FirefightnRick

Tech simply needs a defense. They nearly took the horns three years ago. Till then, the paying customer will continue to tune in to see if they can "OUTSCORE" their opponents or not. I'd take their national reputation, a 15th ranking and a yearly conference loss or two or three in the Big 12 over any of our running hype. Again, this is an entertainment business. Even with a ranked rushing game 4 of the last 5 years our offense has averaged 106th nationally since 1999. Hard to call that entertainment. I've had to convince myself that it is, to see "if we can run on them" or not. But our overall conservative game plan kills most of that. Rick

Tech has won something that matters, they've won the interest of the national media, in big fashion. Rick

Now why would someone want to employ an offense that "will be exciting to watch"? It's good to read now and then that some understand the concept that this is an ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS. Rick

http://www.unt.edu/northtexan/hurricane.htm Good job in New Orleans brother! Proud of you. Rick

Ditto everything ADLER has stated. Hardly no college age people in Green in attendance at all. It just amazes me that there are that few college basketball fans attending school at North Texas? About the game, if we have one shooter on the team, we win this game. Someone help me remember when the last good shooter was, Jesse Ratliff? It was incredible to see this team keep up, and actually take the lead after getting down by 10, with mostly layups. We need someone, anyone that can accurately shoot the ball. ANYONE! Rick

Employees at Lidz at Hulen, Grapevine Mills and Ridgemar Malls, Footlocker and Champs sports at Hulen and several independant vendors in between, at times have told me "That's all we have left", or, "I've sold out of North Texas, I can't keep it in stock", or, "We can't get North Texas gear and I don't know why?". Many of these businesses know "where North Texas is". Outside the metroplex, I'll give them a pass, but there is no excuse within the DFW area for them not to plan ahead and have it readily available. No excuse at all. As ADLER and I have suggested for many years now, whenever you get the chance, ask for it before you walk out. I just bought an '05 Ford F150 4x4 CrewCab pickup, picked it up last Tuesday from Peyton Wright Ford in Grapevine. But prior to that I had been shopping around on the internet for it. I had sold my old chevy truck so I had cash to put down on a new one. I had that and had a retainer from my credit union in my pocket one day when I went over to Texas Motors Ford on West Loop 820 in Fort Worth to look at a truck a guy had called me about earlier in the day. With the price of gas and due to the incredible rebates Ford is offering right now, it's obvious the Truck people are hurting a bit to move their trucks. When I got to Texas Motors, out front were two special order F150 Trucks parked under the porch. One was the Texas Longhorn Special, the other the Texas Aggie Special and standing in front of both trucks were 4 salesmen including the Truck Fleet manager. I took advantage of the opportunity to have some fun and possibly make a point. I pulled out the retainer and with cash in hand I walked up and introduced myself to the manager, shook his hand and told him I was shopping for a truck and then asked him where the North Texas Mean Green Special was? All four of them had the shittiest look on the their faces and didn't say a word. The manager then nervously laughed it off and stated that Ford didn't offer a North Texas package "yet". I didn't crack a smile, I just looked at him and said "Your kidding me, I thought they did. That's too bad, I'd take it home today", and those of you who know me, know I would have. I then simply walked on by and into the front door behind them and found the salesman that had called me. Now, I'm not sure if they took me serious on my offer to by a North Texas Special or not? But I promise you for a second they were at a loss for words in not knowing how to respond and looked as if they wished Ford did offer it. If nothing else I enjoyed the faces they made when I said it. "Crazy North Texas Mean Green fans, who do they think they are?" Rick

Congrats Nick, we'll be watching. Rick

NT was only down by 8 with 9 minutes to go in the 4th last year against a much more talented USM team. I'd say our only true blow out was the first one against Colorado State. Rick

True. And going by what I am seeing they don't mind stockpiling tU everything, some looking as if they have way over ordered and don't mind doing so. If that's the case then what is the harm in doing the same on a smaller scale for other schools, mainly the largest one that is nearby? Rick

