KRAM1

F yer, why so negative all of a sudden? None of this is recent news. You act like it is some clandestine plot to price out folks and take away benefits. In fact, the Mean Green Club is reviewing benefits and will definitely be adding some in the near future. Your post almost sounds like the kind of "class warfare" and "class envy" being touted by the democratic party day in and day out. Look, when my wife and I had three kids at home and we were starting out in our careers, I certainly couldn't afford Club Level seating. But, I wouldn't blast the university and administration for trying to upgrade facilities and sell seats and work on donation levels. It's not "class warfare". It's no problem if one cannot purchase Club Level seating or stadium seating between the 40's due to circumstances or simply because they don't want to do so, and I have not heard anyone jumping any one's case for opting to not purchase or participate in the Mean Green Club's efforts to increase membership. That effort is voluntary just like it is voluntary to purchase Club level seating or not. Yes, some folks get more benefits because they are in a position to donate more at this time of their life. Heck, I wish I could afford the Boxes at the new stadium. I can't and even if I could I doubt that I would purchase in that level. BUT, I do not begrudge those that can pay that price or choose (it is voluntary you know) to pay that price the extra benefits they will receive. The stadium hasn't even hosted it's first game and folks are starting to complain already about this or that. It is all voluntary. Let me say that again...it is all voluntary. You get to pick what you want to do and what you don't want to do. There will be alternatives to the deck...such as the Alumni Pavilion and great tailgating before and after the games. Sales are going well by the way. When one compares the support the program has been receiving the past few years with the demand for the Club Level and box seating one can surmise that sales are, indeed, going well. Will they be sold out before the stadium opens, I doubt it. Heck, if you counted all the current season ticket holders UNT has they probably wouldn't account for all the Club level and Box seating. Having sold 1/3 of the Club level seating and, as I am told, a majority of the box seating already isn't bad in my book for UNT given its record of past non-support. The glass is either half-full or it's half-empty. You get to choose which it is.....Smile, Flyer, it's not like you to be so gloomy! GO MEAN GREEN!

Discussions are on-going as we write regarding food and beverage service for the Alumni pavilion. I am told that food and beverages...and yes, even the adult variety, will be available for purchase much like the current deck arrangement. Do not know the details as yet, but it is definitely being worked on by your Alumni Assoc. staff. Just like the stadium, I am certain there will be a bit of a "shake-down cruise" time for the pavilion after opening, but all indications are that it is going to be a fun and casual place to hang out. Construction has started. Check it out. BTW...the Alumni Association is selling pavers and taking other contributions to help fund the construction. My wife and I have made a contribution and we have purchased a paver. I would recommend that all alumni consider doing the same. Some are buying bricks that commemorate their grad year, some are buying bricks that commemorate other significant events while students on the UNT campus. Should be great fun to check all the pavers out once they are installed. GO MEAN GREEN! GO UNT ALUMNI!

I, for one, thank you, Sir. I appreciate the commitment you have made to supporting your University. I know the commitment it takes with a young family as I have been there done that, and it isn't easy. You just have to prioritize, and you have done so. Every member of the Mean Green Nation owes you, and those like you, a big debt of gratitude and thanks. We need more young supporters (and supporters of any age for that matter) following your lead. Thank You! GO MEAN GREEN!

Joe, I definitely agree. Those of us who have been around the program for many years and live in Denton actually realize the value of having a HC who lives in Denton and, along with his family, becomes part of the Denton community.

I really don't care if they play in loin cloths and leather helmets. I just want them to start winning. Whatever the uniforms look like when they start winning on a regular basis will look GREAT to me. I just don't want the shade of green to change again. We got one...stay with it! GO MEAN GREEN! Obviously I do not need to be recommend to be on the "design team".

Great news! Congrats to you guys. Always great to welcome another member of the MEAN GREEN NATION.

