Leaderboard

Seriously...sick of this.

You complain, incessantly and justifiably, about people not giving enough. Let me ask you this though, do you honestly expect people to throw good money at bad? If these people believe that the program isn't in good hands why then should there be some imperative for them to be financially supportive? Can I interest you in some Braniff Airlines stock? You know, if you'd just buy more airline tickets and be more financially supportive they'd be back in the game. As someone who is soon to pledge money towards the baseball stadium I get where you're coming from...we do need donors. But I'm doing it because MY university needs baseball to remain relevant and competitive, certainly not because I think the arrow on our athletic department is pointed up. Long after the current administration is gone I'll be around. And it's DEFINITELY not because you continuously try to shame people into giving their money, and therefore tacit agreement, to the way things are right now. Please don't take this as a personal attack. I think you're swell.

I know this isn't popular opinion but even as a MGC member and season ticket holder, I don't buy the "you have to donate to criticize" or if you don't donate you're part of the problem, not part of the solution. The coaches and AD get paid good money to do a job and a public job at that. They know what they are getting into and criticism, especially well-deserved criticism goes with the territory. Every program has a larger percentage of fans who don't donate a single penny to the program. How come for us it is such a crutch? You think Northern Illinios has dough rolling into their program? Look at their record the past 10 years. I'm afraid to look it up but are we the worst football team the last eight years? Even Idaho went to a bowl game. I'm not even talking about competing with the big boys of the collegiate football world, I'm talking about competing in the frickin Sun Belt. Is anybody really going to tell me that the reason we've had 8 non-winning seasons in the Sun Belt is because of money? Or because we don't have enough donors? Somebody isn't allowed to complain about losing because they don't donate? I'm about the most reasonable fan going. I'm not a fan so I can have bragging rights over other people. I don't live or die by the actions of 18-22 year olds on a playing field. I'm a fan mostly because I love North Texas, have some great friends who I can hang out with at the game, and love college football. But even with being level headed, it's still competition and the point of the game is to win. And to watch year after year of bad football and then someone try to tell me the reason is money is just horseshit. Most Sun Belt schools don't have a pot to piss in and yet continually whip our ass. You think ULM and ASU or FIU are beating us because of money?? Hate to tell you this but you and I are neither part of the problem nor part of the solution. Unless you want to start giving T Boone level of money we are just nice little donors who get to see our names in the program. At the end of the day it's the Athletic Departments job to get more MGC members. I've been a fan for almost 20 years and in that 20 years I've done more than my part to get people involved. Time for the AD to do his. Only in the myopic world of message boards is "i think we can, i think we can", a strategy for success. And lastly, to say that the football program is turning around after a 4-8 season and all the holes we have is absolutely ridiculous. And that's from a guy who has been on board with Mac from the beginning.

I particularly enjoyed our idiot coach trying to sub Jordan out and back in before any time had elapsed. He Benford'd himself!

I do not believe this season can be turned around while Benford is still our coach. This team has that talent to turn the season around, win the Sun Belt tourny, and go to the NCAA tourny, but only if Benford is replaced right now. Last night North Texas was embarrassed on national T.V. RV needs to deal with this situation now. I support this team, but I cannot support watching everything Jones built over the past decade go down in flames. It is time to stop making excuses for Benford and this season. Fire him. Reassign him. I don't care. Just don't let him near the bench ever again.

If we played Al.-Huntsville again tomorrow, I doubt the outcome would be different. That should tell you everything you need to know.

I don't understand, there are early termination clauses built into just about every contract, especially coaches. Anything done prior to the end of the stated length of the contract is typically identified in no unspecified terms in the contract. Thus, the contract would be honored even if he was fired 1 day after both parties agreed to sign it, because it is a legal document and outlines that process. Length and amount of money are important parts of the contract, but not the only parts. Things change over the course of 5 years and both parties can't foresee what's going to happen. Do you honor the length of your phone agreement, even when it may be cheaper to pay the penalty and switch companies to get a free phone and cheaper monthly terms from another? Do you not refinance your house when rates go down? It's an economic decision, not an emotional one. I don't know where that tradeoff occurs, but it's there, and Rick had better be evaluating that for all of our coaches, because it's his job to.

