TheFranchise

This is EXACTLY the comparison I see with the situation. Here's a little story for you guys . . . Let's say a college football program has eight years of abysmal history. So, the coach is fired and the athletic department decides they're going to take the opposite route this go-around. The previous guy was way too much of a "hard-ass" that focused so much on offense that it killed their defense. So they went with a more relaxed coach this time, someone who gave the kids a little more freedom and lee-way but also put more of an emphasis on "positive reinforcement" and that is great at giving motivational speeches to the players. After four seasons, the team shows very little improvement. While there were some glimmers of greatness, overall it was exactly the same program and people once again started becoming fed up. The media interviews the coaching staff and all they can say is, "Well, we're trying our best. But that last guy left this program in such sad shape that we're having trouble fixing it." So in reality, the new coach is admitting that they hired a guy that can't fix the problem. In this scenario though, the press actually laps it up and starts running print about it, creating stories that this program would be in so much better shape had the previous guy not screwed it all up. Despite his inability to make any progress, the media worships him because he gives inspiring speeches. I guarantee every single fan with the slightest bit of common sense would ask why this guy hasn't lost his job yet. -- Franchise

Was watching "Rain Man" the other night and thought of this thread! Hoffman was amazing in that! -- Franchise

I think we ought to be all cocky and Buckeye about it and call ourselves "THE University of North Texas." I think that would be fun. -- Franchise

Grammar rule number one: Don't criticize someone's spelling in a post and then make a more egregious spelling error in the same post. It's "your." As for my takes on the topic at hand, I tend to lean towards the conservative side in most of my beliefs and I do truly believe that most liberals have the country's best interests in mind. However, I do feel there is just way too much evidence out there right now that makes this look like a cover-up that's falling apart at the seams. Plus, the fact that they spun one story for several weeks, got blasted for it and then did an about-face about it later on just screams of a cover-up. That's my opinion. Take it or leave it. -- Franchise

When I was in high school theater, some of the actors I looked to as inspiration were Tom Hanks. At that time he'd just one back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actor. I was also a big fan of Gary Sinise. (Co-starred with Hanks in "Forrest Gump" and "Apollo 13," plus I was a fan of his work in "Of Mice and Men," which was required reading at the time so seeing him in the film was pretty cool to me) Mel Gibson was another one as well as Timm Robbins. Currently, Christian Bale is a really under-rated method actor, as was Heath Ledger. (I miss that guy.) Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are usually actors that I feel compelled to see when they release something new. I also really like Philip Seymour Hoffman. Nobody plays a pretentious, condescending a-hole like that dude. He's fantastic. In fact, unless I missed it I'm really surprised nobody's brought his name up yet. -- Franchise

First of all, thank you for your service. That's without question more important to me than what goes on, on a field of play. I am in a family that's comprised of several members of the military. I'm grateful for everything you men and women do for our country. That doesn't mean I can't disagree with you, though. While I agree that the students are getting excited about the program, and that's something I don't have a problem with, I do have a problem with creating an atmosphere that makes a lot of parents uncomfortable. To some, and I'll even agree that to most it probably isn't about "being cool," but if it is to even one person, then my original argument is valid. Jesse, I respect you a lot. I've read a lot of your comments on here, and while I don't agree with all of them you typically tend to come on here with valid and well-formulated thoughts. I respect that a lot. As for my moniker, it's one that was given to me (I did not choose it) about nine years ago. A manager that I highly respected and still keep in contact with from a previous job gave it to me and it has stuck ever since. It has nothing to do with being condescending. Yes, my previous reply was a little snarky. It was supposed to be. Was it mean-spirited? No. I do apologize if it came across that way. The dude had resorted to making assumptions about me and my parenting style with words that came across to me as condescending. So I returned serve with a smile on my face. I apologize that a forum like this lacks facial expression and overall demeanor that I can effectively convey. Perhaps I should have included some sort of smiley like this little guy: Other than all of that, I appreciate the kind words. -- Franchise

Run along little boy and let the grown-ups discuss this. -- Franchise

For the record, I'm a current student and I think adding "Mother F***ing" to our Fight Song is absolutely stupid. It doesn't make us look "edgy" or "sharp" or "current." 1 -- It makes us copy-cats -- as some of the very proponents of it have admitted. 2 -- It makes us look extremely immature. It's like the kid that drops the F-bomb in front of his parents at the dinner table to see if he can "get away with it." The "parents" (administration) have spoken and said it's not okay. But administration and authority be damned. "We can't be told what to do, we're being creative!" *by copying someone else* Get over it and move on. 3 -- Just because you are okay with shouting the F-bomb in front of kids, doesn't make it okay. But come on -- nobody is stifling anyone's creativity by asking us to avoid obscenities in the stands. Now, I do realize children will hear things, regardless. But there comes a point when people need to look beyond the scope of themselves or their own little "bubble" and realize they need to respect other peoples' boundaries as well. I know my children will eventually hear the F-bomb somewhere and I'll have to talk to them about it but I'd like to delay that conversation as long as possible until a time where they're able to handle it. Plus, I'd prefer my six year old not start singing along with it just because "the cool kids in green started doing it." -- Franchise

Kendial Lawrence -- wow, I was the sideline reporter for his game against Highland Park back in his senior year at Rockwall. He put together a nice little season with Mizzou last year. He is a "Li'l guy." Speedy as hell, though. -- Franchise

Manu Ginobli . . . that dude plays "The Guard that just became paralyzed by a crushing blow to the elbow" like nobody's business.