Well, there will be a great place to meet and greet as Mean Green Club members before the game...it will the Alumni Pavilion being built. The Pavilion will have "beverages", big screen tv's etc. No, you would not be able to see the game from the Alumni Pavillion, but it will make for a great meeting place before the games, etc. All one has to do is be a member of the UNT Alumni Association and that will gain you entrance...and, i have been told guests will be allowed to accompany members, but in a limited number. You might want to consider joining the Alumni Association if you have not already done so. I was aware there would not be a "deck" at the new stadium from the very beginning and am surprised that everyone did not already know that. I am on board with RV wanting folks in their seats for the game and not hanging out in the deck. While my wife and I definitely enjoyed the deck and went there for every home game, I understand the reasons why there will not be such a spot in the new stadium. Folks, the new stadium will be a "change" from the experience at Fouts...a good one...but, it will definitely take some getting used to. Let's all try to give it a "run through" and a "trial run" before we start finding fault in its set-up and or operations. The Athletic Dept. will tweak things as time goes on...please PLEASE do not expect it to be PERFECT the first time you set foot in the place. Remember, even "Jerry World" took some tweaking after opening to get things to run even somewhat smoothly. It's a change for all of us...a good one indeed...but a change. Some folks need more time than others to adjust to change. Let's give it some time. And, be sure and join the UNT Alumni Assoc. (did you know that you do not have had to graduate from UNT to be a member of the Alumni Assoc.? It's true...call and ask if you don't believe me) or renew your membership so you and your guests will have access to the new Alumni Pavilion at the stadium. GO MEAN GREEN!

Rick, while I don't disagree at all with the idea behind your post, it is really stretching it to place the Phillies in the category of the "same 5 to 6 teams who compete for the title every year". The history of the Phillies is not all that good...even in recent years. It is only very lately that Philadelphia has been on the "successful" side and competing for championships.

A big +1 for you, Sir. GO BRONCOS! The Broncos have been screwed around royally by the DISD folks to the benefit of both Ryan and Guyer. It was great to see the Broncos have a little success this season on the gridiron in spite of DISD's gerrymandering ways. Ha!

No way, Silver...just can't hear worth a flip. Especially over a bunch of Navy Mids yelling in joy after an Army defeat. I'll get with drex and figure this out. I am sure the guy was not stretching the truth in front of his Navy Midshipman son, but I an certain that I couldn't hear very well. There is a "guy" and he has a name...I'll find it, and I really appreciate all the help here so far...anyone else with an idea...please chime in....the suspense is killing me! GO MEAN GREEN!

Yea...Silver you are right about the dates....I lost my count there for a bit. Appreciate the help. I don't think the guy was from San Antonio when he first came to UNT, but lives there now. It may well have been Phil Minutts...I think I heard "Phil" or something like that over the "GO NAVY" yell! I'll get with drex and Silver and see what we can find. Need to get this guy re-connected to the Mean Green and UNT. Thanks...I'll start with the names given and see where we go. GO MEAN GREEN!

BTW...before the "grammer police" get going...The "who they is" was done to try to get attention and maybe an answer to the thread...but, maybe having to point that out takes all the "fun" out of it. Just trying to keep the chatter down from the "peanut gallery".

So, my bride and I go the Philadelphia for the Army-Navy (GO NAVY!!!!) game this last weekend. Great game and nice win by the Midshipmen for the 9th in a row. It is one of the games EVERYONE should try to see "in person" at least once. Great tradition and great fun. Upon leaving the game, we are riding the escalator down from the noose-bleed section where we had tickets and I start a conversation with a Midshipmen. he says some thing about the Aggies and I give him the "Hook 'Em Horns" sign...that starts the conversation and I tell him I really don't care about the "horns as I am a UNT and Mean Green guy. He says, really, my Dad played for the Mean Green in the 70's. We are from San Antonio. The kids dad is right behind us, so I introduce myself, ask his name and when he played. Just as he said his name some Midshipmen let out a big "GO NAVY" and I miss the guys name. He played under Fry and Corky Nelson I believe. Said he played in the win over Tennessee and was a line backer for the Mean Green. Where can i find some old rosters and recall who this guy is? Seems he hasn't been back to UNT in awhile, so i want to get some info on the guy and invite him to come see the new stadium and reconnect with UNT. Small world isn't it? Even in Philly at the Army-Navy game my thoughts are not far from the Mean green, and sure enough the guy behind me on an escalator at the stadium after the game played for the Mean Green. Pretty big guy, but looked to be in decent shape. His kid goes to the Naval Academy. You just never know. So, how about some hints folks...where can I get some old rosters and check it out?

