ADLER

I don't think a discounted price on tickets will have any effect. Everyone has a million other things to do in the last couple of days preceding Christmas. Unless they receive free tickets and an invitation, I seriously doubt they'll attend. We have a great opportunity with a nationally known, nationally ranked opponent. The Cougars have a famous coach, and they should be bringing quite a few of their own fans because of the bowl game. Why not mail these tickets to arrive TUESDAY. If fans haven't already bought the "holiday package", then they're certainly not going to buy it after a game has been played.

A holiday wish. I wish the Athletic Department would bite the bullet and mail 4 tickets to the Houston basketball game to every person that purchased season tickets for football this year. It would be a nice holiday gift, and a token of appreciation to the people that have made a financial investment in supporting North Texas. It would give our target customers (let's face facts, they already buy our other products) exposure to something that they may be interested in additionally purchasing in the future. It would be a promotional sample. It would help generate excitement for the remainder of the season if we were able to bring in a large group of loyal fans for a rare home game against a nationally ranked regional opponent. A good crowd would make a positive statement about our basketball support to the Houston fans who will be in town for the Fort Worth Bowl, and for the CUSA representatives that will also be present. Rarely is our basketball facility and fan support viewed by so many outsiders. Let's face facts. Without proper promotion, attendance at this previously unscheduled home game which is 1:00 on a Friday two days before Christmas could be an embarrassment. We have an opportunity, I wish we'd make the most of it.

Rexrode should be moved to fullback which is where he played until his senior year at Comfort. He needs to bulk up to play the position in college, but he certainly has the frame to carry it. Curiously enough, the running back that played in the backfield with Tye for the Bobcats is playing on the defensive line at TCU.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT RICK STOCKSTILL Steve Spurrier Head Coach at South Carolina "I really enjoyed our one year together at South Carolina. Rick is known as one of best recruiters in country and I think he will be one of the best head coaches as well. We wish him the best at Middle Tennessee and feel like the Blue Raiders got a great man to lead their program." Tommy Bowden Head Coach at Clemson "Middle Tennessee could not have hired a better guy. He is an excellent coach. The players he coached at Clemson improved over their careers and his coaching ability had a lot to do with it. He will bring Middle Tennessee's talent to a new level because he is an excellent recruiter. Rick has always had a great relationship with his players and their families, no matter where he has coached. And, the surrounding community will really like Rick. He will embrace the community and the community will embrace him." Danny Ford Former Head Coach at Clemson "Rick comes from a great football family and did a super job during his time on my staff. He is very thorough, is an excellent teacher, and is one of the best recruiters I have been around. Rick is just a fine person who I know will do a great job leading the Middle Tennessee program." Lou Holtz Former Head Coach at South Carolina "Rick is a very classy individual who possesses true character, integrity, and honesty. He is a great recruiter, has a calm demeanor, and is excellent with the student-athletes in all facets. Middle Tennessee made an excellent choice in Rick Stockstill because he has high standards, is an excellent teacher, and possesses a great football mind." Bobby Bowden Head Coach at Florida State "I think Middle Tennessee made a great choice. When you're looking for a coach to lead your program, it's good to have someone with a lot of different experiences. Rick has that, having worked with different coaches at different schools. He knows football, he's a terrific recruiter, and he knows a lot of people. He'll do great." Tommy West Head Coach at Memphis "Rick is one of the classiest guys in the business. He is a great coach and a great recruiter who relates extremely well with his players. Rick is one of the best assistant coaches I have ever been associated with during my time as a head coach." Bobby Johnson Head Coach at Vanderbilt "I think Middle Tennessee is making a great choice by naming Rick Stockstill as the head coach. I really enjoyed my year at Clemson coaching with Rick. We have kept in touch and I have definitely followed his coaching career. Rick is an outstanding football coach. He will do a great job for Middle Tennessee." Skip Holtz Head Coach at East Carolina "I am a huge fan of Rick Stockstill. He is a bright, energetic, enthusiastic, upbeat player's coach who will do a wonderful job bringing the players together. I think the world of Rick Stockstill and believe Middle Tennessee has made the right move in bringing him in to lead the football program."

Justin did a great job neutralizing Yemi during the Denton game. For Justin's worth compare that game to the earlier game that he missed because of injury in Denver when Yemi dismantled the Mean Green. I would start Barnett at center, put Simpson at forward, push the ball inside early and try to get Nicholson into early foul trouble. As far as being the top post player, it may be true, but that could depend on how well Southall comes back from his year out at ULL.

Denver can be pretty damn tough. They held Southern Mississippi to 2 baskets (yes, TWO baskets) in the second half as they routed the Golden Eagles a few games ago.

