Wren Baker Press Conference at 10 a.m(CT)

[Travis]

55 minutes ago, Cerebus said:

One more thing.  

Vito asks a question in the open press conference, everyone gets to quote it.  In fact, since the AD ALREADY SAID HE WOULD MEET WITH VITO INDIVIDUALLY AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE, he would likely get beat to publishing.

I am sure he will have a lot more questions in the 1-1 interview afterwards.  

Please don't let facts get in the way of one's unnecessary and peculiar bashing.

It is really uncouth of you. 

[TheWestie]

On a related note....

Scrappy is now about 6-5. And can half-way decently dance again.


Baker is already showing results and he doesn't even start until August 22.

[Army of Dad]

1 minute ago, UNTFan23 said:

Notice a timeframe wasn't attached to when the US would land a man on the moon, just that we should do it. It was a smart goal set by JFK. Again, growth is a goal even without a hard, tangible number.

Is that so?

http://www.space.com/17547-jfk-moon-speech-50years-anniversary.html

 

 

 

 

(hint- it's the next three words after 'go to the moon')

[Aldo]

1 minute ago, UNTFan23 said:

Rather than releasing specific numbers what I'd much rather see the department be able to do is release the fund raising power of the MCG in terms of dollars. It would be great to say that the MGC is capable of raising (as an example) "in excess of $2 million per year in athletic scholarships and other capital campaign initiatives."

Sure that's a good idea, too. It demonstrates both our fundraising power and our commitment to fundraising. But beyond that, we need to be more transparent to hold ourselves accountable. Currently, fundraising is not good compared to our peers, and the lack of transparency can be perceived as guarded and calculated.

But I don't want to focus on that. I want us to move forward and make that money, take them names, and win them games.

[UNTFan23]

3 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Sure that's a good idea, too. It demonstrates both our fundraising power and our commitment to fundraising. But beyond that, we need to be more transparent to hold ourselves accountable. Currently, fundraising is not good compared to our peers, and the lack of transparency can be perceived as guarded and calculated.

But I don't want to focus on that. I want us to move forward and make that money, take them names, and win them games.

By "holding ourselves accountable", are we going to include the alumni/fans as accountable as they are the ones that can have the greatest impact on our fund raising and season ticket numbers or is this only applicable to the Athletic Department?

[UNT Mean Green]

Wren was very impressive during the press conference, which seemed to be well attended (standing room only). He handles himself extremely well and is very good at answering questions.

Excellent hire by the university, and exciting times ahead for Athletics!

[Aldo]

Just now, UNTFan23 said:

By "holding ourselves accountable", are we going to include the alumni/fans as accountable as they are the ones that can have the greatest impact on our fund raising and season ticket numbers or is this only applicable to the Athletic Department?

Sure. But I am not going to blame or deride my buddy for not buying season tickets for a 1-11 team. 

This program is in the dumps and it is going to take years to get us back on track. Hopefully the new folks (from coaches to administration) can put a product out (athletics) that the public perceives that it is worth investing in.

[FirefightnRick]

18 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

Is that so?

http://www.space.com/17547-jfk-moon-speech-50years-anniversary.html

 

 

 

 

(hint- it's the next three words after 'go to the moon')

LOL!

 

 

Rick

[Cerebus]

Goals should be very much communicated to the people paying for the program.  

There are departments on campus that do a very good job communicating those goals.  The only reasons you don't want to communicate goals is because you don't want be head accountable for 1) what the goals are, and/or 2) not reaching them.  

[Ben Gooding]

26 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

By "holding ourselves accountable", are we going to include the alumni/fans as accountable as they are the ones that can have the greatest impact on our fund raising and season ticket numbers or is this only applicable to the Athletic Department?

The fans and alums aren't the one's employed by the university to get these said fans and alums to open up their wallets. Information is power. The sleeze ball AD and his administration were able to sit comfortably in power of this athletic department for nearly 16 years because of 0 transparency which led to 0 accountability. 

Goals need to be released because public goals dictate internal and external accountability. These can be baby step goals as far as I'm concerned, as long as they're sensible and progressive. 

[Stan R]

I think I may actually start reading meangreensports.com again. 

[UNT90]

56 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

By "holding ourselves accountable", are we going to include the alumni/fans as accountable as they are the ones that can have the greatest impact on our fund raising and season ticket numbers or is this only applicable to the Athletic Department?

RV? Is that you? 

[UNTFan23]

11 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

RV? Is that you? 

