation everyseason,” he said. “We had several players go on to playin the NFL, including guys who earned All-Pro honors. There was asense of pride,” he said.
But that short-lived school spirit was crushed when SMU receivedthe death penalty in 1987. Since then the SMU football team hasstruggled, putting a definite damper on school spirit that is stillapparent today.
The Death Penalty
SMU is not the only college football team suspected of cheating,but the university does have the dubious distinction as the first— and only — school to ever get the death penalty. Thatdrastic punishment had never before been used against a collegefootball team, nor has it since. The only other team to come closeto getting the death penalty was the University of Alabama in2002.
In 1987, 21 Mustang players allegedly received approximately$61,000 in cash payments, with the assistance of athleticsdepartment staff members and from booster funds. The paymentsranged from $50 to $725 per month, or players were paid for a”Play for pay.”
As Anderson described, “Of course, it was a littleembarrassing. At the same time, there was a sense that we managedto ‘bend the rules’ better than anyone in the historyof college football. Also, we felt we’d been picked on— the small private school versus the big state schools likeUT, Tech, and A&M. You also got the feeling that schools likeBaylor were looking down their noses at us — ‘thecheaters’.”
The major penalties included: two-year bowl cancellation,two-year TV ban, cancellation of the ‘87 season, limit ofseven games (all on road) during ‘88 season, loss of threeassistant coaching positions for two years and the loss of 55 newscholarships over four years. NCAA also allowed SMU players totransfer without sitting out one season, per standardrequirement.
The sanctions destroyed the program so that SMU canceled the‘88 season and didn’t play again until ‘89.
Alan Williams, a member of the NCAA committee on infraction,told ESPN, “Did they gain a competitive advantage by whatthey did? The answer is unequivocally yes. Was that advantageextraordinary? The answer is yes. Was this done knowingly? And theanswer is yes, when they were on probation.”
Anderson also speculated as to why SMU was made an example.
” A lot of it was politics,” he said.”There’s no way a tiny private school like SMU can beatup on big state schools. I think a lot of UT and A&M alums wereangry with SMU beating up on their schools. Cheating in collegefootball was rampant at the time. Without question, the NCAA had toset an example. After they stood back and assessed the damage ithad done, I think they said, ‘Wow. That absolutely destroyedeverything. We won’t do that again.'”
According to ESPN, in 2000 SMU violated NCAA rules again when anassistant coach allegedly devised a scheme to have a student takethe ACT test for a prospect. The coach was also accused of giving$650 to players. SMU lost more privileges, though the NCAA did notconsider SMU’s “death penalty” case from 1987because that was deemed as too long ago.
The new penalties included a limit of 21 new recruits that couldbe signed for each of two years (down from usual maximum of 25) anda reduction in the permitted allotment of official campus visits bypotential prospects.
“They didn’t mess with scholarships, or televisionor bowl games or anything like that. That’s what’simportant to recruits,” then-coach Mike Cavan said toESPN.
Taking the Pony by the Ears
The SMU administration has been working on boosting spirit at afever pitch this season, according to Shawn Heilbron, AssociateAthletic Director of Sales and Marketing at SMU. Last May hisdepartment created a committee of students, donors, staff membersand former athletes, to look at ways to increase attendance.
“We had a Football Attendance Committee (as we informallycalled it) that convened regularly from February to May this pastspring. This is such a critical issue on our campus,”Hellibron said. “My pitch to students in particular is tocome be a part of the process — gather with friends, cheerfor your school, help provide the team with energy and create ahome-field advantage for SMU by being loud and getting involved inthe game.”
The committee activated “Red Shirt Fridays”prompting student organizations to urge students to wear red shirtson Fridays before each game. To encourage stronger student turnoutat the stadium, student-only giveaways are planned during thehalftime show at every home game. During the week of home games aninflatable helmet will be exhibited at the flagpole to increaseawareness among the students.
“Many SMU students come from out of state, and they growup cheering for another school. In other words, those students donot come here as SMU fans, but rather LSU fans or Texas fans. Thereare also so many entertainment options in Dallas that are availableto students. As a result we believe we have to get more studentsinvolved in what we are doing so that we can build a connectionwith them so they want to come to the games.”
