PlummMeanGreen

First of all, dear ol' HS alma mater, ie, the 2A Danbury Panthers came from behind in the last minutes of the 4'th quarter to beat the Louise Hornets, 13-12 at Humber Field. Next week for the Panthers: Houston Christian HS My HS football stadium was named in honor of Coach Harold Humber who was my football coach the 4 years I played for the Panthers. In the Spring of my senior year, Coach Humber, his wife and daughter had been visiting a coaching collegue over at Houston Alief and returning home to Danbury all 3 were tragically killed in a head-on car accident just outside Stafford, Texas. When we of the Mean Green Nation lost the great Andrew Smith, it took me back to that Sunday evening our community, our church, our HS and the Panther football team lost our football coach and his family. ................................................................................................. Emmitt, I know you (wisely) stayed home to go to college when you could have gone to some other fine colleges, but it seems to me that many HS football stars (not all) would want to do like many of us general students did and that is to "go away to college." I would think NT's recruiting coordinator sends out "initial interest" letters very early on in the process to many of Denton's HS football stars and if they are not responding to those, I would think Coach Dickey and stafff would probably wish them well with whatever school they choose. Of course, we can only hope there are some more Phillip Armour's out there in the Denton ISD who will choose NT and come over to help our football program continue in our era of exciting growth and expansion. Of course, we are all pulling for those who played their HS football in the Denton ISD who did receive a 'ship from NT or are in the Mean Green Fall camp now as walk-ons. GMG!

Just a gut feeling and (basically) a guess, but I think Matt Phillips will get the startiing QB nod for LSU because I don't think Meager is 100% healed of his shoulder operation. I think Dan Meager will play some even if Phillips starts, and I think Meager (once 100%) will play a whole bunch and may become the starter for most our games the balance of the season; that is, unless Matt Phillips plays lights out, makes a whole bunch of plays and makes it difficult for Meager to replace him. As a MG fan, though, I am no less enthused with Dan Meager's future and only hope he can overcome and start having a little Lady Luck with the injury bug-a-boo thing of his. TCU QB Tye Gunn has also been an oft' injured QB for the Horned Frogs, but when he has played is one of the top 3 (percentage-wise) winningest QB's in TCU's football history. He has missed many games in his 4 years at TCU, though.

Who knows, LSU may very well steam-roll our team as an NCAA D1-A Top 5 school might be expected to, but always ever present in the back of some of the Tiger Nation's mind is how another Sun Belt Conference team just last Fall almost ruined their season with an upset win in college football's largest watering hole located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. AND........FWIW, Troy U didn't have a Patrick Cobbs or a Jamario Thomas in their backfield when they played the mighty Tigers of LSU just last season. Of course, they did have a pretty fair defense with a defensive lineman now playing with the Dallas Cowboys, but even he and his Troy U teammates gave us no serious competition last time we played those same TU Trojans, either. PS: And good grief, we now have LSU spies at Mean Green football practices? GMG! PS II: Prayers and good thoughts for the citizens of Greater New Orleans which is in the bullseye of Hurricane Katrina that may become a Category IV. Baton Rouge not so far away , either.

