Have you ever seen the movie

[HoustonEagle]

I am so tired of watching us flounder year after year. Tired of reading the endless list of excuses after each game on this board. If you accept mediocrity that is all you will ever get. When will UNT cease to be the whipping boy in both academics and athletics?

Maybe when enough of us demand it.......

[Quoner]

I am so tired of watching us flounder year after year.  Tired of reading the endless list of excuses after each game on this board. If you accept mediocrity that is all you will ever get.  When will UNT cease to be the whipping boy in both academics and athletics? 

Maybe when enough of us demand it.......

←

Speaking of groundhog's day, the posts are pretty much consistent year after year too. Today had some nice moments, but you know, there are ton of teams who get to experience the one or two "highs" we get a game 2, 3, sometimes even 4 times a quarter.

At least SMU didn't look good either... I hope their bus doesn't lose its AC next week....

[EagleChick03]

I feel the same way, Houston. Thanks for the post.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

I am so tired of watching us flounder year after year.  Tired of reading the endless list of excuses after each game on this board. If you accept mediocrity that is all you will ever get.  When will UNT cease to be the whipping boy in both academics and athletics? 

Maybe when enough of us demand it.......

←

Thank you for that post. I feel the same way but I'm not holding my breath until it changes, even if the majority want it.

When we are happy about "only" losing by 49 because it wasn't as bad as the previous 65-0 ass-whipping then I'm not hopeful that there will ever be a change. There were a few positives in this game but not enough to get excited about.

If we lose this week to SMU will we consider that as improvement too?

[meangreendork]

Of course not. SMU is basically a must-win right along with every other game on the schedule.

A realistic fan goes into the UT game wanting a strong showing from our team. As a matter of fact, most fans from any of the non-Top25 would hope for a strong showing against the national champs.

The game wasn't a real improvement over the last UT game, but there are some indications that this year's team is better than last.

[NT91]

"whipping boy in both academics"

WHAT?

[HoustonEagle]

"whipping boy in both academics"

WHAT?

←

UNT is a fourth tier school. Are you proud of that distinction? Say what you will but we have one truly great program. Jazz studies. Outside of that UNT is considered a good education for the money. That is fine and good but I happen to aspire for greater things for our University.

[KingDL1]

If we lose this week to SMU will we consider that as improvement too?

←

Sure we will if we only lose by 10 or less points, I mean heck these mediocre lovers will look at the game as man we are getting closer to an OOC win. You know we are all winners!!!

Edited September 3, 2006 by KingDL1

[Got5onIt]

Did you see the LaTech vs Nebraska game?

SMU vs Tech?

Akron vs Pen St?

Everyone of these teams got whooped. Is it the end of the season? Absolutely not. Don't man the lifeboats, yet. Make your judgement after SMU. Texas is the defending national champions with an unlimited recruiting budget. NT had no chance. We must be realistic here, people.

I'm not a fan of DD's by any means, but the season just started and we do have some very winnable games ahead of us. Wait until SMU, if we lose, I'm right there with you on your current feelings.......

Edited September 3, 2006 by Got5onIt

[SilverEagle]

Thank you for that post.  I feel the same way but I'm not holding my breath until it changes, even if the majority want it.

When we are happy about "only" losing by 49 because it wasn't as bad as the previous 65-0 ass-whipping then I'm not hopeful that there will ever be a change.  There were a few positives in this game but not enough to get excited about. 

If we lose this week to SMU will we consider that as improvement too?

←

Here's another question along the same lines..."If we barely beat SMU this week, will we consider that enough of an improvement to want to stay with the same coaching staff/philosophy?".

When DD talked to the alumni at the Friday night gathering (and all things considered, he did a pretty good job) he made a comment to our new president. He said "when you're about half way through watching the game tomorrow, keep in mind that we're getting 1/2 million for it".

Ok, then my question is this "How much (donor-wise and alumni interest/support-wise and media-lack-of-respect-wise) does a humiliating ass-whipping cost us?".

