PlummMeanGreen

SCREAMING EAGLE -66, hang in there, we don't need to lose fans like you. I think we are choking on a gnat with all this branding business personally. 'Twould prefer stadium talk over "2 or 3" letter logo talk myself.

Connections to the right alumni hits it right on the head. Do you think Deloss or Mack give a rat's--- about what anyone else thinks as long as Tom Hicks and Red McCombs are in their back pocket-- it's all about $$$ and as much as I think RV is one of the 3 greatest things to happen to NT ( Hayden Fry & Norval Pohl being the other two) I wouldn't blame him one bit for jumping at this opportunity. In spite of all he has done he is not an alum, he has had to deal with apathy and adversity more than he could have ever dreamed when he took this job, and the man who has helped him the most --Dr Pohl is also feeling heavy pressure from the Jackson camp. If we were to lose them both near the same time we are back ten years immediately. [/quote from Dallas Green] ................................................................................................ Yet who ultimately comes forward with the Big Bucks for our new stadium will be someone with ties to NT or better so, one from NT who very pro-actively creates a tie to a non North Texan. So in that regard, we need to hope our AD will create the same kind of ties to that special person(s) as Darrell Dickey did with Jim "Mattress Mac" McIngvale, a former UNT football player during the Fry era that it took a former Kansas State Wildcat, ie, one Darrell Dickey to develop as to give Big Bucks to our alma mater. On the other side of the coin, that does not bode well for those from NT who themselves did not make this happen with Mattress Mac. We've only had since around 1973 to do so since that is when he was a senior at NT and on the Mean Green football team. Jim, you know as well as I know, there are many, many more Mattress Macs out there with NT ties. They seem to come out of the woodwork quite often these days since NORTH TEXAS has (after almost 100 years) gotten out of its passive fundraising mode of operation. But concerning NT Ex Matrress Mac and Coach Dickey's development of that huge financial gift, if we don't get that kind of results-oriented fundraising efforts from our other North Texas leadership and fundraisers, then we do have some problems in Denton, Texas, America. Still on the matter of turstile's count and apathy (of which NT does not have a corner of that market), continued growth on campus and Denton County will remind us just as Bob Dylan said in the title of one of his famous folk songs, "The Times They Are A-Changin' and I believe they really are and (moreso) for the good. Future NT Exes (or who I fondly call our Young Gun alums) will one day talk about how our school "used" to have apathy and turnstile problems (which of course came from a much smaller NT campus and constituency). Even during the Hayden Fry era in Mean Green Country, Denton County was listed as a rural county of just over 90,000 citizens in a Texas Almanac from that era. Fry never had the luxury of a 32,000 enrollment UNT "OR" a Denton County that has over half a million citizens. But that was yester-year and yester-year is gone. Jim, as you and I both know, UNT still has yet to tap into (in a serious and methodical way) the Greater Lewisville and lake cities market in our athletic marketing and promotions. Why? You and I have wondered that for years; but if our school can just find a map thats gets us off campus and into the rest of Denton County and beyond, then we will start filling some more of those empty seats at our campus venues and apathetic students (which I reiterate all schools have) will probably even take notice. <>*<> Concerning TCU, I am sure they will get the right man for their job and if it is Rick V, then so be it. I still love going to football games at Amon Carter Stadium. I actually get goose bumps when I walk into that old stadium and reminisce as to who used to play in the Horned Frogs "Grand Old Lady" of a football stadium.

I disagree, Dallas Green, as I think TCU will do a national search (which shows the Frog faithful that they still want a national presence) and then they will ultimately hire a suave, savvy, "grew-up--in-a-country-club-existance" type gentleman with (maybe) premature silver (turning purple?) hair that none of the aforementioned hardly fits our present athletic director IMHO. That is not mean't as a criticism to Rick V, either, because each NCAA D1-A athletic director has his/her own style. I think most of us would agree, Rick V's style has been what NT has needed for the time he has been in Denton. Fundraising from all quarters of our main campus seems to still have room for improvement, though. Individual personalities at NT don't much excite me much these days anyway no matter who goes or stays, but rather what our campus officials, ie, the NT Board of Regents are collectively setting as our alma mater's lofty goals are the things that really excite this alum. I am not sure what we have planned at our new Mean Green Athetic Village can ever be topped with anything that has even happened at our school in general, athletically or on the playing field in our 100 plus years of existance. What venues and facilities that will be located (and a few that already are) on those almost 200 acres at Eagle Point plus the purposes they will each fulfill for our whole school could become something short of phenomenal. If we don't "small time it" like we sometimes have the propensity to do in Denton and build too small a football stadium, a true NCAA D1-A sized football stadium coupled with all the other venues we will have out at Eagle Point will move us ahead of even some BCS schools IMHO. Nevermind the timetable on finishing each and everyone of the remaining venues, but our top school officials and NT Board of Regents have created this dream as shown in the virtual tour video that they had to approve for public consumption; yet, they are all working toward fulfilling that lofty goal. Whoever the AD is at UNT, Rick V or whoever) will be asked to put that on top of their priority lists, make haste and go out and do some serious fundraising. Lest we forget, TxDOT still needs highway frontage land that is located right up next to the press box side of Fouts Field so this new stadium business for NORTH TEXAS is not a luxury but rather a neccessity. And as Coach Darrell Dickey said in that virtual tour video and I very liberally paraphrase him: "What UNT sets out to do it always fullfills."

