Quoner

I think Yao has become more aggressive consistently as well - but that series was what made the aggression clicked for him. He averaged about 30 that series which I doubt he could do more than now against Dallas. Unless he has the patented Hakeem "David Robinson stole my MF'n MVP gear," I think he's maxed out his impact. I think he and Dirk neutralize each other on the score sheet (and remember, Dirk has improved just as much since then as far as taking over and creating his own shot) and McGrady and Josh Howard/Jason Terry wash out, so it reall come down to depth or those two having 4 unbelievable winning performances. Houston;s D is among the top every year because they are good but also slow the game down and limit posessions. I think it would be a 6 game dogfight, but I don't see anything in the Rockets supporting cast that might consistently deliver except Bonzi Wells if he ever gets his head right and gets healthy. Mutombo, Howard, some goofy white dudes, and Skip to my Lou just aren't as imposing as they were 4 years ago. I close with the age old question: "Who wants to sex Mutombo?"

Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith, Jim Rome, Chris Berman, and Stuart Scott's eye continue to collect paychecks

I spent my Tuesday out at an unnamed maintenance base for a major american airline and walked through three on-going heavy checks for a few wide-bodies. The crap on the floors and under the seats was amazing. Someone apparently went to town on fun-sized bags of M&Ms and left a pile of like 30 wrappers under the seats. The restrooms didn't seem dirty - mostly just the cattle-cabin. Maybe if people stopped throwing crap everywhere like it was their personal trash can there wouldn't be squirrels stowing away onthe damn things. And hey, at least you can always make the fat woman buy 2 seats - Passenger of Size policy rules!

I agree to a point, but an hour or so is too short. Would you rather fight through 2 hours and get there, or be forced to get off quickly, find a place to stay, and coordinate the process all over again? I think 3-4 hours is a decent endline, but I think just as many people would be pissed if they were constantly deplaned - not to mention how that could screw up a flight system.

I heard Troy Smith and Tedd Ginn junior were gonna hook up if they beat Florida. Let's beat them to it.

Cut him some slack, ebone. His favorite player is Antoine Walker.

I agree with you on the Rockets, but the Spurs fans would say (despite obviously slipping this year) that we didn't go through them so it doesn't count. Nevermind that it's their fault for not being in the way to begin with. Those writers/fans are awful. When I was down there a few weeks the SA Express News had a big feature on how the Spurs lost their home court edge because games start earlier and the best fans in the world couldn't provide the home court edge they know and love for the first quarter. That makes sense. No one could ever win in SA, let alone win a game 7. Nothing but love for the Rockets, but I fear they are a team that will never get a chance to have all their pieces together - and even when they did a few years ago they fought valiantly and couldn't seal the deal. I don't think they have improved much since then, although not looking at Jon Barry is an improvement for me. Also, Yao Ming's parents are dirty commies.

Dodge balls?

Good point and games like that give us hope,, but there is more parity in the last 5 years of college football than anytime before. The scholarship rules were different then and more talent could be hoarded by the "haves." On the other hand, who cares if we win OOC games?

Kobe had a hate reprieve from me last year for when he almost single-handedly beat the Suns in the playoffs. Then I gave sam Cassell the same break in round 2 when they almost beat the Suns (and were one missed rotation away.) Now, this year, no breaks, Dwyanynene Wade, Black Jesus, Steve (James Blunt) Nash, Ginobli, Mrs. Longoria, you are all on notice. If the Mavs win it all, I want to beat the best to do it - not have the Rockets and Jazz upset anyone on the way there.

Thanks Keith7! See you tomorrow night, right? Save me a seat? MORE THREES!!!!

JD - Tim McMahon quanitified clutchness using 82games.com This breaks down exactly what you are talking about... http://mavs.beloblog.com/archives/2007/02/...s.html#comments Just an FYI

We give tickets away to many of these people and they still don't want to come....I like your points, but the problem is not simple awareness. Mustang Mania is a good idea, but also worked because SMU was pretty good in the time frame you mention. That's something we can do if the product is good and entertaining.

I do read (and write to them) but this wasn't mine. I actually forgot to link (I usually link to them on the other section of this board 1-2 times a week) and appreciate the catch. I don't want to start aping material from the blog world and not giving credit - then I'm no better than Stephen A. Smith. Quite Frankly, I'm all you need.

