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The commitment to facilities has been wonderful.

fify

It's not the commitment of the private donors (scoreboard, basketball practice facility), the students (Apogee Stadium), or the fundraising effort of the AD that led to some of the increases in facilities that I question. I do question the mindset that losing is ok and the mindset that allows a coach that is in way over his head to remain as head coach. Harry, you are right, you have to put disappointment behind you, but you also have to correct the decisions that led to that disappointment, or you risk experiencing that disappointment over and over and over again. If you will notice, I didn't go really negative until we refused to correct an obvious mistake in basketball. I see no way we win more than 10 games next year. Hope I'm wrong. But my question to you is, when is it enough? How can you expect Benford to win more games next year in a tougher conference with less talent? If he doesn't win 10 ganes next year, then what will the administration do about it? I submit nothing, because that really isn't their focus. Like Jim (?) has posted many times, there is not and probably will never be the appropriate emphasis on athletics at this university. Why do I say that? When your chancellor can't even defend a student athletics fee in Austin, a fee that UTSA and Tx St has x 2 over us, and allows that fee to be tied to paying off the stadium and future construction, that is an example of just not really caring about athletics . Why can't we have WHAT JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN TEXAS HAS? Has the athletic fee been raised? I don't think so, and we are allowed to raise it $2 per semester hour every year. If you are trying to fund an underfunded athletics department, why in the hell wouldn't you raise it ? It's just a lack of commitment to athletics. That's who we have always been and probably who we always will be. I'll eventually accept it, but it's gonna take some time.

Wanted to publically thank you for your "up to the second" contributions to our message boards. I'm sure I speak for all avid UNT followers. Your work does not go unnoticed. Thank you! http://verbalcommits.com/schools/north-texas

Best of luck to a outstanding young man

Stupid yahoo using expert opinions, facts and common sense to write an un-emotional and un-biased article. And for the love of god, invest in a tablet if you're gonna insist on posting from a mobile device.

I won't be surprised. Then people on here and AD and Mac will say "We have a bright future!" and "Look at our grades!"

That's the reason though Harry, we shouldn't be rebuilding at this point, we should be reloading after what should've been a trip the the Dance.

Well said

Because we're never invited, so we're forced to rationalize why our present situation is "better anyhow,"

I have only been coming to the site since about Sept. - Oct. and I don't think I have seen 1 positive post from UNTnegative, even the football threads. Could we vote this guy off the island? Improve by subtracting a negative yields a positive. I wish he would become a UT or UTA fan. I'll bet he kicks his dog. Now we can expect the negative blast that turns this thread negative like every other one on the site.

Suprise us all one of these days and find something positive to say about something...anything...just anything. This "all negative all the time" is really not the UNT90 I know. Trust me folks...it is not the real UNT90. That guy is a pretty positive guy. I know, hard to believe from posts in the last few months, but it is true...come on 90...where's that positive guy? You can do it...you can do it...yes...you can! Ha! Just pulling your chain a tad!

I think MWC/CUSA/AAC are all equal. This whole "anyone would leave" stuff is nonsense. Tulsa left because they wanted to be with their old buddies. I think the MWC/CUSA/AAC are top, then SBC/MAC on the bottom. MAC, like the Belt, had a great year. Sustainable?

TTG, Your post is so amazingly spot-on that I just want to give you a +10000000000000000000000000000 points. You win...seriously, best post I've read on gmg.com in all my years of posting on here. Admitting that we are f'd is not being against the university or having an agenda against the AD--its just calling out the truth in the way you see it. Here's something that all of you should know. By pure luck, I ran into Brett Vito the other night at a local restaraunt. Just started chatting up UNT Sports, football mostly. He spoke very highly of Dickey, too, and he also laughs at how much the fanbase didn't care for him. I didn't argue with him, although I don't hold Dickey in high regard for his "bowl run", but that's not the point we were getting at. He brought up how much he disliked working with Todd Dodge, "the high school coach" as he called him. He couldn't believe that he got hired AND lasted that long here. He talked positively and in hopeful terms about McCarney. But his last point is what should make us all cringe--the only media member in the entire universe that covers this school says the following, "If Coach Mac doesn't turn it around here, even with the improved facilites, they (UNT) need to really look at the situation to see if they belong at this level. Because it just isn't working." Vito, right or wrong, is more in tune with the thought process around Denton and how people outside of the AD view UNT Athletics, than anyone else out there, since its his daily job at the DRC. He hears it from others in town and at the paper. He sees it when he goes to the Super Pit and see less than 2000 people there to watch a team that was just coached to the most disappointing season we have seen from a UNT sports team in history (yes, it was that bad), but knows he cannot be fired because it costs too much. He sees a brand new stadium, but he knows that people in Denton don't go there because the team doesn't win and doesn't play anyone that they care about in any big way. The worst part about it all to me is that Brett Vito's mindset is what is shaped by being around UNT sports everyday in Denton. HIs view "that the university has to really take a look at what its wanting from its program" is coming from a place where so many people around the university don't want anything more put toward athletics. And he understands that for the minority that does care, that the manner in which we are running this program is not going to make it, unless Coach McCarney really can turn the 116th rated recruiting class into something down the road, which seems like a pipedream when you take an objective step back. If it weren't for Coach Mac's resume for building Iowa State up from the ashes, no one here would believe this thing has a chance of being rebuilt. At this point, we have to give McCarney our trust, because if we aren't even willing to do that, we all have to come to the realization that this place is f'd if we go 2-10, as one sports magazine has predicted. Its really come down to that. Because a terrible season probably means McCarney will get fired within the next two seasons, and if you trust RV to make the correct hire, after all we have seen over the last decade of him hiring coaches, you really should be working in the Athletic Department as official communications staff.

