MeanGreen61

The home of Islander basketball is the modern American Bank Center on the bayfront downtown about 15 minutes from the campus. Seats 8,000 for basketball. Over half of the Islander baseball games (14 of 24)last season were played at the new city-owned Whataburger Field, remainder at Islander Field (on campus).On the bayfront, Whataburger Stadium seats 5,400 , has 19 luxury boxes & 2 outfield berms that seat an additiona 2,000. The field is also the home of the AA Corpus Christi Hooks. No room for a football stadium on campus, but the Islanders will have a home if they do install a program. Maybe Bucaneer Stadium would be enlarged or I wouldn't be surprised if the city built didn't become involved in building one.

TAMU-CC is a school on the move, so it's a great opportunity that would be hard to pass up. Wish Hank the best ! Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander athletics has grown significantly in the last several years, now with seven women's sports and five men's sports. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is one of the state's fastest growing four-year universities and the only university in America located on its very own island. Its palm tree-lined campus is surrounded by natural wetlands and the newly restored beach across from campus provides a "live" on-site laboratory for measuring coastal processes. A&M-Corpus Christi's 240-acre island campus is just minutes from downtown Corpus Christi, the eighth-largest city in Texas and a major port and tourist destination. ISLAND VIEWS http://www.tamucc.edu/islnviews/index.html

John: Have you given any consideration to adding another bowl? Like what about trying to tie in with the Liberty Bowl? It would be great for ASU if they continue to stay in the SBC hunt like they did this past year. Also how to you feel about Western Kentucky and Texas State moving to Division-1A? Texas State has had some recent success in football. Not to mention they played Big 12 member Texas A&M to a very competitive game in 2005. Would WKU and TSU have a spot in the Sun Belt if they wanted it? Commissioner Waters: When we have a second team that is bowl eligible on a consistent basis, we will add a second bowl. I think that day is closer than we think but neither I or our Executive Committee or ADs feel we should obligate $350,000-550,000 annually if we do not know for certain a team will be there to participate. All current members of the conference can move into a conference sport immediately should they add the sport. This has happened at several schools already. The same would be true for WKU. ASK THE COMMISSIONER http://sunbeltsportstv.nmnathletics.com/Vi...CRIBER_CONTENT=

Dickenson excels at business of sports Candidate for Isles AD position knows fundraising By Lee Goddard Caller-Times June 5, 2006 It is tough for people at North Texas to fathom Hank Dickenson as the athletic director at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. It's not that they think Dickenson is incapable of doing the job. Far from it. But, to many in Denton, Dickenson has become emblematic of North Texas athletics. Dickenson, who arrives in Corpus Christi today as the first of four candidates scheduled to interview for the Islanders' athletic director position, is the longest serving athletic administrator at North Texas. Need to know what it was like when all the programs were struggling for victories and fans? Ask Hank. Want to know how the school's image is in the community? Talk to Hank. Feeling a little beat up by a down season? Hank will stop by for a visit. "To be honest, if it wasn't for Hank, I probably wouldn't be here," said Mean Green head coach Darrell Dickey, who has been at North Texas since 1998. "He was selling tickets when we couldn't hardly give them away. He was lining up sponsors when we weren't winning. "And he's a good guy to have around the office. There were times when I was lower than can be imagined, and he would be the first to come into the office and tell me to keep my head up." Dickenson, who asked not to comment until he has interviewed at A&M-Corpus Christi, has been the face of Mean Green athletics for years. He arrived at North Texas in 1995. For the past seven years, Dickenson has been the senior associate athletic director for external affairs, his wide range of responsibilities going from corporate fundraising to on-air athletic color commentator. He also is active in the community, a member of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, a vice-chairman for economic development and a member of Kiwanis. A local news outlet named him Denton's "Business Person of the Year" in 2004. That has elevated his profile, even above that of a Texas football coach. "Everybody here loves him and knows him," Dickey said. "Some people in the community don't know me to see me - and I don't really mind - but everybody recognizes Hank." Dickenson thrives on the financial side where the Islanders - or any athletic program, for that matter - place prime importance. "Fundraising is important in my role, and it's important for the athletic director as well," A&M-Corpus Christi president Flavius Killebrew said. "It's obvious we need to improve ticket sales. I said when I came here if we're going to have an athletic program, we need to build support. "He's had several years of experience at a program that is a little larger. Certainly, he came with some very good recommendations from a variety of quarters." Marty Rivers of First State Bank is a member of the Mean Green Club. He works with Dickenson in the community and knows that, as Dickey said, to an extent Dickenson is the face of North Texas athletics. "If he leaves, it would be the University of North Texas' loss, and a tremendous loss for the Denton community as well," Rivers said. "He's the go-to guy on campus if you have any questions. "He's the one every organization in town calls to emcee their events. And the staff really likes him. In athletics, it's difficult because everything that goes on isn't always positive, but he's very diplomatic with fans and Mean Green Club members alike. "If it works out for Hank, I can't imagine (the Islanders) getting a better person." Rivers said that Dickenson always has had a strong link with the business community. That's not lost on Dickey, who compares Dickenson's ability to generate interest with the automatic interest that follows bigger schools such as Texas. "Fundraising here is different than at, say, the University of Texas," Dickey said. "At Texas, they just count the checks as they come in. Here, you have to get out and tell people it's a good thing to be a part of." As such, Dickey knows that, while people have supported the football team after its string of Sun Belt Conference titles, there were those who were already in place because of Dickenson's work. "He has a way of getting people excited to be a part of something without making them feeling obligated about it," Dickey said. "We have a lot of people with us because we played in four straight New Orleans Bowls. But many people were on board with us already because of Hank. He provided great leadership in tough times. "I would hate to see him leave, but I don't want to be selfish. He deserves an opportunity somewhere." ARTICLE http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/artic...4751233,00.html

