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I knew there had to be a catch...

and he would be wrong...

If the BlackHole or Alzee were healthy I might maybe possibly be interested... but with a group pf players with nothing to gain from the pay in game I'd pass. Say the team comes out still dejected from the loss and lays a flat egg like they did for most of conference? Then how do we feel? There are no assurances we get the fired up, never say die, group that nutted up those 3.5 games in 4 nights. They really saved the face of what could have been a disasterous season. I'm fine remembering this season for that.

I disagree. They did have something to do with the loss. Could we have made them irrelevant, yes. We didn't and they screwed us over. Our lack of a killer instinct does not absolve them of gross incompetence. Also, I will be bitter about this for a very long time and will probably use this as heckle ammunition next year when the thugs from Little Rock visit the Pit. I am a fan, as in fanatic. I can be fanatical about the teams I support. This includes grudge holding, for decades or longer sometimes. Your mileage may vary.

I agree a lot with Foutsrouts. This should be as much about the fans as anything. Post season play is fun for the fans, and we have had teams that are good enough to get an invite, especially this year. There are programs with significantly more name recognition than UNT playing in the CBI and CIT every year. Yes, we have a lot of seniors that are certainly disappointed they didn't make the NCAA, but I would be absolutely shocked if they would be against going out there and competing for a championship, even if it is just the CIT. If the reason behind not going after either is because JJ or the athletic department think we are above it, that is very unfortunate, because plenty of "name" teams participate. Looking at the teams currently in the CIT, not only do I think we would be extended an invite if we were interested, I also think we could do a lot of damage.

Uh, I really don't get the justification as to why we should think we are somehow "above" playing in one of these tourneys, since we just lost the SBC tourney, and could possibly play against someone like Air Force or SMU in the first round. I kind of look at it as a chance at redemption after screwing up late in the SBC regular season, and losing a very tough one against Little Rock. If someone has a legitimate reason other than a little money as to why these tourneys should be avoided, I would love to hear it. Winning a tournament of any kind would be special, since those titles really haven't been growing on trees around here in our long history of playing college basketball. Just don't get how we could turn down any opportunity at this point in time.

Actually the refs did have something to do with the loss. NT should not use the refs as an excuse for the loss as it should not have come down to a couple of calls or non-calls. However, the refs play a part in every game, in this game they seemed to be determined to let them play far more than the norm for a Belt game. The referees to a large extent dictated the pace of the game. Particularly in the first half, Thompson was mugged several times going to the basket without a call. He would have had a lot more free throws if the game was called like the rest of the tournament. I actually prefer they let them play more, but to state the officiating had nothing to to do with the results is just wrong. Teams should adjust to the officiating but bad calls such their failure to call Bozeman pancake block definitely have an impact on the results. You don't think that if that had been called and the three waved off and NT getting free shots wouldn't have changed the game?

Always wondered why the Mangrum family spent so much time texting during games.

Take that UALR, how's your football stadium lookin? S'what I thought. Thanks for the pics flyer

The fact that the best team we beat this year was Florida Atlantic kind of makes me think that we don't have a snowball's chance of going NIT. If the NIT had 64 teams we would have a chance, but I just don't see how the math could possibly work even if the top seed in every conference won their conference and conference tournament and went to the NCAA's. Glad to hear that we think we are so superior to these other teams who are going CIT and such, because I really wasn't aware of it. I know it may be a small factor in the decision making process, but the players and staff do have a small obligation to the fans who have sacrificed a lot of time, energy, and money supporting the team over the past 4 months. Too bad.

I wonder if they would accept.

i agree. however, if we were to add a basketball only school i would vote for uta. they are building a new arena,have a good baseball program, and would give us a natural rival, something we have never had.

No. This is a one bid league for now. Why add one more team fighting for that one bid? I think we would be better served to add incentives for Sunbelt teams and coaches to win non conference games.

I'm holding out hope that we get invited to the brand new NCBIT tournament.

