UTSA "Rivalry"

[ABrownGMG]

I'm a huge fan of watching (and occasionally writing for) Mean Green football, but I don't know as much about the real inner workings of the department as I suspect some of my fellow alumni may. With that being said, does anyone know why we have yet to pull the trigger and try to make something official out of the UTSA rivalry?

I know opinions differ on if it really is or is not a rivalry but it has everything needed for a true rivalry. Geography, fan base hatred, exciting games, traveling fans. If the conference and schools played it correctly, this could be the west version of the WKU/MT rivalry with the last game of the year consistently deciding the division in the future. I just don't understand why there has been no official movement on a trophy or a name for the rivalry. Is that a fan led thing or should that fall on the hands of the department?

[Salsa_Verde]

 

1 hour ago, ABrownGMG said:

I just don't understand why there has been no official movement on a trophy or a name for the rivalry. Is that a fan led thing or should that fall on the hands of the department?

I think since the UTSA program is so new some might see it as premature? Another factor might be that UNT is 1-3 against UTSA and to declare a rivalry with a losing record might seem a little desperate? 

Edited June 30, 2017 by Salsa_Verde

[TreeFiddy]

It doesn't seem like the team has been able to work up much of an interest against utsa, plus it seems like they should probably more interested in competing with the other UT satellite schools over colors, hand sign, etc...

 

 

[Side Show Joe]

1 hour ago, ABrownGMG said:

I'm a huge fan of watching (and occasionally writing for) Mean Green football, but I don't know as much about the real inner workings of the department as I suspect some of my fellow alumni may. With that being said, does anyone know why we have yet to pull the trigger and try to make something official out of the UTSA rivalry?

I know opinions differ on if it really is or is not a rivalry but it has everything needed for a true rivalry. Geography, fan base hatred, exciting games, traveling fans. If the conference and schools played it correctly, this could be the west version of the WKU/MT rivalry with the last game of the year consistently deciding the division in the future. I just don't understand why there has been no official movement on a trophy or a name for the rivalry. Is that a fan led thing or should that fall on the hands of the department?

First, welcome to the board.

Some of us on here have thrown around the idea of creating a traveling flag type trophy. Basically, the flag would have a large state of Texas on it and the logos of each of the 4 C-USA Texas programs at their respective locations. Across the bottom of the flag it would read, "Come and Take It!". At the first head to head match-up between C-USA Texas programs, the flag would be flown at the southern end zone. At the conclusion of the game the winning team would run it down the pole and take it to their sideline. The flag would stay with that team until they played another C-USA Texas team... and the same scenario would play out again.

I'm sure RV was aware of this idea, but I'm not sure if it was ever conveyed to Baker. I still think it is a great idea, but I doubt the C-USA programs outside of Texas would like it.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Side Show Joe

[All About UNT]

8 minutes ago, Side Show Joe said:

First, welcome to the board.

Some of us on here have thrown around the idea of creating a traveling flag type trophy. Basically, the flag would have a large state of Texas on it and the logos of each of the 4 C-USA Texas programs at their respective locations. Across the bottom of the flag it would read, "Come and Take It!". At the first head to head match-up between C-USA Texas programs, the flag would be flown at the southern end zone. At the conclusion of the game the winning team would run it down the pole and take it to their sideline. The flag would stay with that team until they played another C-USA Texas team... and the same scenario would play out again.

I'm sure RV was aware of this idea, but I'm not sure if it was ever conveyed to Baker. I still think it is a great idea, but I doubt the C-USA programs outside of Texas would like it.

He has been here for about 2 years fyi

[UNTexas]

2 hours ago, ABrownGMG said:

I'm a huge fan of watching (and occasionally writing for) Mean Green football, but I don't know as much about the real inner workings of the department as I suspect some of my fellow alumni may. With that being said, does anyone know why we have yet to pull the trigger and try to make something official out of the UTSA rivalry?

I know opinions differ on if it really is or is not a rivalry but it has everything needed for a true rivalry. Geography, fan base hatred, exciting games, traveling fans. If the conference and schools played it correctly, this could be the west version of the WKU/MT rivalry with the last game of the year consistently deciding the division in the future. I just don't understand why there has been no official movement on a trophy or a name for the rivalry. Is that a fan led thing or should that fall on the hands of the department?

No.

[Side Show Joe]

50 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

He has been here for about 2 years fyi

Two years and he only has 40 posts?! Needs to step up his game.

[North Texas Shep]

Make it official? Rivalries grow through hate and an overwhelming desire to see the other program lose, at all cost. They are not made official (Whatever that even means). It just happens. I hate UTSA and look forward to that game almost as much as the Smoo game. It is a rivalry. 

[JesseMartin]

3 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

First, welcome to the board.

Some of us on here have thrown around the idea of creating a traveling flag type trophy. Basically, the flag would have a large state of Texas on it and the logos of each of the 4 C-USA Texas programs at their respective locations. Across the bottom of the flag it would read, "Come and Take It!". At the first head to head match-up between C-USA Texas programs, the flag would be flown at the southern end zone. At the conclusion of the game the winning team would run it down the pole and take it to their sideline. The flag would stay with that team until they played another C-USA Texas team... and the same scenario would play out again.

I'm sure RV was aware of this idea, but I'm not sure if it was ever conveyed to Baker. I still think it is a great idea, but I doubt the C-USA programs outside of Texas would like it.

Who cares if the other teams like it if the Texas ones are in?

As to whether it's a rivalry...aside from the movements in favor of one...the fact that those opposed are so vehement about it is actually one more reason that it works!

