Pseudo Nym

Neither said nor implied..... but thanks for an extremely nuanced, albeit completely inaccurate, interpretation..... Right up there with "look, we beat a ranked team on the last game of the season, all is well again with UNT football, nothing else to see or do here" (just an example of an extremely nuanced and completely inaccurate interpretation). The service this board does is provide free insight into what more passionate and involved alumni and fans think about events surrounding the athletics department. Often times it is an unfiltered, matter-of-fact perspective which can be difficult to ascertain by any other means. To deny its value is to say "we don't care what they think, just show us the good polling data." In the same breadth that regardless of what you thought of President Trump, when he was posting on Twitter, the country world was given direct access his unfiltered thoughts and views. Take them as you will but you can't deny the value in that kind of access. This board is a litmus test for the athletics department on a wide array of issues, and occasionally perhaps an idea is put forward on the board that may have some value. It's not the only source of information and feedback, but certainly a convenient, consistent, reliable and primary source for a majority of issues in athletics.

We should make a separate thread on this maybe - pinned even to track what other schools are paying (by means of opportunities) per position. Here's an example of TE pay at UT: If you play tight end on the Texas football team, you will now earn a four-figure monthly stipend no matter if you're an All-Big 12 performer or a freshman walk-on. https://www.on3.com/news/texas-tight-ends-nil-program-burnt-ends-surly-horns/ Here is how the program works: Each tight end will receive the same monthly share. There is a four-figure monthly baseline dollar guarantee for each tight end. Anything crowdsourced above that also will go into the tight ends’ pockets. It’s an August-to-August annual deal, Blair said, meaning that if a tight end switches positions or transfers, he still will reap financial benefits until the following August. --- IMO - There's no way in hell UNT needs to get in to any bidding war with the NIL stuff.... this is a level we simply can not compete and would throw away money trying. UT "Burnt Ends" Tight Ends NIL (and this is just ONE program/opportunity) - 6 TE - $1k/mo ($12k/year) Total "Burnt Ends" Guaranteed NIL Money for TE at UT: $72k/year

"WORD IT HOW YOU WILL" Word it however you'd like, address what ever you'd like, say or don't say anything about the HC, doing/saying nothing was a missed opportunity..... this board clearly illustrates there's some strong view from the Alums/Fans about the Football HC Position. This board does a huge service to the athletics department, don't for one second think they're not monitoring this site on a regular basis. -- Here's how a Power 5 AD uses a weekly newsletter to communicate with fans: https://longhornswire.usatoday.com/2021/11/17/texas-football-longhorns-steve-sarkisian-chris-del-conte-support-coaching-staff-athletic-director/ Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte releases the Forty Acres Insider each week. It’s a newsletter to Longhorn Nation that focuses on how each athletic program performed over the past week and what to look forward to in the days ahead. After Texas’ shocking loss to Kansas, many were eager to hear Del Conte’s thoughts on the matter. (SOUND FAMILIAR - FOR US IT'S: THREE CONSECUTIVE LOSING SEASONS WITH THE HIGHEST PAID COACH IN THE CONFERENCE - I'D SAY WE'RE PRETTY DAMN EAGER TO HEAR WHAT'S WHAT AS IT WERE) In a surprise to some, he voiced a very clear vote of confidence in Steve Sarkisian and his staff. Del Conte continued on by stating how important it is for the fans to stand behind the team and stay positive. “We know there are better days ahead, and I know y’all will continue to be the wind beneath our wings to help lead us there.” Needless to say, it appears that Del Conte is fully behind the rebuild that Sarkisian will have to do at Texas.