Very few really good low post players in the NBA anymore. Matbe not a good move for a 6'6" kid, but anyone 6'9" or more that could come to college with a low post game already developed beyond high school, and continued that development with a couple of years in college, would be far more valuable to the NBA than another 6'9" small forward with an average outside shot by NBA standards. Just sayin...

Sheesh! If UALR missed and we won, we wouldn't be talking about this (refs), we wouldn't be over-nitpicking JJ's defense at the end, TT would be MVP and we would be heralding Josh's heroics with 1.5 seconds left. It's amazing!

Channelsurfing.net was playing the part of a distributor. The site never streamed any of the content; they only pointed you to the actual video feed. If you know what you're doing you could do it yourself and bypass the originating site and set up a page on a completely different server and then point to the originating video stream. It's the same as in-bedding a youtube video on a webpage.

Or beating on the closet door...

As much as some may disagree, this is a form of stealing and it is clearly illegal. It is an infringement of intellectual property rights among other things. The guy obviously knew he was in the wrong or he would not have tried to "cover his tracks". Folks, you may not be aware or you may not care, but this type of activity is really hurting legitimate artists and legitimate businesses. I know lots of people think this thing is fun because they are getting away with something for "free" that they should rightfully be paying for when used, but that is the heart of the problem. This was not a victimless crime, and whether or not you like the idea of "big corporations" wrong is wrong. If you don't think the law is just, work within the system to change it. Until then, try not to be part of the problem. Stealing is stealing any way you want to cut it, and any person of even normal levels of intelligence knows it as such. Now, does the arrest, etc. fit the crime? Maybe, maybe not, but I can tell you from the research and policy work that we do here at IPI on Intellectual property and Intellectual property rights...IT IS A VERY BIG PROBLEM and it actually does financially hurt a lot of people...even people not associated with those big corporations some folks like to see as the root of all evil in the world. My guess, if the programs being downloaded and songs being downloaded "free" were yours and it was a part of the work you did to support your family, you would see it in a bit of a different light. This sort of thing has put many people out of work, cost untold millions in lost tax revenues, etc., etc. That may not be a popular fact with some folks, but is happens to be the truth. Please think about it the next time you or someone you know downloads a "free" song, movie, tv program, etc., etc. that they have obtained in such a manner. It's all part of a much bigger problem, not the laest of which is simple lack of honesty.

Well, depending on how things go down at Tech, Gotcher may end up here as well...

Possible giant karma kick in the nuts for a group of our fans going over there to cheerlead UALR at the beginning of the season when we should just ignore the Poneys completely?

Oh man... Is that where Beef Supreme will drive in the Dildozer?

Cardiomyopathy killed Fennville basketball star Wes Leonard

the teachers teach what the fed govt. tells them to teach. --- Total BS -- I worked in schools for 30 years and now teach college classes. Texas and each school district even adopt the books they want to use. You are right about the alternate school part... but that takes money and this state has been cutting trade type programs... not increasing them. If politicians really wanted to improve education --1.. get rid of those expensive state tests as they exist now -- the first one (TABS -basic skill test) was a good idea. 2. Develop or teach programs for those who are really not academic students and are not going to colleges ..ie. teach a trade or skills leading to one etc.... but that costs money.... and our current guys in Austin want to cut taxes despite we are already 50th of the states of spending per capita and may be 50th in per capita taxes as well. ---The priority is very few expenses and almost no state taxes.... Many third world countries have very low taxes too. Oddly the taxes cut in Texas are for business... and not ones we all really pay...sales, gasoline, etc. Check your total property tax BIll (not tax rate --evaluations have really climbed at state urging) It likely has been climbing as the state funds programs even less and lessforcing local "boards" to raise theirs.... that and tuition which has tripled since 2003 because of the same thing.... less state funding.. I am very conservative... I think you should collect ( or earn ) enough to pay essential bills ... including education... but find a way to fund them and not try to STAY 50th in spending and cheat students and education in general.... while adding to the unemployment rolls by firing 1000's of teachers. They also pay taxes... or would if they had an income. ..

