PlummMeanGreen

I don't say this to insult our friends and visitors from UTSA and TSU, but it might be easier for Karl Benson to take the WAC down to the next NCAA level than trying to life-support the WAC forever at the FBS level. Either way, he still keeps his job. I think we now know which conference Wright Waters will never be applying. Poor, poor, poor La Tech...they are now stuck in the NCAA version of purgatory. One of their posters on BB&B even wants the Dawgs to try for the MAC. Darn it! If the SBC could just get its bowl-bound conference champ in the Top 25, this league might just be worth it for the next several years, but I just don't see it even based on our non-respect and non-competitivnes, ie, no nationally impressive wins, this Fall. The sportswriters the SBC needs to impress to gain Top 25 votes are unfortunately all along the the eastern seaboard. GMG!

Those state politician bullies! GMG!

..and an assistant coach from a winning program. I forgot that Houston Nutt was ever at Boise State. Forgive me, O Bronco football gods! GMG! Upon Further Review: I should have put in the thread title: "...upload with Top #15 thru #25 football programs and others who are in and out of that group. I am not that crazy about us playing Top 10 programs for awhile. You do give us a quicker timeline for success than me with your 5 years--I said 10; that is, to have the same national success as BSU. GMG!!

NOCajun, how soon will the LA. politicos start allowing yall to take 1 of your 2 La's off and then yall just be a, uh, single La, ie, U of L?'s UNT at one time could have had the name... Texas St. but during that era the Horns and Aggies down in Austin said: no No one 'round here was disappointed about that. GMG!!

Who is now UNT's designated #2 QB if you know what happens to Riley? I am not going to use the "i" word here. Thru the years, DB's have been a source for QB's at major universities. First one I can think of was when Darrell K. Royal converted Allan Lowry from DB to become a winning UT QB. We had a very famous #11 on our team that I think many were recruiting as a DB as I recall. Any DB's at UNT presently with HS QB experience? GMG!

How bouts' a 3 for 3 home and home with Boise State? We used to tee it up with the Broncos. They do get their Texas fix in Fort Worth, though. Has Boise State crossed that very subtle invisible line to where the Big Boys are not embarrassed to play them and consider the Broncos one of them now? None of the Big Boys would say "Yuk! We just got beat by Boise" like they may have 10 years ago. UNT is probably 10 years away from a Boise type program but think back 10 years and that doesn't seem too long, now does it? I'm watching their replay (once again) on ESPNU as I post. Their program just intrigues the heck out of me as I guess anyone who reads my below signature might guess, but I've always wished our program to emulate theirs. We used to admire their Top 25 placement but now its all about Top 10 for BSU. When UNT starts having the uncanny year after year team speed of Boise State, thats when we will start making some hay in Denton. It was that team speed that helped them beat OU in their first BCS bowl game if you recall--that was the one that took the Bronco football program to the next level. Do You Need Long Term Coaches To Succeed? Boise State's Last 5 Coaches Pokey Allen 1993 - 1996 Houston Nutt 1997 Dirk Koetter 1998 - 2000 Dan Hawkins 2001 - 2005 Chris Petersen 2006 - Current GMG!

Because when we start winning like Boise State and TCU, it may be difficult to get Top 25'ers on our future schedule IMHO. Or..........what would be a good scheduling formula for UNT with a new stadium on our horizon? GMG!

Duly impressed. I can see the virtues of everything starting out new like it will be at UTSA. GMG!

I think "meep meep" is a desparate cry for help in road-runner talk (or is it chirp)? Hellsbells! Almost ran over one today on Bankhead Hwy. I also brake for birds, too. I've even gotten out of my car and removed a very slow turtle from the middle of a country road that young guys in pickups would run over for sport. Bet some of you, too, are softies for animals. GMG! I think we will all be intrigued to see what UTSA does with FBS football. After all, they do have a city and stadium to sell itself with, right? And last I heard, in PeeWee's Big Adventure (his stolen bike is still in the basement of the Alamo for heaven's sake)!

Of course, the other side of the coin for USF was how badly the Big East needed another member & their location and program success was just what the doctor ordered for Big East officials; just like now as the Big East are apparently flirting with TCU. This is so very strange with the geography of all this in the NCAA--doesn't seem to matter anymore. (I mean UT was flirting on having conference rivals 2,000 miles away in California). UTSA's problem may be the same as ours--the state we are located and the fact that neither have the skins on the wall like all the other ex SWC/non Big 12 schools all seem to have (which puts them in the front of the line over those of us who were never in the SWC). Yall are too young to know how political UT-Austin may get with your program, too. After all, they are The University of Texas and the rest of us have to not forget that; especially those schools who are in its system. Also, rabid-runner, what about TSU-SM's role in all this? Is the WAC trying to get a waiver for the Bobcats, too? And you mentioned future OOC schools on your schedule? Care to elaborate on the ones you play at home? Thanks in advance. GMG

I think what will piss off any one ever connected with UNT or Mean Green football is if UTSA pulls off another Univ. of South Florida deal and catapults itself over any SBC school into a much better situation, ie, a la South Florida. That would all but break the spirit of many on this board (including yours truly) albeit we are resilient and always seem to rebound. Thank goodness we are not having to fight our future battles in the NCAA still stuck at Fouts Field, though--our forever albatross in more ways than many would ever believe. I hope UNT officials will allow us to come up and watch its implosion rather than having one at 3:00 AM in the morning. Question 1: Has the WAC considered going down to the next level of NCAA competition? Question 2: Which is the next conference that will go through what the WAC has? I don't think this stops with the WAC at all. GMG!

