Leaderboard

The Apogee team sends our condolences and we are confident in a recovery and more of Coach McCarney's brilliant leadership.

To me this is where i think you are wrong. We constantly complain that we don't play anybody our students have heard about or care about, but most of our students have friends that attend Texas State and or UTSA. They will care about those games because bragging rights will be on the line. People don't miss our games with FAU because they haven't heard of them, they stay away because their is no connection. Yes if we brought in Notre Dame kids would come out with no connection because they heard of them, but just because kids have heard of Temple or UAB (maybe) or Fresno State doesn't mean that they are just going to start filling the stadium. They will come when there is a real interest, and bragging rights with your high school friends or even family is one of those reasons.

Nah. It's stupid when they do it to us. Us doing it to others would be cool.

If this dont get us into CUSA then nothing will.

Let's not be like UT or SMU and do anything to avoid competition.

This was posted on Facebook. A message from North Texas head coach Dan McCarney: First, thanks to all the wonderful people who sent well-wishes during my time of illness. I am reminded of how truly blessed I am by the number of family, friends and colleagues that have reached out to show support to Margy and myself with words of support and encouragement. After suffering numbness on the left side of my body Sunday, we called 911 and were subsequently rushed to the hospital. I have been told by the doctors that the early recognition of the symptoms and the quick response of the paramedics indeed helped minimize the impact of the stroke. Thanks to the care of the wonderful medical staff that I have been under, I am confident that there will be no long-lasting effects and I will be able to return my normal routine in time. While I have a great passion for coaching and approach my job with a tireless effort, I’m sure that my doctors will ask that I as I return to work I take the necessary time to get back into my normal routine. I fully intend on leading the North Texas football program through spring drills and can’t wait to be back around my staff and players. If there is any lesson to be learned in all of this it is to make yourself aware of the signs of a stroke and act immediately when those signs become present. I’m not sure if our quick reaction saved my life, but it definitely saved the quality of my life. Thanks again for all the thoughts, prayers and signs of support. Dan & Margy McCarney This post has been promoted to an article

For those wondering, the events of this week involving the merger of Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference have not gone unnoticed at North Texas. The athletic director of Tulane was in the DFW area last week touring four stadiums: TCU, American Airlines Center, the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and Apogee Stadium. Also in the group was a representative from Conference USA. Pykes Peek Link Safe to say now they are interested, just have to sweat it out and hopefully before Karl Benson takes advantage of us.

WKU doesn't need to bump up football. Umass is not in the MAC in football.

So the new commissioner of the Sun Belt wants to keep us in the conference? Color me underwhelmed. Really don't understand this hire.

No, it doesn't take an evil genius at all. Here's a thought for a 24 team conference divided into four 6 team quadrants. All the conference teams have only an 11 game set schedule which includes all five opponents in their quadrant. The twelfth week games would be semifinal game between winners of the eastern quadrants and a semifinal game between winners of the western quadrants. The winners of these two games would proceed to the conference championship game. These semifinals and championship game are designed to maximize the chances of getting a team into the BCS level bowls. The remaining 20 league members that didn't qualify for those semifinal games would have their twelfth game scheduled by seeding according to record (best teams would host worst teams). That would maximize the quantity of conference teams that would be bowl eligible. It's a system to get as many teams as possible into postseason play, and hopefully it will generate sufficient revenue to make bodybag games unnecessary. It's designed to get 14 of the 24 member schools into bowl games each year.

I feel like Karl Benson offered us a drink and we just woke up 8 hours later, face down, in a seedy motel room.

