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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/13/2011 in all areas

  1. I'm so tired of endless conference realignment discussions. What did we ever discuss during the offseason before that? I'm ready for some football!!! I can't wait for my UH Coogs to play at UNT! I lived in Denton for several years and have lived in Providence Village for even more now. Living so close to UNT and being a hardcore college football fan, I follow UNT a little more than the casual college fan. I went to the UNT-Rice game at Fouts and had a great time. It will be even better at the new stadium with my team playing in it. Hopefully I'll make some other UNT games this season too. I've been to games at smaller, older stadiums like Fouts. I've been to giant stadiums like UT's and aTm's. I've been to games involving my team and games where I had no affiliation at all. I've been to games in beautiful weather in crowded stadiums and games during hurricanes with a few hundred people in an emergency stadium relocation. And I've loved them all, even if I didn't always enjoy the results because my team lost. In my opinion, if you can't enjoy any college game in any stadium, you're just not a college football fan. I'm sure we'll talk more about the actual game itself as it gets closer, but I was just bored during the offseason and thought I'd check in here. Looking forward to talking more on this forum and seeing you in at least one game. This post has been promoted to an article
    6 points
  2. no problem with the raise for JJ and staff but in return I do expect better .500 record in Sun Belt Play and not getting beat by 20 at SHSU.
    6 points
  3. He should watch his turns in and around Albuquerque. Seems to be a common mistake.
    4 points
  4. Have we considered an "Anti-Hall of Fame Forum"? Because I have a nomination...
    3 points
  5. I think LoveMG is talking more to the point that unless you're already involved in going to games and events, that the athletics department is nearly invisible. I'm 15 miles from the school, and the only marketing I've seen is a rotating ad on the digital billboard in Lake Dallas for the new stadium. I'm not a marketing person so I can't really say what the fix is, but it always feels like the marketing/promotions department operates more on a "let them come to us" approach than a "let's go get them" approach.
    2 points
  6. the reference about double travel was for alums driving from the metroplex not those living in denton. if there is no student interest in the football teams progress then the athletic department has a bigger problem. maybe hire another 10 promoters that do nothing? the weather should help attendance.
    2 points
  7. Don't the normal forums already qualify for that?
    2 points
  8. I can speak for mine. She's optimistic. Personally, I am relieved.
    2 points
  9. I don't know if I'd call Ruston, Jonesboro and Lafayette "attractive". They are dumps.
    2 points
  10. So, the bride and I drive by the Love Shack last evening and see that it is, indeed open for business in Denton. Today we decide to go back and give it a try. After getting home from refereeing three games and getting cleaned up we head down to the Love Shack. get there about 2:15pm on Saturday afternoon. There is a short wait for a table (the place is not all that big), so we grab a couple of beers ($3.00/each), and in about 10 minutes we are shown to our table. A guy is playing the guitar and singing so it is not a quiet place, but the vibe in the place is great. Really nice interior and a nice (but smallish patio). The inside can be open like a patio as it is enclosed by two large garage type doors. One was open so it was pretty much an open air palce...pretty cool. So, i order the Love burger (without the quail egg) but all the trimmings otherwise. The bride gets the fish sandwich and we share a large order of what they call fries...very interesting fries...thing and crispy. I was afraid after seeing them on other tables that they would be more like potato chips...nope...in fact very tasty. The burgers are cooked medium...that's the way you get 'em like it or not. I usually like medium rare, but I have to say the burger was great as cooked. Very good beef with a great flavor...the "Love Sauce" and the pickles are different and very good. The bride liked her fish sandwich very much and I grabbed a bite of the fish...grilled nicely...great flavor. Didn't ask what kind of fish, but a white and mild fish (probably talapia or something similar). We had a beer each on the lunch tab (already paid for the beers while waiting on the table), the Love burger with bacon, the fish sandwich and a large order of fries to share...total tab including tip was $26.76! Not bad at all for a very nice late lunch...neat place, good music (even tipped the guy playing...he really was that good). Neat thing was that Tim Love was in the kitchen doing some cooking and teaching i would imagine, so I asked our waiter to see if he would sign our ticket receipt for us...he did...it says "Eat, Drink and Live Well! Tim Love 2011"...pretty nice of him as the place was busy and he was obviously still in the training mode with a very new staff. I have to say that while the service was not "lightening speed", we were very happy about that as we got to relax, enjoy our beers and listen to some good music. We both thought that, for a new place still in the training mode, everyone did a great job. So, give it a try and see what you think. We will definitely retun...on Tuesdays...or was it Thursdays...you can get 5 Pabst Blue Ribbon beers for $5.00...or Schlitz...but Schlitz is pretty much a skunky beer in my opinion. Now Pabst, that's a classic...heck for a $1.00 a beer I pretty much don't care! Ha! There you have it...straight from the brand new Denton's very own "Love Shack". On my next visit i will ask if they will join the Mean green Club!