Per someone who ought to know, the C-USA sequence went like this. Ready to add UNT and only UNT but ECU and Marshall balked so FIU added to give eastern balance. Then Thompson informs Bankowsky he is about to put the WAC out of business and makes the same call to Benson and asks them to consider adding WAC teams to mitigate the damage. CUSA agrees to add UTSA and La.Tech. Sun Belt tells Benson we've been down the Idaho/NMSU path before... pass. Adding two more western schools gets ECU and Marshall upset so Charlotte and ODU become part of the mix. Then Tulane and ECU leave and MTSU and FAU come into the mix, FAU because they help alleviate the travel to FIU and because Marshall wants them.

If you don't understand why a coach would leave for a program that pays its coaches more money, puts more fans in the stands, has won as many games in 2 years as you have in 7, has defeated your program eight consecutive times, and is coached by someone he knows... you might want to step back and take off the fan glasses.

Last I heard, every team will be competing for the title. Covering or beating a horrible at this point NT team without its starting point does not mean much. As far as putting down MTSU, do you really care? I certainly don't but I can tell you for sure they are doing a lot more with their talent than NT is.

I can't watch anymore. If we didn't have the talent, I could stick around. Knowing what we have and seeing what we are doing with it is just embarrassing.

A lot.

Ridiculous to call a long time assistant at Boise State, Colorado, Army and Oregon State a moron...... Thanks for your time at North Texas Coach Rid and good luck in the future.

Any news on Benford? Any chance he will be out long term?

Here's a troubling stat for you , our 4 DI wins have come against teams that are a combined 7-38 in DI play...

You may want to be better than Northern Illinios but at this point I would love to have multiple 10 win seasons and playing in the Orange Bowl. And we may aspire to be better than ULM or ASU but the cold fact is that we aren't better and haven't been for a while. That isn't any donors fault. It's the AD and coaches fault. I talk to people all the time about the MGC and/or bring them to the games and for the most part it is a tough sell because they see losing football and besides parking (which you only get if you give more) they don't see the MGC as a good deal. You and I may give no matter what but most people want to see something for their money. That's just the way it is and to not acknowledge that is just sticking your head in the UNT sand. The truth is, the big donors move mountains, not "if only %10 gave at the minimum level". Not saying having a lot of smaller donors isn't a good thing, but it won't move North Texas to where you aspire it to be. In the end my view is simple as this. If we were winning 8+ games a year, going to bowl games and having a new stadium and still had lackluster attendance and support, then that would be a fan/supporter problem. If we are one of the worst football programs in the country and complain about fans/supporters, that is a leadership problem. I'm glad we have fans like KRAM, but I prefer to hold the people who get paid well to do their job accountable, not the people who actually give money to the program. Or people who don't give. Even if the people who don't give never complained, it still wouldn't change how the football program has performed. Or the BBall program this year (3 points in the first ten minutes last night!?). Lastly, and only because this point makes me a little crazy, I didn't vote this year. My vote needs to be earned, I don't just pull the lever because somebody thinks I have to vote. I have that right and earned it by spending six years in the Marine Corps. Just in case that card is played.

One inexperienced Head Coach and an AD looking for the cheap route.

The people who want to dump Romo are just grabbing low hanging fruit and ignoring the real problems. The Cowboys need to draft OL and DL help in the upcoming draft. Smart moves in the draft at those positions and a couple FA signings and this team will be a legit contender. But if they try to replace Romo with a rookie QB we're looking at a losing season and maybe a couple more.

Maybe. Put a sh!+ product on the floor and I just may be. Better than being a basketball moron, don't you think?

SMU will F us again and we will end up in CUSBelt. Great.

Mr walker, good luck on your difficult decision. Just know that I am personally praying to baby Santa-Mac-jeebus that he brings a large an tenacious dt or 2 into the mean green family. I don't think any ou alum is willing to do that for you to go there. They would take you for granted and not appreciate you fully the way that I and the rest if the mean greeners would.

But if we step back and "take off the fan glasses" we get slammed by the pom pom shakers for being negative. Of course, for me, that's just an added bonus...........

It is kind of odd. You would think it creates heated rivalries and interest, but instead it results in attempted class separation. Look at Pac 12 and it is the exact opposite. Every team in the league has a local neighbor. The SEC also started out with a lot of closely located teams, but has spread out a little over the years.

Is the MWC that much better than CUSA? I just do not see the point in Houston or SMU, or anyone else wanting to leave CUSA for MWC. Am I crazy or are they? CUSA would be even better if SMU and Houston were back. More Texas the better! Also no way in hell do they want UTSA!

