WIFE2HOT4U

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Al and Shirley Goldfield, longtime Denton County residents, made official their donation of $1.5 million to the athletic department by presenting a check during halftime of the Mean Green men's basketball game Thursday. "This is the largest donation in NT athletics history," said Athletic Director Rick Villarreal. "The donation will be used to keep the athletics program up-to-date on all facilities and other items necessary to stay competitive in Division 1-A athletics, which includes a new stadium." The stadium will be located on the former Eagle Point golf course, adjacent to the Mean Green Village. Original plans for the stadium call for a starting capacity of 32,000, with the possibility of expansion to more than 50,000. The plans also call for luxury boxes and a club level, for people who want a different view of the game. Department officials expect the stadium to be completed in 2009. "We want the stadium to be used more than six times a year for outdoor concerts and wedding receptions," Villarreal said. Fouts Field is currently only used for football. The Goldfields said they love college sports and want to see the program succeed. "I met Rick last year," Al said. "He talked to me about getting involved [with NT]. I love college sports, and my wife and I like the people involved with athletics and this university." Al was the founder and CEO for Cell Star Corp., a leader in the wireless communication industry. When he retired in 2001, the corporation grossed more than $2.5 billion in revenue and encompassed a large international market, Al said. "As the athletic department grows, so does the university," Al said. "My donation is a start to kick off the stadium campaign, and many other donations should follow. The university is growing like crazy, and could soon pass Texas A&M as the second largest university. A new stadium is important, as it attracts more players to NT, and makes for more of a winning atmosphere."

See i can't even spell it... LOL

In the late 90's Fry was not that cool IMO Other that the Fraternity hangouts & Cool beans I felt really out of place walking in the other bars because I did not fit in with the culture. I felt like there were 2 choices @ UNT then - Either Fraternity / Sorority or Grudge (For a lack of a better word). I found myself wondering where are the ave joes/janes? You know, not necessarily Fraternity or Grudge - just average people how are not too far to the "Left" or "Right". UNT needs to appeal to the ave everyday person, not extreme right or extreme left. I just don't see how this can be a bad thing even if it is a Walgreens, at least it will be new, clean and nice. I for one and tired of the "Hippie sitn on the corner" Fry street persona!! I thought I was a liberal until I went to UNT and rushed a fraternity . I enjoyed the artistic aspect of our university but lets balance it out. I hope they build a Starbucks! LOL

A little more than a week ago NT announced its new branding for NT-Dallas would include a new blue and gold color scheme, and a jaguar as the campus' mascot. Let me be the first to congratulate the powers that be of the NT system, which banged out that one. "Oh, we need a mascot, let's pick a cat!" Don't make me sneeze. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't predatory felines eat birds? Awesome ? way to pick on our eagle mascot - Scrappy - a mascot who is already having issues with pesky white squirrels stealing his limelight and an inferiority complex because his name rhymes with crappy. Okay, I know, NT-Dallas feels like it isn't a part of NT's main campus and they are trying hard to make a name for themselves. Still, if you are going to claim to be a part of NT, at least pick something cooler than a lame exotic cat. Maybe something more local would work better? Last I checked jaguars weren't even in North America. Nota bena: At one point jaguars were in the southwestern areas of the United States, but due to our love for guns and shooting things - with said guns - they no longer populate any of those areas. Also, blue and gold as school colors? What is that point, perhaps different merchandise? We can't even clear the shelves with our own crummy logo-printed junk. It's okay though, now all five of NT-Dallas' students can have pride in their school and buy a sweatshirt that shows off these vibrant new colors. I have an idea. Let's just leave both of the logos the same on each campus. That way, we don't have to deal with all this confusion when people already talk about NT. Most of the population of Texas isn't even familiar with our eagle and color scheme, let alone our name because we changed it so many times in the past. For now, I think we need to just ditch the jaguar and leave it alone. There is no reason that NT-Dallas can't share the same mascot and color scheme as the Denton campus. After all, we paid a lot of money last year to have someone tell us that dark green isn't as good as light green. An earlier edition, the Daily reported that NT had a gathering of people, over a hundred faculty and staff, pick from different animals, birds and mammals alike. And the most popular was a jaguar? You might as well make a lemur the school's mascot, or change NT-Dallas' colors to red and green, because both decisions are equally illogical. Jolly the Christmas jaguar would totally work just the same as a mascot based on those criteria. NT powers that be, prepare for everyone to confuse the university's image - again. I mean not to embarrass you, but you have done this to yourself. Tony Scott is a journalism junior from Houston and is copy chief of the Daily. He can be reached at ajs0151@unt.edu.

The Tomato on Fry Street is approaching the end of its time at its current location, marking the end of an era for NT students, visitors and Denton residents. The Tomato and several other businesses are preparing to relocate or shut down because of the recent acquisition of the properties by United Equities, Inc. We here at the Daily are saddened by the upcoming changes to Fry Street, but even more so at the failed attempts to stop them. Where else will NT students go to eat greasy, expensive yet delicious pizza at midnight in an atmosphere filled with crappy metal music and acrid cigarette smoke? Where else can we go to drink until we can't walk and then hope our buddies are sober enough to help us hobble our way home to our house, apartment or dorm? And of course, where else can we go to laugh at high school-age, wannabe punks in Hot Topic gear and dirty vintage shirts who injure themselves on skateboards and attempt to bum cigarettes off of bar patrons? Denton seems to be destined to become like so many other cities in Texas - a tangled mess of interstate loops, chain stores and never-ending road construction. It's quite possible that in the future, it may not really matter what town you choose to go to school at. They're all the same! It will become increasingly important for NT to make itself stand out in an ever-growing sea of fast food joints and family-friendly establishments. It's not like NT students are going to stop congregating altogether. People will move on and take their money elsewhere. Maybe this will bode well for the other businesses in Denton. People will probably end up going to the businesses that will be set up among the ruins of old Fry Street. But why bother? One Starbucks or CVS Pharmacy is the same as any other. The end of Fry Street doesn't have to spell the end for the businesses there. Mr. Chopsticks is a fine example, which manages to not just survive but thrive at its new location. Hopefully the myriad of shops of Fry Street will follow its example. Within a few weeks, the Fry Street we know and love is set for major changes. So go out tonight and buy a comic book, grab some coffee, eat some pizza and drink a beer for all those NT students who will come after you - those who will never know how awesome Fry Street used to be.

