Fall Practice

The closed practice was listed, may still be, as a benefit for certain levels of giving in the MGC brochure. However, Mac has kept fall football practices closed, and to date, there has not been one whereas Mean Green Club members were invited. There was a practice last year before the first game to which former lettermen, faculty, and player's families were invited. I believe it was a Saturday scrimmage. When I asked about the closed practice issue for MGC members, I was told it was Mac's sole decision as to who is invited. I think inviting the lettermen, faculty, and parents is a good decision. Most especially, there needs to be better relations with the faculty, as we can all agree has not been the case in relation to the athletic program. As for the lettermen, it is a good thing to get them back on board for the future as we have for to many who may not have been back to a game since their last play in a uniform.

When I read this thread, I keep thinking about...

What makes me want to quit donating? Is threads like this. Who gives a flying f-ck. This program needs money and more fans. Neither of which hinge on whether fans can attend practice. I read threads like this and think to myself maybe it is time to quit throwing good money after bad. We will always be small time.

Unfortunately for me I have some sort of addiction to the hope of better days for the Mean Green. So I keep sending out the checks.

On a side note. My wife and her entire family attended Ohio State. My father in law and I give about the same amount of money to our respective universities. He gets a bumper sticker and the right to buy 4 nose bleed seats on the 50 yard line. That's it!

What have I recieved? Well I get the right and do buy four club level seats that cost less than his nosebleed seats at the horseshoe. I have attended multiple events in Houston for donors and prospective donors. I have had dinner with the university president. I have had drinks with representatives from the athletic department in Houston. Not to mention the usual gifts from umbrellas to grill sets and so on. As I said before. I don't donate that much! Especially when compared with major universities. Yet here we are discussing the 5 fans that want to see a practice and at what giving level that should be. Instead let's discuss how being a Mean Green fan and donor is the best deal in college sports and according to the attendance and donor levels no one seems to give a crap. I could care less about open or closed practices. What I do care about is that at some point we either hit critical mass or people get tired of trying.

Ok that turned into a rant, sorry. Dear God please let this be a winning season

This post has been promoted to an article

Edited July 7, 2012 by HoustonEagle

Pure greatness HoustonEagle

Great post Houston Eagle !

Houston Eagle, what a joy to see that missive in print. If you are sitting among similar-minded fans at the games, I want to join your section.

That, amigo, was the retort I have been trying to offer for years.

To paraphrase a line from a well-distributed book I look at occasionally:

He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and he who sows generously will reap generously. Give what you can, not reluctantly or under compulsion. Be a cheerful giver.

If that happens enough, you may get what you REALLY want (wins).

GMG

What makes me want to quit donating? Is threads like this. Who gives a flying f-ck. This program needs money and more fans. Neither of which hinge on whether fans can attend practice. I read threads like this and think to myself maybe it is time to quit throwing good money after bad. We will always be small time.

Unfortunately for me I have some sort of addiction to the hope of better days for the Mean Green. So I keep sending out the checks.

On a side note. My wife and her entire family attended Ohio State. My father in law and I give about the same amount of money to our respective universities. He gets a bumper sticker and the right to buy 4 nose bleed seats on the 50 yard line. That's it!

What have I recieved? Well I get the right and do buy four club level seats that cost less than his nosebleed seats at the horseshoe. I have attended multiple events in Houston for donors and prospective donors. I have had dinner with the university president. I have had drinks with representatives from the athletic department in Houston. Not to mention the usual gifts from umbrellas to grill sets and so on. As I said before. I don't donate that much! Especially when compared with major universities. Yet here we are discussing the 5 fans that want to see a practice and at what giving level that should be. Instead let's discuss how being a Mean Green fan and donor is the best deal in college sports and according to the attendance and donor levels no one seems to give a crap. I could care less about open or closed practices. What I do care about is that at some point we either hit critical mass or people get tired of trying.

Ok that turned into a rant, sorry. Dear God please let this be a winning season

Dead on. People who gripe don't realize how good they have it. Our AD will return your freaking emails (so I hear. Never felt the need to bother him, myself), for christ's sake.