Phil...a very happy birthday to you, Sir! Thanks for all you do for the University of North Texas. UNT could use a lot more supporters like you who give of their time, talent and money to help UNT be the best that it can be. Thanks, Phil...have a very happy birthday. It is your day...you own it! Go Mean Green!

Good luck...I hope you pull this off and the guy actually pays up after he loses to you. GO FROGS in this one! But.....always GO MEAN GREEN!

But, it's so old. You really should broaden your horizons. Ha! Willie, Waylon and the Boys...no where in the lists. Shame. But, not much new except a MJ bust from Willie these days...hehe! I agree, love the White Album!

See, they "don't teach you nothin' in Yankee Land"! You need to "come home" more often!

It will be great to have a dedicated special teams coach. Had special teams been a bit better, UNT may well have won a few more games last season and surly will this next season. I really think we have the players who can make the improvements needed. They just need to have more fun, and get some solid coaching as to some of the fundamentals (like tackling) that seemed to be lacking for some reason at some very bad times the last few seasons. So far, so very good with the hires and the direction. You just have to be smiling for the Mean Green! GO MEAN GREEN....

Who you callin' old? Joe Peterno thinks I am young. It's all relative, kid! You'll get that one of these days, if you are lucky enough to live so long! HeHe! My point was more toward where is Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flats, Keith Urban, etc., etc. on that list? Well, it does have Midlake and that makes it sort of OK. But for the most part, WHO?????? Just having a little fun with you kiddo!

WHO? WHAT?

Hmmmmmmmmmm...that's the kind of action and thinking from the AD's staff that keeps UNT "thinking small time" when it is so very much trying to think BIG TIME. I have had several of those sort of responses from athletics department personnel in "my time", but found that the best thing to do sometimes is to go right to RV. I am not saying to bombard RV with every little idea all the time. The man is way too busy to respond to the multitude of people who think they have a "better idea" than he as to how to run his dept., but I have found that you can talk with him at games, at events, etc. and "plant the seed" for a later follow-up. This way the idea is coming from the AD down to his staff. They do seem to respond much faster and more positively that way. It is definitely tough being in a job where "everyone" knows your job "better" than you do, and I can imagine all the suggestions do get tiring. However, if the suggestions were kept in perspective and staff realized they were coming from folks who just want the very best for UNT and the athletic program, a more "customer friendly" response should be more of the norm going forward. Not picking on any particular staff member, just suggesting that they remember who their clients are and to at least respond accordingly. They never know when that "little guy" they are ignoring might just be the next big time donor. Case in point here at my office. We had a guy who worked with us part-time several years ago. Good guy, did a great job for us, but was a young part-timer. He went on to a full-time position somewhere several years ago. We recently had an annual dinner with Newt Gingrich as our speaker. It was a fundraiser so were were selling tables ans tickets. Table sponsorships went from $2500 to $10,000 each. So, the ex-part-timer sees the announcement, calls and says he wants to help and attend the event. We say great, give him the details, send him the sponsorship flyer, etc., etc. He buys a $10,000.00 table sponsorship! You just never know...and neither do the staffers in the Athletic dept.

You are singing my song! I agree 100% that there needs to be a much better effort to get students to attend games at UNT. Some folks say that it isn't necessary to "market" to students, but I would counter that student game attendance says otherwise. Some would say it's because UNT does not have a big enough promotions and/or marketing staff. To that I would counter that whatever the size effort would be made if it were given any level of priority. If promotions and marketing were not related to attendance then I ask why the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Cowboys continue to market and promote...as well as the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Stars (not working so well for them at the moment it seems) and FC Dallas. UNT is asking a lot from the community, its alums, its fans and its students to know all they need to know about game dates, times, etc. Small staffing levels does not mean they should totally ignore efforts to raise attendance. , for one, have seen little to no effort made this season so far. Please correct me if I am wrong...and if you think a DISD kids day is all that needs to be done.

I'm gaining on some people. Yes, indeed...GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR UNT FOOTBALL!!!! Go Mean Green!

Just this fact alone has put a smile on my face!

No justice! Congrats to the Mean Green selections!