I have been holding this back but... My cousin lives across the street from a UNT fball player's (High Profile Player on offense) girlfriends house and they talk - so I heard DD is going through another personal issue that may be affecting his attitude - it's one of those issues that affects 50% of marriages - boy if it is true DD has had a very rough yr or so.

The last of the NCAA recruiting dead periods concluded Jan. 4. The second weekend of visits takes place this coming weekend, as more commitments are expected to take place. Oral commitments are non-binding, and the first day a recruit can sign a national letter of intent is Feb. 7. Linebacker Justin Padron (6-foot-2, 220 pound) gave an oral commitment to play for his former high school coach Todd Dodge at North Texas, becoming the first player to commit for Dodge in his new era as a college head coach. Up to this point, North Texas had been the only school to offer Padron a full scholarship. Padron said he had talked with SMU, Rice and TCU. However, talks with Rice trailed off, and SMU and TCU could only offer walk-on opportunities, he said. Padron will have the advantage of playing for former Carroll defensive coordinator Ron Mendoza who also moved up to North Texas to become Dodge’s defensive coordinator. Colleyville Heritage wide receiver Breece Johnson, a former District 5-5A opponent of the Dragons, gave an oral commitment to North Texas earlier this week. Dodge’s team faced the Panthers and Johnson twice this past season, once in the regular season and once in the 5A Region I championship round of the playoffs, so the former Dragon coach was familiar with the receiver’s talent. Johnson led all area receivers with 19 touchdowns and compiled 1,343 receiving yards for the 2006 season. Johnson had plans to visit Utah State on Jan. 26 and had talked with some other schools, but had not received any other offers before the North Texas opportunity came together. Carroll defensive end Kyle Russo is also planning an on-site visit at North Texas on Jan. 19. Russo had been talking with SMU, but said SMU coaches told him they were not going to recruit him. Russo is still talking with Baylor, Wake Forest, Iowa State and Kansas State, but talks with the schools have not accelerated. Carroll twin brothers Arius and Anthony Ford have also been invited to take an on-campus visit to North Texas on Jan. 19, but Arius said the brothers may consider a visit to Division I-AA non-scholarship Georgetown and Ivy League schools Penn and Brown. Carroll defensive end Bryce Saldi (6-4, 213) said talks with Texas Tech, SMU and Houston have picked up. Saldi, son of former Cowboy tight end Jay Saldi, said Texas Tech coaches were talking about coming for an in-home visit the week of Jan. 15 and is considering taking an official visit to SMU on Jan. 19. Colleyville Heritage quarterback Casey Russell, who was second in the area in passing with 3,769 yards, said he is taking a visit to Utah State on Jan. 26 and still has his offer from Stephen F. Austin. Russell said he is also talking to smaller schools. Linebacker Matt Howe said he is taking his visit to Stanford today and to San Diego State on Jan. 26, as he has offers from both schools. Howe said he still has an offer from Central Florida, but isn’t sure if he will visit. Flower Mound/Marcus Division I activity has surfaced for Flower Mound running back J.T. McDonald. With an offer from Division I-AA Virginia Military Institute in hand, McDonald said he has talked with coaches from Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Navy, Colorado State and North Texas. He said the coaches have told him that they would probably come back to visit with him the week of Jan. 15. Defensive end Rashad Sanders has seen his Division I interest fall. However, he has scheduled visits to Texas State (Jan. 28) and Ouachita Baptist in Arkadelphia, Ark., on Feb. 2. Marcus defensive tackle Spencer Canole said he is taking a scheduled visit to Arkansas State today and has already been offered. He is also planning a visit to Navy, possibly on Jan. 26. Northwest Defensive lineman Peter Brooks is scheduled to take his official visit to Kansas today. However, he said he has not had contact with Oklahoma State. Quarterback Will McAngus said he has tentatively planned to go to the Air Force Academy today and then to Navy on Jan. 26. Talks with SMU have apparently withered, he said.