    1 point
  11. Green P1, don't know you but from reading your postings over a period of time I gather you are not having a particularly enjoyable "Mean Green Life". Too bad - in our recent history (by using that terminology I am referring to the last 10 years or so although I personally go back 41 years with this university) we have come a long way, baby!
    1 point
  12. That is a chance I am willing to take. Your "actual knowledge" generally consists of backhanded comments, false information, Pony wishes, and a large steaming pile of Pony dung....
    1 point
  13. It's what it is. I like Franklin, always have, but SMU doesn't even have a ship. I don't have an axe to grind, cause I have no idea how this all plays out, nor do I believe SMU cares. What I do know is that SMU, w/o a ship, still managed to put their foot in it, at least to a degree. Franklin is a good player, hope you get him.
    1 point
  14. I would say she is along more for the ride to make sure that Valleyboy stays out of trouble.
    1 point
  15. OK, so have you been to the last few spring games? How many students did you see attending? I've been going to spring games each chance I get for over 20 years and never has, in my memory, there been any sizable student turnout. I also have to say that your comment about the "10 promoters doing nothing" is a bit out of line. The folks I know who have taken on those jobs seem to me to be working their rear ends off. I see them everywhere and they are going all over the metroplex talking with donors and potential donors. Maybe they have missed an opportunity or two that you have attended or missed a call or two, but I am most happy with the help and support I am getting from them with the Mean Green Rep program (a program UNT never had before they initiated it based on what some of these folks had seen at other universities), the events I have helped to sponsor, the stadium tours, the personal meetings with folks I have referred to them, their working the crowds at the basketball games (first time I have ever seen that happen), the work in the Mean Green Room and pavilion at Fouts, their helping with our Alumni Chapter Mixers (attending and supplying promo items). I understand that this is just from my perspective and you are certainly welcome to your opinion which are based on circumstances other than mine I am certain, but I respectively do think your "do nothing" comment was a bit over the top. These folks are working long hours and sometimes seven days a week. Do you not recall Mandy???? That was the prime example of "do nothing". I think we have upgraded that work area as much as the coaching staffs and facilities in recent days. Just my opinion...not trying to pick a spat here.
    1 point
  16. I thought Athletics took on the "Mean Green" nickname as a tip of the hat to the "We Mean Green" UNT sustainable living initiative.
    1 point
  17. A little less Satanic, a little more arena league.
    1 point
  18. Who has this team played? Just cause he's here now don't make him the best. I'm tired of street ball... Where's the defense? We need to be demanding an NCAA birth every year. Hell, we need to be demanding a 1st/2nd round win every other year. Learn your history.
    1 point
  19. Oh great. When was the last time we hired a coach with true division one experience, upgraded our facilities, or made a serious contract extension offer to lock down a coach that has taken a program to unprecedented success and elevated the expectations of its fans? Wake me up when this Athletic Department gets serious about being big time.