What? Larry Brown and all....

Apogee is awesome, and those who took part in leading toward its creation are saints. But let's not fool ourselves. Building a new stadium allowed us to barely keep our head above water in the arms race with other MID MAJORS. It was about survival, not suddenly thrusting ourselves into the major college football spotlight. Don't get me wrong, it's an amazing place, and I am extremely grateful to all those who lifted heaven and earth to achieve this accomplishment. It allows us to survive as a player in Division I college football, but we have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to thrive. And . . . yes, we can easily overcome one bad season in basketball. I think the fear that some of us share is that we are headed (unless something changes) for two or three additional awful years, which would effectively slaughter any positive momentum we had built up over nearly a decade. Overall, we do have plenty to be optimistic about, and we do in fact have many points of pride within our athletic program. However, I would say that right now there is ample room for criticism as well.

I believe skandrew says he posts from a tablet...not the cure all you are looking for I think.

You people make me sad

Mr Waranch walked through our door several years back wanting to give back somehow so he built us a new tennis complex that was badly needed with the agreement that WE would complete it by raising the money to finish it with the center court. And now, coach Lama just led us to our third conference tennis championship in four years, and still no center court. So excuse me if I EXPECT a completion of the tennis project one way or the other before another project is taken on. Rick

I was just surprised to see so many young rookie coaches that have done NOTHING ranked ahead of several coaches that have won games at this level...too much hype in sports sometimes

Great post--the facilites improvements are great. But Apogee was a must, since Fouts couldn't even survive much longer. EIther APogee was gonna get funded and built or UNT Football was going to go the way of the dodo. The Mean Green Village, the Super Pit and its improvements, and Apogee are awesome. Very proud to see them and attend games at the venues. Love the tailgating scene and the Alumni Pavilion, too. Here's where we lack, though. When you make a mistake on a hire (or hires in our case), two things happen at almost every other university. 1.) The mistake is removed as soon as possible. If Benford wins less than 12 games next year (I think that's a given), he should be fired, period. I cannot believe he was kept after this past season, but that is part of the deal when you hire a coach sometimes is to give that coach a chance to right the ship, unless it is just too much. Southern Miss fired their coach in football after he went 0-12. They know that is just not acceptable to even try and give him another chance since he killed their momentum. 2.) The person who makes the bad hire(s) will pay a price--usually the ultimate price is the job as AD. In college sports, a coach makes the biggest difference in winning and losing. Look at the Aggies--under Franchione and Sherman, they couldn't get anything going. Then, they hire Sumlin, who had been a winner at UH, and voila, they find a freshman QB who redshirted under the previous coach, but once he gets to play, he wins the freaking Heisman. That coach knew how to put the right people in the right spot and now they are in the top 10. BTW, we saw the same things happened in Austin when Mack Brown took over and the obvious one was when Bob Stoops got to OU after John Blake. Both have taken a step or two back recently, but it doesn't take away from how important it is to bring in the right coach. We may have that in McCarney--I sure hope so, anyway--but what we have seen from RV in picking hires for $$$ sports--football, mens hoops, and womens hoops, has been below average at best. We've seen him hire Todd Dodge, Tony Benford, and Shanice Stephens--easily they may be the worst three hires for their sports in the school's history, which isn't all that bright to begin with. Coach Mac hasn't panned out yet, Peterson as the womens coach might, but we will have to see, and then he gets credit for Johnny Jones. That track record would never play out as even close to acceptable anywhere else that I can think of. In closing, UNT grades as this to me. Facilites=great job. Personnel=terrible job.

