STE

Anyone can recruit to Texas. I want someone who can recruit to North Texas. Also – I’m concerned with what type of splash he (Chambers) will make with the media. Remember, the media thinks that Dickey was the best thing to happen to North Texas. I think a name coach would help change that perception. A coach like Price or Dodge would mean something to the press, to the alumni and to the people we are recruiting. Other questions about Chambers are: 1) How good of a coach is he – in terms of X & Os? 2) What kind of offense would he run? 3) How involved has he been with UNT since graduating? 4) How is he as a public speaker? I don’t know if Price or Dodge would come to UNT but I hope RV is has contacted them. Chambers could be a great coach but I think his hiring would be rather “ho hum” and largely ignored by the casual fan that we need to make in roads with.

Thanks RV!

I haven’t posted on a UNT message board since probably the summer of 2000. I have however, followed this board almost daily since I stopped posting. This issue with Butler forced me register with Gomeangreen.com and send email to RV expressing my family’s concern with this potential decision. A copy of the email I sent is set forth below in part. I feel we have to speak up now or forever hold our peace. Please let him know how you feel re: Butler before it’s too late. Mr. Villarreal I am an alumnus of UNT (92) and a football season ticket holder (4 tickets). My father is also an alum (62) and season ticket holder (3 tickets) We felt compelled to write to you after reading on GoMeanGreen.Com that you have contacted Coach Butler at USM regarding the head coaching job at UNT. Let me preface what I’m about to say by saying that my father and I were very excited to hear that a coaching change was going to be made this season. Winning the New Orleans’ bowl in 2002 was great but unfortunately we were unable to significantly build upon that success. We now have an opportunity to change that. We have seen other coaches such as Coach Price, Coach Dykes and Coach Dodge say very positive things about North Texas in the media. I don’t know if we have a realistic chance of getting one of these coaches or someone like them but we think we need to try. Hiring a named coach would do a lot for buzz and fundraising. We’ll even accept a head coach from a smaller school as long as he is energetic and talented (good W/L record) and has a positive attitude. One of our biggest problems is one of perception in the local media. Many think that Coach Dickey represented the best that we could ever hope to have at North Texas. Obviously, we disagree. A named coach would go a long way in energizing the fan base and showing the media that they are wrong. It should thus, come as no surprise that we believe hiring a career assistant coach from USM would be a colossal mistake for North Texas. It would demoralize the fan base and justify the media’s take on our current situation. Quite frankly, I’m shocked Coach Butler has been “contacted”. If that’s the best we can do, then we are surely in trouble. I believe we are at a critical juncture with our football program. We cannot afford to go backwards at this time. The fan base is watching. The media is watching. Your next move will signal how serious we are about football. I appreciate the action you have taken to get us to this point in our football program. Please don’t let us down now. ……… Sincerely E E Sikes III (Class of 92) E E Sikes Jr. (Class of 62) P.S. have you considered alternative funding schemes? I once read that Coach Price at UTEP is paid one dollar from every ticket that is sold to a home game. Thus he has an incentive to sell out the Sun Bowl. It’s my understanding that plan makes up a significant portion of his compensation package. In any event, it might be something we want to consider. While Fouts can’t be compared to the Sun Bowl, every little bit helps.