SilverEagle

2. It's easy to get busy at this time of year and to forget that many people, including people we love, may get depressed at this time of year for various reasons, and it not be noticed in all the hoopla. Let's all try to reach out to those we encounter at this time of year, especially those who need a little encouragement. Sometimes a kind word or a pat on the back can do a lot of good. I agree with your #1 point, but I especially agree with #2. The irony of the Holidays is that while it elevates the joy of the people who have things (mostly friends and family), it exaggerates the disparity to those who don't have much....or anything. Of course, some of the depression is also due to SADD. So, while you are wishing people a Merry Christmas, try to tell them how genuinely glad you are to see them. And include them in your celebrations as much as you can.

Best wishes for the Holidays to you Mark.

I don't need to spend a cent to make my point about my metaphor (I thought you were a college student...or graduate, and understood such things). But my metaphor was confirmed just a few years ago when the athletic dept decided to tighten up their monitoring of students who came into the football games by virtue of showing their ID's. This was intended to make sure that people who came into the games without buying a ticket were actually current students . Most students were used to just flashing their ID cards (current or not) without any sort of scrutiny. But when they actually had to show a valid card and have it scanned before entering the game, many bitched and griped like they were being charged $50.00 to enter. And all they had to do was have their valid student ID scanned. Nevermind that students at UT, A$M and TT have to buy ticket packages in addition to their student service fees, in order to attend football and basketball games.

...because, as I'm fond of saying, you can stand on a busy corner on the NT campus and hand out $100 bills and invariably some student will bitch that their's was wrinkled. I first made that observation (to my wife) back in the mid-70's. Sadly, it's one of the few traditions that continues with our school.

Well, compared to the hell of all the blood letting between the religious factions that has been unleashed on the general population (which the President was advised would happen), and our inability to keep it in check, I'd say that by comparison, it was a paradise of peace and prosperity. AND, as it's been pointed out numerous times, there were (and still are) much worse dictators in the world than Sadaam. Their countries just don't have large reserves of oil to motivate us to "bring democracy and freedom" to their general population. Meanwhile, we are more hated in that region than ever before.

Harry, I have to agree with you about how hard it is to get, (and then develop), O-linemen. I was just reading the B-12 review in the ST this morning, which included the all-B-12 team. Except for one junior, the rest of the O-line is seniors. The second team O-line has three Sr's and two JR's. The WR are all soph's, as is the RB, and QB. The TE is a junior. The D-line is one Sr, two Jrs' and one Soph. I'm glad that we might get Atkinson, but I still wonder why we would pass on the young man from Blinn (6'X295 5.1) who can come in NOW and is MOTIVATED (or was) to come to come to NT. I'll take a "motivated-to-be-here player" any day over someone who looked around a lot before coming here. Or, maybe I'm just reading the whole situation with Mr. Warren the wrong way.

Getting hit with a shoe is insignificant compared to the death and destruction brought on by the foreign policies dreamed up by those aforementioned chickenhawks and their front man/hand puppet......the W.

My only regret about this incident is that my two favorite Chickenhawks*, Carl Rove and Dick Cheny, were not there to get their farewell kiss. * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_(politics)

Totally agree! Could someone who is more knowledgable about DT's tell me the down side of bringing this motivated young man here to play for us? http://northtexas.scout.com/a.z?s=353&...amp;nid=3829642

When you are talking about a few people (or organizations) manipulating and controling that much money( and who has access to it), then IMHO you're talking about monopolies. Which are subject to anti-trust actions.

We are North Texas graduates, so (regardless of the W/L record) that would be a putt.........

I still have hope that Ross will reach his potential, so I would put him at DT instead of moving Gilmore there. Leave Gilmore at DE and if "Soonerdon" is correct, have Charlie Brown as a back-up to either DE.

First of all Scott, thanks for the Beer at the ArkSt game. And to everyone. I regard the bolded part of GEO's post to be very on-target. I also regard some of his statements to be "The Canary in the Coal mine". We need to be very concerned.

1. Would someone send this link to RV, and advise him to put it in his electronic file labeled "For the Future[/". 2.Recruit coordinator? How hard could this be for Coach Rogers. All he has to do is compile a "wish list" of needed players and then make a phone call and/or e-mail his dad. "Hey Dad! I'm e-mailing you my recruiting wish list. Send me a list of your hottest prospects for each position. Thanks! Jeff." 3. Of course, no matter how successful he will be at KS, he still was working with (compared to us) large resources.......and has most of his career. IMHO, the true test of a great future coach for North Texas is someone who went to Central Arkansas (or some such school) and completely turned them around. Kind of like the coaches at U of Buffalo, WTA$M and Abilene Christian. To me a great Chef is one who can walk into anyone's house and come up with a great meal using the ingredients that are already there.....instead of bitching (like some prima donna) that they couldn't possibly cook a good meal unless they are provided with the finest products and equipment.

