GrandGreen

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The grapevine says that DD walked into the locker room on Wednesday and told the players he had been fired because he "Couldn't Recruit. He then asked them how that made them feel?" I don't know why anyone is surprised, this is vintage DD. It only shows me that he wants to go out winning using the same old "us against the world" bs that he has used throughout his NT career to motivate the team.

I believe that NT certainly owes Jim McIngvale thanks for his very generous donations over the last few years. I hope he continues to support the NT athletic program in the future. However, if the termination of DD means the lost of a major contributor; it is still absolutely the right decision.

Does anyone know the status of Sam Owusu-Hemeng, based on his all star game performance he looked like the most promising of last years recruits? I have not seen him on the sidelines or any mention of him this year. Also what happened to Shawn Early? He looked in great shape at the beginning of the year and it was reported he had recovered from his injury but I don't remember him playing at all this year. Also is David Jackson the late transfer running back still on the team? Last, I. Thomas has gotten raves about his practice play; but has played limited minutes this year, has he still got health issues?

Firing a coach that took NT to the first bowl since leather helmets and has battled medical problems for the past two years, makes NT an easy target for self appointed sport "experts". Based on their limited knowledge, it seems heartless to terminate someone who has done so much for the program with so little in resources. An impression that DD has cultivated for the last nine years. I think in reality DD basically terminated himself with his "woe is me" and "us against the world" approach. Someone with only a fleeting knowledge of the program does not recognize the degree the program has fallen in the last three years.

In my opinion, NT has benefited greatly by having two great long term announcers in Dunham and Mercer. Both are not only first-rate announcers but are overall great supporters of the Mean Green. Dunham was not involved with making the decision to replace Mercer, he was only the replacement. The way Mercer was dismissed was shameful, but it was time to make a change.

Actually I think you can make a good case for the MUTS being rated a little higher. They have a better record, finished second in the conference and did not end the season with a 0-4 defeat. The soccer team remains the best program NT has but stating the obvious losing 3 out of their last 5 games and not being competitive against Denver ended any hope of them going any further.

And what would A$M aspire to be? Louisiana Tech Texas Southern Pan American UTEP Oral Roberts Oxford Youngstown State

NT football recruiting can only go in one direction, up.

Usually can't tell much from pre season games, but this doesn't look all that encouraging to me. Does Wooden only getting one rebound concern anyone but me?

Geez, NT has a head coach that continually puts down the school and has constantly complained about the most difficult circumstances anywhere and some of you think conference affiliation is the problem with recruiting. H*ll, now NT is being outrecruited by their lowly Belt bethern in their backyard. Yes the SEC, Big 12 would help recruiting, maybe even CUSA; but to think being in the WAC would help is a stretch. Flash, NT has not been asked to join any other conference than the WAC and that door has been closed. Didn't a thread just finish about how much more expensive and how little sense the WAC make for NT.

I keep seeing references to the "bad" decision of getting out of the MVC. Does anyone even know who was in the conference at the time. How about Bradley, Drake, Wichita State, West Texas, Tulsa, New Mexico State and I think maybe Southern Illinois. Cinncinnati and Memphis had already left and Louisville got out the same year as NT. By the way Houston got out about 15 years earlier. Going 1aa almost killed the program, but getting out of the MVC didn't hurt NT's football program.

Please tell me why being in the bottom of the WAC is any better than being in the bottom of the Belt. The WAC is only a marginally better league, would cost much more, and would even reduce the minimum of coverage that NT currently gets. Complainting about the Belt made little sense when NT dominated football, it makes absolutely done now.

Story from MUTs official site. Per their view they controlled the first half but NT got the lucky breaks and won. Middle Tennessee suffers 3-1 loss in SBC semifinals Team still hopeful of at-large berth into NCAA Tournament MT Media Relations Related Content · Cumulative Stats · Box Score Kala Morgan scored her 22nd goal of the season against North Texas in the SBC semifinals. (MT) LAFAYETTE, La. - Middle Tennessee's quest for its first Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship ran into a road block in a 3-1 setback to rival North Texas in the semifinals of the league tournament here Thursday night. The Blue Raiders (17-4) led 1-0 at the half; however, North Texas scored two goals in a 3:07 span early in the second half and tacked on another in the final minute to secure the comeback win. "We knew it was going to be a tough game and it was," Middle Tennessee coach Aston Rhoden said. "You get into these tournaments and the games intensify. When you look at the Championships you have to be a good team to win, but you also have to have some luck and North Texas had the lucky breaks go their way. To their credit, they recovered from a goal down to take the lead and we just couldn't catch up. It was pretty much a 2-1 game and we were trying to find a way to get a goal late so we pushed a lot of people forward and they got the third goal but it was not a 3-1 game by any means." Middle Tennessee will now play the waiting game and await the decision of the NCAA Women's Soccer Selection Committee as to whether the team will receive an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament following the most successful season in school history. "I certainly hope we have done enough to warrant an at-large berth," Rhoden said. "Our losses speak for themselves. We have put ourselves in a position where we know we are a competitive team and given a chance I know we can prove that at the NCAA Tournament level but there are other teams wanting the same thing we want. We will have to wait and see." The field of 64 will be announced on ESPN News Monday between 2-to-3 p.m. Middle Tennessee controlled the first half of Thursday's game and broke a scoreless deadlock when Kala Morgan delivered her national-leading 22nd goal of the season on an assist from Rebecca Rodriguez in the 44th minute to send the Blue Raiders into the half with a 1-0 lead. North Texas (15-4-2) quickly evened the slate six minutes into the second half when Brittany Cleveland scored the first of her two goals. Kendall Juett provided what proved to be the game winner in the 55th minute. The Blue Raiders continued to attack and had several opportunities, including near misses on four second-half corner kicks, but they couldn't cash in and ultimately suffered the gut-wrenching defeat. Middle Tennessee has shattered numerous single-season records throughout the season and it has several players ranked among national leaders in several categories. Those factors could weigh in the team's favor when the Selection Committee converges this weekend.

