NT80

16 years in the same college basketball coaching position is a long, long time, especially with no NCAA bid to show during that complete time.

"After a heated campus debate in 1903, the students of North Texas chose green and white to represent our school. According to a 1932 Campus Chat article, green proponents believed that Mother Nature is kind to those who wear her colors. They were convinced that North Texas would continue to blossom for years to come. A century later, it appears they got it right." I never knew about the Mother Nature reference to our colors. Also note the use of "North Texas" in the above, no North Texas Normal or other variation...just North Texas = NT !

Posted by Cooley on the M&G board..... Subject: Stephen Verwers March 30, 2005 Schools Already Calling Verwers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TexasHoops.com Recruiting Staff Stephen Verwers is looking for a new college home. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound post originally from Weatherford has spent the past two seasons hoping to find a niche at Colorado State, but has come to the realization that he needs to move on. He's gotten his release and is starting to see where the right place to spend the last two years of his college eligibility will be. There are two major things that Verwers is considering in his next destination. "I'd like to transfer somewhere a little closer to home," Verwers said. "If not, somewhere where I can play, and I can play on a good team." Since his departure from the Rams program was announced earlier this week, Verwers has already been in contact with a number of suitors. "I've talked with North Texas, Arkansas-Little Rock, San Diego, and some Sun Belt schools," Verwers said. "I like North Texas, and Arkansas-Little Rock - it looks like they've got a good thing going there. I also like San Diego - it's nice out there." Verwers isn't planning on wasting too much time. He wants to see what is out there, but would like to make some trips in the near future as well. "I'm going to wait until the end of the week and see who else calls," Verwers said. "Then I'll take some visits." As a freshman in 2003-04, Verwers showed some promise, averaging 2.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in almost 11 minutes a contest. However, while he started nine games this past year as a sophomore, his minutes decreased (9.8 mpg) as well as his stats (2.0 ppg, 1.9 rpg). Despite this, Verwers can look back on what he was able to accomplish during his time at Colorado State. "I feel like I've gotten stronger and developed my shot a little more," Verwers said. "I've also gotten a lot more experience. I've been guarding future NBA players every day."

New York Lands 2010 Super Bowl _ Maybe Sports - AP By BARRY WILNER, AP Football Writer KAPALUA, Hawaii - The Super Bowl is coming to the Big Apple in 2010. Maybe. Now all the New York Jets (news) have to do is get approval for their stadium project on the West Side of Manhattan, which is no slam dunk. NFL owners voted 31-1 Wednesday to award the 2010 game to New York, provided the 75,000-seat stadium, whose cost now has reached nearly $2 billion, is built. "Today is a landmark day," Jets owner Woody Johnson said, "and the 2010 Super Bowl in the New York Sports and Convention Center will be a historic event. We're thrilled about this announcement." But there still are many hurdles before the Jets can break ground on what also would be the centerpiece of the city's 2012 Summer Olympics (news - web sites) bid. Earlier this week, the Jets substantially increased their bid for the land on which the stadium would be built, upping it to $720 million. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (news - web sites), which owns the land that currently is used as train yards, will choose among three bidders on March 31. There also has been substantial opposition to the project from neighborhood action groups and others who question why New York's policemen, firefighters and teachers are without contracts, but the city can chip in $500 million or so for a stadium. Both the city and state favor the project. "We're thrilled with the National Football League's decision to award the 2010 Super Bowl to New York City," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "It is an enormous vote of confidence in our plans to build the New York Sports and Convention Center. When it is complete, New York will finally have a world-class facility for the country's top sports events, along with the economic activity and jobs that come with them." Jets president Jay Cross compared the stadium project to a race. "Every day we are closer to the finish," said the Jets' lead man on the stadium. "This is one of many steps in a long hurdle race. We've cleared the next hurdle." March 31 would be next, and if that goes against the Jets, the West Side site probably would be dead. Beyond that, if the Jets beat out the bids of Cablevision, which owns Madison Square Garden, and a third bidder, TransGas Energy Systems LLC, there still could be lawsuits. Plus, New York is considered an outsider to get the 2012 Games in a race with Paris, London, Madrid and Moscow. But Wednesday was a day for celebration for the team that has not played in a Super Bowl since 1969; for the city and state; and for the league itself. "When the NFL says it wants to bring its signature event to New York, that helps build momentum," said Cross, who has worked for four years on the stadium deal. "It's important to build a broad base of support and a consensus." Patriots owners Robert Kraft was particularly supportive of the 2010 decision. "It's very important," he said. "It will be a great economic catalyst to the city, great for the NFL and our partnership. The whole point is, take New York and look at that area and the economic catalyst it can be. "The last Super Bowl in Jacksonville and the one before it in Houston and next year in Detroit creates tremendous exposure and tremendous economic opportunities." The Jets, who have played in the New Jersey Meadowlands along with the Giants since 1984, "have been a nomad franchise," according to coach Herman Edwards. "We need our own stadium, obviously. We're the only one of 32 teams that shares a stadium. It's a little different than any other home venue." The Manhattan stadium would open for the 2009 season and the NFL would waive its rule that a team must play at least two seasons in a stadium before hosting a Super Bowl there. Bidding on the 2009 Super Bowl is ongoing and the site will be chosen at the May league meeting in Washington. Tampa, Miami (host of the 2007 game), Houston and Atlanta are the bidders.