I hope this hasn't been posted elsewhere on the board. http://espn1420.com/so-what-is-this-new-league-going-to-do-from-the-birds-nest/

Having been there, I'll tell you that very few if any students in TAMS have a desire or interest to go to North Texas and stay there. You consider it another high school, a stepping stone on the way to something greater. I remember my first week there WAS a concerted effort to get us all to Fouts for the home opener. I went to every game there for the remainder of my studies. BUT, you're effectively sequestered in McConnell Hall, you're not socializing with regular University students for legal and age-related reasons, and you're taking between 15-18 hours of advanced classes at the ages of 15-18. Quite simply, you're not easily part of the greater university in a lot of respects. I had 6 schools on my list and North Texas wasn't one of them. However, after being there and in Denton, and really learning more about myself than I could in a regular high school, I rejected 2 top offers and stayed at UNT. It happens, but it's EXTREMELY rare. I was always one to march to the beat of my own drummer. Quite frankly, at TAMS, you're in the top fraction of a percent academically. If given the option of those schools that are also in that top percent, that's who you will choose. If you want more students to stay from TAMS, you have to convince them (and in many cases, THEIR PARENTS) that the school they've been planning on since the 5th grade isn't the best fit for them. You don't sit there when taking the ACT in the 7th grade and think "SOME DAY, I HOPE TO GO TO NORTH TEXAS!" You don't look at Stanford and MIT's rankings in Engineering and arbitrarily include an unranked program at North Texas. On top of that, at least when I was there, as a TAMS student, you're automatically qualified for the scholarship that A&M and UT Austin provide to those that finish in the top 10% of their class. Which means if you include one of those schools in your application process, you're guaranteed acceptance and an academic scholarship. Both of those schools at the time were higher ranked in my chosen fields of study (and likely still are). This is just the reality - what the University is up against when it comes to getting TAMS students to stay. Just appreciate what they can accomplish in their time here, and hope for more oddballs like me.

Why? Is it because SMU and UH left? Increased travel from the SBC? I just think that we would never have had a chance to be in that Alliance if SMU was still there and I am going to bet that this new conference will be travel-friendly to each of its members.

Tulane is to LaTech/ULL as SMU is to ______.

If the merger stays with 18 and lets give them Temple and Utah State , leaving the Sun Belt untouched. Invite UTSA and Texas Sate for all sports and UTA for all sports minus football. This leaves the Belt with 12 football teams and 14 basketball teams. West Division: North Texas UTSA Texas State Louisiana Lafayette Monroe Arkansas State UTA * Non Football East Division: FIU FAU Western Kentucky Middle Tennessee Troy South Alabama Little Rock * Non Football If the merger doesn't go to 24 and the money that would follow, this to me would be a dream scenario. Also with the WAC 100% done, it makes the Belt the clear #2 non AQ conference imo, and would also compete with the merger for #1. Also, if you can kick Monroe out and add La Tech it would make it even better. Keep the Basketball tournament in Hot Springs and play the football championship in Shreveport, Dallas, San Antonio, New Orleans, Nashville, and Miami on a rotating basis. With that kind of change you renegotiate the TV contract to make the money much more appealing and your off and running with a regional conference with plenty of big markets and up and coming programs both on the field and with facilities. This post has been promoted to an article

The inferiority stuff has been around a LOT longer. And like I said in another post, Midwestern St. is close, let's add them as a rival also. Could Tarleton St. (hey, a road game close to Granbury!!) and Abilene Christian be far behind? I mean, they are in Texas, right? We shouldn't turn our nose up at them.

Nice. Who said we were not being proactive?

no moves like this can happen without the approval of the schools within the conference already. I struggle seeing how those currently in the belt would want the schools far out west except for NMSU. I could see us raiding the WAC for La Tech, UTSA, and TSU. That would make more sense.

Somebody call me when facts replace speculation.

guess this solidifies them as a "big time" program.

They can, but don't except in extreme circumstances. Temple was kicked out of the Big East for basically refusing to fund their football program at a D1 level. They have since started to support the program more. UT-Pan Am was kicked out of the Sun Belt after being put on NCAA probation then trying to use that as an excuse to not fund their basketball and/or their baseball at a D1 level. ULM is an interesting case. They aren't really funding at a level to produce a competitive teams in all sports at once. They are putting money into one sport at a time while reducing it to others. But, they didn't really want in the Sun Belt to begin with and joined as football only when La Tech tried to kill the idea of the Sun Belt sponsoring football. When NCAA rules required the Belt to have one more full member, again ULM stepped up when no one else would. Now that they are in, of course they don't want to go back down and I certainly don't blame them for that. They did what they were asked to do and now many want to punish them for stepping up when they weren't really ready. And yes, I'm sure they could bring a suit. I'm not sure how far that would get or what the kind of publicity it would bring. Suits can cost far more than just money!

