KRAM1

Thanks for the info...may try to make road games at A&M (we have known Coach G for many years...coached my son's select team before heading to A&M to start that program), and Okie State as I am also an Okie State grad and enjoy going back to Stillwater from time to time...would have to cheer the Mean green on even when in Stillwater. GO MEAN GREEN! When will the game dates be announced? Anyone know?

Congrats to all the Mean Green players receiving these recognitions. Well deserved and well EARNED. Some great times provided to all Mean Green Nation members by these guys through the years! GO MEAN GREEN!

Yes, I had heard he had injured a knee.

OK

I just want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy New Year to all members of the great Mean Green Nation, and especially to everyone here on GMG.com! I know, whether we agree on issues or not, that everyone here is a proud member of the Mean Green Nation. I wish the very happiest of holiday seasons to you and yours and I hope everyone gets the chance to spend the holidays with family and friends. While we are celebrating the Christmas and New Year seasons let us not forget all the dedicated men and women who are serving this great nation of ours at home and abroad. They sacrifice so we can enjoy the greatness of what is the United States of America. May God bless and keep them one and all and look after their families this holiday season. I believe that the Mean Green will continue to make very positive strides in 2011 and I hope everyone will support the program in 2011 as we all get to enjoy that brand new wonderful stadium Have a great one, folks...GO MEAN GREEN! Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year to all. GO MEAN GREEN! And, what would such a post from me be without ending with...good things are happening at UNT these days!

Excellent...good to see this...and super for the defense.

My bride and I enjoyed the game and got to see that Shannon Shorter was doing plenty OK. I had heard that we may had seen pretty much the last of Shannon for the season, but he looked and played fine last evening. Small crowd, but what can one expect with the students gone and it being a Sunday afternoon/early evening start time? It was the type of game I thought I would be seeing UNT play more often...start fast and keep going. But, so far this season the team has been more like the "cardiac kids". Hey, 9-2 is a decent start and actually should be 10-1. I see this team, given that it stays healthy, a conference and tournament champ...maybe even a bit higher than a 15 seed in the Tournament, but lots of work left to do. Have a great holiday break guys...thanks for sending us home happy last evening! GO MEAN GREEN!

Only that I tend to agree with your line of thought. We may all see just how "creative' this group can be...the good news for me is that I do think this group of coaches may be the best we have seen at UNT in quite some time and I think they are fully capable of "thinking outside the box". What makes me feel that way? Well, just the experience and the info we have seen from others who know these guys, have worked with these guys, played for these guys and played against these guys. Should be a fun-off season for the Mean green. I just hope this group is "in the game" soon enough to line up a decent recruiting class for the Mean green. GO MEAN GREEN!

Not one time did the guy I spoke with infer that ANY local athlete thinks UNT is a "laughing stock". I have never ever head a local athlete or a local athlete's parent say such a thing. If you talk to local kids and parents who do, then I am 100% glad they will be playing elsewhere! That is stinking' thinking' and stupid on so many levels. If you heard this I certainly hope you challenged the idiot who said it!

Could it be a tournament schedule? Spring soccer is pretty much exhibition stuff, and you get some very good opponents as a result. I see absolutely no reason why some would shy away from coming to Denton. Good place to play and not far from some of the schools mentioned. I don't think the 90% win at home mark would scare many away. I'll keep my fingers crossed for some good spring soccer in Denton. Here's hoping....GO SOCCER LADIES!!!!!

CAM...may thanks for the insight. For all the reasons you mentioned, am I'm most excited about the future of UNT football. I really do think it is a great time to be a member of the Mean green nation. GO MEAN GREEN! Good things are happening for UNT!

WOW...wasn't the Maryland Coach name Coach of the Year in the ACC????? I find this a bit "odd" to say the least. Good luck with that Leach thing!

Silver...agree. What you point out is just another reason why fans actually need to be in their seats for the games...and WEARING as much GREEN as they can!

I did. Good to see a local kid having some success. Now he and his team will get to play in Frisco at Pizza Hut park in the Championship game. Good for him and Eastern washington. BUT, that red field is as ugly as the Boise State blue field.