No PMG, I am not a spokesperson. I don't think they'd let their spokespeople say what I say about RV, do you? I know you won a spirit award in the 90s and have done some great things for this university, but I also know that your rants are for a fact laughed at in the hallowed house that pizzas past built. Why you have decided to focus your energy here rather than at a level that it can be well presented is a mystery for me, but I do communications for a living if you ever want some help. You rant and rave like a lunatic and wonder why no one takes you seriously anymore. You have good things to say, you just decide to packet them in a rainbow ball of horseshit and font changes. Why? Why marginilize yourself this way? If it's a personal "bit" that is fine and I totally understand it, but if it was really a bit you wouldn't get your panties in a wad when people mocked you for it. PMG, I have posted my thoughts on marketing this university several times, but usually what I see on here is some crap about "more posters," "make the band come back," or something goofy that might lead to maybe a thousand or so more customers that won't provide enough value. This board has good ideas at some level, but most are either not going to provide the right ROI to be done on such a tight budget. A good promotion should bring back 4x what it costs - keep that in mind when we throw out more ideas. I loved the Staubach idea too BTW. not sure how to make it happen, but that is not my job. I personally have seen more promotions in the past 3 years on campus than ever before and think if the team hadn't gone down the Dickey Crapper we'd be at a 23K average by now. Dodge can fix this - if he wins. If he wins, the budget goes up and you will see more of what they have probably always wanted to do in that department. I had a post on the bball board last week that I'm too lazy to link back to but it summed up my thoughts on winning, marketing, and the like. It's a good read...and less than 938 words. A few years ago, I wrote a letter to then new Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban saying whhy doesn't he see what he can do in conjunction with UNT and entrench himself even more in the metroplex. Cuban is knowing for responding to most of his messages and had even responded to others that I, some random fan, wrote him, but this one he did not want to touch. He's savvy - so why is that? Should I have posted my thoughts on his blog in increasingly lengthening posts? This situation is a brand recognition/marketing/communication toilet bowl, and Dodge is our best chance at climbing out and building the credibility that many people think we should already have. When we hired Dodge, everyone wanted to talk about us everywhere. We win with the Dodge, and it will happen again times 10. I guarantee you there is no other time in NT history we could have crapped the bed for two years like we just did and have anywhere close to the gate numbers we just had. If someone has numbers to contradict that, I'd love to be wrong on that. I think we've headed in the right direction the last three years with our marketing/promotions and really think it all comes back to how much we win the next 3 years to see where we go. We've maximized what we can do with our current product - so keep improving the damn product. Does this sound like I want the status quo? I hate the status quo right now. I hate getting laughed at when I bring up going to a bball or football game to my coworkers. I hate being the after-thought of most of the non-UNT metroplex. I hate seeing people in Texas shit at our basketball games. I hate seeing Aggie hats on campus. I hate seeing some douche in a Notre Dame jersey sitting in his dorm cheering when we have game going because "his" team is playing. Do I sound complacent? Spoon fed? I've done everything differently since I got on this board and I'm going to keep doing it that way. I don't see why anyone has to entrench on one side of these debates (AD sucks/AD doesn't suck.) Some things they do well - compliment them Some things they do shitty - criticize them. But don't spout an opinion just because it fits the company line you've swallowed. I know I have no credibility here - and I've chosen that path to entertain myself. But you've decided to take the Unibomber approach to communicating your ideas and it really just confuses me. I'm sure you'll take this personally and it will turn into some big pissing war, but I really am just asking you these questions honestly. We can do it over PM/whatever. We've PMed before and you've been nothing but helpful. I don't want your torch, you don't have to "step aside" for the younger generation. You should be working with them and dialoguing - not giving subway sermons. We agreed DD needed to go, we have many of the same criticisms of the current AD staff, but yet we are sitting here fighting and you are probably working on your next thesis that will be widely ignored. doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results is insanity Plumm - think about it. And that's around 900 words of crazy - courtesy of the Q man.