Houston maybe this link below will help:

http://www.meangreen...TCLID=205043246

Yes, folks, that's right. 20 freaking bucks a game for a 20 yard line seats in section 109. And, if you are really struggling financially. buy 3 general admission season tickets for $150. That's right, $50 for a freaking season ticket.

There should be no griping at all when it comes to what you get for donating to this program.

Edited July 7, 2012 by UNT90

What makes me want to quit donating? Is threads like this. Who gives a flying f-ck. This program needs money and more fans. Neither of which hinge on whether fans can attend practice. I read threads like this and think to myself maybe it is time to quit throwing good money after bad. We will always be small time.

Unfortunately for me I have some sort of addiction to the hope of better days for the Mean Green. So I keep sending out the checks.

On a side note. My wife and her entire family attended Ohio State. My father in law and I give about the same amount of money to our respective universities. He gets a bumper sticker and the right to buy 4 nose bleed seats on the 50 yard line. That's it!

What have I recieved? Well I get the right and do buy four club level seats that cost less than his nosebleed seats at the horseshoe. I have attended multiple events in Houston for donors and prospective donors. I have had dinner with the university president. I have had drinks with representatives from the athletic department in Houston. Not to mention the usual gifts from umbrellas to grill sets and so on. As I said before. I don't donate that much! Especially when compared with major universities. Yet here we are discussing the 5 fans that want to see a practice and at what giving level that should be. Instead let's discuss how being a Mean Green fan and donor is the best deal in college sports and according to the attendance and donor levels no one seems to give a crap. I could care less about open or closed practices. What I do care about is that at some point we either hit critical mass or people get tired of trying.

Ok that turned into a rant, sorry. Dear God please let this be a winning season

This post has been promoted to an article

AMEN, Brother! Very well said...could not agree more!

What makes me want to quit donating? Is threads like this. Who gives a flying f-ck. This program needs money and more fans. Neither of which hinge on whether fans can attend practice. I read threads like this and think to myself maybe it is time to quit throwing good money after bad. We will always be small time.

Unfortunately for me I have some sort of addiction to the hope of better days for the Mean Green. So I keep sending out the checks.

On a side note. My wife and her entire family attended Ohio State. My father in law and I give about the same amount of money to our respective universities. He gets a bumper sticker and the right to buy 4 nose bleed seats on the 50 yard line. That's it!

What have I recieved? Well I get the right and do buy four club level seats that cost less than his nosebleed seats at the horseshoe. I have attended multiple events in Houston for donors and prospective donors. I have had dinner with the university president. I have had drinks with representatives from the athletic department in Houston. Not to mention the usual gifts from umbrellas to grill sets and so on. As I said before. I don't donate that much! Especially when compared with major universities. Yet here we are discussing the 5 fans that want to see a practice and at what giving level that should be. Instead let's discuss how being a Mean Green fan and donor is the best deal in college sports and according to the attendance and donor levels no one seems to give a crap. I could care less about open or closed practices. What I do care about is that at some point we either hit critical mass or people get tired of trying.

Ok that turned into a rant, sorry. Dear God please let this be a winning season

This post has been promoted to an article

I'm agreeing with DT 90...who the hell wants to watch a practice?

I have a good story from back in the day when Dickey was coach over at the old practice fields Vic Trilli shows up to watch practice. The receivers were running drill routes catching the ball from a backup QB. Dickey walks over by the drill to watch and Trilli asks Dickey "Shouldn't the receivers catch the ball out in front" of them and Dickey responds by saying "I just want them to catch the freakin' ball" GREATNESS!

Some people can poke holes in anything good. It's like complaining about the success of a capitolist economy. I give my little bit of money every year and feel priveledged to get to park next to my buddies and tailgate. The more you give, the more you get. If I don't have more to give then I don't get more than I get now. It's a pretty straight forward understanding that I have with the athletic dept/MGC.

By the way, Thanks MGC for the free food and drinks in the hospitality room at b-ball games. Thanks for the free coach's caravans. Thanks for letting us play flag football on the field. Thank you for the free CUSA tshirts.

By the way, Thanks MGC for the free food and drinks in the hospitality room at b-ball games. Thanks for the free coach's caravans. Thanks for letting us play flag football on the field. Thank you for the free CUSA tshirts.

