NM Green

That is a bizarre statement. Oh no! No more games against Sic Em. Aggie fans have new rivalries to build with Ole Miss, Miss State, Arkansas, LSU, Alabama and Auburn. Baylor is upset because of the instability but get over it. I can't wait to see the next version of the holy war between the baptists and mormons. Bring it! GMG

I think a UNT travel partner would be smart for an MWC invite but I am happy to go alone. Nothing would be smarter than jumping to the strongest non bcs league if afforded the opportunity. That would leave SMU, Tulsa and Houston in the dust and we would be able to compete on a national stage with Boise State, Air Force San Diego State, UNLV, Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii (combo of basketball and football). We would be in unchartered territory and immediately raise out lot over the ponies. I personally feel a decent season and upward trend gets us a call from the Mountain West, only they better act fast because I believe our lot and options are going to grow in the right direction. We have a history with almost half the league and we give them access to a recruiting hotbed - aka SECede and Texas A&M. We gain by exposure and national profile raise, while the MWC gains from exposure in a recruiting pipeline. This is exactly what is happening at Texas A&M on the grander scale. If we do lobby for a partner I say go for Houston, La Tech or (gulp) UTSA. Get the San Antonio and Dallas markets (North Texas and South Texas presence) and develop a second bowl game in San Antonio between the MWC and Big 12 (Big 12 adds BYU). The MWC with bowl games in San Antonio (Maybe move the Human Bowl from Boise to SAT), Las Vegas, San Francisco and New Mexico could be an appealing setup. Is it gametime yet! GMG

I think we have a chance but FIU has that swagger that we had early last decade. They have a solid system in place, Florida athletes, an outstanding proven coach and a passion to become conference champions this year. That is a lot to overcome for Troy or any of the expected powers in the league. I don't think this is like us lining up against Troy in the Dodge years, but I think this game will be nearly as tough as Houston will be the following week. And yes, I do believe we have a chance in both games. Canales wants a head coaching gig and that team is going to be ready to play. Coach has fire and passion and will get the team amped. I would love us to pull an upset in the early season and obviously that stands a better chance of happening in Miami or Denton versus Tuscaloosa. GMG

I love the new Best Western up there by the mall. It is a great hotel with a nice free breakfast and huge rooms! It is not too far from the stadium and clean. Not sure if they are sold out or not though. GMG

I can't wait for the Tomato to reopen. It will rival openings second only to what is about to happen on September 10th. I am also excited that the place will become a draw for the local community, college students, out of towners...I would love for that area to get a feel and look of what has happened around Arizona State. I think Tempe and especially the area around ASU is fun, classy and great during a game and in all off-seasons. I like a mix of urban lounges, sports bars, a steak house, all night diners, coffee houses...Make it a great hang out space all the year long. GMG

Thank you Rick and Cannon Crew! I love that we have such a storied tradition. Thank you for all of you all's hard work and I hope to hear the cannon often throughout the season! Way to go CC! GMG

What is happening with the new Fry Street for us out of towners. GMG

I like BYU and think watching them play the Red Raiders, Horns and Sooners on a regular basis would be great theatre. I think it is a joke to think Arkansas would think about leaving the SEC for the unstable Big 12. Adding Notre Dame, BYU and Houston really makes the most sense. This would not be a bad league: Kansas Kansas State Notre Dame BYU Iowa State Missouri Oklahoma Oklahoma State Texas Texas Tech Baylor Houston You would have BYU or Notre Dame consistently coming out of the North with Kansas State a threat. You have Texas or OU consistently coming out of the South. Either way I am excited about seeing the SEC teams come through Texas. It has been a long time since I have been this excited about watching Aggie pigskin. GMG

Negative. I have seeing the stadium up close and those 18,000 fans are going to be on top of the players yelling like heck to get the Panthers to New Orleans. They feel robbed from last year and they went and won a bowl game. Their bookstore was well stocked with cool Panther gear and their was an exciting buzz on the campus when I was there in February. I can imagine the first week of school with a nationally televised game in the middle of the week. North Texas is going to have its hands full make no doubt about it. Panther pride is at an all time high. I get weekly Panther gear promotions from somehow signing up for their digest. This environment will most likely be like a game at TCU with half the crowd - intense and on top of the players. It will be fun and our Mean Green can still win out there, but those students and fans will be geeked and ready to start their march to New Orleans. GMG