    1 point
  20. Thought it would be an interesting time to talk about this since Coach Jones and staff just got a sizable raise, Coach Aston is being brought in after firing Stephens, and of course Coach Mac and his staff were brought in a few months ago. The past couple completed years ('08 and '09), the budget has hovered right around $17.1 million. The student athletics fee goes into effect for the Fall '11 semester. Using the 2009-10 fact book and extrapolating those percentages out to three semesters (Fall '10, Spring '11, and Summer '10), I came up with these numbers. One caveat is that the fact book lists hours in the way of 15+, 12-14, 9-11, etc. For 15 I capped at that since that's the most hours where the fee can be applied. For numbers like 12-14, I picked 13, 9-11 I picked 10, and so on. This is only an educated guess, and may be more or less depending on the enrollment numbers... 2008-2009: $17,184,137 2009-2010: $17,105,046 2010-2011: Not yet reported *2011-2012: $24,031,292 *projected Quite a leap. Obviously half of the new fee will be going towards paying the stadium. I don't know exactly how much the maintenance and operations cost on Fouts were vs. the new facility, but I think saying we have an extra $3.45m for general athletics use wouldn't be too far off. Optimistically, so far about $875k of the $3.45 has been spent. $80k boost for JJ, $500k boost for football assistants, $290k more for Mac than Dodge. These numbers don't include: buyout for Stephens, however much more Coach Aston and her assistants might make, and the salary boost for JJ's assistants. They also don't include any boosts we might receive due to the new stadium from increased MGC membership, higher giving, increased attendance, or increased/decreased conference revenue. Anyways, just bored and happy that we're finally moving into an acceptable budget range. Still a ways to go for a school of our size, but it's already making a huge, tangible difference with the coaches and facilities. Now the next step should be a tangible difference with marketing and promotions which are nearly non-existent outside the campus borders. Here's the math behind it for those interested This post has been promoted to an article
    1 point
  21. Outstanding research and development here. 1st Prize.
    1 point
  22. I think 5 years, not 7, would have been more prudent, but not that big of a deal in the overall scheme of things.
    1 point
  23. Sounds like a wonderful post for the SMU board. Why don't you go over there... and stay.
    1 point
  24. Put yourself in JJ's shoes. You arrived in 2001 to rebuild the Trilli mess, and slowly put together a pretty solid winning program that the entire school can be proud of. You just got finished pulling in quite possibly the best recruiting class this school has seen (including Mitchell). Your peers have less to show for their products than you do and are making more money than you, and have longer job security. UNT offers you a 3 year deal, which is a shorter term than some of your inferior peers, for $X (x= comparable to your peers pay). Would this indicate to you that the University is looking out for you? I believe I would start getting my resume ready. Or, UNT offers you a 7 year deal for $X. This would indicate to me: "Hey, we believe in you and think you're better than your inferior peers. We want you around for a very long time. And oh, by the way, if you meet X+Y+Z, you'll get even more money!" Business-wise, this makes perfect sense. You must pay to keep your top talent. I would say the same for coach Hedlund. At this point, the probability of JJ getting picked off by a bigger school is much greater than the probability of JJ flopping and the AD needing to buy out his contract.
    1 point
  25. I didn't need to see the guy taking a shower.
    1 point
  26. Aren't moderators supposed to protect us from duplicate threads?
    1 point
  27. I'm not sure what her life goals are, but she did say "I don't plan on telling another group of girls I'm leaving ever again." Both of her parents were at the press conference as well. It seems like home is very important to her, and it seems like moving closer to home is more important to her than moving up the food chain. Also not sure how important her alma mater is to her, but she is a graduate of UALR, which would be even closer to her family...I'm just thrilled we managed to get her. As far as the team, I think we will see immediate results. They aren't going to win the conference or anything in the first year, but there is some talent on the team, and if we had had any coaching at all this year we could have been middle of the pack SBC.
    1 point
  28. James Ivy was my football coach in Sanger. He was a heck of a coach!
    1 point
  29. Needless to say, I was at that game. Attendance was not as good as it should have been, but I think that 662 number is not accurate at all. Local media does all it can to ignore us here, thus the fan base is not good. Karen was frustrated even before the game was played by the fact that the Charlotte Observer ran a story on Amanda Butler's return to Charlotte. (Amanda was hired by Florida after coaching here). After the game her comment was "Maybe, they will have a story on us tomorrow". Ya'll turn out and watch Karen's team when possible. She certainly deserves to see her work showcased.
    1 point
  30. Don't get carried away with NT attendance, which would be a fraction of that if not followed by the men's team game. NT could not get close to 600 actual attendance for a stand alone game last year.