Rebuild after this failure of a season -- yes -- I hope we "turn the corner" and get back to at least .500 ball again. Harry, the last time we were at .500 ball was in the 2005-2006 season and the last time we had a losing record was in the 2004-2005 season.

The only Petrino to turn around a program is his brother Bobby, who typically wore out his welcome by either resigning via text message or not being able to keep his pecker in his pants. Paul may turn out to be a fine Head Coach, but assuming his success because he is the brother of Bobby would be similar to assuming Billy Carter would be fit for President because of his brother.

The August heat is going to smash myself with copious amounts of beer. Speaking of beer, any word on the beer front for concessions. That will be better for the masses. Additionally, what time is the Idaho game?

Hide the women and children! http://www.ihigh.com/wncc/broadcast_214362.html?silverlight=1

Well thank you sir. I wish had more time to run my own recruiting site for all schools. Who knows , maybe one day And thank you for all your input. I don't know anyone who watches more HS sports than yourself Will you be at GASO this weekend ?

Yes, Franklin and Mitchell. How are any of the players that we might get here better than Mitchell and Franklin? Or better yet, good enough to replace those guys and win more games than they did, while playing in a harder conference with Benford still as our coach.

I think you bought ticket selling hype about "best team in NT history". The person who came up with that reminds me of the butterfly story. A butterfly is sitting on a tree and says "everyone says it's going to get cold. Well, I've been here my whole life and it has never been cold". I guarantee you the person who came up with that never saw the 69-70 team or the 75-76 or 76-77 teams. I don't think we had a single player from last year who could have started on the 75-76 team, which was briefly ranked in the top 20. When the statement was published I thought it was insulting to those teams, but for the butterfly he had no reference but maybe the last 15 years. I could agree with that, a possibility. I thought the season hinged on Overlander because we had no shooters. When did you ever see Tony make a move and say "Wow". His shot was a dunk. The guy from Lehigh outplayed him pitifully, so did Neighbors from UALR. Sometimes I think advertising can sell everything. If you would told anyone in 1970 that one of the top selling items in a grocery store in 2013 would be water, you would have got a reply of "crazy". You probably buy a lot of water. And I don't think the program is destroyed. There will be games next year and I will attend.

Do you ever think before you post? That had to be the most childish, uncalled for bunch of dribble I've read in a while. If the coaches truly did not trust DT, he wouldn't still be the starter in spite of 2012. Hell, if you want to see who the coaches don't trust, his name is Brent Osborn. BB is clearly unproven and according to your staff (and from the practice videos and spring game) DT is the best you guys have. Instead of making post insulting and bashing your QB, at least give constructive crticism on why you don't like him under center.

Like I said last week. You might be a crackhead if you graduated from TCU.

Funny, I was thinking about Hall/Smith/Gonzales earlier today. One year things looked like everything was on the way up...

No, hockey players usually play for a minute before changing lines.

Probably heading to Miami

Interesting note on sports illustrated, Angel Rodrigues has elected to transfer from K-State.

◼ Peg ⚫ Hole

This

Thanks NT03. I think and hope everybody knows NT03 is one of our best fans. Usually has some pretty interesting posts about what is happening at UNT.

Vaughn was actually a good player at Mesquite. In fact, that Skeeter team was the best that I can ever remember them having. UNT might remember Cory Remekun of St. Louis dominating Tony Mitchell this past year down low. Chase Hallam, and his older brother, had nice careers at Denver. Anyway, Vaughn is in the mold of Chris Jones. Was around 6-1 at Mesquite. Slasher with great handles. Wasn't quite sure if JJ should have extended an offer at the time. Defeated an undefeated (at the time) Desoto squad in what was the shocker of the year. Likes to have the ball in his hands in clutch situations. Not sure I like using up a needed scholarship for another guard though.

It wasn't even just conference people. Reputable news sources had us as a team to watch.

Are we playing Kansas in Denton?

And all those players in the 70's walked to the snake pit barefoot in the snow. Uphill...both ways.

You were a fan of joining the WAC, weren't you?

