Response To Drc Article

[Glad To Be Green]

I read the DRC article this morning citing that major components of the stadium campaign have left and this is a real blow to the future success of the stadium campaign. And I was sure that it would stir things up which is the object of the story in the first place. While the changes presented challenges and required others to step forward, the changes have not stopped the process nor decreased its momentum.

First Mr, Goldfield did not leave the progam. He made the decision to reduce his participation in the formulation and directing of the fund raising aspects months ago and as stated put himself in a role of visiting donors when needed. It was always his major intention to assist with donor visits and in the article he states that he stands ready to assist with donors when needed. This is not something new that happened yesterday. And while I hated his decision to take a less active role, I understood Mr. Goldfield's desire to step down from the steering committee. As most of you know this has been a long process and gearing up for the campaign was much slower than he or for that matter I had envisioned. Then there was the three month period while the student fee was in process. These are the things that frustrated Al as his way of doing business did not usually involve having to wait on so many changes. Al has continued to be supportive of the project as he is in the article. His statements that he wants to see it completed and there are a lot of good people over there who want to see it happen verifies that he awaits as we do the completion of the new stadium. His gift was the initial starting point of actually getting this project on track and I appreciate all that he and Shirley have done and will do.

And while I truly hate the departure of Ann Clinkscales, it was for the right reason and the choice she should have made. I appreciate the time and effort she put into helping coordinate efforts and engage donors during her stay. She was a real help in a time of need.

All that said, in the last two months others in the department have been instrumental in securing several five and six figure pledges and gifts. Chris Cannon, Mandy McKinley and I have been seeing donors on a regular basis. Club level seats have begun to sell and have picked up as we have been able to see more donors. Mandy has been key in securing stadium suite requests already covering half the number available. Discussions with companies considering naming rights are ongoing for the entire facility and other areas of the stadium. We are also working with the alumni asssociation on the possibility of a very special area at the stadium which would benefit the stadium and the association. We have added support now from the development area more people out selling the project. There is a lot of momentum and remember the stadium is still two years away.

Now many will write this off as whitewash or excuses because whatever others say about the program must always reflect the entire true picture. Well I intend to address these and other topics such as APR or staff changes not to argue but rather to clarify. Progress continues to be made in so many areas but that is usually not put out as much as the negative because the negative is what many feed off. Anyone can throw stuff out and it is accepted because there is no response otherwise. Well that time is over.

In the end what is it that we should be talking about? Not Title IX or a tennis facility or academic success because that is viewed as moving the target. Right now the fact is that after 30 years of talking about a new stadium we are as close as we have ever been to that reality. We were able to pass the first athkletic fee in school history despite several down seasons. Design Development for the stadium is near completion and will soon be ready to move construction documents. The project continues to evolve and will soon come to fruition. Is that not what all of us want? It has not happened in the easiest, or fastest or most convenient manner. It has at times put me and others in frustrating positions. And while it is not the job of the Athletic Director to plan, implement and run a capital campaign, I will not shy away from the responsibility that I have to this project by trying to place blame on anyone else. It is time to stop trying to pick everything apart and start supporting this project. All of us.

[meangreenbob]

Thank you for taking your time to inform us as to what is happening. I do appreciate all you do for UNT. Again, thank you.

[Will to Win]

Nice to hear the other side of the story.

Thank You

[greenminer]

Lets just get some dirt turned on this thing.

Thanks for your time.

[KRAM1]

Great response. As most folks here understand, I am a great proponent of the "positive" side of things. Too many on this site want to "beat a dead horse" over and over or see the past as the prediction for the future. Like "Glad to Be Green" says, there is much that is positive surrounding the stadium project and within the athletic dept as a whole. If one would try a shade of glasses a bit more rosy (OK, maybe not as rose colored as the ones I usually wear) it might just be surprising all the positive things you can find going on.

I do think I had a phone call with "Glad to be Green" just yesterday, and if that is true, he will be attending our Denton Alumni Chapter Mixer tomorrow evening (7/9, 6:30PM, Pourhouse) and will be available to talk with anyone interested in finding out more about the stadium project...where it stands, progress made, progress to be made and how you might secure seats and help with funding.

Thanks again..."Glad to Be Green". I, for one, hope to hear from you more often.

GO MEAN GREEN...BUY SEASON TICKETS...JOIN THE MEAN GREEN CLUB...JOIN THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION...DONATE TO THE STADIUM PROJECT...and most of all...HAVE FUN BEING PART OF THE MEAN GREEN NATION.

aside...you do know that "having fun" part is mostly up to you and your attitude, right????

Edited July 8, 2009 by KRAM1

[H-towngreen]

I do think I had a phone call with "Glad to be Green" just yesterday, and if that is true, he will be attending our Denton Alumni Chapter Mixer tomorrow evening (7/9, 6:30PM, Pourhouse) and will be available to talk with anyone interested in finding out more about the stadium project...where it stands, progress made, progress to be made and how you might secure seats and help with funding.

