GrayEagle

Note to Jim.... The Outland Trophy is for the outstanding OFFENSIVE lineman.

To Bill and Jim, Negatory on Don Baker being related to either John or Joe Don. Don Baker of the 50s was from California. He was a good quarterback but an even better punter. One of his years (55 I believe), he led the nation in punting. I believe that Don Fechtman was the only other North Texan to lead the nation although John Baker might have. Don Baker was likely the reason that Charlie Shepherd did not punt for North Texas.

Actually, FIU does have an on-campus stadium that seats 17,000. Let's hope that it gets filled a time or two every year. I hate playing at Malone. Even in front of only 7-8 thousand people, ULM plays tough at home, especially against us.

If it's because it's Homecoming then I applaud the decision. With all of the activities going on that day, an hour's earlier start on the drive back to Dallas/Fort Worth area should be helpful.

Good post and my thoughts exactly, greenfrog. I'd guess all of those enshrined have been good to excellent athletes but some are/were not worthy if this is to be a truly elite group. The selection process is far too political. I don't know what it takes to be a part of the 'good ole boy' network but it's obvious that some don't belong while lesser talented athletes do. They seem compelled to admit six per year. Why? Of the four football players, only Brian Waters would be admitted if the vote were mine. Lance White was a fine linebacker but I'd rate at least four ahead of him on my all-time list. Burks Washington finally made it last year and I don't believe that Byron Gross has yet. OK, Kassell and Spencer are too new to be voted in but they're the caliber that should become the benchmark now. Charlie Shepherd is pretty much in the same category. IMO better fullbacks have been Ken Bahnsen, A.D. Whitfield and Art Perkins. Only Bahnsen is in the HOF. Burkley Harkless was a good lineman at NT but if he had not served as equipment manager, it's highly doubtful that he would have ever been considered. As some of you have pointed out, there are other very deserving players who should already be in. I agree with your comment on Charlie Johnson and I'll add Fred McCain to the list. Maybe one day in the future the inductees will be decided by a 3/4 vote of the Mean Green Club. Well, maybe that fraction is a little high. We probably can't get 75% to agree on motherhood, family, apple pie or respect for the flag.

Our head coach, Darrell Dickey, also has LSU connections having served as tight ends coach a couple of seasons in the early 90s. One other point about Johnny Jones. JJ would not undermine anything that would have jeopardized Dale Brown. And, as Plumm said, was cleared of any wrongdoing. Could've been that the one that 'turned him in' was bitter over losing Shaq. If Johnny's coaching ability can match his character then we'll be fine.

Maybe the new green shirt with GREENBACKER in white ala BAYLOR LINE promo that they used. I don't think that anyone owns that copyright so there would be no additional cost involved.

Phillips University is in Enid, Oklahoma. Phillips TX was the Black Hawks but the high school was consolidated into West Texas High and is located near Stinnet. Stinnet used to be called the Rattlers but West Texas High now goes by the politically incorrect name of Comanches.

When I have the time and the bucks, I love to go to Outback. They're great NT supporters. But, I have to admit that I like the home cooking at Cracker Barrel and they don't support us. If I want to grab a quick sandwich then New York Sub is a favorite.

1-2 hours from Rowlett. I'll stop about 150 times...ooh, that's the stop and go traffic.

Before I get hammered, Philiips' 4.9 speed is for 40 yards, not 50. Sorry about that.

That's a 'not exactly', Jim. It's true that other 1-A schools offered Hall as a DB but he turned them down because North Texas offered him a shot at quarterback. Only if he failed at QB wes he to be a defensive back, not the other way around. But to answer your question... Transfers - Ransom and Weathers seem to be a lock as starters. Chaney and Pistole should get a decent amount of playing time. We also have to include Travis Thompson in this group since he didn't get to play last year and should compete for a starting job. Redshirt Frosh - Apparently Chad Rose has won the starting job at center. Micah West may have found a niche on the offensive line. If he makes the committment, you should see a lot of Adam Venegas.I think that Brock Stickler will be a starter before the season is over. Over on the defensive side, Blake Burruss is coming on strong. I haven't seen it yet but I'm hoping that Big Cat Raymond and Isaac Thomas are the real deal. All of the DBs seem improved but I was more impressed with the advancement of our strong safeties, Higgs and Walthall. True Frosh - It wouldn't surprise me to see the outstanding athletes/quarterbacks Korey Washington, Antoine Bush and Arthur Stubblefield getting playing time at defensive backs this coming year. The slowest of that trio may be sub-4.50. Lastly, maybe Matt Phillips plays faster than his 4.9 50 speed and will get a shot at quarterback should we lose Byerly or Meager.

Speaking of Gobblers, that's Virginia Tech's nickname as well as the Hokies. A few other unusual or clever nicknames.. College of the Atlantic Black Flies Phillips Haymakers Coastal Carolina Chanticleers Stetson Hatters Washburn Ichabods And, help me out, the A&M campus in Laredo has an unusual nickname.

