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I wish I could minus 1 you some more. This team is so messed up psychologically from the way they are being "lead", and that it is all Benford's fault. He pulls guys for making one mistake. He took Mitchell out early in the game today because he passed up an open 18 foot jump shot. The team is afraid to mess up, and therefore have spiraled into a team that doesn't even want to shoot. It's too hard to tell if the "new system" could even work because the team is a mess. That is 100% on the leadership. If we ever get past that point, then we can discuss things like offensive systems.

Nice job on the chicken toss...best part of the day. Great to see a member of the Mean Green actually hit a basket!

These players no longer believe in themselves, the team, or the system. THAT'S COACHING.

I am 70 years old, and this was the worst college basketball game I have ever seen.

Damn, look at all the shit you just typed no one will read.

You are just wrong about "as little as possible". Of the 3 million pledged for practice facility jumbotron etal i know for a fact over one million has been collected. the New floor level video board is already installed, and construction has begun on practice facility remodel. the jumbotron takes almost a year to make after order. a lot of this negatively right now is deserved, but to say that the bare minimum is being done is a slap in the face to the very small group of donors who without ANY help from through university made these projects happen. the lack of patience with some of you is amazing.

Slightly long.

I hear benford makes the team practice before games. Who does that? You are wearing these guys out before they play. No wonder they look soooooo tired. This needs to stop

If economic realities are really all that's preventing an immediate decision (or perhaps what will delay a change for the next few years), then maybe we need to consider the long term financial consequences of a failed season (or two or three or four). If average attendance drops precipitously for a season or maybe even for several seasons in a row and we miss out on NCAA tournament money, then can we afford NOT to make an immediate change? Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see a few games when I'm in town this winter, but I think interest is already waning among many other alumni.

UNT is a smoke free campus!

If only we had a recent example of WKU firing a basketball coach who wasn't working and finding immediate gains.

I heard this from the players. They also said they have two a days. That is ridiculous. These players are not buying into benfords system that's why we are struggling so much. Somethings got to give. A different approach to the players maybe? I'm just saying. When teams lose its always the coach fault. So benford needs to change his approach towards the team cause this crap we're doing is not working. You don't have a full practice before a game..are you insane

You're right. It's funny as hell watching this turd of season dash away any momentum this program has gained over the last few years. You're free to think and feel whatever you want, but this whistling past the graveyard crap is not cute. Its not funny, and certainly has no basis in reality. I would love to see Benturd make this thing work, but I see absolutely no indications that will happen. Not one. What is more disturbing is the long term effects this season could have on our program. If this team was over hyped, Benturd was more guilty than anyone for this. He talked so much smack in the off season about this team being the deepest he's ever been around, players that were Big East caliber, etc. The results have not much the bill of goods that he sold the fan base. He could have just as easily come in here and tapped the brakes, given himself and the team a little breathing room, but he didn't. This looks really bad on either his ability to evalute talent or coach that talent into a successful team. Believe me, potential recruits were listening to him talk this team up as well. So, now how does he present this season to those recruits? Does he take the same path you have and blame it on his players for not executing his stupendous gameplans? That's not going to win many battles on the recruiting trails, because these kids have watched or played against the guys we have on the court. They know they have skills.

You will probably see about the same quality of UNT basketball if u do

I'm just pissed that we have all these physical big men and yet we still pass around the arch for the majority of our positions. The team seems unprepared to drive the hole. 1 of 3 things happens when you drive the lane: you make a high % shot, you get fouled, or you miss. 2/3 of those are great options and with the big men we have, we should do that every time. Also, if you do it enough, it will open up the jumper for people like Alzee and Chris. The players have been doing awfully, but Benford has done nothing that I can see to try and adjust and compensate for that. Though, I did thoroughly enjoy winning the chicken toss...after failing hard twice.

