PlummMeanGreen

Cerebus, some of your power of administration responses may equal posts you deem and so judge to be insane. Yet your response is to be expected by many of us on this board. I don't know you and I don't need to know you, but I think you may be as tunnel-visioned with your support of NT athletic mediocrity as you think my Hitler "illustration" seems to be. When do you start telling posters of GMG.com what they can and cannot post? Come on now, Cerebus, you are close enough to the scene up there to know that if the DRC's Brett Vito starts telling it like it really is in his writings that the NT Athletic Dept. will most subtlely make him personna non grata. Comprende? Sorry to wake up some of you living in a Mean Green fantasy world out there, but there are problems at UNT that leadership is way up there toward to the top of the list of those problems. New stadium at UNT? Anyone out there really don't think Lee Jacskon won't try to (if he can) sway big money that could possible help jump-start a new stadium in Denton toward his UNT-Dallas pet project? Yet, Cerebus, to me what is more insane is what we are being asked to support in Mean Green Country by people who probably won't be there much longer; at least for the betterment and advancement of NT athletics at the SBC level we better hope that is the case. GOD BLESS TEXAS

IMHO, UNT will most likely not see a new football stadium under present leadership, present conditions and other realities that are just now beginning to rear their ugly head to many. I hope that I am 100% wrong, but with many who I know who will now be curbing their $upport (or not giving anything at all next year under present leadership), I just don't see a Big Donor coming forward once they check out the athletic climate and (apparent) low athletic expectation as they (I'm sure) will find in their own personal research. Low Expectation? NT coach's (across the board) career W/L records with multi-years of employment on our campus would be something that most might notice immediately if they looked at our media guides. All this most unfortunate since most NORTH TEXAS fans and alums who have seen better times against better opponents think we really deserve much more than we're getting. I think every bit of this could change almost overnight if UNT were to make some key changes (& not just in athletics, either); also, when UNT re-dedicates itself to our prior philosophy to be much more competitive on a higher plane (OOC?) in football than we have of late (and even during 4 bowl seasons with us not even being able to smell any semblance of a Top 25 ranking. You deserve--I deserve--WE all deserve better and we will in due time get what we want; its just WHEN we get all this is the question that (hopefully) some NT leaders and board of regents are concerning themselves with now. I really wish we would see the day that Denton Record/Chronicle feature article or sports-writers would dare to write about such things every once in a while, because there are many more readers with similar dire concerns for this athletic program some of us have listed than just a handful of NT athletic officials who seem to want to control what the DRC writes and what the DRC thinks; also, to control with some who are not on the DRC staff as to what they think, write or post about on such forums as GoMeanGreen.com. FWIW, didn't Adolph Hitler have a similar media agenda of what could be printed or said about him and his own leadership? GBT!

Good to see an ex UNT employee become successful, albeit at the NCAA D1-AA level (where he probably should have been in the first place as a college head football coach). (And that's all I am going to say on that subject). GOD BLESS TEXAS!

bandgeek, thanks for that info. I will be adding (another) Green Brigade CD to my music library. If you have the time, could you list all the selections by title? Also, did yall record that at the Murchison Performing Arts Center? Again, thanks.... ............................................................................................................... THE REASON FOR THE SEASON WAS HARDLY INTENDED FOR RETAILERS TO GET AS MUCH AS 25% OF THEIR ANNUAL SALES IN THIS ONE MONTH. (My Church Will Hold Services On Christmas Sunday Morning Because One Little Ol' Lady Said: "We Don't Cancel Services on Easter Sunday, Now Do We)?

Thanks for the info, illuvious32. I don't know how high he will get drafted after next football season at UNT, but I really think we are talking more than just a free agent signine with JQ. ..................................................................................................... Can't remember what thread it was that one of you asked if NT NFL'ers in the past ever gave to their alma mater, but in the past (unfortunately) few NT Ex NFL'ers actually gave to the Mean Green Club; or at least that was what I was told years ago. I think this has been the case at other NCAA schools, also. What a nice gesture, though, that NT Board of Regent Chuck "Hatchet" Beatty, Mean Joe Greene, Cedric Hardman and others give much of their time as they put on their annual golf tournament over in south Dallas County. Not too wild about the idea that some of the proceeds goes to the UNT System campus they didn't play their college football, though; but I know all of us who knew the late, great Ron Shanklin are very appreciative of those ex NT NFL'ers for having some of the proceeds go to his memorial scholarship fund (no matter what campus it benefits, although I assume it would be UNT-Denton). Any of you remember years ago on Monday Night Football when SMU ex Dandy Don Meredith said he was glad his alma mater didn't have to play North Texas during the Mean Joe Greene era? GOD BLESS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON...

