KRAM1

I find this disturbing on several levels. I hope you find out what happened or who took the flag and damaged the pole.

COUNT ME in the group who would love to see UNT play UTSA on a regular basis STRARTING NOW! Everyone he cries about instate rivals and teams and then complain that UNT might schedule UTSA. Ridiculous. It would bring a big crowd to Apogee and lots of UNT fans, would indeed, make the trip to San Antonio for some fun and the game. I find this anti-UTSA bias to be a bit mean spirited and smacking of jealousy. It would make for some great games and big crowds. Can't see much wrong with that.

From my experiences at the first three home games, I would say that they are doing a great job with the parking situation. The police have been excellent, the signage that I have seen is good and they have made some minor changes that seem to work from what they have experienced so far...and, I see plenty of "elderly" people at the games. The walk from Fouts in NO WHERE near as long as the walk at many other universities to their stadiums and the price to park is way less than many. When the new pedestrian bridge is complete for next year things will be even better, and as Flyer noted the new hotel will help, so will the eventual widening of Bonnie Brae. Folks, we all knew...or darn sure should have known from all the stuff written and announced...that there would be a few challenges this first season as folks got used to the "new" way of getting to and from Apogee. Hang in there...it's new for everyone and things have already been tweaked here and there. I have been in and out of Apogee and home much faster than i ever was from Fouts. Yes, that's just me and I have a decent and fairly close parking spot...BUT...it is no where near as close to the stadium as my old spot at Fouts...yet I am in and out faster. Patience, grasshopper, patience. It is getting better at each game, and will continue to get better over the next few seasons.

OK, just found out that "my guy"...#78 Troy Kokjohn...Deep Snapper...is on the list of candidates for Homecoming King at UNT! How about that, sports fans? He is matched up with Delio Covo...a diver on the UNT Swim team who stands less than 5 feet tall. That should be an interesting site if they let Troy on the field in his uniform for the announcement. NOW...if you are a UNT student and can vote for Homecoming King and Queen...get out there and vote for the pride of the Mean Green...#78...Troy Kokjohn and Delio Covo! If you are not a student...find out how we can hack into the vote process and stuff the ballot box...OK, Just kidding...

Adam...I do not disagree with you...BUT, your comments reflect the problem, as well as a solution. UNT IS not a pro sports team nor any other college. it is YOUR UNIVERSITY. That reason and for that reason alone should be "good enough" for alums and students to turn out in support of the Mean green. These are STUDENTS represents all the students enrolled, all the alums and all the fans. Students, at a minimum, should turn out...free of charge...to support their fellow students. Alums should be there in support of UNT and its goals and aspirations. I know I am "an old man yelling at clouds" about this, but WE do control our own destiny. One can be part of the problem or part of the solution. It's a choice...plain and simple. Never has a HC ever put so much effort in trying to improve student turnout only to have the student body turn their collective backs on the effort by the 3rd home game of the season...UNT has won 2 of 3 home games this season...what happened to the win and they will come stuff?????? Sad, but it will improve...it is improving on the field already, it has improved with the new stadium...I guess the students are too busy studying to notice and the alums are too busy watching pro sports to notice.

I'll be there with TylerMeanGreen...BEAT LaLa...Cajun Festival going on Saturday before the game as well. Don't try to celebrate a Mean green win at the festival after the game however, the festival website says it closes down at 7PM that Saturday evening...will open back up Sunday at about 11AM for those staying over... ....BUT...I never again want to hear about Cajun's being big music party folks and knowing how to have a great time...who the heck closes up a Cajun Music Festival at 7PM on a Saturday night for crying out loud? Party folks, my rear end! BEAT LaLa...see you Saturday in Lafayette.

So, we lead off again with my guy...#78 Deep Snapper, Troy Kokjohn. The only thing to say here is that he grades an A+ this week, not only for his excellent snaps, but for his courage in staying in the game and getting the job done after taking a blow to his knee on his very first play...punt snap...of the game. In case you haven't noticed, #78 is usually one of the first players down on punt coverage...yes, this after making the snap and being one of the last able to leave after the snap and punt. Well, this time as he went for the tackle he tweaked his knee a bit. Easy to notice as he limped a bit to the sidelines and went directly to the trainers table after the play. BUT, right on cue, there was #78 back on the field...didn't miss a beat or a snap. You wonder why I follow the special teams guys? Well, you probably never noticed this little event, but I am sure you would have had it been Dunbar or Thompson or any number of other players. Many of these special teams guys mean the difference between a win or a loss on Saturday, but you won't see their names in the press...unless, of course, they happen to make a mistake. Unsung heroes who toil just as hard as the rest of the team, make the plays and go about the business of helping the team win. Great game #78...you know...we know!

