A Football Life: Joe Greene

UNTLifer · June 28, 2018

Just saw this.

HoustonEagle · June 28, 2018

Well Joe certainly did not help dispel the rumor of how we became the Mean Green.

SilverEagle · June 29, 2018

More sloppy reporting. The Eagle was not a nickname, it was our mascot.......and still is. Mean Green was the nickname for the DEFENSE. It wasn't until Hayden Fry took over and decided that Mean Green was better suited for the culture change (winning and ATTITUDE) that he was going for. Many people thought that he tried to get rid of the Eagle. He didn't. He just emphasized Mean Green.

UNTMike81 · June 29, 2018

The real benefit of the "football Life" for UNT and Joe Greene, was that a stud NFL Hall of Fame football player came out of what used to be University of North Texas. In that era being drafted where he was when he came out was unheard of from a school like the University of North Texas. It was good to know that the University of North Texas integrated black players when they did in the state of Texas. Way ahead of the Curve for most Texas Colleges.

And to think University of North Texas and UNT Athletics mismanaged the program for such a long time that we haven't seen another Joe Greene type player come or be drafted from UNT, or the University of North Texas, is a shame.

Ultimately very little time was spent in the documentary in regards to Joe Green's time at the University of North Texas was sad to see also. Although you can't take away from his accomplishments with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Go Mean Green!!!

ntexeagle · June 29, 2018

It was North Texas State University when Joe was playing. It is still the University of North Texas.

UNTMike81 · June 29, 2018

I did my post via voice recognition. You are correct, I was wrong I can't believe I made the mistake. The University, was correctly named North Texas State University. When I went to UNT that was the name of the college. I can't believe I made the error. The fact remains the UNT athletic department has done deplorable job when it comes to the University's Athletics over the years since the 50 60s and early 70s. Things are looking up now though.

wardly · June 30, 2018

On ‎6‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 7:54 PM, SilverEagle said:

More sloppy reporting. The Eagle was not a nickname, it was our mascot.......and still is. Mean Green was the nickname for the DEFENSE. It wasn't until Hayden Fry took over and decided that Mean Green was better suited for the culture change (winning and ATTITUDE) that he was going for. Many people thought that he tried to get rid of the Eagle. He didn't. He just emphasized Mean Green.

I don't remember it that way,but I am 75. The defense was "Mean Green", but we were "Eagles" until R.V. re badged us. His concern was that there were too many regional high schools nicknamed "Eagles", and he wanted to differentiate us from them. I personal have never liked "Mean Green" and prefer "Eagles", but that's just me.

letsgiveacheer · June 30, 2018

1 hour ago, wardly said:

I don't remember it that way,but I am 75. The defense was "Mean Green", but we were "Eagles" until R.V. re badged us. His concern was that there were too many regional high schools nicknamed "Eagles", and he wanted to differentiate us from them. I personal have never liked "Mean Green" and prefer "Eagles", but that's just me.

I'm 65, but who is counting! Like Silver, I recall Fry emphasizing the Mean Green moniker. Under Rust, we were called the Eagles and rarely heard Mean Green. I recall the first home game with Fry when the lime green jerseys were shown for the first time, along with the infamous flying worm on the helmets, there was an audible gasp from the fans!

Charlie NT 73 · June 30, 2018

I remember the lime green uniforms!

The team was wearing their original dark green uniforms when the game started.

When the team came out after half time, the team was wearing the lime green uniforms!

What a night!

UNTLifer · June 30, 2018

2 hours ago, wardly said:

I don't remember it that way,but I am 75. The defense was "Mean Green", but we were "Eagles" until R.V. re badged us. His concern was that there were too many regional high schools nicknamed "Eagles", and he wanted to differentiate us from them. I personal have never liked "Mean Green" and prefer "Eagles", but that's just me.

This is the way I clearly remember it. We were always the Eagles and Mean Green was our nickname. RV deemphasized Eagles. Didn't really like it either.

97and03 · June 30, 2018

I know some of the old timers bristle a bit at Mean Green, but I can tell you this was one thing RV got 100 percent right. I understand the argument that Eagles ties all alumni together, but nationally Mean Green is known - if nothing else just because it is so unique. I live and travel all around the world and college football fans don’t know anything about UNT other than Mean Green. But they know that at least. It worked!