While having some work done on my new truck yesterday the wife and I traveled to several area Malls from Hulen in southwest Ft Worth to Grapevine Mills. I know there is a fine line between stupidity and ignorance at times so I'm not sure which it is that local merchants are displaying when it comes to supply Mean Green gear this Christmas shopping season? At Hulen there's a guy selling indoor household floor mats and also truck mats. I asked if he had any NT mats and he did, only one of each(they come in pairs) but it was the Orange and Blue circle-star logo. I asked if he had any more and he didn't, these were the last ones. Just as I was about to walk off a man standing behind me asked if I was going to buy them and I said no. He then told the man that he would take both sets. His daughter was currently attending NT and he had never seen the mats before. The floor mats were the same ones the Mean Green club gave out last year. So now the mat sales guy has nothing left the rest of the week for NT. I then go up to the Lidz store. They had ONE NT hat left. It was the white with the green "Son of Worm" and green stripes on it. One left in the store. I then go to the footlocker. They had a bin with stacks of regular T shirts of all the major colleges including one fairly decent looking NT shirt. Here is a photo of it. NT T Shirt I'm not making this up. There were at least 25 to 30 shirts in each of the other schools. But they only had 4 left of the NT shirts. All t shirst were on sale for 2 for $20. They now only have 2 left. But before I walked out I asked the store manager if they had any more. He stated this was all they had, that he can't keep them in stock. I asked why he doesn't stock more for Christmas? He said the store doesn't order stock, that the head office in New York does. He's requested more but had no idea when or if he would get any more in. He gave me a number to call if I wanted to. Amazing! I get to Grapevine Mills and go to the lidz there. They had several of the old Daffy eagle hats by zephyr and several of the Parrot Eagle hats by zephyr. I asked if they had any others with the new logos and he pointed out that they had one of the new (Son of Worm) logo hats on the other side of the store. Sure enough, they had Top of the World's(Thank you Greenstock) Black Out series with the Son of Worm on the front and Mean Green on back in the new font. They had one left so I bought it. They also had two of Zephyr's Trucker series hats with their original X Line version for North Texas, the one with the mean looking Eagle on the front of it. Again, (Thank you Greenstock), so I bought one of those too. Now they only have one of those left as well. Finally I go over to Steve and Berry's. What a disaster that place is. Looks like a J.C. Penney's outlet after a tornado hit. Everything, sweatshirts, t shirts and cheaply made letter jackets are all one price, $7.89 and the line was at least 25 yards long to get to the register. They had two t shirts for North Texas. One with just a plain "NORTH TEXAS" printed across it, the other with "NORTH TEXAS" in a baseball type cursive font across it. They also had a hooded sweatshirt with the plain "NORTH TEXAS" across it. I found three of those left. But they had nothing in the aplique sewn-on hoodies for NT like they had for Texas State. They have bins and bins full of Texas State stuff. And they had nothing in the new font for NT either. I didn't/couldn't buy anything from there because of the line. So I'm not sure who to blame for a lack of gear supply in the metroplex, the merchants or our school? The gear is available or you wouldn't be able to find any of it anywhere. But it's amazing that here at Christmas time where it's possibly safe to say that 2 out of 10 college age, or college connected people who walk through a merchants door will be affililiated with NT in some fashion yet the merchants seem to choose to ignore their own chance for a sale? Rick

Learned an hour or so ago one of our guy's son who plays for UT quit the team a week or so ago because his coach wouldn't let him run track, and evidently prior to the Big 12 championship game the coach re-iterated that fact and pissed the boy off. He let his position coach know his intentions to quit and transfer despite his dad's urges for him to stay for the Rose Bowl. He has played sparingly on defense but mostly has been getting in on special teams. Last I heard he is planning on following his brother to a Pac 10 school, but no one is completely sure on that. This reiterates what I have been told by many of our players and other guys who have played for other teams over the years that regardless of the shiny lavish stadiums and what not, playing time, and probably more importantly, correct timing for when you will get to play, bears more weight with a college football player. I wished we could get him to NT, and possibly we could, had our track team had a bit more notoriety? Who knows. It's just interesting that a kid that was this highly recruited nationally could find something wrong with "God's Gift" to football and leave before a national championship game. Who knows, possibly by now someone (maybe momma?) has been able to talk some sense into him to stay. Word is he would start next year with 1 year left after next season? Rick

I am always amazed everytime I see Carrol play at Texas Stadium because of the number of their fans that have access to so many of the private luxury suites. Saturday while at the game I counted 26 of the suites in use with Dragon fans inside. Out of curiosity for the economic makeup of Katy, I asked one group of their fans if the game had been played at Reliant in Houston if there would have been anyone in the suites there and they laughed and said "no way, we ain't got that kind of money at Katy". Rick