These games are 'must avoid' Published June 4, 2006 We won't know the ramifications of college football's 12th regular-season game until December, but one thing is for sure: The addition of the 12th game means there will be a lot more cruddy on-field action this season. Last season, Division I-A teams played 52 games against I-AA foes. This season, that number rises to 74. For the second season in a row, the Big 12 gets the ignominious "We're Playing the Most I-AAs" award. Eleven league teams -- all but Oklahoma -- are playing one I-AA opponent apiece. Last season, there were eight games between Big 12 teams and I-AA foes. The Atlantic Coast Conference is second this season, with nine games against I-AA teams. Last season, ACC teams played just two. The Southeastern Conference is tied for third, with eight games vs. I-AA foes. That's one more than last season. The SEC is tied with the Big Ten, which had just two such games last season. Interestingly, the Sun Belt and the Mid-American -- generally considered the weakest I-A conferences -- are the leagues playing the fewest games against I-AA opponents, with three each. MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst said schools in his league were willing to play one of the 11 Big Ten schools that needed a game in October or November. Plus, the MAC has a handshake deal with the Big Ten that will bring Big Ten teams to MAC and neutral-site stadiums in September. "We're still going to play I-AA games," Chryst said. "For us, the issue isn't to play I-AAs or not. Our first priority is to make sure each school has five home games, and if there's a possibility to have a sixth and it looks good, bring in the I-AA." All this is not meant as an indictment of I-AA football. Heck, there probably are 15 or so I-AA programs that easily could hold their own in the non-BCS leagues and a few programs that would do as well as the bottom feeders in the BCS leagues. But let's get serious: It's hard to get excited when Sam Houston State or Western Carolina or Nicholls State comes to town -- to name just three I-AA schools playing at BCS-league opponents this season. In "honor" of the 12-game season, here are the 12 worst I-A/I-AA games this season: 12. Wake Forest-Liberty, Sept. 30: Wake will be coming off back-to-back road games before this sure victory. Liberty was 1-10 last season. 11. Georgia-Western Kentucky, Sept. 2: Nothing like being a top-10 contender and opening your season with a I-AA team coming off a 6-5 season. 10. Nebraska-Nicholls State, Sept. 9: Hopefully, Nicholls State' season opener against Southern Arkansas gets them ready to play the Huskers. 9. Texas Tech-Southeastern Louisiana, Sept. 23: Texas Tech played two I-AA teams last season; the number drops to one this season. Expect a ton of passes: Both teams run an offshoot of Hal Mumme's dink-and-dunk passing offense. 8. Purdue-Indiana State, Sept. 2: Purdue was a disappointment last season, but a game against the Sycamores -- 0-11 last season -- will make sure this season doesn't start off poorly. 7. Texas A&M-Citadel, Sept. 2: Aggies Coach Dennis Franchione clearly is on the hot seat, so a matchup with the Bulldogs (4-7 last season) will get the season off to a good start. 6. Penn State-Youngstown State, Sept. 16: This is the Nittany Lions' first game against a I-AA opponent since 1984, when William & Mary came calling. As solid as Youngstown State is -- the Penguins were 8-3 last season -- this game is a bad one. 5. Miami-Florida A&M, Sept. 9: This will be the fourth meeting between the schools since 1995. UM has won the past three by a combined 169-23. 4. Virginia Tech-Northeastern, Sept. 2: Northeastern was 2-9 last season. At least it'll be an easy opener for the Hokies' new quarterback, whomever it is. 3. West Virginia-Eastern Washington, Sept. 9: West Virginia thinks it can win the national title. Folks, teams that are in the national-title mix shouldn't play I-AA schools. 2. Florida-Western Carolina, Nov. 18: Western Carolina certainly isn't the worst I-AA team on this list, but the timing of this one really makes it rancid. This is a week before the Florida State game. And it'll be "Senior Day" at Florida, meaning the seniors' final home game is against a mediocre I-AA team. Weak. 1. Texas-Sam Houston State, Sept. 30: Sam Houston State went 3-7 last season, finishing tied for fifth in the seven-team Southland Conference. Texas won the I-A national title. A mismatch of epic proportions. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/loca...ports-headlines