Todd Dodge, one of the most winning coaches in Texas history, will become head football coach at UNT Dec. 26. Dodge, 43, is widely respected as one of the nation’s most successful high school football coaches for his winning record at Carroll High School in nearby Southlake, Texas. During the five years that Carroll has been designated a Texas Class 5A high school, Dodge has won three state championships and compiled a 77-1 record. Rick Villareal, athletics director, announced the appointment during an hour-long press conference Dec. 12. “As a ball coach you have to believe in your heart that you’re at a place where you can win, and I believe that North Texas can win. It has a record of winning and I respect that and look forward to bringing that back,” Dodge told members of the media as well as several Mean Green players and fans who attended the event. He also said that returning to UNT, where he served as offensive coordinator in the 1992 and 1993 seasons, felt right. “I’ve been coaching for 21 years and the two years I spent at North Texas were two of my favorite,” he says. “I am so excited and so thankful to have this opportunity to return as head football coach. And making this move is right for my family, too.” Elizabeth, Dodge’s wife, is a UNT alum, his son, Riley, now a junior on the Carroll football team, attended the lab school as a three-year-old, and his daughter, Molly, was born in Denton. Dodge talked with the football players and fans in attendance after the press conference, which was emceed by ESPN’s Dave Barnett, a 1979 UNT alum, and also presented by UNT System Board of Regents chair Bobby Ray, President Gretchen M. Bataille and Villareal. Bataille says the university’s search for a new coach was diligent, rigorous and included more than 100 candidates, but the important part of the process was that it resulted in a new football coach who would be committed to our student athletes. Villareal says the search process began with the goal of finding a coach with a proven consistent and winning record, a wealth of experience that if possible included collegiate and head coach experience, a commitment to be involved with the community and desire to understand how to build a program in the community and had Texas ties and ties to Texas high schools. The candidate also needed to show a significant want to be at UNT. Dodge’s contract, which was signed Dec. 12 and begins Dec. 26, runs through August 2012 with a base salary beginning at $185,000 and increasing to $230,869 in 2012. In addition, he will be compensated an additional $75,000 each year for maintaining UNT’s NCAA certification, NCAA Division I level and Sun Belt Conference Membership; completing the season including any post-season NCAA-sanctioned bowl games; and participating in all required radio appearances. Additional incentives include those for: • increased season ticket sales • conference championships and post-season bowl games • academic achievement of players • win-loss record • Top 25 ranking in the Associated Press Poll and ESPN/Coaches Poll • Coach of the Year for the Sun Belt Conference and/or National Coach of the Year for the Division I Coaches Association. http://www.inhouse.unt.edu/index.cfm?commentID=1303

the ave age @ UTAlmost is 28 - they need to change that before worrying about fball I grew up in Atown so I can say these things - no pun intended

Rick Villarreal, director of athletics, has announced that Darrell Dickey will not return as head coach of the UNT football program in 2007. Dickey is expected to coach the team for its remaining three games, including Saturday’s game at Louisiana-Lafayette. “As director of athletics, it is my job to evaluate our programs and the performance of our head coaches,” Villarreal says. “I have made an informed decision to seek new leadership for our football program. We appreciate Coach Dickey’s dedication and the achievements during his tenure as head coach. It’s time for North Texas to seek a new head coach to lead our football program to a position of prominence in the Sun Belt Conference and to a more competitive position at the national level.” Dickey is concluding his ninth season at UNT where he has compiled a record of 41-62, including a 33-20 conference record. He led the Mean Green to four straight Sun Belt Conference championships and four appearances in the New Orleans Bowl from 2001-2004. His 2005 team finished 2-9, which included six straight losses to finish the season. The Mean Green finished the 2005 season tied for last place in the Sun Belt Conference standings. He had three winning seasons in nine years at North Texas. “UNT’s athletic director, Rick Villarreal, made an informed decision, which I support,” says President Gretchen M. Bataille. “UNT’s athletic programs are focused on student success — not only on playing fields and in arenas, but also in our classrooms. We will continue to recruit coaches and students who are committed to winning athletically and academically.” The Mean Green has a 2-7 record through nine games this season with games remaining at Louisiana-Lafayette and Louisiana-Monroe and a home game with Florida Atlantic. http://inhouse.unt.edu/index.cfm?commentID=1218

I did research on Denton and with the 3:1 female vs male student population - sealed the deal for me Little did I know how skewed that ratio was until I saw the TWU ladies - LOL (No Pun intended) My other reasons: I Liked the name (I have always associated "North" with class) I liked the colors Close to DTown Did not like the A&M culture (Left, Right, Left) TT - too damn far and too many trucks SWT/UT - I would still be a sophmore - too many distractions SFA - waste of a drive As you can tell, I really put a lot of thought into the revelent things...

http://www.ntdaily.com/media/storage/paper...www.ntdaily.com Eight daycare representatives and family support agencies participated in the first inaugural Daycare Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday on University Union Courtyard. The Center for Student Development and Commuter and Off-Campus Student Services sponsored the fair, which was one of the events comprising Non-Traditional Student Appreciation Week. Mary Pastorius, the center's director, said they wanted to add some new activities to this year's Non-Traditional Student Appreciation Week. "One of the things we always get a request for through the Women's Center or through Student Development is daycare," Pastorius said. "We are providing a venue for daycares to promote themselves and to act as a point of contact to the parent or student to see what resources are available in the Denton community." Charlotte Allen, owner of Wellspring Christian Academy in Denton, said she came to the fair to meet parents and answer questions in person. "It's a wonderful opportunity to get to interact with students and personally answer questions," Allen said. "We can set up a time for the parent to take a tour and meet any needs." Sandy Renick, project manager of the Campus Children's Initiative program, attended the fair to provide information about a grant available to NT student parents. "I'm out here to spread the word about the grant and the initiative to have a childcare center on campus," Renick said. "An on-campus childcare center is a tool to draw faculty and staff." Other facilities in attendance were the Denton Area Home Child Care Association, Countryside Montessori and the Family Resource Center of North Texas. NT defines a non-traditional student as a person over the age of 25, Pastorius said. Although this is a broad definition, she said out of the 14,000 non-traditional students at NT, most are returning to school after a long hiatus or are younger students with mature responsibilities. Other Non-Traditional Student Appreciation Week activities include a forum with the Student Government Association president, an essay contest, school spirit drawings and an information session and social with the non-traditional student organizations. Pastorius said this year's daycare fair is helping NT maintain a family-friendly image. "It is giving NT an image of 'Not only do we want you as a student, but we want your family to be involved as well,'" Pastorius said. Is that correct?

https://jobs.unt.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/...e=1160283480387

