HarringtonFishSmeller

And...?

We parked in the parking lot at Fouts last night and walked over the bridge to the game at Apogee. The academic success of our student athletes is at an all time high. Every sport we field has better facilities than it did when I graduated in 1995. We have solid coaching in almost every sport. Golf program is back. Volleyball is doing well. Soccer is outstanding. Track/Long distance...on and on. Our only problem right now is football. And, RV, is not the only athletic director in history to make a hiring that went south in football. The college football world is filled with them. What I like best, though, is that we have done it all without getting into trouble with the NCAA. We run clean programs. That comes from the top. In short, I look at what he had when I was a student here, and look at what has been done since Rick's been here. It's night and day different, and not even close. Most of you hyperfocus on football and basketball, which is your choice. I choose to see the big picture. Our athletic department is on a different planet from what it was when I was here.

I will add this to all...relax. You will somehow survive if Rick isn't fired today, tomorrow, or next week. Somehow. Some. How.

Um...I don't know where the suit is filed, nor where all the parties reside or do business. But, Texas Rule 801 is the same as the Federal Rule...as most are...so...: The following definitions apply under this article: (a) Statement. A "statement" is (1) an oral or written verbal expression or (2) nonverbal conduct of a person, if it is intended by the person as a substitute for verbal expression. (b) Declarant. A "declarant" is a person who makes a statement. (c) Matter Asserted. "Matter asserted" includes any matter explicitly asserted, and any matter implied by a statement, if the probative value of the statement as offered flows from declarant’s belief as to the matter. (d) Hearsay. "Hearsay" is a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at a trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.

Stan is correct, here. Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 801 (a) Statement. “Statement” means a person’s oral assertion, written assertion, or nonverbal conduct, if the person intended it as an assertion. (b) Declarant. “Declarant” means the person who made the statement. (c) Hearsay. “Hearsay” means a statement that: (1) the declarant does not make while testifying at the current trial or hearing; and (2) a party offers in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted in the statement.

This system works out well...if, you know the person you hire is going to win.

The only one I would trust is Kevin Patrick.

Wow. USF still has high opinion of McCarney, even after what this has become here. One even suggests they call him about head coaching job if Taggart doesn't work out!?!?

You don't have to talk to the stalkers to have them stalk you.

Would Corey Cheek become a Mean Green fan if Thomsen is hired here?

Like the Chris Thomsen angle. But, remember, when he was at ACU, the WIldcats were D-II. The academic requirements weren't the same as they would be here. Still, I'd trust him to navigate it. Abilene Christian...they'll be our conference mates soon enough. Ol' Coach Pyburn will be smiling from his grave when it happens as well.

No. If we ever want to catch up with the likes of UTA, we'll have to go at least 15-17 and 16-15 in consecutive season in basketball and build a new arena. That has caused so many Pakistani, Chinese, and Indian engineering student to apply to UTA, that they literally can't beat them off with a stick! Football. Hah! Who needs new football facilities? No one in Texas cares about football. A .500 level basketball program with a new arena is what sucks in students these days, chap! See, we've gone 30-33 over the past two basketball season in an old arena. UTA has gone 31-32, but they have a new arena. The new arena has not only allowed them to win one whole game more than us, but it's opened the flood gates of enrollment. I know it sounds crazy...Arlington...Cowboy Stadium...bowl games...season opening college football games between nationally known schools...Tech/Baylor...Texas A&M/Arkansas. You'd think football would be the attention-getter in Arlington; but, really it's UTA basketball. We need to get with the Now. The Hip. The Happening. It's basketball, Daddy-O! Season after season of mediocre basketball played at an engineering haven for far easterners! That's the only thing that can save this athletic department and the puny university attached to it!

That's what I thought? How old is the author? Obviously too young to hear of Hayden Fry...and, Dan's first head coaching gig at Iowa State.

Then, give him a three year deal. No more Five Year Plans, Chairmen Lenin and Mao. Coaches have turned it around quicker at bigger places. We're in Sun Belt Re-Loaded. Get with it!

I think if Canales can string together three or four wins, he should be included in the interview process. If he wins five - and, I've already said I don't think he will - I think he should be given the job at least for the remainder of the contract he has in place, making adjustments to it, of course, for salary, coaches show, etc. We will truly discover whether Chico was handcuffed by Mac. I fought that idea in my head until the bitter end - down 21-0 with 14+ minutes left in the Portland State game when McNulty was trotted back out there. I don't think there is any way in freezing hell Chico made that call. And, I don't think he made the call to play Greer for two series when we were down 59-0 and 66-0. It's going to be Chico and Smith from here on out. I know the kids played markedly better with Chico at the helm in 2010. Wouldn't shock me at all if it happens again. Little known fact: Canales coached the Snow JUCO softball team for seven years while he was an assistant football coach there, and they won six regional titles. So, if things keep going south for the softball team, and Canales is passed over for the football job...Canales to softball?