At Voertmans, I recently bought a solid green cap with the raised white letters that has the new "North Texas" font and it is a very nice cap. It was made by the "The Game" cap company and comes in 3 sizes with no adjustable strap in the back of the cap. I think it may also come in white with green letters, too. GBT!

Was mostly referring to how La Tech's "would be" NFL talent seems to have given their football program the kind of high profile victories in years past that have (because of our lack thereof) made many NT Exes and Mean Green fans question our direction and to what has caused some to even be curious as to what a few of our key officials at UNT are really calling success at the NCAA D1-A level. W/O belaboring the point again, we Mean Greeners seem to only have success with the Bottom 1/4'th quadrant of NCAA D1-A and that has not impressed other schools as to want to put DDickey on their "serious" coaching candidate's list. So there are some things that even a visually handicapped person can't ignore with such red flags concerning our football program; and I suppose all this being the original inspiration of the very subject line title of this GMG.com thread, ie, "Recruiting Upgrade A Must......?" I don't know about the rest of you, but I was duly impressed (as well as depressed) with LTU's most convincing win over the Mean Green back in October and to put the red and blue icing on their Ruston-based school's cake, their national televised pulverization of a good Fresno State team who (only) gave just a week or 2 before the #1 team in all of NCAA D1-A all they could handle. Such scenarios as that are (at the present moment at least) only things that could happen for UNT in our dreams. After all, we haven't beaten a Top 20 school since the Hayden Fry era to give this even a bit more perspective. What happened this football season for all NCAA D1-A football teams was the culmination of 3-4 years of prior preparation for this football season, that is, all of our recruiting efforts for that period of time. Its just that many of us had previously thought we were ahead of La Tech in that department, too, but the scoreboard of our game in Ruston indicates otherwise. In fact, I've read some posters on GMG.com who thought we would have (in any of our 4 bowl years) even been competitive in the upper part of the WAC, but I am a-feared that was also a theory and smack board H.S.O. gone amuck.. Something that I don't think has run amuck on GoMeanGreen.com is the direction that I feel each and everyone on this forum (and beyond) desire to see for our alma mater's football program. In fact, I feel the one who can pull that off in Denton, Texas, America, is the very same one who will get a 100% approval rating from Mean Green fans and our NT Ex alumnus base. In fact a step further: That person can say all he very well pleases on any radio broadcasts as long as we can see advancement and progress beyond that of the Sun Belt Conference level of competition. I don't think that would be anything so new or novel, either, as far as goals for UNT's football program, now would it? GOD BLESS TEXAS!

If there were ever a can't miss NFL prospective receiver who will one day become some lucky NFL team's clutch receiver, IMHO, I really believe that will be JQuinn. How many other present NCAA D1-A schools have as good a total package of a receiver as JQ coming back next Fall? Of course, we on this message board will be a bit biased toward our guy, but his talent level speaks very loudly. Now if we only had a future NFL QB throwing the ball to JQ next Fall? GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Hope he also has the durability for DD ball. DDickey needs to chunk his playbook in the nearest trash can and go to the kind of pass oriented offense that 94% of all other NCAA 1-A schools run according to one recent newspaper blurb I read on that subject; and by doing such allowing NT to not have to beg, steal and borrow to get proven HS skill position talent to look at our school; rather than shun NT because of what offense we run and what all now know is usually very lowly ranked offense among the other 119 schools in NCAA D1-A. I think some of you have posted that most non-BCS schools who when they beat the high profile schools usually do it with a QB-run offense who actually had good passing credentials in the high school ranks; not another safety or defensive back who would become a (make or break) QB project at UNT. GBT!

Actually, Johnny "The Mighty" Quinn runs a 4.4 forty which I think will be just fine with most NFL scouts. It will be his hands that will impress them the most over what should be an acceptable speed (even at NFL standards). If most will remember, even Michael Irvin was no speed merchant when he came into the NFL, and even moreso after his first knee injury. Totally agree with your last paragraph, foutsrouts, on the linemen part. I don't know if NT can get 3-4 of substantial quality in the JUCO ranks but right now even 1 or 2 might suffice. I just think most of us would agree that we need to improve our entire recruiting across the board right along with our improved athletic facilities. I keep referring to the MAC, but their conference winners now annually seem to finish in the Top 25 and whoever wins the SBC from now on needs to start being pretty close to such standards because winning a league title, but being ranked somwhere between #90--#119 in NCAA D1-A is not what the doctor is ordering with most North Texas Exes I know. Personally, I am anxious to see where this year's SBC football champion (ASU) ranks among all the other 119 NCAA D1-A schools. In fact, I wonder where they are now ranked before the bowl season begin? Anyone know? GOD BLESS TEXAS!

