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Is our opinion of our future so low that we really want to be in a conference with UTSA and TX ST? Really? One school that is still in FCS and one school that doesn't even have a football program yet? I swear, sometimes we act like we are the battered woman in an abuse relationship. Zero confidence, zero self-esteem, and the thinking that this is the best we deserve, so we might as well stick with it. Stay in the belt (over the WAC), finish the football stadium, turn our football program around, start a baseball program, and beat a ranked opponent or win a game in the NCAA tourney in basketball. Get an invitation to a better conference (and I ain't talking about C-USA) AFTER we do all the above. Just think of the improvement to our self esteem. After all, how can you expect others to love you if you don't love yourself.

As pointed out before, I do not wish to post on this board for some reasons that has to do with what I'm doing. However, in response to your post. It is not accurate in any way shape or form. When I had my website on Rivals.com when North Texas was considered I was aware of some of the input. Bottom line, North Texas would be in CUSA IF THEY HAD THE FACILITIES OR HAD PLANS FOR A NEW STADIUM at the time or fans in the stands. Houston, SMU and Rice would have voted North Texas in. North Texas was not admitted because their facilities were worse than high school facilities and there were a lot of people disguising themselves at seats. In other words no fan attendance. There was no commitment to improve the facilities, North Texas looked like they were going to ride the coattails of the other CUSA schools taking in conference revenue sharing and not improving facilities. Even with the bad facilities there were a lot of CUSA schools willing to vote North Texas in over UTEP. North Texas Fans need to stop blaming others for their problems. SMU does not have the power in CUSA as many at North Texas think. There are schools in CUSA that are still sore when R. Gerald Turner was at Mississippi and would not play them. If memory serves me correct he said something to the effect playing them would not benefit us. Now he finds he is on the other end of the stick, so he now understands. If SMU had the power many think, they would have been in the Big 12 not Baylor. Quit being negative on yourselves and blaming others for your problems. That is at the core of the problem with North Texas fans. People do not want to hear negative. People do not go to restaurants when they hear negative about it. People do not go to movies when they hear negative about the movie. People do not go out on a date when they hear negative about their date. People do not go hear a band when they hear negative about it. People do not go to nightlife places when they hear negative about it. People do not go to churches when they hear negative about it. People go to places where people are positive, where people are trying to do things positive, where they hear good things going on, where they are encouraged etc. South Florida, Central Florida, UAB did not have great facilities when they were invited to CUSA but they were doing things to improve what they had. They had plans for the future. UTEP should not be in CUSA but their location stats they should be in the PAC-10 or MWC but they were invited in CUSA over North Texas because of facilities and FAN ATTENDANCE. OK, so how can you help. Simple. North Texas does not have a terrible team. Their rebuilding went a little longer then expected. Look at the recruits coming in, many WANT to go to North Texas, why? As you have read in my stories the STADIUM. They want to play in a new stadium. They see the future of North Texas football. Many of these players are not leftover players but some are front line players. For all those who said you have to fill up Fouts before building a new stadium hindered the program. It was good intentions but building a new stadium always bring in more fans and better players. It is true in all levels of play. Buy more tickets even if you don't think you need them and bring along a neighbor, friend, enemy, customer etc. Fans in the stands will always override poor facilities and will accent the new one coming in. Getting someone to a game once could hook them into buying season tickets. Do you realize there are many Southern Miss Alum purchasing season tickets for North Texas simply because of Rick Villarreal, Shelton Gandy and Chris Seroka? Those fans can not go to Southern Miss games so they attend North Texas games because of those Southern Miss Alums. So what if someone graduated from Houston, Rice, Texas, Tech etc buy a ticket for them and get them into Fouts Field. If they can't make home games from where they graduated, maybe you can get them going to North Texas home games and purchase season tickets. College Football is not about the game, it is about THE GAME DAY EXPERIENCE. That game day experience is tailgating and everything else surrounding the day before and game day. Get to the tailgate and get to know people there and mingle with the tailgaters. If you know someone who has not been to a game, buy them a ticket, get them to the tailgating section get them to enjoy the game day experience. When talking, talk about all the good things about North Texas. Every game should be Homecoming game. Build the game day experience up and there will be no conference which will not want North Texas in it. There will be no team that could stop North Texas from getting into their conference. As long as you blame others for North Texas problems, there will be less time on solving the real problem and that is coming from within.