Taken from the article... The Texas State Legislature passed and Gov. Rick Perry signed on June 19, 2009 a $182 billion 2-year budget (Sept.1, 2009 to Aug. 31, 2011) with a projected $9 billion Rainy Day Fund. The FY 2010-2011 biennium budget of $182.3 billion spends $1.6 billion less in general revenue than the previous biennium. Comptroller Susan Combs acknowledged that Texas will show a $1.3 billion deficit at the end of the budget year[1], which is up dramatically from the July 2010 estimate of a shortfall of up to $18 billion dollars.[2] Other estimate the shortfall at $28 billion.[3] Over the next two years, the state faces a budget shortfall of between $15 billion and $27 billion over the next two years, depending on who is doing the calculation.[4] In per capita spending by state, Texas ranks 50th in the nation, meaning there is likely less fat to trim when making budget cuts in Texas than in other states.[5] ___________________________________ There is the real problem and also the fact that we are 50th or near to it in taxes collected....... As a result we are firing 1000's of educators,and enlarging classes despite have a good ecomony which actually is extremely good compared to most states... that is so wrong. All of these teachers cut loose will add to the unemployment numbers as well which taxpayers will also have to pay for... Seems that paying them to teach would be the better answer... We are dead last in spending and Perry and friends want to even cut it more at the expense of 1000's of Texas jobs and harming our kids education. ...

--All of the above is absolutely true....... ---Explain why we are such bad shape with the budget that we have a $25 billion budget problem and "firing" 1000's of teachers and cutting back education expenses.. It just makes no sense. The Texas economy is great and even oil prices are high which means a lot of money is pouring into the state treasury... It appears that teachers and education including students will be paying for the poor management in Austin... We are in the bottom four or maybe 50th even in state Taxes per capita... we should be proud of the list above but ashamed of what we are doing to education in Texas and to educators given the economy of Texas. This is not a liberal/conservative issue but do we care about education and kids??? Never has this happened before even when the economic times in Texas wasn't this good. ***** Please no casinos (Perry's answer) .... It is a "tax" on the stupid and poor and causes more problems and even leads more welfare which none of us want. Perry's answer in 2003 to a much smaller problem was to cut college funding and "allow" colleges to set their own tuition to make up for their cuts....... tuition has since tripled (another time education paid for their problems and foul-ups). .

Texas is in good shape and much much better than the vast majority of other states...( Tam Parker). Tell that to all the educators in the state that are going to lose their jobs .... If you look at the latest Newsweek [also some other sources ] We are one of the six worst on their map (%-wise not just total amount) .. ---There is no way we should be in this fix... Oil prices are up meaning a a lot of tax from "well head severance", also royalities from public lands, sales tax not the best ever but good, and in general the economy is Texas is very good. We are nothing like the Rust Belt states, California, or Nevada with real economic problems... Austin started this mess in 2001 with tax cuts (not to most people --sales, gasoline etc. wasn't cut), and if you remember the state was in trouble in 2003, and then they "allowed" every college to set their own tuition to make make up for lost state funding...tuition has now tripled... It has been slowly getting worse with less education funding every session... we may now be 50th in state taxes per capita although some sources have us at 47th. The legislature and governor have been messing things up big time ... some refuse to admit the truth and believe "what they want to be true" is true.... They messed up and people in education will pay for it with their jobs and students will suffer by having programs cut and larger classes. ---The question to ask is why are we so short of cash??? 25 billion is no small amount.... and this hasn't happened before, even in bad times ... part of it involved changes in the franchise tax..... and don't just accept it is the economy... Texas has a good economy in most places. Oil prices are high and agriculture (highest cotton prices ever) is booming as is the tech industry in most places. . .

Offer them pie.

What to do with white people? Go.

Put me down in Tasty's corner on this one. I like the "funkiness" that is the basketball pep band...and, as most folks know, I am pretty "old school" when it comes to such things...OK, to some maybe just "old", but i think the pep band at the basketball games does a great job. The "funkiness" of their attire and mannerisms is just part of the deal...charm as someone said. I hope I see them in HOT Springs later today! GO MEAN GREEN!

