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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/12/2016 in all areas

  1. Only at UNT? Please, this happens at just about any and all government jobs anywhere in the country. The man was under contract. We either wait for it to expire (allowing him to continue to run the department) or we come to a settlement to get him away from the decision making room. For someone all gung ho about him needing to removed, your now going to bitch about how it was made to happen? If you don't want to know or like how the sausage is made, then get out of the damn kitchen.
    11 points
  2. No way we take a step back. I honestly cannot see a scenario where that is even possible.
    6 points
  3. It seems every year CUSA looks a little less appealing and I have little confidence in the new Commissioner being able to do more than just slow the decay. CUSA is dying and merging with the Sun Belt won't fix that. We need to get our own house in order on and off the field.
    4 points
  4. This is what I mean by saying we have squandered the past 10 years by pretending to be a 1-A program when we should have been the big dog in the conference. Thanks, RV, BOR.
    4 points
  5. I wish i could be bad at my job and get a fat payout.
    4 points
  6. And on what basis would you fire him, and before you list a summary of about 5000 posts; think about all the good reviews someone has that has been on the job for over 15 years and got multiple contract extensions. A lawyer would eat NT up if they tried to do what you propose.
    3 points
  7. I have a theory about why Texas has been so adamant blockading expansion. If they expand, to truly make it worthwhile they need to renegotiate TV, if they renegotiate TV then they will look to extend the grant of rights. I believe Texas is anti-expansion because they want to get closer to the end of the grant of rights and explore membership in the Big 10, Pac-12, and ACC. Not to say they will look at the situation and choose to leave but they don't want to lock in to Big XII any longer than they have to before taking that look.
    3 points
  8. Looks like this is a big time playmaker!! http://247sports.com/player/devron-davis-82195 Was Committed to Colorado State, looks like he signed etc and just got released looks like an illness with his mother. http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1476642/devron-davis
    2 points
  9. Social Media (gotcha) WTF where is it? I am not an expert on this but I am a marketing guy and I don't understand why we are not seeing action in this area. I thought we had hired a guy to handle! Camps are going on but no post, pics or tweets! Things are dead keep fans and kids engaged! Take a fring'n picture! GMG
    2 points
  10. Apparently they are looking into a new position(s) within football department who help facilitate and manage these social media efforts by the staff.
    2 points
  11. because white guys go into churches and shoot people after they participate in bible studies.....and autistic kids, a child of a dumbass who left 20 unlocked guns around the house, walk into elementary schools and start blasting children. I hate the wahhabi brand of Islam as much as the next guy but the problem does not start and stop with them. Dude was talked to by the FBI twice.......and still bought guns the other day......you don't see a problem with that then you are part of the problem.
    2 points
  12. The AD position has been a tell tale sign to the lack of stability in North Texas athletics. We had six athletic directors in the 80's, with Fred McCain holding the position for five of those ten years. Corky Nelson was named athletic director in 1989. This only lasted until 1990 when Steve Sloan was hired. Sloan in my estimation was a good AD. He had been AD at his alama mater Alabama. Sloan was the catalyst in moving the program to I-A, and helped convince chancellor Hurley to allow him to reach out to the Big West conference about membership. Sadly Sloan left UNT for the same position at Central Florida in 1993. As we all know, UCF's progress after him arriving was dramatic. The sad fact is that had we had the foresight to retain Sloan we might be in a completely different place right now. Helwig served in the post from 1994-2000. Helwig was the executive director of the John Hancock Bowl and had been an associate AD at UT Austin and KState. He was responsible in carrying out Sloan's plans to expand Fouts which was required to get approval for I-A status. UNT joined the Big West in 1996.
    2 points
  13. I don't know what to be more upset about, being paid for the next 15 months not to do his job, or being paid the past few years for not doing his job.
    2 points
  14. Not sure what your point is. Most of these buildings were built long before big donors were honored with name buildings. Also most were primarily built with state funds so the naming was done to honor past leaders of the university.
    2 points
  15. I don't think smu has as much pull as y'all think. Plus if we start winning consistently it really won't matter what they want.
