SUMG

This is one slow cold front. It's still not made it to here in Texarkana yet. (Yeah, I know....even the cold front doesn't want to come to Texarkana). It is supposed to get here tonight....giving us some freezing rain (Some freezing rain tomorrow, too). The good news.....our drought has been busted. We've had 6 inches of rain in the last 2 days. (and probably about 10 inches of rain in the last 3-4 weeks).

(This is from a story ("Bucks may not stop with Saban" on page 17C of the Sunday DMN): Gretchen Bataille, the new President at North Texas, says her main mission is to expand UNT's identity beyond the region. One of her first moves was hiring a new football coach, Todd Dodge from Southlake Carroll. Bataille, stresses academics, but she said, "Football--sports in general--can be the face of your institution." Dodge's annual base pay is $185,000. He has incentives for conference championships, bowls, ticket sales, and classroom performance that could increase his total to slightly more than $300,000. "It makes a difference for him, and it makes a difference for us, if he makes the incentives," Bataille said. Two thoughts from me: 1) I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that Dr. Bataille would equal the great Norval Pohl. Heck, in the long run, she may even do more for us than Dr. Pohl. Anyway, Dr. Bataille has been a wonderful hire, we're blessed to have her. 2) Am glad to see that TD has an incentive based on classroom performance.

I would love to see this happen. Playing a Big Ten school or Big 12 school, would be a lot more fun, than playing the 4th place CUSA team. But, I don't think it has a chance until the NO Bowl guarantee is increased. Our guarantee this year, was listed at $300,000+ (when we had always thought that the minimum was $750,000). As for the Indy Bowl, their payout is well over a million (I think a $1.5 million or so). Anyway, I don't see this happening...until our guarantee is closer to what they've been getting in Shreveport. Not sure, what the Detroit bowl payed (guessing it was $750,000)...

The last few years that they were in the Belt, New Mexico State was pretty bad. Anyway, 2nd year coach, Reggie Theus has them at 13-3, with a 3-0 conference mark.

I wish this trend of linemen being so huge would reverse. And for damn sure, I think it's sad, that there are so many 300 lb. players now in HIGH SCHOOL. HBO Real Sports did a report on this....and it's not good. The high majority of those 300 lb. high school linemen won't get college scholarships. And after their playing days are over, many of them stop working out....and before you know, many of these 18-20 kids are now weighing 350-400 lbs.

Are these guys all Division I talent....or are they just all big? You didn't say that they were great players, just that they had size. Secondly, as I recall, we had an O lineman named Baysinger (from Dallas Carter)....didn't we? I think his name was Al. I'm sure that he's related to this guy. I don't remember Al lasting very long at NT. Anyway, if there's anyone who would know if these Carter and other DISD kids are good players...it's Cooley. Maybe he knows something about some of them.

There's a RB/DB on that team, who has great speed.....and is also a heckuva player. The player's name is Colton Haverda. I've read his 40 times....and they are anywhere from 4.34 to 4.47. Not sure if he's committed anywhere.....but he, Vizza and Dibrell all sound like great players. And btw....I absolutely love this "non stealth" recruiting.

Also....it wouldn't have hurt EP's chances, if he had actually coached somewhere. I don't think he has....has he? I don't think he was ever a GA with us...nor have I heard of him coaching anywhere (high school, college). And gee, his playing days in the NFL....were over about 10 years ago. (He played for Pittsburgh in their Super Bowl loss to Dallas...near the END of his career). No offense, but if Erric wanted to get into coaching....he could have tried to pay his dues somewhere.

I think since they're a private school, they can fill their job whenver they want to (I don't think they would have to wait 30 days). Plus....our 30 day waiting period, is a Texas state requirement....and doesn't apply in other states. Someone can correct if I'm wrong on this...

That would sort of surprise me (Kragthorpe leaving Tulsa). The reason I say that is earlier, he turned down the chance to talk to North Carolina, because he was committed to Tulsa. Also, from what I understand, money isn't what motivates Kragthorpe, he's a big family man. (Isn't his Dad an assistant at TU for a $1 a year salary...or something like that?) And, the Louisville job just opened up (with Petrino leaving for the Falcons). So, that would mean that Kragthorpe would have had to make up his mind pretty quickly.... Not doubting your sources, just saying that seems to go against everything that Steve has been saying of late... EDIT: Hey, I just read the Tulsa World's website. The connection, is that Kragthorpe and Louisville's AD are big pals---they met at Northern Arizona. Anyway, I don't know why Steve would turn down North Carolina and take this gig. At North Carolina, he would have been replacing a guy with a losing record. At, UL he'll be following a guy who just went 12-1. We'll see what happens......

I kept that Dallas Morning News All Area Team supplement that was in the paper last week. Anyway in it.....it has tidbits of info on all the first teamers. It says that Breece enjoys making pottery, and that he might major in Art in college. Anyway, if TD and staff keep getting commitments from kids like Breece and Justin Padron, this is going to be a great class (IMHO). GMG and GTD!

The last time our job was open (when JJ was hired).....we had numerous outstanding candidates. Of the candidates...one was already a Division I head coach (Bob Marlin at Sam Houston State). Since we didn't hire Mr. Marlin....he has taken SHSU to the NCAA tournament, and his team has played in the SLC tourney championship game a couple of other times. Plus, there were three other candidates who went on to get Division I jobs: Billy Gillespie....hired by UTEP (now at A & M) Ray Lopes (hired by Fresno State) John Jay (hired by Oregon State). So rest assured...if the job came open, we would have some outstanding candidates apply for the job.

