FirefightnRick

I now like GreenTiger as one of my fav's, because evidently after this post I know he shares my world. Rick

Brett, I haven't contacted anyone other than our own department and they are excited about it as well. Rick

I just spoke to Tony again. He will be in Fort Worth Tuesday afternoon and said for me to expect him at the station after 12 p.m. He's wanting to shoot some footage of us on the truck. I'm trying to get him written permission so he can do just that. He will be staying the night with us and hopeing to make the calls with us during the night. We are going to barbecue some ribs for the evening meal as well. Amazingly, in the 17,000 miles and throughout his travels on this project he's only had to stay in a hotel for 2 nights because the fans have put him up, so I'm glad we can help him out on that too. If anyone wants to come and share some Mean Green memories and show off some memorabilia with the guy please come on. Just P.M. for directions. Rick

LOL, that would get someone escorted out for sure. Rick

That's not photoshop, it's an actual add for the Ford Fusion inside the first page of this weeks S.I. The wedding photo actually is simply labeled "LIFE". Then on the opposite page it's a picture of the new Ford Fusion and it's labeled "LIFE IN "D". I suppose "D" stands for DRIVE. I laughed for 5 minutes when I first saw it. Funny analogy. Of course there is something very wrong comparing the 1-A babe with a Ford Fusion. I'm thinking more along the lines of the new '06 Ford Shelby GT Mustang there? Rick

How can you agree with this. How many people who were there when we changed from 1-A to 1-AA and back, who have stated it sucked, how many will it take to convince you of that? When did you start to follow NT?, last year? Rick

You mean your niece "chose" to be a cheerleader, knowing ahead of time about all the multiple uniforms your sister would have to buy every year and that when Judson usually went deep into the playoffs they knew they would have to get a santa version, and that it usually changed from year to year? Rick

Sorry, I couldn't help it. But I opened my newest issue of S.I. this morning when I got home and turned the front cover and saw this and spit up my coffee in laughter. Of course I doctored it up a bit. And you couldn't find a better illustration to make my point in the other thread about some fans of TxSt criticising NT's move up to 1-A and saying that it's been a poor decision for NT. They would "rather" stay in 1-AA with a chance to shoot for a real national title over being in a low 1-A conference with a chance to play in a low 1-A bowl game. Of course they would say this, NOW after this season, just as the Groom in the photo is OF COURSE going to say "I DO". But given a different scenario or option......? Just a year ago most fans were not so critical of the idea. Rick

I haven't read bobcatfans.com in quite some time, so I stopped by to congratulate them on their season and all. After reading up on some of the threads in the past leading up to this week, several have questioned about their possible move up to 1-A down the road. Evidently, they have all of course, NOW convinced themselves that after getting in on some 1-AA playoff life that it is definately much better than going to a lowly 1-A conference and a chance of playing in a lowly bowl game. And of course, a couple of posters used NT as an example as to how poor it would be for a move up for TxSt. To not want to be like NT, stating examples of we couldn't get anyone to our games this year after winning our conference 4 straight years and going to a bowl game. I corrected that. Also, I reminded them that 3 years ago no one was criticising NT for our move up when they saw us beat the co champions of C-USA on national TV. At that time, many of their posters were congratulatory towards NT and questioning the possibility of a move up for the bobcats. I have been to both, the 1-AA playoffs and to bowl games. The playoffs are great, but they are not anywhere close to the event of a bowl game in N.O. much less several of the other bowl games I have attended in the past. When we were ranked nationally in 1-AA many of us were going to the 1-A bowl games, Cotton, Liberty, Sun, Orange, Bluebonnet with family and friends and the thought of someday seeing NT playing on a national spotlight bowl game was on everyone's minds. But the timetable of ever seeing us return back to 1-A, much less getting to a bowl game was so far off the radar that it seemed nearly impossible which has made the past 4 years incredible for me. As for TxSt for now and their new love, I understand where they are coming from and don't blame them one bit for the criticism. This is new to them and for most, the first time they have seen good crowds and TV exposure. Of course the playoffs are "better", right now? It's sort of like when a younger, more tightly built example of the opposite sex walks by you and the wife/girlfriend at the mall. Your gonna look, but you aint gonna let the wife/girlfriend catch you looking cause you gotta ride back home with her in the car. Rick

Nah, we never come close to "that". Rick

Our playoff games aginst ULM in '87, Marshall in '88 and Boise in '94 were NOTHING like a bowl game. Not even close. Rick

Can't believe I just got off the phone with Tony Malano of the AGCFF project. Here's our chance to get a little positive nortoriety for the Mean Green Nation. http://americasgreatestfan.com/ He's on the east coast right now, headed to Memphis and then is coming to Texas to see interview TCU's Gary Patterson, me and then hopes to get to see Carrol play in the state title next weekend. He stated that if it goes as planned with the interview with Patterson that he wants to come and hang out at my station on Tuesday. I'm trying to get my department's ok to get him a ride out and invited him to stay the night with us as well. He's logged 17,000 miles this football season visiting with the country's best fans and football programs. He went to the Army/Navy game this past week?. I sent him a video of myself and of the Mean Green last spring and the guys at my station helped me put it together. But since the deadline was in June and hadn't heard back I figured my video ended up in the trash. He didn't forget it and is just now getting around to coming back this way to Texas. It would be pretty cool if anyone that lives in the FW area could come by and meet him. He wants to hear peoples stories and hear why you love the Mean Green. Check out his website. He's got a lot of great pictures on there. Hopefully after next week we can get some Mean Green love on it as well. If anyone is interested in meeting the guy send me a P.M. and we'll go from there. Not sure what actually will be the schedule as of now, but I'll post an update. Rick