I'm no expert number cruncher, but I'd be willing to guess that the negative publicity that we got (and continue to get) from being UT, OU, and LSU's BIMBO has cost us much more than 1/2 million.

[KingDL1]

Did you see the LaTech vs Nebraska game?

SMU vs Tech?

Akron vs Pen St?

Everyone of these teams got whooped. Is it the end of the season? Absolutely not. Don't man the lifeboats, yet. Make your judgement after SMU. Texas is the defending national champions with an unlimited recruiting budget. NT had no chance. We must be realistic here, people.

I'm not a fan of DD's by any means, but the season just started and we do have some very winnable games ahead of us. Wait until SMU, if we lose, I'm right there with you on your current feelings.......

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Just a look;

19 Penn State & Akron

Team Stats..............AKR.........PSU

First Downs............. 18........... 13

Rushes-Yds.......... 34-33....... 27-76

Passing Yds.............192......... 206

Sacked-Yds Lost..... 5-44........ 0-0

Return Yds................ 1.......... 79

Passes ................23-43-2... 16-32-0

Punts ...................7-33.3..... 4-34.5

Fumbles-Lost ..........2-1.......... 2-2

Penalties-Yds .........8-57......... 5-33

Time Of Poss. .......37:29......... 22:31

Louisiana Tech & Nebraska

Team Stats.............. LATECH........ NE

First Downs ..................13 ............10

Rushes-Yds ................21-67....... 48-252

Passing Yds .................238.......... 332

Sacked-Yds Lost ..........2-17.......... 0-0

Return Yds ...................23............. 23

Passes ....................13-32-1........ 24-36-1

Punts ........................7-32........... 3-42.3

Fumbles-Lost ..............4-2............... 3-1

Penalties-Yds .............5-25............ 5-45

Time Of Poss. ............24:55......... 35:05

Tech & SMU

Team Stats ................SMU......... TXTECH

First Downs .................10............... 28

Rushes-Yds ..............34-118........ 23-138

Passing Yds .................71.............. 363

Sacked-Yds Lost .........0-0............... 1-7

Return Yds ..................58................ 33

Passes ....................10-19-0......... 38-54-1

Punts ......................8-43.3............ 4-44.5

Fumbles-Lost ..............3-1............... 0-0

Penalties-Yds .............8-67.............. 9-70

Time Of Poss............ 25:46............ 34:14

UNT & UT

Team Stats..............UNT.......... UT

First Downs...............6.............27

Rushes-Yds.............28-8......44-212

Passing Yds...............87..........198

Sacked-Yds Lost......4-43.........0-0

Return Yds...............14............62

Passes.................9-19-0.....15-26-1

Punts...................8-41.3......2-43.5

Fumbles-Lost...........2-2..........1-1

Penalties-Yds.........11-58........4-28

Time Of Poss..........29:15......30:45

[Got5onIt]

Just a look;