I spent the last two 1/2 days with http://americasgreatestfan.com/ Tony Milano and we had a great time. I eventually found out that Tony recieved around 50 videos last Spring for his search of "America's Greatest Fan" and he chose 3 individuals to meet up with during his time on the road so I feel very fortunate that I was one of the three. Last Wednesday Tony went down to Austin to meet up with tU's SID regardless of being put off by him earlier in the week, and did speak with him and actually got a promise for a future sit down interview with Coach Brown. He came back to Ft Worth Friday afternoon to do his ride out with us. Unfortunately he missed the chance to video us at a working house fire by an hour or so, but did get to see a few ass-saults and other ems calls throughout the remainder of his night with us at 14's. While checking some email late friday night we got to talking about NT football and all. But before I could say another word he turned to me after reading an email and asked, "Do you know a coach Ramone Flanagan?". The email he had just read was from ESPN's Bruce Feldman? who told Tony that if he got a chance when he got to Texas that he should interview his friend, Ramone Flanagan at North Texas. I paused and said, "uh, well yes I do and I'm sure he would have a few choice words to say if you ever got the chance to meet him some day". The next morning on Saturday we went over to Southlake Carrol High School to video the parents/fans send off for the team prior to their State Championship game with Katy at Texas Stadium. We toured their lockerroom and weight rooms and coaches offices and I have to say it was schocking to see the lavish expense that program has gone through to remind themselves everyday that they are the best. The walls are covered with blown up, glass-framed photos of all their top players from games in the past. Every 5 feet is a large framed qoute or story about positive attitudes and sayings about why you should fight to the end, and beyond. Their weight room is unparrelelled to any other HS facility I have ever seen and has massive glass-framed team photos and state and national championship banners all across the walls. Inside, the place looks and feels like an NFL type setting. Just amazing. After the team left the high school we went straight to Texas Stadium, picked up our press passes and went up to the press row suites for goodies and hot chocolate. We also ran into Tim Mcmahon in the elevator. Afterwards we went down onto the field for the first half and filmed all of it, then went back up to press row for more snacks. While there for halftime I had the pleasure of meeting Jake Shaw, Managing Editor of Dave Campbell's Texas Football. We spoke about the Mean Green for a bit and I was amazed at how much he knows about NT. He's from Baylor and attended the games in '03 and '04. Jake said that he got a lot of emails from Mean Green fans this summer about Patrick and Jamario not getting on the front cover this year but I thanked him regardless for getting Patrick on their last year. I invited him to come to GMG.com, log in and share with us his thoughts about the state of Football here in the great state of Texas and he said he would. It was great to meet one of the most knowledgable individuals of Texas football and I look even more forward to next years issue. Back to the field for the second half and Tony and I had a good time meeting and talking with the fans. I met Mike Renfro's boy, Clint who told me he's still undecided where he will go. SLC's QB is going to Tech and I was standing next to him at one point after the game and I felt like asking him why he wants to go to Tech and sit for three years but I didn't? I would take any of Carrol's players especially their Nose Tackle Blake West and Defensive End Micheal Boydston. I also loved the play of Katy's Safety/Wide Reciever/ Punt returner Will Thompson too. I saw recruiters from all over Texas and beyond at the game so I'm sure these guys will be busy for recruiting season. Tony was amazed to see nearly 30,000 fans show up for a HS football game but I told him I had actually seen more than that, and actually have seen nearly that many for district championships too. Afterwards we were heading out to the truck and Hutto's fans were assembling in the parking lot. I met several of them and talked to a few Evan Cardwell and Phillip Graves fans and invited them to come up for a game next year to see Phillip play. As alway's, good people. After the game I took Tony to the nationally rated Euless' Main Street Barbecue for supper then we went home. Tony had to get going early Sunday morning because he had a meeting with Texas Tech's Mike Leach at 3p.m. Coach Leach invited Tony to practice so I'm sure he had a blast. Here's a couple of photos of Tony's Cherokee which he calls Hidalgo before he left out this morning. Mean Green represented Be safe my friend!. A word about Tony. I wished all of you could have had a chance to meet Tony. He is one of the nicest, kindest individuals I have ever met. He's got that California way about him, smiling constantly and always happy. He never speaks a negative word about anything even though I could tell he is extremely exhausted by now towards the end of his journey. He see's the beauty in everything and has that special niche for seeing the positives in everyone. I can't wait to see his documentary when it is done. My kids were at my parents this weekend and Tony didn't get to meet them but he stayed in the F5's room last night. This evening we brought the kids home and I was not surprised later when Connor came running out of his bedroom to tell us that he found two quarters under his pillow. I told him Tony must have left it for him for letting him use his room the night before. Thank you Tony from Connor. After he leaves Tech, Tony will be headed for the Las Vegas Bowl. He called ESPN to find out about getting down on the field but all the passes were given out. So ESPN hired Tony for one night to work on the field to get him access down there. That is the kind of pull he has gained throughout his travels. Last night he showed Darla and I 1,000's of photos that he has taken since leaving L.A. back in August. He's been on the field and inside some of the biggest programs in the country including Wisconsin, Purdue, Alabama, Auburn, Army/Navy, Florida, Florida St, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Louisville, Clemson, West Virgina and Tennessee. He truly will have an amazing story to tell. I only wished he had a chance to spend a weekend in Denton during one of our better years. In closing, Tony is hoping to finish editing in 16 months or sooner and his documentary will first run at the national film festivals, although I know ESPN has shown interest so who knows where it will end up. He will finish his travel at the Holiday Bowl and be done. I wish him all the best and hope someday to get to see him again. Who knows, maybe there will be a premier down the road that we will meet up again at? Rick