    2 points
  16. My company let go of one of its executives with a $500k buyout. I hate that she got the money, but the company will come out ahead because her incompetence cost the company 100x more than that over the prior years. It's like the old joke, why is divorce so expensive? Because it's worth it. (Says the guy having his 20th anniversary this year)
    2 points
  17. If only RV had negotiated for UNTs schedules as succesfully as he did for his buyout....
    2 points
  18. And this is what infuriates me. Then he gets to walk away on terms of a "mutual decision" while latching onto UNT's teat for another 15 months. If we're paying this douche bag to kick rocks then call it a FIRING because that's exactly what it is. Instead, outsiders could chalk this up as something that it isn't. A firing of this magnitude gives the program credibility and sets standards of how not to suck. UNT just keeps doing UNT type things.
    2 points
  19. But..but....but...I thought he resigned?
    2 points
  20. He should use the free education he received and try to get a job somewhere.
    2 points
  21. Over 25K a month over the next 15 months. I'm flabbergasted at the notion that he was able to actually talk someone into giving him that kind of money. It's not money well spent, it's money horribly wasted. Just literally set on fire as far as I'm concerned. Good riddance and never come back to this great university again, ever.
    2 points
  22. True: Ernie is a major contributor to UNT athletics True: Ernie is an ex-BOR member Speculation: has HUGE influence over AD decisions with multiple UNT power players. RV's Departure: I know you would prefer to kick him to the curb, but good business says to let him walk away with his dignity. Reviewing what the athletic department looked like when he arrived, and where it is today says a lot. Did he have his failures? Sure. Did he get lazy after Apogee was built and we got in to CUSA? Sure. But you can't ignore his accomplishments either. You still like to dance around the facts, theorized to make your point and avoid direct questions relating to your posts. I asked who else has made posts stating that Ernie made Mac disappear? No answer. In one post you state that Ernie wanted RV to stay. I just asked where you heard/read that, no answer. I asked again and then you state, "Well, that would be hard since Ernie never commented publicly about it." I reply to your posts because they are full of speculation, wild assed theories and crap you can't back up. You wanted RV gone and he is, so just let it go and see what happens.
    2 points
  23. Do y'all think that Villarreal's replacement will be a step forward? Or will we be worse off when the dust settles? I know this is very abstract, but it is the slow summer.
    1 point
  24. One difference I hope we see from the new AD is transparancy and truthfulness. RV lied so often he had trouble remembering them and it got to the point I wouldn't listen to the guy in any public address because you couldn't believe a thing he said. For the love God, please give us an AD that publishes MGC numbers, season ticket numbers, donation numbers. An AD that stands up and says "I made a mistake. I have to do better. My staff has to do better. This isn't acceptable" instead of the excuse making and blame shifting we have seen for the last 5 years. An AD that HONESTLY engages the fan base. This is what I hope for the next AD. It would be a huge culture shift for the AD and the university, a sorely needed one.
    1 point
  25. Craig Helwig owned a house on Foreestridge with his wife Terri. Vic Trilli lived in his home on El Paseo around the corner. Helwig hosted several basketball related events during this era called "Chili with Trilli." Owned not rent.
    1 point
  26. Great recommendation. Thank you!
    1 point
  27. That is not lost on me and it is one of the reasons I have any hope left.
    1 point
  28. I'm more into this team than either of the 2 World Series teams for some reason. Probably because I was at the game where Odor almost knocked out the most douchey, hated player in baseball. Plus having a friend who is a personal friend of Odor and laughing at the text exchange between the two when Odor was in the clubhouse immediately after the incident. Funny stuff and made me a fan of his for a long time to come. This team is just so so deep, from pitching to position players. Choo goes down? Plug in Mazara who isn't going anywhere. Beltre tweets a hammy? Profar takes over 3rd base. Moreland and Fielder in a slump? Hot hitting Profar there to step in and provide a wake up call. Deep, talented team that should go deep in the playoffs. Fun
    1 point
  29. I 100 percent agree. San Antonio is a far better destination to go watch games. After attending our last game at UTEP I can assure you I'll never attend another game at the Sun Bowl. UTSA fans are at least cool. Not to mention UTSA appears to be building a decent program.
    1 point
  30. do we even know if any has applied for the position? it is the off season and we need something to talk about otherwise the uniform and sticker debate is about begin.
