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No...eff that...I will gladly only have 5 home games next year or the next for RV to do what southern miss did in order to get rid of their coach. Sell games...fire this dude...he is a disaster for our school!

Yes, all we do is gripe. None of us are donors. None of us go to games or follow the team from afar if we live hundreds (or thousands) of miles away from Denton. None of us wear NT stuff or talk up our school to anyone who will listen, including co-workers who could care less. No, all we do is complain on this messageboard.

And why is it do you think, so many people don't give a damn? Other schools have people in their leadership and on staff who know how to create that connection on a large scale. North Texas does not. Our people have no idea how to build a brand past an elementary point and I think some of them don't even care about getting any better at it. Whoever our leadership is doesn't care either or they'd get rid of the inept. I have been watching this for many years and I don't think it will ever change. North Texas is a bigger school than most SEC schools, but you'd think it has maybe a couple thousand students. Our stewards and administration should be ashamed but apparently they have no shame. I do, and North Texas athletics has brought plenty of it on me.

Man, you just don't get it and obviously never will. You and I will always be fans but when you are trying to get other people involved and the Athletic Department doesn't do what they say, it's a tough sell next time around. You think I give a damn about a plaque? I wanted the AD to keep their word. It's not for you to decide what's better or not. The next time you come on here and talk about how you are a MGC member and brag about how much you try to get people involved, you might want to remember that once upon time there was no MGC. Go figure, people other than you have done something for our University.

He's most like this cat.

Benford having to suspend players is a sign that he is losing the player's attention and losing control of the team. But I wouldn't expect you to understand that, Skivandude.

And there it is ... It was only a matter of time before we had the obligatory pissing match post.

"Great team." Again, confirmation of your complete lack of basketball knowledge, Skivanford.

Benford is like...

That fair weather fan is just the type of person we need to be converting to die hard, and it isn't going to be done by guilting them, or badgering them into submission. It's going to come by being competitive on our own floor. We should be making them feel at home.

Isn't the student fee somehow tied into women's sports? Because no way, no how do the women's sports bring in that kind of revenue.

Let's get specific here. No more royal "theys". I want to know which poster you think "can't complain because they didnt vote".

Not quite as much as DFW . . . but not bad.

That's really hard to do when there is nothing to sell. You got to have a product to sell before giving the pitch. Trust me, I did talk to people, especially about this basketball team. Now those same people (many ex-alums) just shake their heads ask me why I even care about UNT athletics. I'm beginning to wonder if they have a point.

getting a STD

Maybe the experienced assistant coaches are reporting rules violations in order to keep only 3 scholarship players on the bench, therefore limiting the mass, confused substitutions of the head coach.

UNT will cost itself more if it refuses to right this disaster, assuming a major miracle doesn't happen and this somehow turns around this year (I'd give this about a 2% chance). Even if UNT does do the right thiing, who would make the next hire? And will they even interview the following: Scott Cross Danny Kasper Bob Marlin

I was in school during the wretched orange seat days...thanks for helping to get rid of those monstrosities!!!

At first I thought this was a crazy statement. Then I stopped and thought about it. You are exactly right. Unbelievable. Never thought I'd see worse than the Dodge years...let alone after just 2 years since he left town.

I bought a couple of green seats and was pretty upset I didn't get the individual seat plaque I was promised. Then again, maybe I misread the fine print and was actually promised a plague instead of a plaque and this year is the plague I was promised. Honestly, I wouldn't put it past NT Athletics.

[i admit this might be fully more appropriate in the general Athletics forum, but as it is telling of the weight of football vs other sports...] I've seen many talk of our "revenue sports" vs "non-revenue sports", or "Football & Men's BB" vs everything else. University of North Texas Revenue and Expenses This stuff is pretty telling. Yes, Football brings in the most at 7.7M, and Men's BB 2.3M, but based upon the expert chatter of GMG, I woud not have expected the combined Womens' teams to be bringing in 6.7M. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, that's only a third of the total AD revenue, but looking further... Total Revenue minus Total Expenses Men's $2,253,591 to Women's $2,097,526 That's an interesting figure to me. Anyway, just wanted to note, that yes, the women make money too.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/player/gamelog/_/id/28332/tony-worrell Come on, coach!!!!

Pretty sure his name was David Allan Coe regardless of of TFLF says.