After the game, I went to the Dan McCarney Therapy Program. Still pushing through it.... still on step 1.... not clear on what comes next.... I'm not going to give up though.... I believe in The Don Daddy Danny Mac and if he say's drink grey goose to cure all, dammit that's what I'll do....if you're still looking for a direction, here's a refresher if you don't know or don't remember: "Nothing..... a little Grey Goose won’t cure." https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/dan-mccarney-suffered-stroke-thinks-vodka-him-feel-175611451.html

This guy is who you're talking about I tihnk....... And FWIW - SL is a stand up guy and the first to say, "It's on me" - it's not a new phenomenon in coaching, you don't plan to fail, you don't prepare to lose but when it happens and you do, you take full accountability. You can't preach accountability as a coach and then change the definition to fit the circumstance. Coaches know when you win, it's the players, when you lose it's on the coach. Tried his best, represented the program well, no scandal, no issues of integrity, just not enough W's at the end of the day - he's an OU Alum, his expectations of himself as a coach are as high as what he expects from the OU coach as an Alum. In this case, we're the Alumni but he'd be the first to say expectations weren't met, he get's it, it's not a case that needs defending. I think I've said it 1,000 times, outstanding human being, really good football coach, he's not done yet, but it's time to part ways. It's like dating, most people don't marry the first girl or guy they date, most marriages don't last when they do, everyone that does is the exception, not the rule. I can tell you he's not moping around, he's a confident guy, I think he'll reflect back on the good and the bad, he'll definitely be a better coach because of it and I have no ill will and will be rooting for him the rest of his career!

I don't know if you know anyone with a mind that never stops churning, with 15 different things going at once, but I'm that way and this comment about Monday morning turned into this "poem" --- there were a few twists and turns before it got to this but it was this post you made that kicked it off and inspired it. The Night Before Christmas (UNT Football 2021 Version 1.0) 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land Football coaches were recruiting players high in demand; The tweets and the snaps showed commitments so strong Yet one school was wondering, “How did it all go so wrong?” The truth could be seen but they hadn’t a clue, Keeping one coach too long, all the hell it would do. From high in the perch a mighty Eagle did soar, A blind one at that, though he could hear the roar; “It’s over! It’s done!” mighty warriors did type, Some began to wonder, “what’s he got in his pipe?” But that Eagle was daring, courageous, and brave Once known as Wren, he had a program to save. With the sun now set on a season so poor, Some wondered aloud “how much more, how much more?” With the hopes built so high on a campus renewed, Their patience with loosing was swiftly subdued. For the coaches and promises didn’t last very long Come Sumlin, Come Sanders, Come Morris or Strong “We’re tired of loosing and singing this song.” But as night fell on Denton, no answer was found, The mighty Eagle was grounded, nowhere around. “Monday morning, afternoon, evening or night” The mighty warriors proclaimed with so much delight “That coach will be gone and our faith be renewed” As all through the weekend they toiled and stewed. A new dawn would come but how long would they wait? As one man alone would determine their fate. For Eagles are mighty and never outnumbered Except for the ones who recoil and slumber. With expectations so high, there’s only one way to lose, Take a week to decide, prod, and choose; Who the new coach will be must soon be decided, For In only one man can our faith be confided. From Eagle to Wren is a long way to fall, Merry Christmas and Wren, don’t drop the ball.