Former coach Fry honored at UNT lettermen’s dinner 10:22 AM CDT on Saturday, June 3, 2006 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle It has been nearly 10 years since Hayden Fry last coached a college football game at the University of Iowa, the last stop in his career that also included stints at North Texas and SMU. His influence is still alive, though, thanks to his former assistants and players who have gone on to become head coaches. The group was one Fry spoke of Friday night at the Mean Green Athletic Center. Fry, who coached the Mean Green from 1973-78, was honored along with his former assistant coach Bill Brashier and UNT president Norval Pohl for their contributions to the athletic department by the UNT Lettermen’s Association at a dinner that served as the precursor to today’s Zeke Martin and Friends golf tournament at Robson Ranch. Several coaches who got their start under Fry came to honor him, including Brashier and Andy Everest. A third will arrive in Denton today. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops missed Friday’s dinner, but is scheduled to play with Fry and Brashier in the golf tournament. “Those guys are all like family to me,” Fry said of his former players and assistants who are now head coaches. “I have been very fortunate to stay close to every one of them. I am extremely proud. They all do a good job.” Stoops is among the most prominent of the 26 members of the fraternity. The former Iowa defensive back won the national title at OU in 2000 and has captured three Big 12 titles in his first seven seasons with the Sooners. “The Stoops brothers all came through Iowa and were great players,” Brashier said. “When we first went to Iowa, the defensive secondary coach told me about a lot of players and he never mentioned Bob Stoops. After the first spring workout we had in an old gym, I told Hayden that he was the best one out there.” Stoops went on to become an honorable mention All-American at Iowa under Fry and Brashier. Fry later helped Stoops advance his career when he helped him land a job as the defensive coordinator at Florida before he took over at OU. Andy Everest, another Mean Green assistant and member of the UNT Hall of Fame who went on to coach in Europe, said he learned several tricks of the coaching trade from Fry that helped him during his career. “Hayden was a great leader and taught all of us concepts we used as coaches,” Everest said. “He was genuine, but also taught his players discipline and the importance of doing things together.” Fry can see those lessons carried on while following the coaching careers of his former players and assistants who are now head coaches. Fry and Brashier will get a chance to catch up with one of those coaches today when they are scheduled to play with Stoops in the golf tournament. “When Bob got to OU they were down,” Brashier said. “He brought the old players back and got them interested and did the right things. I can’t say enough good things about him.” BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com.

Opening games in baseball regional play: Troy 10 Southern Miss 8 South Alabama 7 Tulane 1 ARTICLE http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.d...0&ATCLID=290214

C-USA offering rewards for better scheduling Jack Bogaczyk Daily Mail Sports Editor Friday June 02, 2006 As the Missouri Valley Conference proved in March, you can do something besides play your way into the NCAA Tournament. Maybe you can schedule yourself into multiple bids -- or at least try. So, Marshall and its Conference USA brethren apparently will try a similar tact. C-USA has come up with a multiple-point incentive plan on non-conference scheduling, by which programs that play improved schedules will at least get more money, if not victories. Conference university presidents are scheduled to meet in Dallas next week. Among the agenda items is a review of the incentive plan, which coaches and athletic directors already have OK'd. What the presidents will help decide is how to fund the plan. FULL ARTICLE http://www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/2006060216/?pt=0

Scheduling is a challenge for the Sun Belt By MONTE HALE Jr. hale@dnj.com From a football perspective, the Sun Belt Conference has become less geographically challenged in that it no longer encompasses three time zones. The days of making trips to Idaho and New Mexico State are over, which certainly has eased travel pains for its member schools. Nevertheless, the league has a long way to go in terms of putting together a schedule that makes sense and is more conducive to teams having success. Considering the Sun Belt football league is now made up of two teams from Florida (Florida International and Florida Atlantic), one from Tennessee (MTSU), one from Alabama (Troy), two from Louisiana (UL-Lafayette and UL-Monroe), one from Arkansas (Arkansas State) and one from Texas (North Texas), putting together a fair schedule would seem pretty easy. FULL ARTICLE http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../606020313/1006

Russia occupied Eastern Poland a couple of weeks after Germany invaded. Then Russia and Germany actually partitioned/divided Poland. Britain did declared they were "at war with Germany" 2 or 3 days after Germany's invasion of Poland.