It was something about turning from being Incrediboy to becoming Syndrome and terrorizing the citizens of Ft Worth. I'm just kiding. Like many of others that have preceded him, Gak has simply flown too close to the fire. There is a legacy of passionate North Texas fans getting burned when they've been busting their tails to help this program. As a matter of fact, there is a Voy forum dedicated to this very premise. Some call it Donald Grizwold Syndrome, but I'm sure it even predates him.

Everybody needs to evaluate why football attendance is picking up and then apply the same logic to basketball games. The football games have become an "event" on campus. Everone wants to go because there will be tailgating, socializing, and beer. Currently basketball games offer none of those. Like our football games were during the Helwig days, there's nothing else offered besides the game itself.

Will the schedule of tonight's game be affected by the weather?

The Football Banquet is January 21 at the Gateway Center.

I am standing besides myself! My tickets to the Knuckles State game arrived in the mail today.

North Texas Men’s Basketball Tilt Against Houston Moved To The Super Pit Courtesy: University of North Texas DENTON (12/5/05) -- The North Texas men’s basketball game against Houston on December 23, originally scheduled to be played in Houston at 7 p.m., has been moved to Denton and the tip time changed from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate the Cougars kick-off time of 7 p.m. in the Fort Worth Bowl on the same day. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the North Texas ticket office at 940-565-2527 or 1-800-UNT-2366. The game can still be heard live on the Mean Green Radio Network as well (KWRD 100.3 FM, KNTU 88.1 FM, KPXI (100.3 FM), KAFR (88.3 FM)), starting with the pregame at 12:30 p.m. North Texas is currently 2-2 overall and 2-0 at home, while Houston is 3-1 after coming off a victory over No. 15 Arizona last Saturday. The Cougars are 1-0 in road games this year. NORTH TEXAS ATHLETICS

North Texas Men’s Basketball Tilt Against Houston Moved To The Super Pit Courtesy: University of North Texas DENTON (12/5/05) -- The North Texas men’s basketball game against Houston on December 23, originally scheduled to be played in Houston at 7 p.m., has been moved to Denton and the tip time changed from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate the Cougars kick-off time of 7 p.m. in the Fort Worth Bowl on the same day. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased through the North Texas ticket office at 940-565-2527 or 1-800-UNT-2366. The game can still be heard live on the Mean Green Radio Network as well (KWRD 100.3 FM, KNTU 88.1 FM, KPXI (100.3 FM), KAFR (88.3 FM)), starting with the pregame at 12:30 p.m. North Texas is currently 2-2 overall and 2-0 at home, while Houston is 3-1 after coming off a victory over No. 15 Arizona last Saturday. The Cougars are 1-0 in road games this year. NORTH TEXAS ATHLETICS

Since the game was moved to Denton from Thibideaux after our season tickets had been sold and mailed, season ticket holders do not have tickets to this game. Is it going to be all general admission? Has anyone heard/read anything definitive?

I hope La Tech gets a bowl this year. They certainly deserve it a lot more than some of the BCS conference teams that went 2 and 5 in their leagues but scheduled 4 pushovers to open the season.

Major Applewhite - Syracuse quarterbacks coach Todd Dodge - Southlake Carroll HS head coach Les Koenning Jr. - Texas A&M offensive coordinator Wow, that's odd, three former UT quarterbacks up for the same job. Les Koenning Sr. was an assistant coach at Rice while his son was playing at Texas. Of course this was after he had coached his son at Houston Memorial.

I've already got one. Now go away before I taunt you a second time.

I don't think that there were over 19,000 in the stadium at any one time, but there were thousands that entered late because of festivities outside in the parking lot, and thousands more that returned to the parking lot early. I had to run out to my car 10 minutes into the first quarter and the parking lot was a sea of people partying. I can't say say I blame the revelers. If I was 21 or 22 I might have found the temptation of beer and coeds to have been greater than sitting through the whole game. I don't think it would be a reach to state that the surge in attendance over the last several years is as much a result to the game-day atmosphere as the product on the field. Maybe, just maybe, we can get someone to start woking on making the same magic happen for Saturday night basketball games.

"Um, they're dangerous. My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw some kid hideously disfigured by a thrown tortilla pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess that's pretty dangerous. "

He did, and he said several nasty things about our players in the days after their loss. Personally, I hope we give them the treatment that's usually reserved for ASU and NMSU. Grenade Therapy

RAGIN' CAJUNS They will represent the conference well, and they will keep the bowl alive.

I'm willing to wager that the Ragin' Cajuns will be the Sun Belt representatives in this year's New Orleans Bowl. I predict that ULM will get eliminated in Denton, and then destroyed by Louisiana at Lafayette.

Listen to the game here KNTU SPORTS Click on LISTEN LIVE

I would do one step further. I would actually send free GOOD tickets to the first home basketball game of the season to every football season ticket holder.

Is it better than a female extraterrestrial?