That 1939 SMU NCAA football championship (now 71 years ago) will always give the edge to SMU when compared to us. I know--how freakin' nuts that is but it is the mindset of those in such leagues as the Big East (and most the others for that matter). I'm trying to determine how many seats that '39 SMU NC puts in Ford when they play schools who don't bring traveling fans? Of course, we still merely speculate but.........this is where ex UNT consultant & friend Chuck Neinas could plead our case among his NCAA friends if it gets to that level to where UNT is considered. It's just been our few impressive wins (unless you count a down TTech football program) that will keep biting us in the ar$e. We've had no Top 25 team and even the Pony Expre$$ (as illegal as it became) was still ranked in the Top 10 in the early 80's. Addendum: Isn't it amazing how even SMU's Death Penaly and their numerous NCAA violations before that is not a deal-breaker when it comes to their acceptance among conference power-brokers? Is this where we've gone wrong at UNT? We've been flagrantly honest all the time? The potential of SMU versus UNT are still night and day as far as the numbers go. (1) if the MWC wants the DFW TV market it is UNT that will be able to deliver the most TV sets (and subsequent viewers) in this market compared to SMU, but who at UNT will give them the proven stats on that? Begin with Cathy Harasta, formerly of the Dallas Morning News who wrote a blurb on our ratings success. SUMG sent me the article on that years ago I've since lost. (2) if the MWC will only look at all our various constituencies,ie, UNT's continually growing enrollment, UNT DFW alumnus numbers (100K?) plus Denton County--our true home base with approx. 600,000 pop. That is the market Neinas wants us to focus on anyway. (3)...and maybe this one very hidden element........DFW Airport and, yes, even Alliance Airports proximity to our new Mean Green Stadium. But such reasoning will not rule the day when it comes to the NCAA power-brokers who will still think about what happened 60 plus years ago at a given school. Maybe one day that will change, and thats when we will be dressed to the hilt and be ready to go to the NCAA prom, but until then its just another crap shoot. GMG!

From 2 TCU fans on their message board: I fear that SEC might expand east and take a couple from ACC. The ACC will scoop up WVU and Pitt. Or, the Big Ten will expand to 14 and take Pitt and Rutgers. The Big East would then take Southern Miss and East Carolina and walla--we are back in Conference USA. Exactly. The Big East is a joke right now and is on life support. Moving to the Big East would be a bad decision. GMG!

Too long a teacher's college mentality from our leaders the last 50 plus year might be a reason we're not in these discussions plus our forever MG football program roller coaster ride too (w/o many wins during that period and no Top 25 ranking at all). Of course, waiting till almost armageddon and the apocalpse to build a new stadium may be another. Think where we'd be if we'd built it 25 years ago when we could have much cheaper? For you who trashed Chuck Neinas, this is where someone of his stature can be helpful to a school like North Texas, ie, like his being our friend because he does have many more friends in NCAA high places (conference commissioners, etc....) than anyone in Denton could ever dream of having. And he can be an unbiased representative of ours where anyone from Denton trying to get in these discussions would be doing so somewhat biased to our institution of higher learning. GMG!

Yeah, lets open up Texas HS recruiting to the entire eastern seaboard. I think that is one wild realignment idea--the wildest yet. They better stick with Villanova and Hofstra, ya' think? GMG! PS Of course, that would leave DFW open for a MWC slot and now we do not have to worry about a damn football/track stadium holding us back anymore. GMG!! Here we go again.....re-alignment talk! :lol:

If he shows up at our new Mean Green Stadium, Dr. Phil needs to be there to try to get inside that young man's head with his first question being this: "Why do you want to risk further injury by playing one more year, Mr. Keenum, therefore lowering your draft status in the NFL?" UH will have someone to re-load with--here's hoping we do, too. I think our recruiting will go up the next level because we're moving from a Model A Ford To a 2011 Jaguar--only makes sense I suppose. GMG!

And I did say "newer football stadiums" in the opening post last I checked for the one above who is enamored with TCU's remodeling job coming up on their much "older" stadium. GMG!

I know. (Gosh, I hope my wikipedia bosses don't read this post). (just kiddin') I don't think this stadium if built on the eastern seaboard (or outside Texas) could be completed for what we are getting on our quote. I think that may be where ex UNT consultant Chuck Neinas is coming from on the deal he says we are getting for the price. He does travel around the NCAA a bit, you know? GMG!