Then you should buy more tickets and give more monies. Duh.

Because there is only one head coach. Only one man runs substitutions, and on this team that is Coach Benford. They can talk to him until they are blue in the face, doesn't mean he accepts what they are saying. Also doesn't mean he listens to them on strategy or offensive and defensive game planning. There is only one head coach, and just about any head coach will tell you that, loud and clear. Would this team be different if Evans were running the team? Sure would like to find out. I think Daheeb and WKU can tell you how bad things can be when you have a crappy head coach, but good assistants. After all, WKU hired their assistant after firing their crappy head coach. All that guy did was lead them to the NCAA tournament in his 1st half season. Head coach sets the temperment for the team. This team's temperment is to panic at the first sight of adversity. That comes directly from the man leading them on the bench. These players are checking out. Without a change soon, there are very bad times ahead.

I could be wrong, but I don't think you can be D3 for only one sport.

Very depressing thought. I think I may prefer the old Belt to that new CUSA.

Just because nBE is interested in Tulsa doesn't mean Tulsa is as interested in them. The Tulsa President has expressed doubts about nBE, CUSA AND the MWC. Nothing is set in stone for Tulsa. They really push basketball and the nBE is no longer much of a basketball conference. Certainly not worth the exit and entry fees to move! As for UMass, I don't think that is really serious. I read an article someplace about the UMass faculty ready to push to drop back to FCS. They look terrible with 5K fans in the Patriots stadium. And every game they lose drops the fan base more.

That is very interesting. I still don't think Houston would go to MWC without another Texas partner and I don't mean UTEP. So what if MWC invites Houston and North Texas?

Good Grief! What the hell is wrong with Tulsa? Exactly what do they think that they are gaining going to the Big East? Prestige? The nBE won't be a BCS conference after next year. Money? After the defection of the Catholic 7 the TV contract will drop dramatically. Probably to somewhere just above that of CUSA and the cost to them will be staggering. Competition? It should be better but they are in a much better position as the best of current CUSA than a contender in the nBE as far as a playoff berth. And UMass? They'll have to get a special ruling to qualify as an FBS team since they've yet to have the 15,000 minimum attendance average.

Oh! I like this game. Would you rather: ...have rusty nails hammered into both of your kneecaps? ,or ...have someone tattoo the phrase "Tony Benford is the greatest!" on the front of your neck? Let's all be honest, unless you are a Notre Dame fan, or an Alabama fan, you don't want either team to win.

"You had a problem with the positioning of the plagues." I think we all have a problem with the positioning of the plagues. That's why we're in this mess to begin with.

Where would we be without you Andriver?

I'm not trying to start a fight... Merely asking. What do you suggest to those who do all that you have stated? And to those who do all those things but aren't able to give millions? Surely you're not suggesting they are lesser fans? So your point then is just shut up and say nothing, am I right? If so then only fans who give millions should be allowed to yell "Go Mean Green" at games.

I really don't think this message board holds any weight whatsoever. We're all just a bunch of nerds behind a keyboard who don't know jack about jack, after all. I'm really glad certain individuals can remain positive, I really am. I think people who do try to get the ear of the AD realize it's deaf. So they try the other ear and they find it's deaf too.. Truth is I think most know that unless you have millions to donate you mean nothing to them and have no say whatsoever. Doesn't matter how long you've been a MGC member, season ticket holder for numerous sports. I wish I had a few disposable millions to give. But I am just a dude working hard trying to provide for my family. And a guy who loves his alma matter, but can't stand the Athletic Department underachievers. I think I can say we all want the same thing, for NT Athletics to realize its potential. But like my old man, the coach, used to say... "potential don't play." I think the thought of a lot of alumni who want to back athletics is like the dad who gives his kids an allowance of $10.If the kid can't manage $10 why on earth give him $100? Just a guess though. Go Mean Green!

Ok, it's comments like this that show really how little people really understand about how D1 athletics work at this point in time. If folks want us to be competitive we have to have facilities to be competitive. Has anyone seen the tcu practice facility? How about the new SMU practice facility? Let alone the ut practice facility? Recruiting is predicated on a commitment to a program. Practice facilities are part of the game now. Hell most suburban high schools have practice gyms or additional courts now. Did you contribute to the practice facility or toward the coach's salary?