19 Penn State & Akron

Team Stats..............AKR.........PSU

First Downs............. 18........... 13

Rushes-Yds.......... 34-33....... 27-76

Passing Yds.............192......... 206

Sacked-Yds Lost..... 5-44........ 0-0

Return Yds................ 1.......... 79

Passes ................23-43-2... 16-32-0

Punts ...................7-33.3..... 4-34.5

Fumbles-Lost ..........2-1.......... 2-2

Penalties-Yds .........8-57......... 5-33

Time Of Poss. .......37:29......... 22:31

Louisiana Tech & Nebraska

Team Stats.............. LATECH........ NE

First Downs ..................13 ............10

Rushes-Yds ................21-67....... 48-252

Passing Yds .................238.......... 332

Sacked-Yds Lost ..........2-17.......... 0-0

Return Yds ...................23............. 23

Passes ....................13-32-1........ 24-36-1

Punts ........................7-32........... 3-42.3

Fumbles-Lost ..............4-2............... 3-1

Penalties-Yds .............5-25............ 5-45

Time Of Poss. ............24:55......... 35:05

Tech & SMU

Team Stats ................SMU......... TXTECH

First Downs .................10............... 28

Rushes-Yds ..............34-118........ 23-138

Passing Yds .................71.............. 363

Sacked-Yds Lost .........0-0............... 1-7

Return Yds ..................58................ 33

Passes ....................10-19-0......... 38-54-1

Punts ......................8-43.3............ 4-44.5

Fumbles-Lost ..............3-1............... 0-0

Penalties-Yds .............8-67.............. 9-70

Time Of Poss............ 25:46............ 34:14

UNT & UT

Team Stats..............UNT.......... UT

First Downs...............6.............27

Rushes-Yds.............28-8......44-212

Passing Yds...............87..........198

Sacked-Yds Lost......4-43.........0-0

Return Yds...............14............62

Passes.................9-19-0.....15-26-1

Punts...................8-41.3......2-43.5

Fumbles-Lost...........2-2..........1-1

Penalties-Yds.........11-58........4-28

Time Of Poss..........29:15......30:45

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Which of these 3 BCS conference teams would beat Texas?

The answer is none.

[KingDL1]

Not saying we could beat UT, but I would expect a D1aa team to have more than 6 first downs and 8 total years rushing.

Hey I just don't like our coaching, there were some bright glimmers yesterday.

[eeally]

Houston Eagle what are you talking about in academics?

Did you get a 4.0 or something? Was it too easy? I do not understand where you are coming from!

I am guessing Business Management is easier at UNT than UT?

What are you basing this statement?

Let me know since some schools have better majors than others I will give you that ,but do not make a blanket statement about our academics unless you have some facts to back it up.

[KingDL1]

Houston Eagle what are you talking about in academics?

Did you get a 4.0 or something? Was it too easy? I do not understand  where you are coming from!

I am guessing Business Management is easier at UNT than UT?

What are you basing this statement?

Let me know since some schools have better majors than others I will give you that ,but do not make a blanket statement about our academics unless you have some facts to back it up.

←

Slow down brother, he was referring to an article on Rankings it had UNT as a third or fourth tier school.

Edited September 3, 2006 by KingDL1

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Which of these 3 BCS conference teams would beat Texas?

The answer is none.

←

None of them, but the point is that our Offense SUCKS and teams that are on our level are getting far more offensive yards against good teams then we do.

[KingDL1]

Houston Eagle what are you talking about in academics?

Did you get a 4.0 or something? Was it too easy? I do not understand  where you are coming from!

I am guessing Business Management is easier at UNT than UT?

What are you basing this statement?

Let me know since some schools have better majors than others I will give you that ,but do not make a blanket statement about our academics unless you have some facts to back it up.

←

Here it is and Houston is right we were ranked as a fourth tier school.

Rankings

[HoustonEagle]

Houston Eagle what are you talking about in academics?

Did you get a 4.0 or something? Was it too easy? I do not understand  where you are coming from!

I am guessing Business Management is easier at UNT than UT?

What are you basing this statement?

Let me know since some schools have better majors than others I will give you that ,but do not make a blanket statement about our academics unless you have some facts to back it up.

←

lol I promise you I did not make a 4.0. oh wow did I not.

As far as backing it up.............U.S. News and World Report list UNT as a fourth tier school. A ranking that you must find on the internet as we are nowhere near making the listing of the schools within the pages of their magazine. Considering the breadth of schools that do make the pages of that issue, I have to say it is pretty pathetic we do not. That is in overall rankings nor in any Major with the exception of Music which again must be found on the internet. We do have a few other programs listed as some of the best in the Country by other publications. Yet if you take a closer look you will find that these Majors are either the only one in their respective fields or on a very short list. Exactly how many Evironmental ethics programs exist? How many Emergency Management programs can you choose from?

