Jim McIngvale

[MeanGreenEngineer]

That raises a good question: when does that decision occur?  He donated that money quite some time ago.  I would think the decision would have been made then.  I would think it would be in the paperwork associated with donating that much money.

My only point is that I don't think you can change your mind more than a year later about where your money goes.

I don't know much about what happens when you donate a million.

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MM knew what he was doing, the money wasnt promised to the AD, it was his decision. Otherwise he would have much less leverage.

[MeanGreenEngineer]

Jesus, that money was donated 3 years ago!  How long is this guy going to hold this over our heads?

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He signed a contract to provide X dollars for Y years (where X*Y = 1 Meeellion dollars) to "the university".  He didnt promise to give it all to the AD.  Now he wants something to be done, or he wants the money to go to another part of the university.  Still his money, his decision as to were it should go.

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Stebo, you know that big cardboard check he held up at the basketball game wasn't, actually, a check?

[UNTFan23]

Stebo, you know that big cardboard check he held up at the basketball game wasn't, actually, a check? 

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Legally, it could have been. There are 9 pieces that need to be present on a check to make it legal tender.

[stebo]

LOL, well - I know that it probably wasn't cashable... but it was a commitment to a donation for the athletic center. That donation was pledged after the NMSU game in 2003. Actually it was unveiled at a basketball game shortly after the NMSU game but it was a result of Dickey wearing that goofy blue hat during the NMSU game in 2003. It certainly has already been spent and used already. If he wants the practice fields to be named after Dickey then simply ask for that and we can let him give another $250K to pay for it. As it is, he donated that money to help pay for the athletic center - which is built already.

[greenjoe]

How could we find out if, in fact, the 1 mill has been paid ?

My problem with naming the practice field for DD is that it looks like we're caving in to financial blackmail.

How would we feel if MM threatened to withhold a gift UNLESS we fired a coach ?

What would MM do if DD had left NT on his own to seek his fortune somewhere else ?

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[e-bone ver2.awesome]

I don't mind having the practice fields named after Dickey, so long as the donation amount required to have it named is given.

Was something already named on behalf of MM for the $1M? Does anyone know the exact provisions of the donation?

BTW, big thanks to MM for the full page ad. Anything to get UNT athletics in the minds of the people of Denton is great.

Edited November 12, 2006 by e-bone ver2.awesome

[Zeke]

I don't mind having the practice fields named after Dickey, so long as the donation amount required to have it named is given.

Was something already named on behalf of MM for the $1M? Does anyone know the exact provisions of the donation?

BTW, big thanks to MM for the full page ad. Anything to get UNT athletics in the minds of the people of Denton is great.

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I think they were going to name it The Jim McIngvale Athletic Center.........he wants it named after DD instead of him.

Oh, and I agree about the thanks for the full page ad. In the end, this only helps us.

[FirefightnRick]

Also, all of you acting so happy that MM is no longer holding us "hostage" better be opening up the check book, I know my contribution will go up.  Just remember it takes *2,000* people to write a $500 check to match that million dollars.

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So are you in disagreement that he was holding us hostage? If so then we I agree to disagree because that is exactly what he was doing and still trying to.

To me this is embarassing on DD's behalf. His accomplishments stand on their own merit. He doesn't need Jim to fight his battles and it's not selling him in a good light to his next potential employer. Some AD around the country who's looking for candidates will possibly get wind of this mess and surely will ask the question: "How is it that someone who won their conference 4 years in a row became so unpopular?".

I can't see how someone in the media hasn't jump on the opportunity to write the opposite side of this whole thing. That finally a university stood up to a major booster in order to do what they feel is right for them rather than succumb to their wishes and take the money train. I believe the AD at Auburn did the same thing when they won the national title a couple years back when a major donor threatened to pull his support if the coach wasn't fired. That AD's decision turned out for the best and I feel our AD's decision will turn out for the best too.

Someone in the media needs to write about the other side of the coin here and ask and answer some questions.

How is it that someone that had accomplished so much as DD has:

1.....was never offered that next step up(even though several of his assistants were).

2. ...became one of the most unpopular guys at NT during his stay here?

Rick

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Mean Green?

