greenfrog

Our attendance will take care of itself with: 1 Continued hard work by the AD and his staff and the backing of the Adminsitration and the board. 2. Geographically blessed and a new stadium that all conferences (and someday the Big 14) can't pass us up. 3. The continued growth of the metroplex that is moving to the North of Dallas and FW as we breathe. Soon, and not soon enough for us, the smu's and tcu's will not be able to keep up because of rising costs and will settle into the middle level conferences. You just can't compete for the long haul if you are a private institution with 8 or 9,000 students. NT's greatest years are ahead of us. Lot's of Universities can't say that. Those have had their years in the sun in the 40"s and 50's. The Mean Green locomotive is coming down the track, and although some would like to derail it, they may get run over!

I'm sure that all of these players are deserving. However when a 2 time All American golfer who has been and still is one of the most influencial golfers in the golfing world can't get in, I have lost a great deal of respect for the Hall. That would be Bill Eschenbrenner, now and for the past 40+ years at the El Paso CC. We have cronies such as Charlie Johnson, former coach and failure at UNT, in the Hall and other great and more deserving people on the outside looking in. After 43 years of following NT I have not respect or interest in this entity.

This the first year in quite a while that we are going after players that are being pursued by "elite" programs. It is a good sign when kids say they were considering Oklahoma, A&M and North Texas in the same breath. It sure is better than a signee deciding on NT but were pursued by Sam Houston, SFA etc. Good job of recruiting this year it looks like. Hope these kids are as good on the court as they are on paper. A strong year in both men's BB and football makes a lot of conferences look at us.

The coaches felt that Harris and Thomas were good kids but weren't tough. They played to not lose rather than to win. Both are marginal Div.1 players. Wish them good luck in the future and hope they see the light to get a degree somewhere. It looks like we have the start of a very good team, at least on paper. Point guard depth is my only concern but the new JC kid will probably be better than what we had and Sturns will probably move over to a #2 guard where he can penetrate and also attempt more 3's. My "inside source" says that the coaches feel like they can now play with the big boys and especially have an excellent shot at the Sun Belt title and tournament next year. Mean Green athletics is moving in the right direction. Only women's BB is the big negative for me. Hope I'm wrong because Tina is a good person - bad coach.

The greenfrog has heard from VERY reliable source that last year none of the coaches were standing in the way of Thomas and Harris leaving. They didn't, but if they have any IQ at all they will see that they won't get much playing time. These two were signed during the late period when JJ got the job. One of the coaches told me that they were good kids but were not tough at all. He said that they both got tatoos to "make them look meaner". Their actions did respond to the artwork. Also, we thought it was going to be close between us and the Tide for the point guard from Alabama and they have also had an eye on a couple of more pg's. This years recruiting has all the earmarks of being the best recruiting for NT in many a year when you evaluate the fact that "top" schools were also after these kids.

UNT was not included in the Fox coverage, because as you pointed out, we were not in the NCAA tournament. The other reason is that they, and rightly so, don't feel that we have a respectable women's team. It's not the players. Tina has recruited some talent because she is a very attrative and nice person. The girls are excited to come to NT only to find out that she can't coach a lick! Come on Rik, pull the trigger and lets build an exciting WINNER at NT. I buy 6 season tickets for the men, but I wouln't drive accross the street to watch the way she can screw up talented kids. There, the greenfrog has croaked, and I croaked cause I love the green and only want us to become something special in this part of our athletic program.

After 35+ years of watching UNT administrators accept mediocrity in athletics, it was great to see Noval bring in Rick with the understanding that SUCCESSFUL athletics is crucial for the growth of North Texas. Now is the time! As much as I respect and admire most of our coaches, they must produce winners. I feel good about the football program, women's soccer, tennis, men's and women's golf and track. Now is the time for all the programs to go to the next level. I think that the currents men's coaching staff is the finest that we have ever had at UNT, at least on paper. Johnny needs to win more next year than this year and in two years he needs to go to the NCAA tournament. Two wins in the tournament and great things happen for NT as far ar new conference affiliations are concerned. HE MUST MAKE GREAT STRIDES IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS. For Tina, I have no confidence at all. Rick needed to pull the trigger at the end of this season regardless that she has another year on her contract. I'm tired of the "Old School" Fred McCain 2nd rate attitude!

I have only great envy in the Baylor women's BB program. When I see any coach take a team from an also ran to win the NCAA I have only great admiration, especially in 5 years! When a coach, like ours, has had 16 years and still can't go to the NCAA tournament it is time to make a change. Tina is a fine person who I don't believe can coach. A great facility to play in and withing 30 miles of a hotbed of talent takes away all excuses for not winning. Attendances of 300-500 fans is disgraceful.