Interesting that one jumps immediately to the conclusion that UNT is not doing much. My guess is that UNT is doing quite a bit and that unless one is involved in the process they really have no clue. And, if anyone thinks Houston is going immediately to the Big XII or whatever it will be called now, they may have to throttle back those hopes...at least for awhile. The reports I have read say that, for now, the Big "Whatever" is fine with ten members. But, to the bigger issue. These type of comments do absolutely no good, and are a reflection of the "stinking thinking" (to borrow a phrase from Zig Zigler) so prevalent in may of UNT's so-called fans. The first thought is not that UNT is probably working behind the scenes very diligently to keep track of all that is going on, but rather that UNT is probably doing nothing because there is some report that some other school is doing this or that. Good grief. I think the powers that be at UNT are very wise to keep their traps shut about what they are or are not doing when it comes to possible conference realignment. When/if the time comes to go public, they will. All the BS coming out of Aggieland recently about playing second fiddle to UT and how they may bolt to the SEC, etc. really made the Aggies look good now that they have decided to "stay" with the remaining ten schools. They would have been better served to work behind the scenes, do their homework and when fully prepared make a statement. Now, it looks like they have accepted their role as "underling" to UT. Until UNT fans, students and supporters think and act like UNT is a quality and Big Time program no one else will take UNT that seriously. This challenge goes right to the heart of the matter and each and every person who wants UNT to progress in a positive way CAN help make that happen. Believing UNT is second class will not help!

I don't beleive that anyone here can say what is or what isn't being done by officials for the future of UNT. All of the really juicy stuff takes place behind closed doors.

I FIND YOUR #5 PARTICULARLY INTERESTING--IF THE F?U SCHOOLS ARE SO UNRECOGNIZABLE WHY HAS FAU KICKED OUR REAR EVERY YEAR SINCE THEY HAVE HAD A FOOTBALL TEAM? WE HAVE FOUGHT FAN IGNORANCE FOR YEARS --LIKE IN 2002 WHEN YOU FILL FOUTS FOR BAYLOR AND PUT A 50 ON THEM, BUT YET DRAW HALF THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER FOR USF WHOM BAYLOR IS DESPARATELY TRYING TO GET OFF OF THEIR SCHEDULE BECAUSE THE BEARS CAN'T EVEN COMPETE WITH THE BULLS. THAT SHOWS A LOT ABOUT THE IGNORANCE OF YOUR FAN BASE.I JUST WISH ALL THE NAYSAYERS ABOUT THE SBC WOULD GO ON THE ROAD TO SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS IN THE SBC. IT WOULD OPEN MANY EYES AS TO JUST HOW BIG A GAP THAT NOW EXISTS DUE TO INACTION SINCE 2002.

My dead body.

What...exactly? What program has Capps led to success since her interview?

I'm beginning to think she BS'ed her way into this job. It is time to produce.

You sure have become bitter lately after being Mr. Positive during the stadium campaign. Would the real UNTFlyer please stand up?

Has anyone looked to see who is actually in the WAC? Idaho, NMSU, Utah State, Fresno State, Nevada, La Tech, Hawaii, and San Jose State. I am not sure who would see this as a move up, I think more would view NT joining the WAC has desperate. Yes, the WAC has a lot more history and is better known than the Belt but, a very slight improvement in perception among the casual college football fan certainly would not offset the additional costs and lost of a much more regional conference. I like playing NMSU in BB, but certainly don't view them as a big rival. NT has much more history with ULM, ASU and ULL than La Tech. The rest of the WAC is just to far, and I had much rather play teams in Alabama and Florida than the West Coast.

Nice indeed. New stadium already paying dividends for the Mean Green. Now if UNT's "supporters" would just up their support and attendance to match. GO MEAN GREEN!

I'm amazed at the number of coaches that have left in a short period of time. Breakout season? When you lose your best player (Brittney James) with little to replace her does that make you a candidate for a big turnaround? I hear the sizzle. Where's the steak? Quit laughing, Donna.