Just knocked this out real quick, not a writer or poet, some parts sound better read aloud, and some just don't click but it's a work in progress, feel free to edit, delete, improve upon, and it may turn out to be decent with your help! Hopefully next year we can have a version that includes the words "win" and "bowl" (Savior may be a push but who knows)... just a little fun and the person I just read this to who knows nothing of UNT football, WB or SL made sure I pointed out that "this is not a personal shot at anyone or meant to hurt anyone's feelings, if it does either of those, I'm wrong and you're right" (She's a keeper!) The Night Before Christmas (UNT Football 2021 Version 1.0) 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land Football coaches were recruiting players high in demand; The tweets and the snaps showed commitments so strong Yet one school was wondering, “How did it all go so wrong?” The truth could be seen but they hadn’t a clue, Keeping one coach too long, all the hell it would do. From high in the perch a mighty Eagle did soar, A blind one at that, though he could hear the roar; “It’s over! It’s done!” mighty warriors did type, Some began to wonder, “what’s he got in his pipe?” But that Eagle was daring, courageous, and brave Once known as Wren, he had a program to save. With the sun now set on a season so poor, Some wondered aloud “how much more, how much more?” With the hopes built so high on a campus renewed, Their patience with loosing was swiftly subdued. For the coaches and promises didn’t last very long Come Sumlin, Come Sanders, Come Morris or Strong “We’re tired of loosing and singing this song.” But as night fell on Denton, with questions abound The mighty Eagle was grounded nowhere to be found. “Monday morning, afternoon, evening or night” The mighty warriors proclaimed with so much delight “That coach will be gone and our faith be renewed” As all through the weekend they toiled and stewed. A new dawn would come but how long would they wait? As one man alone would determine their fate. For Eagles are mighty and never outnumbered Except for the ones who recoil and slumbered. With expectations so high, there’s only one way to lose, Take a week to decide, prod, and choose; Who the new coach will be must soon be decided, For In only one man can our faith be confided. From Eagle to wren is a long way to fall, Merry Christmas and Wren, don’t drop the ball.

I would add that after the bowl game, a savvy AD would have two press releases ready to go: one if we won, one if we lost. Word it how you will, not doing so was a missed opportunity to have a positive communication with fans (thanks fans!) and recruits (we're passionate about our program and future opportunities for recruits) about the future of UNT football and address a ton of lingering questions.

As if that were even possible at this point.

This is going to be an unpopular take but...... Beating UTSA was great in the moment and in the long run, it'll be talked forever about as the UNT/UTSA rivalry continues. In the short term, it made us bowl eligible, we accepted a made up* bowl game, a bowl game which when first announced the official name of it was, "TBA Bowl Game, Frisco, TX" played 30 minutes down the road in a stadium high schools and middle schools use for games, ultimately setting us back in my opinion from moving on to a new coach/vision and behind in recruiting. The unpopular take is that I can't view the UTSA win right now in any other context than that win propelled into a three week period where we should have been announcing a new coach, putting together a new staff, implementing a new vision and recruiting new student-athletes. Arkansas TD was absolutely wild and I love bringing it up in mixed company with Arkansas fans! (So far they've been pretty good sports about it!) *If you had $200K to spare you could have been a title sponsor and called it the "Who's Next?" Bowl Game (verified) as in who's the next UNT Coach

I don't think that way anymore, I hear you though and I respect your perspective. Life doesn't stop for anyone. For me, my mindset changed when a trainer once asked me: "What's the difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas?" I don't remember what I said but I remember his answer: "While 99% of the country does nothing, you'll be training, getting better, and be a day ahead of everyone else." ------ It's stuck with me, and I recall being at a conference rival's basketball practice on Thanksgiving Day one year (my team couldn't practice that day) and his message to the team on their half-assed effort to begin practice: "You don't have to be here, you get to be here" - And he talked about everyone who has to work on Thanksgiving and how "two hours of hard work doesn't take away from sitting on your ass later on today watching football and sending tweets." Coach played in the NBA for a few years and was at the P5 level.... competition, work, commitment, all those things required to achieve great things don't stop for Santa, the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. ------ It's a mindset, you can still have dinner, meet family, go to church, but if you're not getting work in, someone else is and if you can live with being outworked, don't work in college athletics, don't work at our school!

Still being able to sell tickets to football games.

