MeanGreen61

Soccer.... Mean Green Cruise In SBC Opener 4-0 Over Troy Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 09/30/2005 Extend unbeaten streak to 8 games Courtesy: Rick Yeatts Freshman Brittany Cleveland had a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win over Troy Article from official site. http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=194786 Volleyball..... Mean Green Volleyball Wins Sun Belt Opener Over South Alabama Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 09/30/2005 Courtesy: Rick Yeatts Sophomore Katy Prokof recorded a career-high 24 kills in NT's victory over South Alabama Article from official site. http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=194798

Mean Green To Host Special Spectators Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 09/30/2005 The North Texas Athletic Department has teamed up with the Special Spectators organization to bring a smile to children with life-threatening illnesses. The Special Spectators will be the guests of the Mean Green for the Oct. 4 home game against Troy. The children will have the opportunity to play in the Mean Green Fun Zone, eat dinner and mingle with North Texas athletes and cheerleaders and enjoy the game. The children will also be recognized at halftime on the stadium video board. "We are excited to have these young people here for the game," said North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal. "They exemplify exactly what athletics is all about, and that is overcoming obstacles. We are honored to have them as our guests." Special Spectators is a non-profit organization that creates a day of fun and freedom for children with cancer, leukemia, cystic fibrosis and other serious illnesses. By designing this day, Special Spectators provides children with a pause from the difficult struggle they face while battling their disease and exposes student-athletes to the inspiration and reward of making a powerful contribution. Formed in 2002, Special Spectators has teamed with nearly 30 colleges throughout the nation. For more information on the group go to www.specialspectators.org.

Ask him if his mother had any children that lived

Bad news ... I couldn't complete my degree (Business) due to a lack of $$$$$. Good news ..Now retired (Sr. VP-Operations Dallas based corporation). Excellent news.. My car insurance company beats GEICO

Football team’s measure of success based on Sun Belt play Rian Johnson / Staff Writer September 29, 2005 It has been a tough three weeks for the Mean Green football team. That time span has included two games decided by 47 points or more and a Middle Tennessee game NT won on a gift from Blue Raiders quarterback Clint Marks. As for the former, the losses do not take away from the Mean Green’s annual goal, a Sun Belt championship. As for the latter, it does not matter how you get the win, as long as you get it. Technically, the Mean Green is right where it needs to be to continue its run as conference champions. But is this year’s Mean Green capable of achieving that feat? What the Mean Green must do to conquer another Sun Belt title NT has to realize what is done is done, a realization that is two-fold for the Mean Green. First, the Mean Green cannot afford to enter Tuesday’s game against conference foe Troy State hung over from its two previous losses. NT has to reflect on its win over Middle Tennessee and realize that this team has the ability to win. Second, the Mean Green cannot enter conference play with the swagger that often accompanies reigning champions. NT is no longer the favorites to win the Sun Belt, for proof just look at the latest NCAA college football ratings. The Mean Green will enter Tuesday’s game with the worst rated total offense of all 117 Division 1A football teams, and two provisional teams. NT was in the bottom five of four additional offensive categories: third down conversion (22.7%), pass offense, scoring offense and pass efficiency. Granted, NT has faced two of the top defenses in the nation. Entering this weekend, Kansas State was the ninth rated defense in the nation. Tulsa is at 53, but it has faced two of the nation’s top offenses in Minnesota (5) and Memphis (22), the Golden Hurricane also squared off with Oklahoma and its featured running back Adrian Peterson. The level of competition will definitely decrease as the Mean Green enters conference play, but NT must improve if it is to have any chance. NT has the best backfield in its history, and the best group of wide receivers during coach Darrell Dickey’s tenure, but the Mean Green offensive line and quarterback must raise its performance to exploit those advantages. Defensively, the Mean Green is also rated at the bottom of the NCAA in nearly every category. NT is in the bottom ten of the following categories: rush defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense and score defense. The ability of the offense to move the ball and control the clock better will lift some of the pressure off the Mean Green defense. If the Mean Green will realize that it is not the dominating team of the past, and realize that it must work harder than other teams in the Sun Belt, it has the talent on both sides of the ball to get the job done. Tuesday night, NT will return to a level of competition it has competed with in the past, and that should provide a good measuring stick for how the Mean Green will fare the rest of conference play. If the Mean Green wins, look for NT to take another Sun Belt title.