    1 point
  31. Nealie Sanchez | Staff Writer @NealieSanchez Despite many subpar performances on the field, UNT athletics found success in the classroom, finishing 2014-2015 with high APR scores, according to an NCAA report. A team’s APR score is comprised of both student athlete GPA and retention of athletes. Each student athlete can receive two points for his or her team: one for passing, and one for staying with the team. UNT had multiple sports with perfect scores: men’s golf, women’s cross country, tennis, women’s track & field and volleyball, while various other sports ranked among the top in the NCAA. The football team finished with an APR of 993, which is the top 10 percent of all NCAA football teams. Men’s and women’s basketball finished with an APR score of 938 and 939 respectively, placing them in the bottom 20 percent in the NCAA. Super Pit / Coliseum – 600 Avenue D. Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor Outgoing UNT athletic director Rick Villarreal said these types of improvements are possible because the athletics department prioritizes academics. “My philosophy is that there’s some kids that we have that are good enough to go to the next level. But out of the 25,000 student athletes in the last four years, we’ve got five of them making a living [in sports], and the rest of them are out working in the real world,” Villarreal said. “I’ve always made it clear to our entire staff that the degree has got to come first.” For cross-country head coach Stefanie Slekis, the improvement is something that doesn’t go unnoticed. “This year we had our highest semester GPA ever, a 3.64,” Slekis said. “My first semester coaching here it was a 3.04. It’s great to see how much they brought up their GPA.” Upgrading academic spaces UNT was docked scholarships in 2009 for poor academic performance, but it has made strides in ensuring student athlete success since then. One step Villarreal took during his tenure was improving the student athlete academic center. “When we came here in 2001, we worked in a room that was probably 20 feet by 16 feet, and it had two tables and eight chairs with no computers. That was kind of our study hall for student athletes,” Villarreal said. “Unfortunately, at that time graduation rates were about 32 percent for student athletes, and so that to me has always been one of my main focuses.” UNT athletic director, Rick Villarreal. File Photo The improvements included a larger space, technological upgrades, staff members and an entire program dedicated to coaching freshman into a successful first year at college. Track & field senior Connor Bey is one of many student-athletes who has used the center since the beginning of his college career and said it’s clear how UNT prioritizes academics. “Freshman year, all student athletes have eight hours of mandatory study hall,” Bey said. “So it really sets the tone for how important it is.” The study hall remains mandatory for any athlete with a GPA under a 3.0, but students with higher GPAs can still utilize the space. Student athletes also have the added pressure of doing homework while they travel with their teams for away games. “It’s important to get our schedules so that they can do work while they’re on the road or before they’re on the road, or make arrangements if they’re going to miss a particular test while they’re out of town for three days,” Villarreal said. With many classes emphasizing online coursework and the use of blackboard to turn in assignments, getting homework done on the road has become easier, Bey said. “Online helps a lot and everything is sort of online now. I’ve taken my laptop with me out of town for homework,” Bey said. “I was at conference last year on a Wednesday and Thursday, and I had an assignment turned in on Thursday night.” From classroom to field Each Mean Green team seeks the same thing: students who excel in classes so their dedication originates outside of their uniform and carries over while wearing it. “A lot of the same work ethic translates [to classwork], and we try to find good students to join our program,” Slekis said. “They’re working really hard to finish what they started here at UNT, and it shows the dedication levels of the athletes in our program.” While every university is competing to win on the field, Villarreal insisted UNT would never sacrifice the academic success for a few wins here and there. “We want to win as much as anybody, and so we’re not excited that we don’t win,” Villarreal said. “But the fact that we know that our students here are doing what they came here to do – they have made academics a priority, and it’s been a priority across the board for everybody involved in our program.” Student-athlete success in the classroom was one of Villarreal’s biggest points of pride before stepping down as athletic director last month. “When somebody asked me what my greatest accomplishment is, was it building a stadium? Was it moving us from noncompliance Title IX to compliance Title XI? For me, it’s that we have set up a system that our kids academically have graduated and stayed in school at numbers that compare with the best in the country,” Villarreal said. “That’s the biggest thing that I can ever hope students do.” Featured Image: Apogee Stadium – 1251 S Bonnie Brae St. Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor View Full Article
    1 point
  32. There may never be a dumber thing you'll ever post in your life than saying 30 P5 schools are "in the same economic boat" as us. You show me one F'ing P5 with an athletic budget like ours, a conference affiliation like ours, or is clearly near the bottom in recruiting against their in-state peers. Go ahead...Ill wait...ill even help. Kansas?? Nope, gigantic budget because basketball pays the bills there. Texas Tech?? Nope, budget dwarfs ours and they get annual visits every year from UT and OU in football. Washington State?? Again, budget dwarfs ours, they get Washington and Oregon every year there to boost attendance and media coverage. 30 teams...hell, you can't find one.