RV wants to go where he can make more money. I just changed jobs after 6 1/2 years at another so I could make more money. "Money is what drives this country. Those who have it in its proper place in their lives are the happiest of all Americans; but it is still money that takes care of many of our needs and wants." Dr. Plumm McGraw There is not one non BCS D1-A athletic employee who would turn down a chance to move (laterally) over or up for more money now matter how much they say they love or want to stay at their present job. We have all heard that line, albeit a sincere one from most, but a bigger pay raise at a new job changes most minds. RV would be a care-taker type of AD at TCU since they already have many things in place. There is a slight gamble inasmuch as a new TCU AD has no idea how being in the MWC is going to affect their total athletic program. FWIW, the Horned Frogs didn't go to a bowl game in their last year in CUSA. If TCU's MWC membership is a bust, a new TCU Athletic Director could very well eventually receive all the blame and that would (unfortunately) have to go on his resume' as he/she looks for a new job. Yet Rick V can make a more visible and noticeable impact at NT if that is what he wants. Fundraising will make or break any Athletic Director at the University of North Texas. Successful promotions and marketing in our athletic department would come in a close 2'nd place to fundraising. Fellow 'Backers, we are asking a lot from our AD at NT. We are asking him to raise money to build a football stadium that will cost more than what NORTH TEXAS has had in its entire endowment coffers for most of our alma mater's history. So does RV want to be a caretaker AD or the kind of AD that NT really must have at this time of our program--that is the question, right?

Whats with the NTS, drex? Well..........how about starting with total, unadulaterated, blubbering idiocy. Of course, it does give us a chance to correct such mistakes and tell them what our name is (and all the other great things about NT); and after doing such, if they make the mistake again, just maybe they are in the wrong industry or (as we say in the country) maybe they're just a bit touched? Also wonder if they know the South lost the Civil War (or what some of that group still calls "the War Between the States" ? Sorry, I have too many relatives in Alabama from my late sainted mother's side to have said that, but I also know when a woman gets married to call her by her new last name, too. Anyone in the media should be of such a topical and "whats going on now" nature to know that a 32,000 enrollment university in the USA's 7'th largest TV market that has hosted U of SA's conference's nationally televised bowl game 4 years in a row changed its name going on 3 decades ago. Wonder if they caught that on those national telecasts? I sometimes wonder if our disdain for the wrong name given us at times happens because a hardy handful in the media knows it actually pisses some of us off when they screw up our alma mater's name? Of course, we'll never know which ones would be guilty of that, now do we? U of SA folks surpised that we signed him? Those who are surprised have probably never visited the burgeoning NORTH TEXAS campus to see that almost 1/3 of our campus is full of new buildings, new dorms (for mostly athletes), state of art Student Rec Center, etc, etc, etc, I think future recruits will continue to notice this about NT and just think when we complete the new Mean Green Athletic Village at Eagle Point?!?!? At any rate, congrats to Coach Johnny Jones on this strategic signing.

All good points, GG, but I think all of us in Mean Green Country would still trade women basketball legacies with SFA, Wayland Baptist, Old Dominion or a La Tech any day of the year. I know during the reign of the aforementioned (especially the 3 in our region) many of us were asking, "why them and not us?" Of course, NT seems to have done a wonderful job of matching the wrong coaches (& personalities) with the right school for most of our modern athletic history.

Calvin, with a new shade of NT green on the near horizon, I would think new NT basketball unis' will follow.

Zeke, I have access to a frozen margarita machine and theatre type popcorn popper. Just tell us when you want the 'Nation over to watch your new plasma TV! Who provides the plasma BTW? Congrats! GMG!

Anyone know? I am still unclear exactly what shade of green we are getting. Again, what is the "official' color number of our new shade of green? I have really been a supporter of the dark green, but its downside is that it really does not show up as green for the television cameras and because of that, I welcome the change and I know others of you do as well.

As a Mean Green football fan looking at NT men's basketball from the outside and with the fact that I know some out there are growing uneasy or impatient with his overall lack of success, but I hope Coach Johnny Jones will be given even more additional time to turn the thing around at NT because I truly have to wonder who else could we get at NT who really could? Lest we forget, Coach JJ is in a program that has basically been in an almost "4 decade long" drought and a program where he may just need the extra time to take NT Men's BB to the next level. Of course, all that IMHO.

