Eagle1855

Need to start selling out games, too. That will also convert casual walk-ups into season ticket holders. I think there's a tendency to not worry about getting a ticket because most people know they can just get one at the gate if they end up wanting to go to the game.

Day after the bowl win I had to flip to Page 6 in the DMN to get to the article about the game. The game played in the HEART OF DALLAS BOWL that the sports page couldn't be bothered to feature. Weird stuff, man.

Fact. Alabama chokes them out at every turn. Remember when UAB was in place to hire Jumbo Fisher and Alabama's regents said "no sir"? That certainly turned out well for everyone. Well, except for UAB. http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/01/jimbo_fisher_glad_alabama_trus.html

Of course, if this were any other coach at any other school decrying the star system, everyone on this board would be hoisting him up on their shoulders and throwing him a pizza party.

For some reason I'm not shocked to learn UTSA fans are making Star Wars references on their message boards.

When I posted it to my social media feed, that's almost exactly what I said. "You could read this and replace every reference to UH with UNT and it all holds true." "

Agreed. I think this puts us as the 6th-best rated program in the state, this year? And the second-highest rated among non-BCS schools?

Man, that's nice. Looking forward to moving on up that poll the next couple years. They've got their own problems: http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2014/01/uh_fans_whine.php

Ha, I was typing something similar. But I think this is dead-on. Personal observation: there's a whole group of younger donors and boosters (like, ones born in the 1950s rather than the 1850s) that has a different way of thinking than those that came before them. And that's why Patterson may end up being an underrated hire: he's a pro exec by pedigree. Thanks to the serious cash flow over the past few decades, that's basically what the UT job has become. Again, these are just my opinions. And that more than fulfills my UT talk quota for the day/week/month.

There's a changing of the guard and culture taking place at UT right now, from the top down, and roles are similarly being redefined Much of the Mr. Everything role that was viewed as a "requirement" for the Texas football coach position was created and embraced by Mack Brown; he was really, really good at it. Now there's a younger AD in place who appears to be ably equipped to take up that part of the job and that allows for a more hard-nosed coach like Strong to come in and define his success by what he does on the field.

Pro tip: if you're going to engage in debate, you should learn to read statements in their context. I said Shaw was atop the list at the beginning of the season. As was Strong. One of them is now the coach. You figure it out. I'm not going to get into a pissing match about a school that has nothing to do with the Mean Green. So take care.

It comes from the highest level, so it doesn't really matter if you believe me or not.

For whatever it's worth, Briles wasn't a serious contender for the job, nor was Mora. Strong was on the short list (as was Shaw at Stanford) since the season started. Saban was the top of the list. Which was a big whiff. Also I'm not sure I'd take the weird-ass opinions expressed by one octogenarian super donor and apply it equally to all other parts, but that's a personal preference. Most are pretty excited about Strong. For his resume and the fact that he's a first-class guy.

I definitely saw one police officer take a guy to the ground. The rest of the peace officers seemed to understand this wasn't a big deal. I prefer to watch the stands on account of being in my thirties and having been completely sober.

Amen. I don't think I've ever seen someone who appears to genuinely love playing Mean Green football more than Trice.

Then again, we couldn't move the ball against UTSA... at home... with a conference championship on the line.

Agreed on all fronts. We've not moved the ball against UT in over a decade. We had a decent defensive showing in but one of those games. Different coaches, different players, etc... but history is not on our side. But who cares. It'll be a fun one and I'm willing to roll in there with realistic optimism, intent on leaving pleasantly surprised.

If my math doth not fail me, that's a combined 49-16 from this past season.

Exactly. For what it's worth, Strong's been on the short list since September. It's a good hire, in my opinion. I look forward to watching him begin his UT career 0-1.

Agreed. The Potato Bowl has to be the most worthless. Only time anyone was ever in the stands was when it featured Boise -- and now they're in a different, unaffiliated conference.

Ditto. But this is truly awesome to see so many first-timers heading to see NT play in a bowl!

I'd love to see some enthusiasm for the local team as well, so I'm not arguing that! And I think it's one thing the Houston Chronicle does really well: They celebrate the hell out of any Rice/UH/Sam Houston State success. (It's also about the only thing the Chronicle does that's worth a damn, but that's another conversation entirely.) I'm just saying, in two years, we've still not sold out a brand new 30k-seat stadium at a school with an enrollment near 35k and 100k+ alumni in a 30-mile radius. Compared to the Big XII and even other C-USA opponents... that's laughable.

Honest question: why would he? We're playing a bowl game for the first time in 9 years in the backyard of our largest alumni base -- by a mile -- and we're worried about selling 16k tickets. So again, if our fans don't care, why would anyone else?

It's essentially a home game so that seems fair. I keep hearing about all these Dallas-area alum who just can't be bothered to make it to Denton. Well, here's your home game, Dallas. Best season we've had in about a decade and all you have to do is drive to the Cotton Bowl to enjoy the fruits of it. I'd have preferred a name opponent but I'm going to see UNT. I don't care who they play. Hopefully there are 39,999 other people who feel the same way.

Was referring to the fan base comments on this board, which had nothing to do with you, but you're welcome to take it personally and then speak to me in a condescending manner.