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My Letter to the editor of the Denton paper this morning...I wonder if they will publish it? 2-21-12 Letter to the Editor- Denton-Record Chronicle TO THE CITY LEADERS OF DENTON-ARE YOU WATCHING? Recently, some bad news flowed from the campus of TCU regarding some selfish students who made the decision to risk their futures and the reputation of their university by selling drugs on or near the campus of TCU. What was the response from the city leaders of Ft. Worth to this situation? Support…support for the major educational institution within their city. Very public and swift support followed by a call from the city leaders for everyone in the community to wear purple in support of TCU! How refreshing to witness Ft. Worth’s city leaders public support for TCU. When was the last time the city leaders of Denton seemed to even recognize the existence of UNT within its borders in such a public fashion? Heck, in Denton on a fall Saturday game day one could be on the Square, at the Golden Triangle Mall, or in any area of Denton and have no clue that a game was taking place that day. UNT recently unveiled an aggressive five year plan for progress. Where were the city leaders of Denton with any sort of proclamation or support for UNT, the largest economic engine and employer within the city? It is long past time that the city and business leaders of Denton recognized how important UNT is to Denton and its economy and started acting like they knew! Denton – are you paying any attention at all?

Wow. Must be fun living in a glass house.

Oh Ricky.....Ricky.....Jeez, is UNT and its supporters, in your mind, allowed to only have one campus-related event occurring on a single evening? I have no idea what Kram's transgression was 19-days ago but your response is just DRIPPING with revenge. I know Kram pretty well - and there are few on this board, or anywhere else within the spectrum that is UNT, that care more about UNT in general, and its athletic program in particular, than he does. And not only does he care - he delivers that caring attitude with his service, giving, and positive attitude. He does not need me to fight his battles - but he will always have my support vs. anyone who questions his motives re: UNT. Unfortunately, I know you only by your postings - your projected image, if you will - and those postings have been filled with much negativity toward the AD (Athletic Director AND the athletic department). I appreciate your support of UNT but have little regard for your recent attitude (not that you should particularly care, I guess). A wise old man once told me that "image is everything" - a good thing to understand, I think.

One has to wonder if the AD blew rosy smelling sunshine up your butt in this situation... Not an attack, just an honest thought. I have had numerous employees/clients come to me with concerns and I admit that some/most of them are alittle over the top requests or they expect something because of "who they are" and I blow rosy smelling smoke up their butts to get them to go away.

There are things more important at UNT than a women's basketball game... or a men's basketball game... or any ATHLETIC event. This logic being thrown out suggests that ANY event on campus that coincides with ANY sporting event should be canceled and rescheduled. What about the students performing in plays and such at the Performing Arts building? Are you going to skip your subpar football team's game for that? What about the music students who work longer and harder on their work that ANY athlete at UNT? Would you miss the basketball game for their performance? I highly doubt it. The Athletic Department scheduling something is foolish, but the Alumni scheduling something, depending on what it is, is not wrong. Athletics is NOT number 1 at ANY university, if it is, then the University had got it ALL wrong.

Question for the board from a UH fan. I've read in a number of places where UNT is supposed to come to Houston this fall. But IIRC, our trip to Denton to open up your new stadium was a one-off deal. I've never seen anything (press release, etc.) from an official source that confirms that our schools signed a one-and-one. Does anyone here have any info? BTW, we enjoyed our trip to your new stadium, and best wishes for your coach's full recovery. The Grey Goose line was awesome! Thanks in advance, and good luck this season.

Dude, it wasn't an attack... I am just going off what I have experienced. You are a fan of posting people's personal information on the internet huh? You seriously take this stuff too seriously. I honestly don't give a rat's ass what they said to you, based on your image you don't care about, I would blow a TON of rosy smelling sunshine smoke up your ass to get you to go away.

Thank you for your courage.

You just likened a drug bust at TCU to football attendance at UNT? Really, man? Having grown up in Ft. Worth, let me tell you that the "leaders" of Ft. Worth didn't give a damn about TCU athletics until they got good...and I'm talking legit, top 10 in the country good. I watched L.T. go for 300 yards on the likes of San Jose State and Hawaii in the old WAC in front of 15,000 people. I would sit nearly court-side on bought GA tickets to watch Kurt Thomas and then Lee Nailon put up 100 points a night playing Billy-ball (Chuck) en-route to a few stays in the top 25. I'm not saying Denton couldn't do more, but to make such a reach in in correlation and laud the city of Ft. Worth for it's apparently unwavering support of TCU, you ought realize its actually supporting it's top 10 program and that Rose Bowl victory and the notoriety it brought and not actually the school itself. If TCU was a middle of the road program right now this neither would've been news nor would you have such public support from city leadership.