You'd be fired from your job? Please tell me, where do you work that they do random criminal history checks? They don't even do that at MY job. Misdemeanor B theft, unless you have no means, generally results in posting bail long before you have to be back at your 8am job the next day. Hyperbole is fun...but it's not your friend. And to the person who said "once a thief, always a thief" I'm amused. I went to jail as a 16 year old for stealing comic books. Have never stolen a thing since. Told DPD all about it on the job application. Yet, somehow, they trusted me with thousands of dollars and drugs for 3 1/2 years. They trust me to incarcerate people. And my word sends people to state and federal prison. Not bad for a lifetime thief, huh? Take away their scholarship you say? Brilliant! Let's remove them from a team environment, one where they can be encouraged (and shamed) when they screw up. Let's take away that peer support group. If we're lucky this football scholarship is the only way they were able to pay for college. Let's strip that away and discard them while we hope for the best. Ooooor, we could put them on notice that their lifelines have now been exhausted. Let them understand that while we are there for them, punishment is forthcoming in a heavy dose if they step out of line again. Kinda like this crazy concept called probation that is meted out each and every day in courtrooms. But Emmitt, they represent me and my university!!! I pay for their scholarship! I'm sure they'd gladly give you back the 100th (if that) of their tuition that you actually pay personally. And they represent my university too. When I went to that university I saw thousands of young men and women finding their bearings and making multiple mistakes. I think we called it growth back in the olden days. And before anyone says I'm excusing their behavior, tap the brakes. I believe more than just about anyone in punishing crime. But I also understand that the purpose of punishment is not just to be punitive, but also to be corrective. I have no doubt that Mac will find that balance.

How much longer can anyone possibly defend the coach in all of this? How much longer can any rational human continue to believe that the entire team has lost the ability to play the game they were awarded a scholarship to play? How much longer can anyone who claims to be a Mean Green fan falsely claim that a new coach needs his system in place? How much longer can we let this season circle the drain as an utter failure while the student body loses interest? How much longer can this go on? Questions. Info plz.

Very telling: UNT outrebounded by 9, including by 3 on the offensive end. UNT has 4 assists verse 8 turnovers... Yes, that's right, 4 assists for the whole team... The whole team. Odd stat of the day: Both teams were 9-16 from the line. If we played any team that was even close to half decent, we lose by 20. Every single player on this team has regressed, outside of maybe Franklin. Every single one of them is playing scared. So disappointing. What tells you whether or not the players understand and trust the system is the play of your point guard. CJ today played 25 minutes, had 1 point, 1 assist, 1 turnover, and 4 fouls.

Is there an official "donation site" for all of these basketball upgrades, 'cause I have not received anything in the mail from our Athletic Director asking me for a donation. What is the scope of the work, Mr. AD, how much is it going to cost, what is the target date for completion, etc., etc. And Kram1, please don't ask me to contact you for directions on who to call to make a donation to this project. We have an Athletic Dept. that is suppose to do that job. Whether I can make a donation or not is "not" the issue.

Lets see, NT held on to beat a 1-6 SE Louisiana team with one of their best players out of the game at the two minute mark. I am not kidding this game was so bad I just wanted it over and didn't care who won. Benford has to be one of the worst coaches ever at NT, I would at this point rate him below Trilli and Tommy Newman. Mitchell who I still believe is the most physically talented player ever at NT, is setting the bar for underachieving. SEL started one player over 6'3 at 6'6 and Mitchell could not get a shot. Benford crazy substitutions continue with no apparent purpose other than disrupting any semblance of establishing any rhythm. SEL out rebounded NT by 9 but that was do to NT picking up the pace, they trailed by as many as 20 rebounds for much of the game. There are no valid excuses for this team to be this bad.

Please just keep going to the games and supporting the team. Conference play comes very soon and they will need us to be there. That's all we can do as fans.

The positive outlook feature seems to be broken beyond repair in the basketball forum.

Kidsey and Davis talk a lot. I would say as of right now, UNT 65% Tulsa 25% UTSA 10% I think official UNT visit, January 18th for Davis.

It's a little weird and odd that the Cowboys have gone above and beyond to openly support Josh Brent given what all happened.

even the PA guy sucked today , kept saying the Lehigh game was on the 22nd !!