“Clocks were invented to warn us. Tick (time is passing). Tock (time has passed).”- Kamand Kojouri WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?? UNLESS I'VE MISSED SOMETHING - SINCE THE BOWL GAME, NOTHING FROM THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT OR UNT REGARDING THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM OR HC Which leads me to draw the following assumptions and conclusions about the AD and where things currently stands on the Football HC position: AD is not firing SL AD hasn't made his mind up AD doesn't realize a significant portion of the fanbase is expecting a change at the position AD doesn't realize a significant portion of the fanbase is waiting to hear one way or another if SL will remain as the Football HC AD doesn't care about communicating with the fanbase about HC decisions AD's not working and enjoying the holidays COMMENT IF I'M MISSING ONE AND I'LL ADD IT HERE'S WHAT I KNOW IS HAPPENING TODAY AND TOMORROW ACROSS THE COUNTRY (Through either first hand knowledge, experience or news articles) RECRUITING IS HAPPENING (See story below on Nick Saban recruiting on Christmas Eve) PROGRAM BUILDING IS HAPPENING COACHES ARE BEING INTERVIEWED COACHES ARE BEING FIRED COACHES ARE BEING HIRED OUR US ARMED FORCES ARE DEPLOYED AROUND THE WORLD OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT POSTED A PRE-RECORDED HAPPY HOLIDAYS GREETING ON TWITTER I've talked to two coaching buddies who had phone calls about prospective jobs this morning, essentially a phone interview. I remember when Scott Skiles (Chicago Bulls) got fired on Christmas Eve and I remember my father visiting the troops for the holidays (he at least came home late at night or the next day on Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. TROOPS ARE WORKING TODAY, POLICE ARE WORKING, FIRE DEPARTMENTS READY TO ROLL BUT A 6-FIGURE AD TAKES THE LUXURY OF BEING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS - GIVE ME A {***I***} BREAK) Where's our AD? What's the message? Who's working? Decisions - how have they not been made?? ANNOUNCED?? One way or another! If you want holidays off, go be a High School AD or Coach OR WIN A REAL BOWL GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is unacceptable - jobs at the highest level of athletics don't come with holidays or days off - AD is what the 3rd highest paid UNT employee? This is now a joke and a half-assed effort at the highest levels of administration. IF I MISSED SOMETHING FROM UNT OR THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT - TELL ME AND I'LL DELETE THIS - THIS IS FRUSTRATION FROM LACK OF DECISION MAKING AND COMMUNICATION WHICH HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THE FOLKS IN THE PENTHOUSE SUITE EITHER DON'T HAVE A CLUE, DON'T CARE, OR SOMETHING ELSE MERRY CHRISTMAS THOUGH.... HAPPY HOLIDAYS...... WHATEVER ELSE YOU GOT GOING, ENJOY! . Saban working on Christmas: https://www.outkick.com/twas-the-night-before-christmas-and-mrs-saban-was-really-mad-at-ole-st-nick/ Brief excerpts on Nick Saban working on Christmas Eve: It was the eve of Christmas Eve in 2003 at LSU. LSU coach Nick Saban was preparing for his first national championship game on Jan. 4 and the Tigers’ first since 1958 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans against Oklahoma. (EDITED OUT - FULL ARTICLE LINKED) But it’s getting close to 6 p.m. and everybody is at Saban’s in-laws. He tells his wife and her mother, Linda Constable, that he has to go visit this recruit’s grandmother. “What? You’re crazy,” Mrs. Saban says. “But I’ll be back in time to celebrate Christmas Eve,” he tells them. Miss Alberta is very upset about her grandson, and this was not a quick visit. She had a little drink, so Saban – ever the recruiter – tried to have one, too, even though he doesn’t drink. “I was trying, man,” Saban said. “I go see Alberta Brown at six o’clock. And at 2 o’clock in the morning, I’m still sitting in the garage with Alberta Brown, and she’s telling me she doesn’t want Andre going to Wisconsin.” Saban finally got back to his mother-in-law’s, but by now he might as well have been “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Eve.” “Terry’s mom almost killed me,” Saban said. “Because I wasn’t there for anything. I missed the whole family get-together because I was at Andre Rison’s grandmother’s house.”