Agreed. When you look at big picture I don't see why anyone would want to elevate and invite a program like SMU or Tulane or Tulsa. Programs like North Texas, UTSA are much more attractive based on size of alumni bases and potential. If UTSA plans on 50,000 for their opener, don't you think given the right line up they could be a great program to partner with. Now I am not talking Big 12 with UTSA because Texas is right there, but the Big 12 targets should be Boise and BYU. North Texas is a better target than SMU if they were interested in a DFW school. TCU is only a good target because of football. On a separate note I get the UNLV updates and they had a strange message the other day talking about bracing for conference realignment. It was almost as if they were preparing fans for a Boise to bolt. Strange message from the AD with a weird vibe. Big 12: go get Boise, BYU, TCU and Air Force. Come get us here at North Texas. Heck Air Force almost took it Oklahoma in Norman. If you want a destination city, bowl game and solid hoops program go get UNLV. Big 10 teams love to come to Vegas for football games early in the season - heck all of those programs in the Big 12 would love to have some trips to Sin City for football and basketball games. There are lot of options out there 150 times better than picking up small private schools. Rock Apogee 9.10.11 GMG

No need to recreate this one: Just everybody ramp up the Go North Texas Go North Texas Go Go Go North Texas Go North Texas Go Go Go North Texas Go North Texas Go Go It involves the band it involves the students. Its got rhythm.

Invite to the SEC is a no brainer and I don't know one program who would turn that down! I am excited to see the Aggie taken on big piggy, the benal, Tennessee, the chomp, the elephant and war eagle. I like the Aggies and I am excited to watch some Aggie SEC football! Texas, Tech, OU and OSU should head to the left coast. GMG Rock the A 9.10.11

Knowing these words came from Emmitt I almost felt like I was there at the top of the wing. I can't wait to head back to Big D to experience this myself. Thanks for the visual! GMG Rock the Big A 9.10.11

With all due respect. SMU does not control or have any influence on how bright this Green can glow. We are actually having dominos fall our way for a change. We are on our way to the Big 12 or the new SWC. GMG Rock the Big A on 9.10.11

I think this move is brilliant for A&M. It is about time they started taking care of themselves and made a first punch move. You cannot trust the Orange to look out for you and lining up again LSU, Florida, Piggly Wiggly and Rockytop is going to be juicy! The Orange seem lost. I am not sure what their goals are, but I applaud A&M for not standing by waiting for them to figure them out. They should have went last time! Now I heard an interesting tidbit on ESPN earlier wondering if Boise could be a Big 12 target. It would be wise for the Big 12 to go for some mountain combo. Go get Boise and BYU and now you have some interesting footprint again. Boise and BYU fit nicely with Texas Tech Baylor and the Kansas schools. It would strengthen the north for sure. GMG

Thank you Apogee and NT Athletics. If the general public and conference commissioners don't get excited about what is brewing in Denton these days check their pulse. Bought 3 season tickets after the announcement. The future is Green! Mean Green!!!!! Now let's rock the BIG A on September 10th! GMG

When can we begin booking trips to San Diego, Albuquerque, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Boise and Honolulu:) Seriously any information provided after the show will be great! Punk the panther. GMG

Wow that lineup does not excite me. I just don't have any desire to partner with Idaho and SJSU or Utah State in the future, unless it is USU in the Mountain West which they will head to eventually - it makes perfect sense for them to transition to that league. I just think programs like FIU, FAU, Troy, Middle and Arkie State have so much more upside than any of those WAC programs. I don't even think La Tech brings much to the table anymore. The SBC is a heck of a lot stronger than the new WAC and the modified WAC of the future. Even ULL in their down days gets me more excited than Seattle or any of the Montana schools. Mean Green Rising Up! GMG