So, I had the opportunity to talk with the parent of a highly recruited DISD football player recently. During that conversation I asked why more Denton kids don't consider UNT. I asked was it that UNT coaches never contact them? The guy was very candid. Said that his son was, indeed, contacted by UNT early in the process, and the UNT coach was told basically not to waste their time as UNT would not be in the mix. Why" (in no specific order): 1) The kid has grown up in Denton and wants to "get away" from home for college; 2) The recent record of UNT is a factor, as is the lack of TV opportunities offered through the Sun belt; ;3) The lack of support the community gives UNT especially the lack of any community involvement/excitement on game days (remember, these kids grow up and Denton and see it week in and week out) 4) The attitude of UNT grads and alums around town who do not support the program, do not attend games, do not wear UNT gear and who seem to always be more negative than positive toward their own University; 5)The fact that many of their friends who attend UNT do so only after transferring from another school or who never have UNT on their list of colleges they are thinking of attending; 6) The opportunity to play for a "higher profile" program and be seen by pro scouts and their friends (remember, lots of these kids think they have the chance to be pro players at this stage in their "careers"); 7) The lack of persistence by UNT coaches once they hear the initial reaction; and 8) Yes, some kids are simply not contacted by UNT recruiters at all for whatever reason. Now, I asked would the coaching change perhaps help. The answer was definitely "yes" IF they start to turn the program around next season and IF the community and alums turn more positive in their support of the program and the university. OK, folks, this coming from a local kid's parent, and a kid who has grown up in Denton. Is it all negative? ABSOLUTELY NO! Is there no hope for local recruiting? ABSOLUTELY THERE IS! But, both coaches and fans need to be realistic in their expectations. And, it seems the "attitude" of the local community and the UNT fans and alums needs some work as well. It does seem to matter. The new coaching staff and how it does on the field and around town will help...and, I was told that new stadium will be a BIG factor in recruiting...not only locally in the Denton area, but across the state as well. This guy indicated that "people are noticing" what UNT is doing these days. Interesting conversation...yes, it was! BTW...parent asked that both he and his kid's name not be mentioned. I am assuming that meant that several local folks and coaches actually read this board! GO MEAN GREEN!

Amazing sentiment. As active as you are I am surprised that you don't recognize the new Alumni pavilion as an alternative. Sorry to see you go the "rest of us peasants" route...sounds like the democrats always calling Republicans and conservatives "rich guys" who "don't care about the poor". You know how true that is, but it makes for good press and keeps the class warfare going full speed ahead. Nice. After this post from you, I think I'll take FFR's advice and no longer read this thread. It does pain me greatly to see great fans of the Mean Green trying to make something out of nothing and throw out the "class warfare card" when nothing else seems to work. So, I'll leave it to you guys and head to other posts. FFR makes a good point, thanks.

What this shows me is that UNT has a lot of room for positive increases attendance given the size of UNT's student body and alumni base. Right now, as a percentage, SMU is knocking our socks off. Can you imagine what SMU attendance would be in perhaps a different/lesser conference in the eyes of its fan base? Ouch! While UNT's attendance is far below what it probably should be...yes, even now...it does appear that on average increases are being witnessed. I can only imagine what the new stadium, the new coach and new attitude will bring in the way of attendance. Any guesses? GO MEAN GREEN!

Sort of lets you know that the team at the AD have been working very hard to sell suites, club seats, naming rights, etc., doesn't it? Tough sell in these slow economic times. can you imagine how sales would be going if the stadium had been built a few years ago? However, the purchaser of the naming rights may have declared bankruptcy by now and backed out of the deal. Ha! If these folks can sell suites in this environment, I say we have a pretty darn good team working on it! GO MEAN GREEN! Sell...sell...sell.... Also lets you know that UNT, UNT football and that new stadium are things folks are interested in supporting!

Sigh...enjoy your half-empty drink. If you think you have been around the program and disappointed a few times, you really are just a babe in the woods. You have lots of "catchin' up" to do in that regard. Try having the program that had the best winning percentage at UNT and had NCAA appearances under its belt dumped in favor of Title IX if you want disappointment. Get with me sometime and I'll tell you how all of us in the meeting where our then AD announced the killing of the program were lied to right to our faces! I can tell you stories that you have never even imagined...you are too young to know about them. Ha! Look, this sort of thing happens...and happens in every University and in every business and in every governmental organization, school system, military unit, etc. and in every place where humans are making decisions. Crap happens. Crap that should have been anticipated ahead of time, often was, and was simply ignored. Ask the Space Shuttle program about those heat tiles. One can either dwell on the negatives or can work through them and find the "light at the end of the tunnel". No one I know is sticking their collective heads in the sand and singing "kumbaya as they hold hands and dance around the campfire" when it comes to UNT and its athletic program, but its a lot more enjoyable and a lot more enjoyable to the people around you if you try to see the glass as half full and work on the things YOU can help to make better. Sitting back and complaining and pointing out others failings in public all the time really doesn't solve much. Again, folks, we have a great new stadium going up, and not everyone associated with is trying to make bad decisions. Heck, some items I may think are bad decisions, others think are great decisions...imagine that! There are some pretty bright engineers, design folks and UNT staffers working on this project to try to make it the best they can. Will there need to be a few changes as things progress, sure,...get ready for them. I can think of NO construction project this big that went from start to finish without some challenges, modifications and compromises along the way. case in point...Jerry World!