Sounds like a perfect time for some questions to be asked. No, not a grilling of RV. Just a good time to ask a few questions.

One question I would like an answer to- The latest rendition of the stadium is that final rendering of it or is it going to change yet again. I would hope that it does a little.

[KRAM1]

Sounds like a perfect time for some questions to be asked. No, not a grilling of RV. Just a good time to ask a few questions.

One question I would like an answer to- The latest rendition of the stadium is that final rendering of it or is it going to change yet again. I would hope that it does a little.

Come to the Mixer and ask away!

[Ibleedgreen]

Thank you for the update, Rick, and for what you do. We are very fortunate to have you on board.

[edcollopy]

thanks for the update gtbg....alot of moving parts you have to deal with...keep fighting the good fight. In case people haven't noticed...raising capital right now ain't easy....look at T boone pickens!

[EagleGreen]

Thank you sir and by the way, let's get UNT on those uniforms (less regional than North Texas).

[FirefightnRick]

Thank you sir and by the way, let's get UNT on those uniforms (less regional than North Texas).

Nope, everyone knows we are a University. We are North Texas!

Rick

[UNT_playmaker]

Let's turn some dirt....already.

[greenminer]

Thank you sir and by the way, let's get UNT on those uniforms (less regional than North Texas).

Well that's, just, like, your opinion, man.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Thank you sir and by the way, let's get UNT on those uniforms (less regional than North Texas).

Quite certain they are working on that right after they order the new helmet stickers.

[gangrene]

Thank you sir and by the way, let's get UNT on those uniforms (less regional than North Texas).

I've never understood this philosophy. Perhaps you'd feel better about Denton State or Joshua C. Chilton University? Or perhaps we could go private and call ourselves Corn, Pasta or maybe even SBU (Southern Baptist University)...oh wait, that's regional.

[EagleGreen]

I've never understood this philosophy. Perhaps you'd feel better about Denton State or Joshua C. Chilton University? Or perhaps we could go private and call ourselves Corn, Pasta or maybe even SBU (Southern Baptist University)...oh wait, that's regional.

Funny stuff. Because we have a regional name (as a university) some high-quality researchers and faculty may be biased and hesitant (upon first glance) to work for a regional state university. As a less regionally sounding named university (UNT, UCLA, UNLV; I know there are exceptions) some of those same key players in getting us to a research I status may not have such a biased opinion upon first glance. Its a marketing tool to increase the rigor of our univeristy and the best way to get our name out is on TV (i.e., good advertising and football). So while we all know we are a university, others may not when they North Texas on the uniforms, but UNT will definitely get the point across.

[SilverEagle]

Great response. As most folks here understand, I am a great proponent of the "positive" side of things. Too many on this site want to "beat a dead horse" over and over or see the past as the prediction for the future. Like "Glad to Be Green" says, there is much that is positive surrounding the stadium project and within the athletic dept as a whole. If one would try a shade of glasses a bit more rosy (OK, maybe not as rose colored as the ones I usually wear) it might just be surprising all the positive things you can find going on.

I do think I had a phone call with "Glad to be Green" just yesterday, and if that is true, he will be attending our Denton Alumni Chapter Mixer tomorrow evening (7/9, 6:30PM, Pourhouse) and will be available to talk with anyone interested in finding out more about the stadium project...where it stands, progress made, progress to be made and how you might secure seats and help with funding.

Thanks again..."Glad to Be Green". I, for one, hope to hear from you more often.

GO MEAN GREEN...BUY SEASON TICKETS...JOIN THE MEAN GREEN CLUB...JOIN THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION...DONATE TO THE STADIUM PROJECT...and most of all...HAVE FUN BEING PART OF THE MEAN GREEN NATION.

aside...you do know that "having fun" part is mostly up to you and your attitude, right????

You think? He either called or he didn't. At the risk of sounding negative (when actually I see myself as being realistic most of the time), it may be that that Ms. Clinkscale's leaving and Mr. Goldfield stepping back is a coincidence. But like a good cop, I generally don't believe in coincidences.

[NT80]

Funny stuff. Because we have a regional name (as a university) some high-quality researchers and faculty may be biased and hesitant (upon first glance) to work for a regional state university. As a less regionally sounding named university (UNT, UCLA, UNLV; I know there are exceptions) some of those same key players in getting us to a research I status may not have such a biased opinion upon first glance. Its a marketing tool to increase the rigor of our univeristy and the best way to get our name out is on TV (i.e., good advertising and football). So while we all know we are a university, others may not when they North Texas on the uniforms, but UNT will definitely get the point across.

Uh no. UNT (Northern Tennessee? Northern Tool Co.?) is less known and more local than North Texas would be. Just "Mean Green" on the jerseys would be fine and the LOGO on the helmet. All those not knowing what game they are at can look at their ticket stubs.

As for the Stadium issue.... I think everyone wants to see this started asap, just so we can stop talking about when it might happen. The loss of key people is never good to a project's image, even less so when they say in print they disagree with how it's being done. Fans are as frustrated as Mr. Goldfield but if you've followed any government or university project you know it takes more than normal time to traverse the red tape and hoops. Hope and hoops is all we have for now...