Good points and points well taken, GrandGreen.... I understand Dave Bliss' past but in my recollection he had no official record of wrong-doing as far as the NCAA was concerned. Our own NT Coach Johnny Jones came to Denton with some recruiting fallout from his days with Dale Brown at LSU, but the NCAA exonnerated Coach Jones of any alleged wrong-doing. But you know how it is in America, GG, you are guilty until proven innocent. Now we all hope NT Coach JJ can get some impact players that will soon turn our men's basketball program around. NT is long overdue for a good (and profitable) basketball program in such a showcase as the amazingly ageless Super Pit remains to be and Coach JJ seems a super nice guy with his million dollar smile and you know we all like nice people to finish first (in spite of where Leo Durocher said nice guys usually finish). Have a nice Mean Green day!

Baylor has probably had too many losing seasons thru the decades because they chose not do what too many other ex SWC schools did in the area of recruiting with some of that group who did cheat (and pay recruits) who were never placed on probation for doing so. Baylor U officials had nothing to do with pulling the trigger of a handgun that tragically killed a young man. Baylor officials didn't encourage coach Dave Bliss to do all his sleuthing under the cloak of secrecy. Anyone ever pull a dastardly deed on you behind your back and a deed that you could not prevent because it was done just that way--behind your back? Well, that is what Dave Bliss pulled on the Baylor administration. Through the "good ol boy college coaches network" Baylor (before they hired Bliss) received a good report on the coach and hired him based on those recommendations; but for certain, Bliss went astray and lost his way, but he did it secretly, too. Guess such a thing could just about happen at any school when someone does things and keeps them secret from his employer. Believe it or not, it could even happen at NORTH TEXAS and I'd bet Chancellor Jackson or President Pohl would not be privvy of such things when they would be happening. I mean are you going to tell the county sheriff that you are fixin' to rob the local bank? NT once hired a football coach because he had such powerhouse references and recommendations from Paul "Bear" Bryant and Darrell K. Royal; both of whom had very good reputations as coaches who ran honest programs . That coach they recommended to NT was Bob Tyler who lasted 1 year and for many of us who were around in 1981, perhaps, the worst year we may have ever had in the NCAA's modern era. How would any NT administrator have handled what happened at Baylor? NORTH TEXAS is closing in on 32,0000 enrollment and there are no "super" officials at our alma mater who could possibly monitor each of those 32,000 students as well as monitor almost 6,000 NT employees. Baylor has historically played by the rules as they had never been placed on NCAA probation. NT just scheduled 2 football games with a school that has been on NCAA probation more times than any other school in the history of the NCAA and also a school that (historically) black-balls our alma mater at every turn or any time they get a chance to do so. Sorry fellas, I agree with yall most of the time on this opinion board, but not on this Baylor discussion.

HOW AOUT 'DA (Lady) BEARS?!?!?! Congrats to the Baylorites! They deserved this!

shameless bump.... I just think the Lady Bears are helping their school and Big 12 athletic program rise like the Phoenix off the desert sands and should be commended for it. As a Texan, I'm damn proud of em' ! I hope some of you will register on www.baylorfans.com and let their Lady Bears know how proud you are of them not only as a North Texan but as a TEXAN!

As many of you have expressed on this and Scottie's board, the Baylor University Lady Bears have done something very, very special. Their campus has gone thru hell and high-water with last year's nationally publicized tragic story that even gained the heart-felt sympathy of the great Bill Cosby (who came to their campus be with them in their time of loss and campus trauma). Whether you like Baylor or not its really not about any of that at all IMO, they are a Texas-based university that deserves the congrats from (North) Texans everywhere (and non Texans for that matter). www.BaylorFans.com Check out Basketball section of their message board GMG!

So we lose an hour of sleep. Or is it, uh, "loose" an hour of sleep?

Thanks Zeke.... Upon further investigation from surfing the web, one of the 3 brothers, ie, Jeff Porcaro died tragically in 1992. He was Toto's drummer during the time the group produced their long line of hits. One of the other Porcaro brothers currently tours with Toto and is one of the best bass players in rock history everything I've heard and read.

AND......the MGRN being the Mean Green Radio Network, of course. I've just purchased from Wal Mart "Totos" 25'th anniversary tour combo CD/DVD which was videotaped in Amsterdam, Holland. Some great music from this group of studio musicians who made good as a late 70's and 80's jazz/rock group that "ONLY" produced 7 Grammy's at the 1982 Grammy Awards Show. There were 3 Porcaro brothers involved with Toto and one of the 3 who apparently was hanging around Denton and (most likely) our internationally famous College of Music produced Mean Green football and basketball broadcast for George Dunham and Hank Dickenson a few years ago as I recall. Anyone know which of the 3 Porcaro brothers it was and anyone know his story and his ties to NORTH TEXAS? Is he still in Denton? Anyone out there know about this Porcaro brother who had the NT/Mean Green connection as I am curious.