Before I become labeled a negative Nelly I will say that I really enjoyed my time at UNT (probably too much). UNT provides a fine education for the money and you can take away as much from it as you desire. However I have now been out of UNT for 10 years. As an alumni I would like for the University to produce athletic teams that I can be proud of and academic programs that are increasingly respected. I do not feel that is too much to ask. In return they will keep their alumni happy and in turn our donations will increase.

[emmitt01]

None of them, but the point is that our Offense SUCKS and teams that are on our level are getting far more offensive yards against good teams then we do.

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And the "point" is off base. These teams may get yards against good teams but they wouldn't sniff the line of scrimmage against elite teams. Comparing performances against Nebraska, Penn State, and Tech to Texas is like saying somebody scored on the Colts so we should score on the Bears or Panthers.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

I am so tired of watching us flounder year after year.  Tired of reading the endless list of excuses after each game on this board. If you accept mediocrity that is all you will ever get.  When will UNT cease to be the whipping boy in both academics and athletics? 

Maybe when enough of us demand it.......

←

Dear floudering Houstonian (probably grandparents weren't Texan:

---That magazine rating has little credibility.... The closer to New York you are the higher you rate. Alos if you read the criteria of the ratings you will understand it more. Private schools have as huge advantage I would think because one of the issues is alumini giving and that is really a focus of private schools by necessity. For one the average income of a family of a private school student is a lot higher than most public schools simply because they cost most and take more family resources to go there. Thre are alot of other goofy factors as well taken in consideration as well.

--The nuttiest thing happened a few years ago (as reported by my wife's TTU magazine) that Princeton was rated as a top tier law school----------there is a small problem..... they did not have one, just a prelaw program....... Since then I think they have begun one. Tech was laughing about it because of their low law school rating which has a high rate of passing the bar exam, higher than some rated above them.

---Those ratings are a farce. I will bet the editors of the magaine all went to schools that are "highly rated"... It is worse than the situation with the BCS.

__________________

----As for myself (a West-Texan) I don't feel inferior to anyone and I will not let anyone tell me that I am. We are smarter, tougher, meaner, and more independent than almost every city-kid or person from somewhere else........LOL.......Be darned If I accept what they say as fact and lots of facts indicate otherwise. Maybe you should move out of Houston and be a real Texan. Why are all those yankee types bailing out of the north and moving to Texas and the South if everything is so good up there??? Ask any European to name one state and most will name Texas (recent survey). It is the one state's shape that most will recognize as well. ...Again the closer the college to NY (and the publisher) the higher they rate them..... look at it. Perhaps they havae an inferiority complex, it sure not present in West Texas.

From a Texas family for over 125 years.

Edited September 3, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[KingDL1]

And the "point" is off base.  These teams may get yards against good teams but they wouldn't sniff the line of scrimmage against elite teams.  Comparing performances against Nebraska, Penn State, and Tech to Texas is like saying somebody scored on the Colts so we should score on the Bears or Panthers.

←

Two problems:

1) A total 6 first downs and 8 total rushing yards.

2) I don't think Texas is all that.

But we shall see how they do and how we do.

We did move up from 111th to 103rd on the CBS sportsline poll.

For the curious Rice ranked 112 and I would expect The Mean Green to beat Rice this year, Rice plays Texas in 2 weeks. Lets see how they do.

CBS SportsLine 119

Also UT plays lonely old Sam Houston State September 30th ranked 144 on the Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings, UNT is doing better at 119.

Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings

Edited September 3, 2006 by KingDL1

[HoustonEagle]

Dear floudering Houstonian (probably grandparents weren't Texan:

---That magazine rating has little credibility.... The closer to New York you are the higher you rate.  Alos if you read the criteria of the ratings you will understand it more.  Private schools have as huge advantage I would think because one of the issues is alumini giving and that is really a focus of private schools by necessity.  For one the average income of a family of a private school student is a lot higher than most public schools simply because they cost most and take more family resources to go there.  Thre are  alot of other goofy factors as well taken in consideration  as well.