Thanks.... Reminds me of when I recruit (D3 school) and a kid who has no offers and says that no one has showed any interest..... then he posts about our visit or the interest and all of a sudden he's got 10 offers...Might happen here with Sumlin with the PVAM report.... either way, I haven't changed my view or feelings towards SL or hiring Sumlin when I first made this post - I stand by it. ------ If I knew football like apparently you do, I'd coach it..... I know about people, redemption, drive, experience, networking etc.... throw in a little marketing and financials as it pertains to this post I suppose The question Sumlin should face in interviews: "You won at Houston, you won at A&M, coached a Heisman Trophy winner, and won coach of the year in multiple conferences, including the SEC, so what happened at Arizona? What did you take away from that experience? What have you learned? What would you do differently?" I don't think many AD's know what they want in the first place, dare to think too far outside the box, and are happier to follow the trail versus being a trailblazer.... UNT can not grow if we keep walking the roads others have walked, we've got to be trailblazers.... The old poem, "two roads diverged in a yellow wood (...........) and that has made all the difference," Whitman (I think) "it's not what you don't know that gets you in trouble, it's what you know for sure that just aint so."

I started to write how spot on this was and decided to present an award instead. It's all there. I don't have the pull to present a real award, but if more than five people can seriously point to one game as the sole factor for..... Anyway, then I'm giving awards lol.... If we were still undergrads it would be a shot but, we old now..... So..... The MMI Consortium* of the No BS Football Fans Foundation for A Better North Texas Is proud to recognize "MeanGreenTexan" For the post on Sunday, November 28th at about 11 hours before this post as the First Recipient of the 2021 First Best Post of the Post-Season Award *The MMI Consortium is made up of Me, Myself, and I (Having fun with it, wanted to just write "FACTS" but had an extra minute or two to throw this together but I really do think that post says it all!!!) Also, to whomever controls the reactions like the up vote, down vote, laughing face, puking eagle, RV, etc.... Can we get one for "FACTS" or "#FACTS" to highlight objective posts, posts that are independent of opinion and emotion, heavy on facts-to-be-considered? It would be easier to catch up on a thread with points that have already been made if you haven't been on in a few days.

Now that I think about it, this could be negotiated and agree on from the very beginning. A 6 year contract with an automatic restructure after year 4, based on wins, bowls, etc. would be a better a better model (we'll call it the 4+2 Model) Similar to the "automatic extension" - if you haven't hit the targets at the end of year 4, money gets restructured for the final two years of the contract, with an option for the coach to "opt out" after year 4 but will receive no buyout or compensation. If at the end of year for the coach has hit/exceeded targets, base and incentives increase, with the amounts predetermined. It would look like this after the 4th year for the coach in years 5 and 6: Hit the targets = Increase Base/Incentive (Could also throw a trigger for an automatic 2 year extension) Miss the targets = Lower Base/Incentive Restructure

Great question. I guess there's only really three outcomes as it sits right now: Nothing happens and he keeps his job with current contract He gets fired and get's paid (*Note 1) He keeps his job but with a lower base salary and incentives (incentives could pay more than current contract) *Note 1: His contract calls for 30% of his base salary for the remaining years on his contract if he was fired today (I believe this is correct, I posted his contract on here somewhere a while back). So he's not getting 100%, if he was fired "for cause" he would get nothing. Depending on his view of his job prospects moving forward, when factoring in the 30% buyout and how passionately he feels that he's built this program to be successful, starting over may be a prospect he's not willing to take on and would take a lower base to stay, with incentives he believe he will achieve. Incentive Structure Scenario (Example - not proposing these numbers) For basic math, let's say a current contract calls for $1mil with and additional $500k in incentives for a total contact value of $1.5mil A restructured contract drops the base salary to $600k with $1.5mil in incentives for a total contract value of $2.1mil - If I remember correctly, Jim Harbaugh's base went to $600k. Looked it up real quick, and this is his Harbaugh's restructured money: Basically, a restructured contract, to use a popular coaching phrase, is about: "Show us, don't tell us." Obviously, with a lower base salary, if the results aren't there, UNT has saved money in the process if they decide not to fire him, and SL has a chance to keep his job and make more money.

