UNT Homecoming Parade

[Withers940]

So last year, UNT didnt have a Homecoming Parade and this year, I am not seeing any information on it either after looking high and low. Can someone help explain to me, why they are not doing one for the second year in a row?

If we (UNT) are dying for city involvement, why wouldn't we do something that would help promote the university and its athletic program?\

Are we just going to kill off a tradition that has been going for several decades? 

[drex]

It's too damn much trouble, Mr. Withers.  We are a joke.

[keith]

It's easier to be lazy and blame "policy" than it is to be creative in solving "problems."

[tmjerm]

I really do think most engaged alumni would agree, along with most businesses on the parade route.  I’m 2.5 hours away but if anyone wants to actually get organized about pushing back against this ignoring of tradition, I’m all for organizing a group.  I wouldn’t be surprised at all about an organized effort being successful about bringing it back. 

[Withers940]

4 hours ago, drex said:

It's too damn much trouble, Mr. Withers.  We are a joke.

Yep, sad truth with todays college kid is that they’re too lazy to contribute or walk to apogee. The weird thing is that other universities don’t seem to have this problem 
 

@tmjermi agree, there’s enough local alumni and “local support” that we could easily put it together.

 

if they are are against waste then don’t do the floats, just drive trucks around or walk. Shitty excuses if you ask me

Edited November 2, 2022 by Withers940

[tmjerm]

3 minutes ago, Withers940 said:

if they are are against waste then don’t do the floats, just drive trucks around or walk. Shitty excuses if you ask me

Gagree.  I don’t think this is about waste/emissions, and even if it is, let’s talk about compromises to make it greener.  That’s cool with me.  Buncha people riding on trailers or walking isn’t that bad anyway.  It’s not a monster truck rally.  Have recycling bins and mandatory material disposal at the end of the parade.  Not that hard to come up with solutions. 

[untphd]

4 minutes ago, Withers940 said:

Yep, sad truth with todays college kid is that they’re too lazy to contribute or walk to apogee. The weird thing is that other universities don’t seem to have this problem 
 

@tmjermi agree, there’s enough local alumni and “local support” that we could easily put it together.

 

if they are are against waste then don’t do the floats, just drive trucks around or walk. Shitty excuses if you ask me

This place keeps getting rid of traditions. There is no sustainable culture to pass down to new students. If this is the intent, then it is working.

[tmjerm]

6 minutes ago, untphd said:

This place keeps getting rid of traditions. There is no sustainable culture to pass down to new students. If this is the intent, then it is working.

I tend to believe it’s less intent than it is cognitive dissonance.  And both interactors feed the other, like a slow divorce.  Truth is I think we all crave connecting in our pride about this place, we just haven’t figured out how to do it yet.  The parade is one of the things that actually always seemed to do that, bonfire too, Super Pit too, and the kids will get to the stadium if we win. I was pro Fouts site but with beer for sale, a cool Hill to tailgate on and a winning football team, I think we can get the students back in there.  

Edited November 2, 2022 by tmjerm

[TIgreen01]

The floats created by our Greeks were extremely subpar the last few years.  I’m someone who attended the parade every year for over 20 years and it was going downhill.  I am all for organizing a return, but would want to do something to incentivize our Greeks and other organizations to spend real time and money to create something special.  I’d be willing to donate to that cause because I agree that the parade can be a great source of pride and a way to unite students, alumni and the city of Denton.

[tmjerm]

3 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

The floats created by our Greeks were extremely subpar the last few years.  I’m someone who attended the parade every year for over 20 years and it was going downhill.  I am all for organizing a return, but would want to do something to incentivize our Greeks and other organizations to spend real time and money to create something special.  I’d be willing to donate to that cause because I agree that the parade can be a great source of pride and a way to unite students, alumni and the city of Denton.

That’s good feedback.  Think more financial incentives with float awards for orgs and campus wide recognition would help for sure.   Roll that thing onto the field for the GB to march around at halftime and do a fundraiser for em! 

[NT80]

WKU had one, they showed the floats during our game.  

[UNT 90 Grad]

19 minutes ago, untphd said:

This place keeps getting rid of traditions. There is no sustainable culture to pass down to new students. If this is the intent, then it is working.

Amen.  #bringbacktortillas

[GMG_Dallas]

17 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

The floats created by our Greeks were extremely subpar the last few years.  I’m someone who attended the parade every year for over 20 years and it was going downhill.  I am all for organizing a return, but would want to do something to incentivize our Greeks and other organizations to spend real time and money to create something special.  I’d be willing to donate to that cause because I agree that the parade can be a great source of pride and a way to unite students, alumni and the city of Denton.

I'm a fairly recent graduate but "back in my day" (ha!) It was about bragging rights and a trophy. That's it. That was enough to get the Greek organizations involved. Sad it's not the same.

Regarding the parade, I was planning to drive up across the few counties that separate my family from Denton for the parade. I was disappointed to find that it hasn't happened for a few years. Hopefully they bring it back next year. My kids are clamoring to go back to a UNT basketball game, though. Luckily that's right around the corner!

[untcampbell]

If for no other reason than "the kids," North Texas should hold the parade. Denton and area children love a parade, and many love sports. I would get the local Pop Warner teams to participate (as in floats), and the middle school teams and I would even offer the high school teams a spot in the parade, and provide each kid a ticket to the game. 

Love the Greek competitions. Nothing bonds an organization like late night, last minute float preparation.

And market the hell out of North Texas sports. Every team not competing that weekend should have its own recognition.

Connect this school to the community!

I would support a GMG effort to bring back the parade.

 

GMG

[NorthTexasWeLove]

I'm all for the parade and any and all Hoco activities and fun. 

But have we seen what the typical UNT student is today? Not the athletics/activity or event attending/ school spirt type. And I don't intellectually know our students. 

But if our university wants us to get serious about athletics, monetary support, etc. then the student(s) our admissions team allows in matters. Being a well-rounded HS student matters. Being active in HS matters. The university says they want those things, but if you make a ____ on the SAT you're automatically admittted regardless of anything else. If you have a ____ high school GPA you're automatically admitted. That's not admitting well rounded students. That's admitting future students that have no verifiable work ethic, extracurriculars, school spirit, pride, etc. If the university did their part in  admissions, the STUDENTS wouldn't have allowed the parade to be canceled. But, here we are. 

 

[trud1966]

15 hours ago, tmjerm said:

Gagree.  I don’t think this is about waste/emissions, and even if it is, let’s talk about compromises to make it greener.  That’s cool with me.  Buncha people riding on trailers or walking isn’t that bad anyway.  It’s not a monster truck rally.  Have recycling bins and mandatory material disposal at the end of the parade.  Not that hard to come up with solutions. 

I thought the same thing as you.  Recycle Bins at the end... Also, have a requirements for the float entries that any decor (which, lets be honest, the decor is becoming less and less..) be made out of a minimum percentage of recycled/up-cycled material.   There's a dozen ways to do a "work-around" for this problem, and some could really end up as some positive press...Don't just shut down the entire thing and quit.  What message is that sending?

[TripleGrad]

UNT killed the parade during the Covid scare and used that as an excuse to not bother again.

If the school doesn't care about school spirit, why should I?  

[GMG_Dallas]

7 minutes ago, TripleGrad said:

UNT killed the parade during the Covid scare and used that as an excuse to not bother again.

If the school doesn't care about school spirit, why should I?  

You're right. It's a terrible message.