MY Letter to the Editor

[KRAM1]

My Letter to the editor of the Denton paper this morning...I wonder if they will publish it?

2-21-12

Letter to the Editor- Denton-Record Chronicle

TO THE CITY LEADERS OF DENTON-ARE YOU WATCHING?

Recently, some bad news flowed from the campus of TCU regarding some selfish students who made the decision to risk their futures and the reputation of their university by selling drugs on or near the campus of TCU.

What was the response from the city leaders of Ft. Worth to this situation? Support…support for the major educational institution within their city. Very public and swift support followed by a call from the city leaders for everyone in the community to wear purple in support of TCU!

How refreshing to witness Ft. Worth’s city leaders public support for TCU. When was the last time the city leaders of Denton seemed to even recognize the existence of UNT within its borders in such a public fashion?

Heck, in Denton on a fall Saturday game day one could be on the Square, at the Golden Triangle Mall, or in any area of Denton and have no clue that a game was taking place that day. UNT recently unveiled an aggressive five year plan for progress. Where were the city leaders of Denton with any sort of proclamation or support for UNT, the largest economic engine and employer within the city?

It is long past time that the city and business leaders of Denton recognized how important UNT is to Denton and its economy and started acting like they knew!

Denton – are you paying any attention at all?

[kalebschumann]

I hope it does get published.

[Censored by Laurie]

You just likened a drug bust at TCU to football attendance at UNT? Really, man?

Having grown up in Ft. Worth, let me tell you that the "leaders" of Ft. Worth didn't give a damn about TCU athletics until they got good...and I'm talking legit, top 10 in the country good. I watched L.T. go for 300 yards on the likes of San Jose State and Hawaii in the old WAC in front of 15,000 people. I would sit nearly court-side on bought GA tickets to watch Kurt Thomas and then Lee Nailon put up 100 points a night playing Billy-ball (Chuck) en-route to a few stays in the top 25.

I'm not saying Denton couldn't do more, but to make such a reach in in correlation and laud the city of Ft. Worth for it's apparently unwavering support of TCU, you ought realize its actually supporting it's top 10 program and that Rose Bowl victory and the notoriety it brought and not actually the school itself. If TCU was a middle of the road program right now this neither would've been news nor would you have such public support from city leadership.

[oldguystudent]

I work in Fort Worth. The city government may not support TCU athletics like people would like it to, but TCU alumni are a powerful bunch in this town behind the scenes.

I don't really see the same thing with UNT in Denton. Blame lack of economic drivers outside campus borders on Denton for that one. Lots of cool places to hang out, nowhere to get a decent paying job.

[KRAM1]

You just likened a drug bust at TCU to football attendance at UNT? Really, man?

Having grown up in Ft. Worth, let me tell you that the "leaders" of Ft. Worth didn't give a damn about TCU athletics until they got good...and I'm talking legit, top 10 in the country good. I watched L.T. go for 300 yards on the likes of San Jose State and Hawaii in the old WAC in front of 15,000 people. I would sit nearly court-side on bought GA tickets to watch Kurt Thomas and then Lee Nailon put up 100 points a night playing Billy-ball (Chuck) en-route to a few stays in the top 25.

I'm not saying Denton couldn't do more, but to make such a reach in in correlation and laud the city of Ft. Worth for it's apparently unwavering support of TCU, you ought realize its actually supporting it's top 10 program and that Rose Bowl victory and the notoriety it brought and not actually the school itself. If TCU was a middle of the road program right now this neither would've been news nor would you have such public support from city leadership.

I actually think you missed the point, but I understand your thoughts...thanks. No way was I talking about attendance...I was talking about overall support and used Saturday football games AND the recent five year plan announcements as examples of where I believe they have "dropped the ball". That's all, but thanks for the comments...I think you have a point as well.

[FirefightnRick]

You just likened a drug bust at TCU to football attendance at UNT? Really, man?

Having grown up in Ft. Worth, let me tell you that the "leaders" of Ft. Worth didn't give a damn about TCU athletics until they got good...and I'm talking legit, top 10 in the country good. I watched L.T. go for 300 yards on the likes of San Jose State and Hawaii in the old WAC in front of 15,000 people. I would sit nearly court-side on bought GA tickets to watch Kurt Thomas and then Lee Nailon put up 100 points a night playing Billy-ball (Chuck) en-route to a few stays in the top 25.

I'm not saying Denton couldn't do more, but to make such a reach in in correlation and laud the city of Ft. Worth for it's apparently unwavering support of TCU, you ought realize its actually supporting it's top 10 program and that Rose Bowl victory and the notoriety it brought and not actually the school itself. If TCU was a middle of the road program right now this neither would've been news nor would you have such public support from city leadership.

I couldn't agree with you more CBL. And I'll add, by pointing out the dripping hypocrisy coming from that letter, considering it's author, KRAM. This is same guy who only 19 days ago, used university facilities(the Alumni Center at the UNT Gateway) to host an event to intentionally counter our women's home game the night of their biggest conference home game of the year. A year in which, that program has realized it's second greatest turnaround in school history, and at the time, was leading the nation in that category.