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS FROM MY TRIP TO MEAN GREEN COUNTRY TODAY: I saw Harry and Matt at New York Subway after the scrimmage and I think those guys will have some comments today on TJ Raymond. (Nice to have finally gotten to meet you, Matt). QB Dan Meager still seems to be favoring his shoulder (normal player reaction) as he passed today and I have no idea when he will be at 100% full strength (and confidence) with that. Danny Meager is very, very accurate with short to mid-range passes, though, from what I saw this AM at the scimmage. I was impressed with the arm of true freshman Matt Phillips, too. As far as Sir Patrick "the Emerald Express" Cobbs and Super Jamario Thomas? What can you say about those 2 that hasn't been said already? They both had their long runs from scrimmage and Cobbs ran a kick-off back for a TD. Anyone else notice Cobbs seems to have not missed a step since his surgery? Could it be possible he has even gained a half-step? BACK 2 BACK PRESS BOX BILLBOARD: The "Back 2 Back" billboard on the back of the Fouts press box is completly finished. It will be up 3 full weeks before our first home game so if approx. 50,000 commuters pass by that billboard daily, you can do the math to see how many will see it before the Tulsa U Golden Hurricane come to Denton on Septermber 17'th. MORE FOOTBALL FODDER: I think with either QB's this Fall we see an instant replay of the 2002 season when RS frosh Andrew Smith took over from an injured Scott Hall. That a season when ex college QB's and now NT coaches Darrell Dickey and Ramon Flanagan very closely monitored Drew's acitivities during the course of that bowl winning season. These 2 NT coaches will not ask our 2 QB's to do anything that would in any form or fashion shake either's confidence as to make them ineffective. Now the NT QB who can make some plays will probably get more playing time as it would be on any team, but for some reason I think we see 2 QB's used quite a bit for the 2005 football season. As it is, I believe we all know who will take the bulk of the Mean Green offense this Fall. Sat by posters Buff64 and Gray Eagle in the area of my season tickets (Lower Section E) and enjoyed my visit with both. Buff64 was a West Texas State ex football player who played for Coach Joe Kerbel back in the day AND has really become a great Mean Green fan. We both were remininscing back to the era when NT and WT were regulars on each others football schedules. Nice to have met you this morning at Fouts Field, Buff64. I really like the look of the new turf at Fouts as all of you will. Long time super MG fan Gray Eagle who has seen NT football even before Fouts was built pointed out to me the missing crown on our football field and I thought that was pretty cool and figure that will be a plus for both players and fans alike. Gray Eagle and I later went over to the NT Ticket Office where Gabe Kirkpatrick was working on his Saturday off getting season tickets ready to mail out. Gray and I both bought the new 2005 football media guide and it is quite impressive. It costs $15 this year but is worth every penny of it. If you've never owned an NT football media guide, it is a great encyclopedia (remember those?) of NT football from the beginning at the turn of last century. This morning at Fouts Field was very hot, muggy and steamy and Coach Dickey (very wisely IMO) cut the practice shorter than last weeks marathon. BACK TO GRAY EAGLE: After the scrimmage, Jack "Gray Eagle" Fincher of Rowlett, Texas, took me over to the new Athletic Center as it was my first opportunity to get to see all of its interior. LISTEN TO ME NOW FELLOW MEAN GREEN FANS (and future NT recruits) This personal guided tour of the A/C facility just completely blew my socks off! I've even heard a certain ex NT football player who was an NFL All Pro offensive lineman just last season said NT's facilities were better than some in the NFL. FWIW, it is quite a facility that gives all of us even more reasons to be: Mean Green & Proud Of It! (Any of you still have one of those old buttons)? While on the tour, Gray Eagle then took me outside the Athletic Center walking downward to the veranda of our future end zone facility and people please hear me out again, I just cannot tell you the complete raw emotion and goose bumps I felt (as I'd bet many of you did or will) walking on this enormous exterior part of the A/C knowing what will soon be attached to it. The A/C's veranda facing northward will easily hold 500-750 donors or guests (maybe even 1,000). As Gray Eagle and I continued our walk across the veranda gazing northward over the land which used to be the UNT Golf Course, you can only imagine our new 35-40,000 (forget the 32K we all read in the enormous DMN article today on UNT Athletics--a source told me they will never build it that small); anyway, as we 2 NT alums looked northward to see the lay of the land, one could not help to just let the creative and imagination juices run wild to realize the unbelievably bright future that lay ahead for all of us in the NORTH TEXAS constituency. We can also appreciate the fact that we have an NT Administration, an NT Board of Regents, AD Rick Villarreal & staff who are turning what seemed to always be "future talk" at our alma mater into "now talk" at: The University of North Texas. GMG! 7,000 posts here I come!