Position Information Requisition Number 061086 Job Title Athletic Program Director Position Number 00001140 Department Athletics Location Denton UPDATE: Job Category No Work Schedule Must be willing to work flexible hours including nights & weekends. Job Description To increase revenue for the athletic department in the forms of season ticket sales, group ticket sales, Mean Green Club contributions, sponsorship sales, Don January Golf Tournament, and end of season sports banquets. Position will work in Denton as well as Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in increasing attendance at football, men's and women's basketball. Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree required. Three years experience in collegiate or professional sports sales or fundraising. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; computer and organizational skills. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree preferred. Special Instructions to Applicants Is this a security sensitive position? Yes Driving a University Vehicle? No Job Open Date 08-23-2006 Pay Rate commensurate w/ experience Pay Basis Monthly Job Category Administrative/Professional/Technical Job Type Full-time Permanent

There will be a new face in the NT Office of the President beginning next week. President Gretchen Bataille has appointed Bonita Hairston to serve as chief of staff in the NT Office of the President starting Monday. Hairston served as legal counsel at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where Bataille was interim chancellor, before joining the NT staff. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native said she knows well what her new position will entail, having worked as assistant to the president at Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C., and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. Bataille said Hairston is a "terrific person - efficient and effective," and that the new chief of staff will do good work at NT. "I wanted someone who would hit the ground running, and who I know and trust," Bataille said. The chief of staff acts as liaison among the students, faculty and staff, according to Hairston, who said she will mainly be focusing on policies and procedures and improving their efficiency. Hairston said another one of her main objectives is to talk more with Bataille and get an idea of Bataille's vision. Hairston will use her legal background to execute these points of action, she said. She said she has worked as an attorney and received a Juris Doctor from the school of law at Wake Forest University, where she also completed an undergraduate degree in history. "I have always been big on processes and procedures ? and law has always fascinated me," Hairston said. Hairston said universities do not always focus on revisiting their policies because of hectic semester agendas, which is why some policies don't always fit together. As a firm believer in organization, Hairston said she will work hard to look deeply at why some procedures are not being followed at NT and "put out any fires" that arise. Hairston said she also enjoys working with organizations such as the Student Government Association and maintaining great relationships with the students. She also wants to work on their side, as well when communicating with the university about making changes. "They have a voice and I always encourage them," Hairston said. "I try to make them understand all angles of the issues." Hairston will live in Lewisville but plans to "get as close to Denton as possible." Upon visiting Denton, Hairston said she was reminded of Winston-Salem and is excited to start work. "I love music," Hairston said. "I sing and play the piano, so I am looking forward to seeing the music department."

Often called one of Texas' economic engines, the Metroplex boasts dynamic growth and amenities other regions rarely enjoy. However, this same growth causes concern among preservationists. Denton is currently at the forefront of this battle. Last semester, United Equities Inc., a Houston-area development firm, announced plans to redevelop a block of buildings between Fry and Welch streets and Oak and Hickory streets. The news sent shock waves through the community and resulted in meetings with the developer, Buster Freedman, and community and university officials. In an effort to open dialogue between the community leaders and the developer, the Save Fry Street organization was created. At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, the organization presented Denton Mayor Perry McNeill with 9,483 signatures from residents concerned about the development's implications. "Our angle is to try and encourage them to continue discussions with Buster in a way that will be beneficial to both parties," said Raven Oak, member of the Save Fry Street organization. "There's a difference between renovation and demolishment. ? You're tearing down 80-year-old buildings to put up buildings that look old." Julie Glover, manager of the Denton Main Street Program and historic preservation officer for Denton, said she is always apprehensive when redevelopment occurs in historic areas. "We're always concerned about part of our city that makes us, us," Glover said. "I do have concerns about people coming in and knocking things down and putting up glass and steel." Glover said while the redevelopment of United Equities Inc.'s new property is inevitable, Denton preservationists are concerned about the possibility of redeveloping the property on the opposite side of Hickory Street. "I know nothing about what is planned for the other side," Glover said. "But it should be a concern. Once one thing happens, it's easier for the next thing to happen." Glover said Denton is encouraging historical preservation by offering incentives and tax abatements for the renovations of historical buildings. "This will be an incentive for people who want to do the right thing," Glover said. "It's not going to be incentives for someone who doesn't want to save a building, or who thinks that the best thing to do is knock something down and build something new." However, Glover hopes her efforts, along with those of numerous preservationists across Denton County, will combat what she calls "generica," following homogenous architectural trends. "We're becoming more alike. ? And I don't know if that's a good thing," Glover said. "You go from city to city and can't tell where you are, unless you're in the heart of the city, which is usually historic."

My Sister-n-law is a UNT JR… Wife & I go to the "Outlaws" AKA In-laws & my Father n law asks if DD will get fired... Then my Sis n law asks if I am going to Homecoming I reply "yes" She says she will be @ the Bonfire but that's it - Father nlaw says "Why go to the game - implying we just plain suck" I say well "Tailgating would be fun" - LOL Na she says, I'll go to the Bonfire and that's it. The reason I'm writing this is because they were Season Tkt holders 2 yrs ago. This is a family that we all wear green and she even had a NT Fball tshirt on while making these comments. My problem is, to get students to the Games it's 1 of 2 things - right? Either the Product - Football Team or The atmosphere - The Tailgating/Drinking/ETC So if the student does not really party (Unlike Me) and it's just not FUN to watch your team get a beating - what is the incentive to go. I am stating the obvious - we are losing the excitement we have been building over the last few yrs. See in the mid late 90's (When I was a Student) there was no Tailgating - winning seasons. My wife (UNT Alumni) did not even know we had a fball team & yea, I have asked her if she ever noticed "That big Stadium" (I admit it I did not marry her for the brains ok - hence the handle) LOL What the heck is going on? I thought times were changing. When saw us run on 3rd & 4 with 1:50 mins left in the first 1/2 I knew DD has to go! So here is my question - What’s more important a new stadium or a new coach? New coach meaning a Million $ coach that with his name alone, we can recruit, fill the stands and move into a new conference... Would a Big name coach come here for the right $? If so, who and what is stopping us. We need an immediate change next season; RV is doing a good job (IMO) now he needs to take us to another level. As - I am watching the game, I'm thinking: Negatives - No excitement after first Drive Stands empty by 3rd qtr DD shows no fire - no confidence JT has to be losing confidence OL Positives - Our uniforms & Team clothing look nice - GET THE NORTH TEXAS off the helmet go solid green or logo Decent crowd for Kick off It was on TV - But who picks these games? Why did we not have SMU on FSW or ESPN regional? It gave me an excuse to get really hammered...Bla Blah Blah