So the "holding ourselves accountable" is really "holding 'them' accountable." Given fans have no real skin in the game (other than a winning program) there's really no need for the fan base to help the department reach its goals.

[Ben Gooding]

2 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

So the "holding ourselves accountable" is really "holding 'them' accountable." Given fans have no real skin in the game (other than a winning program) there's really no need for the fan base to help the department reach its goals.

Your logic is flawed. It really is RV of you. 

[UNTFan23]

Just now, Ben Gooding said:

Your logic is flawed. It really is RV of you. 

Then how do the fans factor into the "holding ourselves accountable?"

[UNT90]

3 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

So the "holding ourselves accountable" is really "holding 'them' accountable." Given fans have no real skin in the game (other than a winning program) there's really no need for the fan base to help the department reach its goals.

UNT has 4,000 season ticket holders, of which about 200 post here. 

No, there is nothing you can do to "hold me accountable." Frankly if you tried, it would probably have the opposite effect.

Its up to the AD to provide a product that is marketable enough to fill 31k seats. Actually, to provide a product that could fill 40k seats, making a demand for UNT tickets.

That isn't your job, and it isn't mine. Quit believing what the last terrible AD put in your head. It isn't true.

[Ben Gooding]

3 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Then how do the fans factor into the "holding ourselves accountable?"

 People are paid and some paid very well to make sure certain things happen to progress North Texas athletics. But I'm not one of them. I'm not on their payroll. If they want to call me up and offer up a job, I would listen. But until then, it's not my problem because my livelihood does not fall at the doorstep of UNT. 

[Aldo]

7 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Then how do the fans factor into the "holding ourselves accountable?"

Well, how do they? You keep using that question as a rhetorical device in your argument that it's not only the AD's responsibility.

There is some truth to it. The fans should put money into a program they want to succeed. But there's sadly a long history of not succeeding. What do you do then, as an athletic department? Do you sit and wait to succeed? Or are you proactive and change what hasn't been working?

[TreeFiddy]

1 minute ago, Ben Gooding said:

 People are paid and some paid very well to make sure certain things happen to progress North Texas athletics. But I'm not one of them. I'm not on their payroll. If they want to call me up and offer up a job, I would listen. But until then, it's not my problem because my livelihood does not fall at the doorstep of UNT. 

That is a very UNT AD thing to say. 

[UNT90]

1 minute ago, TreeFiddy said:

That is a very UNT AD thing to say. 

Except Ben isn't an AD employee. 

Good God, people.

[Aldo]

[MeanGreenTexan]

6 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

UNT has 4,000 season ticket holders, of which about 200 post here. 

No, there is nothing you can do to "hold me accountable." Frankly if you tried, it would probably have the opposite effect.

Its up to the AD to provide a product that is marketable enough to fill 31k seats. Actually, to provide a product that could fill 40k seats, making a demand for UNT tickets.

That isn't your job, and it isn't mine. Quit believing what the last terrible AD put in your head. It isn't true.

You have a consumer mindset here.   As a fan of North Texas right now (really over the past several decades), I don't know how anyone could give a dime to UNT athletics with that mindset... there just hasn't been much worthwhile to consume.  

At some point (during all of the sucking) you decided to invest a pretty penny for club seats.  Why?

Paying fans have invested in the program (whether you're Brint Ryan cutting $1mil+ checks, or Jimmy Regularguy gutting $250 MGC checks).
If we're going to demand immediate improvement from WB & Co, what can we do to help?  That is our accountability as fans (re:investors).

This is in no way an argument to throw money/time/effort into something expecting the same-ole, same-ole in return.

[UNTFan23]

8 minutes ago, Aldo said:

Well, how do they? You keep using that question as a rhetorical device in your argument that it's not only the AD's responsibility.

There is some truth to it. The fans should put money into a program they want to succeed. But there's sadly a long history of not succeeding. What do you do then, as an athletic department? Do you sit and wait to succeed? Or are you proactive and change what hasn't been working?

I'm all for trial and error. It's what I do every day. Best to fail early and quickly in order to figure out what will and won't work.

[UNT90]

2 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

I'm all for trial and error. It's what I do every day. Best to fail early and quickly in order to figure out what will and won't work.

From a guy that supported RV till the bitter end. 

[UNTFan23]

Just now, UNT90 said:

From a guy that supported RV till the bitter end. 

Says someone who won't stop beating a dead horse?

Look, you finally got your white whale ... or windmill ... or whatever other imaginary literary beast you prefer ... time to move on. There's no need to keep looking to the past.