Actually this year about 400 Texas kids signed with FBS schools, including UTSA and TX ST. About 200 of them are going out of state. Just saying.

I really have a lot of respect for what Bensen has done over the years. It has always seemed that the WAC was dealing with a short deck and I think he made the best of it. I certainly don't think you can blame him for the situation the WAC finds itself in today. He wouldn't have been my first choice for the Sun Belt but I'm hopefully it will work out. That said, I hope our time in the Sun Belt is short.

Rumor is FSU told Edwards that they would get a game in Texas at least once. As KRAM would say, Why not North Texas ? No better place

This is a joke. We really are that desperate aren't we? Have we been so stagnate over the past 60 years that we are hoping to get into a conference with a school that started their football program 2 years ago? Here I am thinking that maybe we can move up and play some schools with some name recognition so we can attract a larger, more dedicated fan base....but nope we're hoping to get into a conference with two FCS schools 30 miles apart. Adding these two schools should be viewed as a step backwards and we can continue to expect 12k average attendance. I guess it's too much to ask (demand) that we aim a little higher?

If he destroys the WAC without us going further west than NMSU I'll be fine with it. Funny how the WAC talked about bouncing back and rebuilding. Even their commissioner ditched them. PS i hate the term "Commish." It sounds like you have limp wrist syndrome.

Based on what? The 75 UTSA fans that traveled to Sam Houston State? Oh dear God...

Think it's pretty obvious that the Sun Belt and WAC are on the path to a merger. Oh boy! We can't get outta here fast enough

Am I the only one who has great pause in hiring a guy who a) led a conference to the verge of extinction, and c) is now attempting to jump ship from that very same conference before the break up. Kind of like a captain abandoning a sinking ship.

i love that man!!! his passion, his dedication...damn, it's awesome to have a coach like that at my school!!! and it's cool of the apogee folks as well. and we need to get some grey goose sponsorship!

That is incredibly shortsighted. Yes, UTSA and Texas State are in 1-AA, but after they transition these will be to great rivalries to have. With the addition of these two schools we could have a three way rivalry that would greatly benefit both schools/ fan bases. If we get passed up, we need to ensure that we get in a conference with UTSA and Texas State.

Tyler Owens / Staff Writer - Despite three players scoring in double digits, the Mean Green (13-12, 6-6) fell short against Florida Atlantic on Saturday, dropping its third straight game. Junior forward Sara Stanley led the way for the team, notching a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. It wasn't enough, though, as FAU (14-9, 9-3) defeated UNT 71-63. "We didn't pick each other up, and that's what we needed to do to win," senior guard Tamara Torru said. "I don't think we played very much like a team." Coming into Saturday's game, the Mean Green had lost its [...] View the full article

I'd rather not bring in more FCS schools, especially from Texas. Just more competition in terms of recruiting. But if we were going to bring one in...UTSA over Texas State any day of the week.

Totally agree

The people here complaining about winning against bad teams in basketball baffle me when I go to the football board and see "winning is all that matters" in their signature.

Absolutely no disrespect to UTSA, but how could a program like that be even on the same candidate list for the CUSA/MWC conference merger? Again not bashing UTSA they have done a tremendous job as of late, but when you compare it to UNT's resume and recent efforts in improving their athletics I can't understand how they are even in close competition.

Ditto. If there is ever a point down the road that the WAC and the Sun Belt need to merge, it's at least a good chip to have when dealing with those presidents/institutions already.

I do not see how this is such a bad thing (if UNT does not leave). I do not know much about Benson but he seemed to have WAC in a good position for several years. Better then Waters in my opinion.

I am waiting for the article to come out that blames Mac's stroke on Dodge.

I believe the title of the article was Aston falls short. Was Skipper actually being aggressive in his criticism or just re-posting the article? I don't even think it was his criticism, unless he was the beat writer of the Daily (which I am not aware of either way). And even then, the editor usually comes up with the headlines, not the writer.

