UNTStill

I hope alot of players (and coaches) were watching that Miami (O) win in the MAC championship . . . best turnaround in college FB this year, from 1 win to MAC champions -- and they did in the last minute or so by sheer will and confidence . . . you could just see it on the field in playing and demeanor. IT CAN BE DONE!!

in October, I made one last, very nostalgic trip to see my final game at Fouts Field -- alas, it was the Arkansas State game -- since I had started attending then-NTSU games in 1960, when I moved to Denton as a 9th grader. I attended games (absent 4 years away in the Navy) regularly through 1975, when I left Texas. Now, after watching the press conference (from far away) and reading alot of the posts, I'm very excited to eagerly await the 2011 schedule, and to pick out at least one game (maybe more if I hit the NY lottery) to begin a another tradition of (a) watching games at the new stadium, and ( watching a truly promising era begin. I am very happy that Canales was not only retained, but given some sign of respect for what he has meant in just a short time (the associate title).

I thought the CBS Sports guys -- Jason Sehorn and the other -- were trying really hard to give credit to UNT wherever they could find it, and sincerely kept making the point about how no team could be expected to rebound much with all the injuries (at one point, Sehorn commented about all the injuries forcing UNT to be a "different team" than coaches and players had wanted / expected) . . . but even THEY started sounding like, "Geez, this is really a losing team." Sad for everyone, but I feel really bad for the players. If I were Dunbar, I'd be, shall I say, greatly annoyed at Riley and coaches, and the 4th/2 decision at midfield and not calling on Dunbar -- who cares at what point of the game!! -- says alot. Was THAT a Canales call, do you think??

Is anyone watching on www.channelsurfing.net? All the plays are shown from a camera angle that seems to be from the top row of the stadium, but at least it's "TV." Is UNT prepared, at all? At least, they are making good use of Dunbar . . .oh, wait . . .

Uh - oh . . . regarding the Section C dust-up. I'm coming from Upstate New York to attend the Ark State game as my last game at Fouts -- I attended my first game at Fouts in Fall 1960, when I had moved to Denton as a 9th grader . . . I have loved NTSU/UNT since and made sure I got one degree from NT . . . and yes, sure enough, my seat is in Section C. Where was the guy? I know what my row/seat is -- maybe I can get it changed. At least, I'll also be able to be at the Army game -- in the end zone, of course. Sigh. I am not privy to what goes on inside the lockerroom, but I doubt that the players and coaches have given up (at least, I hope not!). And until they do, we shouldn't either. If a new regime is needed once the season is over, OK, then we begin supporting that and doing whatever we can to get things turned around. (Navy idea -- No matter how big the ship, it find a space in which to turn around -- if a carrier can do it, we can.) But mostly, I am adamant about supporting the players regardless -- I teach at a university, am a faculty rep on the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Board, and deal with student-athletes alot . . . believe me, they work too hard with a schedule that most of my students couldn't survive for two days, much less in-season AND off-season. They deserve out unqualified support.

"We are not going to waiver any more," Dodge said, "Nate will be our starter." -- Gosh, I hope he's not talking about putting folks on waivers, because I don't think that's supposed to happen in college ball, and we don't want another USC situation. Of course, I'm all for Dodge saying they do not plan to "waver" any more.

Uh-oh. According to Las Vegas Sun statistics on the Mavericks, Eric has played 19 minutes in 2 games, and has not scored. According to the Thursday night box score, he did not play due to "coach's decision."

+2 = 44, coming from about 2 1/2 hours away

Just a thought for those coming up for the Army game -- if you are coming for the game itself and not so much to spend time in NYC, then you might want to look at fares into Stewart Airport, right outside Newburgh. I don't know if they might be cheaper or not, than going to JFK or LaGuardia or Newark (try to avoid Newark Airport if at all possible). Even if you want to go into NYC, train travel is easy from there, either Amtrak or MetroNorth (you might have to drive a few minutes south to catch that -- Amtrak goes into Penn Station, MetroNorth into Grand Central). Newburgh is a city in some tough times, and gets attention for its crime rate, but still should be safe enough -- right across the Hudson River is Beacon, a nice town with good hotels.

I am sending forth prayers from Upstate New York. Here are some words from the poet Sonia Sanchez: "Let there be everywhere our voices, our eyes, our thoughts, our love, our actions, breathing hope and victory." Everyone needs to take a moment on Wednesday morning to think of your friend. I'm convinced all that good energy can help.

That would be quite a feat, even for the magic of television -- UAlbany and Central Connecticut don't play until November 17.

I looked at some of the stories from today at the Dolphins' team site on CNN Sports (SI). PC is almost completely ignored, except in factual statements about him scoring a touchdown. QB Beck gives him some props. Alot of attention in several stories to Brown and Chatman -- and one story in particular dwelling on how good Chatman looked and how set the Dolphins are with the top 2 running backs, etc. I don't get it. Does this mean anything, or should we just ignore it? One story did refer to PC as the "third-string" back. On the other hand, all of this is coming from the sports media covering the Dolphins, so . . . should we care? Aside: I'm trying to think of a worse broadcasting team at the MNF/network team level . . . nope, can't think of a worse one. I always though 30 minutes of Kornheiser on PTI was enough -- now I'm thinking even 5 minutes of him on PTI or anything else is too much.

