flyeater

She must be awfully confident that she can win it all next year. It certainly won't hurt if they're not on the road for damn near 2 months again.

Posted March 19, 2007 Job incentive laid out for Slinker UNT women’s basketball coach Tina Slinker will return for a 19th season, but beyond that is uncertain. By TROY PHILLIPS STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER North Texas women’s basketball coach Tina Slinker will return for a 19th season in 2007-2008, athletic director Rick Villarreal said Sunday. Slinker, whose team finished 9-20 this season, has a year remaining on her contract and will receive an automatic extension through 2010-2011 if UNT makes the NCAA Tournament next season. It’s uncertain if UNT will retain Slinker if her team doesn’t win the Sun Belt Conference tournament or get to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. In Slinker’s 18 seasons (227-269), UNT has not made the NCAAs but has been in the WNIT twice. “[Making the NCAAs] is what Rick wants, and that’s okay,” Slinker said. “That’s the incentive for an automatic extension. I don’t think that means if we we just win the West [conference division] or win 22 games that that won’t get an extension. That’s what was presented to me.” If necessary, UNT and Slinker will cross that bridge next year. “Basically, all I’ll say is that she’s got a year left on her contract,” Villarreal said. “We’re not doing anything [beyond 2007-2008]. She’ll be back coaching, and my expectations and her expectations for the coming year are the same. We need to improve and move the program forward.” UNT won 19 games two seasons ago but had growing pains this year trying to bring along a young team. Sophomore forward Amber Jackson and freshman guard Brittney James emerged as the team’s best players and could put UNT back on track. Slinker, 51, has coached 26 years combined at the college and high school levels. She struggled her first 10 years at UNT, going 104-163. The past eight years, UNT is 123-106 and has won four conference division titles. In 2002, UNT reached the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game. If she remains at UNT, Slinker will be eligible for retirement at 56 after the 2011-2012 season, based her college-level time worked, including a year as a Texas Tech assistant in 1988-89. Slinker said she wants UNT to be her last job, but not as a means of reaching retirement. “I’d love to do what Johnny just accomplished,” Slinker said of men’s coach Johnny Jones and his team’s run to the NCAA Tournament. “Because of the years I’ve invested in the program and what UNT has done for me, I’m trying my best to accomplish that. The men showed it can be done at UNT.” Troy Phillips, (817) 390-7760 tphillips@star-telegram.com

Very bad news about Fiorella's, or so I was told. Recently took a trip to N.O., and found out Fiorella's was sold not long ago (but remains open). Someone who owns a chain of smaller bars that serve food bought F's from the family that ran it forever, and the chicken isn't as good anymore. That's not to say it's bad, but an antique guy across the street said it ain't the same. Didn't actually get there to find out for myself, so take as you will.

Please change your handle to El Bastardo, and I'll change mine to El Stupido for being such a dupe.

Gumbo Shop, block or so off Bourbon towards market district. It's can't-miss.

Wonder what RPI Coach Belchaholic is going by. I don't remember NT being as low as 147 this week. I think the RPIs on the NCAA site are two games short.

Uh...what's M&G?

Looks like Rick talked about Johnny's contract on Wednesday in the Star-Telegram's blog. Apparently UNT's been getting a ton of media requests. Found a lot of UNT stuff in this thing.

I didn't miss any point; get a little reading comprehension. Just cuz a few whiners who don't want to plunk down $ for a premium seat think a stadium is "poorly designed," that doesn't make it so. You can't just look at a CG model of a new stadium an automatically write off 3/4 of the seats as "undesirable." It's also silly to parallel a new stadium (more like $60) with luxury seats and boxes you didn't even have before to a disposable kit car with a lawn-mower engine. Gee, I guess since I mistakenly invoked the banned term "commuter school," there can be nothing factual that emanates from my keyboard. Sorry for that, oh holy purveyor of all that is factual. Just trying to have a discussion.

