eulessismore

What a remarkable year for Martin, first win against Euless in 15 tries. Trussell seems like a good get, but I also think the DT (although I suspect he'd play DE in college) Mustafa Haboul would a good, maybe great guy for us if he commits to UNT. Good Story on Haboul

My wife and I would be ok with you being struck by lightning while walking from the stadium where we had just won our first BCS bowl game, or being teleported when a tornado, rated F5 on the modified Fujita scale, hit an arena where we had just won our first NCAA tournament game. Anything else would be, to put it mildly, disappointing.

I'm not sure whether it matters all that much how pissed they are now, as they've had the talent times whatever factor to overcome anything we've thrown at them in the past. However, I did become convinced after last night's game that Les Miles can hold court on the virtues of quarterback mobility as well and mystifyingly as Coach Mac.

I was thinking when Mac was first hired that Skladany would be a good DC. This looks like a good get, and best wishes to Coach Bowen, who did a good job for us during the short time he was here. Also, why are people saying he's old? Heck I was born in 1947, and him in 1948. So young.

I specifically remember hearing DMac saying (maybe during Troy postgame) that Delgado would be awarded a scholarship. Rightly so.

Take two; they're small compared to the ones on Bourbon Street.

Well, congratulations to ULaLa; and it was really an excellent game. The announcer at the end seemed like he was throwing down a challenge to the LSU/Alabama, something like, "will they play a game as good as this"?

If Graham sold his soul, the Devil had to pay premium.

Your choice of words make me think he'll never make it to the UNT campus

Jim Tressel would agree. I love the way this guy plays; i'd buy him a vowel.

Honestly, it hurts me to think of others in the area having achieved membership in "major conferences", but I really think that is a fact AT THIS TIME. I say that because about a year ago the talk was more "will the Big 12 or Howevermany, or the Big East or Wherever" survive. It appears that they will, but I'm still not certain enough that the "AQ" status will last that long for the Big East to where I would wish our athletes to have those travel requirements (how do college BASEBALL players manage that and a full class load). I'm just putting Rawlins statement down as "hey, congratulations, you other area schools, and thanks for what you've done for college sports in our area, but you conferences that they left, don't forget that we're here and on the improve". Sure, I'd like to see stronger statements, but I don't want to assume the worse because Rawlins' statement was so sparse and conciliatory. There may be reasons for that; we all know the man has held important positions in the NCAA and helped found CUSA, so he may see things we don't. I try to think of our situation as when I was between my last girlfriend and first (and current) wife. It kinda hurt to see others out and enjoying the relationships that I desired and that had eluded me, but I saw them as more similar than different from me, thus showing me that if they could enjoy love and companionship, that I could too. And I do. Oh, and I think it's possible that the geographic footprint of CUSA might make them "the right girl for us".

I was just noticing on one the Pitt football fans boards where they're talking about new coaching candidates, and it seems like Cristobal's name seems to be the once coming up a lot. Would it cause some of us to rethink the position of the Sun Belt in terms of outsiders' perceptions if TWO coaches were hired from the Belt to AQ head coaching positions in one year? Of course Freeze was over the top for a first year coach at Arkie State, but Cristobal has done a lot while starting with almost nothing at FIU. Of course, those may be two unique cases, but if people aren't noticing Sun Belt football, why are they noticing our coaches so much? Here's the link: Pitt Fans talking Cristobal P.S., I wouldn't mind Pitt hiring Cristobal, because he's been nothing but a headache for us.

We may be splitting hairs. It all reminds me of the old Saturday Night Live career day skit, with the question to one of the presenters, "isn't a courtesan just a harlot?".

No colder than the way he left his last job.

So, you're saying the Rice Marching Owl Band was wrong in spelling out "A SLUT" for him when they played "TULSA" the year after he left Rice? I mean, there is a difference, in that one is doing it because that's what they do, whereas the other is always looking for the big payout.

Yes, I also feel for Chico; I love the way he got the players motivated when he took over as interim. I'm just not sure Arkansas State would have really been the place for him, and I'm sure he will still have other shots at being an FBS head coach. The problem that he, and North Texas overall last year, was that we had trouble coming up with a consistently good offense. Losing Dunbar hurts, but we may have a more balanced offense next year, with the new and returning receivers, as well as what looks like a very good crop of running backs. And yes, Malzahn is good, and his offense made us look bad when he was at Tulsa. We STILL haven't solved Tulsa, but I am saying that we can put together a team that can solve Arkansas State next year. The real problem is that they still have Aplin, who should make Gus look good in his first year there. I still like our chances given an improving offensive line.

I'll grant that it is a hire that looks very good. I'm still not putting Arkie State down as a sure loss next year, mainly because of (1.) the difference between being a coordinator vs a head coach at the FBS level, and (2.) the letdown at Auburn after Cam Newton left. If you look at some of the games Auburn did win while putting a 7-5 overall record, a couple of them don't look that impressive; a close win over an admittedly improved but still middling Utah State, beating FAU by a couple more points than we did, plus a late season win over FCS Samford. I will give them respect for getting into the end zone twice against Alabama but I still think a little better coaching would have gotten us there once. Will he hire defensive assistants who will do better than Auburn did this year? They gave up 42 against Bama compared to our 41. I think our key to playing Arkansas State competitively next year and the year after that is keeping our starting quarterback (hopefully still DT) vertical, and getting some holes for our running backs. That's something we haven't done well against them recently, but I really think we'll have a better offensive line in 2012, with the game experience acquired by this year's freshmen, and those who are new recruits or becoming eligible next year. I'm sure Canales is disappointed, but I hope he's motivated to show them they hired the wrong guy when we play them next year. Still, I hope it works out for ASU, except for one game a year, but wonder how this is going to work as far as assistant salaries in what had been the most underpaid program in the Sun Belt. I guess they showed this year you don't have to have the highest paid head coach in the Conference. Time for us to prove it next year. And yes, go Mean Green Defense.

Congratulations, man! I always knew you'd make it. My only thought on the name change is make it something easy to remember, because now that you're "middleagedalumniguy" or whatever, your memory probably won't improve.

Gaines recruited Denarius McGhee (sp?), qb from Euless Trinity to Montana State, who has done quite well there, even putting up good numbers in a losing effort against SHSU. I hope he can make use of any connections he made at Trinity and snag some good ones for North Texas.

Thanks for the visual!

The first sentence in bold is true. If that was how Jones had explained his actions, I would agree with the second sentence in bold.

Kinda like letting the kids know that you want to leave your spouse, but it just didn't work out to end it, so that everyone knows they're part of a family with a bad marriage. On the other hand, i actually hope there's some way this can be something other than the sham of a story it looks like, just for the sake of those needing to believe. No, I don't know why i feel that way. It seems this is simply sad.

Got to agree there. Next step: UNT playing better than we did against Tulsa in those years.

There's just too many bowls when teams who have fired their coaches get to go.

I will miss watching himplay so much.