An argument for the 'Belt

UNTcrazy727 · December 12, 2011

We had a pretty good rivalry with Middle Tennessee brewing for a couple of years. You can blame the decline of it on the two schools not capitalizing and promoting it.

Probably more to do with the fact that not one UNT student has a friend at MTSU. Most rivalries are built between schools whose student bodies know each other well. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part that's the backbone of a good rivalry

Edited December 12, 2011 by UNTcrazy727

shaft · December 12, 2011

The SBC has been a good home. A good place to build programs that wouldn't fit in anywhere else.

CUSA is better regional home, with a bigger payout. It is obviously advantageous for us to move to CUSA.

Even if that doesn't happen in this next round of realignment, the Belt is still a good place to grow a D1 program.

FirefightnRick · December 12, 2011

A few years ago we turned down an invite to the WAC to stay in the Sunbelt. Seems like a good decision. We didn't get an invite into CUSA. Probably the right move for them.

With the WAC in disarray and CUSA and MWC getting raided it seems like the only stable conference of the four is the Belt. In the last 10 years it seems like most every team in our conference has shown signs of promise at some time or another. Is it possible to try and pick off some of the remaining schools of CUSA and continue to "build the Belt"?

My main argument for this is the same argument I make against changing our logo/color shade every time a new AD or HC rolls into town. We need tradition. We've built a nice little rivalry with MTSU and Ark St. We've had a past with some of the Louisiana schools. WKU may just have something rolling and Troy came into the conference with a bang. If we change conferences again it means creating all new rivalries AGAIN! Plus if we add a few schools from the conference that shunned us we come out looking much better.

All I'm really saying is we should think about continuing to grow our traditions and rivalries rather than starting them over...again.

Agree. I want to build the Belt to the point where we elevate ourselves to where the next level wants us. Just like Boise, TCU and USF has done.

It does us no good to demean the Belt. While we are in it we need to make the best of our opportunities. And anyone who thinks it doesn't have great road trips hasn't been to any.

And speaking of great road trips and improving the belt, why are we not going after Texas State and UTSA? Those two programs are going to grow. We should get them now while we can.

Rick

NT03 · December 12, 2011

And speaking of great road trips and improving the belt, why are we not going after Texas State and UTSA? Those two programs are going to grow. We should get them now while we can.

Rick

Agree !

Rudy · December 12, 2011

Probably more to do with the fact that not one UNT student has a friend at MTSU. Most rivalries are built between schools whose student bodies know each other well. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part that's the backbone of a good rivalry

Rivalries can be built from that. However, they can also be built from bad blood. That's how ours with MTSU was beginning. But before it could really develop, both NT and MTSU, began to suck, moreso us. If both schools could have propagandized each other, I think something would have developed.

GrandGreen · December 12, 2011

Wanting to move up the conferences ladder, has nothing to do with the Belt being bad. Not sure how anyone can bitch about the Belt not being good when for the last 7 years NT has not been a significant football factor. Add to that, I can't think of any sport NT has dominated in the conference.

With the shuffle going on now, I think you can successfully argue that Belt is not a bad place to be. It has been a big positive to NT, but obviously NT is not going to turn down a better situation. CUSA would be a much better place for NT. It is a small step up but would be a much more regional conference for NT. Tulane, Rice, Tulsa, USM, UTEP are not all great programs, but everyone has more name recognition than any program in the Belt.

NT should do everything they can do to better the Belt, but at the same time they should prepare for and pursue better opportunities.

FirefightnRick · December 12, 2011

Wanting to move up the conferences ladder, has nothing to do with the Belt being bad. Not sure how anyone can bitch about the Belt not being good when for the last 7 years NT has not been a significant football factor. Add to that, I can't think of any sport NT has dominated in the conference.

With the shuffle going on now, I think you can successfully argue that Belt is not a bad place to be. It has been a big positive to NT, but obviously NT is not going to turn down a better situation. CUSA would be a much better place for NT. It is a small step up but would be a much more regional conference for NT. Tulane, Rice, Tulsa, USM, UTEP are not all great programs, but everyone has more name recognition than any program in the Belt.

NT should do everything they can do to better the Belt, but at the same time they should prepare for and pursue better opportunities.

Good post.

Rick

Dr. Seuss · December 12, 2011

I've been to Manhattan KS at least 6 times in the last 3 years. It sucks. Even the stadium. There are shower curtains in the stalls masquerading as doors. Lawrence is OK. Ames Iowa even (I'm stretching) but again to my point, it's not a party destination Fans follow their team. If your gonna bitch about fans coming to Denton you must first look at the crowds we bring to opponents.

Ive actually asked this question a couple of times and no one has responded. Ive been to College Station about 4 times in the past 4 years and Ive had the worst time there, while other people say its the greatest college town. Its all about youre opinion but the fans are more interested in traveling to the Big 12 than Sun Belt.

UNTcrazy727 · December 13, 2011

Ive actually asked this question a couple of times and no one has responded. Ive been to College Station about 4 times in the past 4 years and Ive had the worst time there, while other people say its the greatest college town. Its all about youre opinion but the fans are more interested in traveling to the Big 12 than Sun Belt.

College Station is the exact same as Denton. The only difference is that they support their local school.

wardly · December 13, 2011

The belt hasnt done enough to make people wanna join... They have 2 bowl games, compared to the Mac and Cusa who have around 5 each.. No one wants to be like WKU who won 7 games and #2 in the belt and isnt playing in a bowl game.

Wright needed to retired and bring someone new in who can actually run a conference

The Belt has been good for UNT. we just seem to think we have out grown it. whether we have or not will be decided in the marketplace as other conference oppenings become available. regarding W.K. sitting at home with a 7&5 record, it again proves that while you can schedule a 1aa team, you can't get pounded by them. that was a bad loss which kept them from a bowl. T.C.U.'s loss to S.M.U. was a bad loss which kept them from a BCS bowl. these things happen. the Belt has 1/3rd of its teams in bowls, which isn't all bad.

forevereagle · December 13, 2011

College Station is the exact same as Denton. The only difference is that they support their local school.

Right, no different.

Except the proximity to a major US city.

Except that most of the town either works for the university or supporting businesses.

Except that the population of all of Brazos County is about 175,000 and Denton County is about 636,000 and more than 5 million people within the DMA.

Except that the Denton DMA has a professional team in every major sport (and some of the non major sports) and College Station is not in DMA with any major sports teams.

Except for that, exactly the same.

UNTcrazy727 · December 13, 2011

Right, no different.

Except the proximity to a major US city.

Except that most of the town either works for the university or supporting businesses.

Except that the population of all of Brazos County is about 175,000 and Denton County is about 636,000 and more than 5 million people within the DMA.

Except that the Denton DMA has a professional team in every major sport (and some of the non major sports) and College Station is not in DMA with any major sports teams.

Except for that, exactly the same.

Hmmm... I was talking about the town, not surrounding area. I hope you understand the difference

forevereagle · December 13, 2011

Hmmm... I was talking about the town, not surrounding area. I hope you understand the difference

I understand the difference, but the fact that there is a surrounding area in Denton makes the two very different. Denton is a commuter town. Most of the population works in the North Dallas area, not in Denton. There is more competition for the sports entertainment dollar. Not to mention that there are two other universities playing division 1 football in the area. If you want to go to a sporting event and live in College Station, you have very few choices. If you want to do the same in Denton, you have lots of choices. If you live in College Station, you probably work in College Station (or Bryan, not much difference). I know we like to call Denton a "college town," but I don't think that the moniker really fits as there are a lot of things that take residents away from Denton on a daily basis.