    1 point
  31. Good player, probably a good choice. Great fans, lenient academics, hoops school etc. No idea if he'll actually qualify, but albequerque is just awful
    1 point
  32. I'm going to predict major disappointment for you, my friend. As excited as everyone is about coach Mac, he hasn't really had enough time to make an impact that would be noticeable in a scrimmage so I don't know that there's enough to attract a big crowd. Now, if they were unveiling new uniforms/helmets or something...that would do it.
    1 point
  33. I'll be there. I don't know what to expect from attendance, but the athletic department certainly isn't doing anything to help the cause. I wouldn't have even realized it's this weekend without GMG.
    1 point
  34. If Tech asked they would almost certainly be invited. Unless there is a major change there or ULM leaves, they aren't asking. Take a gander at Sagarin. Of returning WAC schools, the highest rated is below two Sun Belt teams. They are losing three top 50 programs and bringing in the second lowest rated Southland school and a school that has never snapped the ball. Look at the RPI. Outside of an outstanding USU program, the WAC is no big prize over the Sun Belt and one of their prize additions our 8th rated team. Women's basketball? Sun Belt put two in the dance, same as the WAC. Tech is rated a little above MTSU and UALR is rated 46 to Fresno's 45 and Fresno is leaving. Volleyball? Western schools are good but the Sun Belt has been a two bid league the last four years. There is also a sport called baseball. Sun Belt is 6th in RPI WAC 17th, the Sun Belt has had multiple teams invited in baseball for 22 consecutive seasons. Hard to see where the Sun Belt / Suck Belt talk comes from when the pesky facts don't back that up if the comparison point is the WAC. Right now the only bowl they are firmly with is Boise and scuttlebutt is that Boise will pull the plug after this year. While the new rule changes have saved the WAC's auto bid in other sports, the changes still leaves the league one short of conference status in football. That means a BCS payment of $100,000 per team ($700,000) rather than the guaranteed minimum of about $1.8 million. It also means that unless the WAC champ finishes ranked #1 or #2 they don't have to be selected by a BCS game because they go into the at-large pool. I don't know why "fans" trash the best league willing to have their school as a member but given the list willing to invite the school, the Sun Belt is pretty clear winner.
    1 point
  35. Really? Would you rather be Baylor, or North Texas right now? Baylor takes it in the seat in the Big 12. We take it from the Sun Belt. Granted, we actually have a shot to rise up in the Sun Belt---but we are now spending enough that we could be competitive in CUSA and/or the MWC.... I'm a build the belt guy, but if a spot opens in CUSA, I'm a leave the belt guy... ...and under no circumstances should we invite UTSA or TSU to the Sun Belt if by inviting LaTech and NMSU we can kill their ability to move up to D1-A/FBS. 10 Texas based FBS schools is enough...for now. Only once it becomes absolutely impossible to stop them moving up should we consider aligning with them. Yes, I realize this approach makes me akin to a dirty smu douchebag.
    1 point
  36. I'd prefer to let La Tech die on the vine that is the WAC since their alumni and supporters are so derogatory regarding the Sun Belt.
    1 point
  37. The best solution would be to add the four eastern-most members of the WAC; La Tech, UTSA, Texas St, and New Mexico St, and put the WAC out of it's misery. Before any of you start moaning and complaining about the possibility of adding two teams moving up to FBS, please consider this: The WAC in it's current desperation mode has not only offered FBS membership to UTSA and Texas St, but WAC Commissioner Karl Benson is also talking to Lamar, Sam Houston, and Stephen F Austin. I believe that the Texas market is already fairly saturated with ten existing FBS schools, and the result of all five of these teams moving up will be far too many teams and too much competition for limited resources. Moving the additional Southland schools up to the FBS is not good for us, and it's not good long-term for the current WAC schools. Eliminating the WAC while bringing these new programs into the Sun Belt will increase the value of the Sun Belt's media package through added markets while eliminating the competition for exposure. West Arkansas State New Mexico St Louisiana North Texas UTSA Texas St La Tech East MTSU Troy Florida Atlantic Florida International UL-Monroe South Alabama Western Kentucky In football this divisional play, roughly divided by the Mississippi River would save most schools enormously on travel costs. A fifteen school basketball conference (including UALR) would give seven home conference games and seven road conference games to each school. The "WKU never has to travel to Denton" issue would be permanently solved. This post has been promoted to an article This post has been promoted to an article