I'll actually be glad when the NFL becomes a very popular topic on this forum as a discussion of just how good skill position players who attended UNT are doing on Sundays. But was only talking about the NFL in how it related to La Tech's skill position alums playing on Sundays who did sorta' help them get wins against the kind of schools we haven't won against in a very, very long time in Mean Green Country. Sorry to be off topic as far as the little RB from Houston is concerned. Some (including myself) might also want to know who else is recruiting him? It's still defensive and offensive linemen of notable size that we desparately need at UNT and I don't see that being addressed in our recruiting at this time. Hope that changes and changes very soon. GBT!

While we still continue to look for our QB needles in whatever haystacks we seem to annually and seemedly most arduously seek out that skilled position, La Tech (a good barometer for us most might agree) has 2 or 3 QB's in the NFL now with a RB who declared early last Spring and is now in the NFL with the Detroit I believe. Shall we all be reminded that La Tech also has one QB in the NFL Hall of Fame, too? Yet with such talent that would become NFL'ers the Bulldogs have several impressive OOC wins or closely played high profile games under their belt and are just doing something to get better across the board recruits than we have lately; and for proof we only have to look at our game vs the La Tech Dawgs' just weeks ago. Some on this board have called our alma mater "Tailback U" but we haven't had a RB in the NFL since Erric Pegram, so maybe we need to hold back on all that "TBU" business? UNT must start recruiting better athletes than to just be good enough to be at the top of the SBC or to get just enough wins in the SBC to save a few jobs here and there. So maybe we should adopt a "shoot for the moon and hit the barn" type of recruiting philosophy now? Is that how La Tech gets all those skill people who go to the NFL that we can't seem to give us the time of day during recruiting season? We know the problems here, but just what are some of the answers with how difficult it is to recruit skill people at NT such as La Tech seems to do annually right in our backyard? Old Timer, I haven't seen Dallas, Fort Worth or Houston Top "area" lists of late, but are we showing up on any recruit's choices compared to those schools we normally recruit against? Just curious to know all that as I know anyone who has followed Mean Green football for a few seasons or more ordinarily would be. And please, as far as our recruiting is concerned.........lets not sugar-coat this cake if we find out there are those pesky little bugs in the cake flour before we put the darn thing in the oven. As ol' Howard Cosell used to say: Just tell it like it is and if anyone cannot deal with the way things are (or what a few might even be tempted to call the, uh, truth) maybe they should either become fiction writers or go to work for the Denton Record Chronicle Sports Department who when things can be in their darkest hour for NT athletics still has nothing but sunshine, lollipops, rainbows and warm fuzzies to write about when it comes to dealing with such things; that is, things and scenarios that we as NT fans and alums merely observe (and even dare to question at times). I suppose some of the DRC staff have been bullied by a few at NT (pardon my laughter with that scenario) who may have even threatened the DRC'ers by telling them they won't get first dibs on "the Big Scoop" if they start getting too realistic in their reporting about the way thing really might just be in Denton? Are we witnessing the very rebirth of Pravda in Denton, Texas? If so, what a helluva' thing to be held hostage by those who are just not really all that seasoned or successful in NCAA D1-A outside SBC play, of course. But back to the original question: When does NT start recruiting skill people who we hope (just like La Tech's) will end up in the NFL? When that happens, doesn't it stand to reason that we (like the Bulldogs) will start getting some of those big wins over Michigan State, Alabama, Fresno St (on national TV 2 weeks ago) and others similar the Bulldogs have defeated in recent years with their skill people, ie, future NFL talent (most of whom were recruited by the Louisiana school you know where)? Yet...........aren't we good enough at UNT to expect just as much as what the La Tech's, the Tulsa's, the SMU's and the MAC football conference winners who are most always Top 25 schools are getting? Certainly we are good enough. We deserve just as much as all the aforementioned and don't let anyone on this board, on the NT campus or anywhere else tell you any different. GOD BLESS THE LONE STAR STATE

Good overview, Harry... No revelation with this even before reading the latest M.G.R., but won't the success of next football season largely depend on who NT signs from the junior college ranks in the next 4-6 weeks; especially in the NT defensive line that couldn't stop FAU in the closing minutes of that loss a few weeks ago (along with other teams in and out of the the SBC last season)? Not the best way to build a football program in NCAA D1-A most might agree, but now time is of essence for an NT football program in the Sun Belt Conference and where our present standing now is in that conference GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Of course, recruiting young men who pan out helps any NCAA D1-A football program keep its 'ship numbers close to where they are supposed to be. Certain kinds of attrition (bad grades, homesick, love sick for HS girl friend, etc, etc,) happen at many NCAA D1-A outposts, but you still have to recruit the kind of young man that will allow your school to keep those at a miniumum. There are few things about NCAA D1-AA that most of us who followed all this for 12 long years miss, especially in light of the fact that our alma mater is located in a major league sports market.