To: Gretchen M Bataille, President, University of North Texas

John Robert "Bobby" Ray, Chairman of the Board of Regents, UNT

Lee Jackson, UNT System

Rick Villarreal, Athletic Director, UNT

This letter is to inform you of my grave disappointment in your decision to fire Coach Dickey at a time when the team needs him most. Coach Dickey was the man who brought UNT to the New Orlens Bowl for 4 consecutive years, a feat which is nearly unparalleled in colleg football. The concept that a coach takes his team to four consecutive bowl games and is fired two years later after the tragic loss of our beloved quarterback, Andrew Smith, which simply crippled the team, is beyond comprehension. Matt Simon, the head coach before Coach Dickey, did not have nearly the accomplishments that Coach Dickey has carried out, and future coaches will be hard pressed to equal Coach Dickey's accomplishments.

Coach Dickey's leadership during this horrendous time period, that is, after losing Andrew Smith, was absolutely superb. He arranged Andrew's funeral in coordination with the Smith family and made sure to get all of Andrew's teammates to the funeral - not because it would increase his public image or stature, which motivates some in the athletic department, but instead because he cared about Andrew, Andrew's family, and his players and because he knew it was the right thing to do. The impact of the loss of Mr. Smith to the team is beyond measurement. The fact that coach Dickey could pull the team back together at all after such a loss should be applauded, not ignored.

Coach Dickey has been a tireless supporter of the Univeristy of North Texas, not only of his players and staff members, but of the athletic department in general, and also the citizens of Denton. Coach Dickey worked endlessly to show his love for the community of Denton, to raise awareness and support for the football team and to bring much needed economic assistance to the football team, which the athletic department has failed to do. My son, James McIngvale, a UNT student, has also seen Coach Dickey at every UNT event he's attended, championing the colors of Green and White!

Additionally, the decision to inform Coach Dickey of the school's decision only weeks after his untimely heart attack, which was unquestionably influenced by the immense stress he was under to bring the team to a winning season, is beyond callous and beyond heartless. UNT will not find a better coach for the price they were paying, period.

In this regard, it's important to note that Coach Dickey had every intention of staying at UNT for the entire length of his professional career. The same cannot be said of other athletic department members, who openly court other schools so they can move up to a "better job" away from UNT! The problem with UNT football is systemic and the football program is forced to play teams such as UT/OU/A&M for big pay days and expected to compete with these college football juggernauts. The football budgets at UT/OU/A&M are virtually unlimited...wheras at UNT the head coach makes considerably less than many UT/OU/A&M assistant coaches. Many assistant coaches at UNT left during Coach Dickey's term no because they wanted to, but because other universities recognized their talent and offered thm a pay raise of $20,000 which UNT could not/would not match. The administration and athletic director at UNT are asking the football coaches to stop a frenzied, charging full speed bull elephant with a BB gun - try as you may - it can't be done.

Finally, I believe you're aware that I had given a million dollars to North Texas which I was proud to do. Let me inform you now that the only reason I did this was because I believed in Coach Dickey and knew how far he could take the program. I am hereby requesting that you change the sign you recently dedicated to me from the James F. McIngvale Football Practice Facility to the Darrell Dickey Football Practice Facility. If you neglect to honor my request, I am hereby requesting that you re-route the $1,000,000 I gave the athletic program to the One O'Clock Lab Band. I doubt the director there will be fired if he/she has a bad semester. I was taught at UNT many years ago that Dr. Deming said, "Blame the System, not the People." Perhaps the President, Board of Regent members, and Athletic Director who fired Coach Dickey should read Dr. Deming's epic work, Out of the Crisis.

I teach my children that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear - Darrell often did - four bowl games on a pauper's, not a prince's budget. He should be recognized as such and should have been given a fair chance to turn around the team he loves so much.

Sincerely,

Jim McIngvale

P.S. Albert Einstein's definition of Insanity: Keep on doing what you've always done and expect different results. If the football budge isn't raised considerably - the results will never get better.

[NT03]

While I respect his choice to "re-route" the money.. I have no problem with that at all. He comes across as a crybaby doing this public.

[good_ken]

I just threw up on my keyboard. I will be back after my stomach feels better; and I clean my breakfast off my keyboard.

[UNT_playmaker]

""""In this regard, it's important to note that Coach Dickey had every intention of staying at UNT for the entire length of his professional career. The same cannot be said of other athletic department members, who openly court other schools so they can move up to a "better job" away from UNT!""""""

BINGO......

That is soooo true of the people pulling the strings....I think we all know who he is talking about in this regard...RV

The same AD who tried numerous times to bail out of NT at any other opportunity that has risen up since he's been here. NMSU and ULL to name a few places where he applied for the same job he has here at NT, then have him squirm his way onto the board to deny he did this, after he got turned down by both both organizations

It's pretty easy to see why he was turned down as he failed miserably at his first duty of business here at NT::::: FUNDRAISING....