    1 point
  38. I think they're really classy looking.
    1 point
  39. More disliked around here: HoopManX or, though we haven't heard from him in a while... TulsaFaninTexas Some folks here need to simmer down a little. Obviously this guy has connections to the local hoops scene, so his knowledge/information is somewhat valuable. He's a Pony fan... oh well, take his posts with a grain of salt and move on. He's a little back-handed sometimes, and that's to be expected. Some of you fools do the same things (or worse ) on their board. He comes here because there is relevant basketball talk going on. And, despite the constant bashing, keeps coming back for more. I kinda think he likes us!
    0 points
  40. Methinks you're confusing information with knowledge.
    0 points
  41. Daddy Dumpsalot...you weren't satisfied with this year's team performance, REALLY? Based on what this team accomplish with all the injuries. I think you've set the bar really high. I'm grateful this team accomplished what it did under the circumstances.
    0 points
  42. I'm a 'Hawks fan myself, but the Canuckleheads will come out looking for blood. However, the Hawks have done a good job getting in their heads, so if they can win one of the first two, I say the Hawks win. I don't think anybody beats Anaheim in the first round, the way they've been playing.
    0 points
  43. 8:40 is a little early to be drinking don't ya think ?
    0 points
  44. So we want to move up in rent when we can not even pay the rent in our "low rent" conference does not make sense, an ass-kicking is an ass-kicking no matter what conference we play in. Win the Belt then we can start talking about moving up to higher rents.
    0 points
  45. CUSA had two teams in the NCAA tournament where we've had one most years since UNT joined. They appeared in six bowl games last year where the SBC was in three. CUSA schools average just a hair less than 10k per football game more than SBC schools. They average almost 3k more per basketball game than the SBC; 2k more if you remove Memphis from the equation. They just got a $43 million contract with FSN, and I can't find any information about how much the SBC's is currently worth. The SBC is coming along, especially in facilities, but the conference as a whole is not on the same level as CUSA. Now if you're talking strictly perception, I doubt your average joe sees much of any difference between CUSA and SBC, since most average joes are all about the big six conferences. The main problem with the SBC is there are certain schools that underfund their programs either by choice or by lack of options. The smallest athletic budget at any CUSA school is $19.5m at Southern Miss. The smallest in the SBC are Louisiana-Monroe at $10.7 million, Louisiana-Lafayette at $12.3m and Arkansas State at $13.3m. We've been at about $17 million, and next year I'd imagine it'll be $24-25 million. You basically have NT, WKU, MTSU, FAU, and FIU pumping cash into athletics (all spending in the low to mid $20m range), and then it falls off a cliff from there. Edit: Another thought is that the SBC is barely on TV compared with CUSA. An SBC basketball or football game on ESPN is an event, because it doesn't happen but half a dozen times a year for both sports combined. Hopefully that changes as ESPN attempts to put the screws to CUSA and the MWC via the SBC and MAC (or maybe WAC still instead of MAC?). Good timing on our contract being up for re-negotiation. It'd be great to see one of our games this year on ESPN2 or ESPNU. Bet that stadium is gonna look as amazing on TV as in person. This post has been promoted to an article
    -1 points
  46. I may be the lone fan who doesn't like the Jones deal if it is as reported. I have no issue with paying Jones that much or even more, but I do not like one sided long term contracts for coaches. Seven years is almost insane in my mind. I don't think it will happen but what happens if Jones loses his touch and starts to field noncompetitive teams. NT will face a huge buyout if it wants to make a change and in my mind gains little by having Jones or any other coach on a long term contract. If LSU or any other major wants Jones, does anyone really think that contract makes any difference?
    -1 points
  47. Not sure why RV should sleep any better, he has just tied the school to an unnecessary long term contract that Jones can walk out of at will. Not sure how you know that there are buyouts involved unless you have seen the contract. I doubt there is any significant penalties involved. Showing love may be great but college sports is a business and there is no reason to obligate NT for years. Even if JJ teams to continue to do well, I see little benefit in a contract over three years.
    -1 points
  48. It's underrated for sure.
    -1 points


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