This was a horrible game even on MG Premium and not in the stadium.... I made the mistake to tune into WKU vs Murray state afterwards the difference was extremely stark. under 50 points against a 1-7 team. No sign of progress by the team. No offensive game plan whatsoever. I am not sure NT can let the season run out before acting. I cannot imagine this turning around right now, and I am not an eternal pessimist (I do see the football team going Bowling next year). NT fans may not recognize a winner for lack of experience, but people at NT know a looser when we see one, and coach Benford may be a good person, but is a looser as a BBall head coach. Hope I am wrong, but just can't imagine I could be right now.

They may not be shooting well and some of that could be blamed on the players but when there is no offensive scheme and it's completely anemic a team just won't be comfortable shooting and making shots. I'm sorry but this is all on the coach. There is no way in hell this team regresses this much in one off season when the personnel is the same and actually even better.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Harry" data-cid="695918" data-time="1355687955"><p> I'm here at the game and Tony continues to pass the ball put when he receives it ..,,Benford came unglued. Typical story, noone can shoot and they are holding their own in the boards and doubling Tony and Chris begging someone else to beat them.</p></blockquote> Wrong thread Harry.

I'm not sure WHEN the time will come to make the change, though there isn't a lot of doubt in my mind that that time will have to come. However, if we get to that time, when it is obvious a change needs to be made, and we DON'T do it... then we know why we aren't a program like USF, or Boise St, or even a winning SBC team. I don't care if the reason we don't do it is because of lack of leadership, or lack of funding... the bell has been rung and we'll see if we answer it.

Stan, I get the frustration, but not sure if it is fair to ding them for not updating on fundraising at this point. What's the marketing: come for the nearly 33% financed upgrades, stay for the perimeter passing? It's a frustrating time, but, as annoyed as I am, I'm trying to at least give myself to mid-January to really pass an official judgment. My last three home games have made that very, very difficult.

Ok, fair enough. I'll accept that criticism. Yes, I would say that I am being impatient. That is my right as a long term supporter of this program who sat through countless basketball games with 500 of the other guys who I'll assume are guys like UNT90 and CMJ, et al. It pains me, PAINS me to see how things are falling apart right now. I think what would shut people like me up on this is SOME SORT OF INFORMATION being put out by the athletic department on the progress of the situation. Honestly, it shouldn't need to come from the group of donors, that's not your (or their) job. I'm going by the level of interest shown by our athletic department during Apogee construction. We had live interviews with the construction company, videos of construction, timelines, on and on including a webcam. Do those things matter? Do webcams mean anything? They do. They do because they show the level of commitment to a program from the top levels of the administration. Where is that on the basketball side? Where is the financial commitment If it is there, someone please enlighten me because I just don't see it if this season was supposed to be one for the ages.

They should have just come to me, I would have gladly bought them anything they wanted for a few autographed jerseys.

Harry I am having a problem with the web site. My wife says that I spend WAY too much time on it and grumbles about that. Is that a problem that you can solve ? If so, it would be appreciated.

Mooooooo!

At this rate, we will see a mass exit via transfers at the end of the Spring semester.

Mike, were stuck with him. Like 90 said, we don't have the money to buy him out.