Pointing out the lack of knowledge of someone who has already been through the fully funded Texas educational system really isnt a good argument against cutting the funding for said system. That said, Flyer wants to be a politician. How smart can he really be?

Can't Wait!

. --There will be singing and dancing in Midland and the West Texas Oil fields...especially by those who own mineral rights and stock in oil Companies. .

I guess I'm just being like most human beings and going with the evidence at hand since they chose to provide very little. What is your reasoning? Obviously, it allows fans to participate in the experience of a national post-season tourney, and to continue to gauge what kind of a team we have/had this year. Personally, the year this team had feels kind of incomplete to me. We won a lot of close games against questionable competition until we had the drop off, and then we began to show what we were made of in the 5 games leading up to the heartbreaker against UALR. I know that injuries and such were a factor in the ups and downs, but I'd like to see a little more of this team before it basically goes away. Doesn't look like I'm gonna get my wish.

I read Vito's blog post, and I didn't see any indication that this was part of the reasoning. Actually, it doesn't really say what the reasoning is at all; so I might not feel so free to impute motives to other people. How does playing in the CBI/CIT fulfill that obligation?

Repeat after me ASU, "We were aware of the violations...we just didnt know who to notify." Apparently that works.

I'm sorry, I just don't agree. NCAA or Bust. Maybe the NIT. It just doesn't make any sense with seniors to play in the CBI or CIT. And I don't really think the guys want to play in that.

I think playing in the post season every year should be the goal, even if we have to pay our way in to either the CBI, or CIT. We have a very good team, and could probably do some damage in one of these tournaments. Maybe I'm just not back to thinking straight quite yet (when it comes to UNT basketball), but not pursuing one of these tournaments is very disappointing. There are lots of good programs that play in these.

All three of those are fine by me. Especially numbers one and three.

Would this have saved Todd Dodge's job?

I think our band needs to do...something! I went to the mens senior game the over the weekend and I was pretty disapointed with a lot of things. Ill stick to the band in this post. First, can somebody get them to look uniformed at all? Same t-shirt, or same polo or something? They looked sloppy and second-rate. I was pretty embarrassed, and they didnt take the game or what they were doing seriously. This is a good music school, and the band should reflect that whether they are related to our music school or not. I really want to write a letter. Somebody get me the contact info. And yes, that is Rage, and yes this is something that our band should look into doing. Anything that is different, creative and fun will bring energy and buzz to the school and its fans. UNT lacks in this area on many levels.

Well it looks like FFR was right. We were talking yesterday, and he said that one of the things that annoyed him about the board these days is that you can't start a serious thread and/or discussion about anything without it devolving into junior-high-like penis jokes within two or three responses.

Huh, Chris Jones is already signed. In fact, a recent DMN column rated him the number 2 player in the area behind only Nash. It is obvious that he is at least a 3 star recruit, and right now is probably playing the best of NT's class. Rivals is not always logica or right.

Sun Belt officials are the worst in the country...but at least in this game it was because of no calls as opposed to over-officiating. Refs had nothing to do with the loss though. Move on.

No, half this board wouldn't understand the irony.

Benson's dismissiveness toward the departing schools sounds so much like the "we never really wanted him" logic many fans employ whe recruits sign elsewhere.

Disclaimer: I hate blaming the refs, If you play the game right the refs won't have an opportunity to screw you. However, there is a difference in no-calls and fictional calls. we were victim of both. Being a cheerleader, I have sat baseline under the basket for the last five season. In all those games I would see about 0 to 2 missed calls every game, nothing really crucial or blatant, just little things that happened where I had a better angle or the ref was watching something else. In all 4 games we played this weekend that number jumped to about 5 to 10 per game. At one point in the second half of the final, I sat and counted on my finger for the ref to see, three missed calls on the three shots on in about 6 seconds total. The least blatant, but still a no call, was of course the illegal screen that cut our lead to 1. There were also several UALR slanted calls in their semi-final game against MTSU. Either the Sun Belt has a pro-UALR/anti-UNT conspiracy or the Sun Belt need to hire major-conference refs for the tourney. GMG.