--The nuttiest thing happened a few years ago (as reported by my wife's TTU magazine) that Princeton was rated as a top tier law school----------there is a small problem..... they did not have one, just a prelaw program....... Since then I think they have begun one. Tech was laughing about it because of their low law school rating which has a high rate of passing the bar exam, higher than some rated above them.

---Those ratings are a farce.  I will bet the editors of the magaine all went to schools that are "highly rated"... It is worse than the situation with the BCS.

__________________

----As for myself (a West-Texan) I don't feel inferior to anyone and I will not let anyone tell me that I am.  We are smarter, tougher, meaner, and more independent than almost every city-kid or person from somewhere else........LOL.......Be darned If I accept what they say as fact and lots of facts indicate otherwise.  Maybe you should move out of Houston and be a real Texan. Why are all those yankee types bailing  out of the north and moving to Texas and the South  if everything  is so good up there???  Ask any European to name one state and most will name Texas (recent survey).  It is the one state's shape that most will recognize as well.  ...Again the closer the college to NY (and the publisher) the higher they rate them..... look at it. Perhaps they havae an inferiority complex, it sure not present in West Texas.

From a Texas family for over 125 years.

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Wow that was a load of crap. I am not certain where to start.

I will try to make this short.

I love UNT and the time I spent there but do not think we should accept mediocrity. If you enjoy watching your school get whipped up and down the field by every team outside of the most pathetic conference in the nation that is fine. Maybe you're also a sadomasochist, i don't know and I don't care. To each his own.

As per academics. Texas, Texas aTm, Rice, SMU, TCU and Baylor certainly did not appear to have the criteria skewed aginst them. Nor were they shown academic/regional prejudice towards their insitituitions as UNT was (so you say). I do not feel I am over-stepping the bounds of school spirit to want my University to improve year over year in all of it's endeavors.

As per being a Texan...as if it had in relevance to this conversation. I just finished driving back from Aubrey Texas. I was visiting my 90 yr old grandfather who was sick in bed yet still has enough grit and strength in his weathered hands to crush your little pea brain. That man was born 3 miles from the bed he was lying in from parents that moved to that area when they were just kids. I could go through every single one of my family members but I assume you are getting the point. Maybe you would also like to discuss which family has bailed more hay? As for me I was born in Denton. Flow hospital to be exact.

Your Texas argument was pathetic and insulting to us Texans. Yes, some of us have high standards too!

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

----You seemed to be ashamed to be from North Texas... I am not. We have some very good programs and that magazine is not all that good at evaluation.. You need to read the criteria for evaluation. It is not allthat that great and even some are meaningless as to how good it is .... how did Princeton have a top tier law school listed when it did not even have a law school. It is a bunch of nonsense. I noticed the college in Texas with the second highest SATs is also listed very low... UT-Dallas... only Rice has higher SATS (sometimes) ... I repeat it is poor judge of schools.

I think you listed the former SWC schools.... just because it was once a SWC college does not mean it is better. Same BCS non-sense we constantly face...You can bet the alma maters of the publishers are rated near the top.

---Maybe I was a bit rough on the Texas comment but I do not consider us or my education inferior and consider the rating insulting, especially when you look at some others listed with us which aren't even close.. I manage to hold my hold very well as do most other of our graduates (example, our alums have more Grammys than any college in America). I have a lot of pride in where I came from. The West-Texas and Texas comments were meant to be a bit funny.... VERY FEW OF WE LONG TERM TEXANS (my family was on the Western Texas frontier) are known have an ego or self-image problems and usually just say to He** with them anyway! Texas and North Texas seems to produce a lot of sucessful people... Ivy League, northern, or BSC school does not mean sucessful or well educated. The President once lived a 1/2 mile from me in Midland. I will not mention politics. The commander of the Iraq invasion (Gen. Franks*) was from Midland (and UT-Arlington) also. That wasn't a so-called tier-1 school, but he became successful. The first was successful because of who he knew and was more than the Yale education he received or anything else..