That is great Tony. Rick

I completely agree with ADLER on this. The current stadium design needs re-designed. No one will want to sit in that many upper deck seats. Hell, TCU can't even hardly get anyone in theirs which proves this. It's must be redone to accomodate the most fans possible. Rick

Our win over Baylor in '03 and Texas Tech in '98 was on the front page. New Orleans Bowl win over Cincy was highlighted in color on the front page, and full coverage on the front of the college section with large pictures in the Morning News. Rick

Tony is on his way back from Austin right now to ride out with us the remainder of our shift tonight. Should be interesting to see if he can keep getting up out of bed as the calls come in? Rick

We will be on the sidelines. SLC's pep rally starts at 9 a.m. saturday morning by the way. That should be interesting to see as well. Rick

I know how you feel. Silver and I tried, sorry we couldn't go on. By the way, I will NEVER, EVER, .......EVER buy a hat with UNT on it. I just c...UNT do it. Rick.

You let me know if you can get us a ticket for $40. Last year's ticket was $65, in the north endzone about 5 rows from the back wall. Felt like I was back in Fouts again I was sitting so far from the field.. Rick

Way to go Debbie! Congratulations! Rick

Here's a few photos of Tony's visit to Station 14. http://incipientstage.20megsfree.com/images/rickntony1.jpg Tony's great "MEAN" green face. Tony shows his map of his travels to the four corners of the U.S. We had a great visit with Tony Milano of Americasgreatestfan.com. What he is filming is a 3 year project doing a documentary of college football. He's completely funding it himself and has over $24,000 invested in it so far including 18,000 miles traveled since August of this year. After the film is finished he will be competing in all of the film festivals and go from there. He had supper with us and spent the night with us at the station. The next day he got his paperwork finished to comeback and do a full ride out with us on the truck on friday if his schedule works out. He was scheduled to get an interview with TCU's Gary Patterson but the schedule didn't work out. However Texas Tech's Mike Leach has already invited him to attend their practice next Sunday after he finishes up here in the Metroplex. He had a good interview with Dave Campbell's Texas Football in Dallas yesterday afternoon before he drove down to Austin. He had been in contact with Mack Brown's SID for a while and got an interesting response back from him through email Tuesday night that said basically, "We like what your doing, everything looks great on your site and all, but we will have to decline an interview with Mack Brown due to the fact that if we give you an interview, we would have to give our other 22 Million fans an interview as well". I told him that kind of pompous response didn't surprise me given the source, even if some of the biggest programs in the nation, including Tennessee, Georgia, Florida St. etc not only gave him access to on camera interviews but allowed him on the sidelines for their games. Since football is so huge in Texas he is taking the time to also cover Texas High School football. He is going to attempt to attend SLC's championship pep rally on friday and then he and I are going to attend the game on Saturday. He visited the Texas Sports Hall of Fame yesterday in Waco and said it was something special to see. I'm glad Tony has taken the time to cover football here in Texas. He is a great guy and truly loves the game of football and more importantly, it's fans. I filled in everything I could about the Mean Green. On his truck, Tony has stickers of all the schools he has visited, but the biggest one he has on his rightside door say's MEAN GREEN with the Son of Worm logo above it, so we will be represented well once he gets back to California. Rick

I too questioned the call to kneel on it like everyone else. But to fill you in, TxSt's coach, David Bailiff was the defensive coordinator for TCU when they had their near BCS crash party 3 years ago and the horned frogs defense was the #2 defense in the land statistically and very stingy. What Bailiff has done in San Marcos after only one recruiting season is simply amazing. Rick

That's how it seemed to me too, until I looked at the replay earlier in the season and realized we were only down by 9 with around 7 minutes to go. Nothing else to say but: GO stAte! Rick

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