I like UTA and our rivalry with them in basketball. I remember when we played them in football. If they ever become strong we can look at partnering in conference with them either in the WAC or SBC. The future is bright for the Mean Green and options are only going to grow richer. GMG

Gosh I want to, because I use to go to those big time games when the economy was raining money about 10 years ago. But now that games must be chosen with surgical precision I am not sure I could financially stomach the potential outcome. It would be great memories either way but we will just have to see. I want dreamland barbecue darn it! GMG

I don't ever want us to be locked into a situation like La Tech where we never say never, because everybody can see that it makes a ton of sense for La Tech to be in the Belt. However, they cannot come back without eating some major crow. But I just don't think the WAC will be strong enough for us in the future. We are much more likely to head to the Mountain West or become part of a new Southwest Conference than we do going to the WAC. The WAC would need to stabilize, which I anticipate it will now that it won't be hemorraging programs to another league. But those programs in the WAC would need to become very strong and look how long it has taken the Troy's and Middles of the world to garner some national respect. So the WAC in 10 years with a couple of solid programs like La Tech and Texas State might draw our attention, but by that time we would have multiple decades of affiliation with other programs like Arkie State, ULL, Middle, FIU, FAU and a new program in South Alabama that should rise. The WAC has major work ahead of itself and in ten years I believe we will already be sitting in a higher level conference or a Sun Belt that has passed CUSA and is rivaling the Mountain West for non BCS superiority. Will there even be a BCS in 10 years. GMG

Bring the friends even if they are not diehard fans or if the don't bleed green. I consistently drag people that would never go to a game to Denton every game and they don't go back unless I drag them again, but they are there and they count. They know about the Mean Green and after many trips look forward to that Saturday event in the falls. If you find friends like me to drag to a game, I would immediately be going back for more and probably donating time and money to the program that I would have no affiliation with. I do it everywhere I live. One trip, I am hooked, I go back for more. Welcome KSU Mean Green GMG

Don't forget Runts. That was our name in the big west days by Idaho, NMSU and Aggie fan. I changed my mind 3 times during this thread which is frightening. In the end the winner is: North Texas. Throw in North Texas Mean Green and it has a great ring. Throw the Eagle in as our mascot like the elephant for Alabama and we are good. Let the University use UNT. Most of my friends and prospective students who see my gear call us UNT or a kid the other day said, "I am going to UNT in the fall." So when they think of going to college they think UNT. For sports WE ARE NT or We are North Texas! Hawaii has bigger problems: Hawaii - mainland reference UH - local reference Warriors - football, warriors, baseball team Rainbow Warriors - men's basketball team Wahine - all women's team

Doesn't Cubes want a stadium? He wants a baseball team? Mark Park, The Cube

Will there be opening weekend events for the new stadium? I know we are having a movie night but that weekend which will draw in alumni from all over the country could and be maximized. During that time the University could make a monster push for the Alumni Association and Mean Green Club since good feelings a lot of pride will be swirling around Denton, Texas. Also there should be a community outreach where the city gets involved and excited about this incredible gem in their backyard. I know I have been in Las Vegas too long but when we open a casino or blow up a casino out here we have major celebrations. Heck we have celebrations when Gatorade puts out a new flavor, but I digress. Seriously, cocktail parties for the alumni, keg parties for the legal students, ice cream parties at the Union, fireworks on Friday night at midnight - 9.10.11. It could be a really special fun-fulfilled weekend and the cappper would be a win over the U of Houston, but either way it should be MEMORABLE! Lastly, also I hope a lot of gear and memorable with our beaching new stadium logo is available. Play off our cool design and create some swag gear. How about a shirt with the Logo and it reads "Yeah OURS has wings! Some in your face this is a freaking cool looking mean and fierce stadium to play in. "Fierce Football Played Here" any number of cool in your face slogans with that awesome stadium design - the Wings need to be maximized! It is a differentiator and I can't wait til others around the country start chatting about that cool looking stadium at North Texas. Awesome for UTA to the WAC. I am glad we are right where we are - soaring to the MWC, CUSA or Big 12 in the coming years. GMG