As a live band played "Billie Jean" in the background, students danced, mingled, bought NT shirts and other memorabilia or waited in line for free food or drinks during the pep rally Friday night in Clark Park, across the street from Clark Hall. NT's pep rallies will be held at Clark Park rather than Fouts Field on Fridays before home games. San Antonio senior Alan Ross, Student Government Association president, said the hopes are more students will attend since they will not have to travel as far across campus. "I'm really glad they changed the pep rally from the stadium to here," said Alex Ocheltree, Spring junior. "It brings out more students since it's at the center of the campus. The more students at the game, the more school spirit there will be." SGA, the NT bookstore, Wells Fargo bank and the Residence Hall Association were among the organizations that hosted the pep rally. Ross said the intent of the pep rally was to raise school spirit and to promote attendance at the football games. "We want a better community," said Chris Brown, Fort Worth senior and speaker of the SGA Senate. "It's about having a good time and representing our school. This will probably be the best game of the year. It's been a long time coming. Whenever we do play them [southern Methodist University], it's a big deal. It gives us something to root about." Students and faculty alike were excited about the game. "We should do very well," said Chuck Fuller, assistant vice president for Business Services. "They've always thought they were too good for us. Tomorrow, we're going to prove we're too good for them." His expectation proved correct when NT defeated SMU 24-6. The pep rally was the first part of the weekend activities. With the game being the next day, more and more students were wearing their green. For a number of students, this was going to be their first college football game. "I'm pimped up," said Dallas freshman Marccus Hendrix. "The music's straight. The food's good. I'm really excited. This will be my first college home game. I'm going to be painted green and white. I bleed green. That's what it's going to be." http://www.ntdaily.com/media/storage/paper...www.ntdaily.com

Steelers obtain RB from New England Staley's status unclear after deal for Cobbs Saturday, September 02, 2006 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The story of Willie Parker and how he came to be the Steelers' starting halfback is such a good one that the team went in search of a similar one yesterday when they acquired rookie Patrick Cobbs in a trade with New England. Cobbs, like Parker with the Steelers two years ago, came to the Patriots as an undrafted halfback. He was invited to their training camp after a tryout in May. He became one of the surprises of New England's preseason, leading the Patriots with 188 yards rushing on 38 carries (4.9 average) and three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 115 yards and another touchdown. The trade shows how worried the Steelers are with the depth at the position behind Parker, where they have third-down back Verron Haynes and veteran Duce Staley. The Steelers last night acknowledged the trade after the Patriots reported it on their Web site. According to the Patriots, they will receive an undisclosed draft choice from the Steelers for Cobbs. Unlike Parker, Cobbs, 23, played a prominent role for his college team at North Texas. In fact, he is the school's career rushing leader with 4,050 yards. The Boston Globe reported that Cobbs had a contract to play for Montreal of the Canadian Football League before the Patriots signed him after that tryout in May. Moving day Chuck Noll once said that cutting players from his team wasn't the problem, stopping was. He did not make that statement during the Steelers' four Super Bowl wins in the 1970s, but rather in the middle of a four-year stretch when they missed the playoffs in the '80s. Still, with 53-man rosters these days, even the coach of the defending Super Bowl champions should not have that tough of a time deciding who to keep and who not to keep as the deadline looms at 6 p.m. today for him to reach the final roster limit. Coach Bill Cowher made some moves yesterday, but the Steelers for whatever reasons, refused to make them public. Through various other sources, however, some of their moves became known. They released quarterback Shane Boyd, giving rookie Omar Jacobs a shot at making the roster or at least becoming No. 3 on the practice squad. They released punter Mike Barr for the third consecutive summer, going with veteran Chris Gardocki for his 16th NFL season. They released rookie tight end Charles Davis, a fifth-round draft choice, and must decide between undrafted rookie Jon Dekker and newly acquired Tim Euhus as their third tight end, if they keep three. An intriguing move to watch for today is whether the Houston Texans release veteran tight end Mark Bruener. If they do, the Steelers could move quickly to sign him. Halfback Cedrick Humes, a seventh-round pick, also is out as are offensive guard Tim Brown, nose tackle Scott Paxson, defensive end Lee Vickers, wide receivers Walter Young and Lee Mays, linebacker Ronald Stanley and fullback Brandon Joe. Linebacker Richard Seigler has a right foot injury and could be waived/injured. Veteran offensive tackle Barrett Brooks' season ended in the game Thursday when he sustained a torn quad in his right knee. He goes on injured reserve. Once eligible players clear waivers, the Steelers will begin forming their nine-man practice squad which will include British citizen Marvin Allen, a receiver, as a designated extra player. Some players cut yesterday and today likely will be signed to that unit.