I think college football is on bad footing if you aren't AQ. Something has to give here. K-State has resources to compete at this level known as FBS. We don't. That part is what is broken. The NCAA should never allow 130 schools to be classified as FBS when Texas and Ohio State can have budgets that are 10-15 times what some SBC, MAC, and CUSA teams have. That's not even counting the inequality of TV coverage, which is tantamount to free advertising. And you cannot blame the NCAA or ESPN for wanting to showcase the universities that have widespread following because it makes them money, as well. The ratings for Alabama games are always going to dwarf what South Alabama can bring, even if Alabama went 0-12 and USA went 12-0. Same goes for Texas and North Texas. Everyone can pick out our 1988 game against Texas that got stolen from us or the Appy State win over Michigan as proof that it doesn't matter about the size of the budgets, but the reality is that is does matter greatly. Personally, I'd have no problem at all if the NCAA would finally come out and tell everyone that AQ is basically their top tier, just so the rest of us can get on with how to properly align and budget for our athletic programs. Right now, the hierarchy of conferences doesn't come close to stopping the major problem the hurts all non-AQ conference not named the MWC or MAC. The SBCUSAAC are just ridiculous in how they treat the other conferences. Instead of doing what the MAC and MWC have done, which is to do everything to promote regional travel and rivalries, while producing some terrific programs, the AAC schools try everything possible to get away from CUSA, which does all it can to look down on the SBC leftovers. The saddest part is that not a one of those schools in those three leagues can see that they are just cutting off their noses to spite their faces. The MAC has 5 schools on Ohio and 3 schools in Michigan. Their other schools are in states that travel is not insane to get to at all. If the MAC schools followed the ridiculous SBCUSAAC mindset, Ohio would have nothing to do with Miami of Ohio or Bowling Green, while Central Michigan would distance from its two in-state brethren (Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan). But La Tech cannot stand any other Louisana school, except for Tulane, who wants nothing to do with them, just like SMU feels about UNT. UTEP cannot stand NMSU even though they are about an hour apart. Watch and see if UTSA doesn't do the exact same thing to Texas State. College football worked better when there was regional conferences tied into rivalries. SWC, Big Eight, ACC, SEC, Big Ten, and Pac-10 were all built on this premise. Then TV took over--now the SWC and Big Eight don't exist because their TV footprint was too small. Most likely, either the Big XII or ACC won't survive because one of them won't be able to generate enough TV revenue, but their teams cannot join the other leagues closest to them because the states are already covered by TV. So now, Missouri doesn't play their blood rival, Kansas, anymore. West Virginia and Pitt may never have a Backyard Brawl again. Texas and Texas A&M, the ultimate brother against brother fight, don't even play each other in anything anymore. Neither do Colorado and Nebraska. Who thinks Maryland and Duke will ever play each other in basketball after the Terps go to the B1G? Those are the ways that college football (and basketball) are dying to me. Those teams should at least play each other in OOC, but that leads to the other big problem specifically for college football. Instead, those schools literally play as many "bought" games as possible. So we go back to the original part about being considered "FBS" by buying 2 or 3 games against the SBCUSAACand MWC and MAC teams, as well as any FCS game they can buy. It continues the insanity of the haves playing have nots just to get berths in the Shreveport WeedEater Bowl as a 6-6 team from their big league against another 6-6 team from one of those AQ leagues. And then they wonder whey ratings and attendance are down? The bowls usually have about 5 games that are worth watching, some of which include the BCS games, but often don't because of the matchups that this system creates. Coach Snyder is reight about college football being broken--but if he saw from the angle that we see it from in Denton, it would look downright destroyed.

That's Mr. Thompson to you(Not really, no relation to the Thompson family)! Haha, Every snap of every game in person, how about you? Restricted, all because of our Qb, OK nice thesis. You can't open the playbook when you lose what the staff considers your #1, and debately only, playmaker (well you could and our staff didn't but it wasn't because Derrick was the Qb). Please, MiniMac was marked for RS because he wasn't going to be the starter which, in your fuzzy logic, makes him a below average D1 Qb prospect. And BB is running 3rd string which again, in your fuzzy logic, makes him a below average D1 Qb prospect. I do not agree with your assessments. There are so many other things that show how highly the staff thinks of DT but carrying around Brocks and Trussels jock is fuzzing your brain a bit in my opinion. The NT Offense, including Derrick, did not have a good season for numerous reasons. Although Derrick would tell you it was on him, the fact remains that our lack of success on offense last year included pretty much everyone on that side of the ball at one time or another. I know you talk with some of the players everyday, as do I, but that does not equate to what coaches think about particular players. All your opinions are based upon less than one year of review/results because I know you didn't see every game in person or otherwise. Offensive linemen do not generally make good Qb evaluators or Offensive Coordinators. GMG!

Looks like a more polished Harold Stewart. If we're counting on him for 15-20 minutes a night as a back-up to the bigger, stronger 4/5 we're about to sign then I like it.