PS.. I tossed mine into the trash as soon as I received it along with the advertisements etc.

* a cousin of mine was a HS football coach of Tommy and is sometimes mentioned in his speeches.

Edited September 4, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[Legend500]

Wow that was a load of crap.  I am not certain where to start. 

I will try to make this short. 

I love UNT and the time I spent there but do not think we should accept mediocrity.  If you enjoy watching your school get whipped up and down the field by every team outside of the most pathetic conference in the nation that is fine. Maybe you're also a sadomasochist, i don't know and I don't care.  To each his own.

As per academics.  Texas, Texas aTm, Rice, SMU, TCU and Baylor certainly did not appear to have the criteria skewed aginst them.  Nor were they shown academic/regional prejudice towards their insitituitions as UNT was (so you say). I do not feel I am over-stepping the bounds of school spirit to want my University to improve year over year in all of it's endeavors.

As per being a Texan...as if it had in relevance to this conversation.  I just finished driving back from Aubrey Texas.  I was visiting my 90 yr old grandfather who was sick in bed yet still has enough grit and strength in his weathered hands to crush your little pea brain.  That man was born 3 miles from the bed he was lying in from parents that moved to that area when they were just kids.  I could go through every single one of my family members but I assume you are getting the point.  Maybe you would also like to discuss which family has bailed more hay?  As for me I was born in Denton.  Flow hospital to be exact.

Your Texas argument was pathetic and insulting to us Texans.  Yes, some of us have high standards too!

←

Agreed. What you said is a load of crap.

I too don't know where to start, so I will generalize.

ATHLETICS:

If any of you dislike the conference you're in, or are tired of getting pasted:

Show us the money. A high end program isn't free, and money talks (look at perennial loser Louisville after Papa John's). If you are not a member of the MGC, if you are not talking up the university (even with BS if you have to, SMU's gotten by since the late 80's with it), if you are not attending or are not active alumni, you are not helping, and really shouldn't be talking.

Realize athletics (or a history in athletics) are not everything. If that was the case, relatively poor schools like Florida, Arizona State and SMU would be highly "ranked" schools,.....oh....well, that brings us to:

ACADEMICS:

Many universities have a secret. They publish their "rankings" but know this: According to LSAC, the law school applications council:

"As Newsweek editor Kenneth Auchincloss said, “Rankings generate huge hype, which is far more likely to serve the publisher’s purpose than the readers’…. Applicants need help in widening their knowledge of schools that may be right for them, not narrowing their choices according to a ranking system.”

A ranking system that exemplifies the shortcomings of all “by the numbers” schemes is the one produced annually by U.S. News & World Report. While ignoring the variables listed above, as do all numbers-based ranking systems, the U.S. News rankings purport to be derived from mathematical formulae based on data common to all undergraduate and law schools. The “weights” attached to the variables are arbitrary and reflect only the view of the magazine’s editors. For example, according to the magazine, 40 percent of the rankings is based on each school’s “reputation.”

In short, it's bullshit. What's worse, everyone knows that. The Universities know that, US News knows it, Barnes & Noble knows it, and the ad execs who get money from Universities in order to be featured in the Report know it.

The actual ranking system generally used is the Carnegie Classification. You'll have trouble finding it for most schools, as most don't like to give theirs out. Just go to www.carnegiefoundation.org to look it up.

The best "rank" is the most encompassing: RU/H Research Universities (high research activity) or RU/VH: Research Universities (very high research activity). Out of the thousands of Colleges, Unis and Community colleges in the US, only 103 meet RU/H and 90 meet RU/VH. Here's a real list:

RU/H:

Baylor University, New Mexico State University-Main Campus, Northern Arizona University, Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, Texas Tech University, University of Houston-University Park, University of North Texas, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Tulsa

RU/VH:

Rice University, Texas A & M University, University of New Mexico-Main Campus, University of Texas at Austin

Anyone notice who's missing? (think ponies and mockingbirds, or sexually active frogs)

In short: These rankings are nothing more than popularity games, and are entirely irrelevant. They are "reputation" based and have not standing in fact.

