SilverEagle

Ok, FWIW, and at the risk of making this thread last even one post longer,...........I really like this.

If a Brokeback reference won't do it, then nothing will.

I'm right there with you Jack. Our symbols/logos should be as simple and classic as possible. And while I'm at it. I've never liked those t-shirts with slogans like " Proud to be Mean Green" or "Mean Green and proud of it", etc, etc. The intent is to give people permission to like, or have pride, in North Texas. When I see those shirts, I always think the same thing "who are they trying to convince?". Just wear sweatshirts/t-shirts that say "North Texas" or "Mean Green"....or at the most both. The fact that you are wearing it out in public shows that you have pride in your school. You don't need slogans.

It's times (or threads) like this that make me wish the same thing. You explain it, and explain it, and some people who seem to totally lack the ability to think abstractly will aways turn the discussion into (as my friend FFR is fond of saying) an ass-whipping. Geezz

I'd never heard the story about the basketball players. I've always heard the Sidney Graham version. It is also my understanding that originally MEAN GREEN was the nickname for the defense. I don't understand why people have such a hard time with this mascot/nickname concept. Our mascot is the Eagle, and our nickname is the Mean Green. If nothing else, the fact that we wear green should make it obvious why we call ourselves the "MEAN GREEN".

Seems like there used to be an outstanding QB by the name of Stump, that came out of south Texas. Did he play at A&M? Deep, or Island, do either of you guys remember this guy? Dane Johnson used to play football at SLC. The fact that they put it in print about players re-considering their verbal committment and/or looking at North Texas for the first time, means that it's probably more than rumor or speculaton. This is going to get interesting.

Now, this is sounding much better.

Harry, I think you ended up making my point. You didn't list any DL that would be considered a natural and/or dominating at the position. And, you listed entirely too many DE's. DE's don't do us much good if they run it up the gut at us all night long. Which is what Austin Westlake did most of the game last week-end........ and it almost worked. I've read that it (a dominating running game) did work for Katy. So, please give Mr. Santiago back to the defense......and you can throw in (as GrayEagleone suggested) Venegas as well.

I'll take those two for sure.

Ok, if Esteban Santiago is still on the roster, then you can't have him for the OL. I only see Miller and Thomas as NT's and Kendrick Ridge (6-1 X 275) and E.Santiago (6'5" X 275) as D-linemen. Kenneth Okonkwo is listed as a DL, but at 6'2 X 230?.... you've got to be kidding me. Thomas only saw limited duty last season, and I'm still not sure what his health status is. We need someone to help cause our opponents to go 3 and out. That didn't happen too much last year. Folks, we need a couple of big, aggressive, DL's.

Am I the only one NOT obsessed with Riley Dodge? Riley Dodge is a fine QB, and a great competitor, but he is not the only QB prospect out there. My concern is that some great prospect (dare I suggest possibly greater than Riley ) might shy away from coming to North Texas because Riley is here, and he would perceive that the QB competition is not an open competition.

Don't forget Hurd.

Well, I don't like us being such a negative example either. But to be honest, we've only ourselves to blame for being such an easy target. We (North Texas students/alums) are the ones who have stayed away in droves from athletic events, using the excuse that "when the school starts winning we'll attend..etc....etc....etc"...blah blah blah. But even when we were winning, our numbers weren't up as significatly as a school of 30+students and 100K almuni should have been. Todd Dodge can come in and win games and championships, but it's up to US to show up in the kind of numbers that our program deserves. If we are waiting for Todd Dodge to make us feel good about ourselves and our school, then we deserve the kind of shots that a "little ball of hate" throws at us. Todd Dodge has his job to do, and we have OURS. BUY SEASON TICKETS JOIN THE MEAN GREEN CLUB JOIN YOUR LOCAL EXES ORGANIZATION ACTUALLY SHOW UP TO GAMES BE LOUD AND ROWDY

Understand. Been there. Unfortunately, under completely different circumstances though(Ramone-gate). Looking forward to more participation by you and other former North Texas athletes.

Yes, he was highly rated coming out of HS, but he didn't beat out Hopovac. Stick82, I'm not going to get too offended by your comment. But to answer your uncivil question, yes! I attended several games last year. I've watched various North Texas QB's for over 40 years. The first one was Vidal Carlin (65 & 66). I consider myself a pretty good judge of QB's and IMHO the main thing that our current crop of QB's need is some Todd Dodge coaching. Nathan Tune has the most potential, but the rest of them would work just fine with some competent coaching/instruction/encouragement. Meanwhile, we certainly need to sign a QB (or two) for the future, but the QB position is not the most urgent need on this team.

.....including Dennis Hopovac. Here are the areas of immediate need that I see, in the order of urgency. Feel free to arrange them in your order of importance FG kicker D-Linemen Linebackers (most of ours are Jr's) DB's O-Linemen RB's WR TE QB

I like the image, but Mean Green should dominated the image, not the coach.

HEY NOW! That is a great tradition that the Green Brigade has established. Just about everyone participates in it, it's fun, and it connects North Texas fans from several generations. "Hey Baby" is a one hit wonder by Bruce Channel (from Jacksonville Texas), released in 1962. More information here; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Channel

Jim, I totally agree with this. I was thinking recently that if we start realizing our potential again, much like we did in the mid-late 70's, we could finally get an invite to CUSA. I'm now convinced that I'm thinking much too small. Our goal for moving up should at least be the MWC.

I will give Kudos to Rick V. for taking the calculated risk of hiring a High School coach to be our next Head Coach. It's a big risk on his part, especially if TD doesn't make (for whatever strange reason) the transition to D-1 coaching. But the potential upside is tremendous. We have someone who is supremely confident in himself, and therefore by taking this job at North Texas, he is supremely confident in our University, and it's ability to reach it's full potential. His success will make RV look like a genius, and it has the potential to jump-start us back to the point where Hayden Fry left....which was the last time we were nationally ranked in D-1 football. However, considering that RV has two associate athletic directors, and (God help us) the director of the Mean Green club that he brought from Southern Miss. And, considering that at least two of the coaching possibilites mentioned during the process were connected to RV thru S. Miss, the word crony would (or should) naturally be uttered. At least by anyone who is halfway observant. I will still be around worring about the best interest of my/our Alma Mater long after RV is gone on to his next job. I will not apologize to anyone for my concern for the best interest of my/our University in this important hiring process.....or for using the "C" word.

You mean Craig James didn't say something dismissive about TD going to NT?

I think that when Richie Whitt first started his career with the Star Telegram, one of his jobs was to cover North Texas football. Good (and hopeful) article.

If you don't think/believe you can win a game, then you might as well not show up.

ABSOLUTELY TRUE! I have been around North Texas graduates since I was in Jr. High. Through all of my contacts, (and this includes people who graduated recently, and people who attended and graduated back in the 40's) every one of them refers to their alma mater in the same way.......NORTH TEXAS. There is no other major college with our name, and so NT should be on our helmets.

If it was on a Saturday in the spring, it would also provide an opportunity for some spring tailgating practice.