Good one, Jim. Not to be outdone, the yell of the Austin Peay State University Governors is...let's go Peay! I also think that there is an air of fierceness in the Amherst Lord Jeffs. Don't forget the Frost Polar Bears. And, until Whiteface changed their nickname to Antelopes it was the Hereford Whitefaces and the Whiteface Herefords.

Jim, you're right, at least by one poll. The Massey Computer Ratings rated North Texas 16th in 1977 and 18th in 1978 in their final rankings. I've also got to agree that our 1978 team was probably our best of all time.

My bad! When I got the poll back I saw that Donny Anderson was on the list.

My Other was Doak Walker. I realize that most posters on this board do not go that far back but trying to tackle the Doaker was like trying to tackle your shadow. He was the most elusive back I've ever seen. I have seen all of the ones in the poll except Abercrombie and McVea in person. If I could pick a 1A, it would be Earl Campbell. He was simply power personified. All are good selections but there have been so many great backs in Texas. Jack Pardee (A&M), Donny Anderson (TT), Kyle Rote (SMU), Kenneth Davis (TCU), and Dicky Moegle (RU), as well as the aforementioned Eric Dickerson are some of the outstanding Texas running backs that didn't make the list.

Bill, the old Eagle Memorial Stadium had a listed capacity of 10,000. When Fouts was built we had a student enrollment of about 5,000. The normal crowd was about 75-90% capacity. Homecoming was pretty much a sellout so I'd say that the average attendance was around 8,500. Bear in mind, 45,000 was an excellent crowd for a SWC game; many were in the 20s. In fact, I believe that the Cotton Bowl only held 45,000 then although it was expanded to 65,000 just after the Doak Walker era.

Jim, several rating services have us somewhere in the 60s so TSN is not doing something brave and bold. Having said that, I think that's much too high for the beginning of the season. By season's end, I'd hope that's even a little high. Now, a permanent Top 50 on attendance is another matter. Even with a new stadium, the only way that we can accomplish that is to be admitted to the Big XII. Attendance averages for #50 are between 40 and 50 thousand each year. I'd settle for half of that. Oh, the first year we might average 30 thousand but from that point on we'd have to consistently be in the Top 20 or so to maintain that. I love your optimism, though.

We were...the year before, 1988. My guess is that when the game was scheduled we were North Texas State and KSU went ahead and had the tickets printed with that name. I did not see a single instance of the Capital-Journal calling us North Texas State. I do think that K-State has slipped a little but they had a pretty lofty perch. I don't think that they've slipped far enough to lose to us; at least not this early in the season.

I believe that CC is where MeanGreen61 hangs out. I'd bet that he'd meet most any poster on this board for a cup of coffee if he knows that we're coming.

You know, my first thought was the same as Silver's, he's not fast enough. But, upon further review, I'm not sure that you have to have blazing speed to protect the quarterback or even lead interference. Perhaps more quickness than speed. I'd try him there. If he can't beat the undersized Mitchell, Nevins and Henderson, or at least one or two of them, then I'd try him at DE. He looks so powerful that it seems to me that he should be in there for some plays somewhere.

Jim, correct me if I am wrong, I don't think that it's the ticket manager's job to formulate a plan for putting butts in the seats. It seems to me that duty should fall to the, pick one: Director of Promotions, Director of Sales & Marketing, or Assistant AD for Sales and Development. I believe that would be Jamie Adams, Ryan Barnhart and Paul Batchelder respectively. We promoted the old Director of Promotions, Brian Bethea, for whatever reason. He's now in charge of operations and championship events and maybe that's his niche. I also noticed that we have a new Director of Athletic Development. I'll gladly withhold any judgment until he's had a little time to establish a network of potential donors. Who knows? Maybe we'll have that new stadium soon. I am disappointed that my friend, Chuck Vinson, didn't get that job. I think that they feared that he might tap his donor sources to the detriment of the Academic Development Office, where he still works.

In the early years after graduation I'd think that most would choose their fraternity. The associations were closer and it's a little like siblings vs. extended family. But as the years roll on, and fraternity brothers scatter and there are fewer (fraternity) alumni activities, we tend to drift back to our alma mater. By then, most of the alums we know we'll become even better acquainted with because their interest doesn't wane as much and these friendships last also.

Silver, I left NT in 1950 to go in the service and returned the spring semester of '55. I was fortunate enough, however, to be home on leave in September of 1952 to witness the first game ever played at Fouts. I think that Richard Harvey may have been the quarterback then but the game was such a rout that it's hard to remember any specific player other than Tommy Gray and Dean Renfro. To me, the best quarterback that few ever heard of was the late Vernon Cole. He was actually a pretty decent passer but in his time it was give the ball to Abner (Haynes). He did go the Canada after graduation and start for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for several years. The most maligned quarterback that I can think of is Jason Mills. I thought that he was actually a pretty decent quarterback but he had the misfortune of following Mitch Maher. I still think that the most exciting North Texas game that I witnessed was Mills TD throw to McGrew in the closing seconds against Utah State.