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Showing content with the highest reputation on 07/21/2017 in Posts

  1. Threads often shift topics wildly, so I'd like to make one with a high level focus rather than a detail like baseball, uniforms, sushi etc. WB came in and "evaluated" the situation. In talking to him and looking at his public comments a major theme is being overlooked. It is very difficult to evalutate employees and programs when they haven't been given the tools to perform. Look at what WB said about Benford: essentially I am going to see if we can fix up a few things and give him some help then make a decision. They tried, it didn't work and they made a move. Grant is a tremendous hire. He has experience across multiple levels, winning at every stop and he has a great coaching staff around him. The team will take a huge step forward, some @ UNT I have spoken with think 18+ wins is the year 1 expectation. I think WB views everyone in AD department in this way, give them the tools and see what they can actually do once they have them. That is not a shortcoming it is the sign of a good leader. Ben and UNT90 are spot on that there were people underperforming in the department under RV, this is difficult to dispute. But were they underperforming more than our facilities, fundraising, AD leadership etc? Why were they underperforming? As some have pointed out that is a much more difficult question to answer. WB takes heat for "evaluating" and moving slowly, but if you look at things closely a big shift is already happening. The AD department has over 100 employees when coaching staffs are added in, but for simplicity let's call it 100. Already there has been a fairly large turnover over 20 people and probably closer to 30. There have also been multiple hires to senior roles. To me this sends a clear signal that everyone needs to step up their game or be replaced or be demoted. I like this type of management. Here is more money, more support, go hustle and win - if you don't someone is going to take your place. College athletics is a small world. You don't gain a lot by publicly announcing that all of your employees are a dumpster fire and then canning them before setting foot on campus. You not only look like a jerk, you lose respect of others in the atheltics landscape and it hurts your ability to recruite future talent. WB is taking actions, just because they are not incredibly public doesn't mean they aren't happening. A similar thing happened with the Denton campus as a whole. There are a lot of parralels: new leadership came in, fixed large fiscal and structural problems, started raising more money then began replacing people that needed to go with ones who were better fits. Most top positions in the school have been turned over. This did not happen instantly but just a few years later 8 of the 10 cabinet positions have been turned over. Finally, yes not everyone will always support all decisions but the negativity towards WB pisses me off a bit. His major hires (Mosley and Grant) look like home runs, and he has articulated a clear plan to his adminstration to secure more funding. The old AD never did this as simple as it sounds. The adminstration has in turn supported him, working collaborativley with athletics. He has negotiated better deals with vendors and contracts to fix merchandising shortcomings and to save money... the list goes on and on. Look if he flubs something up then by all means be critical of him, but aside from not instantly firing people that are generally disliked by some on this board I don't understand where the criticism is coming from. Building major facilites takes a bit of time, it is not an instant process. We finally have a solid AD, he is calculating and if there is a problem he will commit resources to step in and resolve it. He is building a deep team, gathering more resources, and hiring coaches who will win. He is also unifying major donors. Guys like CDS who were firm RV supporters are now supporting him publicly in the paper and folks like EK who lobbied hard to hire another AD candidate are behind him as well. I see the signs of leadership from WB and I am supporting the department for these reasons, both finanically and on this board.
    8 points
  2. Can I be in some kind of weird, logical middle ground, where I don't allow myself to call anyone who hasn't coached a game here a "home run" or praise an AD one year in, while still feeling generally optimistic about the direction our program appears to be taking? I mean, I like our recent hires and our direction on paper, but without major strides, I'm not going to get a Wroner about anything yet.
    6 points
  3. This site isn't the end all be all, but they're usually pretty solid in their evaluations. They have us with #39 Jordan Redfearn from Aubrey who more than likely is a swing guy for us as a OT/OG, #35 Cole Brown from Conroe HS, AND #33 Daizion Carroll from Waco Midway. This is pretty impressive haul in my opinion.
    4 points
  4. "New Denton" is more than just a 2 year thing. It can mean so many things. It's an evolving frame of mind. You can't change how people view UNT in only 2 years, and if players and recruits are continuing to embrace it, why would you stray from it? Keep hammering it until you get where you want be.
    4 points
  5. #NewAndImprovedDenton ... ? #AlmostAt85ScholiesNowDenton ... ?
    4 points
  6. Time to start getting some Ole Miss transfers.
    4 points
  7. After the first year does #NewDenton really make sense? I mean I can buy it for the remainder of the season, but after that I feel like we need a new marketing direction for the team. I'm open to suggestions I just think it's losing its accuracy. Some other ideas for Marketing hashtags.