I don't post here much anymore mainly bc of the ridiculously elevated status some of you people on this site give people like FFR and others that spew venom on people yet still get the good game pat on the ass for being super fans, but I completely agree with CBL here. Living in Fort Worth all my life (except my few years in Denton), that town wasn't supporting TCU at all until they started to get REALLY good, not just normal good. In the same regards, I can see where KRAM is coming from... Denton has never really shown the support to NT of a normal college town. All in All... both parties are correct in my opinion. Other responses here are very ridiculous and 'dripping with revenge' (i liked that wording)

this school really needs a baseball team to occupy our thoughts for the next few months or some of you are going to show up at the 1st football tailgate fully armed.

You really have no idea the lengths some of these wonderful UNT Superfans will go for revenge.

Shoulda stopped there You bet your Aston we are!!!

Alabama's Jr. Forward Tony Mitchell was suspended from the team for the rest of the season. No more imposters!

Can we quit talking about blowing asses? Homos.

Aaaaaaaaaaaannd they're off!!

I work in Fort Worth. The city government may not support TCU athletics like people would like it to, but TCU alumni are a powerful bunch in this town behind the scenes. I don't really see the same thing with UNT in Denton. Blame lack of economic drivers outside campus borders on Denton for that one. Lots of cool places to hang out, nowhere to get a decent paying job.

Tap the brakes! If Benson is lookin to expand the Sun Belt by raiding CUSA, this definitely changes things. If we can get LA Tech (first I've heard of them expressing a desire to be in the Belt) and a Texas CUSA team (Rice or UTEP), would it be tempting to stay put? Still think there is a great opportunity to expand and kill the WAC.

Really?? I don't think it is unreasonable for alums to envision UNT in CUSA/MWC. I think it is dillusional for Tulane fans to think that the Big 12 would go anywhere near them. Just sayin...

Remember the Alamo, Remember Goliad, and Remember the '88 tu game.

These threads that make me wanna kill myself are coming 2 fast and 2 furious these days.... Been a rough 1/4 mile.

Man...you need to relax. Do you want some weed?

Quiet you! Baseball is for communists and schools that don't pour enough resources into football!

I agree with the letter and see nothing wrong with the TCU comparison. Sure, TCU's fan support ebbs and flows with the success of the teams; but the facts are that they have always been embraced by the leadership of Fort Worth as their team. Think about it, a relatively small private school in a much larger city gets more support from the city leadership than a 35,000 student public school and biggest employer in the area gets from Denton. I am tired of the TWU excuse, that the City can't show favoritism to NT because it would not be fair to TWU. Nothing says they can't do more for both schools, and until TWU gets into division 1 athletics, I see no conflict. Facts are Denton has UNT and TWU for that manner, and I guess feel little need to support those schools more openly. Too many times I've seen NT host Denton Chamber of Commerce meetings before bb games so members would have easy access to games and yet hardly anyone bothers to attend. Dentons' pandering for OU fans business during the Texas/OU weekend, yet doing nothing for NT home games tells a lot about their priorities and also their business sense. My guess is they could attract more out of town visitors from NT home games than they ever would for a game fourty miles away. There are some great supporters of NT athletics in Denton, but overall the support for a division 1 athlete program is about as bad as it can get. Writing letters to the DRC is not going to help a lot, but at least it shows there is support and helps balance the many that blast UNT for almost everything from building a stadium to having a losing football team.

I hate to ruin a good story but Alabama drew capacity (101,812) for both games.

I hope it does get published.

Hey, that's a great idea for a movie!

I think MTSU has had a pretty bad ass year and even they are no sure thing to get in if they don't win in Hot Springs. They'd probably get in, but I'm not sure they could rest easy. Basically, unless you're in a power league, or a Gonzaga type of program, you need to win your conference tournament to know you're getting in. Do you know how few mid majors get at-large spots?

Saw on another board that an article saying Tech was interested in the Belt had been corrected. Their interest is in CUSA.

UCF will learn that hard lesson that they are no Ohio St.