Thank you!! Now thats the kind of article that gives the members hope! Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Perhaps a few of our fans should take on Coach Mac's positive attitude and find the positive in whats going on at UNT a little more often! This is great GREAT news about Coach Mac. The guy is incredible and the Mean Green Nation is lucky to have Coach Mac leading the way for the football program. I hope he leads the way for as many years as he cares to do so, and that it is for many successful years to come... GO COACH MAC...GO MEAN GREEN! Here's keeping you in my thoughts and prayers....go get 'em Coach Mac!

Best in show is one of my fav's. Although I love Harlen Peppers, can't dismiss the greatness of the Man with Two left feet. Rick

Always great to read these threads and see how positively some of our own talk about UNT. While bad mouthing UNT, it's leadership and its "perception" on almost a daily basis in this very public forum they call for the University leaders to go public with the negotiations and to be "positive and spread the word". You know..."you guys go public very positively while I sit back here on this public forum and pick apart everything you do because I sure know much better how to do things". Really? Had much experience working in D-1 athletics with public budget constraints, have you? I know drex has and I take what he says with some knowledge that he has "been there/done that"...for many others, well...not so much. And, some wonder still why UNT has the reputation some think it has on a national basis. Wow...just take a look in the mirror and you can see part of the problem and very little of the solution. If one really...I mean really thinks the university is sitting on its collective hands and doing nothing regarding the conference realignment mess, if they think the AD has a meeting every Monday morning and asks his staff and coaches, "OK, how can we screw something up this week" and if one does not think everyone is working toward building a bigger and better UNT then I have to question where the heck they have been over the last few years. I understand that some folks are simply pessimistic by nature and see "bad around every corner", but some of this stuff borders on just plain self-pity and self-flogging. Everyone, including me, has their own ideas about how things "should" be done, what can be done to promote the university and the athletic programs more, knows more than anyone in the athletic department how to run the Mean Green Club (heaven help us that they don't announce the caterer a week before every game...major disaster...how can we actually live through that?), etc., etc., but many of those opinions are only that...opinions based on little, if any, fact or knowledge of how, why what can be done and what the benefit/reward is for doing so. This forum is, indeed, for opinions and as such, all are welcome...and really, none are probably any better or any worse than any other, but I ask everyone...stop and think about it a little longer before you decide to come on this very public forum and bad mouth YOUR UNIVERSITY and its leadership. If you think sitting behind an Avatar makes you "invisible" to those you are knocking and to the University leadership you are sadly mistaken. There are no secrets here...or in any other "social media" site...if you don't realize that, by now you should...and it doesn't make it any different if you post with a different avatar in a different site...silly you if you think you are anonymous in any way shape or form...or forum for that matter. Just asking for a little restraint and thoughtful consideration before constantly going public with all you think is wrong with UNT and/or its athletic programs/department/coaches/players.

No promotions to fill the stadium? The only mistake I think they made last year was alienating the entire Greek system over the actions of a few knuckleheads that got hammered and made fools of themselves. Instead of punishing the few, they dropped the hammer on all of them, the largest student organizations that have historically provided support to the Athletic Department. Opening Day, Homecoming, Family Weekend, free food from Apogee employees, free sunglasses, etc... These students get in "free.". I know everyone has ideas to get the kids in the games, but stating they did nothing is not very accurate.

Rawlins is a ninja. A ninja doesn't talk, he just quietly goes about his ninja business. He is not just any ninja, he has Chuck Norris's and Mike Ditka's DNA spliced into his body. Unfortunately many of our younger posters think ninjas talk about what they do and have names like Donatello, Michaelangelo, Raphael and whatever. A real ninja doesn't live in a sewer and answer to a rat. That is what SMU ninjas are named and it is what they do, but then if you newbies knew this you would understand why they are our arch nemesis!

Hmmm, this is so DIFFERENT from all those threads about the major health issues facing our head football coach and the future conference home of our sports program. It should get 'em worked up down at the Road Kill cafe!