ADLER

Sad signing day Monroe News-Star story National Signing Day is going to be bittersweet for the Louisiana Tech men's basketball team. Normally, it's a time of excitement for teams as they add signees. The mood will be more tempered for the Bulldogs after learning Willie Baker Jr. - the nephew of Tech assistant coach Charles Baker - was killed in a one-car auto accident over the weekend in Little Rock, Ark. Baker Jr. was supposed to sign with the Bulldogs on Wednesday. "He was taking some friends home and he dropped the alst one off and aid he was tired and needed to get some sleep,'' Baker said. "He never made it.'' According to the Arkansas State Police report, Baker Jr. killed early Saturday when his sport utility vehicle ran off Interstate 430 in Little Rock. Baker Jr., 17, was driving north on the interstate at 2:29 a. m. Saturday when his GMC Envoy left the road and traveled in the air about 150 feet, according to a state police report. The car landed on Colonel Glenn Road, where it struck the overpass and caught fire, the report states. Baker Jr., was a combo guard from Mills University Studies High School in Little Rock and would have been part of Tech's signing day class. Tech senior guard Marcus Elliott said the team was stunned because they all got to know Baker Jr., during the recruiting process. "Everybody talked to him,'' Elliott said. "We've got to let (Coach Baker) grieve and mourn.'' posted by The News-Star at 11:22 PM

Date Posted: Mon, November 06 2006, 18:43:13 Author: SUE Subject: The reason you FIRE DICKEY NOW....... Remember that stupid @$$ state rule that jobs like that have to be posted a month before being filled? So, if you wait until late November to can this incompetent boob....you're looking at late December before filling the position. Fire him now. Get started looking for replacements, ASAP. ******************************************************************** This is certainly relevant if a change is being considered. A new coach would require time to assemble a staff during the busiest recruiting period.

Thank you 'Green Team'. Your drives in the second quarter produced 17 points and ate enough clock to probably have kept La Tech from scoring at least one more first half touchdown. Other than your unexpected heroics, the game script was almost identical to last year.

Thanks for the score.

North Texas certainly isn't in any position to be pointing fingers. Here's some figures from last season's game in Ruston. Both teams entered the game with records of 2 and 3. Louisiana Tech drove 58 yards on their first possession and turned the ball over on downs when they came up short on a 4th-down play at the North Texas 36 yard line. Other than that initial drive, Louisiana Tech scored EVERY SINGLE TIME they had possession in the first half; three touchdowns and two field goals. The North Texas possessions in the first half went for 8, 17, 12, 8, 17, and 5 yards. Yes, that was only 3 first downs and 6 punts: pure futility. Halftime score was 27-0. The game was already functionally over. In the second half Tech substituted so liberally that they were playing reserves that had duplicated jersey numbers. North Texas earned 12 of the game total 15 first downs in that second half and lost 40 to 14. The North Texas Athletics site proclaimed "Despite a second half rally, the North Texas football team fell short against Louisiana Tech" to sugarcoat the ass-kicking. Have things changed so radically for either team that we should expect different results? I hope so, but I haven't noticed noticed where the changes have occurred.

This week should be an interesting case study. It's a chance to watch a Ramon Flanigan offense compete against what is statistically the worst defense in the nation. Let's see what happens.

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It's in the western sky? Our podcast crew of Harry, Rob, and Evan should be westward leading, still proceding to see if it leads them to Southlake.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Coach Dickey and his family at this time. Get well Coach.

The team heads for the Athletic Center after the games. Having a car at Fouts probably allows the coaches to get back to their offices and get cleaned up before the team busses arrive. The Athletic Center is where all the team´s post-game activities happen. I think this is a non-issue.

DING! DING! DING! We Have A Winner!

