oldguystudent

Well, they're playing Pitt in their bowl game. There might be a young up and comer in those ranks interested in a head coaching job in DFW.

Smaller than Kibbie?

Heh. Even the Big West told Boise to go shove it in their hats. The only way they're getting in is with an exorbitant exit fee clause. They spent a couple years in the Big West as transients in a football halfway house, and crapped all over the conference when they left. I don't know how or why North Texas entered or left the Big West, so I absolutely don't mean to paint with broad strokes. I'm thinking of specific actions and words from Boise early in the decade.

Go to class every Monday. Mention at the beginning of class so that everyone can hear about what a great time you had at the game last weekend. Wear it with pride. And that's it. For those who scoff, let them scoff and do not deride them. Every once in a while, someone will come up and ask about the games. Invite them to tailgate, walk them into the stadium. Let word spread. But do not, under any circumstances, deride.

September 1, at FIU – The team comes out for the first time under new coach Dan McCarney with much fanfare, and falls flat on its face. I’m in class during this game, check the score during a break, see 28-0, and think to myself it’s going to be more of the same ole’ UNT football. Loss 41-16. Sept 10, Houston – After decades of waiting, the new stadium is here and ready to go! We’re uncertain where to park, or how to tailgate. A bunch of people come to check out the new digs, but the place doesn’t quite sell out. Andrew McNulty scores the first touchdown at Apogee Stadium, and UNT hangs tough with Houston for the first half, only to fall apart in the second half. We see Case Keenum light up the field between rounds of filling out his AARP membership applications on the sidelines. Loss 48-23 Sept 17, at Alabama – Our annual foray into body bag games. UNT doesn’t even show up to this game. Fans start to question the new coaching staff. The UNT Athletic Department cashes its check and licks it wounds. Loss 41-0 Sept 24, Indiana – UNT’s first win at Apogee Stadium, and first win under Coach MCarney. UNT controls the game completely until the fourth quarter, in which Indiana mounts a furious comeback, but ultimately comes up short. Students rush the field after the victory, much to the dismay of some, the delight of others. The Mean Green Brigade is shamed into wearing pants for the remainder of the season. Win 24-21 Oct 1, at Tulsa – Fresh off its first win of the season, against AQ Indiana, UNT heads on up to Tulsa with great optimism, only to run straight into a golden hurricane. Starting quarterback Derek Thompson it out for this game, replaced by backup Anrew McNulty, who proves ineffective against a swarming Tulsa defense. Mean Green Nation gnashes its collective teeth. Loss 41-24 Oct 8, Florida Atlantic – Legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger returns to Denton for the last time. With Thompson back under center, UNT controls this game from start to finish including two pick sixes on defense. The fourth quarter is questionable once again as FAU scores twice, but UNT holds on. Talk of bowl eligibility begins among the fan base. Win 31-17 Oct 15, at Lousiana Lafayette – UNT goes into the half down only 3, and looking like they have a legitimate shot for the victory, only to suffer yet another fourth quarter meltdown. Somebody needs to send a memo to the locker room that the game continues after the 45 minute mark. Some wonder if the relationship between the McCarney and McNulty families is kosher. Loss 30-10. Oct 22, Louisiana Monroe – Homecoming. The tailgating is going fast and furious, although some missed it because of a 2-hour change in game time. ULM returns the opening kickoff for a touchdown, Meen Green Nation groans, but UNT gets up, dusts itself off, and controls the game for the duration, the outcome never in question. Greek letters are seen on the hill by the fans. The university, and possibly the TABC are notified. Oct 29, at Arkansas St – A straight up beating handed to UNT by a very good Arkansas St. team. McNulty spends most of the game under center, and isn’t very effective. Lance Dunbar runs for only 90 yards. Mean Green Nation questions McCarney’s dedication to road games vis a vis the window dressing of home victories against bad teams. Loss 37-14 Nov 12, at Troy – Oh no! Another road game! This time to five-time conference champion Troy. But with Thompson back in the game, UNT goes the passing route for 331 yards, and a much diminished Troy squad falls. On its last chance to do so, UNT gets its elusive road victory, but Dunbar isn’t looking so good right about now. Win 38-33 Nov 19, Western Kentucky – The hill is mysteriously empty prior to this game before president Lane Rawlins comes marching triumphantly into town with several thousand students in his wake. We still question what the heck a Hilltopper actually is, but Western Kentucky shows us what’s what in coaching improvement and sticks it to us after a questionable call on UNT’s part to go for it on 4th and 1 while in easy field goal range. Lance Dunbar is out for all but one play, in which the SBC refs are unable to discern what exactly constitutes the plane of the endzone. The entire team seems to have slathered their hands in butter prior to the game as nobody can hold on to the ball under any circumstances. Mean Green Nation discusses the ability to make quick decisions and close out games, our bowl game hopes and dreams dashed for the season. Loss 31-21 Dec 3, Middle Tennessee – Had this game been at Fouts Field, we could have made endless jokes about hearing crickets in the stands. A cold, rainy afternoon brought out Patrick Cobbs, the Mean Green Brigade, and well, pretty much nobody else. Even the cannon was afraid of the rain. A home field winning record, a rushing record, an attendance record all on the line, UNT runs this game like its own personal body bag. Dunbar gets 313 yards and crushes just about every record ever written, UNT scores eight touchdowns before finally turning off the jets in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Brett Vito just can’t help himself in the in-game blog, refusing to acknowledge that UNT had ramped up for this game, instead choosing to state that MTSU is “Bad, very very bad.” Poncho sales were at an all time high in the UNT shop. Final record – 5-7 for a .417 winning pct, a 198% increase over the previous four years, as many home wins as 2007-2010 combined, five wins over bad teams, seven losses to good teams. Several key seniors depart, leaving us with ample opportunity to discuss what ifs and how’s its for the next nine months and where Coach McCarney and staff is going to take this much improved program.