[KRAM1]

You think? He either called or he didn't. At the risk of sounding negative (when actually I see myself as being realistic most of the time), it may be that that Ms. Clinkscale's leaving and Mr. Goldfield stepping back is a coincidence. But like a good cop, I generally don't believe in coincidences.

Your glass seems to always be "half-empty"..too bad! The reference to the "call" was because I was not, at first, 100% sure who GTBG actually was and I had a very nice call with a newer member of the athletic dept. yesterday about the stadium and getting things lined up for the Denton Alumni Mixer. So sorry to have "confused" you with that comment. And, sorry you missed the point, but so it goes.

Folks who call themselves "realistic" are often simply trying to justify a negative approach and have a poor/misguided idea of what "realism" really entails. That I found to be a truism during my 30+ years of managing people in the banking industry. There is a difference between realism and negativism. So, SilverEagle, if you are, indeed, a realist and I will certainly trust and take you at your word for that, it will be good to see the positive side come forward from time to time.

And for the sake of full-disclosure: Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines "REALISM" as "concern for fact and rejection of the impractical and visionary". There you have it...

[Censored by Laurie]

Uh no. UNT (Northern Tennessee? Northern Tool Co.?) is less known and more local than North Texas would be. Just "Mean Green" on the jerseys would be fine and the LOGO on the helmet. All those not knowing what game they are at can look at their ticket stubs.

As for the Stadium issue.... I think everyone wants to see this started asap, just so we can stop talking about when it might happen. The loss of key people is never good to a project's image, even less so when they say in print they disagree with how it's being done. Fans are as frustrated as Mr. Goldfield but if you've followed any government or university project you know it takes more than normal time to traverse the red tape and hoops. Hope and hoops is all we have for now...

What's your stance on how they rearranged UNT in the name of our radio station?

[TheTastyGreek]

This post from RV had 808 words in it.

A very good, accurate typist can usually average about 80 words per minute.

That means that the mere act of typing this missive almost certainly took more than 10 minutes.

My biggest takeaway from the DRC article is that Al Goldfield specifically asked to be called once a month or whenever there was news/need. Once a month, at his specific request. And he was directly quoted as saying that he hadn't been contacted for four months.

If someone took two minutes on the first day of each month to call Goldfield and tell him that we were having our campaign kickoff, or that final blueprints were in the works, or a new design was in place, or that our fee had been approved by the legislature, or that the bill had been signed by the governor... ANY of the things that have happened in the past four months... I'd be a lot more comfortable with the fact that our single biggest donor ever just decided to take a passive role in the largest Athletics Department undertaking in the history of our University.

Two minutes per month, just to drop one or two little factoids about the baby steps forward that this project has taken in the meantime.

Just the time it took to type the original post in this thread would have been enough to handle that task, with two extra minutes left over to pour a cup of coffee.

Edited July 8, 2009 by TheTastyGreek

[greenminer]

Funny stuff. Because we have a regional name (as a university) some high-quality researchers and faculty may be biased and hesitant (upon first glance) to work for a regional state university. As a less regionally sounding named university (UNT, UCLA, UNLV; I know there are exceptions) some of those same key players in getting us to a research I status may not have such a biased opinion upon first glance. Its a marketing tool to increase the rigor of our univeristy and the best way to get our name out is on TV (i.e., good advertising and football). So while we all know we are a university, others may not when they North Texas on the uniforms, but UNT will definitely get the point across.

Acadamia is biased towards regional universities?

[bstnsportsfan3]

Rick,

Thanks for all you do to make this a great university. School Spirit is up! Green Pride is up! and a new stadium is on its way and your one of the main reasons for all of those things. thanks again for all the things you do for this university. Rick, the university is a better place because you!

[DeepGreen]

Fans are as frustrated as Mr. Goldfield but if you've followed any government or university project you know it takes more than normal time to traverse the red tape and hoops. Hope and hoops is all we have for now...

NT80, not all university projects take time and red tape. I think Lamar Univ approved their student fee less than a year ago and now they are starting their $26 million+ stadium improvements and expansion. New athletic center, new field turf, scoreboard, and newer seating. Plus new soccer fields. Granted, a completely new stadium is much more of an undertaking for UNT.

We can keep up with their progress through their WEBCAM.

I'm just saying........

Edited July 8, 2009 by DeepGreen

[SilverEagle]

NT80, not all university projects take time and red tape. I think Lamar Univ approved their student fee less than a year ago and now they are starting their $26 million+ stadium improvements and expansion. New athletic center, new field turf, scoreboard, and newer seating. Plus new soccer fields. Granted, a completely new stadium is much more of an undertaking for UNT.

We can keep up with their progress through their WEBCAM.

I'm just saying........

Now Phil, are you being "glass half empty or glass half full"? You have to choose, because introducing any sort of realism into the discussion about how other programs are doing (compared to us), is just not acceptable.