There is no denying that he is old, but he has established a history of turning perenially bad programs into winners, and his hiring could be a quick solution to our current ailments. ******************************************************************** Fry, "Hayden" (John Hayden Jr.) b. Feb. 28, 1929, Eastland, TX After playing football at Baylor University, Fry spent four years in Marine Corps, coach high school football for four years, and served as an assistant college coach for three seasons before becoming head coach at Southern Methodist University in 1962. Fry took SMU to three bowl games, but those were his only three winning seasons and he had a 50-68-1 record before being fired. He then had a 40-23-1 mark at North Texas State University from 1973 through 1978 and moved on to the University of Iowa. Iowa went to the Rose Bowl three times under Fry's guidance, in 1982, 1986, and 1991, losing all three, but his teams have a 5-4-1 record in other bowl appearances. Fry retired after the 1998 season with a record of 140-81-6 at Iowa and 229-170-10 overall. He ranks 10th all-time in NCAA Division I victories and has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Coach Record Year School W L T Pct. 1962 SMU 2 8 0 .200 1963 SMU 4 7 0 .364 1964 SMU 1 9 0 .100 1965 SMU 4 5 1 .450 1966 SMU 8 3 0 .727 1967 SMU 3 7 0 .300 1968 SMU 8 3 0 .727 1969 SMU 3 7 0 .300 1970 SMU 5 6 0 .455 1971 SMU 4 7 0 .364 1972 SMU 4 7 0 .364 1973 N. Texas St. 5 5 1 .500 1974 N. Texas St. 2 7 2 .300 1974 N. Texas St. 2 7 2 .300 1975 N. Texas St. 7 4 0 .636 1976 N. Texas St. 7 4 0 .636 1977 N. Texas St. 10 1 0 .909 1978 N. Texas St. 9 2 0 .818 1979 Iowa 5 6 0 .455 1980 Iowa 4 7 0 .364 1981 Iowa 8 4 0 .667 1982 Iowa 8 4 0 .667 1983 Iowa 9 3 0 .750 1984 Iowa 8 4 1 .654 1985 Iowa 10 2 0 .833 1986 Iowa 9 3 0 .750 1987 Iowa 10 3 0 .750 1988 Iowa 6 4 3 .577 1989 Iowa 5 6 0 .455 1990 Iowa 8 4 0 .667 1991 Iowa 10 1 1 .875 1992 Iowa 5 7 0 .417 1993 Iowa 6 6 0 .500 1994 Iowa 5 5 1 .500 1995 Iowa 8 4 0 .667 1996 Iowa 9 3 0 .727 1997 Iowa 7 5 0 .583 36 yrs 229 170 10 .571 Hayden Fry Biography in Wikpedia (read the North Texas part) Hayden Fry quotes

I am not denying that Stebo, but Dodge was able run his system effectively immediately when he took over the reigns at Southlake. It's not like he had to wait for the kids at the junior highs where it was implemented to mature. Two seasons as Offensive Coordinator would give him the opportunity to concentrate on setting his system, and would allow him to readjust to the rigors of college coaching and recruiting, and as OC, he could still take off Friday nights next season to watch his son. Hayden Fry has proven to have expertise in finding outstanding assistant coaches, and could work together with Dodge on building an incredible staff. The way I look at it is that we are in a unique situation; In Hayden Fry we have a legendary former coach that has entertained the thought of getting back into coaching. He had volunteered to help his alma mater Baylor before they hired Morris, and would likely extend the same offer to North Texas. Since he's retired, he is not a long term solution, but he would bring instant credibility to our floundering program. In Todd Dodge, we have a well known former college quarterback (UT) that has some college coaching experience (at North Texas). He has been incredibly successful at the high school level because of the offensive system that he has devised. He could either work his way up slowly through a BCS program by being a position coach, or could fast-track his career by going to North Texas and inheriting the head coaching position. We may have almost no chance of retaining him at North Texas if he is anywhere near as successful as he has been at the high school level, but will have benefitted immensly during his tenure before he departs.

I seem to be getting mixed messages here. You live to follow this team, spend an amazing amount of time researching and discussing it on web forums, but are so revolted off by recent futility that you can't even bear to watch your beloved team, ..........yet, you don't believe that a change is necessary unless the coach loses every remaining game this season. Gawd, I'd hate to know how the less dedicated fans feel.