My real, real bad on that timeline... Jeez, I honestly didn't know it had been 10 years already; but the last 10 years have passed quickly for me to the extent that I will turn 60 three days before the KSU game at Fouts. Damn! 10 years for Ford? Of course, I just don't keep up with SMU that much to recall that number but.... that now makes me think age 70 could come in the next 10 minutes or so for me! Life is just a blip on the screen it seems sometimes. 10 years? Thanks for that correction, sir. GMG!

Agree... And with UNT football "very" down at the moment is the very reason AD Rick V needs to start stock-piling or even over-loading our future OOC schedules with home and homes versus Top 25 programs; or even 3 there and 1 in Denton with some of that group. Much easier to do that now than when we turn our cycle back to winning, but if we are not winning at the highest level a la Boise State, then IMHO we have just wasted a whole bunch of money on what looks like will be one helluva' big time looking new football stadium at the Mean Green Village. And...the SBC needs to very soon get one of its schools in the Top 25 and we all know which school we'd prefer that be. (Didn't even the "MAC" have one of its own in the Top 25 in recent years)? GMG!

What you are saying is so true and is why Boise State (as in my long-winded signature below) has been the model I had hoped UNT would follow even in our Big West days when BSU and UNT were conference mates. Back then you knew they were on to something that would grow their program while we kept going "that other direction" with ours. Of course, many of us on this board & beyond were suggesting to UNT administration 25 years ago what kind of effect a new major college-type football stadium in Denton would have as far as "warp-speeding" this football program forward and to get us out of the Fouts Field albatross that was killing any chances we had with the DFW media (and our alums) in trying to convince them all we were truly being serious about a future in NCAA D1 football. FWIW...the DFW media up till next Fall with our new stadium debut has had every right to question our seriousness about our wanting Mean Green football to be an upwardly bound program. UNT leaders in the past never realized it was the stadium & positive recruiting results that would come from such which got you in the nicer conference neighborhoods. We could have built a new stadium 25 years ago for about $15-18 million dollars (give or take) as you look at the price of SMU's $42 million built just 3-4 years ago. Its been a roller coaster ride of biblical proportions at UNT and all one has to do is point their finger at venerable ol' Fouts Field as the major reason for that. One UNT BOR said there might be tears at its final game, but with this alum there will be nothing but....IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME & WHEN WILL THE IMPLOSION CEREMONY FOR FOUTS FIELD BE? GMG!

Ok, the stadium we will get after they finish all the massive steel and concrete we've all seen on the press box side will then switch over to paper mache' & doilies to finish her out and that is why we got the great quote from the construction company who built the Cowboys stadium for...............(I dare not say one billion dollars because that could get another ridiculous thread as this one has become started---Harry told me, "Jim, you can have no more than 3 "from the far side" threads per week as long as they are not "DD/TD comparison....UNT branding/new shade of green or......."we need "THIS" assistant coach to take over" threads per week and that's all! I said, "OK, Harry, its your board and I will concur." I still think we are getting a $100 million palatial stadium when the final bill comes in and probably even more costly if we were just starting construction on our new stadium this Fall, too. Consultant Chuck Neinas (who has seen his share of new stadium start-ups) I would wager would say pretty close to that same amount since he is astounded at what kind of deal we are getting with our stadium quote. Sue me for speculating.

I googled "cost of SMU's Ford Stadium" and my computer took me to Wikipedia and that is where the $42M came from. I though it low, too, because at one time I thought it much higher. Ours for $100M? I think we got one helluva' quote from a construction company (Cowboy Stadium) who could afford to do it for what they quoted. I speculated (which we all tend to do with most subjects on this forum) that other bids would have been well over $100M. UNT Consultant Chuck Neinas seemed most enamored with what we were getting for the quoted price. How many times have we all read that quotes were not locked into prices and stadiums went over budget? This thread was not mean't to get a few panties in a wad--Of course, we could go back to comparing UNT's versions of Knute Rockne and Bear Bryant if we wanted to go back to, uh, that; Or locked or interlocked NT brandings, new shades of green, the "one" assistant coach who has caught the fancy of this board (which there has always been "one" of those thru the years); or should Corky Nelson have gotten just one more year; or you name it--this board has probably already covered it, right? GMG!

Oh, I tend to round things off to the nearest 100 million'th--life long habit I guess. Honestly? Construction costs will go up before we finish this stadium and I'm with Chuck Neinas when he said (and I liberally paraphrase): "UNT got one heckuva' deal with this new stadium" (and he mean't co$t). Mean Green 93-98, I think we got a tremendous bid on this stadium from the group that built the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington. In fact, I would wager that other bids would have been well over $100,000,000 and I suppose thats why I put that number in the thread title. Please forgive.

...from what you know of SMU's stadium versus what our finished product will look like--who is going to have the crown jewel around DFW of the newer football stadiums? (Of course, ours will be newer so I would say ours--and I'm a tad biased) Any speculated comparisons albeit ours is probably only half finished? GMG!