When it comes to returning punts, just the opposite of what you stated is true! Also, Riddle was not chased off, if that was your meaning. <SoapBox> I really wish folks would quit stating that MAC, Chico, and/or the team don't have trust in DT because that is just plain false. If they did not, DT wouldn't have been the Starter/Captain for the entire 2012 season and wouldn't even be getting a chance to contribute this year. Fact, less than half of the interceptions thrown last year were on our quarterbacks, period. Every Qb makes bad decision and throws, even the ones that will be drafted this week. IMO, Mac was hoping to put together a winning season and Bowl game in 2012, he thought he could make this happen without using his 2012 recruits. Mac wanted to allow his recruiting class to mature emotionally and physically under Wintrich. There were a number of guys from that 2012 class that would have been contributors if they were allowed on the field last year and our Win/Loss record would most likely have been better because of them. However, Mac made a decision and chose to hold those kids out with a focus on a solid 2013. I believe Mac has been looking towards the 2013 season since he arrived. For personal reasons, I did not like that thought process but I understand what North Texas is trying to do in regards to building a program unlike any we have ever seen here. So far, BB scares me. Yes, he looks to have the skills but he seems to be to much of a gunslinger right now(lots of upside with a corresponding downside). I don't believe for a minute that Mac or Chico are looking for that type of QB for the 2013 season with the players they will have at their disposal. Could BB be used in some special situations(WildCat/GoalLine), I would bet the farm he will see the field in that capacity but not as the everyday starter baring injury to DT. As it stands today, I still think Mini-Mac would be brought in as the first Qb off the bench(two years of learning and running the offense). Brock is a smart kid and knows the offense on paper but he has not had the repetitions to put everything into action. His decision making on the field is still a bit suspect. Mac hates turnovers and penalties, he will rely on his defense to win a game instead of the offense(that's just Mac and his love of hard nosed football). I think Brock is the future starting Qb at North Texas but not this year unless the season goes south. Derrick might not be considered a top level D1 Qb but he certainly is not considered a below average D1 Qb by those that are paid to know. You guys can throw out not liking his footwork, throwing motion, speed, and/or decision making but Derrick is a solid Qb, Leader, and Winner in every way. I trust the coaches to put the players on the field, that give us the best chance to win, every game day. We have 3 solid D1 caliber Qb's on the roster today and we will see if DaJon makes four in August! You guys can pontificate about wins/loses and why you like this guy or that guy but the fact remains, you make a living doing something other than evaluating D1 football talent! <Off Soapbox> GMG!

I'm confused...are you guys saying that our soccer coach also coaches tennis now? If so...how much does he know about basketball?

AMEN.

You mean those Northwestern State U Demons of Nachitoches, Louisiana, Harry? Yes, I remember that 1-AA team walking out of ACS with a win. And Froggy Guy, below in bold letters are a few internet notes about TCU's attendance even during your team's winning years. You obviously were not around ACS during the Frog's decade and a half of losing years to see how even losing teams affected TCU's attendance. One of major criticisms regarding TCU during the last several years has been that TCU, in spite of its great success of the football field and its location in a top-10 market, has failed to attract a large home crowd. (I say: It's amazing how long it takes some area school's fans to discover they have something very special with their football team and then later in a season to finally start showing up on Game Day. Slow starts & early money game disappointments at North Texas have hurt our attendance buidling momentum--even during our bowl years last decade. In DFW, its best to have a good season start (with early wins) to have good season long turnstile numbers). In 2005, in spite of its top-10 finish and 11-1 season, TCU only averaged 31,254 at home. (I say: Apogee Stadium would have had a large enough capacity for that Frog football team). Again, in 2008, TCU finished at No. 7 in the polls and averaged just 30,389 (I say once again: Apogee Stadium would have been large enough for that TCU team). From 2005 to 2008, TCU averaged just 30,897 fans. (I say: I think North Texas with a string of winning seasons will reach those kind of numbers with our constituency of close to 37,000 students, approx. 700,000 pop. in Denton County and over 200,000 NT Exes living in the Metroplex; in fact, it should be a piece of cake for UNT to get such numbers with most of those in attendance at Apogee Stadium still being our own fans since (as is always the case in our history) we will not be seeing many UT or OU travelling fans at Apogee to seal the deal on easy sellouts). IMO, our AD still needs to schedule the Texas Longhorns in Denton if possible to show all our DFW area Froggie fans and supporters just how easy it is to sell out Apogee. GMG!

I think six wins merits and extension for sure.