That win made my tough 2012 sports year all better Everyone knows I'm not a Cowboy fan , but I don't think anyone can pin this all on Romo. Outside of Whitten , he didn't really have any options. Dez was playing at about 50% , Miles can't catch a cold even when he's healthy. The online has been horrible all year. I actually like Romo. He keeps drives alive and gives the Boys a shot. Sure he makes some bonehead mistakes , but I think it's more of trying to make something happen when there is nothing. You really don't want to see Orton back there or anyone else. You would be looking at 10 + sacks a game. I don't think Romo can win a SB , but he is a way above average NFL QB

0-3 in the critical 3 game stretch. Keep your heads up, guys. We know where the problem lies/lay/lays.... oh, whatever

Man what talent are you talking about? I can shoot better than some of these guys.

how much have you had to drink>??? you really think that will happen?

Ill see all 5 of you at the pit on Thursday. I hope RV pays attention to the attendance numbers. 10 wins, maybe.

Coach Benford does not have the heart and soul of this team like Coach Jones did. I have spoke with several of the players and they still wish Coach Forrest had been hired. He was like a father to these guys. Benford doesn't have that relationship with the team. Jones brought in guys who had troubled pasts or had no father figures. The Old coaching staff filled that void for these guys. Until Benford understands what makes these guys tick, he won't be able to motivate them or bring them together. Rick V hired the wrong guy if he wanted to capitalize on the talent that was already here.

I'm not sure how to respond to that sort of awesomeness. You guys are certainly in better shape than us.

I'd bet a wrinkled $100 bill that Bankowsky added ODU and Charlotte to appease East Carolina. And where is ECU in 2014? Right where we knew that they'd be if they had the chance. Let me say that I believe that long term both Old Dominion and Charlotte will be good, maybe even great, franchises. But, why did BB rush to judgment when seemingly everyone knew that ECU wouldn't be there for their future travel mates? If he were trying to appease Marshall, I think that he should have picked up the phone and called Ohio or Toledo. What's been done in the aftermath of the defectors is to make it difficult for any to return to CUSA. I doubt that any would want to unless and until Cincinnati and Connecticut move to other conferences. It could be very difficult to replace Cincy and UConn and without them there would be little reason to keep the group together.

In what alternate universe does this happen? And even in the alternate universe I still say NO!

Those schools have expressed interest. Doesn't mean the feeling is mutual.

Ok, let's try this. Our basketball program is abysmal. Our coach, by the accounts of everyone but a few (including several NBA scouts, and OPPOSING fans), is in over his head. Our players, who were on the verge of a conference title without two of their most highly regarded players (who were VERY productive prior to leaving at semester break), are now being blamed for the horrendous record. One of our players, who WILL be playing NBA ball next season, is miserable and it shows...and is being thrown under the same bus as the other players. Months of national hype and the opportunity for true local and regional media coverage have now been lost. Our football program was 4-8 last season. The year before they were 5-7. Those that point to "improvement" use the Todd Dodge era (easily the worst in our school's history and a strong contender for worst ever) as their basis for judging said "improvement." After being told for two years that we would recruit almost exclusively from the high school ranks we are now loading up on JUCO's at positions that are glaringly weak. And the high school recruits we are landing, with a few exceptions, were bound for 1AA or D2 careers if not for our offer. Tell me, please, because I promise to follow your sage advice...how best should one "deliver" this message?

How crazy would that be if UTSA got an invite?? From nothing to in the top non-BCS conference in a coupe of years. Whatever the scenario, I like our spot. Playing more known opponents, may have the ability to eat up some of the nBE leftovers, and SMU without a home. The only thing better that could happen is SMU to the Sun Belt. Haha

I am absolutely losing interest in college football as an overall entity.

Thanks for all your efforts to help the Mean Green Coach Riddle....good luck at Arky State. Here's wishing you all the best. Congrats on your new assignment and God speed.

LA Tech was ranked this season and has a decent football history with a few NFL Hall of Famers. They also have a history with some of the programs already in the NBE. Nothing against Arkansas State. I really respect your program and fans. You guys have always been a class act. I just don't think Arkansas State will be on the NBE's radar.

Ouch. Be careful what you say. You know important people read this board. Don't want them figuring out that this thing is a rickety bridge over troubled water. Only sunshine and rainbows allowed.