North Texas athletic director Rick Villarreal expressed confidence in both his basketball coaches this week. Both the UNT men and women finished the season with .500 records and lost their first games in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at the Super Pit earlier this month. Tina Slinker led the UNT women to a second-place finish in the Sun Belt’s West Division, while the UNT men finished in a tie for fourth. "I see a lot of positives in both of our programs," Villarreal said. "The women have a chance to be good next year with everyone coming back, and this is really Johnny’s fourth full year. He has started to assemble the type of talent we need to compete. They will be back." The UNT women were picked to finish third in the Sun Belt’s West Division, but were in the hunt for the division title into the late stages of the season when Louisiana-Lafayette secured the championship. The Mean Green women received a bye in the first round of the conference tournament and then lost in overtime to eventual tournament champion Middle Tennessee. UNT returns every major contributor from last season and loses just one player. The UNT men finished .500 or better for the second time in four seasons under Jones. The Mean Green lose three players from last season’s team, including leading scorer Leonard Hopkins. The senior gave up his appeal to the NCAA for an additional year of eligibility to enter the NBA Draft. UNT also loses senior guard Marqus Mitchell and senior forward Michael Jones. Both coaches are expecting a boost from solid incoming recruiting classes. The UNT women signed four players ranked among the top 35 in the state by Texashoops.com. The group that includes three guards is expected to improve UNT’s ability to score from the perimeter. The UNT men signed forward Harold Stewart from Crowley and center Justin Howerton of Howe. Stewart is ranked 26th in the state by Texashoops.com, while Howerton is ranked No. 52 and led his team to the state tournament. The UNT men still have two open scholarships. Waters pleased with UNT Sun Belt Conference commissioner Wright Waters was pleased with the way North Texas’ athletic department handled hosting the Sun Belt Conference Tournament earlier this month. "We were really happy with the way it turned out," Waters said. "It’s tough to host a multi-day event. UNT has a great facility for hosting the tournament and did a good job of getting the word out to the community about the event." The UNT men had not hosted a conference tournament since the Southland’s postseason event was played at the Super Pit after the 1988-89 season. Waters said he could see the impact brining the tournament Denton made for UNT. "A fan came up to me during the tournament and said he wanted to thank me for brining it to Denton," Waters said. "He said he felt like he was a part of March Madness for the first time." Headed to a neutral site? When North Texas hosted the Sun Belt Conference Tournament this year, it may have taken advantage of a last chance to host the conference’s championship games. Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said he would like to move the tournament to a neutral site. "What we want to do is get to the point where we are playing the men’s and women’s tournaments at two different neutral sites," Waters said. The Sun Belt is already obligated to host the tournament in its entirety in Murfreesboro, Tenn., for next season and Lafayette, La., for the following year. The Sun Belt could look at several different scenarios at that point. Waters said the league could consider playing the opening rounds of the tournament at the site of the regular season men’s and women’s division champions. The tournament semifinals and finals could then be played at a neutral site. Waters said the conference could gain financial considerations for moving the tournament to a neutral site and would also be able to eliminate the home court advantage for teams in the tournament with a move to a neutral city. MAC talking to WKU Sun Belt Conference commissioner Wright Waters acknowledged this week that the Mid-American Conference could still be eyeing Western Kentucky as a potential expansion candidate. WKU and the MAC informed Waters of discussions between the school and the league several weeks ago before talk of MAC expansion died down. Waters said expansion is still on the MAC’s agenda. WKU is one of the Sun Belt’s top basketball powers, but plays Division I-AA football in the Gateway Conference. "That is the world we live in," Waters said. "The world where everyone is in the same conference for a long time ended when the Southwest Conference broke up. Our challenge is to build the best conference that we can."