Very interesting theory... To answer your last question as to what I think, Tony, the only thing I will say to you is this: I wish it were Bobby Ray asking me what I think. I am trying to maintain my moratorium of not posting HSO's on the above subject until after national signing day, though. We have to hope that we don't lose much ground for this program even on that day, too. Honestly, Tony, I've been wrong numerous times with situations and scenarios related to the University of North Texas, but on the subject of what I've been posting non-stop in recents weeks, I've never felt so right about something in my entire life as a North Texas Ex; and this after merely doing some simple research in our NT football media guide to discover certain facts, figures and strategic low profile losses during bowl years. Again, that's all I'm going to say on that for now. I am still trying to maintain my place on a few Christmas gifts lists here! (Or is it now, Winter Holiday Gifts Lists)? A TOAST TO BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD FOR ALL IN MEAN GREEN COUNTRY!

Tony, you know something?

(My lips are sealed). ....................................................................................................... May have already been said on this thread, but I think the San Diego State U Aztecs were the last Top 20 school the Mean Green beat and that back in 1974. GOD BLESS TEXAS!

I do hope that all in the Mean Green Nation start casting our sails (again) in bigger waters than a 1-AA Texas State will ever do and also immediately cease all stinkin' thinkin' that merely being back at the top of the SBC is the best we can ever do anymore. I don't know whats happened at UNT the last few years to have created such low self esteem and low expectation (well, I sorta' do, but I have put myself on a moratorium on that subject until recruiting is over in February); but the sooner the MG Nation gets back to thinking in the mode of getting to (at least) the Top 50 of the 119 schools in NCAA 1-A, the better. Hopefully time and events will take care of all that in Mean Green Country sooner than later. We really deserve no less than (minimum) Top 50 at a school the size, the scope and the potential of the University of North Texas. I believe our population explosion on campus and Denton County is finally beginnning to show itself at the Fouts Field turnstiles and a 2 win season with the crowds we had this season seems to have proven that. But as far as even next season is concerned, I can't believe that many on this forum are now at the level of wondering just how bad SMU will beat us. Enough of Texas St. U, they will lose their head football coach (with the disciplined style of his football team) to some other school in NCAA D1-A soon enough. I was duly impressed with how the Bobcats looked against Texas A & M earlier this Fall. I felt back then that we would have had a difficult time staying on the field with the Bobcats. We will now be up against TSU (moreso than ever) in recruiting in the next few weeks. I OFFER UP A TOAST FOR BRIGHTER MEAN GREEN TOMORROWS....

Take it easy on Denton, fellow alums, because one day when you've been away from that city a few years, you (like many of us) might try to find some reasons to move back to the top of the Golden Triangle. Most of us don't get to because of something called, uh, jobs? Sometimes it just takes a decade or 2 for some NT Exes to realize that Denton, Texas, America, was just not so bad a place to live, especially with all its percs of (still) being a college town and with a UNT that has that bohemian culture, ie, liberal creative environment where many out there much more famous than any of us have also called their collegiate home in the past. I recall reading in an article a few years ago how famous NT Ex/ musician Don Henley said when he and family are back at their Dallas home, how he would drive up to Denton on many occasions to visit some of his NT professors and to just absorb what he called that bohemian and creative musical karma of our alma mater. You have to be away from it all for awhile to many times see what you had up there and how years from now when you look back to your days in Denton how you will see how they were (truly) some the best of times of your life. So just move away from Denton for a few years and you'll see what ex Eagle Don Henley and others on this board who I know would all agree concerning Denton, Texas. GOD BLESS TEXAS!