Stats for AA in last night loss to the Panthers, in which the Giants defensive line/linebackers looked as solid as a colander: 1 tackle, 1 assist. He played steadily, and unfortuntately the Panthers had a couple of good runs on his side but only because AA was stunting inside. He seems to be in that role -- steady, solid, nothing spectacular yet, but dependable. But the local media covering the Giants camp at UAlbany continue to give him three names -- "And Adrian Awasom." In all the articles about the AWOL Michael Strahan (way too much coverage -- since the local sports media are all pretty unoriginal and unimaginative, it's the story line that continues to dominate), all the others are talked about at length -- Tuck, Joseph, etc. -- and Awasom is always tacked on last, " . . . and Adrian Awasom." Unfair. As far as I can tell, and I'm certainly not an NFL-level talent analyst, I don't think anyone outside the vet group there now is going to rise up and unseat AA, although if the experiment at linebacker with last year's No.1 pick (whose name I can't remember to spell right at the moment) fails, and last night it looked like it will, then that may add a complication.

Now you know what I have to live with, in agony. My daughter goes to a high school (in upstate NY) that has about 2,000+ enrollment, a couple hundred under Southlake Carroll -- and plays football in a stadium fitting for a Texas Class A school (OK, maybe a small AA). It's full only on homecoming. There's the regular 7-game season (yes, 7), then two more "cross-over" games for teams who did not make playoffs, while at the same time other teams are in two weekends of playoff games, then there are a couple of more . . . and this is all for teams outside of NYC, which has its own groupings . . . the "state" champion game is for teams outside NYC. I showed this year's Texas Football to a friend, and it was like he was looking alien literature. I'm dying, I tell you.

Is Quinn in fact still with the Bills? I've been reading the daily transactions in the newspapers and keeping up with this board, and have not seen any info about him being released -- but while I see Quinn listed as No. 5 on the depth chart (right WR), I don't see him listed in the roster. Is this just a glitch of some kind?

I, too, am an oldster, so I have to go with Ron Shanklin and John Love, from the Sixties . . . for all the reasons alot of you have already stated. Exciting, gutsy, team-oriented, break-it-at-anytime sorts . . . and tack on Shanklin's pro career. Although I never saw him in person, I've followed everything that has been said in the past few years about Johnny Quinn, and -- from a distance -- I think he's the same type who could walk alongside Ron and John.

Since Mount Rushmore itself covers quite a time span . . . any room on UNT's for Ray Renfro? So, taking into consideration their "post-UNT" success in FB, too: Ray Renfro Abner Haynes Joe Greene 4th -- either Steve Ramsey, or Booger Kennedy

Great concept, great execution, great acting. I nominate WasteBasket Guy for the next SoftDrink-Next-To-Coach Guy.

You're right -- I meant to say, did anyone see him play? does anyone know if he appeared on anyone's recruiting radar? is the Grapevine program a good one?

Just asking if anyone has any info on Grapevine's Andy Sparano, son of the Cowboys' assistant -- he was a 5-5A All-District lineman who just signed with UAlbany (yes, UAlbany) -- list of signees at UA says he's 6-0, 240; Texas Football preseason listed him as 5-10, 260. He's the third or fourth Texan signed at UA in the last couple of years (although a couple have lasted through only one winter) -- UA has been a 1-A FCS, non-scholarship team that is now slowly moving into scholarship level of Ivy League / Colonial AA / Southern / Big Sky / Atlantic etc. He was All-District, but perhaps his size (or lack thereof) ruled out recuitment by the big dogs (including UNT!). (Interesting sidenote: as UA is making this move, slowly, it has been looking more and more to the South and, as I said, Texas . . . reaffirmation of where high school football is played for keeps!). Thanks for any info/insight.

I spent 4 of the best years of my life in the Navy (69-73) and the Middies are my "other" team, too -- but for this game, it's UNT all the way. Sort of "I hope Navy plays a great game but doesn't win"! Regardless, I'm proud that UNT is hosting USNA. If you haven't seen a Navy game on the road, it's quite an experience, even with the smaller number of Midshipmen attending. Makes you stand a little straighter and actually sing the words to the National Anthem.

I know the peace of the world doesn't hang in the balance of the answer, but I am curious about the NCAA says regarding a head coach who might want his son to play for him, that is, "recruit" him. Surely there is some sort of . . . exception? allowance? realism? accountability? On the other hand, maybe both of them would have to answer to the mom first!

I don't have the records book with me to know the exact teams, but this much I know -- it would have been the first home game in 1960. Maybe somebody like West Texas or Hardin-Simmons or Abilene Christian etc.? BTW, for Christmas my brother sent me a copy of the H-E-B "The Best of Texas High School Football" booklet, a great find for someone like me stuck in upstate NY, and it includes a nice story on one of my early heroes, Bobby Smith, "A Trailblazer to Remember." Even beyond that, it's a GREAT booklet, a must for any fan. Are H-E-Bs in the DFW area?

How many season tickets were sold last year? What is the realistic number for next season?

During that unbelievable game, I found myself playing a sort of mental game -- most of the times when the announcers would say "Boise State" I would substitute "North Texas," and you know what, it didn't seem all that far-fetched . . . I'm not saying for right now, but in a few short years??