I tire of such dribble...UNT is not irrelevant any more so than SMU, UTA, etc. The challenge UNT faces is self-made over years and years of apathy by its student body, it administration and the residents of the City of Denton. It is of our very own making and WE can change that. It's not the conference, it's not the schools we play, it's not the record over the last however many games. heck, if it were the conference, how in the world do all the DII and DIII schools get turnout? Do not get me wrong here...I full well understand that having some in-state rivals can and will help attendance, as will winning on a much more consistent basis...BUT, there was absolutely ZERO excuse for the poor showing Saturday night at Apogee from the students and alums alike. It is UNT...it is YOUR University...it was great tailgate weather...it was a fall Saturday evening...It was co-eds in shorts and cowboy boots, it was tequila shots and beer and brats...it was FOOTBALL for gosh sakes. UNT will be as relevant or irrelevant as its own fans and student body make it. Any other "excuse" is just that...and excuse. Irrelevant, my rear end. The "times they are a changing" for UNT...and as has been quoted..."we have met the enemy and he is US".

Yes, and it was mighty good tequila...and, not to worry your "balls" are CLASSIC and not to be topped! I believe I referred to them as Legendary Saturday...and so they are...

Well, I would agree with you 100%. Great tailgate...really appreciate you giving me a "shout out" to stop by as I was walking across the area...I was in "tailgate greatness". Great food, great drink and great fans....made my day even better. Many thanks for the hospitality... In addition, I had some time to share a little tailgate with lots of others as well. I am usually "working" the Denton Chapter of the Alumni Assoc. fund-raiser and have little time to actually walk around and tailgate a bit, but this time I got to say hello to several tailgaters...it was way cool. Thanks to the Hiatt's who always welcome me in with some great "Q" and other goodies...if you have played in the GMG.com flag football game, you know what i mean by great "Q"...stopped by to chat with tasty and company, UNT90, UNT 90 Grad, GreenDozer, Flyer and MeanGreenMatt...and thanks to the Kokjohns who welcomed me into the "players parent" tailgate for some great food and conversation. It was, indeed, a great day indeed, topped off by a big win for the Mean Green. It's just too bad that so many people missed out on all the fun....Hope to see a much bigger crowd for homecoming and the Mean Green's next HOME win...the next win comes at LaLa this Saturday!

And, here I actually thought you were going to say something positive about UNT football. Silly me. Carry on.....

Dallas Dr. at Teasley. Next door to Cooper's Copies. You won't be disappointed.

THIS 100%. We get them in Apogee cheering for the Mean Green any way we can...with them wearing anything they want...they'll be back wearing green! Now, would I prefer them to be in green? certainly, but I'll take this guy and thank him over the idiots wearing green in the tailgate area who never set foot in the stadium. I'm thinking this guy is a much better UNT fan in his UT gear than those "students" who wore green and stayed outside for the first three home games.

John; I have to agree 100%. When I read this in today's paper this morning, I just had a great big smile on my face. You win them over one at a time and one game at a time. This sort of positive PR from a local DR-C writer is worth its weight in gold. Thank you Donna Fielder and welcome to the Mean green nation. You are both very much appreciated and very much needed!

Denton has a "Sports Commission", but you would never know it from the lack of any activity supporting local teams/universities, etc. I think the Commission is pretty much a "clique" of folks who really see it as their own little universe to do with as they please, and could really care less about actually promoting sports in and around Denton. I give the Denton Sports Commission a BIG FAT "F" FOR "FAIL BIG TIME". Seems to be a pure waste of energy, time and money. Anyone know any members of this esteemed Commission?

Really, what leads you to believe that? I hope you are 100% correct, but i see no signs from our students or alumns that conference affiliation would make any difference. Really a shame. I do think things are slowly changing for the better student-wise and that will, in turn, lead to a better alumni turnout. But, this will take time. Those that didn't attend last night, for whatever reason, missed a nice win by the Mean Green. I had a great time...always do.

I like the way you think!

You are letting me off much too easily.....I like baseball, just not as much as I like UNT. Now, if it were a UNT baseball game that would be another matter in itself...you pick 'em in that regard. But, professional baseball vs UNT? Never even close to a choice having to be made.

Thanks for the stats. I knew they had to be out there somewhere. Now, what are the stats of a college team opening 1-4 and still making a bowl game if they lose game 6? Hmmmmmm...wonder what the significance of that would be? Meaningless? I think not. Once more, I get it...it's a personal choice based on one's personal priorities. I am 100% good with that, but don't tell me the UNT game is meaningless and that game 1 of a seven game series is so meangingful just after the Rangers lost game 1 of a 5 game series and won the series. UNT loses this game and it will be most challenging to win 6 to become bowl eligible. Stats anyone?