Patrick Cobbs has his head down more than normal these days, and it's not from disappointment that the New England Patriots traded him to the Steelers. That fact is the little halfback from Joe Greene's alma mater has his head buried in a playbook. "Right now, it's just lot of learning," Cobbs said as he took his head out of his playbook for a quick interview. "I have to learn a whole new playbook and get caught up with these guys who have been doing it for two or three months. "I'm just in my playbook every day and every night, just trying to learn this much and get it down as fast as I can to help this football team." Cobbs, from North Texas State, likely won't be active for the opener tomorrow night against Miami ahead of Duce Staley. But as he picks up the Steelers' offense, he could make a case for playing. He played on every special teams in New England this summer. "That will probably be an area I maybe can help this team out, too," Cobbs said. "Obviously, there are some good backs here. I have to get caught up first of all, and we'll see what happens." He led the Patriots in the preseason with 188 yards rushing on 38 carries (4.9 average) and three touchdowns. He also caught seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. A tough schedule Denver coach Mike Shanahan successfully lobbied the NFL from scheduling the Broncos for the opener tomorrow in Heinz Field, citing it as unfair because his team's final exhibition game was on the road Thursday night. Miami's Nick Saban, whose Dolphins played at home Thursday night, claims not to have tried to influence the scheduling. "I never had anything to do with it in terms of whether we did or didn't," Saban said. "It's the same for both teams." While there still are seven days between games, normal for an NFL regular-season schedule, there was a large cutdown between them as teams had to pare their rosters from 75 to 53 by Saturday evening. That's the same day the Steelers put in their game plan, which normally takes them into the early hours of the next morning. They turned around and added eight players to their practice squad Sunday. There also are other personnel issues as teams scour other teams' waiver lists or, in the case of the Steelers, pick up a player in a trade. "It is difficult management," Saban said. "On the plus side of it, I think it's a great opportunity for our organization and our team to play a night game and open the season for our league. There are a lot of positives in it, too." Bettis is busy Jerome Bettis may have retired from the Steelers, but he'll be spending plenty of time in Pittsburgh this week. Today, the Steelers will unveil Bettis' locker in the Coca-Cola Great Hall at Heinz Field. The ceremony begins at 5 p.m., with gates opening at 4:30 p.m. Parking is available in Gold Lot 1A. Also today, Bettis will sign autographs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the unveiling of the DVD "Pittsburgh Steelers: Road to XL" at the Robinson Township Giant Eagle. He will make his debut tomorrow night as a studio analyst for NBC television when the Steelers kick off the NFL season against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field. On Friday, he will be back at Heinz Field beginning at 6:30 p.m. for the first Caring for Kids All-Star Event, presented by his The Bus Stops Here Foundation. Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch will receive the first Jerome Bettis Award for Humanity and Community Service. Tickets can be obtained through e-mail at savethedate_pgh@yahoo.com or by phoning 412-913-5957. Injury update Coach Bill Cowher upgraded wide receiver Hines Ward (hamstring) and center Chukky Okobi (knee) to probable for the game while downgrading tight end Jerame Tuman (hamstring) to doubtful. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, out after an appendectomy, visited the Steelers' facility and attended practice last night but was unavailable for interviews. The rest are listed as probable: cornerback Chidi Iwuoma (concussion), safety Mike Logan (ankle), offensive tackle Willie Colon (hamstring), offensive tackle Max Starks (knee). The Dolphins list guard Joe Berger (foot) as out and cornerback Travis Daniels (ankle) as questionable. Advisory The Steelers have advised fans to arrive early and be in their seats no later than 8 p.m. for the game tomorrow. A special pregame program featuring Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and a ceremony commemorating the Steelers' five Super Bowl titles will take place. An official Steelers Terrible Towel wave will take place before kickoff and will be led by Corey O'Connor, the youngest son of late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor. Captains picked The players elected captains for the season -- on offense Hines Ward and Alan Faneca; on defense, James Farrior and Joey Porter; on special teams Sean Morey and Clint Kriewaldt. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06249/719345-66.stm

