UNT Band

[eulesseagle]

The band hackled the Nicholls State team throughout the game. I thought that was great!!!

They kept the tunes going at the right time.

The band and their unrelenting comments throughout the game really made the trip to Denton worth it.

If none of you have gone to a BB game, yet, it is worth it just to listen to the Band.

[NTEagle08]

Not a knock on the band because I know that they are doing what they are told but I wish they played a little less at the basketball games. Granted I am at nearly every game, but their music has sort of worn on me. They have really added nothing new over the last few seasons, and there are only so many times I can hear Fly Like an Eagle in a basketball game. They have started playing the same songs sometimes twice in a row now.

I wouldn't mind seeing if during official timeouts that music over the sound system was mixed with music from the band. That way if the band still can play there current stuff, but it doesn't get old and repetitive by the end of the game.

Just so I don't sound all negative, but I do like the enthusiasm of the band this year, and they were hecking the UTEP womens team pretty good yesterday as well.

One of other thing, I wished that the pep band would actually have matching polo shirt at the games. I think ours is only the only pep bands I have ever seen that does not have a matching outfit of some sort.

[eulesseagle]

NTEagle--

Have you ever seen Rice Universities Band???

They show up on the field with their kids, pets and no uniforms and play.

[j0nat8an]

i love the band's heckling and they sound good to me, but i agree that they need matching clothes. i guess what makes it look the most tacky is that they are the only group of people that take up anywhere near a complete section.

[Zeke]

The band is absolutly the #1 spirit organization at basketball games.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

The band is absolutly the #1 spirit organization at basketball games.

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Don't they also get paid to be there?

[NTEagle08]

Don't they also get paid to be there?

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they do, I can't remember how much, but they do get paid to be there

[Zeke]

Paid or not, they do their job. I would like to see more music as well. I am really referring to what they do when they are not playing.

[untgirl04]

they do, I can't remember how much, but they do get paid to be there

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You know what? That doesn't matter. Just because they're paid doesn't mean they don't take it to the next level. They really seem to enjoy the games, and they're great about getting the crowd (small as it is) excited at points during the game. They do a much better job cheering our team than the cheerleaders.

Last game I attended, the cheerleaders just sat in a corner and waved their pom-poms ever so often. That's pretty much all they do at any of the games. You'd think they'd show a little more enthusiasm.

[NTEagle08]

Last game I attended, the cheerleaders just sat in a corner and waved their pom-poms ever so often. That's pretty much all they do at any of the games. You'd think they'd show a little more enthusiasm. 

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Here is something pretty bad, there wasn't one cheerleader at the game yesterday, not one. And Scrappy showed up in the middle of halftime. I know that the cheerleaders aren't paid, and have jobs and such, but they have made a commitement. I don't think it would be acceptable at UT if Hook'em was present for half the basketball games, so why is it acceptable at North Texas.

Edited December 12, 2005 by NTEagle08

[untgirl04]

Here is something pretty bad, there wasn't one cheerleader at the game yesterday, not one. And Scrappy showed up in the middle of halftime. I know that the cheerleaders aren't paid, and have jobs and such, but they have made a commitement. I don't think it would be acceptable at UT if Hook'em was present for half the basketball games, so why is it acceptable at North Texas.

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I agree with you to a point. However, this is finals week, so I can also understand if fewer cheerleaders, etc attend because they're studying. Regardless, it's unacceptable to have no one there. The cheerleaders should coordinate these things. At the Men's game against Chatanooga, Scrappy wasn't even there. They've got 3 guys for Scrappy - you'd think one of them could have made it.

[UNTSportsGuy]

I belive that the cheerleaders only have to do a certain amount of time a weekend or something like that, that is why there was so many there on Saturday night for the guys game. They all choose to do that game instead of the girls game Sunday.

[MeanGreen61]

I don't think it would be acceptable at UT if Hook'em was present for half the basketball games, so why is it acceptable at North Texas.