My best guess is that wouldn't be the case. The plans look pretty preliminary, and I can envision some tweaking when ground is finally broken. Eyeball it again, and the bottom level looks more like 20K to me with all the covered seating you don't see very well. Any new stadium generates buzz, but with UNT still being mostly a commuter school (I know everyone hates that term; so do I) the rush for season tickets might not be as brisk as other places. They will sell, but we don't know if it's going to take $1,000 or some pricey PSL to get a good seat in this place. Right now, Dodge or no Dodge, that kind of demand doesn't realisitically exist. Not to say it won't someday, but I just can't imagine UNT creating the kind of haves/have-nots system of ticket distribution that you see at places like Tech, UT or A$M. Now, as far as parking, luxury seating, corporate stuff, etc., I can see where the option of giving a minimum donation to MGC could get you and yours some extra bells and whistles. That goes on everywhere. You need that to generate higher-end revenue anywhere. How much that trickles down to Joe Q. Ticket Buyer, we don't know right now.

Unless I don't know something, neither you, nor I, nor pretty much anyone we know will contribute jack squat to the bottom line in any new stadium, though for the price of game admission we'll get to enjoy it no matter how it's designed. If that's the current plan, the upper-deck looks like it has excellent sight lines to the action on the field. Not sure where the bad seats (maybe a few too many around the end zones) are. If it's such a bad deal, then be the first in line to buy season tickets for the lower deck. By the way, your little speech about the Pacer is cute, but mostly irrelevant. Whatever replaces Fouts won't be inferior to the original. I'm sure we'd love for UNT to take all our nitpicky ideas to heart, but to already be talking about a new stadium being "poorly designed"? You gotta be out of your mind.

Wow, just saw this video, and it's impressive as hell if even half of that stuff gets done. I can't believe this kind of vision is sitting out there, and you have the stones to criticize it or ANY stadium concept. Pretty shortsighted, considering the current state of affairs. Watch the video again, read your comment and then ask yourself why you even thought that in the first place.

You'd think there's someone out there who, at this point, hasn't really been considered. Coming from hs ranks, figure Dodge will look at every viable senior out there who throws a tight spiral. Guessing there must be a moldable kid getting mild attention from bigger programs -- someone Dodge can sign and play as a true frosh if Tune isn't the right fit. I've seen a lot of guys this year just in DFW who look better than any of our three, so why not consider it? Before you say college and high school are apples and oranges, I know. But as much as these kids throw now all over the state, they're pretty sophisticated and prepared.

...and as a sundae topping at the Mustangs' training table.

Sorry, must have missed it. Sarcasm easier to detect in person sometimes.

I don't think there were any ranking of RV's' choices, just the process itself of getting to TD. Look at when he called the guy ... 4 days after DD was canned. Dodge had to "appear" uninterested.

Todd Dodge once beat Bird, Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, Magic, Barkley and Nash for a six-piece McNuggets in a game of H-O-R-S-E at Hickory High's gym in Indiana using a medicine ball shot off the scoreboard, off the rafters, off the top row and into a mayonaise jar. As part of the deal, Dodge then made the others walk outside with their shorts around their ankles...crying.

Not that it ever would have happened, but can you imagine the sheer comedy factor of having Glanville as your college head coach? Don't know much about his coaching, but that guy's a hoot. Only problem I see is him wearing all black...never seen this much detail about a coaching search.

If you saw the guy at church, why didn't you just ask him instead of raising more speculation here? Wouldn't have hurt.

Dragon Stadium was expanded in '04 to 11,000. It's 49 years newer than Fouts, so of course it's nicer. Any sellouts they had this year at DS (I don't know how many) would have surpassed UNT's last home game vs. FAU and matched the previous one vs. La. Tech. Can't say I'm proud of that.

No way, man. The King lives and always will. Thangyaveramuch.

Once the stadium is replaced or seriously rennovated, UNT will land somewhere one of these years. We didn't have a chance in hell going up against UTEP last time. It was no contest. It's about making good impressions with the suits, and the AC wasn't even built yet.

Keep dreaming, Elvis, on both accounts.

Austin paper's November report on statewide salaries for 5A/4A coaches had Dodge at 90K.