It seems to me, before we go demanding the City of Denton to support our university, our own people should do it first.

I suggest Kram write a second letter to the paper that serves as a formal apology to Karen Aston and her team, because HE OWES THEM ONE!

Ricky McKinney

Edited February 21, 2012 by FirefightnRick

[cwb]

Aaaaaaaaaaaannd they're off!!

[Censored by Laurie]

I couldn't agree with you more CBL.

Shoulda stopped there

Aaaaaaaaaaaannd they're off!!

You bet your Aston we are!!!

[tylermeangreen]

I couldn't agree with you more CBL. And I'll add, by pointing out the dripping hypocrisy coming from that letter, considering it's author, KRAM. This is same guy who only 19 days ago, used university facilities(the Alumni Center at the UNT Gateway) that intentionally countered our women's home game the night of their biggest conference home game of the year. A year in which, that program has realized it's second greatest turnaround in school history, and at the time, was leading the nation in that category.

It seems to me, before we go demanding the City of Denton to support our university, our own people should do it first.

I suggest Kram write a second letter to the paper that serves as a formal apology to Karen Aston and her team, because HE OWES THEM ONE!

Ricky McKinney

Oh Ricky.....Ricky.....Jeez, is UNT and its supporters, in your mind, allowed to only have one campus-related event occurring on a single evening?

I have no idea what Kram's transgression was 19-days ago but your response is just DRIPPING with revenge.

I know Kram pretty well - and there are few on this board, or anywhere else within the spectrum that is UNT, that care more about UNT in general, and its athletic program in particular, than he does. And not only does he care - he delivers that caring attitude with his service, giving, and positive attitude.

He does not need me to fight his battles - but he will always have my support vs. anyone who questions his motives re: UNT.

Unfortunately, I know you only by your postings - your projected image, if you will - and those postings have been filled with much negativity toward the AD (Athletic Director AND the athletic department). I appreciate your support of UNT but have little regard for your recent attitude (not that you should particularly care, I guess).

A wise old man once told me that "image is everything" - a good thing to understand, I think.

[All About UNT]

I couldn't agree with you more CBL. And I'll add, by pointing out the dripping hypocrisy coming from that letter, considering it's author, KRAM. This is same guy who only 19 days ago, used university facilities(the Alumni Center at the UNT Gateway) to host an event to intentionally counter our women's home game the night of their biggest conference home game of the year. A year in which, that program has realized it's second greatest turnaround in school history, and at the time, was leading the nation in that category.

It seems to me, before we go demanding the City of Denton to support our university, our own people should do it first.

I suggest Kram write a second letter to the paper that serves as a formal apology to Karen Aston and her team, because HE OWES THEM ONE!

Ricky McKinney

Wow Rick.

[GrandGreen]

I agree with the letter and see nothing wrong with the TCU comparison. Sure, TCU's fan support ebbs and flows with the success of the teams; but the facts are that they have always been embraced by the leadership of Fort Worth as their team. Think about it, a relatively small private school in a much larger city gets more support from the city leadership than a 35,000 student public school and biggest employer in the area gets from Denton. I am tired of the TWU excuse, that the City can't show favoritism to NT because it would not be fair to TWU. Nothing says they can't do more for both schools, and until TWU gets into division 1 athletics, I see no conflict.

Facts are Denton has UNT and TWU for that manner, and I guess feel little need to support those schools more openly. Too many times I've seen NT host Denton Chamber of Commerce meetings before bb games so members would have easy access to games and yet hardly anyone bothers to attend. Dentons' pandering for OU fans business during the Texas/OU weekend, yet doing nothing for NT home games tells a lot about their priorities and also their business sense. My guess is they could attract more out of town visitors from NT home games than they ever would for a game fourty miles away.

There are some great supporters of NT athletics in Denton, but overall the support for a division 1 athlete program is about as bad as it can get. Writing letters to the DRC is not going to help a lot, but at least it shows there is support and helps balance the many that blast UNT for almost everything from building a stadium to having a losing football team.

[MeanGreen61]

Hope it gets published.

[UNT_92_Fan]

I don't post here much anymore mainly bc of the ridiculously elevated status some of you people on this site give people like FFR and others that spew venom on people yet still get the good game pat on the ass for being super fans, but I completely agree with CBL here. Living in Fort Worth all my life (except my few years in Denton), that town wasn't supporting TCU at all until they started to get REALLY good, not just normal good.

In the same regards, I can see where KRAM is coming from... Denton has never really shown the support to NT of a normal college town.

All in All... both parties are correct in my opinion. Other responses here are very ridiculous and 'dripping with revenge' (i liked that wording)

[UNT_92_Fan]

DRIPPING with revenge.

You really have no idea the lengths some of these wonderful UNT Superfans will go for revenge.

[Maduro]

this school really needs a baseball team to occupy our thoughts for the next few months or some of you are going to show up at the 1st football tailgate fully armed.