Tuesday’s game provides more than just spotlight Extra time off ahead for NT Rian Johnson Staff Writer September 30, 2005 National exposure is not the only benefit from playing on ESPN. Because the Mean Green’s game with Troy was moved to Tuesday night, NT will have nine days of preparation prior to its next two conference opponents. “It gives us a little extra time to practice which we do need,” Darrell Dickey, NT head coach, said. In the preseason, Troy was one of two teams many college football experts had slotted to dethrone NT from atop the Sun Belt. After slipping by the other, Middle Tennessee, the Mean Green recognizes the importance of Tuesday night. “It’s big and not just because it’s on TV,” NT running back Patrick Cobbs said. “It’s a conference game … we are not doing real well right now. It is important for us to go out and have a good showing.” Cobbs said the Mean Green can benefit from the break between games as it provides a young team that trying to learn how to prepare, additional time to prepare. Cobbs also said the team has got some much needed rest, and in the process has showed drastic improvement since last week’s loss to Kansas State. “We are finally getting into a groove and we feel like people are starting to grow up,” Cobbs said. “Guys have finally stopped second-guessing themselves. They are just coming in and naturally playing football. Hopefully we will see a totally different team out there.” Dickey said that the extra time is welcomed, but also noted that Troy State gets that same practice time. Dickey said that certain issues do arise from playing games during the week, but said that playing on national television outweighs the negatives. “We have done it before, but we have never done it at home,” Dickey said. “So our kids are looking forward to it.” Dave Barnett and Craig James will broadcast the game on ESPN2, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Briefly: Former NT head coach Hayden Fry (1973-78) will be honored in Tuesday’s game. During his six-year tenure, Fry totaled 40 wins placing him fourth on the all-time win list at NT.

Fouts disguised as a football stadium

Practice fields, dorm, athletic center ARE now in use!

Why would one person of several from NEO leaving hurt recruiting?

This could very well be singular, one player and not players.

If he wasn't playing there's gotta be a reason.

From CNN/SI http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/foot...s.ap/index.html

Russ Goodall: UNT’s o-line struggling in consistency 08:13 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 The North Texas football team has seen its share of problems this season in all aspects of the game, but most importantly on offense. From the inability to sustain drives on offense, to the ability to stop drives on defense, the 2005 version of the Mean Green is struggling. This season, while only three games old, is starting to carry that as a familiar theme. There are a lot of holes from last year’s squad. There is no more Scott Hall. No more Adrian Awasom. Gone are Jonas Buckles, Markeith Knowlton and Walter Priestly. And while all are key losses, the biggest loss from last year’s team is center Andy Blount. Blount was the heart and soul of the UNT offense, and lockerroom, for the last four years. This year’s Mean Green miss Blount’s 50 straight starts and the leadership that goes with that. They miss Blount’s ability to get the offensive line in the right blocking scheme while over the ball on every play — something that is lacking with redshirt freshman Chad Rose at the same position. It’s not that Rose can’t be the same kind of player, it’s that he is not that kind of player right now. During Blount’s tenure, the Mean Green gave up a total of 71 sacks — 21 in 2001, 17 in ’02, 18 in ’03 and 15 in ’04. Rose and the offensive line have given up eight sacks for 70 yards already this season. That doesn’t even count the seven times quarterback Daniel Meager has carried the ball, all to the tune of minus-13 yards – including a 12-yard run against Kansas State. The Mean Green are on pace to give up close to 28 sacks this season, and at times Meager hasn’t even been able to take a five-step drop, set his feet and throw. “Offensively we have to get to where we understand and are in the right place a high percentage of the time, which we have been,” UNT head coach Darrell Dickey said. “[We then have to be] executing it correctly a high percentage of the time, which we haven’t been.” Isn’t that the truth. This team could very easily be 0-3, if not for the UNT defense against Middle Tennessee. Moving the football and putting points on the board starts with the offensive line. With the play of the beef up front so far, it is no wonder the offense has only scored 14 of 23 total points this season. The UNT offense has produced 18 three-and-out drives — nine against Kansas State — out of 40 drives, with the longest series being 10 plays for 46 yards that resulted in a missed field goal against Middle Tennessee. “The offensive poise is 11 guys executing, and then one person that has a breakdown and it affects the whole play,” Dickey said. “Sometimes on defense, three or four guys can mess up, but if one guy makes a great play you don’t notice it. On offense if you have a breakdown it shows up more than maybe defensively.” While all 18 ineffective drives certainly aren’t the offensive line’s fault, most of them can be attributed to their execution and play. Rose, Dylan Lineberry, Jeremy Brown, Joel Foster, Josh Alexander, Jason May and Adam Venegas have to find away to mesh together, and in a hurry. “One of these days I would like to get to the point where we can play 10 linemen,” Dickey said. “Right now, we are playing about seven. “Hopefully those guys [offensive line] will continue working with each other, and understanding each other. It just takes a little while.” The Mean Green are now in the heart of the season. The little while it takes has now come and gone. If Rose and the rest of the offensive line can’t protect Meager better than they have, the conference win streak will probably go by the wayside against Troy on Tuesday night on national TV. And that could very well be the beginning of the end to four straight Sun Belt titles and trips to the Big Easy in December. RUSS GOODALL can be reached at 940-566-6871. His e-mail address is rgoodall@dentonrc.com.

