Smitty

We have had winning teams, worthy of a full house, and we still haven't filled Fouts. Coming off our first bowl season, North Texas hosted New Mexico State for the Sun Belt title and a birth in the New Orleans Bowl. A Division I-A conference championship game, at home. It was an absolutely amazing game, but the attendance was just 20,064. Good for UNT, but pathetic for a Division I-A title game. Ten thousand shy of full. In 2004, attendance for the conference-clinching home game was 14,583. That won't cut it. The idea of, prove-you're-worthy-then-I'll-show-up, isn't exactly supportive. We need to be at that stadium in force to support the new coach. From Day 1. And we've been working on funding and building a new stadium for years, and we're still years away. There is no try. Do, or do not.

First off: I would love to have Jimbo Fisher here as coach. But if he does come to UNT, we better understand what it will take to keep him. Look at the photo of LSU's packed stadium that Stan R posted. THAT is what a coach like Fisher is accustomed to. Now, he wouldn't be foolish enough to expect that in his first year at UNT, but he is going to expect more than 9,000 or 12,000 or 15,000 in attendance. The heck with the tortillas - its vocal, mass support that is needed. He's going to expect significant support from the community and significant fans in the stands. If anyone from a major program is going to stay at UNT longer than lunch, he's also going to expect real and rapid progress on a new stadium. I know, very personally, that when Jerry Moore came here from Nebraska in 1979 his expectations were sky high as to how he would be treated and supported. And I know that the empty seats and disinterested community disheartened and angered Moore, and he left quickly. If you hire someone like Fisher (and I favor doing so), then we better fill that stadium. And we better get to work on funding and building a new one.

I don't know nearly enough about Blake to make a judgment. But if he's a great recruiter, then he moves to the top of the list of potential head coaches. It then falls to RV and his staff to address all the questions being raised - how Blake gets along with coaches and administrators, how he gets along with players, his coaching ability, discipline, etc. That can be done through confidential conversations with other coaches, ADs, former players, and administrators. First call I would make would be to Stoops to see exactly what Blake left him, from all perspectives. If the reports are bad, then you don't hire him. But if the reports are good - if he has matured or if he was falsely accused - if you believe he can coach, if you believe he can assemble a good staff, and if you know he's a great recruiter, then you offer him the job. And maybe he would come here. Blake's name and reputation took a vicious beating from his days at OU and from criticism during his Cowboys' days, and clearly some of that sentiment remains. Building a winner at UNT would be an excellent rehab.

A desktop? Could do it in 800x600, 1024x768, and 1280x1024. Hmm, let me work on that.

And an avatar with the new Eagle logo head:

I've put the logo and two avatars back online, in a new topic. Please feel free to use them anywhere you like. If GoMeanGreen.com needs any other graphics in future, please let me know.

Here is the 80x60 logo with the new UNT Eagle for use on Yahoo. Below that are two 64x64 avatars, one with rounded corners and scan lines, one without. Everyone, please feel free to use these anywhere you like. We're not trying to infringe on copyright, just trying to promote UNT and support the Mean Green. At the risk of biting off more than I can Photoshop, if anyone has any requests, I'm willing to try (time permitting). GMG! Smitty

I bet we'd win every coin flip.

TURN BACK, UNTLIFER! I don't care what it means. WE MUST NOT CHEER FOR PERMIAN. Permian or upside down in a vat of weevils? Weevils, please. Amazing how Friday Night Lightshad people thinking of the Mojo football machine as an underdog. Next thing we'll be rooting for Darth Vader or the Yankees. NO! This is your soul we're talking about, people!

By the way, jperg2, your site is awesome. What a tribute to UNT and Sun Belt football. The conference should have such a football page. Everyone should pay a visit to your site. That is a football fan!

I will repost the images this evening. They're at home, and I'm not, so it'll have to wait until after work. Thanks to everyone for the kind words. It is very much appreciated.

I really don't think "chutzpuh" is accurate. I understand that to be insolence or impertinence, and that is certainly not what I intended, nor is it what I did. But fine, if someone is offended, my apologies. I've taken the logo off my website. That should take it off the board.

Dodge or Carthel or Dirk Koetter I want a football version of Bobby Cox or Joe Torre. A coach who doesn't play psychological games that eventually wear thin. Someone who earns respect, gets discipline without screaming, and treats players like men.

Here's the current one: And one with a one-pixel black glow around the edge of the Eagle:

Thanks! I've darkened the background slightly and posted it on a new topic, along with samples of other schools' logos.

jperg2 asked earlier for a new logo to use on Yahoo's college football pages. They're currently using this one: For comparison, here's some other logos they're using. They prefer the dominant color as the background, with scan lines over the image, and dark glow on the edges: Here's one I put this together this evening for North Texas using the new Eagle logo. It's only a first draft, so see what you think: I'd love to hear any suggestions. Smitty

Here's the one they've been using: Here's a first draft I put this together this evening. See what you think: It's an 80x60 .jpg

Couldn't agree more. So many of us have been waiting for so long for that game, it would have been a shame for that victory to get him fired. I just hope we get to find out if he can survive getting beat by UNT two years in a row...

It's official, then. SMU is not looking for a new coach. We're not in a race with the Ponies. UNT can take its time, do a thorough search, and get the right new coach.

ESPN radio is reporting that Phil Bennett will return to SMU next season. The report aired Tuesday afternoon.

3. Do have feelings of persecution and believe that the world is against you? 4. Can you handle a little overblown, knee-jerk criticism from well-meaning if sometimes boneheaded boosters whose only crime is wanting to see their program succeed? Because if you can't deal with this board, then you better find another line of work.

Bruce Chambers sounds like a fantastic choice. He's got the local background, UNT ties, recruiting ability, big-time program experience, and head-coaching experience. Total package. And as a fellow member of the North Texas class of '82, I'm really excited!

ESPN's Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach are projecting two Sun Belt teams to bowls: Troy to the New Orleans Bowl against East Carolina, and Middle Tennesse to the Motor City Bowl against Central Michigan. Hawaii's opponent in the Hawaii Bowl is expected to be UCLA or Arizona. Rice, by beating SMU last week, is projected to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against TCU or Utah. Schlabach is predicting a Texas-Arkansas game in the Cotton Bowl. That would be amusing.

There's plenty to be said for head coaches at lower-level programs, but there's nothing wrong with coaches who have not been a head coach. Moving up from smaller programs can be just as difficult as the move to head coach. Just ask G.A. Moore, a legend at Pilot Point and Celina, but he was uncomfortable at 5A Sherman and quickly returned to 2A. Remember, every great head coach had to get a first head-coaching job somewhere.

Good point. Look at SMU's basketball hire of Matt Doherty. He's got national name recognition. I can see SMU going after Mike Shula, someone from a big-time national conference. I can see them being interested in a coordinator from the Big 12, Big 10, or SEC or even an NFL assistant. We all know how big image is at SMU. Some SMU alums will remember the biggest collegiate hire of a high school coach: Notre Dame's hiring of powerhouse high school coach Gerry Faust, which was a disaster. Frankly, I'd add Dirk Koetter to the list of possibles. He helped built Boise State, rebuilt Arizona State, then got fired this week after 3 straight bowl seasons because he couldn't beat Cal and USC. I'm not saying hire him, but that's someone to at least look at. His reputation is as an offensive wizard.