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UNT-UT ?Try another comparison

[NTEagle08]

UNT-UT ?Try another comparison

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ok, Superfrog at TCU

Edited December 12, 2005 by NTEagle08

[Guest e-bone]

Here is something pretty bad, there wasn't one cheerleader at the game yesterday, not one. And Scrappy showed up in the middle of halftime. I know that the cheerleaders aren't paid, and have jobs and such, but they have made a commitement. I don't think it would be acceptable at UT if Hook'em was present for half the basketball games, so why is it acceptable at North Texas.

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It is acceptable because from the AD, to the cheerleaders, to the vast majority of the fans and everything in between, people just don't give a crap about basketball at North Texas. If Scrappy or cheerleaders didn't show to a football game people in the athletic department would be going mental. If some tickets weren't mailed out to football season ticket holders people would be calling for someones head. That happens to basketball and so few people notice or care that nothing gets done. What I don't understand is that I see RV at almost every home game so he has to know about this stuff and yet nothing gets done. No noteworthy promotions, hardly anything to spice up the game day feel, nothing to make it an event.

That is why I have huge respect for all the fans who make it out to the games, the dancers for showing up to all the games with a full squad and acting like they care, and the band for bringing a little life to the Pit.

[Mad Hatter]

How's the Pit Crew this year?

[UNTSIG]

ebone- how do you go from the cheerleaders didn't show up to the AD doesn't care about basketball? you're reaching man

[MDTGGI]

first, the AD does care, there are a lot that goes on behind the scenes that many people dont know about.

But the lack of enthusiasm over basketball is depressing. I am even disapointed in the pit crew! I have been to almost every game this year and hardly anyone out of the pit crew is showing up!

[UNTLifer]

first, the AD does care, there are a lot that goes on behind the scenes that many people dont know about.

But the lack of enthusiasm over basketball is depressing. I am even disapointed in the pit crew!  I have been to almost every game this year and hardly anyone out of the pit crew is showing up!

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Maybe they are doing quite a bit behind the scenes, but it appears that they rely on Vito to provide the promotional material through his articles. Not getting tickets to season ticket holders, not requiring the cheerleaders to be there, not requiring Scrappy to be there and having trouble pulling together a couple of pizzas and some soft drinks for the Nichols State game is unacceptable.

[Guest e-bone]

ebone- how do you go from the cheerleaders didn't show up to the AD doesn't care about basketball?  you're reaching man

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So you don't think the AD would care if the cheerleaders or Scrappy didn't show up to football games? How is that a reach to assume that? And how is it a reach to see that game after game, year after year, the cheerleaders show up in very few numbers and sometimes not at all to basketball games and nothing is done to change that. I would think that if the AD cared then they would start with simple things such as having a full cheerleading squad at basketball games. Having 2, 4 or no cheerleaders at games screams that we are small time and don't give a crap.

Edited December 13, 2005 by e-bone

[Michael Scott]

So you don't think the AD would care if the cheerleaders or Scrappy didn't show up to football games? How is that a reach to assume that? And how is it a reach to see that game after game, year after year, the cheerleaders show up in very few numbers and sometimes not at all to basketball games and nothing is done to change that. I would think that if the AD cared then they would start with simple things such as having a full cheerleading squad at basketball games. Having 2, 4 or no cheerleaders at games screams that we are small time and don't give a crap.

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What makes you think the AD has a say over the cheerleaders and what they do? Write a letter to the woman who is in charge of cheerleaders and let her know how you feel too.

[Coffee and TV]

But the lack of enthusiasm over basketball is depressing. I am even disapointed in the pit crew!  I have been to almost every game this year and hardly anyone out of the pit crew is showing up!

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It's early, give us time. Especially when we head into winter break.

[Eagle1855]

What makes you think the AD has a say over the cheerleaders and what they do? Write a letter to the woman who is in charge of cheerleaders and let her know how you feel too.

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I think the cheerleader coach is a guy, but either way I agree.

Seems like it should have been figured out long before it reaches the AD...