Be positive, know the facts, and be willing to brag. It's what being a Texan is all about.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Legend500

[HoustonEagle]

Agreed. What you said is a load of crap. 

I too don't know where to start, so I will generalize.

ATHLETICS:

If any of you dislike the conference you're in, or are tired of getting pasted:

Show us the money. A high end program isn't free, and money talks (look at perennial loser Louisville after Papa John's). If you are not a member of the MGC, if you are not talking up the university (even with BS if you have to, SMU's gotten by since the late 80's with it), if you are not attending or are not active alumni, you are not helping, and really shouldn't be talking.

Realize athletics (or a history in athletics) are not everything. If that was the case, relatively poor schools like Florida, Arizona State and SMU would be highly "ranked" schools,.....oh....well, that brings us to:

ACADEMICS:

Many universities have a secret. They publish their "rankings" but know this: According to LSAC, the law school applications council:

"As Newsweek editor Kenneth Auchincloss said, “Rankings generate huge hype, which is far more likely to serve the publisher’s purpose than the readers’…. Applicants need help in widening their knowledge of schools that may be right for them, not narrowing their choices according to a ranking system.”

A ranking system that exemplifies the shortcomings of all “by the numbers” schemes is the one produced annually by U.S. News & World Report. While ignoring the variables listed above, as do all numbers-based ranking systems, the U.S. News rankings purport to be derived from mathematical formulae based on data common to all undergraduate and law schools. The “weights” attached to the variables are arbitrary and reflect only the view of the magazine’s editors. For example, according to the magazine, 40 percent of the rankings is based on each school’s “reputation.”

In short, it's bullshit.  What's worse, everyone knows that. The Universities know that, US News knows it, Barnes & Noble knows it, and the ad execs who get money from Universities in order to be featured in the Report know it.

The actual ranking system generally used is the Carnegie Classification.  You'll have trouble finding it for most schools, as most don't like to give theirs out. Just go to www.carnegiefoundation.org to look it up.

The best "rank" is the most encompassing: RU/H Research Universities (high research activity) or RU/VH: Research Universities (very high research activity). Out of the thousands of Colleges, Unis and Community colleges in the US, only 103 meet RU/H and 90 meet RU/VH. Here's a real list:

RU/H:

Baylor University, New Mexico State University-Main Campus, Northern Arizona University, Oklahoma State University-Main Campus, Texas Tech University, University of Houston-University Park, University of North Texas, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, University of Texas at Arlington, University of Texas at Dallas,  University of Texas at El Paso, University of Tulsa

RU/VH:

Rice University, Texas A & M University, University of New Mexico-Main Campus, University of Texas at Austin

Anyone notice who's missing? (think ponies and mockingbirds)

In short: These rankings are nothing more than popularity games, and are entirely irrelevant.

Be positive, know the facts, and be willing to brag.  It's what being a Texan is all about.

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I think you need to learn the difference between being proud of who you are and aspiring to do better.

I think you also need to learn tne difference between a "classification" and a "ranking". Maybe take some time to read the website you attached.

I too have read articles critical of of the U.S. News ranking criteria. I also know that as with so many other things in life you will not find a perfect system that will please everyone. Nevertheless when it comes to ranking schools and paticular programs, U.S. News annual report is considered the bible now to millions of prospective students as well as their parents. Fair or unfair UNT is judged by their criteria. I think instead of making excuses we would be better served to make strides to improve the schools rank and thus our National prestige. That is my opinion. Maybe I expect too much.

Anyways I am done venting.

One more thing. Yes I do donate to the University and to MGC and sometimes even to those on this board.

One day I hope all of us donors are rewarded with something other than a tax deduction. Again maybe that is too much to ask.