Uh, technically there is a $5 cover charge for the basketball Mean Green Room. A great value for what you get, obviously, but I thought I better point it out before someone started... complaining?.. about the innaccuracy.

Edited July 10, 2012 by UNT90

Wait just a second.. $5... I was being charged $8 or maybe it was $10 this past year. That's it.. i'm cancelling my Mean Green Club donation, club seats, front row basketball tickets, all the trips I have planned to away games.

Great post Grant.. couldn't agree more. I look forward to many FULLY catered meals and drinks with you guys all for less than $10 this year.

I demand fresh baked cinnamon rolls from Rick's personal kitchen the morning of each home game.

For some young coeds to feed them to me, I'll up my giving level a nominal amount.

Why condemn someone for wanting to watch practice? That used to be my cup of tea and if I lived in Denton I might still enjoy that occasionally. I do agree that each level should have an additional entitlement and the current structure answers that. The more you give, the more you get. It's been around for ages. Truth is, that mirrors life. The more you put into any endeavor the greater your return.

Uh, technically there is a $5 cover charge for the basketball Mean Green Room. A great value for what you get, obviously, but I thought I better point it out before someone started... complaining?.. about the innaccuracy.

oh yeah, and you have to buy a ticket to the game.I take it all back. It's not a value at all. I'm getting hosed over here.

actually on MGC appreciation day, it was all free, even the game.

Wait just a second.. $5... I was being charged $8 or maybe it was $10 this past year. That's it.. i'm cancelling my Mean Green Club donation, club seats, front row basketball tickets, all the trips I have planned to away games.

Great post Grant.. couldn't agree more. I look forward to many FULLY catered meals and drinks with you guys all for less than $10 this year.

You obviously don't give as much money to the program as I...

After all, North Texas alums are notorious about hating anything that even hints a elitism. Hence our almost universal hatred of $MU.

Alumni who donate significant money don't hate getting perks. They want the perks. That's one of the reasons they give the money!

The kind of alumni who would regard special treatment for their donations as "elitism" would never give money.

Don't look now but Nick Saban must be giving away his National Championship trade secrets for free?

http://alabama.scout.com/2/1207464.html

.."TUSCALOOSA--The University of Alabama football team's annual Fan Day is set for Sunday, August 5. The Crimson Tide will hold an open practice in Bryant-Denny Stadium from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Players and coaches will be available for autographs immediately after the practice on the field..."

Hat tip to AGG on the GOF board.

Rick

All D1 schools start two - a - days 8/6 per NCAA. UNT upperclassmen have been there all summer working out and the freshman joined in 7/9...conditioning.

Don't look now but Nick Saban must be giving away his National Championship trade secrets for free?

http://alabama.scout.../2/1207464.html

.."TUSCALOOSA--The University of Alabama football team's annual Fan Day is set for Sunday, August 5. The Crimson Tide will hold an open practice in Bryant-Denny Stadium from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Players and coaches will be available for autographs immediately after the practice on the field..."

Hat tip to AGG on the GOF board.

Rick

Do we have ANY open practices?

This one is only a 2-hour practice, and I highly doubt they'll be running any plays/formations they don't want Auburn fans to see.

If we don't have a single one, then maybe something like this would be beneficial to the Mean Green. Otherwise, it sounds like Alabama's version of the Kickoff Cookout.

Do we have ANY open practices?

I'm not sure? As Green Dozer tried to point out earlier in this thread, only to have it ZING right over people's head, is that inclusion to practices was a perk for donating at the $1000 MGC level last year. A perk is a promise one entity makes to another, in order to convince the second to give additional funding. It's one way for a program to GROW IT'S FANBASE AND DONATION LEVELS. Not all, but just one way. Whether or not we kept that promise I can't say. I do know that those $1000 donors I personally know, including my MGC member that I talked into upping his donation level, NEVER received a notice or offer to attend.

Rick

Edited August 2, 2012 by FirefightnRick

All D1 schools start two - a - days 8/6 per NCAA. UNT upperclassmen have been there all summer working out and the freshman joined in 7/9...conditioning.

Were there any noticable MIAs or are all present/accounted for ?

Edited August 2, 2012 by MeanGreen61

And we have the same group of people whining about something regarding the program. Stuff like this always makes for fun reading.