Java Flakes gears up for departure, unsure about future Cereal bar's contract ends July 2007 Amberlee Sterling Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: NEWS PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 1 Media Credit: Andrew D. Rozell Mark Nevroth, Java Flakes ownerMark Navroth, Java Flakes owner poring a bowl of cereal on Tuesday afternoon. [Click to enlarge] Media Credit: Andrew D. Rozell A rush hits Java Flakes on Tuesday afternoon.. [Click to enlarge] Media Credit: Andrew D. Rozell Julie Gracela, Haltom City Jr.Lili Sananikone, Haltom City Sr.Julie Gracela, Haltom City Jr., and Lili Sananikone, Haltom City Sr. ordering lunch at Java Flakeson on Tuesday afternoon. [Click to enlarge] Media Credit: Andrew D. Rozell Aly Berry, Huston Jr.Aly Berry, Huston Jr. Studying at Java Flakes on Tuesday afternoon. [Click to enlarge] Unlike most bars on Fry Street, which serve an alcoholic buzz, people frequent Java Flakes, a cereal and coffee bar, to get a breakfast-style fix. This atmosphere may disappear next July, however, when owners Mark and Darlene Neuroths' two-year lease expires. When the Neuroths signed the lease, they did not know a lot of businesses around them had been doing month-to-month leases for some time, Mr. Neuroth said. If they had known, they probably would have tried to find a different location, he said. Originally, they wanted to sign a five-year lease, but the owner at the time, Curtis Loveless, refused their request, Mr. Neuroth said. "To us it was a little deceitful because he [Curtis Loveless] knew when we signed the lease that he had it for sale, and he never told us," Mrs. Neuroth said. "He never disclosed that." Mr. and Mrs. Neuroth and United Equities, Inc., a Bellaire-based real estate firm that currently owns the Fry Street property, are stuck in the contract until it expires, Mr. Neuroth said. "I can't look now because I can't afford two places, and I'm locked into the lease," he said. "I mean the lease is kind of a double-edged sword. [buster Freedman] can't give me a 30-day eviction notice like he can everyone else, but on the other hand I can't really start looking for another location until we actually sit down and meet and see what he wants to do." Bittersweet sentiments shared Abby Bonard, Greensboro, N.C., senior, and Justin Bonard, Mr. Chopsticks employees, have been eating at Java Flakes since it opened last October, they said. On Saturday mornings, the couple usually meets a group of friends for breakfast, Mrs. Bonard said. "We always know that we're going to see each other on Saturday morning," she said. "We don't call each other or anything." Mr. Bonard sees the new development as a symbol of change for NT and Denton. "I would hope that it would fail, but honestly I think with the way that NT is trying to even redirect their own funds and spending, NT itself is trying to get away from the liberal feel," Mr. Bonard said. Mrs. Bonard moved to Denton from the suburbs of Dallas to find a niche where she would fit in, she said. "I just started asking people, I was like, where are there people like me that I would want to hang out with, and everybody said go to Denton or Austin," Mrs. Bonard said. "This makes me feel like I have a place where I belong, and it's so sad to me that they're going to change it because if it really changes like that I'm going to leave and try to find somewhere else where I can fit in." Mr. Bonard agreed. "If they're going to tear all of this stuff down and make Denton just like Dallas I'm going to have no reason to come back and visit this either, you know," he said. "So when everybody's gone, there won't be anything that sets this town apart from Dallas or Lewisville or Carrollton or anything." Tweaking the bar Mr. and Mrs. Neuroth had never been to a cereal bar before. They had only heard of the idea, Mr. Neuroth said. It was my wife's idea, he said. "She had seen a similar one that they started in Arizona, and fell in love with the concept and just took three months to convince me to seriously consider it," Mr. Neuroth said. "I thought she was nuts when she said, 'Let's open a cereal bar.'" The first and last time Mr. and Mrs. Neuroth have been in contact with their new landlord was when Tim Sandifer, who works in acquisitions, development and retail leasing for United Equities, Inc., delivered a letter to the Neuroths at the end of April, Mr. Neuroth said. The letter, which had to be signed while Sandifer was present, stated the change of ownership, Mr. Neuroth said. Mrs. Neuroth said she felt apprehensive when they received the letter. "It had just started taking off, you know, and we're like we put a lot money and sweat and tears into this place," Mrs. Neuroth said. When Mr. Neuroth attended NT in the early 1970s, the buildings on Fry Street looked the same, he said. "Different businesses, but the same eclectic type of shops," Mr. Neuroth said. "They're [NT students] very open, you know, to new ideas and small businesses. So I thought if we could make it anywhere, NT would be the place." Mr. Neuroth said he does not believe Buster Freedman did any market research before he purchased the property. "They [the city] have a vision for Denton, which there's nothing wrong with visions for Denton, but to turn your back on what made Denton what it is today, anyway, is kind of sad," Mr. Neuroth said. "Because a large part of Denton is NT, and a large part of NT is Fry Street." Buster Freedman, United Equities, Inc. president was unavailable for comment. Jamaal O'Neal contributed to this report. http://www.ntdaily.com/media/storage/paper...www.ntdaily.com