An ideal situation in my opinion would be that IF a coaching change were to be made, that Hayden would coach the team for two years to right the ship and rebuild the lost following. Bring Todd Dodge in as Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach contracted to be the heir apparent upon Fry's retirement in 2008. Can we afford to do it? Can we afford not to do it? I think those two coaches could put together an excellent staff, and the interest generated by the hirings would almost certainly bring recruits and donations into the program. Wouldn't this be a great opportunity for both coaches as well as an outstanding investment for the university?

Your team had a convincing victory tonight. Best of luck for the rest of the season.

If you show kids the scene from The Green Mile where Mr Noodle gets fried with the 'dry sponge execution' they will probably be scared of him for years.

It's only a couple of hours til kickoff. There is really no chance in Hades that anyone from their coaching staff is perusing gomeangreen.com at this time. Even if, which is incredibly unlikely, it would be impossible for them to make any adjustments. With the front coming through today, there are steady winds with 35 mph gusts predicted. The low line drive to any empty field will eliminate any return going into the wind, and should roll forever going with the wind.

He said there were two times in the first half of the SMU game that they would have used the play to pin the Mustangs deep. He said it's one of the distinct atvantages that North Texas gets from having had so many starters play special teams. I only attended Thursday's practice, but from what I saw the fake was very convincing and the play has no reason that it shouldn't be successful. Make 'em go the length of the field Woody! Go Mean Green!

Since it's far too late for anyone to make any adjustments. Last year Tulsa was able to dominate North Texas because they kept gaining posession with a short field to score. Woody was a third team all-state punter in Arkansas, and they've been working on the quick kick out of running formations for third and long situations all week. Although he doesn't get the hang-time that Spencer does, he kicks it at an angle so it rolls a long way. One of the assistant coaches told me that this was something that Utah State has used very effectively in the past several seasons.

I noticed the same things with the SMU fans and had similar concerns. Over the past several years I have had a great time visiting with opposing fans at games. The Memphis fans and the Southern Miss fans at the New Orleans Bowls were outstanding, and our guests from Tulsa, Arkansas State, Louisiana, Baylor, and NMSU have always been very social.

Almost all schools other than North Texas do it every game, win or lose. It's not considered optional, it's a matter of pride. It's a show of gratitude by the players towards those people that support them, a time for supporters to salute the efforts of those players, and a sign of unity even at times when it's not a celebratory situation. Some people will argue that the players owe their school and their fans no allegiance whatsoever, or that the players have been trained since the third grade to sulk in humiliation, hang their heads, and quietly shuffle away after a loss. I argue otherwise. We are ONE Mean Green Nation. We celebrate OUR victories together and we deal with OUR tragedies together. We never fail to show our pride in being part of that Mean Green Nation, and for damned sure, we never walk out while our alma mater is being played. We can only suffer Division from Within when people in leadership positions divide the family with an us-against-them mentality. No finger pointing intended, it's just a fact. WE ARE NORTH TEXAS! THAT, Cerebus, IS ALL THERE IS TO SAY ABOUT THAT. Maybe 2006 will be the dawn of a new era: A time when emotional bonds stronger than ever before between the athletes, the student body, the alumni, and the administration/faculty unite the University of North Texas into finally accomplishing it's potential: A time when the third largest university in Texas begins to exercise it's abilities and lets it's pride show. Oh, and special thanks to Chuck Beck, Gary May, and Rick Herold for putting together the Mean Green March. I t has proven to be an enourmous success. It's an excellent time for fans to honor the team (coaches and players) and it has certainly been a boost in creating school spirit.

I don't think SMU would ever go to 1AA unless it was non-scholarship 1AA like the Ivy League. I can envision the possibility of SMU football going to Division III football years from now if the circumstances are right. Smaller private schools like SMU, Rice, and Tulane may decide that the expenditures of Division 1 football are not worth the rewards, or decide that scholarship football is compromising their academics, or both. If they could keep some their familiar rivals, I think that those three and several other national colleges would like to get out of the busines of selling out to the 50,000 student football factories. I think the end result would be that watching football would become fun again for them. People said support for Highland Park football would fade when it dropped from 5A to 4A. Has that happened?

Hey, I have yet to see an Eagle's claw that only has 2 forward facing talons.