Well he's doing an even better job now as he lost us our biggest donor ever at NT.

Edited November 13, 2006 by UNT_playmaker

[GoMeanGreen1999]

give me a break - If DD had been offered another quality job at a bigger mid-major or a school in one of the "power" conferences, he would have been gone in a flash....count on it.

[UNTflyer]

Leadership? Pulling the team together? Unparalleled success??

Sorry, Mattress Mac... I just don't see it.

[NT03]

give me a break - If DD had been offered another quality job at a bigger mid-major or a school in one of the "power" conferences, he would have been gone in a flash....count on it.

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He would of taken over for Snyder for half the $$ he was making here. Which to be honest , I couldnt of blamed him if he did.

[NT03]

Makes me wonder.... DRC from what I can recall has never really been critical of NT Football. They tend to take a back seat when it comes to throwing their balls out their and voicing their true feeling.

Any chance MM "bribed" the DRC to print this ????

[DeepGreen]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Mac donate the $1 million to complete the athletic center? If so, the athletic center is complete, thus the money is spent. And unless I'm missing something, Mattress Mac has already taken the donation deduction or whatever portion he is allowed, on that years income taxes. C'mon you you accountant and CPA types, care to weigh in on this.

MM can't take his money back or re-direct it to some other department.

[NT03]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Mac donate the $1 million to complete the athletic center?  If so, the athletic center is complete, thus the money is spent. And unless I'm missing something, Mattress Mac has already taken the donation deduction or whatever portion he is allowed, on that years income taxes.  C'mon you you accountant and CPA types, care to weigh in on this.

MM can't take his money back or re-direct it to some other department.

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Was thinking the same thing. Maybe the donation was over several years in order to use it as tax deduction each year ??

[UNT_playmaker]

Makes me wonder.... DRC from what I can recall has never really been critical of NT Football. They tend to take a back seat when it comes to throwing their balls out their and voicing their true feeling.

Any chance MM "bribed" the DRC to print this ????

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Anything is possible, from what I used to hear from my father he said that in the old days people used the DRC whenever they ran out of toilet paper....Dont really see that changing much from the old days.

[UNTflyer]

Any chance MM "bribed" the DRC to print this ????

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Sure it's possible... since nobody buys that rag.

[NT03]

Anything is possible, from what I used to hear from my father he said that in the old days people used the DRC whenever they ran out of toilet paper....Dont really see that changing much from the old days.

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Old Days???.... I still do !

[Baby Arm!]

What a pile of BS! So DD was a great guy, a wonderful human being etc etc. I've always liked the guy one on one, but a time was needed for a change. But what has that got to do with anything? This is business and the only thing that matters is results. You would think that MacIngval would understand business is business.

Nobody was asking DD to win national championships, just field a competitive team!. Dickey has had 9 seasons. He only had winning seasons in 3 of those.

I wonder if Jim MacIngval would keep a furniture salesman on the payroll if he missed his quota 6 out of the past 9 years? But what if he was a great guy? What if he didnt have the resources as some other salesmen? What if he said, "I have the toughest situation in America at Gallery Furniture. I know, I work there." ... Sorry Jim, Business is bussiness. If Dickey had the same kind of record selling furniture over the past 9 years as he did coaching football..you'd have canned his ass years ago.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

[ADLER]

THE PAGE WAS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT.

Please read the above statement slowly.

[NT03]

What a pile of BS!    So DD was a great guy,  a wonderful human being etc etc.  I've always liked the guy one on one, but a time was needed for a change.  But what has that got to do with anything?    This is business and the only thing that matters is results.  You would think that MacIngval would understand business is business. 

Nobody was asking DD to win national championships,  just field a competitive team!.    Dickey has had 9 seasons.  He only had winning seasons in 3 of those.

I wonder if Jim MacIngval would keep a furniture salesman on the payroll if he missed his quota 6 out of the past 9 years?  But what if he was a great guy?  What if he didnt have the resources as some other salesmen?  What if he said, "I have the toughest situation in America at Gallery Furniture.  I know,  I work there."      ...  Sorry Jim,  Business is bussiness.  If Dickey had the same kind of record selling furniture over the past 9 years as he did coaching football..you'd have canned his ass years ago.

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Great Post!!! You would think that as a business man MM would understand that friends & business don't mix.