    3 points
  8. Literally only one person didn't want Tauaefa and now they're fired. For exactly this kind of decision. Everyone here wanted to offer the dude. If you're up for transferring we're here for you my dude cause we don't care about that crap.
    3 points
  9. My thoughts? I'll give him a half point credit for using hookers instead of seducing chicks for fun and maybe causing them to think there might *love* involved. At least kept it a business transaction where everyone got a fair price. He's a helluva coach I am not crazy about guys using their faith as part of their branding. I go to church, I send my church a check every payday, I volunteer, but I don't expect that to be on my performance evaluation at work. If you are at Liberty or Baylor, then it makes sense. Now I drew up tight when the NCAA started crawling all over him and his assistants because nothing the NCAA enjoys more than knocking a little guy around. They started digging in 2012 and actually started over women's hoops. By December 2013 they had enough to chase Louisiana Lafayette over assistant David Saunders and that wrapped up January of 2016. Clock ran out on anything he did at AState on December 4, 2015, so they didn't find anything, but he came to AState in 2010 after signing day and his only class at AState was mostly guys Roberts had been recruiting. Wasn't a notable bunch, rated 4th in the Sun Belt and 102nd in the nation. I was stunned when he had his superclass at Ole Miss because I hadn't seen any signs of him being a megarecruiter, I mean his starting QB at Ole Miss the first three years was a kid who quit at AState because he not only wasn't starting, he wasn't playing and got mad at then OC Freeze when Freeze shut him down when he claimed he was the best QB he had. I mean guys who are second best at AState aren't exactly the guys you expect to start 39 games in the SEC, Freeze wasn't at AState when either were recruited. Terribly stupid way to embarrass your family and on top of that, everyone who took a job with him at Ole Miss will be on the chopping block come December, the kids who signed to play for him don't get that. Pretty much everyone who put faith in him loses because he liked hookers. Now come 2021, I'll stand up and clap for him and the players who make it back when we honor the 10th anniversary of his team but beyond that it's his life to repair. Not a chance. Guarantee you Kiffin is thinking, have a good year and I can get the Ole Miss job or whatever decent P5 opens. He's not going to saddle himself with Freeze. Why should he have stayed at AState? Unless he went crazy with the money he has more banked than he would have made if he had stayed at AState.
    3 points
  10. DRC: http://beta.dentonrc.com/sports/mean-green/2017/07/21/unt-basketball-notes-reese-expected-play-grad-transfer-trainer-departs
    3 points
  11. 3 points
  12. Escort service got the call and she is on the way! Bringing her own beer too!
    3 points
  13. https://meangreennation.com/2017-cusakickoff/ Impressions, links, quotes. It was fun but tiring. I think next year I would rather do a live broadcast from there rather than do table-by-table interviews. Some of that would be duplicating the stuff Thulin was doing though. Only La Tech had radio guys (one guy) there doing a remote. No local radio guys (outside of Liddle from MGRN) were getting audio. I understand why, but like, geez.
    2 points
  14. For sure. But everything has to be put under the microscope, not just the culmination of wins and losses over 1 sport. I can live with .500 programs if the athletic department is being proactive rather than reactive. And visible progress is being made to lay a real foundation for sustained success. Though wins and losses are important, our programs need to have a baseline of success and a trend pattern has to be maintained for said foundation to be poured properly. The baseline has been established in football. Hopefully a positive one is set in basketball this upcoming season.
    2 points
  15. 2 points
  16. #NewDenton is fine... I get why it rubs some people the wrong way until I consider how long we have sucked and how little most people think of our university... any denton is gonna be new denton to most of the kids we are going after, even in the metroplex. If they succeed this year like I am anticipating, I think it will change to something else. let the youngins do their thing with the hash tags!
    2 points
  17. 2 points
  18. Hey now, I'd love it if they would talk to me about something like that. But I'm not going to pay for it myself!
    2 points
  19. Media savvy grads who don't give a rats ass. We've got thousands of Craig Millers out there. Not just radio front men, behind the scenes guys/gals as well.....
    2 points
  20. Has anyone written a book yet called, "The Restless Penis: How It Gets Men Of All Ages, Education Level, Income Level, And Social Status Into Trouble." If not, Hugh Freeze should be considered to write the Forward. It all goes back to The Ticket's Gordo and his constant referral to men getting into trouble over that one small part of the female anatomy. If they would all just heed Roxette and listen to their hearts instead of their penises. In all seriousness, though, the denial from Hugh Freeze is the icing on the cake. Losing a very public $5 million jobs to the inability to police up his penis, though, maybe denial is the first stage in admitting he has a problem.