There is so much big fish, little pond syndrome. I want 50,000 people at every game and lead story status every night on ESPN, but not at the potential cost of my old timer most supportive fan RV on speed dial status.

That made me laugh out loud.

This would have worked out much better had they built the stadium with a capacity of 50,000.

This is a half-assed effort. The complaining is there, but the opportunity to pat one's self on the back is missing.

It was a lot of fun watching our team refrain from scoring again in the fourth quarter. Our guys played like it mattered, and they kicked butt. I don't care about who did and didn't show up. Our program is on the rise, and I got to witness Lance break records. I got to see Patrick Cobb graciously congratulate Lance on his accomplishment. In fact I met him today, and he was genuinely excited about Dunbar's accomplishments. Now is not the time to bitch. I could throw some statistics out there, but it would be fruitless. Dan McCarney has taken a group of undersized kids, and turned them into a team that cares. Who was making the deer in the headlights looks to the sidelines on offense today? Wasn't us! As a newly minted alum next season, I'll be renewing my tickets and enjoying going to the games, and not worrying about what anyone else is doing. It's fun to watch UNT football again, and that pleases me! I graduate in less than two weeks, proud of what this program has accomplished, and 100% positive about its future.

I think our math department is holding us back from tier 1 status. But good lord I enjoyed watching us refrain from scoring again for once.

Right back atcha to you and yours Harry. (now on a facetious note, can I leach some turkey off you?)

I wouldn't have if the fraternities had been there to block my way!

I would expect nothing less. Well done, fine sir.

That's really saying something!

When I tried that, she ran over to her friends and the whole lot of them immediately started pointing and laughing at me. Good times.

Take heart. It's almost baseball season, and UNT hasn't lost a baseball game in over 20 years.

I'm not sure that's a universal word, but I like the cut of your jib nonetheless.

Until I can upgrade my forum affiliation, I've got no hope of competing with the big boys. There really should be a playoff.

The bloody marys that we've had on tap at every game have been my ultimate undoing. I'm afraid that I may never drink them again. They go down soooo good on game day. So, so good. And so, so potent! Bloody marys have turned me into a teetotaller at games. But this brunch tailgate you speak of. I need to consider this. Our standard ribs will be out of the question because I'm not showing up at 4 in the morning to give them time to cook. What are you cooking so I can steal the idea and call it my own? If I knew there were going to be fewer than 50 people, I'd consider doing a two burner omelet bar, but I don't know if I can keep up with peak demand with such a small setup.

If the new business building could go right in the middle of campus at the expense of Kendall Hall being torn down, then surely they could've removed greek row and put the stadium there. That would have solved two problems in one shot.

So the answer to the November conundrum appears to be reserving an OOC game for late in the season.

The sunglasses are the darkest ever made in the history of the universe. I couldn't see through them in daylight let alone night time.

The BBCOR bats are supposed to perform exactly the same as wood. Whether that's true or not, homeruns came waaay down last season when the old rolled bats went away and the BBCOR bats came to town. On the bright side, it's forcing college players to learn to swing the bat rather than just stick it in front of them and watch the ball bounce off it for 500 feet. Has been a problem with college players making the jump to the pros in years past.

Not soon enough! No such thing as the pitcher hitting in college ball, except that a lot of teams have two-way players. That is to say that since they're young and not 100% decided on which way they want to go, there are quite a few players that play outfield 3 games a week, and pitch for the mid-week game. Sometimes they work out as pitchers and become weekend starters. Other times, they stick to the outfield. Regardless, since the NCAA put restrictions on the bats, the free swinging days of 80s SEC Gorilla Ball are over, and you see a LOT of bunting the runner on first over to second. It's a much, much different game than MLB. You'll also see a lot of 3-2 Friday night games with 23-12 Sunday games. This is indicative of the lack of pitching depth in all but the most elite teams.