MG61, I have to be real selective with my response posts at this point, but post-7K posts, I will be working on some new material (if I can talk a certain GMG.com comedian to be my ghost-writer; I'll be working on a whole new image; also a pay raise from Harry and just in general, all that & a bag of chips. I will be signing autographs at tomorrows scrimmage (but for a price, of cour$e) I have also been commissioned by Banty-Weight Books, Inc., to (in deed) write a book which they have promised me will be turned into a made-for-TV movie called: "PMG's Shootin' From the Hip With His Gol' Darn Loose Cannon One More Time (& 7,000 Reasons To Love or Hate Him). SUMG gave me the idea for the part in parentheses. BTW, MG61, "NT Alum" Dr. Phil McGraw has agreed to write the introduction to my book. "NT Alum" Larry McMurty told me if I'd just included Cowboys, Indians, Astronauts, a man named Woodrow and Texas-style lurid sex, he would have glady written the book intro. I told Larry thanks but no thanks as I do have some scruples left. NOTE: Sadly, I had to turn down SUMG who very badly wanted to do my book's intro, but I told him he just knew too many damn dark secrets that he would have been tempted to very happily put into my book's intro). To be honest, I'm getting real nervous about my post #7,000. No one has been in those uncharted smack board waters from GMG.com before. Anyone want to suggest a theme for # 7,000?

It will be the first Saturday this month I haven't had to work. I do plan to be there and probably sitting in one of my season tickets seats. Can't wait to see the Mean Green and the new turf! (Also......VOERTMANS and probably work New York Subway into the ol' itinerary)! PS: 12 more posts to go.

I know the turf completion at our stadium was a day-to-day thing, but wouldn't tomorrow at Fouts Field have been a great time for a "Pick Your Seat" type of promotion to pull in even more new fans?

Firstly, I'd call NT Athletics (1-800-UNT-2366) but after that, I have no idea where you could find a copy of the 2002 NT FB highlight DVD call......CHAMPIONS. Good luck in finding a copy. PS: Harry/Cerebus, my last 2 posts say 6,986--what gives? I had something special to post on # 7,000.

Was at that memorable game when I believe the Dawgs were on a drive for what would have probably been the winning TD. This is when Alvin HS ex and Mean Green star Nelson Barnes stepped up and slobber-knocked the La Tech RB so hard he caused a fumble (which the Mean Green recovered). This became one of our 5 wins over La Tech; they've had 4 over us.

I believe Iseed kicked that field goal against the U of Richmond Spiders (at their place) as I recall hearing that action on the MGRN with Bill Mercer back then. Seems our games were on KDNT 1440 AM at that time, too. I also knew his brother "Isa" who was one of NT's first soccer stars as I recall.

I am a P1 as well having listened to KTCK from Day One, but for the most part, this "all sports all the time" (well, some of the time) radio station hates local Metroplex college football. Even SMU who pays The Ticket to carry their games cannot get a kind word (except from NT graduate Rich Phillips who does the 'Stangs play-by-play). George Dunham gives us our due but gets flamed too many times from doing so (even from a fellow NT alum). WE ARE THE (DFW) WORLD--WE ARE THE PEOPLE: TCU, SMU and UNT ought to one day have a concerted billboard and radio airwaves effort to get more of our almost 6 million Metroplex citizens (according to NTCOG) to "Support Metroplex College Football" because even in our own northern Texas footprint or market, local media sometimes act like that none of the 3 schools exists or are worth mentioning on the air or in the print media.

By the way, one last thing; when you say your prayers tonight - please say thanks to the football team for playing LSU and K-State and for getting us our equal 1/10th share of the BCS money (finally) for this year. ................................................................................... Stebo (or anyone) I wonder what that 1/10'th share of BCS money could possible turn out to be this year? PS: Harry or Cerebus, is there anyway when we reduce a post we are responding to, that it can still somehow retain its special darker shade separating it from the response post such as this one to stebo's post? GMG!