    2 points
  21. We're also in the top 5 for Kameron King, #26
    2 points
  22. I think coach Stockstill is a little perturbed by all of Kiffin's attention. Expect a major beatdown in Boca Raton on 9/30. Like 55-10 with starters still in late 4th quarter beatdown.
    2 points
  23. Yep. And if it had been $MU, they would have provided them for him.
    2 points
  24. I bet if he was 10-3 last year instead of 5-7 it wouldn't have mattered how many escort services he called.
    2 points
  25. It's ironic because Michael Oher was released today by the Panthers, and the Blindside is on TV right now.
    2 points
  26. Then I can't tie ASU's improved records and bowl wins to escorts services at ASU based on the 2011 season. Come to think of it, is "escort services in the state of Arkansas" an oxymoron?
    2 points
  27. Wikipedia says he was OC in 2010 and HC in 2011. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Freeze
    2 points
  28. Beer before the game and a ride from East Side to the stadium (and back). I did it last year. Incredible value if you make even just three of the games.
    2 points
  29. Excellent observations from both of you. On top of righting the ship, Wren is still accessible. Some AD's like to keep plenty of distance between themselves and the general public...not Wren. He seems like a very thoughtful and caring guy to me and I hope everyone gives him a chance to shine.
    2 points
  30. I'm not sure I watched the same video as y'all. Looked like a bunch of freshmen made an OK video for their intro to drama class or something. What's wrong?
    2 points
  31. Despite what C-USA says, they don't have a real media deal outside of beIN Sports. That is a real problem. I have always been reluctant to embrace online streaming as a TV broadcast, but I could be changing my mind. The Big Sky Conference has launched their own network on Pluto TV,... and It is a really nice setup. It would be great if North Texas and other C-USA universities could take back our 3rd tier media rights. I'd much rather watch our streaming games on this free platform (adds are played at intervals throughout the broadcast, just like television), versus giving money to ESPN3 (The Deuce). For those that have never heard of Pluto TV, it works just like satellite. You can change between channels and everything. How great it would be to watch all of the Mean Green sports on something very close to real TV, 24 hours a day. Check it out. http://pluto.tv/ Also, here is a thread about the Big Sky's network, from the CSNBBS board. http://csnbbs.com/thread-821964.html
    1 point
  32. #BiggerBadderUncutDenton #UsedLikeNewDenton #RefurbishedDenton #GnuDenton meh these are all meh
    1 point
  33. What hashtag would you change it to after the season?
    1 point
  34. I've got a cousin who for years was the head remote guy at ESPN: http://events.sportsvideo.org/csvs2011/2011/03/18/steve-cozort-senior-director-of-remote-and-studio-operations-espn/ For awhile back in the late 90s, he was based in Dallas. He's got his own production company these days, but it's based out of Charlotte, NC. I could hit him up and ask him what would be the realistic cost of producing your own stuff. Although, my guess is, our Radio/TV program has enough people in the industry to know what it is already. With as many media savvy grads as we've had throughout the years, you'd think we'd be leading this thing.
    1 point
  35. This is partly the result of a law suit by Houston Nutt. He claims the university, the AD, and Freeze disparaged him by telling sports writers privately that most of the NCAA infractions happened during Nutt's tenure. They FOI'd phone records looking for evidence of Bjork and Freeze were spreading this story. Apparently, there was a non-disparagement clause in the resignation agreement. Freeze just got caught incidentally.