Baseball was started because the Southland conference required it and NT did as little as possible to fulfill the requirement. NT used a whole 1 1/2 ships and dropped it as soon as the Southland conference dropped the requirement at NT's request. Softball may have been the same situation.

A lot of positive news in those notes. Meager's status is better than thought, I for one think he is NT's best option at QB. James being able to play basketball should be a great lift for Slinker's team. She may have the outside shot that can free up the inside for Amber Jackson, Howard and Sanders. Also it hasn't taking any time, for the new swimming coach to make an impact. The swimming team is already much better than past teams and the new coach wasn't even here for last years recruiting.

I don't remember any standing o for Meyer, but there could have been. Do remember Kenneth Lyons elbowing Mark Aguirre and knocking him all the way into the NT bench. Almost starting a brawl as Terry Commings quickly came to Mark's aid. Crowd was in the 8,000 range and it was a closer game than most expected as the NT team was not very good. Blakely was a fun coach and played an exciting brand of basketball. However, he inherited probably the best recruiting class ever at NT thinks to Gene Robbins and Billy Tubbs and after they graduated he was basically a .500 coach.

No only did Blakely's teams not average anywhere remotely close to sell-outs, there was probably more concern about poor attendence expressed then today. Three straight 20+ win years and never averaged half of the pit being full. By the way I attended most if not all the games in the Blakely years. One of the attendence problems was that NT was an independent and played a very weak schedule. The major reason that the SMU game was a sell out was a major article in the Dallas Paper about SMU's coach Sonny Allen refusing to play NT in the future titled "What Makes Sonny Run". This fired up the NT faithful and created NT's only Super Pit sell out.

This is a myth I continue to see stated. There has only been one sale out, SMU and no team in the Superpit has ever averaged over 4500 for a year. Having said that I can't believe how far the student attendence has dropped through the years. Even mediore NT teams in the Southland were better supported then the teams in recent years.

I really do not understand the logic that NT can't get a better coach than DD because of pay. DD was hired for under $100K base salary, and is paid approximately twice that now. If I remember correctly DD could make over $500K if he met all his incentives. There are only 119 1a coaching positions available and thousands of coaches who would love to get a shot. You are correct that NT or any other lower tier football school is not going to get a "name coach" that is not damaged goods. By the way the great Hayden Fry was not exactly a hot commodity when NT got him. He had just got fired at SMU and my guess is that he did not take the NT job because he had a lot of choices. I think many will be suprised at the quality and quanity of coaches that will be attracted to NT even without improving on the current DD contract. This is assuming that an actual full blown search is undertaken.

Byout closer to $400K total per contract and I think you can get a pretty good coach for what we are paying DD. So your cost is at max $400K not accounting for lost revenue if DD stays and increased revenue if DD is replaced.

I can't believe that DD has any significant supportors that have made their donations contingent on his continuing as head coach. If they do in fact exist then it is obvious that they do not have the best interest of NT in mind. Irregardless of what your opinion of DD is; at this point it is best for NT to go into another direction. I may have little vision, but I don't see anyway DD can rebuild the football program in any reasonable time frame. On the other hand, a new coach nearly always bring new hope and enthusiasm to a program. Imo the corner may have been turned were it will actually cost more to retain DD then make a change. In other words the lost of ticket and donation revenues if DD stays are more costly than buying out his contract.

Should have been How not Hot. Could this team be the worst NT offensive team in recent history (1970 to present)? Reviewing I was somewhat surprized that with an average production of 11 points a game;it is close but not quite there. Corky Nelson’s 1984 team only scored 86 points in 11 games. The 1984 team was 2-9 and the worst defeat was a 3-34 loss at TCU. Other horrible offensive years include DD’s 1999 team which averaged 10.7 ppg, Hayden Fry’s 1974 team at 12.1, Parker’s 1991 team at 12.5 and Bob Tyler’s one year 1981 at 10.0. Interesting that although Bob Tyler was considered a disaster, his record of 2-9 does not look as bad as you might think with losses of 0-9 to Oklahoma State, 0-22 to Southern Miss, 0-20 to Auburn, 10-23 to Texas, 7-34 to SMU and 6-28 to Kentucky. 1974 was Fry’s second year at NT and he had his worst record 2-7-2. 1991 was Dennis Parker’s first year and NT went 3-7-1 and many wondered why Corky Nelson was fired after going 6-5 to hire Parker. One discouraging factor is that the low offensive outputs came early in their NT careers for Corky, Dennis and Hayden and in Bob Tyler’s only year. DD in his ninth year may come in with the worse offensive output in the last 36 years of NT history with the exception of the 1984 team. Just for comparison the current NT defense is giving up an average of 28 ppg, compared to the 1984 team of 19.1, 1974 of 22.5, 1981 of 21.3 and Parker’s 1991 team of 30 ppg.

I agree and have stated many times that DD's success can be almost entirely contributed to the "Booger Years" or the one recruiting class you are referring to. However, I do not agree with the concept that 26 straight conference wins and 4 conference titles is something to downgrade. While I am sure you don't mean it that way, I think comments like those above do a great disservice to one of the toughest group of players ever at NT. Although it may be faint praise, the teams of 2002 and 2003 have been almong the best in NT history. Imo of the years I have been following NT football, only the teams of the Joe Greene era and Fry's teams have been better.