[UNTSIG]

So you don't think the AD would care if the cheerleaders or Scrappy didn't show up to football games? How is that a reach to assume that? And how is it a reach to see that game after game, year after year, the cheerleaders show up in very few numbers and sometimes not at all to basketball games and nothing is done to change that. I would think that if the AD cared then they would start with simple things such as having a full cheerleading squad at basketball games. Having 2, 4 or no cheerleaders at games screams that we are small time and don't give a crap.

No, actually I think that the AD does care if the cheerleaders or Scrappy shows up to the game. I just wish that before you started throwing accusations out there, you would be more informed about the way things work. First of all, Eagle and Michael are both right. There is a gentleman (Scotty, I believe) who is one of the cheerleading coaches and the lady that is over the cheerleaders is Jenifer Cloutier. Jenifer reports directly to the Director of Marketing, Paul Batchelder but Scotty, Jenifer and Paul could talk to the cheerleaders til they are blue in the face but they have no control over them in the end. Why? Because the cheerleaders are unique in that they are stricly volunteers (this goes for Scrappy too). There major does not require them to be in cheerleading (like music), they receive no scholarships and they certainly do not receive any money....so tell me exactly what you want RV to do? I appreciate the hard work that those guys and girls put in. I also believe that it is ok to criticize and say that it takes away from the game when they are not there but to reach as far as you did and make the assertion that the AD doesn't care about basketball because you didn't see some cheerleaders at a game is absurd. I haven't seen you out there in a suit with some pom pom's...do you care?

[Guest e-bone]

No, actually I think that the AD does care if the cheerleaders or Scrappy shows up to the game.  I just wish that before you started throwing accusations out there, you would be more informed about the way things work.  First of all, Eagle and Michael are both right.  There is a gentleman (Scotty, I believe) who is one of the cheerleading coaches and the lady that is over the cheerleaders is Jenifer Cloutier.  Jenifer reports directly to the Director of Marketing, Paul Batchelder but Scotty, Jenifer and Paul could talk to the cheerleaders til they are blue in the face but they have no control over them in the end.  Why?  Because the cheerleaders are unique in that they are stricly volunteers (this goes for Scrappy too).  There major does not require them to be in cheerleading (like music), they receive no scholarships and they certainly do not receive any money....so tell me exactly what you want RV to do?  I appreciate the hard work that those guys and girls put in.  I also believe that it is ok to criticize and say that it takes away from the game when they are not there but to reach as far as you did and make the assertion that the AD doesn't care about basketball because you didn't see some cheerleaders at a game is absurd.  I haven't seen you out there in a suit with some pom pom's...do you care?

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That was one example of the total lack of game day experience as to why I feel the AD doesn't care about basketball. Have you been to any games lately? It is just a game and there is no atmosphere like has been created at football games with tailgating and other promotions. Trying to get people who aren't big basketball fans out to games is hard, especially when the game is the only thing that is being offered.

It seems every other school I see on television or even in the Sun Belt tournament last year can bring out cheerleaders to the games. But we sure can't seem too and people love making excuses for that as well, which I can not understand. I heard during the summer that the cheerleaders would start receiving a scholarship of some sort, but I do not know if that has come to be.

Do the dancers not answer to the same people as the cheerleaders? I'm pretty sure that there is no dancing major either and they have not received any kind of scholarships, making them have to pay for their own outfits, unlike the cheerleaders. Yet the dancers still seem to have a full squad at all games, so someone must have done something to make sure that has happened. They made commitments to represent their school as dancers, and they are out there for every game and I have great respect for them.

No matter what, I believe that if people in the AD cared enough they would do what it takes to make sure we have cheerleaders at basketball games. What that is, I don't know. But I can't believe that the cheerleaders can basically go to whichever games they want and not have to answer to someone who has authority. If that is indeed the case then we have even more problems than I though. However, that still does not explain why all the cheerleaders go to all the football games, and I can usually count on one hand how many cheerleaders are at basketball games. There has to be some kind of stipulation that makes them want to go to football games. Why can't basketball games be the same?