Last time CUSA checked us out for membership with venerable Fouts Field still hanging 'round our neck it was "close but no cigar." I think with North Texas being in the #5 (soon to be #4) ranked U.S. TV market, our new Apogee Stadium, the Super Pit and the whole damn Mean Green Village gives us the cigar this time. We know of a handful from CUSA who have been up there since Apogee's debut and the common thread phrase for each is how they are completely blown away by what they've seen. At the Apogee Stadium debut game, another alum and I steered the UH Cougar's "H Club" president (who was lost on campus) to Apogee doing our best chamber of commerce'esque (but not over the top) bit in a walk from the Super Pit parking area. He could not believe how much of UH's athletic history I knew until I told him I grew up a Coog fan; anyway, we took the UH exec across I35-E into to the MG Village and the look in his eyes said it all and then as we arrived to the stadium proper his comment of " this is really something out here that your school has built."showed me we had one of our very first CUSA converts (even though UH will soon go Big East). If North Texas were in a small to medium market it would be a 100% "no go" but in my wildest dreams I cannot see this league omitting the biggest (present) TV market hole that just happens to be smack dab in the middle of these 2 leagues geographical footprint out of this alliance. I think TV execs will help them out on deciding this (if it hasn't already been decided which I think it has) just like they did with SMU and the Big East. Just sayin'... GMG! Below is a new YouTube "Great Moments At Apogee's 1'st Season) from the MGRN. (Where do they get their music for these--it's excellent). http://www.youtube.c...h?v=j98uEfInqRg (I know home crowds in conference games that count against the likes of Tulane, Rice, Tulsa, etc, will get more of our fans and alums out with their own traveling fans many of whom live and work in the DFW Metroplex--this could be so great for all of us).

She's a singer. Not a government official. Not a member of the military. Not a religious figure. Not a philanthropist. Just a singer. She doesn't deserve to have the flag lowered for her.

one of the offensive lineman for the patriots was a college wrestler but hadnt played a down of football in his life. the first day of tryouts he had to get the equipment staff to show him how to put on pads. He made the team and has been with the pats ever since and is still with em now. So you can do what ever you set your heart to. go for it man! GO MEAN GREEN!

Hey, where is the giant metropolis of Ruston on there? Surely there must be a mistake!

If we were talking teams that were not FBS start ups, I would agree about expansion. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Can't get out of this conference quick enough.

Thanks for the advise and stuff, and yeah i have been hit by actual college level players. when i was in highschool, some starting defensive guys would play at the school no-pad tackle during the weekends. i always took shots by them, it hurt but i lived. i got the size, strength and speed is what im working on this whole year. and i have very nice hands, and used to get hit while catching, had roughly a 95% accuracy of holding the ball when hit. lol

Louisiana Tech even claims some of the East Texas market.

#138 - Monroe-El Dorado market. Ruston is part of the booming Monroe-El Dorado market. Here's a map of the market.

great information! hope you are right that this is whats driving expanson. CUSA has excellent opportunity to enter Philly,Miami, and DFW. MWC could pick up San Jose and San Antonio markets. i just get concerned when it appears The National Conference will add Temple and FIU on the west to get to 18 programs, and may just add 2 more for a total of 20.i would be much more confortable with 24 programs, as ECU/Marshall are pushing hard for more east coast teams.

Austin dropped from 44 to 47. The Big 12 might have to kick them out now. Looks like most markets dropped in number of homes. I guess some people got rid of TVs. I know North Texas is a small fry in the DFW market but it's nice to be part of the number 5 market in the nation. Hopefully that will carry some weight in realignment.