I don't know. Please put me out of my missery. I looked forward to this basketball season like no other. I didn't know how far the season would carry UNT BB, but with Mr. Mitchell and our other players I thought this season was going to be special. I didn't realize RV would bring us another Todd Dodge hire!!! It's sad, in RV's defense I don't think he thought or even phathomed that Coach Benford would be a Todd Dodge hire. Clearly it was, and the honymoon is over!!! Unfortunately drastic action is necessary. I don't know if RV has the guts to take care of business. Below is a repost of comments I made in "Fire him...It's time", but my post was on page 10. I really believe in what I posted then so here's goes once more. RV do you have GUT’s to FIRE Benford, or cost UNT Millions and TM Millions? RV, Here the reality. Our old coach Johnny Jones who many continue to say couldn’t coach his way out of a paper bag just beat Seaton Hall at his new home LSU. The Tiger’s are 5-0. Many will say why continue to refer to JJ on the MGB about UNT, he’s gone. The reason, I need a point of reference to compare our team’s potential in 2012-13 with the right coach to what we’ve been given by hiring coach Benford and the system he’s trying to install, if any, what it is, and if it even remotely fits the talent, or lack of talent UNT posses at certain positions on the floor. JJ for all of his flaws from an X’s or O’s standpoint always installed a system that fit the strengths of the players he had available offensively or defensively. JJ’s system also masked or negated his player’s weakness as much as possible so his team’s strengths were enough to secure W’s for UNT. I wrote this post after UTA lose, but work 2 jobs and didn’t see our last game. I did ready a few posts around 10th page and some posters saying "TM and Coleman are cry babies". Was TM a cry baby when JJ was here? Maybe there is a reason someone shows emotions that aren’t Ra, Ra, and happy go lucky when TM is seeing literally Millions fly out of his back pocket!!! Here’s the point! The clock is ticking. Tony Mitchell will only be here one season!! He’s NBA bound. TM is probably the most talented player in UNT history only equaled by Mean “Joe Green” and others from the 60’s, or early 70’s. Pro Salaries we’re what they were in those days. Once Mr. Mitchell’s a pro he can donate more money to UNT athletics than almost anyone who’s ever attended UNT. I guess Nora Jones could, Norm Miller Interstate Battery (his company only funds Joe Gibbs (former Washington Redskin’s coach) racing to the tune of 15 to 20 Million a year), and others, but don’t see them stepping up to the plate, I digress!! Point is Tony Mitchell will have the financial resources to do wonderful things for UNT, from a monetary standpoint, recruiting, and millions in PR now and for years to come. UNT can’t buy enough ad time, get to enough bowls games to equal Mr. Mitchell’s PR power. The problem is Coach Benford “system” change and subsequent 3 – 5 record have and I fear will continue to damage UNT basketball for years to come. A brilliant AD in UNT’s past fired Bill Blakely. Coach Blakely had recruited Spud Webb to UNT, you may remember him. Mr. Webb was a part of the NC State team that beat U of H with “Phi Slama Jama” (Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler) for the NCAA national championship in 1983. Later Mr. Webb would go on to a productive career in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks for years. That brilliant AD hired Tommy Newman to replace Bill Blakely and Coach Newman told Spud Webb “the up tempo game you play” doesn’t fit the half court offense I’m installing here at UNT and pulled Mr. Webb’s scholarship. Bill Blakely called Jim Valvano coach of NC State and the rest is history. This and other bonehead AD moves have kept UNT athletics in the seller for decades. It’s taken our men’s basketball program over 30 years that that point in time to become relevant. RV you to have the opportunity to be remembered in much the same light as that former UNT AD!! I’m not happy about history repeating itself some 30 years later or at least having some similarities, but here we are like it or not!! I assure you none of us in the Mean Green Nation like what we’re facing; however, the reality is our team should be performing much better than it is. How much better, I don’t know, but with an All American that went to Amare Stoudemire and Lebron James camp and was touted as having the best camp of any of the invitees, you be the judge. Oh, you might say well what about the other players on our team? Seems to me right before Chris Jones and Jordan Williams were academically ineligible they were playing pretty good basketball without Mr. Mitchell’s talent on our team. The point is you can blame the players on our team if you wish, but the coach you hired told you he would have this team with all its talent or lack there of playing at a far different level than the mean green nation is watching now. John Odo must be the smartest college student I’ve ever heard of, or the luckiest. Take your pick. Again, I digress. Are you really going to give Coach Benford the benefit of the doubt and shipwreck our team with the most talented player UNT has ever seen grace it’s doorstep in the last 40 years, or maybe ever? Option B, you take bold action like Western Kentucky did last year and not accept where their coach had their team no matter the circumstances!! WKU pull the rip cord, fired coach and by the end of the year beat, guess who, UNT in the SBC Championship game. To UNT’s credit we were riddled with injuries and the ref’s all but handed WKU the game on a silver platter. If you keep Coach Benford how many future recruiting battles do you expect him to win against Scott Cross, Johnny Jones and other coaches that come to mind? How difficult will it be for you and your promotion department to fill the Super Pit with UNT faithful as they watch our team continue to struggle? How bad will our team look this year and how will this affect Tony Mitchell. If our team hurts TM’s efforts at top lottery pick in the NBA how likely will it be that Mr. Mitchell donates his hard earned NBA dollars to UNT? UNT’s current record and on court play is sure to be much more devastating to Tony Mitchell than his trial’s and tribulations trying to attend UofM. This situation is truly costing Mr. Mitchell, or potentially costing him Million’s of dollars. If I were in this situation I’d probably miss basketball practice after my team was steam rolled by UTA. As far as Mr. Mitchell’s character is concerned when his grades were in question, what did TM do, hit the books and get the grades necessary to be a part of our basketball team. What has TM, the other players, and UNT fans been blessed with 3-5 and a loss to a D2 school and a spanking Past that you maybe worried about Coach Benford’s buy out clause in this contract. I understand your concern. I just have one question? If you hire the right coach ASAP, and get our team playing like we know they can and make the SBC and NCAA tournaments. Then Mr. Mitchell might be in a better position to donate to UNT and one day over Coach Benford’s buy clause. I know this situation is a hard one to reconcile, but I pray you take the correct and appropriate action needed soon. Fire coach Benford!! If he didn’t know or foresee the hot seat and microscope he’d be under by taking this job, he should have!!! The clock is ticking…what’s it going to be? No guts no glory. You to can be remember is the same light as our AD who never let Spud Webb grace the doorstep of UNT. RV you’ve accomplished to much at UNT for your reputation to be stained like Coach Benford is accomplishing in the here and now!!!