Some cocky suckers over there for a program that, aside from a couple of crappy bowl appearances and two TCU upsets, has done squat over the last 25 years. I really hope we throttle them at least seven times. -- Franchise

Where do you live/family: Fort Worth with my beautiful wife of 8 years, our six year old daughter and our one year old son Degree/Year attended/graduated UNT: Anticipated graduation in 2015, BA Radio/Television/Film Favorite NT Memory: Working on building them, but so far it was stepping onto the campus for the first time at orientation in January. As a "non-traditional student" (I'm over 30) this is an event a long time in the making for me. I'm proud to finally be in the final stages of earning my degree. Favorite NT Sports Memory: I see this occurring in the near future -- taking my daughter to her first football game this coming Fall at Apogee!

Would it be too much to ask setting up a round-robin style of series where UNT, SMU and TCU all play each other every season and then have some kind of rivalry trophy or something that goes to the team with the best head-to-head(to-head?) record afterward? Kind of like Army-Navy-Air Force do except minus the military part. I think that would be pretty awesome. Call it like the Metroplex Meleé or somesuch. Okay, so it's late at night and I'm wrapping up a work shift -- if you've got a better idea, let 'er rip! -- Franchise

Some thoughts about looking over at TCU and what they've done: Don't discount the genius of Gary Patterson. That dude can take a 2* recruit at halfback and talk him into playing linebacker and then the dude becomes an All-American two seasons later. He feeds off of finding guys that "couldn't quite make the cut" at schools like Texas, Oklahoma, LSU and A&M and bringing them in to shine at TCU. As far as attendance, it wasn't until 2010 that they really started consistently selling out games. That game against Utah was a madhouse, though. They started small. They won games against the teams on their schedule. Then, they started "competing" in the road games where they were expected to get throttled. Then come 2005, they opened the season and put themselves on the map by stunning Oklahoma in Norman -- something NO team was able to do for a long time back then. It's easy to look over at TCU and what they've done right and want to do it, but the "doing it" part is far easier said than done. If it was that easy, you'd see a lot more schools succeeding the same way. Granted, I'd love to see the Mean Green follow a similar path (and it CAN happen). While they did work hard and do a lot to set themselves up for success, they had a lot of good fortune too. All that to say, if a couple of good breaks go our way and the athletic department puts in the work of marketing this thing a little bit, Mean Green football could get HUGE. That ends my little rant for now. -- Franchise

I know I'm not alone here. You may not remember it but I do. There was a story that broke somewhere around 2004 (will try to find a link for you, but it's going to be in an archive somewhere) where Hicks blamed his lack of spending on the fans. It got a lot of play on the radio and he got a lot of flack for it, as he should have. It was a big story at the time. If anyone thinks Hicks' priority was winning, they're out of their mind. That dude had one goal as a sports owner -- making an ess-load of money. And when he didn't, he blamed the fans. In fact, look at what he did to F. C. Liverpool. It was like rinse, wash and repeat with that situation. Wait never mind . . . some of you guys hate soccer here . . . -- The Franchise

When you put it that way, this pops into my head . . . -- The Franchise

There are more "true" Rangers fans than some may think. A lot of us stayed away during the 2000's because of bad ownership that refused to do anything worth a crap with the team. Tom Hicks was nearly the death of this team and the day he left with "empty pockets" never came soon enough. The guy was a horrible owner and then had the sac to tell the media that the team's routine sub-.500 seasons were the fans fault and would have been remedied if "the fans had shown up." Sorry, but the dude basically said back in 2004 that he will continue to put crap on the field until the fans start showing up to watch said crap. Then, he would think about investing more into the team. (My paraphrasing but it's the same basic message) When Nolan/Greenberg took the team over, and they *gasp* actually lowered ticket prices from what Hicks had done, fans started showing up again. Yes, there was a winning product being put out at that time, too but there was also a fresh wind that started blowing into town at that time. The guy focusing on "making money" instead of "winning games" had finally left town and the focus was on a title. Dang, we came close . . . twice. Also, an entertaining read (which even I question but find interesting given it's a pretty big publication like Forbes): http://www.forbes.com/2008/08/07/baseball-fans-loyal-forbeslife-cx_mw_0807sport.html -- The Franchise

I'm sure everyone's tuned into the details now, but man . . . Not much else to say than simply, pray, love, run to help -- whatever your method of help is, just do it. West is in chaos right now. A beautiful, charming little town that pretty much anyone that has ever driven south on I-35 is familiar with. Just devastating . . . http://www.wfaa.com/news/texas-news/powerful-exploson-rocks-town-north-of-waco-203508001.html -- TheFranchise

You'll probably enjoy this, too: https://twitter.com/Josh_Hamilton_K

I got to call two of his games last season as the color man. That kid is all over the place. He would be an excellent pickup for the Mean Green. And yes, he's Tongan. If only Coach McCarney would get me to have a word with Ngalo and Coach Lineweaver . . . -- Stephen

If I was a young, smaller t-shirt . . . that would be the t-shirt I'd wanna be when I grow up . . .