    1 point
  36. 1 point
  37. Way too early to be won over by Baker or the opposite. I don't see any major failures or victories at this point. We can debate all day about what goes on behind the scenes. Some assume a great program is being built, others that little has been accomplished. All that we know is what has been reported, to assume anything else is simply guesswork from most of us. If you really look at the message board reaction, it is very typical. Most fans are going to support the new AD and optimism runs rampant. The same few posters who never see any progress no matter what, are still in that mode. There is a group in the middle of which I am one that have not been won over by Baker but are still hopeful that he is the answer. Here is how I view Baker's tenure at this point: Administrative staff: I don't like adding an upper tier of administrators as a first order of business. I don't have as big a problem with retaining many of the old staff as some, but it doesn't compute that most of RV's staff were top performers. The actual effectiveness of the extra management level won't be known for a long time if at all. Head Coaching moves: Giving Benford his last year was definitely a mistake. I also have a problem with retaining mediocre at best head coaches in other sports when their contracts expired. The positive, I like the MBB hire, and believe it was definitely a good and necessary move up in terms of the investment in the sport. Scheduling: The one and one with Tech is definitely a plus. However, I am still trying to figure out why adding Liberty and dropping Army to apparently get an one on one with UH is worthwhile. Facilities: This topic is more complicated than most believe. It is not only what is added but how it is financed. RV for example, got Apogee built and it is a great facility. However it was built almost wholly with debt secured by student fees. This is a drain on budgets for years and tied up a large portion of student fees that could have possibly been used for athletic operating expenses instead of debt service. With the above caveat, I like what Baker is doing and planning to do. The track-soccer facility is about mandatory for NT. The track squads are necessary for NT to stay in compliance with NCAA D1 requirements for the number of teams required. The soccer portion should be a step up for what is undoubtedly NT's best team. With the IPF plans, Baker is demonstrating that he is addressing the items that NT needs to build to be competitive with peer institutions. Of course nothing major has been actually started, so this is a wait and see factor. I do credit Baker with the planned renovation of the Super PIt, I think it should have a lot of years left. Also I assume that he has attacked a lot of the smaller projects that were neglected. The locker rooms and upgrade to the basketball practice facility are not going to provide the wanted wow factor, but are significant improvements. Donations and support: A very long range objective that NT must substantially improve. Too early to rate Baker, but men's basketball should show an immediate attendance spike and football attendance will give some indication if Baker is on target. Mean Green club membership and donations are about the lowest in the conference, so I would be disappointed if Baker can't move those numbers up. Winning: Ultimately what Baker will be judged on; his record in terms of wins and losses, particularly in football and men's basketball.
    1 point
  38. Busted for calling escort services..
    1 point
  39. Three levels of club seats: Silver, something closer to the middle, and something in the middle. For each seat, you must make a stadium donation. For silver, it's $3,125. For something better, it's $6,250. For something in the middle, it's $12,500. Again, that's per seat. Historically, we've been able to make that payment over five years. You must make a mean green club donation. For silver, I've had to pay $500 a year, but I believe that's gone up to $300 a seat once my initial stadium donation agreement is finished. The actual tickets are $375 per seat per season. The above prices are based on my own experience and may have since changed.
    1 point
  40. This is spot on. We are all anxious for change but then must realize that Baker is just now finishing year one. We do have to focus on the revenue sports, because success there will lead to increased attendance, increased fundraising, thus creating money to investment in the entire program. I wish we could put off the track/soccer complex, but when we have young men and women coming here to run track and we are putting them on a surface that is not safe things must be pushed to the forefront. I predict in two more years we will be light years ahead of where we are today, but we have to be patient.
    1 point
  41. @GTWT, you almost have me talked into backing Liberty for admission to C-USA.
    1 point
  42. Going to podcast this weekend with some audio from the sessions. Random observations: Lane Kiffin is tall, ODU's Bobby Wilder is fun, Doc Holliday is gruff.
    1 point
  43. John Williams has been fronting the donation part and getting affordable tickets to young alumni in a sweet package deal for a few years. As long as John continues his promotion (free drink at east side, bus stop, chair backs, tickets and t-shirt) I will be supporting him.
    1 point
  44. I'm not convinced one year of recruiting makes much of a difference the following season. I'd say that no reason at all. When I watch our game with them last year the only difference I saw was they lucked into a walk-on quarterback who's pretty good while we had a true freshman quarterback with a bad offensive line. I thought talent levels were pretty evenly matched. Still, I felt we lost that game more than they won it. They still have that quarterback so I can understand the ranking. Ranked 4th sounds about right until we prove something on the field.
    1 point
  45. I'm very surprised with the trust in La Tech from everyone. Last year they relied on specifically their air attack to outscore opponents and it worked wonderfully. However, they're missing their starting quarterback and two best receivers from last season. Their QB will likely have played little to no competitive NCAA football and a lot of players will need to step up to make up for the production lost to the NFL. I think we're going to be an unhappy bunch come week 12 when UTSA beats them and takes the division championship.
    1 point
  46. Reguarding so-called scientists and politicians ....... do they have anything to gain from a certain "position" ... . Always consider the sourse. ....Had several UNT profs pound that into us...
    1 point


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