What Allies ? Germany invaded Czechoslovakia in March 1939. Poland fell in September 1939.

Lend Lease Program WWII LCI's (Landing craft infantry) returned by the Russians in 1955. Towed to Yokosuka, Japan & scrapped.

How is it possible to have a civil war ? Can vegetarians eat animal crackers ? If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done ? Why are hemorrhoids called "hemorrhoids" instead of "asteroids" ? If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has a right to remain silent ? Can an athiest get insurance against acts of God ? What if there were no hypothetical questions ? Lighten up, have a nice day !

Not the only or last monster the Froggies created

Sun Belt Approves New Initiatives Courtesy: Sun Belt Conference Release: 05/31/2006 DESTIN, Fla. -- The Sun Belt Conference approved a number of initiatives at their annual league meetings in Destin, Florida last week, Commissioner Wright Waters announced today. FULL ARTICLE http://www.sunbeltsports.org/ViewArticle.d...0&ATCLID=288691

NCAA approves instant replay May 30, 2006 INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) - Instant replay will become a part of Division I-A football games after all. More than two months after tabling the issue, the NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) on Tuesday approved a proposed video-replay system for games starting this fall. On February 9, the NCAA on Thursday approved a standardized video-review system across all Division I-A conferences that would have a video official review all plays and allow each team one challenge per game. FULL ARTICLE http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=in...ov=st&type=lgns

1949-1952. Billy Maxwell won the US Amateur Champ in 1951. Conrad played on all 4 championship teams. Belieive Maxwell & January played on 3 (50-52).

ODU president ready to get party started on football By JIM DUCIBELLA, The Virginian-Pilot © May 28, 2006 Last updated: 1:30 AM NORFOLK - Roseann Runte's appearance before city and university leaders on Wednesday won't be much different from the dozens of others she has made since becoming president of Old Dominion University - except for the cold beer, hot dogs and acrid smell of smoldering charcoal. She will stand inside 20,000-seat Foreman Field - for years the most visible evidence of the gaping void in the university's athletic program - and tell hundreds of guests at her tailgate party that football is officially returning to ODU in 2009. FULL STORY http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/print...05175&ran=79411

AMEN to that. You see and learn things that you carry with you the rest of your life.

TAMU-CC is studying the feasibility of adding football A&M-CC taps firm for opinion on football Consultant's study estimated to last at least six months By Lee Goddard Caller-Times May 5, 2006 The next step in Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's look into football is to put the ball in someone else's hands. A&M-Corpus Christi, examining whether football could be a possibility on campus, has decided on NACDA Consulting to conduct a thorough report on the feasibility of fielding a football team. Arthur Haas, the university's chairman of the football consulting committee, said NACDA had everything needed in a football consultant. FULL ARTICLE http://www.caller.com/ccct/islanders/artic...4675819,00.html

Off the MUTS board. Daily Nedws Journal article. Sun Belt concerned about hoops revenue League's NCAA tourney revenues behind comparable conferences By ADAM SPARKS sparks@dnj.com — Adam Sparks, 278-5167 The pockets of Sun Belt men's basketball haven't been full for a while. A revenue study introduced at the conference's spring meeting in Destin, Fla. last week showed the Sun Belt is well behind comparable leagues in collecting NCAA Tournament money. FULL ARTICLE http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../605290308/1006

Last season ('05-'06) the Islanders men's basketball team was 20-8 and only two Sun Belt teams finishing with a better rating; WKU & South Alabama. They had a similar record for the '04-'05 season.