For those like me who are and have been heavy on SL must go: I'm nowhere near as consistent on here as many of you are but I've maintained, going back to the end of last season that it's time to make a change at the HC position. I still do, however, someone mentioned a restructured contract and I've moved from 100% "he should go" to 95% if a restructured contract is in the mix, and the final deal is favorable for UNT from a financial perspective. Jim Harbaugh and Scott Frost are the only ones I can recall doing this recently, and it definitely ramps up the pressure (in a positive way), the key spirit of it being a "renewed confidence" and basically "a last change, so don't screw it up" vibe for SL. Along those lines, I think it would be hard for SL not to accept a restructured contract given the examples of Harbaugh and Frost. It definitely wouldn't be a good look for him if he flat out turns down the idea of restructuring his contract. For me I'm always looking at ROI, Return on Investment. If his contract was restructured with a lower base salary and serious incentives, would that change your mind? What would a restructured contract look like for you to support it? What would you need to see to see in the restructure to be convinced? (Money, wins, etc.)

Pulling of a miracle (it's what I called it last week, props to the Nostradamus fans who predicted it, or even thought it possible) was great..... The question I think the decision maker needs an answer to is why did the team start 1-5? What reason is there to believe it won't happen again? Props for turning something around that you were driving the wrong way to begin with is like saying congratulations for showing up to work on time to someone who's been late every day for six weeks in a row...... Or the kid who puts out he fire when he was the one who started it in the first place. An amazing moment, truly awesome and without knowing much history before the early 1990's of UNT Football, it's got to be at the very least a top 5 moment, win, game etc. for sure, very happy for the program, players, and staff..... Don't get 🎵 Blinded by the light 🎵..... 6 seasons and 37-37 overall.

@Cr1028 All good..... GMG...... AMAZING GAME, DAY ETC......... Hasn't changed my mind on SL - will enjoy the day and congratulate all involved in getting it done today on the field. Flying back to the US as I type, looking forward to some good celebration pics and stories!

Yeah, it wasn't so much to make fun, although I do see the sarcasm in it, and the joke/fun in it, the jokes have run it's course and we're in the final stage of mourning this season and are in the acceptance phase..... For me, I've got to have a reason to tune in and believe in something, I made a comment about "beating the spread against UTSA would be.W..... Beating them on the field would be a miracle".... on the game thread.... the poster was a carry on from that and a Gif/Meme I posted there. So the motivation behind it was really: "ok, well, we need a miracle so why not root for that....." How awesome that would be.... What, other than that, could I get excited about and tune in? (I say that genuinely, and if you don't think we need a miracle, then good on ya mate!) Similar context (not the same as although idk, probably would be pretty big for us) to larger moments in sports history, the Miracle on Ice, Memorial Day Miracle (Spurs), The Giants catch vs the undefeated Patriots to win the Super Bowl. I hope that explains it.... Certainly not, in anyway trying to disrespect anyone with it, be it Willie Simmons or Germaine Dawson for that matter, I didn't know Germaine well but knew his GF, and some of his teammates that were close with him. ----- PS - To whomever made the comment about expecting the dancers/cheerleaders was spot on and funny take!!! lol. ----- PPS - I really don't think you're going the, "apologize or you're canceled" route with this, but if you are, I'm not going to apologize, and I'll be back on in a few days if more clarification is needed.... back to work for me. GO MEAN GREEN!

First use in commerce:

And the actual Angeles MLB team (at least a few years ago) ran out of the dugout to the hit "Calling All Angels" - still get goosebumps thinking about it, not a fan, but an awesome moment, seeing the clean white uniforms with red caps run out to take their position. I'd say play the song somewhere in the stadium on game day, why not and who knows? Maybe we'll some attention of the divine! Can't hurt to try!

Here's a little fun to get things off to a positive note.....