GrandGreen

First, the 3000 objective was for base attendance which is not the same as an average. Base describing the number of fans that can be usually counted on to be there every game no matter the timing or opponent. NT's base would be closer to a 1000 than 3000. Second, the announced numbers are very generously counted.

Reminds me that way back when I was in school, late sixties. There were a lot of students who thought that the all mighty Southwest Conference was a much better basketball league than the MVC. No matter that the SWC was all white and seldom had any ranked teams, and the MVC was easily the best conference in the land with perennial powerhouses in Cincinnati, Drake, Memphis, Louisville and others. The people who believed the SWC was better were beyond basketball ignorance, however they reprensented a large part of the student body. It is not anywhere close to as redicoulous today, but you do have a segment of potential fans who do not recognize that the Belt is a good basketball league. Probably as good or better than CUSA if you eliminate the monster of non-BCS teams, Memphis. However, scheduling is not NT biggest problem it is just the overall lack of fans. Yes, attendance is better for local teams or the ocassional big name team OSU, Indiana, and Alabama. But if you eliminate the number of those teams' fans from the crowd and in most cases the NT segment of the fans is still disappointing. Not to pick on the student but they are just easier to identify but the difference in a good student contingent and a bad one is less than an hundred on the small side and maybe a max of a thousand for a marquee game. An impressive ten fold increase but at at 1000, about three percent of the student body. This lack of fans is not unique to NT, as you realize if you have been to a SMU, TCU, or UTA game. It is just another example of the continued erosion of fan support due mostly to other entertainment options. NT has shown a gradual increase in support in Jones' years as the team got better. I hope that NT basketball can get to a point were it's base attendance is around 3000, no matter who the opponent is, and eventually get close to a 5000 average.

WKU also lost away to Houston, Murray St. , Evansville, and Miss. State. On neutral sites they beat Louisville and lost to Fla State. They were 5-5 in non conference and did play a strong schedule, but more impressive they were 18-3 against the Belt. WKU is in the tournament because they won the Belt tournament, if they had lost they would most likely be in the NIT. I think a non power conference team is just as likely to get in the NCAA playing a very weak oc schedule and having a great winning percentage as playing a tough oc schedule and having a low twenty win season. NT going 11-7 in the Belt is not going to impress many even if they were perfect in out of conference. When NT can go through the season with 4 or less conference loses then they can start being concerned about power ratings. I think your Fresno State example is good but remember that the key to their success was the ability to use players that could not qualify at the majority of division 1 schools, they haven't been that successful after changing their admission practices. As mentoned Boise State has been a lot more successful basically playing a very easy oc schedule.

Great idea, how do you propose it be accomplished? Actually, NT sos was not that bad. Being the power conference teams seldom will play non-conference away games, who are also usually the highest ranked, how do you schedule to improve your ranking. I really can't fault NT scheduling. In fact, another game or two against non-division 1 teams may not be bad. Those games are ratings neutral and do not actually hurt your ratings like playing a team like Houston Baptist might even if you win big. I think it would be a big mistake to overload with away games just to play higher rated teams. Playing home and away series with other upper tier so called mid-majors would be an obvious answer, but this too is not that easy. The problem for NT is that although they should have a good team, they do not yet have the reputation of a quality team. Why would a top tier MVC for example play NT when they can schedule other teams that will be a much better draw to their home courts.

There are reasons that most walk-ons don't get ships. Just because they play or are better than scholarship athletes does not in most cases earn them ships. Getting a lot of playing time or starting will usually get them scholarships. Unfortunately for them, they are competing with the recruits for those ships. Recruits are signed because it is thought that they will be difference makers for the team. Obviously, many recruits don't perform up to the expectations; but in most cases those ships are honored and renewed until their eligibliltiy is up. Before you look at a fourth string QB, there are many others that probably deserve it more. Dickerson comes to mind, a senior non-schlorship player who actually started the last few games. Lott is also a receiver that saw a lot of action. Many times walk-ons are given ships at the end of their career were the cost is much less (ie, Isiah Smith). It is rare that walk-ons are given ships early in their career.

I am not sure this roster is better than nothing. Wrong positions, players who have left the program, all freshmen redshirts shown as sophomores, and of course no updated sizes. I hope this is corrected soon, I think attention to small details such as updated rosters shows commitment to the fans.

This would be a great deal. Another resort location for a bowl. Yes, there are too many bowls and I would like to see higher standards like 7 wins or at least a winning record in conference games. But those rules are not going change, the Belt is at the point it should have at least two guaranteed bowls.

My kudos also to a great group. None of these seniors were starters but all greatly contributed. Dennis and Stewart became the defensive aces and energy guys. McCoy the best pure shooter and probably the best athlete on the team. Howerton definitely a role player but one who always played hard.

NT should count their blessings. I question some of Vito's actions but not anymore than Dodge's in this foolish duel. Vito seems to work very hard at his job and it is appreciated by most of us. I can't believe anyone equate looks with competence or honestly believed you have to have played to report. NT is lucky to have some semblance of a local paper to report on athletes. Newspapers are dying fast.