This week's Bottom 10. Sun Belt has the F-U's and Muts. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2172250

Football Hosts Troy Live On ESPN2 Courtesy: University of North Texas Release: 09/27/2005 With losses in its last two games, North Texas (1-2, 1-0) returns home to face Troy (1-3, 0-0) for the first time as a Sun Belt Conference opponent on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 pm. The game will be televised on ESPN 2 with Dave Barnett on play-by-play and Craig James providing analysis. Full story plus links to DD's press conference & Weekly game notes http://www.meangreensports.com/ViewArticle...0&ATCLID=190829

An Arkstafan post from the Sun Belt board. THE TRUTH IS......... I'm enjoying the heck out of the despair among UNT fans because it is so utterly stupid. I might save some of the links next time some UNT fan makes a crack about education in Arkansas. Right now UNT has one of the youngest rosters in the Sun Belt and not so shockingly plays like it has one of the youngest rosters in the Sun Belt. This year, Drew Smith's car wreck is taking its toll on UNT. There is no credible pass threat so everyone is loading up to stop the run. UNT has a bad completion rate, attempts far fewer passes than anyone else and has the worst average in the league of yards per attempt. Looking at the roster I don't see a great deal of experience on the offensive line. No pass threat coupled with a young line what does the educated fan expect? The UNT plan has always been built a salty defense and an offense that doesn't get the team in trouble. I think I counted two seniors among all defensive linemen and two more among the linebackers. A fairly young defense rules out having a salty defense. In fact UNT is in the bottom 10 of the nation in pass efficiency defense and run defense. The offense after three games has been forced to punt 27 times in three games. ULM and Troy have punted 24 times after FOUR games. ASU only 19 times in four games (actually 20 but a roughing call against FIU wiped one out). I don't presume to evaluate recruits though the folks that do say UNT has done well. The main issue I see at UNT is that there just aren't enough upperclassmen around and adding a few jucos to round out the numbers would have seemed to have been prudent. What really cracks me up is the whole whining about the Sun Belt dragging UNT down. I guess my memory is failing because I don't recall UNT winning 24 games in a three season span since Hayden Fry left. I also don't recall UNT ever winning 9 since he left and only other 8 win seasons were both in I-AA. Drag UNT down? After Fry left, UNT did squat until joining the Sun Belt. I think it would be much more fun if UNT was at the high level it had pre-Sun Belt. You remember back when UNT never won more than 3 games against I-A schools in the Big West. UNT's last two conference losses were to ULM in the Sun Belt and a 53-28 thumping at the hands of then 0-10 Arkansas State back in the good old days of the Big West before the Sun Belt dragged down UNT. UNT was a lot more fun then. The New Orleans Bowl wasn't an accomplishment? Four appearances and UNT lost to Colorado State by 25, to Memphis by 10, Southern Miss by 21 and beat Cincinnati by 5. That obviously pales in comparison to the good ol days when UNT lost by 3 to Nevada, 21 to ULM, 7 to Marshall, and 4 to Boise State. UNT never managed to be one of I-AA's best 8 teams by taking a first round win. Yeah I'd trade 2 Southland titles in 12 years in that league over 4 titles in 4 years of the Sun Belt. Dragging that butt way down. I agree with the folks that think UNT should have joined the WAC. For a $750,000 entry UNT would have gained the chance to play for 4th place in the WAC and all expenses paid stay at home in football at the end of the year. That money wasted on facilities could have been invested in doubling travel expenses and getting attractive home games like Idaho, Utah State, San Jose State, and Nevada. Even as bad as it all is for UNT the bottom line is that if UNT remains undefeated in league play at home and can beat one of the Florida schools on the road that UNT is going to a bowl whether fans want to go or not.

From CBS Sportsline. OOPS....... THE REPORT IS NOT UPDATED. http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/teams/page/NTX

North Texas vs UAB in NO Bowl. http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/bowls/predictions

Fort Worth Bowl signs extension with Conference USA Sep. 27, 2005 CBS SportsLine.com staff and wire reports The Fort Worth Bowl has signed a four-year contract extension with Conference USA to play the Mountain West Conference, beginning with the 2006 football season through 2009. In addition, a scenario has been created allowing the Pacific-10 Conference to participate in the 2007 game with its sixth place team. "We are enthusiastic about a match-up featuring Conference USA versus Mountain West teams," Tom Starr, the Executive Director of the Fort Worth Bowl said. "We are further excited about the possibility of having a Pac-10 team in 2007. All three of these conferences consist of nationally prominent teams that play an exciting brand of football." Entering its third year, the Fort Worth Bowl will be played Friday, Dec. 23 on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET. The 2005 game will match a Big 12 school against a Conference USA opponent.

http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005/Co...e_of_Whimsy.htm 5. Televised Florida Atlantic games Can’t ESPN work with their Disney people and put in computer generated crowds for the non-descript nationally televised games like last week’s UL Monroe – Florida Atlantic showdown? Watching a game with 19 people in attendance makes me feel all sad inside. (Tuesday, October 4th )

From College Football News. http://www.collegefootballnews.com/sun_belt/Sun%20Belt.htm

If you don't like the FYI that's listed, just ignore it.

Interesting that the remainder of the Sun Belt is still rated far lower with Troy at 101 being the closest. Arkansas State isn't getting any respect with a 107 listing behind 106 ULL. Still ahead of #93 SMU and #109 La Tech