True, but ESPN makes its own stories and then beats us over the head with them, then distances when it blows up (see USC last year, Ohio St. this year, Phoenix Suns every year, etc.) Or even the rampant NBA gayness (this is their standard model) ESPN publishes a book in which a gay former player comes out of the closet. ESPN personalities all jump on this self-created "story" to publicly express that they are indeed tolerant. ESPN personalities ask every living athlete about their thoughts on gay players hoping that... An ESPN personality finally catches a former athlete, who's not up on the latest tolerance talking points. ESPN runs non-stop coverage of said comments. ESPN personalities get to go on camera once again and say how much they're against hate. You could replace with the following: ESPN declares USC the greatest team ever, matches them up against other teams in hypothetical games ESPN personalities all jump on this self-created "story" to publicly express that they love USC ESPN personalities ask every living athlete about their thoughts on USC... An ESPN personality finally catches someone disagreeing, allowing a bunch of non-sensical debate ESPN runs non-stop coverage of debate ESPN personalities get to go on camera again and support USC for 5 more weeks. ESPN is ruining sports...one game at a time...

Here's Cliff Notes to help everyone decipher: -Things used to suck here -DD should have been fired in 2001 -Promotions will obviously not do anything to promote Dodge (but remember, this isn't RV's fault, just his staff.) Also, no specific ideas are included - we should do more "group promotions." Probably this means advertising and marketing, but whatever. -Everyone in the AD is hanging on every word of this post and not laughing at it -Boise State wins because of their promotions -Troy has a new stadium and donors because of promotions -His post was 938 words -It's cold -This post was 104 words

James Brown? Chris Simms? Todd Dodge?

I wish those assholes in marketing/promotions would pick the food I like. Jerks.

no one believes you anymore....but I know your pain

Free Krystals for everyone. 2 Asian kids in a half-time eating contest to benefit the school. A chance to bring my green hat. I'm down like J. Amaechi - who else?

I didn't think the story was big either - just loved that Hardaway was the guy to open his mouth. I hated the Heat back when he was helping Riley start fights to win playoff series against the Knicks, I hated that he Mavs ever employed him, and I love that he looks like an ass right now. My comment was waiting for someone here to agree with him...just to clarify.

We should start an OU-style letter writing campaign and make him live in shame and fear like that ref from the Oregon game...

ESPN is covering this story like the president has been shot, but I guess I stand corrected for ever calling the UTEP Two-Step gay sounding... And to think, the Mavericks totally had this guy on their team once! http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...miherald_sports http://www.790theticket.com/audioplayer.ph...otz&id=2087 Also taking bets on who will make the first, "you know, not to sound mean, but I really don't see what the big deal is" post...

For starters, I'm pretty much always kidding. My response was based on my background and research. Unless something has changed since I researched all of this at the graduate level, about 25-30 athletic departments in D-IA make money and most of them are on the back of football. Football is the most profitable and is usually tasked with covering the others. (Men's) Basketball is profitable at less than 20 schools and almost never covers other operating costs. Basketball will never be our cash cow unless we sell out every game and make the tournament every year. Anyone who doesn't want that is an idiot - we can agree on that. Yes, I want the basketball program to be successful - my point was not to debate you on that. I like basketball more than football I think when I strip it down, but more NBA than college. I do care about this team and have beat my head against the wall following it since I was a student here. It would be great to have this program so successful that it was simply paying for itself, let alone bringing in a ton of money. That is EXTREMELY hard to do though, and I don't think enough people on here appreciate that. My frustration that came at you is more a general annoyance of when people here call out marketing, pr, how to fix things, etc. with no real concept of what actually does what. I'm by no means a schill for the AD (pretty sure they fear the homo-bit, plus if I get a cut I might be contagious or something), but I do stick up for people when I feel it's appropriate. Maybe RV sees the overall b-ball situation and thinks I'll commit more to this when I see more fans or more demand. I criticise him all the time, but I see why he would think this way, even if I don't agree. On a larger scale, It'd be great to have all our sports winning. I may not care about soccer, tennis, volleyball, etc. in general. but if it has an NT on it anywhere, I support it and I am in. Yes, the NCAA tournament is profitable and I would kill to see this team go, even if it was just to be UNC's bitch in round one. My disagreement was over a couple of games on their own changing anything, but even in your answer you elaborated enough where you pretty much meant the same thing I did. In summation - no harm intended by the "your school" crack, go team go, and winning = good. Handshake? Manly side-arm hug? Can I be so bold as to request a kiss on the lips?