Add me as one who completed your survey. Good luck with it!

University of Houston has successfully used "U of H" for much of their branding scenarios, sports gear, etc, etc, etc, etc................Does "U of NT" do anything for you rather than using "UNT" ? ? ? ? NOTE: As I was heading home this evening on Fort Worth's West Freeway (I-30W), I pass the "U.N.T. Health Science At Fort Worth" exit sign and I think: Why, uh, "U.N.T." for heavens sake? You have 3 letters with each having a period after each one--pathetic. Does TCU (which is the exit before our med schools have T.C.U. on their exit sign? Of course they don't have 3 dots (periods) after each of their letters. Wonder who at TDOT came up with the periods for each letter of UNT? Thats when I thought that TDOT's should re-do the U.N.T. sign with this: "U of NT Health Science Center At Fort Worth" because IHMO it would look so much better than 3 letters with 3 dots after each.

Mine was made by ArtCarved who I believe is based out of Austin, Texas. Really enjoyed wearing that diamond-studded ring, too. Guess someone else is enjoying it now or they allowed some pawn shop to enjoy the diamond part of it. My class ring had the rectangular design which I preferred over traditional. Guess I could always get another one, though, right? Should I get one with, uh, "UNT" on it?!?!? LOL!

Harry/Cerebus, do we need another subject thread separate from the rest called: ........................................................................................................... MEAN GREEN LADY SPORTS (Softball, Volleyball, Swimming, Etc, Etc, Etc...) ............................................................................................................ I know NT Athletics no longer uses Lady Eagles. Just a thought....

Looking at the above link and all the flashed (favorable) comments on the movie, it appears to have been funded by some SMU money with as many comments on the film coming from the SMU Country, ie, the Park Cities, ex SMU QB Lance Mc???????, etc, etc, etc. Why? Because, honestly, I am trying to remember just how close the city of Celina is to SMU Country? So to quote NT80, BUILD IT! AND........ ...... lets remove forever whats left of the rest of the Metroplex SMU football influence. If NT doesn't go into a deep freeze and continuous brain fart athletic hiring practices upon completion of our new football stadium (like we did soon after we built the Super Pit) then we can dominate DFW college football. Dominate? As much as some of us respect and admire TCU, the Mountain West Conference IMO is not going to be good karma for the Horned Frog's football (and athletic) program long term. Anyone else notice how so against that conference move the TCU coaches were? Think they were onto something with their attitude? RANT TIME & FOR THOSE WHO ARE SQUEAMISH IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LEAVE THIS P0ST (if you haven't already)! LOL! .................................................................................................................................................. HOW SOON WE SEEM TO FORGET IN DENTON: Yall do remember SMU, don't you? You know, the school that has black-balled NORTH TEXAS "EVERY" freakin' "blankety blanked chance it has had to do so? I'll be at those "Big 2" scheduled games, but I don't agree with the scheduling of those pompous, condescending bastards because NT is not going to get any warm fuzzies or honey with this particular kind of (horse) fly. I have a DVD of the 1990 SMU/NT game at Fouts and if you think SMU fans are going to travel to Denton en mass, then some of you who haven't been around the Green Scene long enough are going to be in for an (un)pleasant surprise. And upon further reflection, I'm sorry that a small handful at NT have genuflected to SMU and scheduled the sumbiches. Those who do the scheduling have no idea (or seem to care) how those of us who have been around all this SMU crap a few decades feel. I am sure it might look good on a few selected NT employee's resume's as they continue to build onto that, but not at the expense of those of us who have had to listen and put up with this SMU bullshit for decades. Most of us haven't forgotten that it was especially rubbed in on our alums/fans with all the losses we had to the $tangs when they went $emi-pro for probably longer a time than any of us will ever know or that SMU will ever admit to. So all you NT "Young Guns" and newbies please understand that SMU being on our football schedule is "NOT" our panacea and maybe 2 games will show some of you (on and off campus) what some of us already know about that; that is, the many of us who have seen all the other NT/$MU games the last part of last mid-century. Nevertheless, as for most of the last 3 decades, I will be at any NT home football game to support the Mean Green because that is the team that represents the school I graduated from (and I sorta' like college football, too, especially when your opponents are fully unpaid amateurs.

A.T. , I haven't been there in awhile, but never had a bad meal at: Japanese Palace 8445 Camp Bowie Fort Worth PH (817) 2440144 I used to especially enjoy their Mogolian BBQ which I became a big fan of when I lived in Honolulu many years ago.

What are the main differences between the 1990's Cowboys vs today's New England Patriots?