What has happen to Tramiel, supposedly NT best player who played a whole seven minutes tonight? After only 20 minutes in the Muts game, I figured he must be injured. But he really got the attention of a hot JJ in the huddle, after being jerked after only a couple of minutes played. If the other bigs hadn't got into foul trouble, he probably wouldn't have got those seven minutes. He could have been the difference in this game if he played even an average game. A heck of a time for I assume a physical meltdown of arguably NT's most consistent player. WKU won this game under the basket.

I guess I was not clear. The other Belt schools that you are comparing have non-operating revenue (ie: student funds, state funds) included in their revenues; NT does not. You are comparing apples and oranges. If you want to add NT's student fees as revenues like the other schools have done than NT would also come out miraculously at break even. If you could compare NT's performance with other Belt teams, matching operating revenue (ie; promotion fees, guarantees, tickets sales, direct donations, etc) with operating expenses, I think you would quickly see that NT is a lot closer to the top in financial performance than the bottom in the conference. There is not a school in the Belt and few in the nation that do not rely heavily on student funds. In addition as far as I know, all the other Belt schools also receive direct State funding for athletics, something that is prohibited in Texas. As far as people giving less to the GMG, that may happen but if they want to retain comparable seating they will have to continue to pay up. I can't visualize a lot of fans donating to a stadium fund that do not attend the games or sitting in less desirable locations. Yes there are a few alums that are alienated by the University, but a far greater problem is that most just don't care about NT athletics at all. With the continued domination of the sports scene by pro sports and to a lesser degree, the super conference college teams, it is obviously getting tougher and tougher for the vast majority of schools to compete. Instead of the universities trying to band together to curtail the stupid athletic arms race, universally they continue to try to match the escalation.

If nothing else, this should really bug the Denver coaches. They are going to have to prepare for Jackson being there and the team that played ASU. I hope cooler heads prevail, and Jackson does get to finish her career on the court. Stephens got a great performance out of her team after they apparently rallied together to offset the lost of Jackson. Wouldn't it be great, if Jackson was allowed to play and that would lift the team up another notch?

I fail to see your logic. The football operating budget reported is the third highest in the Belt, hardly non-competitive. There are few schools that make money on football and none I assure you in the Belt. While the expenditure data reported looks relatively reasonable, the revenue certainly does not. For example, FIU reported over 6.4m in football revenues. Care to speculate, how they generated that kind of funds with the lowest attendance in the nation. It is obvious that most schools included non-operating funds as revenues such as state contributions and the biggest factor, student fees. NT in this set of numbers did not. NT's athletes operating deficits are covered from transfers from general funds which are primarily student funds. As far as how you fund athletes post-stadium, the same way NT does now along with the majority of schools; with a heavy reliance on student fees. The additional athletic fee should add about $6m annually to the coffers and far as I know any shortfalls can still be covered by general funds. There have been no reductions in other student fees that make up the majority of these funds. The stadium should raise MGC donations, not the reverse. The majority of MGC donations are connected with ticket purchase requirements for certain sections of the stadium. I would expect that there will bigger requirements in the new stadium as well as expanded seating that require donations. You are correct, if NT ever expects to move up in the NCAA pecking order it is imperative that NT begin to develop increased funding through other sources than students. NT can limp along as it has for decades, but a big push is needed to get NT to the next tier of college athletics.

He is listed as 5'11. Almost all heights are overstated for the same reason that 40 times are always generously stated. Because everyone does it, what coach wants to admit that his average offensive lineman is 6'3 on or that his fastest wide receiver runs a 4.6. The facts are that almost every team exaggerates both the size and speed of their players. This is the norm, therefore anyone who post actual statistics is subject to criticism. Why can't you recruit bigger and faster players. A good example, is the NT roster which last year reportedly used mostly actual heights. Didn't you feel better about your team when linemen Gill, Santiago, Menard were all listed at 6'5, than last year when they were all shorter? Same lineman, but suddenly they are reported to be shorter than most of the competition's linemen who are mostly listed at 1 to 2 inches more than actual. I have mentioned this before, but a few years back; I took a non-scientific sample comparing actual heights (as measured by pro scouts) to college roster heights. In my sample, about 15 players, only one measured the same. The norm was about 1 1'2 inches less then their roster heights.

Solid effect by NT, White and Tremiel carried the team. I didn't like the defensive effort for a lot of the game, but the team came through when it counted. FAU played strong all the way, if Monroe had been in better shape; it might have went a different way.

Great and improbable win for the ladies. Good job by all.

I guess you are factoring in, that she had four starters returning and that NT was picked high in the pre-season polls. Also I think you may want to check on your comment about her having a better record than her male counterpart in his first suspension free first season. Likewise, I hope Dodge's first two years are not a standard for anything. I don't recall anyone saying her actions were rash or baseless. I am sure that there was rationale to the action. Again, the question is why a first year coach would want to paint herself into a corner and end up suspending anyone right before tournament. Maybe you have seen other coaches that have had to resort to continual suspensions to instil decipline, I have not. In case, you are new, I can assure you that Slinker did not recruit a bunch of problem players.