I think he wanted be closer to his home of New Orleans.

Lack of basketball success was probably more critical to our rejection than attendance. You want a program representing a conference that can win OOC games and gain media for a conference. It doesn't matter how many local fans see them do it, that doesn't gain the conference any media or revenue. Yes, you can support a program without attending every game, just like supporting our troops without being personally in Iraq. Buying season tickets ($), displaying bumper stickers, promoting the team to undecided fans, etc. is supporting the program.

Considering the way JJ's team played...I'd say we're right where we deserve to be. Just win!

mediocre basketball = mediocre attendance = stuck in mediocre conference

The SuperPit is a great facility and no way should we go back to the SnakePit. Would you build a new football stadium then want to go back to Fouts? The main problems as many have mentioned on basketball attendance is lack of promotion/marketing, communication with students and alums, and hosting mostly no-name opponents with less than stellar home teams.

I was going to say 9 of 10, but I gave them credit for an extra one.

Communication needs improvement. The main mail I get from the Exes is a Visa application every 2 months. Visual presence at games. I see very little signage with NT Exes on it at games. Visual presence on vehicles. Mail a decal to all alums and instruct where to place them on cars. Make it uniform like Ok.St.U's. Loan their logo to Athletics. You can't have separate logos for each department at NT. I would bet 8 of 10 NT alums don't know we even have an alumni association.

Same for our cheerleaders, where were they? Maybe we could rent Ponder's cheerleaders for our games since ours don't want the job?

That sounds like SMUt and Rice, except without the football wins, yet they still received CUSA invites. I agree we need better basketball attendance, but I think adding baseball and a new football stadium will get us that invite to CUSA even faster. 1-A conferences are formed based on football. Football facilities, attendance, budgets, potential, and image first, then all other sports next. Gonzaga is a Top 15 basketball program but they get no interest from any 1-A conference.

I will make it a point to root for ANY team playing against WKU. The MAC can have 'em!

Very good analysis. Different players seem to show up (or not) in different games. If they don't play inspired now, they never will!

Both the men's and women's teams this year have been hot and cold. I will predict the men will beat ASU in a back and forth game. NT will then play Denver and lead by 10 at one point in the game but turnovers will cost us again and we end up losing by 15. The women will likewise win the first but drop the second game. BTW, if the NT men play all the games they can it will be tough on fans a couple of the nights with rush-hour. We would play Friday at 5:30pm, Saturday at 8pm, Monday at 6:30pm, then the final on Tuesday at 8pm.

I couldn't help but notice a part of ECU's football staduim in one of those pics. It seats 43,000....... ECU Football stadium photos and tailgating website

If we played a full schedule of ACC teams we'd probably have the fans we want at games. Likewise, if Wake Forest played our schedule I doubt there would be any waiting lists for tickets. It's winning and scheduling.

Hank on the radio said probably MTSU. This was in the NT Athletics article: "North Texas will play either Middle Tennessee/Arkansas State in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, depending on the outcome of MT’s game versus Florida International on Monday. NT will play on Friday, March 4 at 5:30 at the Super Pit."

Probably MTSU, but it could be ASU. One of them still has a game left. If we win that game then the next game would be Saturday night at 8pm vs #1 seed in the West (Denver).

Because of this loss the first Tournament game for NT men as 5th seed is now Friday at 5:30pm.

Now compare it to other men's game attendance.

They are good. If they offered live streaming video from the new (to be built) football stadium then I'd sign up!

Nice win, Texas State beat Texas Tech recently.