The reason why there were more than 500 at the end of the Jones era and during the Benford era...WINNING! Jones had a tranwreck, rebuilt it and turned it over to RV to find a new conductor. $5 tickets are great, but there needs to be something to get people to come back. I should know, it worked for our family. We have only minor connections to the school, but I started bringing my sons to the games for an affordable and cool thing to do. the play on the court and the effort of the players got us hooked. As our daughter got old enough to go my wife started bringing her to the games too. A couple of seasons later we bought season tickets since we were at almost every game anyways and have gotten only more involved as the years pass. We have our other sports loves, but we now set out schedule by checking UNT MBB first. It can happen, but this season will not attract and hook new fans like us. It will not inspire alumni to get more involved. UNT BB has more support now than anytime in recent history and that hasn't kept JJ's momentum going. The support was there and growing, it will soon begin shrinking if it hasn't already.

So here is what I don't get. If all it takes to gain support is to win, then why aren't our soccer, volleyball, and tennis stands sold out? Why aren't the fairways lined when our golf teams play locally. Our football & basketball teams haven't given up on themselves. Why would fans give up on them? I remember going to basketball games when Johnny first got here. There were nights there might not have been 500 people in the stands. It was still D1 basketball. I could never understand how people couldnt find value in a $5 ticket. I guess folks are either really fans or really not fans at all.

Helwig. Guys like you made excuses for him too.

I would take one square block of New Orleans over the entire state of Tennessee-its north, east, south, west or middle.

I can walk, talk, and even talk and walk. Hell I might even C WALK!

Benford needs to go but RV won't fire because then he will have to admit he made another bad hire. Benford is like a cancer and needs to be cut out.

If we do not take immediate action and salvage something out of this season, here's what we should expect: 1. We will win about 9 games this season. 2. 2-3 of our top returning players will transfer at season's end. 3. Our recruiting will tank for years to come. 4. It will take between 3-8 years to have another winning season. 5. We will finish this season at or near the bottom of the Sun Belt and about 250 RPI spots worse than expected. 6. We will lose money over the course of the next several years vs. the cost of a buyout. All of this is assuming that we wait until the end of the season and then make a coaching change. If we DON'T even do it then . . . we will have a vastly less talented team next year than our current roughly 9 win team (give or take a game), and we can expect to win 4-6 games next season and effectively be one of the worst teams in the nation. I'm normally quite averse to fan "knee jerk" reactions that clamor for immediate firings after a few bad games, but this thing is beyond broken. I'm running out of comparisons in my mind. Todd Dodge (not to rag on the poor guy) accomplished far more with the level of talent he had at his disposal than our current basketball coach. Unprecedented failure necessitates an unprecedented response.

Unfortunately, scheduling is like dating. Not only do you have to ask the girl, but she also has to say yes.

UNT basketball is a train wreck. Can't help but wonder where this team would stand if JJ had stayed (sigh). Hope it doesn't happen, but it seems that Benford is Mean Green basketballs Todd Dodge. This year is a true penthouse to the outhouse story.

THIS!!! No matter whose "fault" you think it is, no matter how many times you try to blame 18-20 year old kids for this atrocity, one fact remains. We are literally LOSING a fanbase that took a long time to build. No amount of "you're a horrible person and fan if you don't show up and give money" can change the fact that the message is no longer even being heard, much less received. Your telethon isn't gonna work when people have turned off the television. So now we'll spend the next few years mired in irrelevance when we had a shot at FINALLY getting one right around here. And save the protestations about how we can't blame this person, or that person. Save the garbage about how some people aren't dedicated enough. Basically, just quit with trying to lay the blame at the feet of someone, anyone, other than those who get paid to make this program successful. And not because I want them "fired" or because I'm bagging on them...they don't need you to run to their defense guys...rather because the damage is done. The "same ol' North Texas" line is already deeply entrenched in the public's mind. Everyone has already pulled their pants up and their butts are no longer open for sunshine and rainbows to be pumped.

On this point I am in complete agreement with you. You are 100% correct, Sir!

@McMurphyESPN: Tulane AD Rick Dickson:" I'm proud Big East did not compromise its standards & accede to Boises inappropriate & unreasonable demands"

Forget it. He's going to Marshall as DC.

He won't let him go because UNT cannot afford to eat that much contract. He's guaranteed to be here three years regardless of performance unless someone with really deep pockets steps up.