Dickenson could leave North Texas Senior associate AD interviews with Texas-A&M Corpus Christi 09:46 AM CDT on Sunday, May 28, 2006 By BRETT VITO / Denton Record-Chronicle One of the cornerstones of the North Texas athletic department could be moving south in the next few months. Hank Dickenson, UNT’s senior associate athletic director, interviewed with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi officials over the phone recently for the school’s open athletic director position. Dickenson found out Friday that he will be one of four candidates to interview in person for the job in early June. Dickenson has spent the last 11 years at UNT, including six as senior associate athletic director. He is the longest tenured member of the Mean Green’s athletic administration. “At the Division I level there are less than 350 athletic director jobs,” Dickenson said. “To receive interest for one of those jobs is something I want to look into for sure. I am very happy here. This is more of a reaction to people in the business telling me that I would be a good fit for the job.” Bill Chaves of Baylor, Scott Farmer of Troy and Brian Teter of Cincinnati are the other candidates who are scheduled to interview for the opening. A total of 56 people applied for the position, which was left open when Dan Viola resigned on Feb. 24. Viola was TAMUCC’s first athletic director and helped build the program that is set to join the Southland Conference on July 1. UNT and TAMUCC share a similar background. UNT was a member of the Southland Conference before returning to Division I-A in football as an independent in 1995. UNT eventually moved to the Big West and finally the Sun Belt Conference. “The search committee sees some similarities in my resume and what they hope to accomplish,” Dickenson said. “I have been able to be a part of the process of building the athletic department at North Texas along with a lot of other people. I am happy to know that my qualifications match what they are looking for.” Dickenson has helped guide UNT during an era of expansion that has included the addition of the Mean Green Athletic Center, the conversion of Liberty Christian High School into UNT athletic facilities and the addition of a softball program. “The four [candidates] we picked seemed to have a wider variety of experiences and seemed to express things in various ways in their applications that they understood the kind of school we are, and where we are headed,” TAMUCC president Flavius Killebrew told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Dickenson said he hoped to finalize a time to travel to Corpus Christi to interview for the job after the holiday weekend.

Four will interview to be new Isles AD List already was narrowed from 56 to six finalists By Lee Goddard Caller-Times May 27, 2006 Flavius Killebrew didn't exactly trim the list of candidates for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, but he did select four candidates to interview for the athletic director's position. Killebrew, the university president, announced at a Friday afternoon news conference that Baylor's Bill Chaves, North Texas' Hank Dickenson, Scott Farmer of Troy (Ala.) and Cincinnati's Brian Teter were picked to interview for the job in June. The four were selected by Killebrew from among six finalists, pared down by a search committee that started with 56 applicants. Killebrew said he did not remember "off the top of my head" the names of the other two candidates. Rice's Mike Pede said earlier this week that he was one of the final six. Killebrew also said the two who are not visiting have not been eliminated from contention for the job. "The six that they gave me were pretty strong candidates," Killebrew said. "Each one of them had strengths and weaknesses. But I've said for a long time that you can't ever tell exactly from paper which one is really going to be the one. You have to meet with them and talk to them. "The four we picked seemed to have a wider variety of experiences and seemed to express things in various ways in their applications that they understood the kind of school we are, and where we're headed." That would be to the Southland Conference, which A&M-Corpus Christi will formally join on July 1. While Killebrew originally expressed a desire to have a new athletic director in place at that time, he acknowledged with interviews taking place as late as June 20, that is no longer an attainable goal. In trimming the list, search committee chair Ann DeGaish cited experience as a major factor in determining the final six. "We looked at a broad range of experience, what they could bring to the program and their personal history, what they've done through those years," DeGaish said. "(Experience) was very critical. In our situation, we're such a young program, that it's important to have strong leadership and good, strong decision-making." Chaves declined comment through Baylor's media relations department. Dickenson and Teter did not return calls seeking comment. Farmer, who started off working as a student in the mid-1980s in Georgia Southern's athletic department, felt the job was a great opportunity, and was excited when informed Thursday that he would be interviewed for the position. "I'm very excited about the opportunity," Farmer said. "It's a growing athletic department, moving in the right direction. That's something I've (been a part of) my whole career." Chaves has been at Baylor as the associate athletic director for external affairs since 2004. His area of supervision extends over marketing, sales, ticketing and athletic licensing. Dickenson has been at North Texas since 1995, originally serving as director of communications. In 1999, he was named senior associate athletic director. His duties include overseeing the school's scholarship fund, corporate sales, public relations and promotions. Since 1999, Farmer has been the senior associate athletic director at Troy (Ala.). Part of his job has been to oversee the budget, and directly is involved with planning and administering Troy's 16 sports, which includes football. Farmer said he started at Georgia Southern in 1986, and became an assistant athletic director in 1988. Teter is an associate athletic director at Cincinnati, a position he has held since 2003, when he left Conference USA as an associate commissioner. His main duties have been media relations and the development of marketing plans. The search was set off Feb. 24 when Dan Viola suddenly resigned. Viola had guided A&M-Corpus Christi in the early stages of its athletic program, starting it from scratch when he was named athletic director on May 19, 1997. He resigned with the program he built on the cusp of officially joining the Southland. Associate athletic director Brian DeAngelis replaced Viola on an interim basis. Contact Lee Goddard at 886-3613 or goddardl@ caller.com