UNT 90 Grad · June 30, 2018

When I was at North Texas in the 80’s, we were mostly referred to as the Eagles (mascot) but if you knew anything about North Texas, you knew that our nick name was the Mean Green.

Side note: When I played soccer as a kid in the early 70’s, our team name was the Mean Green. I’m assuming we were named after the NT nick name.

SilverEagle · June 30, 2018

14 hours ago, wardly said:

I don't remember it that way,but I am 75. The defense was "Mean Green", but we were "Eagles" until R.V. re badged us. His concern was that there were too many regional high schools nicknamed "Eagles", and he wanted to differentiate us from them. I personal have never liked "Mean Green" and prefer "Eagles", but that's just me.

R.V. may have done that for the reasons you stated, but it was Hayden Fry who first emphasized "Mean Green" for the whole team, but not because of the "commonness" of the Eagle mascot per se.. He wanted to de-emphasize the Eagle, and the dark Green color because they had always been associated with losing......and the losing attitude that goes with that. He was most concerned about the losing attitude. And he said as much at the "town meeting" he had on campus with faculty,staff and students. He said that he thought that North Texas was a great University, but he didn't think that most students, faculty and alumni felt that way.

He set out to change our CULTURE, and the imagery (school colors, emphasizing mean green more than Eagles, the flying worm) was a major part of it. He never tried to get rid of the Eagle.....that's what the "flying worm" was. In the official imagery the "stylized Eagle" was perched on the words "MEAN GREEN". Lots of people did not, (and still do not), like the stylized Eagle.

Image result for NTSU Flying worm

But it's more eye catching and unique than the clip art Eagle that was always used by the University that looked like this old Philadelphia Eagle clip art.......

Image result for clip art flying eagle from north texas state college

My favorite "unique" Eagle has always been this.....

Image result for NTSU Flying worm

He was somewhat scrawny, but his face was ALL ATTITUDE......and, like the flying worm, there was none other like him.

This is my only clip art "favorite image".

Image result for clip art flying eagle from north texas state college

AND, even though it represented the 1-AA era, I liked this one too.....

Image result for NTSU Flying worm

Edited June 30, 2018 by SilverEagle

greenminer · June 30, 2018

Fry came in after Mean Joe, and saw the success "Mean Joe" Greene was having in Pitt and rode with it. It was incredible P.R. for us, but it also led most of college football to believe we were named after Joe.

IMO Fry did it not so much to remove ourselves from the losing culture, but moreso about P.R./marketing. (still culture, though). Obviously, I am not speaking from experience. Just an email exchange I had with Randy, FWIW.

wardly · July 1, 2018

9 hours ago, SilverEagle said:

R.V. may have done that for the reasons you stated, but it was Hayden Fry who first emphasized "Mean Green" for the whole team, but not because of the "commonness" of the Eagle mascot per se.. He wanted to de-emphasize the Eagle, and the dark Green color because they had always been associated with losing......and the losing attitude that goes with that. He was most concerned about the losing attitude. And he said as much at the "town meeting" he had on campus with faculty,staff and students. He said that he thought that North Texas was a great University, but he didn't think that most students, faculty and alumni felt that way.

He set out to change our CULTURE, and the imagery (school colors, emphasizing mean green more than Eagles, the flying worm) was a major part of it. He never tried to get rid of the Eagle.....that's what the "flying worm" was. In the official imagery the "stylized Eagle" was perched on the words "MEAN GREEN". Lots of people did not, (and still do not), like the stylized Eagle.

But it's more eye catching and unique than the clip art Eagle that was always used by the University that looked like this old Philadelphia Eagle clip art.......

My favorite "unique" Eagle has always been this.....

He was somewhat scrawny, but his face was ALL ATTITUDE......and, like the flying worm, there was none other like him.

This is my only clip art "favorite image".

AND, even though it represented the 1-AA era, I liked this one too.....

I have slept since then, but I was told by Corky Nelson that the logo on this helmet was designed by a fan who donated all the paint necessary to put a fresh coat on Fouts.I have been trying to get either a mini or regular size helmet with this logo for years, but can't find one.