[GrandGreen]

No and no 

[MeanGreenTeeth]

Despite both entities being large public schools in the state, they don't really compete for a lot of the same students.  Awareness of UNT isn't very good in South Texas and the awareness of UTSA in almost nonexistent in the North Texas region.  It's hard to have a rivalry when the student populations are pretty ambivalent towards each other.  Of course, that might change naturally with time.  It would help if both programs got a lot better quite frankly.

Edited July 1, 2017 by MeanGreenTeeth

[NorthTexan95]

12 hours ago, North Texas Shep said:

Make it official? Rivalries grow through hate and an overwhelming desire to see the other program lose, at all cost. They are not made official (Whatever that even means). It just happens. 

I completely agree.  It helps to build rivalries by playing important games.  It's hard to build a rivalry when you're only winning a couple games a year.  

Personally, and for most UNT fans, UTSA doesn't move the needle at all. UTSA ... UTEP ... blah!  They are the same to me.  

[Ben Gooding]

Rivalries must be organic. It can't be forced. That is why. 

[Harry]

UTSA beat us at home in our first game against each other and robbed us of a C-USA championship game.  We compete against them for recruits and they are in our state.  That puts them in the rivalry category for me.

I will grant you that we just do not have many rivals.  Keep in mind recent history.  We were I-AA in the Southland and I would say our biggest rival from that period was UTA who dropped football.  Fast forward to now and we obviously don't want to point to any of those schools as rivals as we don't ever play them and are now FBS.  After that we were independent for a year = 0 rivals.  In the Belt we were the only school in the conference in Texas = 0 rivals.  Sorry but our average alum has no emotion toward MUTS, ULM or Ark State.  Now we are in a conference where rivalries SHOULD develop but after a promising start in 2013 we spit the bit and lost a lot of ball games.  It's just very difficult to develop rivalries when you aren't winning games.

SMU will always be a natural rival for us but keep in mind that has always been a one-sided rivalry as SMU feels we are beneath being considered a rival to them.  Their rival in their mind is TCU.

so the truth is we really don't have a rival although we finally are in a conference where IF we get our act together CONSISTENTLY we should be able to develop them.  We desperately need rivals as they help build interest in the program.  

[MeanGreen_MBA]

It's official....Harry says UTSA is our Rival.  I'm on board with this. "So let it be written, do let it be done". 

[Quoner]

17 hours ago, Side Show Joe said:

Two years and he only has 40 posts?! Needs to step up his game.

Counterpoint: based on a quick scan of the board right now, we have several high volume posters no one wants to read. 

[ABrownGMG]

On 6/30/2017 at 7:56 PM, North Texas Shep said:

Make it official? Rivalries grow through hate and an overwhelming desire to see the other program lose, at all cost. They are not made official (Whatever that even means). It just happens. I hate UTSA and look forward to that game almost as much as the Smoo game. It is a rivalry. 

I understand that's how they come about in a fan sense. But the department can capitalize on it via marketing of the game. That's what I feel like has yet to be done.

[casual fan]

Bolt an I 35 sign onto an under construction sign and stick it in a bucket of cement.

The rivalry, like the road that connects us, is a work in progress.

That said, the won-loss record needs to be evened up before any kind of trophy is created.

[LongJim]

Well, I don't care what's official and what isn't.  I only know that I want UNT to beat UTSA every time, all the time.  They came in Apogee in 2013 and stole UNT's lunch money, and laughed in their faces while they did it.  To me, that and they fact that they are a start-up is enough to want to beat them every time.  No reason UNT should lose to them in anything, ever.

[MeanGreenTexan]

Every single argument made for UTSA being a "rival" can be made for LATech.  They're not IN Texas, but Ruston is closer to Denton than S.A.
The ONLY difference, is that UTSA's low-sports-IQ fans come on to GoMeanGreen.com and troll the heck out of many of you.  Which, for some reason, causes you to hate their school/team/etc... to the point of trying to force this insignificant school into becoming our "rival".   
LATech has so much more history, a history that includes winning, and we are constantly battling them for East Texas recruits (where both schools have done very well).   If we want to latch onto a good school that is on our level, LATech is the obvious choice.

[Caw Caw]

7 hours ago, casual fan said:

Bolt an I 35 sign onto an under construction sign and stick it in a bucket of cement.

The rivalry, like the road that connects us, is a work in progress.

That said, the won-loss record needs to be evened up before any kind of trophy is created.

i35 signage is the marker for tstate/utsa rivalry i was informed.

[MeanGreenTexan]

10 minutes ago, Caw Caw said:

i35 signage is the marker for tstate/utsa rivalry i was informed.

Great!  That rivalry makes much more sense.
Honestly, they need to go pick on the UTEP board and battle for which UT system school reigns supreme while UNT looks elsewhere.

[Ben Gooding]

56 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Every single argument made for UTSA being a "rival" can be made for LATech.  They're not IN Texas, but Ruston is closer to Denton than S.A.
The ONLY difference, is that UTSA's low-sports-IQ fans come on to GoMeanGreen.com and troll the heck out of many of you.  Which, for some reason, causes you to hate their school/team/etc... to the point of trying to force this insignificant school into becoming our "rival".   
LATech has so much more history, a history that includes winning, and we are constantly battling them for East Texas recruits (where both schools have done very well).   If we want to latch onto a good school that is on our level, LATech is the obvious choice.

Agreed. 

[Green P1]

Most don't give enough of a crap to foster a rivalry, the rest are too stuck up to accept one.   

[CMJ]

I feel like MTSU is more of a rival than UTSA.  Perhaps one day that will change, but I don't really have any sort of "rivalry" feeling toward the Roadrunners.