On the way home from the office tonight, I turned on ESPN 103.3 FM and it was TCU Night. Tidbits from TCU Coach Pattersons Show Tongiht: ** He will play 14 defensive linemen in their game vs OU next week in an attempt to keep his "D" as fresh as possible. Do we even have 14 DL's in camp? ** Coach Pat said to prepare for the Sooners they will let their jumbotron go wild with noise and also bring large speakers down onto the Amon Carter Stadium field to simulate the kind noise they will hear in Norman. He thinks his young players especially need to hear all this extra noise at ACS before they travel to Norman. ** Coach Pat said he didn't think there would be a BCS in 2 years yet a college football play-off and that TCU would continue doing the things they have control of, ie, better recruiting and (especially) their continuing the enhancement of their football and athletic facilities in general. The NCAA D1-A facilities arm race continues, folks. ** The TCU coach said he was more worried about their SMU game than OU. NOT RELATED TO TCU AT ALL BUT RATHER..........MEAN GREEN STUFF & THE BEST GAME EVER PLAYED AT FOUTS FIELD: I am presently watching the 3'rd quarter of the 2002 CHAMPIONS DVD and the bowl-deciding NT/NMSU game and you just cannot believe (except for you who were there) how our Mean Green crowd became such an integral and vital part of that game with the kind of noise I never though was accoustically possible at Fouts Field. We should be as loud at the NT/Tulsa game on September 17'th. I'll be there/will you?

YeaH, and UTA flunk-out Mike Reiner announced it yesterday using you know what name of our school from the past. Wonder if the ol' Gray Wolf knows he may be giving us more attention he doesn't intend to give us doing that than not?

And wouldn't green headwear worn by a football player be called a.............helmint? Heading to Voertmans this Saturday! Nice look and the "North Texas" on the "helmint" doesn't look so bad. GMG!

Maybe the StartleGram' ers (which I purchase read daily, also) thought those 6,000,0000 homes editions of USA Today with a very nice MEAN GREEN photo with our 2 star RB's all over the top of its front page last week was all the coverage we needed for awhile in Little D? The Fort Worth Star Telegram seems to have multiple personality disorders when it comes to consistent Mean Green coverage. Just when you're ready to give up on the ol' Cowtown rag, they'll come up with some very nice pieces about NT and the Mean Green. I think consistent coverage is what most of us prefer.

Of course his dad (Mike) attended TCU. PS: Sorry, UNTLifer, I didn't see you had already posted the same thing. Just saw adman's post and responded w/o looking at the rest of the thread. BUT....Mike Renfro went to TCU when they were perrenial losers in the SWC, so you never know. He and his family were at a Homecoming NT Hall of Fame breakfast a few years ago when his dad, former NT great Ray Renfro, was recognized posthumously; and I'll say upon personal observation, the Renfro family from Southlake sure seemed to be enjoying themselves in the Silver Eagle Suite. I had the priviledge of meeting Mike and we talked Houston Oiler football for a few moments.

New Mexico State has all but sold out its game with UTEP (no biggie since they are neighbors and UTEP travels damn well); and the NMSU Aggies also (GET THIS SHORTY) have a home game in Las Cruces vs the PAC 10 Cal Golden Bears.

NT dropped the ball with the Super Pit because we started nickel and dime-ing our basketball budget for almost a quarter of a century and we paid dearly for it. It would be nice to have a 2006 Jaguar but you do have to put gas in the thing for it to advance and move forward. The key to utilizing our new football stadium to the max is to go to the next level in recruiting, the continued winning of football games (some high profile OOC wins would be nice, too, but that comes with better recruiting that is attainable because we have better facilties, etc, etc, etc; and going to bowl games while winning a few of those as well.

Huh? The Troy U head coach's, uh, SON-IN-LAW!?!?!? Anyone think that might be altered?

I have to go with the #8 - all the way. Back when I didn't care what I ate and didn't care how fat I was getting I would have gotten the #20 - all the way. MMMM...MMMMM..Good! ←

This from a thread on the CUSAbbs board. Wonder how our first home game sales and season tickets are coming along?

I think I like your imagination better than my own. Hmmm? Super Bowl in Denton.... 32 years and counting with the Mean Green scene and I'm ready for "ALL" of the above! Hmmm? Super Bowl? PS: You left out New York Subway--shame on you.

So one says AM and the other says PM, so when will we know which one?