Team A's football program produced $53.2 million in revenue in 2004, according to an Indianapolis Star database of college athletic spending. Team B's program produced $1.9 million in revenue. Team A's profit after expenses that year was $39.3 million, making it the most lucrative program in the nation according to the survey. (Twenty-three schools did not submit data.) Team B ran a $1.8 million deficit, 152nd in the nation. Chris Ditto/WireImage.com North Texas scrambles to schedule games with large guaranteed payouts. Team A made $20.2 million on ticket sales alone. Team B sold $300,000 worth of tickets. Team A spent $4.9 million paying its football coaches. Team B spent $1.1 million. Team A had a recruiting budget of $366,000. Team B spent $62,000. Team A is Texas of the Big 12, the defending national champion. Team B is North Texas of the Sun Belt, which went 2-9 last year and ranked No. 161 in the final Sagarin Ratings. They're both Division I-A programs and both from the same state -- and that's about where the similarities end. The fiscal disparity helps explain why the game is a guaranteed mismatch, played for a guaranteed payout of $400,000 from the Longhorns to the Mean Green. It's the third installment of a four-game series played every other year -- all in Austin. Combined score of the games in 2002 and '04: 92-0. "I don't think coach (Darrell) Dickey would put a team on that bus and go down there if we didn't think we had a chance to win," North Texas athletic director Rick Villareal said. Brave talk and blind optimism are your best allies when you're a member of the Sun Belt Conference, a six-year-old football league that forms the cold, hard basement of Division I-A. This collection of former I-AA dreamers and vagabonds is still trying to gain some traction in the uphill climb to respectability. Here's how bad 2005 was for the Sun Belt: its teams played 27 nonconference games against I-A opponents last year -- and lost 26 of them. The league finished with no team ranked higher than 113th by Sagarin's computer. And the league office in New Orleans took a pounding from Hurricane Katrina. Maloney/WireImage.com Louisiana-Lafayette and the rest of the Sun Belt teams didn't rate very high in the preseason magazines. This year, if you average the ranking of four preseason magazines that rate all 119 I-A teams, only Louisiana-Lafayette was in double digits at No. 94. So talk about beating Texas or competing with the power elite only goes so far. "If people want to walk around and say, 'Our goal is to win a national championship,' well, that's great," said James "Boots" Donnelly, the former coach and athletic director at Middle Tennessee State who oversaw the Blue Raiders' move from I-AA to I-A. "But you need realistic goals. You're not going to win a national championship in my lifetime, or God's lifetime. That's just the truth." This also is the truth, no matter how bleak the numbers: The league has improved over the last five years. It reorganized as a more geographically sensible conference last year, shuttling Idaho, Utah State and New Mexico State to the Western Athletic Conference and adding Florida Atlantic and Florida International. It's putting 36 games on regional television this year and has put more butts in seats at home stadiums. And almost every school has made a significant football facility upgrade in recent years. "That tells me their presidents and board of trustees have confidence in the way things are going," commissioner Wright Waters said. "You don't spend millions of dollars if you don't think it's going to work." But there clearly is much work to be done. The budgets are smaller here, the beatings are worse. Most schools in the league still are losing a lot of games and a lot of money. They're as far removed from the BCS bowls as possible while still saying they're playing big-time football. "The conference is looked upon as probably the worst conference in I-A," said Donnelly, now a talk-radio host on the ESPN affiliate in Nashville. "That's just the way it is until we get better, and that's going to take a few years. "If people want to walk around and say, 'Our goal is to win a national championship,' well, that's great. But you need realistic goals. You're not going to win a national championship in my lifetime, or God's lifetime. That's just the truth." Former Middle Tennessee AD and coach "Boots" Donnelly "There are 119 schools in I-A. That's basically a three-tiered conference: you've got the top tier, the middle tier and the bottom tier. Realistically, if the Sun Belt continues to fight like crazy, the first goal is to get into the top of the bottom tier. Then you've got an opportunity to start fighting the middle tier. "We don't need to be listed as No. 102, 103, 103, 112. We need to build this thing to be in the top 65, 70." Before that day comes, Sun Belt teams will spend much of September taking fearful beatings in exchange for plump guarantee checks that help keep shoestring athletic budgets from snapping. Louisiana-Lafayette (which ran a $1.5 million football deficit in '04) opens at LSU (which had a profit of $28 million), then plays at Texas A&M (plus-$25 million) the next week. Troy (a deficit of one dollar, according to its statements) visits Florida State (plus-$6.6 million) Sept. 9 and Nebraska (plus-$9.5 million) Sept. 23. Florida Atlantic (minus-$2.8 million) opens at Clemson (plus-$11.8 million). Louisiana-Monroe (minus-$490,000) visits Alabama (plus-$28.8 million) Sept. 16. And so on. It's ugly out there for teams putting on I-A airs. But in the Sun Belt, at least, the number of guaranteed maulings used to be greater. AP Photo/Dave Martin Charlie Weatherbie takes Louisiana-Monroe on the road eight times in 2006. Most of the league's teams are gradually weaning themselves off the guarantee teat, instead trying to schedule more home contests and put more fans in the stands. That has become the Sun Belt's strategic plan for pulling itself up off the bottom. Waters wants his teams to veer away from playing up to eight road games a year. Only ULM plays that many this season, and three schools actually play an even slate of six at home and six on the road. "I like what our ADs have done as far as scheduling," Waters said. "When we started this in '01, schools balanced their budgets by playing guarantee games. Now we're much more concerned with playing home games and trying to sell tickets." By attendance numbers alone, the Sun Belt schools have made significant progress. Comparing last year's figures to 2001, four league schools have increased their average home crowds by more than 70 percent: Florida International is up 99 percent, Louisiana-Monroe 91 percent, Louisiana-Lafayette 86 percent and Arkansas State 71 percent. The only school that's down is Middle Tennessee, which dropped 19 percent during a 4-7 2005 season that saw coach Andy McCollum get fired. If the 2005 attendance numbers are an accurate indicator, the Sun Belt has surpassed both the Mid-American Conference and the Western Athletic Conference in terms of stability. The NCAA's I-A Mendoza Line for average attendance is 15,000. Programs that fall short of that, in actual or paid attendance, over a rolling two-year period will receive a letter of non-compliance from the NCAA. Schools then enter a 10-year window during which they must meet the attendance standard or be placed on restricted membership -- which could take away their bowl eligibility. Only one Sun Belt school was below the NCAA's 15,000-fan line last year: Louisiana-Monroe, which averaged 14,617. The MAC had six schools fall short (including the bottom three: Buffalo, Kent State and Eastern Michigan, all of whom averaged fewer than 9,000 fans) and the WAC had three. AP Photo/Dave Martin Troy shocked Missouri in 2004 to give the Sun Belt one of its few signature wins. One way to pad the attendance stats is to move games to a more appealing off-campus site -- and sell the extra tickets to your competitor. Arkansas State will play Oklahoma State in Little Rock Sept. 9, and Middle Tennessee will play Louisville in Nashville at the Titans' Adelphia Coliseum Oct. 6. Both games are likely to draw more fans of the visiting team than the home team. A victory in either of those games would be exactly the kind of statement win the Sun Belt badly needs. To date, the league has had two signature victories: Troy shocked Missouri 24-14 in 2004 on national television, and North Texas beat Cincinnati 24-19 in the 2002 New Orleans Bowl, which gives an automatic bid to the Sun Belt champion. Problem was, neither win started any kind of snowball effect. Troy turned around and lost to New Mexico State the following game after beating Missouri. And Sun Belt champs have gone 0-3 in the New Orleans Bowl since North Texas' win. "We have to beat out-of-conference opponents," Villareal said. "Those wins give your league more credibility." For Villareal's school, just staying on the field against Texas Sept. 2 would be a start. Pat Forde is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at ESPN4D@aol.com. Andrew Wills Financial Analyst II (P-3C AIP TORT) L3 Communications - Link Simulation & Training 817-619-8441 Office 817-619-4098 Fax M/S 405

Isn’t the student ave age @ UTAlmost “28” ? That would be the real problem right? I grew up in Atown and I can tell you UTA is viewed as one step ahead of TCC & not by much. Personally, there is not much about Arlington that is desirable including UTA. If you want to be an Engineer – not a bad place to go.