Congrads to the Bears! Teriffic job that should also be possible for NT. The Baylor program is exciting and it is no wonder that they draw 7000 plus fans. We should be doing the same thing. As a mean green fan for over 40 years I want our girls to compete at the highest level also. Although I respect Tina as a person, 16 years and no post season NCAA is ridiculous! Next year is do or die for her. It is my understanding that she must win and win big next year or she is gone. One time last year she had 4 players on the court and in another game she had 6 players. A really fine person but she doesn't know how to coach. Women's BB can be a "flagship" sport for us and a coach like Baylor or TT has can build a great progam with our facilities and being in the metroplex makes it even more possible. Come on Rik get serious about this program like we are about football, men's and women's golf, tennis, men's BB, and soccer. This sport can't survive on 300 or 400 fans at a game. Hope I have to eat my words next year and she shows me I'm all wet!

Just a few thoughts from a guy that only wants NT basketball success: 1. I watch with envy how Baylor women have built perhaps the best team in Div. 1 women's bb in 5 years. They have gone to the NCAA 4 years in a row and played to over 11,000 in Waco recently. Tina has had 15 or 16 years and we still are only average and draw 300 or so people. It's really sad because women's bb can be one of our flagship sports. 2. JJ should get at least next year and probably the year after to build "his team". We have 2 players that he signed his first year who we are stuck with that are marginal Div. 1 players and one just graduated that was marginal. Next year is a big year for JJ. I am pulling for him and his staff who are first class people. Guess I'm just envious of TT and Baylor because i can't stand them and they are doing so much better than us in these 2 sports . Being in the Big 12 helps a great deal but there have been a lot of teams in the NCAA 64 March madness that were in conferences that were about the same as the Sunbelt or lower.

As a followup to the Spud Webb comment. There is more to NT not getting Spud here to play for Bill Blakley than size. Spud wanted NT to pick up his Corvett payments. Blakley talked to me and others and told us that he was not about to take the chance to get NT in trouble. He wanted and did run a clean program. What NCSU did, if anything, I do not know. Spud made the decision and we lost out. A few years later Blakley was his agent while he was in the NBA. I respect Bill for his decision even though a lot of under the table transactions were going on in college athletics at that time. Jimmy Gales also ran a clean program after Bill left.

I really hope that Tina can build this program to what it can be. I think she is a super person but 15 or 16 years to build a program is plenty of time. I just don't believe she is the person to make the girls a winner. I would give her next year to win the belt and/or the tournament and if she doesn't I would replace her and find someone that is like the Baylor coach. I bleed green but it is really difficult for me personally to go and watch a poorly coached team. Here is the point: I'm tired of waiting until next year every year. Let's get on with the program! I detest TT but they have my greatest admiration that they dared to compete with UT and the rest of the Big 12. Do it right NT and the fans and donations will follow.

NT basketball staff is out recruiting hot and heavy. It's my understanding that JJ was really down about the way the team played at the end of the season starting with the 2 losses at home the same week with Ark state and Ark LR. This appeared to be the turning point and the final nail in the confidence of our kids. I have been told that the coaches have not been happy with 3 or 4 of the players that play to not lose as opposed to trying to win. They feel that a more aggressive attitude will be evident next year. Also, they are high on a high school point guard from out of state that is leaning toward us. This kid is supposed to be a "player" and some big name schools would like to have him but he likes the idea of coming to NT and playing with Hines immediately. Slowly but surely we are getting rid of the 3 or 4 players who are marginal division 1 caliber. Graduation took care of 1 this year and 2 will graduate next year. They were recruited late by JJ because of when he came to NT. I believe that we have to win 17 or 18 games next season and/or the tournament and a NCAA bid or the "drums will be beating".

tim Jankovich was at NT at the wrong time. He was having personal problems which later lead to a divorce and we had an administration that was not committed to athletics. Since the time he was here Tim has gotten remarried and is very happy from a personal standpoint. He has coached at Vanderbilt, Kansas,Colorado,and others. He is a very marketable person and Tulsa would be lucky to get him. On paper, i still prefer JJ and his staff. Loyalty is more important to Jones than Tim and we need success and stability.

This season was truly a downer for both the mens and womens basketball teams this year in view of the fact that neither of them are in the finals of the Sunbelt. Here are a few thoughts that may or may not make sense: 1. The girls program can be "big" for North Texas like it is for TT and Baylor but a change needs to take place at the head coach level. When UTA can build a stronger program than ours in 4 or 5 years it probably is because of the coach and her ability to recruit quality and coach X & 0's. 2. JJ must turn it next year. On paper he and his staff are quality coaches from elite programs. We must bring in top kids from Houston and DFW area NOW! Harris, Thomas. and Mitchell are marginal divisional 1 players. It is my understanding that JJ and his staff left immediately after the loss on Friday and are recruiting hard. Friday was a wakeup call. I do feel that he deserves next year but NT needs to win 18-20 games and the tournament in order to see progress.