Pssht...meanwhile in Florida. The Gators, FSU, and Miami have run circles around Texas schools as far as national titles. Same thing can be said for California. USC earned titles in '72, '74, '78, and '03. No other California school despite the plethora of talent there. And, huge gap between titles even for USC. So, what can you say? In Texas and California, high school talent talks the championship talk; but, in Florida, they actually walk the walk. Take it regionally. Number of national titles in the Southeast - All three major Florida schools, Alabama and Auburn, Georgia, Clemson, LSU, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech, all since 1970. Since 1970, AP National Titles 1970: Nebraska (UPI - Texas) 1971: Nebraska 1972: USC 1973: Notre Dame (UPI - Alabama) 1974: Oklahoma (UPI - USC) 1975: Oklahoma 1976: Pitt (Jackie Sherrill's national title) 1977: Notre Dame 1978: Alabama (UPI - USC) 1979: Alabama 1980: Georgia 1981: Clemson 1982: Penn State 1983: Miami 1984: BYU 1985: Oklahoma 1986: Penn State 1987: Miami 1988: Notre Dame 1989: Miami 1990: Colorado (UPI - Georgia Tech) 1991: Miami (UPI - Washington) 1992: Alabama 1993: Florida State 1994: Nebraska 1995: Nebraska 1996: Florida 1997: Michigan (Coaches now voting ESPN, not UPI - Nebraska) 1998: Tennessee 1999: Florida State 2000: Oklahoma 2001: Miami 2002: Ohio State 2003: USC (ESPN - LSU) 2004: (USC vacated) 2005: Texas 2006: Florida 2007: LSU 2008: Florida 2009: Alabama 2010: Auburn 2011: Alabama 2012: Alabama 2013: Florida State 2014: Ohio State Not many championships out West, or above the Mason-Dixon line. Where's the best talent: Texas, California, or Florida? I'd say Florida beats out Texas and California; then, Cali over Texas...if, we're going by national titles. And, regionally, the Southeast has easily been the best since at least 1970. Someone in Texas will have to walk the walk someday. No Texas school has ever won back-to-back AP titles. And, only consecutive years Texas schools won AP titles was 1938 (TCU) and 1939 (Texas A&M). Those are the only titles TCU and A&M ever won.

Those two have moved their programs into higher competition levels, and have not been able to get the talent up to speed. Again, being a non-brand school, it's hard to gain excellent talent year in and year out - yes, even in Texas. (REMINDER: Just ONE national title from a Texas-based University since 1970. One. Just being in Texas, where there are many good recruits, isn't enough.)

...at the closest golf course he can find.

Again, my other not so academically inclined nephew who, I can assure you, truly, has not idea what he wants to do, chose Stephen F. Austin...even with an acceptance letter to Oklahoma State in hand. Tell me which school is higher up on the football food chain, Oklahoma State or Stephen F. Austin? Really, you guys. And, put your younger self into the situation. Why did you choose North Texas? Was it because you were so enamored of the idea of sitting at Fouts and watching North Texas versus Southwest Missouri State? Come on, man. I was accepted to Missouri, Oklahoma, North Texas, and a few others, all of whom had higher profile athletic programs than UNT. I chose North Texas. Okay? It's ridiculously funny that graduates of North Texas are buying into this ridiculous argument.

I don't really like this kind of mindset: "No offense to UNT’s academic departments, but the front door to any large university is its athletic program." It's one of the two laughably untrue, but overused, sentiments spouted in the SportsNews genre. I have a nephew who is at the University of Chicago. When applying for schools, football and basketball were the last thing on his mind. His choice came down to Brown, Georgetown, or Chicago. I've got another nephew who went to Stephen F. Austin. Football played no role in his decision either. He chose from Oklahoma State, SFA, and Texas State. Harvard, Yale, MIT, etc. - they all seem to be doing well without top football and basketball programs. Lehigh. I mean get serious. I've got nephews on both ends of the academic spectrum in college, and neither of them figured in football basketball into their attendance decision. The first was an academic gunner aiming as high as he could. The other...he just went where a few of his good friends were going. I understand people being upset that a football program is down. I'm pissed about it. But, not enough to lose perspective and somehow, in these stupid ways, want my alma mater to put athletics in front of academics. I mean, let the tail wag the dog up at OU where they talk about diversity but let a kid who broke a girl's face stay enrolled, take redshirt season over it, and play this year. Where their coach takes on transfer players with drug and domestic abuse arrest histories. THAT is what OU wants to be the front porch of their university...fine. I don't mean to pick on OU, but it's the closest example geographically. Texas has looked the other way at that type of stuff in the past as well. TCU has. Baylor is beginning to - to the extent that the younger Briles is now under NCAA scrutiny. Florida, now, with PEDs...on and on and on at those school who puff out their chests and say stupid things like, "Football is the front porch of the university!" Come on, man. Let's all dial it back a step or two, okay? Just get a decent football coach hired. If basketball fails again, ditch Benford and try again. But, for pete's sake, everyone, do not lose your perspective about academics versus athletics.