Why do pages gotta reload now after every +?

All of your other points are valid. This one is not.

You know, King, you're right, I mean the mother of Jerry Brown forgave Brent, powerfully so. Here's a story where she is mentioned: http://www.rgj.com/usatoday/article/1773695&usatref=sportsmod A lot of us should consider whether we should get off our high horse and look within ourselves to realize that sometimes it was only good fortune that kept us from such tragic circumstances. What a hell of a thing to have to live with for the rest of your life.

This team will be lucky to win 4 or 5 conference games. It is that bad. The Benford hire is turning into the football version of Todd Dodge. There is simply NO EXCUSE for this team's performance. It's not like Benford came in and inherited a mess like Johnny Jones did. He inherited a team picked by most to be a favorite for the Sun Belt title and an NCAA bid. After this I think Rick Villarreal has to be on the hot seat. I know he's done a lot for UNT athletics especially when it comes to facilities but his hires in the major sports (Dodge, Benford, Stephens, the jury is still out on McCarney) have been nothing short of disasters.

Noticed on his twitter that NT commit John Schilleci was chatting Davis up. Some of the best recruiters are current commits

Andrew you have no credibility from the time you said you cannot play zone in the NBA. The coach is horrible.

We didn't hire him to groom him as a head coach, we hired him to coach these guys THIS SEASON! It's just unbelievable how this team has regressed from last season. Those Summer practices that TB praised so much sure really helped prep this team.

It still was a disaster...

You know, you are right, Skiv. Since he really isn't accountable for anything that happens on the floor, why do we even have a head coach? We should just roll the ball out on the floor and let these guys play like the do oin the PEB, right? I mean, It's all the 19-22 year olds' fault, right? Only a basketball moron doesn't know that poor rebounding and defense, especially against lesser talent, is a sign of laziness, and laziness is a sign of a poorly coached team. The head coach is rresponsible to have his team motivate and playing hard. When you get outrebounded by a smaller, far less talented team like SE La., there is a problem with the motivation and desire of the team. That is the fault of the head coach. This has been a consistent pattern all season, which is now 1/3 complete. Nothing appears to be getting better, and that is not a good omen for htis thing going forward. This has the look and smell of a 10-12 win team.

The Lehigh game could get fugly.

You're embarrassing yourself.

Maybe they was gonna give them clothes to poor people? #realliferobinhoods?

The One whose very birth our calendars even go by and who is celebrated in the USA by mostly giving our country's retailers it's largest sales cycle of any year (and then the ACLU types makes sure He's placed back on our country's back-burner of insignificance after all have made their bonanza because of His birth) once said: "He who is without sin let him throw the first stone." I just think everyone deserves a 2'nd (sometimes even a 3'rd) chance in life for their mistakes. I hope these 2 guys get that kind of consideration. GMG!