I'm assuming that the current players are saying (and conveying this to Mr. Atkinson) that the coaches are concerned with where the team would be in the long run. I'm assuming that this meant that the current players think the coaches are looking out for the teams long term interests. And (if the current coaching staff stays intact) so am I.

“They were up front with me about what the program is about,” Atkinson said. “I asked the players about what the coaches were like. They told me they were concerned with where the team would be in the long-run.” Well, assuming that (as reported) all of the coaching staff returns, then I have to agree with their concerns.

Nice? Interesting choice of words. Dare I hope that this young man will be on campus for spring ball?

Could we get the names of the ones throwing the punches, and see if they would like to play defense for us next year?

http://www.meangreensports.com/SportSelect...&SPSID=9053 They don't designate which ones are RS or not.

It's my understanding that C. Dan Smith was somewhat of a hinderance to RV firing DD. C. Dan Smith is a former player, and has contributed a great amount of money and energy to this program. I certainly hope that he knows more inside stuff (positive stuff that is) than I do.......because the outside stuff is very alarming. As to the questions about Miller. Coach Dodge was asked a week or so ago if he was going to apply for a medical redshirt for Miller, and the answer was no.

I hope you don't think that I'm that naive. What I'm talking about is putting in the same amount of time and effort into recruiting D-linemen as they put into recruiting the dozen or so WR's that they signed the last two classes. You know, those same WR's that either didn't make it to the field in a regular role, or left the program. I call that a great use of their recruiting time. ..............................................NOT! Oh, and I forgot to make this comment. If Coach Dodge thinks that addressing the DL is such a priority, then why did he kick Joseph Miller to the curb? Coach Dodge made the decision to not pursue a medical redshirt for Joesph Miller. A healthy Joesph Miller in 07 had more tackles than all of the D-linemen this year.

Here's my favorite quote: The offensive line was this season’s most improved area, and now the defensive line is Dodge’s No. 1 recruiting priority, he said. He's just now making it a priority?!?! Did anyone watch the Tulsa-East Carolina CUSA championship game yesterday? Tulsa was favored in that game, but guess who (or what) was the main reason that ECU won.......IT'S DEFENSIVE LINE! The Tulsa QB (Johnson) had about 5 or 6 int's during the game. Why? BECAUSE THE DL WAS CHASING HIM ALL OVER THE FIELD AND/OR SACKING HIM WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO PASS. Last year in the Navy game, coach Dodge made the bold decision (and as it turned out, the right decision) to squib kick the kick-off after our first score. We got the ball back and scored again, putting us up by 14 very early in the game. Why did he do this? Because he knew his defense could not stop the Navy running attack, and his only hope for a win was to stay ahead by a couple of touchdowns. And why couldn't we stop the Navy running attack? Because we were weak in the DL! AND we were not (like this year) able to tackle worth a damn. BUT IT ALL STARTS AT THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE! When the 08 signing class was announced, I remember saying WHERE'S THE BEEF? Our only hope for next year is if we suddenly find a couple of Juco DL beasts that can transfer and play in the spring. Otherwise, even if by some stroke of luck some outstanding HS D-Linemen sign with us, we're still a couple of years away to even hope they will contribute.

I have always believed that Baylor was the first SWC school to integrate, with John Westbrook being their first black athlete. Here is a link to the story in the Baylor History review. http://baylorreview.blogspot.com/2005/06/b...integrates.html Here is the pertinent quote. "Bridgers' Baylor football team ended up being the first Southwest Conference squad to field a black player in a game. That player, halfback John Westbrook, carried the ball twice in Baylor's victory over Syracuse on Sept. 10, 1966. Westbrook beat SMU's Jerry Levias by one week to become the Southwest Conference's first black player."

Jack, more than once I've compared true North Texas fans to the children of Isreal who wandered in the desert before arriving at the promised land. And while that certainly builds a lot of character, I sure am tired of wandering. And my feet sure do hurt.

You bring in the next UP AND COMING URBAN MEYER. Remember that Coach Fran started out as HC of his alma mater, Pittsburg State (D-III at the time). You do a psychological profile of coaches who have turned struggling systems around....or better still, gave life to a program that never really had any life. You identify a group of potential candidates, and bring them in for interviews. You present them with a series of questions that reflect the CHALLENGES OF OUR PROGRAM AND IT'S CULTURE. And you hire the one that.... A. came up with the most realistic answers, and B. REALLY, REALLY WANTS THE JOB! Folks, I don't mind us being a career stepping stone for coaches, as long as the people doing the hiring keep hiring the guys on their way up who fit our program. After a couple of coaches get HIRED AWAY FROM US, we SHOULD have enough fan interest, and funds, to keep the next successful coach around for a while. It's not rocket science people.