I don't think they can. If Houston, SMU, SDSU, and even UTSA go to the MWC, UNT will get called up to the NBE with Rice, Tulsa, and Southerm Miss. The NBE needs Dallas (#5) and Houston (#10) for their media markets. I think we will be okay when the dust settles.

I agree with a good bit of what you say here, and it is a reasonable response. But, I don't agree that always complaining while not giving is not part of the problem, nor do I agree that one needs Boone Pickens money to make a difference. With the number of alums UNT has...in the metroplex alone...if even 10 percent actually joined the Mean Green Club at various levels those dollars would go a long way in covering the costs of scholarships and free up lots of dollars within the Athletic Dept. budget. Those crying for a coaching change and understanding that there is not enough funds for such should understand this and realize that money IS indeed part of the problem. I doubt anyone here wants to aspire to be N. Illinois or Idaho or ULM for that matter. I don't, I want better for UNT. But, like I said, you are correct in saying that it is a public job and criticism comes with the territory. People can certainly complain and well they do, but it rings hollow when one considers themselves a supporter when they are fully capable of supporting the program and choose not to do so...that's a decision one makes. Sort of like the folks who don't vote for some lame reason and then complain about how bad the elected officials are. Maybe that's OK as you say, but the criticism rings hollow and smacks of hypocrisy. So, yes, criticize all you want about the program, about students wearing shirts from other schools on campus, about low attendance, about the fact that UNT doesn't have enough money to attract big time players and/or coaches or staffers, about message boards and sound systems in the Super Pit, about no baseball...but look in the mirror and see part of the problem. The few can only do so much for the many who choose to ride the wagon while they wait for another Boone Pickens. Much smaller dollar amounts from a good number of supporters adds up to Boone Pickens dollars...or we can all wait for the next Boone...sort of like waiting to win the powerball lottery I guess. That works. OK, said my peace here. No secret how I feel, so I'll leave it at this and move along to today's bowl games. Sure would like to see the Mean Green playing OSU in Dallas today....could happen one of these days.

Oh, indeed...try it with three little ones at home...but, we did take in a UNT BB game when our youngest was three days old. Kid grew up to be a UNT ball boy for about 6 years during the Gales era. So, watch out...taking them to a game when so young leads to interesting things. Enjoy it...they grow up and have families of their own way to soon. Yep, Happy New Year!

Well since fatherhood my days of getting out are kinda numbered... I'm sure u know what I mean Happy New Year

Just having some fun with you....really! Lighten up...it's New Year's Eve.

I don't expect anything but disappointment from the world of North Texas athletics anymore, so however it shapes up, it will probably be bad. I wish some people who could make a difference would take interest. Instead we still seem to have a bunch of clowns flailing around. I send about a thousand bucks a year down there. I can't really do more than that. I don't even know why I do it anymore. It's really hard to justify.

This is the big domino, for now. Wonder if this will help or hurt CUSA and more importantly North Texas. Time will tell. Like I said in a previous post, if North Texas doesnt start winning, it doesnt matter.

UNT did have a program to exchange out other schools' shirts for an NT one omce. In fact, it was spearheaded, fundraised and implemented by a student back in 2000. That guy is gone now...busy policing Dallas and being called "negative" because he hates mediocrity.

All this talk of him falling to the second round is absurd. He's a lock to be picked in the first round if for no other reason than potential. Guys his size with his athleticism and skillset don't grow on trees. Does he need another year? I'm going to say no. Age is a valuable commodity in the NBA, and he'd be better served spending next year with an NBA team, getting NBA-caliber coaching, without having to worry about going to class. Oh, and the money doesn't hurt. He's not a center, and both Johnny and Benford refused/refuse to accept that. Given that 99% of his college minutes are spent at the 5, while 0% of his NBA minutes will be spent there, there's only so much he can improve on while here. Not to mention that everytime he touches the ball, he's got 2 or 3 defenders swarming him. In the NBA, defenses won't be gameplanning to shut him down. He's better suited to be a role player on offense. He would have to improve significantly to offset the extra year of his age being tacked on. As far as pay is concerned, in the NBA, you make the bulk of your money after your rookie contract. Even if he fell to the mid-20s, he'd still be making around 1 million, compared to 1.8 million if he was picked 10th. And if he came back to school, that's another year of possible injury, while not getting paid, with limited practice time, and mandatory classes. It is in his best interest to leave. That is not to say that I wouldn't love to have him back. I guess we'll see what happens. Go Mean Green

The good news is that I don't think things could get much worse.