Remind me again...in the Rangers 5 game series with Tampa Bay...who won game one? Who won the series? Game one = meaningless to the eventual outcome of the series. Just sayin...... Seems in a seven game series game one might even be less important to the eventual outcome than in a 5 game series. You want a meaningful game...try game 5 in a five game series...come on Cardinals! Anyone have any stats on this?

Really...didn't take much. I wonder what the record is regarding the significance of game one in a seven game series when it comes to the eventual series winner? Sure, always better to win game one than lose it, but didn't the Rangers lose game one of their five game series with Tampa Bay? Seems to me that game one of that series turned out to be pretty meaningless with regard to the eventual outcome. Please put your brains back in your head...it's very messy when brains explode I am told.

Almost as absurd as someone calling one game a series. No one in this thread has yet (well, except you) said anything about the UNT game being more important that a complete ACLS "winnable series". I thought we were discussing missing game 1 of a seven game series to support your university as opposed to a professional team. Let's see...7 game series...home field advantage...4 games in Arlington perhaps, but at least two, right?

Well, one could argue with some vailidity that game one of a seven game series is pretty much meaningless as well. It's a matter of one's perrsonal chioce and priorities. Never said it was unfair...said it was all about priorities and choices. Your original post did not refer to "attracting attention"...it, I believe, was more along the lines of agreeing that one should forego the Mean Green to watch the Rangers. I think we can all agree that the Rangers will get much more "attention" Saturday than the Mean Green will, but most going to see the Rangers or watching on TV will probably have ZERO connection to the Mean Green...another reason for the Mean Green faithful to show up to support UNT and the Mean Green. Appreciate your attending...even if you have said that you would not be there if you had not already invited others to attend with you. Glad to have you in attendance even if your heart isn't in it for this game. With a win over FAU, I'll bet you'll be happy you came...no matter the reason.

And, while I realize it's a personal choice, I gotta say that I 100% disagree with you. Count me as you do Matt...one of the 5%. Please provide your stats on how you determined that 95% would be watching the Rangers. Seems like a guess to me, and a pretty wild one at that colored by your obvious love for all things ACLS. Foolish is thinking the UNT game is meaningless...and is exactly what I was talking about in my earlier post. If you think supporting by attending...yes actually attending as well as purchasing tickets...is meaningless to a school attempting to become relevant and "big time", opening a new stadium and hiring a completely new coaching staff, well that, is really foolish. And as Zig Ziggler would say..."stinkin' thinking" for any true member of the Mean Green nation. And, don't misunderstand here...I am not saying that if one doesn't attend every home game that he/she cannot be a true member of the Mean Green Nation...not my intent at all. Fans...even Mean Green Nation members make choices based on priorities, and there are simply times when one cannot attend a home game. That's certainly understandable. It's the thinking that the game is meaningless that I am referring to as a symptom of what is wrong at UNT these days and which I describe as "stinkin' thinking". For whatever reason one is attending, thank you. It is very important for the future of this program. You, Sir, will help make a positive difference for UNT and will help create a new day and a new attitude within the ranks of those who call themselves fans of the Mean Green!

This sort of discussion is just painful for me, but is nothing more than the result of the past years of neglect UNT has been given by its students, fans and alums. Having graduated also from two other universities...one in a AQ conference and one in DIV II ball, I can tell you that from my experience the fans and alums at these other two universities would not even see this as a question. They would attend the home football game. Why? Because they have a very personal and strong connection to their university that one can NEVER achieve with a professional team. It's different and it's personal. If one never attended/graduated from a college/university then I can fully see how they could become emotionally and personally attached to a professional team. But, if one is an alum, a student or a prior student, well, I cannot see where the decision is in any way challenging. It's sad to me, that while many UNT "fans" argue for the team to be "big time" they don't feel any personal responsibility for doing what the fans, alums and students need to do and can do to help UNT reach "big time" status. It is definitely a two way street, and if you don't think so you are sadly mistaken and part of the problem rather than part of the solution. I am all for personal choice, so make whatever choice you feel is appropriate for yourself regarding attending or not attending. Whatever decision you make will determine your personal priorities. So be it...your choice. Someday, these discussions will not take place as the fan, alums and students at UNT will have developed to the point where they believe the priority is and should be THEIR UNIVERSITY. Whatever one decides, enjoy the weekend, enjoy the games...and be safe. I'll be at Apogee in support of the university, the program and the players. I've made my decision...actually,no decision at all for me.