Excellent news...so I guess there are 21 suites? You mentioned that 18 of 19 or sold with the other two being for the AD and Prez. This is GREAT news indeed. Yes, focus will shift from the selling of suites to the selling of Club level seating by the entire AD development staff I would assume, so that will really shift emphasis and get more Club level seats sold. All the better for the stadium and the department and the University. Super news!!!! Good things are happening at UNT these days. You just have to open your eyes to see them! GO MEAN GREEN!

I can relate to that...or maybe it's, I resemble that! Ha! Good one!

Bottom line...as close as you seem to be to the program, I cannot believe that you did not know that the Deck would be gone. It was never a surprise to me or really anyone else that I have asked about it in the last few days. However, on the other hand, I had never heard that the deck at the Athletic Facility would be a replacement. In fact, early on I asked department personnel about that and was told "no" it would not be serving as a replacement.

How about we pick a basketball game this season...maybe this Sunday's and do that at the end of the first quarter????

Man I'm glad I don't have a handgun nearby right now. After reading all the negative posts about a great new stadium I might just blow my brains out. I find this whole line of thought amazing. It's part complaining about a brand new stadium before it ever gets built and before the first game is even played, its part about losing the deck when some of the complainers were rarely seen on the deck and from which one had a terrible line of sight to the games, and it's part about "class-warfare" where some want to pit those they deem the "have's" (those that are spending a good bit of cash to buy Club level seats) against those they see as the "have not's" (who will have great new seats in a great new stadium and who still support the program the way they choose ... which, by the way is 100% A-OK and appreciated). Folks, stop a second here and really give some thought to this. There will be no lack of places to have an "adult beverage" and a good pre-game meal at the new stadium. What one really loses is a ratty old wooden deck area with terrible sight lines and from which some folks never left to fill the stadium seats. My bride and I spent countless hours on the deck...her more than me as I hated to try to watch the game from the deck...bad bad place ...in my opinion only...to watch a game if you really were there to actually watch the game...and we will miss it. But, time to move on. Stop all this liberal "class warfare" crap and appreciate the fact that some are capable and willing to pony up some decent sized cash to help fund this great new stadium. My bride and I are lucky that the new stadium came after all three kids were out of school and out of the house and were able to help make that donation. Could not have done it when our kids were the age of FirefighterRick's, or when were were recently graduated and starting out in our careers. That time will come for many who cannot now afford or even want to afford if they can, Club level seating. Give it time and you may find yourself in a different situation. It is time the Mean Green Nation put this "stinkin' thinking'" to bed and came together as one in support of this project and in support of THEIR University. I really don't think anyone would say, "OK, I don't want that new stadium. I want to keep Fouts because they are doing way with the deck". Now, really folks, give that some thought for a second. Sounds a bit "odd" now, doesn't it? Again, the Alumni Pavilion may well turn into the nest "must" go place. No, Flyer, you can't sit in the Pavilion and see the game. But, one saw very little of the actual game from the Deck at Fouts.

I hope you are not counting me in that group you are dissing here...I loved the deck and so did my bride and we will miss it. We just realize that the new stadium has so much more to offer and will help UNT and its program in so many more ways that losing the deck is a price we are happy to pay to get the new stadium and all it will do for the football program and the University in general. It's the greater good thing...you give up a little to get a lot in the case of the new stadium. And, many of the folks who you seem to think "didn't get any value out of the deck" and are posting their OK-ness with its passing here on the thread I saw on that very deck at almost every game....and really, so did you. I share your pain, Rick, but really don't think it is THAT big of a deal. I really do think you will find the Alumni Pavilion and other tailgating opportunities will soon create new traditions and adventures for you...and everyone else for that matter. And, BTW, no one seems to be dismissing the concerns, they are simply not necessarily agreeing that it is much of a concern.