    1 point
  33. Thanks for the update jayDee. I also like Seth Washington that we offered earlier this spring. It is amazing what you can attract when you have a coaching staff making a true effort.
    1 point
  34. I believe the "drop dead date" is Thursday, June 30. It wouldn't hurt to cheat up a day or two as an abundance of caution. Administration could go from SNAFU to total chaos later next week. Not saying I expect that...I would just hedge my bet if I were you.
    1 point
  35. We have soooo many bigger fish to fry than the fact that our practice fields are named after a coach that won four straight conference titles.
    1 point
  36. Now that some years have passed since his acrimonious departure, I'm fine with the practice fields being named after Dickey. He did a lot for football in the time he was here. The winning streak and bowl win were great achievements for a program that had suffered for so long.
    1 point
  37. Pension comes from being a state employee! I am sure that was taken into consideration!
    1 point
  38. We made him an offer he couldn't refuse! I am sure it was resign or find a horse head in you bed!
    1 point
  39. There is no talking and giving it is called contracts.
    1 point
  40. It is completely representative of the reality that the SBC, CUSA, and MAC face...we don't have enough of a following to get solid network deals or strong enough attendance to make up for it. I personally don't see how the P5s will stick with the G5s much longer. The NCAA is their power tool and they have all of the legislative and media control. I do believe that schools in the higher echelon of the G5 will get included, in some form or fashion, within the next move upward of the P5s, but the rest of us don't have much of a chance. The budget differences between the AAC and CUSA is vast and the AAC trails the P5s by tens of millions of every year in network and ticket revenues. The difference between Texas Tech and Houston is very wide, budget-wise. But the difference between us and Tech is Grand Canyon wide. There just isn't any way that economics will work out for the G5s to have some form of quasi-membership with the P5s like they have now. They play games against each other that people want to see week-in and week-out in conference play for two months of a season, both on TV and in person. The rest of us don't get that luxury and never will.
    1 point
  41. Well, that would be hard since Ernie has never commented publicly about it. Ernie is a huge donor. Ernie made Mac disappear (if you believe other people. You must, because I'm the only one you ever question). Ernie was on the BOR and has direct connections to the current BOR members. UNT is paying off the contract of Rick Villarreal and I would be willing to bet making sure he gets his 20 year state pension. Examine the evidence. That's what we do in these cases. Maybe Ernie finally came to the conclusion that RV couldn't get it done, but he was WAY late getting to that table. I think he still wants his little buddy taken care of with a state pension. Lazy, bad leadership can lead to a whole host of other problems. I hope a complete audit of the AD occurs when the new guy comes in, and I pray to God major issues aren't found.
    1 point
  42. Such convoluted theorizing on your part and so typical. You claimed Ernie wanted RV to stay, Smatresk wanted him gone and that Ernie allowed this with the stipulations that he and his family get to pick the new AD and his grandson gets a scholarship. I questioned this and your response was to check Fly's posts. What does he have to do with any of this. Now you change gears again and throw out the response above that is full of accusations. You have provided zero facts in support of your comments. That is all I ask. Show me once, just once, where Ernie said RV had to stay, where he had to be involved in the hiring of the new AD, etc.... Ernie, not Fly.
    1 point
  43. Why not try Canada or Arena? I think he is going about this the wrong way. The Cowboys aren't in the business of handing out jobs. Presentation is key. If he really wanted to impress them he would have a full suit on with a professionally done sign, a briefcase containing his resume and highlight dvds, and a gym bag containing workout clothes on the chance they ask him in. They gave him a shot to showcase his skills and they said no thanks. It is time for him to accept that playing for the Dallas Cowboys is not a possibility presently. He should try another league to make some noise where a NFL team might eventually notice. This is starting to become sad and his cardboard sign, along with his Mean Green Workout clothes, don't exactly portray the university in a positive light.
    1 point
  44. It does say something about the health of our conference mates. Please, no more Sun Belt schools graduating into cUSA.
    1 point
  45. "You want a fun fact that will take two seconds?"
    1 point
  46. Well with TV taking hit down to what the Sun Belt is paying, CUSA 3.x and Sun Belt earning the same number of basketball units, and the CFP money being better for the Sun Belt members other than changing patches what has really changed? There are now three ain't AAC or MWC conferences with very similar success and money and of the three, only one makes a lick of sense geographically.
    1 point


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