The committee is attempting to transform SMU students into SMUfans by establishing an area for students to trade in hats thatbear the sign of another schools logo for an SMU hat. The committeehas launched programs such as “Move-In Day,””Storm the Dorm” and “Locker Room Mixers”to connect players with the student body that would encourage astronger relationship between students and players to promoteattendance.
Support from student organization
SMU Greeks agree that with 47 percent of females and 34 percentof males involved in a social Greek organization, it is clear theycould play a pivotal role in rejuvenating SMU spirit.
Fraternity and sorority members will be the first to admit thatthey don’t go to most games, citing lack of excitement orwins as the reason.
“It is hard to watch a game if you know your team is goingto lose,” said Sigma Chi President Harris Bristol, whosefeelings are common among Greek societies these days.
Ranked in the bottom three out of 117 teams last year inDivision One football, it is understandable why SMU’s Greekaffiliated students don’t have high spirits or attendanceduring football season.
“We have just had our 15th consecutive loss; we are nowtwo shy away from taking the lead. That’s not something SMUshould be proud about,” said Kappa Alpha Theta PresidentWhitney Sprague.
On SMU game days, tents, chairs and people flood the centralarea of Bishop Boulevard. The north end of the Boulevard is coveredwith Greek letters and flags. “The boulevard is ablast,” said Sprague. “We just need to figure out a wayto extend the fun of the boulevard into the stadium.”
Greeks have issues leaving the social atmosphere to enter thestadium gates where alcohol is not permitted. “They eithershould allow drinking at the games or be able to win,” saidformer rush chair Danny Nystrom. “You don’t need bothbut at least one of the two helps.
According to Student Body President Chip Hiemenz, “Greeksare a big part of the Boulevard, we need to work on getting them tothe stadium.” Hiemenz, a member of the Pi Kappa Alphafraternity, has established a committee to help fans and spiritback to the stadium.
Bristol noted that Greek students support the idea of drummingup more football spirit, but aren’t sure how.”Rekindling SMU spirit is an achievable goal,” he said,”it is just going to take some effort from the studentbody.”
Many students not affiliated with any social Greek organizationare involved with other organizations, such service-basedfraternity Alpha Phi Omega.
“I think it is important to want representation from allorganizations at both the tailgate and the game,” said seniorStefanie Gama, a member of APO. “If organizations were giventhe chance to show some pride and represent their group bycompeting for highest attendance or most school spirit,” shecontinued, “then maybe more organizations would make it apoint to attend games.”
Senior Juan Ramirez, a member of business fraternity Delta SigmaPi, said, “If there was some good entertainment, like aconcert during half-time or following the game, people would showup to the games even though the football team may not win. Thereneeds to be other incentives to go to the games.”
Junior Kia Gray, who is not affiliated with a Greekorganization, said “just because I don’t belong to asorority or doesn’t mean I have any less spirit. Greek ornot, student senate or not, everyone seems to have the same amountof school spirit, which is non-existent.”
Some SMU students prefer the Dallas nightlife to attendingfootball games on Saturday evenings. Mahiely Zurita, a member ofthe SMU Italian Club, explained that, “Dallas has so manyoptions that going to a football game where we know we are going tolose is not an option we want to take.”
Senior Jamarque Briscoe said, “I go to about two games ayear,” said senior Jamarque Briscoe, who listed the homeopener and Homecoming as his only trips to Ford Stadium. “Igo for the social factor, not the football,” he continued.”I talk more to my friends during those games instead ofactually watching. It’s really hard to rally behind a teamwho won’t rally behind themselves.”
What Players and Coaches Say
Nike’s slogan “Winning is everything” provesto be true for many SMU football players and coaches. Winning andfans go hand in hand — without one, do not expect the other.Most SMU football players say the disappearance of SMU’sfootball spirit directly results from their win-loss record.
In fact, some players said they feel embarrassed after losingand are often surprised by any show of support following aparticularly dramatic loss.
“I don’t think that SMU students lack spirit,”said junior defensive back Alvin Nnabuife, “it’s just areason to get excited.”
Several members of the team suggest pep rallies to create moreinteraction between the players and the student body beforegames.
“If SMU were to play more teams in Texas,” saidjunior quarterback Ashton Nixon, “more people would come tothe games because people would not have to travel as far and theteams would be more well-known.”
Whatever the solution, SMU students and administrators agreethey need to put their ideas into action.
“I think it’s time for SMU to get back into thegame,” Professor Adams said. “What are we waitingfor?”