TCU coach Gary Patterson took offense to a compliment that the good guys’ coach, June (now October) Jones, made after the Pony victory in Cowtown. Too bad Patterson’s team didn’t play better defense that day. There has always been this dislike among many in Cowtown for high-falluting Dallasites while the many Dallasites, I know, have nothing but good things to say about the town I live in, Fort Worth. An iconic barbecue joint has its employees wear T-shirts daily that say,

“Life is Too Short to Live in Dallas.” Hmm..Dallasites might agree, seeing as many of them don’t live in “Dallas” either, having settled in Highland Park, University Park, Plano and summering in Aspen or Taos. TCU would be smart to take SMU with them into the Big 12, seeing as how natural the rivalry is and how large the Dallas TV market is. It’s not like we aren’t competitive with the Frogs! Actually, life is too short to bitch about Dallas.

Of all the books you will read this year, textbooks or for pleasure, the one book any student or alum should read was written by an SMU alum himself, Bob Beaudine, entitled, “The Power of Who.” Some alums might find themselves out of work right now or not happy with the work they are doing.

While students aren’t overly concerned about their future job prospects, despite a 9 percent unemployment rate, Beaudine’s book is a must-read for anyone who seeks their “dream job” or is simply trying to advance themselves in any area in which they wish to succeed. What you learn in all the textbooks you will ever read pales in comparison to the lessons that you can glean from this short, entertaining and strategically informative read. I don’t know that I’ve ever needed to know what H2So4 stands for since I left campus.

If you’re an alum, I’d read this one before I’d hire a headhunter or head to yet another networking happy hour.

There’s the old saying, “It’s not what you know but who you know.” Touche! You need to know some folks. Boudine’s methods take this to modern day with a more focused, specific course on how to make in roads into where you want to be. Beaudine says, “Everyone you need to know you already know.” I’ve been a stockbroker for 26 years and I sort of knew that but “The Power of Who” has cemented that. As someone who prospects constantly for new business, I found myself calling on people I didn’t know and who didn’t know me while failing to call on people who already liked and trusted me and who were willing to help — if only I’d let them know that. I’d been stepping over quarters in order to pick up a nickel.

Students, you can submit e-mail applications or show up for the on-campus interviews when it comes time to get a job.

Or, you can read Bob’s book and potentially save a lot of time and frustration and circumvent that. It might be the difference in being like BOB Beaudine instead of JETHRO Bodine. The wealth of your campus colleagues or alumni buddies is waiting for you.

Rick Larson, the Alumni Guy, is a 1982 graduate of SMU as well as a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He has been a stockbroker/investment banker for 26 years. He can be reached for comment at [email protected]