Folks, believe it or not, just like with the big boys... It's about money. If UNT gets an invite to another conference, it will need to be for more money. If that cannot happen, then we will stay where we are and be just fine. If an invitation to the WAC/CUSA guarantees UNT $1 or $10mil more in profit over staying in the Belt, then the WAC/CUSA is where UNT will go. If the WAC/CUSA cannot guarantee UNT more money, we need to stay where we're at. It's fun to prognosticate and dream of this or that conference ad nauseum, but in the end, it boils down to the Benjamins... just like it does for Texas/OU/et al.

We can either be in a conference surrounded by Fresno, Nevada, and Hawaii or be surround by ULL, ULM, FIU. It's a stepping stone people. We stay in the WAC for a few years and hope we get picked up by a better conference in the next realignment.

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

The WAC will make another run at North Texas. With fewer members and less Boise State, the WAC is wide open for the taking and more revenue distributions would be available. So much has changed across the landscape of college athletics since the old WAC super-conference and Southwest and Big West Conference dissolving. Also, North Texas could leave without putting the Sun Belt's existence at risk. This was not the case in 2004. Other Sun Belt members were willing to follow North Texas if they left. This is very much like what we saw recently with Texas and the Big 12. Now, UNT is in a much better position to bolt for the WAC. Believe it or not, it the return investment in the WAC would likely profit UNT in the long run more than being in the Sun Belt. It's not just about travel and ability to compete. It's about exposure and maximizing your name.

Not that the answer to this is significant to our current situation, but If UNT had moved to the WAC when we had (or have been told we had) the chance would we be in a better position for conference realignment than we are right now? While we can debate back and forth which conference is best between the Sun Belt and the WAC, it’s hard, if your honest, to say that the WAC has not been perceived as a stronger conference. Reading in other areas there does not seem to be the stigma tied to having a “WAC” team join in to a conference as there is to that of a “Belt” team. This is a question that may not have a right or wrong answer, but if we had taken the “plunge” would we be more marketable at this time?

You're both wrong.

Ah, no. In conference membership perception has a lot to do with merchandise sales, ticket sales, media value, strength of schedule, and even value of your degree! Is a Boise degree more valuable than a North Texas degree? Some would say it was just because they are now a MWC school. Perception has a great value in college athletics and college worth in general.

Now that's what I call forward thinking! That would be the best 12 team college football conference in America! Better than SEC with Auburn! You guys may not like Notre Dame, and I hate them too for what they did, but imagine getting to see them lose every year or every other year to the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. Baylor would probably get up on the Irish as well if they can form the conference before Robert Griffin retires.

Could it be because we are in a conference where no one seems to want to take a team from our ranks?

If you think TD had nothing to do with the stadium, then we will have to agree to disagree. Yes we may not be winning a lot, but ever since his hire there has been a buzz created that has helped spark our university's commitment to athletics.

reach out to this kid... sounds good hearing praise from a high school player like that. isn't that what we have all been wan ting, players that want to be here?

For obvious reasons, QBs are very high on the recruiting wish list this year. We have numerous offers out to quality QBs. Regardless of if we offer and/or sign him, I think his quotes on North Texas are awesome: "My favorite is North Texas," the quarterback said. "They have a good coaching staff. It's kind of a surprise, because they haven't had very good years, but they've got good facilities. They'll get a new stadium for my freshman year."

Apparently all the heat Stephens referenced upon her hiring was meant to be directed at players and assistant coaches, not opponents. It's a train wreck folks.

Not UNT's. It is doing so well, right?

I have a novel idea, why don't we don't start our own Mean Green television network? Think of the millions of dollars we could earn!

Isn't expanding the sunbelt like adding a sun room to a doublewide? i mean, yeah...it's a slight improvement, but you're still in a traile

The SBC may be the "bottom of the barrel" perception wise, but it is much more stable than the WAC or CUSA for that matter. In the long run, it may be the best choice with schools being left out in the cold looking for another home after a conference shuffle. Just a thought.

It is if you want AIDS. Just sayin.

With enough money, TV & Bowl tie ins, anything is possible. Problem is, who's willing to dish out cash to the SBC?

Unless your FCS, who would be willing to come to the SBC? Let's face it...the SBC is the absolute bottom of the barrel. The best case scenario is for UNT to bolt the conference or there is a mini merger with 4 SBC teams to join another conference.