I'm not sure how you are fine with it, unless you know a lot more than the masses. What are the rules or they reasonable? She apparently ran off arguably the most heralded of Slinker's freshmen recruits before the season even started. A 6'2 player who was also the state high jump champion. Hall missed a great deal of the season on suspension, Escalera has had multiple suspensions, Bailey and other have also be suspended. Now Jackson, who by the way was also suspended before the season, has now been suspended for the last two games of her career. Jackson an almost sure NT hall of fame player before this incident, who not only is the best player by far on this team but also the best student. Yes, you are correct she should be treated like any other player that does not adhere to the rules. The question then becomes why does this inexperienced coach feel it necessary to have so many suspensions. Most coaches even new ones are able to get enough respect through communications and leadership without having multiple decipline issues. If this was limited to one or two difficult players or earlier in the season than I would be able to better understand the need for these actions. Yes I am sure if JJ suspended Tremiel for the tournament there would be no concern among the fan base. Amber is a senior first team all conference player, who is in her fifth year at NT, who has been lauded many times for her effort and character. Who has her career ended under a cloud. From a fan's perspective, one that actually has season tickets, it appears that Stephens was more than willing to throw away the season to establish her program. If she is successful, all will be forgotten by the majority, but this has to make you wonder if RV made the right choice when much more established candidates were available. I still think Stephens will ultimately be successful but IMO she has made a mess of her first year.

I for one think Vito and Phillips should definitely be allowed inside, I see no reason a beat reporter shouldn't have reasonable access to the team and making them stay outside the fence is just foolish. Has anyone ever heard any logic from TD to support his stance? I can understand if the reporters were not allowed to speak to the players but having them stand off in the distance serves absolutely no purpose. I wonder why RV even allows such a silly rule.

It may very well be a tough game, and I hope NT treats it as such: however FAU is the 13th seed. This team went 2-16 in the league with no away wins and has lost their last 5 games by an average 17 points. I see no evidence that FAU is any better than when NT played them earlier and NT is a lot better. It is far from a sure win for NT, but the draw couldn't be better. You are nervous about any team tournament time, but what other team had you rather be playing?

I would put Tramiel on second and McCoy on third team. Most sportwriters and/or coaches voting are only going to base their selections on statistics and how the players did against their teams. Players like McCoy and Tramiel to some extent that came on late are going to be at a big disadvantage. The all conference team has already been voted on and will be released before the tournament. A more important honor would be to have players on the all tournament team which would mean that the team did well and if you have more than one it means that the team probably won.

I guess there is no interest in WBB on this board, or there would have least been a mention of Amber Jackson's suspension. She was suspended for the Denver game and apparently a decision has not been made/announced if she will play in the tournament. Like all of Stephens' many suspensions this year, there have been no details released. What kind of transgression causes a coach to suspend one of the best players in NT history this late in the season in her senior year? Hopefully she will be reinstated for the tournament and this will be all forgotten, but it will be a real shame if Amber's whole career is permanently blemished by this incident. Maybe Stephens had more than enough reason to take the actions, but lets just say that her high number of suspensions should at least raise some questions. I think part of the team's overall poor record this year is due to a constantly fluctuating lineup due to suspensions. I do realize that Stephens has none of her own recruits eligible this year and is she is trying to change the team culture. Discipline is great, but most coaches seem to achieve this without the constant disruption of the team. I do believe that Stephens will be a very successful coach but she has had a rocky first year.

Saw UALR sportswriter (he has official vote) picks and he didn't select any NT men players in the top fifteen in the conference. Hard to imagine that the number 4 seed does not have one player selected in the top 15. Hope NT shows him the error in his judgment in the tournament.

Don't forget best Belt regular season conference record at 11-7 and highest tournament seed at 4. Great statement game against a hot team at the toughest venue in the Belt. Another great game for McCoy and Tremiel. NT absolutely controlled the boards and got good play from most.

NT had two players selected to the pre-season all conference team. White on the first team and Dennis on the second. It would be a stretch for either to actually make the first or second team this year. In fact it is possible that NT will be shut out in the selections. NT is simply too balanced a team for any individual to get a lot of accolades. I think NT best changes are Tremiel and a late charging McCoy. Tremiel though is going through a injury driven mini slump now and that may hurt him, I don't think he will be first team but he should be a second team selection. He should also be a strong candidate for newcomer of the year. McCoy not starting and being a late sensation will probably eliminate him from consideration although he may be the best player in the league at this time. While great teams have all conference players with less than glowing stats, it is not the norm for 4th seeds and lower. Obviously, NT best chance is on the woman's side with Amber Jackson. Although, with the teams poor record, she may not get the first team honors she probably deserves.