From my perspective I too cannot understand the poor student turnout. Ther are 10 to 15,000 students in and around the university. There are over 5,000 living on campus. Why dont' they show up? Is promotions still that poor on campus for BB games? I don't know? I never missed a home game in the 4 years I was at NT. Of course, back then, you felt you were missing out on something special if you didn't go. Our team was fun to watch and scored a lot of points. The promotions were good, half time shows were good and the Pit band was fantastic then. But for an alumn who has to drive an hour and a half to get there it's tough to stay 2 hours then turn around and go back an hour and a half to go home. I come when I can. The Super Pit has some special memories for me. It's fun to go to the games and see other members of the Mean Green family. Rick

I think ArkStfan gave some very good examples a couple of years ago as to how this could be done. He also gave examples of why, in the current system, it will never be allowed because of the massive amount of money it would generate. Seems like the amount was so high that it would ultimately give the AD's at the universities too much power, which was why the university presidents would never go for it because they don't want to hand the schools over to the AD's. Not exactly sure of all the facts used to explain it, but it made perfect sense, and explained some things as to how and why we see what we currently see. Rick

True. And just to clear up any confusion there may be out there(I doubt it though) on where I stand: I wish failure on every school simply because, they are not North Texas. It's that simple to me. Rick

I laughed at this one: Rick

The wife got 3 miles north of Weatherford on Hwy 51 trying to get to Springtown, then turned around to pick up the kids to go home. Said the two bridges are already freezing, no sand, emergency vehicles traveling north and southbound and several cars pulled over trying to avoid the slick spots. I suspect it will get worse for this afternoons commute home. If you can, stay home. Of course, if your reading this now, it's too late other than ready yourself for the "Pucker Factor" going home. Rick

I read in this morning's Startlegram about NT's Oral History project and their efforts to get those who were there that morning at Pearl recorded. Thank you to those at North Texas who have taken such an interest in our history by getting this done. This is another reason I feel our new stadium should be named a "Memorial" of some kind to honor those from NT who fought for our freedoms we enjoy today. Also, the paper states that the D Day museum reopened last saturday and is now open 5 days a week. Say's there was between $200,000 and $300,000 worth of damage by looters, but mostly to the gift and coffee shop inside. The museum did not flood by the way. Said all exhibits are now opened. A trip to the D Day museum is worth the trip alone to N.O. if you ever get the chance to go back. To those who sacrificed for our freedom, then and now, we will never forget you. God Bless. Rick

I posted a while back that he quit the team. Rick

To understand more of what Coach Bellard is talking about when he talks of "running an offense" instead of "running plays", you should read the other long article on TT's Leach on the Non NT Sports page. Rick

It's an excellent read. I would love to have his imagination for offense here. Rick

Chuck may be a great guy, but his son Curtis was an @sshole delux during the filming of "NR". He brought in two of his steroid freak buddies from L.A. to do stunt work. I had the pleasure of catching one of them stealing equipment from the locker rooms and had him kicked off set. Curtis didn't care for me much after that. Afterwards it came down to a face to face standoff between me and the thief and I thought we were going to go after it for a second there until our own Sydney "Mad Dog" Bradford stepped in. He turned and told Curtis and his buddies if he didn't like it to tear their @sses back to Caly. Pretty funny. Rick

I hope their crying a river of burnt orange tears down in Austin come middle January after losing to the SC underdogs. Woo hoo, where are all the Trojan bootlickers these days? I might have to join them. "I'm an SC Trojan from way back since the day's of OJ Simpson and...., and whatever else that suck@ss Craig Miller could come up with". Rick

That is as funny as it comes. What a fantastic read into the Tech offense. God what I would give for NT to have someone with even 1/10th of the imagination and Can-Do attitude running our "Pirate Ship", as Tech has now in Mike Leach. When I was reading this I couldn't help but remember back to some of the offenses that Corky would put on the field to give us a "fighting chance" against the bigger programs. First time I had ever heard anyone doing this, I remember before the OU game in '87 Corky had huge speakers brought out to line the sides of the field at Fouts and forced the Mean Green to practice between them as loud as they would go with "Boomer Sooner" deafening everyone the entire week. NT ran several variations at times with much more confusing looking sets than we currently run. In thinking back, I never recall us having numerous delay-of-game penalties or having to avoid them by wasting a time out like we do now. Lord help us. Once again, thanks Long Jim for the info. Rick

Don't worry. Some bitching crybaby has succeeded in pissing on the memory of the '88 team and has finally gotten their way. You shouldn't have to be bothered with them anymore after this season. Rick