It's pretty simple. Want to get into a better conference some day???? THEN, START TREATING MEN'S BASKETBALL AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL like most other universities do. There is no way that a men's coach would be kept at ANY other school, if he didn't take a team to a NIT or NCAA tournament in six years. So, that should be the standard: JJ get into one of those tourneys this year....or you're gone. And for God's sake, how a women's coach can be kept around 18 years with no NCAA tournament appearance, is beyond me, as well. As much as I wanted Dickey gone, as least I can say that Darrell took us to 4 bowls in 9 years. Tina and JJ have almost 24 years (between them) on our payroll, and we have two WNIT appearances (both double digit losses) to show for it.

I think Romo will be all right. I think he just got a little to "full of himself" this season. He was playing great, and then started getting caught up in all the Jessica Simpson rumors...and then started dating Carrie Underwood. I think he lost his focus. For football anyway. I think he'll bounce back just fine next year, and still believe he's the best QB prospect that we've had in some time. As for Parcells, I hope he hangs it up.

Hey Buff....that Shreveport game was played yesterday (Friday) at the Independence Bowl. It's called the Max Emfinger All American Classic, and features a lot of great players from around the nation, but is a notch below the San Antonio all-star game. In the 70s and 80s....Emfinger was the "Bobby Burton" of that era. He was the first Texas recruiting guru, that most of us had ever heard of.

All I will say is....after 9 years of Dickeyball....I'm going to give Coach TD the benefit of the doubt on any of these moves. I think his track record (Hey, he's won 79 out of his last 80), warrants that trust. GMG and GTD!

Would it have been asking too much for the groom's side to yell out "NORTH!" and the bride's side respond with "TEXAS!"???????

Everyone else can see it? No, it seems mostly that, the ones who think this is all great are new fans (like you, untwillrise and kieth 7). A lot of the rest of us have been here for all SIX YEARS of JJ Ball....and we don't see the kind of improvement that you should see in that amount of time. Since when does it take six years to get a team into the NCAA Tournament? Basketball, isn't football, it doesn't take that long to turn a program around. And btw.....14-14 shouldn't be the measuring stick on a 6th year coach. Heck, the standard for a sixth year coach SHOULD BE: Getting a team into a post season tourney (NCAA or NIT). JJ's teams are undisciplined. They're as undisciplined as Dickey's teams were in football. So keep peddling the (manure) that this is a special season. A lot of us have heard that before. By the way, we were 12-6 at one point last year. Last year was a "special" season, too.

When the games aren't on the radio down there....why don't you just listen to them on the internet? A lot of us do that.

3. In 1977, we were ranked 18th in the UPI poll on 10/10, 16th on 10/17, 16th on 10/24, 20th on 10/31 (after losing to #20 ranked Florida State 35-14), 18th on 11/7, 14th on 11/14, 13th on 11/21, 17th on 11/28th and 16th on the final January poll. We were not ranked in the AP poll at any time that year. Fry was casting top 5 votes for us in the AP poll, which kept us ranked high.....so you might say the 1959 rankings were the true highest rankings we've ever received. I never got to watch Coach Fry fill out his poll rankings that year, so I'm not sure how he voted. But, I do know if Hayden did vote for us, to help put us in the UPI poll that year....toward the end of the year, other coaches were voting for us, as well. The reason I know that is that one week (maybe more), we had more votes than Hayden could have possibly given us on his own. Coach Fry, had to do whatever he could to garner attention for our Independent team back then. There were in '77.....what 12-14 bowls, at the most? Maybe a few more. But there sure weren't the 32 that there are now. So, even though I'm glad that we were ranked in 1959...your post seems to totally downplay the accomplishments of the 1977 team, IMHO. And to me, that '77 should have been ranked...and was bowl worthy.

I suspect that the opener (at OU)....might be on Fox Sports. (Our last game with them was on Fox, as was our most recent UT game. As for the national SBC game on ESPN...they'll probably go with Troy or one of the other more recent hot SBC teams. I think we'll get two games on ESPN Game Plan (Channel 52). So, I'll say three in regular season.....with a fourth one (a bowl game) being a real possibility.

I'm guessing since we haven't heard otherwise, that the Denver men's team made it into town, and the men's game for tonight is still on.

According to today's DMN......two Texas coaching legends.....Darrell Royal and our own great Hayden Fry, will be on the field for the coin flip at tonight's Texas-Iowa Alamo Bowl game. (Both were, of course, coaches at those two respective schools). Anyway, back in 1994, Coach Royal was in Denton at a car dealership (it was an advertised event, to draw a crowd). Anyway, PLummMeanGreen and I, went out to meet Coach Royal. We both told him that we were Longhorn fans growing up, but switched our allegiance to North Texas, when we became students there. Well, we got to talking to Coach Royal about the first game we had with UT, back in '76. (Coach Royal liked Hayden and scheduled us back then....when a lot of other big schools wouldn't give us the time of day.) Anyway, that first UT game was a BIG DEAL back then. We took 15,000 fans to that game, which we lost 17-14. We thanked Coach Royal for scheduling us, and he told us this story: "When Hayden called and asked how much the guarantee was going to be for North Texas in that game, I told him.....hey, you're half the game aren't you? So, we'll give you half the gate." That was incredibly generous. Two great coaches.....two great men.

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I would imagine that DU will be able to make it to Denton. They just said on the Weather Channel, that the Denver airport is open. (Friday morning).