Well then we need a baseball team!!

just having one vote and being able to keep a team in or out of a conference are not the same. smu has the power, in my opinion, to either help or hinder our hopes of admission into cusa should houston replace utah in mt.west. to say smu has " only " one vote in cusa is like saying texas has "only" one vote in big 12.

Noticed, these coaches are going to UNC-Wilmington, a 12-19 club last year in the Colonial conference; not exactly a big step up. Stephens' explanation of why they are leaving is bs at it's best.

---You just named a bunch of teams that left..for greener pastures... None are current members.. ---The WAC was a good conference... today it is not. The SWC was good conf. too... it is now defunct. ---The Missouri Valley when North Texas was a member was the best basketball CONFERENCE in America with Louisville, Memphis, Bradley, Cincinnati, Drake, and Wichita State. All of those have made the final four, some several times. My senior year 5 of the MVC members was in the top ten at the same time, with UTEP (eventual champ), Kentucky, and UCLA. The ACC was not so good... they used only white players which hurt them. The problem with that era was UCLA was the best TEAM and the rest of the PAC-8 wasn't very good. Once upon a time doesn't count... the MVC is not that great anymore. .........and neither is the WAC. Stay away from them .... no sense in argueing... just come back in 5 years.... I think they are in trouble just as the MVC was in the mid 70's when the good teams left. ....

Well, I can't express how disappointed I am that two guys who work in our office were watching this world cup thing for multiple minutes in the break room over lunch. Bad enough that there's some incessant beehive buzzing sound (people playing their vulv*??), but that they're arresting women for wearing matching minidresses? Hey, if that was about preventing unsanctioned advertising, you don't think that little jail time didn't provide more free pub than the fraction of a square inch "Bavaria" tag along the seam? I guess this is at least a sport where nobody will ever be accused of running up the score. Can anyone here who "gets" this sport give me the vaguest hint of what causes people to watch it? I have no problem with, and completely understand the young kids kicking a ball around in the school yard, but for grown men to struggle for longer than I can stand to watch them trying to get a ball slightly smaller than a basketball into a net many times the size of a bball hoop???

Another good sign, Lama's job is to win. NT was one of the last teams around not to go the foreign route, and it routinely put them at the bottom of the conference. I do wish there were limits to the number of foreign players on a squad as they have basically taken over tennis and cross country. However, I want NT to field the best team it can and if it takes a team of martians, so be it.

I honestly think that the train from Carrollton up to Denton will help with this so long as they work with the school to coordinate for basketball games. One of the main reasons there are so few people at basketball games currently is because it's just near impossible to get into Denton around 6:00 PM on a weekday. If people can just park and ride, and especially if that can be worked into the season ticket package, there'll be an improvement. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we're going to double our attendance, but I could easily see the average per game going up 500-1000.

Oh, what could have been.

Stephens can't hold on to players or coaches.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO and one more NO

I give this signing a big thumbs up! I would have given it two thumbs up, but it's another foreign-born athlete taking a scholarship away from a kid born in the US and wanting to develop at the college level. College tennis is really getting out of hand with all the foreign-born players. Just hard to develop American kids when tons of the scholarships go to foreign-born players. Too bad, but it is the way it is in college tennis these days. Nadia in from the UK. Her recruiting video is available. Just Google "Nadia lee" and you will find it. This looks to be a solid signing that will help UNT tennis continue to get stronger. Someday maybe Sujay will sign a US kid and give her a chance. Could happen. Go Nadia...Go Mean Green! Welcome to the Mean Green nation!

Good luck to both. Good to see Mean Green coaches getting noticed.

by the way....thanks again...if it had not been for you there would be no stadium !!

There's nothing we can do but sit and wait.

Yeah. We shouldn't fool ourselves reaching for the sun. We'll just end up burning. No offense, but if you're not even going to dream big...

The WAC has only been to a BCS bowl 3 times. And their members have included such no-names as Arizona, Arizona State, BYU, TCU, Colorado State, SMU, Air Force, and Boise State. They can't hold a candle to the Sun Belt!

Ditto Rudy.

Nooooo. NO, no, no, no, no, never, never, never, no, never, no, no, no, never.