I think it's time we upgrade Apogee

Last year we were speculating about O-Line and D-Line. This year..... DBs and RBs ????????????? Worried more about the DBs than RBs. Although a good pass rush from the DL would help offset some of the inexperience we'll see at corner. Offensive line returns enough that I expect the run game to do well. Ozzie/McNulty? The debate Part II. We just want Ozzie to have a chance to show if what we saw versus Tulsa can be done when I game is on the line. He wasn't given that opportunity last year. McNulty had that opportunity twice and didn't perform well. Can someone step into AK's shoes? Yes. McCoy. WHO is going to be THE running back? Hoping for a duo of Byrd and Whitfield WR's? Will they be a factor this year? They have to be. Chris Bynes and Ivan Delgado both have big bodies. If they can polish their route running, we'll be golden. Looking forward to seeing whether the 6-5 kid, Sampson, has put on any weight; and, more importantly, whether or not he can catch. Will ABBE, Cantly, Alexander or Sir Calvin Wallace take Boutwell's spot on D-Line? Boutwell is smallish for the position in the 21 Century, but he's intense. Each may be bigger than Boutwell, but are they as skillful. I'm just gald to see a bit more depth. Would still like to see more. Will the Feldt brothers impact returning starters on the O-Line I'm guessing the older Feldt gets a good shot at replacing Tomlinson at right tackle. Either way, there's good depth. I'm really impressed with the job new line coach Mike Simmonds. It bears in mind to remember that he went from a I-AA school to the NFL. So, needless to say, he understands what it takes to get the job done, even when the odds are stacked against you. Overall, I like to look at the fact that we were 5-4 after the 0-3 start. The team didn't fold and kept fighting down the stretch. Although Indiana was not a good football team, it was exciting to beat a Big Ten school. Our schedule in 2012 is going to be about the same as 2011, in that we should be able to go 1-3, and possibly 2-2 out of conference. A win at LSU would obviously be a miracle. Beating Texas Southern should be a given. Kansas State on the road will be very tough. I don't think Houston on the road will be as tough. The Cougars lost not Case Keenum, but all four starting WRs - Tyron Carrier, Patrick Edwards, EJ Smith, and Justin Johnson. Basically, they have three OLs and RBs Charles Sims returning on offense; everyone else will be new. On defense, they return 2 DL and 2 LBs (from a 3-4 scheme). They lost only one safety from the defensive backfield. So, their defense should be about the same as it was last season. Houston would be win two for us, otherwise, we're 1-3 OOC again. Cougars also have the new head coach, TOny Levine, who was an assistant there for five years. Notably, however, are new offensive and defensive line coaches, as well as new offensive and defensive coordinators, and a new RB and WR coaches. Kevin Sumlin took most of the guts of the staff when he departed. New Houston coaches Tony Levine, head coach - was Houston's special teams coordinator and inside WR coach Mike Nesbitt, OC - was OC at SFA Jamie Bryant, DC - was inside linebacker coach for Cougars Lee Hays, OL - was OC at Tarleton State Ricky Logo, DL - was DL coach at Furman Travis Bush, RB - was OC at UTSA Jamie Christian - Inside WR/Special Teams - was Inside WR at Arizona State Brandon Middleton - Outside WR - Evangel Chrisitan, a 2A high school I think Houston is a very winnable game. Many new parts. No real coaching all-stars. We really do have a good opportunity to step up to a seven or eight win season in 2012. That's really only a couple of more wins. I think this coaching staff is good for it. Should be an exciting season.

NT has been the best and most consistent programs in the Metroplex for years but it is going to be much more difficult to maintain that position in the future. All three of our Metroplex rivals have made giant steps in the last year. Replacing the Super Pit would be a giant waste of money and would accomplish next to nothing. A shiny new much smaller arena is not going to significantly increase fans at NT, although I guess the crowds would look larger. There is nothing wrong with the SP, the problem is with the conference and the NT teams failure to break out from mediocrity. JJ has been undoubtedly the most successful coach at NT in fifty years and has an impressive string of 20 game winning seasons and two NCAA tournament appearances. The problem is that with an one year exception he has been barely above a .500 coach in the Belt. What should have been the break out season last year, went up in flames because of going into the season two ships short and a rash of almost predicable injuries. This year the best recruiting class in NT history and easily in the Belt because of academics issues is struggling big time. IMO, and I know I am in the minority; NT should have at least won the Western Division both years. The facts are that NT has been the best in the Metroplex because they have had good not great teams plus TCU and SMU have been very bad. UTA with one of the worst facilities in the nation has been up and down but IMO super competitive given their resources. By the way, neither TCU or SMU have to be anywhere near the top of their conferences to be better than the top of the Belt in a normal year. JJ is going to have to continue to recruit great players and actually gel them into a team, for NT to remain even with their area rivals.

obligatory crap: Good coaches lose games. Bad coaches win games. JJ-lovers are not saying he is the greatest coach ever. JJ-haters are not saying he is our worst coach ever. I'm really digging this apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal.

+1, and it's hard to believe the premise of this thread, to suggest that loss as due to poor coaching, unless the coaches somehow caused individual players to forget how to shoot free throws. Yeah, maybe there should be more time spent on that aspect of the game, but players should be practicing free throws with their younger family members and the neighborhood kids or whenever they get the chance. Still, nobody has explained the kind of lapse we saw Saturday. My analysis: don't spend much time analyzing the last game.

The Mean Green finished the tourney tied with the Ragin' Cajuns for fourth place. http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/leaderboards/team/static/team2932.html

I had a big problem with the fact that we've been there for 11 years. Longer than Vietnam at this point. I understand the geo-political absurdities that came with invading Afghanistan, but why are we still babysitting them after all this time? Al-Qaeda has been dismantled for years now, the Taliban is willing to negotiate a peace process, and we're still paying for this war through borrowing.