NCMG, I beg to differ with you on this. I believe most of us feel Mean Green receiver Johnny Quinn will play in the NFL. He has 4.4 speed and the best set of hands (if not the best) some of us have seen in Mean Green Country. He reminds me of a much faster Fred Bilitnikoff of decades past and if NT had an established QB coming into the 2006 season, he would undoubtedly be up for the annual award that honors Fred B; but JQuinn still might not get enough passes thrown his way to be considered. I am sure its tough as hell for NT to recruit skill position types out there, especially QB for the offense we run. UNT has some good football players and 99% of us on the GMG.com have never said we didn't, we just don't have the volume required surrounding that group of NT talent to beat most on our football schedule anymore. Don't really know if we will in 2006, either. Next football season will be very interesting and that's all I will say on that until our Mean Green recruiting season is officially finished this February. A truce has been signed between my typing fingers and keyboard on all that I've previously been harping about non-stop and to an ad nausem level, but after national signing day, that truce might very well come to an end! Whoever finishes at the top of the SBC each Fall will very soon have to start getting Top 25 rankings for any of this to be worthwhile to us as a consortium of football schools. After all, those at the top of the MAC and WAC annually get such rankings. If we don't in the SBC, we will all continue to still be ranked 100 and lower in NCAA D1-A no matter whose ratings system it is. I think at this time most in the Mean Green Nation will no longer accept merely being at the top of the SBC as our expectation or our version of an NCAA D1-A existence and we shouldn't, either; but if each and everyone of us on this forum and beyond don't let our UNT power brokers know this with letters and emails sent to them even today of what our expectations are from them and our school's athletic program, specifically its cash cow, ie, MG football, just who is out there (that "gives a damn") who will? (Whoops! I'll stop while I'm ahead). GOD BLESS TEXAS!

Your thoughts or recommendations on this subject?

GOD BLESS TEXAS!

NMG, that amazed me back then with the U.S.S. Arizona oil drops rising to the surface of the water after all those years and now what you have posted about your seeing the same in 2003 amazes me even more. Several military divers were killed because of all the sharp metal they encountered in their dive as they were trying to get our guys in the sunken battleship. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Answer to Question #1: DD in 2006 would need wins over Tulsa & La Tech to prove to many that his recruiting has not been that inferior to those 2 (as losses to the Golden Hurrricane and Bulldogs this season somewhat suggests)? Plus, DD needs a 2006 record that has to be over .500. One at .500 is a continual red flag or sign that Dickey Ball is not progressing at all like I feel most in the Mean Green Nation want it to. If you are not progressing in the SBC, that would probably mean your program is in complete reverse mode and going to the bottom of the Bottom 10. I would almost bet anything that anything close to .500 in 2006 would be enough for the NT BOR's to give DDickey yet another year to continue widening the gap of his career W/L record at UNT. Anyone think UColordo officials had a problem pulling the trigger with Barnett? And this a coach who had a team in a Big 12 championship game? Our NT BOR's seem to not want to pull the trigger with their boy Dickey and I think this has actually come down to (with them-not most of us): "But he is such a nice guy to us and don't forgot those 4 (yuk! yuk!) bowl games. 4 bowl games our NT Board of Regents say? Yes, 4 bowl games that most NCAA D1-A colleges wanting to fill their own head football coaching vacancies don't seem quite as impressed with as do our NT BOR's. Couple all that with the cold harsh reality that Darrell Dickey has yet to be on any of their serious lists to fill their jobs? I would think that that (alone) would be enough of a red flag for NT officials and Mean Green fans everywhere to suspect that all really must not be all that glowingly successful with a DDickey-led NT football program. In fact, some outsiders might tell North Texas Exes/Mean Green fans: Are you people blind about whats really going on around you up there in Denton? Answer to Question #2: To use an oft' used phrase and the title of a hit song by UNT Ex Don Henley: In a New York Minute. UTEP became a Top 25 school with a coach that hardly had an altar boy reputation when he first arrived at UTEP. Of course with the hire of anyone with an "alleged" shady past, you just have to do in depth background checks concerning that coach before you'd put him on the UNT payroll. Answer to Question #3: Well, ee, I did my best. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Had an opportunity to take a tourist boat excursion into Pearl Harbor back in the 70's when I briefly lived in Honolulu. There was a live commentary on the tourist boat as we entered the harbor where (as I recall) a Japanese mini-submarine was sunk before the actual surpise attack took place. The tourist boat excursion was full of many races of all ages, and there was not a dry eye once we were about half way thru the boat tour as we circled Ford Island (in the middle of Pearl Harbor) and looked at all the carnage still under-water. The Arizona was the focus point of this boat excursion. I still recall seeing drops of oil that was still seeping from the U.S.S Arizona to the water's surface. My Houston area family also had an acquaintance killed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Many of us were not born till much later, but many times haven't we all wished our great nation today could bond and come together like she did after what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called "a Day that will live in Infamy?" GOD BLESS AMERICA & Veterans of All Wars and Those During Times of Peace...