[UNTLifer]

I couldn't agree with you more CBL. And I'll add, by pointing out the dripping hypocrisy coming from that letter, considering it's author, KRAM. This is same guy who only 19 days ago, used university facilities(the Alumni Center at the UNT Gateway) to host an event to intentionally counter our women's home game the night of their biggest conference home game of the year. A year in which, that program has realized it's second greatest turnaround in school history, and at the time, was leading the nation in that category.

It seems to me, before we go demanding the City of Denton to support our university, our own people should do it first.

I suggest Kram write a second letter to the paper that serves as a formal apology to Karen Aston and her team, because HE OWES THEM ONE!

Ricky McKinney

Wow. Must be fun living in a glass house.

[oldguystudent]

this school really needs a baseball team to occupy our thoughts for the next few months or some of you are going to show up at the 1st football tailgate fully armed.

Quiet you! Baseball is for communists and schools that don't pour enough resources into football!

[UNT_92_Fan]

Wow. Must be fun living in a glass house.

Thank you for your courage.

[FirefightnRick]

Unfortunately, I know you only by your postings - your projected image, if you will - and those postings have been filled with much negativity toward the AD (Athletic Director AND the athletic department).

That's correct. Which allows me to now come to Kram's defense just a little if I may, because even though he continued to schedule his event after being asked not to, and countered Coach Aston's home conference game against Middle Tennessee, he wasn't alone.

Our athletic department did the same thing by scheduling the football banquet the night of Coach Aston's home game against Tulane on December 9th.

And by the way, I may have chosen the wrong place to do some of my venting it at times, here on a fan message board. I'll admit to that. And I know I'm abrasive and an @sshole in doing it. But at the same time know that I addressed this and several other issues with Rick Villareal, Cooper Jones and John Burkett last Saturday night and I let them know that, even though I feel they have done a remarkable job in some areas, they dropped the ball in others. They respected the fact that I addressed this with them in person. They let me know they have an open door policy, as RV has always had, and asked that I or anyone here, let them know when things like this need addressing. After all, we all want the same thing, to see this program grow.

I don't give a damn what you think of me or my so called image. I'm not going to blow rosy smelling sunshine up everyone's rear and kiss it like some choose to do here everyday and pretend everything is fan-freaking-tastic, when it isn't . You would think our empty new stadium, lack of basketball promotions and customer service would have been obvious to some, but apparently not? And yes, I honestly believe there is improvement on the horizon in these key areas. But we shall see.

As for the events countering our women's team, a wrong is a wrong. I don't care if you hate women's college basketball or not. Scheduling against one of the top sports stories of the 2011-2012 school year was wrong, regardless if it was done by the Denton Alumni Chapter or our very own athletic department.

Hopefully it won't happen again?

Rick

Edited February 21, 2012 by FirefightnRick

[UNT_92_Fan]

There are things more important at UNT than a women's basketball game... or a men's basketball game... or any ATHLETIC event.

This logic being thrown out suggests that ANY event on campus that coincides with ANY sporting event should be canceled and rescheduled. What about the students performing in plays and such at the Performing Arts building? Are you going to skip your subpar football team's game for that? What about the music students who work longer and harder on their work that ANY athlete at UNT? Would you miss the basketball game for their performance? I highly doubt it.

The Athletic Department scheduling something is foolish, but the Alumni scheduling something, depending on what it is, is not wrong. Athletics is NOT number 1 at ANY university, if it is, then the University had got it ALL wrong.

[UNT_92_Fan]

But at the same time know that I addressed this and several other issues with Rick Villareal, Cooper Jones and John Burkett last Saturday night and I let them know that, even though I feel they have done a remarkable job in some areas, they dropped the ball in others. They respected the fact that I addressed this with them in person....

I'm not going to blow rosy smelling sunshine up everyone's rear and kiss it like some choose to do here everyday and pretend everything is fan-freaking-tastic, when it isn't .

One has to wonder if the AD blew rosy smelling sunshine up your butt in this situation... Not an attack, just an honest thought. I have had numerous employees/clients come to me with concerns and I admit that some/most of them are alittle over the top requests or they expect something because of "who they are" and I blow rosy smelling smoke up their butts to get them to go away.

[FirefightnRick]

One has to wonder if the AD blew rosy smelling sunshine up your butt in this situation...

Why wonder? If you got any guts you'll pick up the phone and ask them what they said?

Here's Cooper's number: 940-369-8268

Here's John's: 940-369-8916

Rick

Edited February 21, 2012 by FirefightnRick

[UNT_92_Fan]

Dude, it wasn't an attack... I am just going off what I have experienced. You are a fan of posting people's personal information on the internet huh?

You seriously take this stuff too seriously.

I honestly don't give a rat's ass what they said to you, based on your image you don't care about, I would blow a TON of rosy smelling sunshine smoke up your ass to get you to go away.

Edited February 21, 2012 by UNT_92_Fan

[Censored by Laurie]

Dude, it wasn't an attack... I am just going off what I have experienced. You are a fan of posting people's personal information on the internet huh?

You seriously take this stuff too seriously.

I honestly don't give a rat's ass what they said to you, based on your image you don't care about, I would blow a TON of rosy smelling sunshine smoke up your ass to get you to go away.

[UNT_92_Fan]

The Feeling is mutual.