Monkeypox

UNT isn't cutting it. The state legislature is. UNT HAS cut some funding in the past a couple of times, but it's funny because it's a drop in the bucket of TAMS funds, and TAMS generates somewhere around $10m for the University based on the state credits and housing. When I was there, TAMS students take 15 and 16 hrs their first two semesters, and after that it's anywhere from 13-21(with a waiver). As to why UNT has cut them before (and probably will again), I imagine the answer to that WHY has something to do with UNT's historic mis-management of so many things. The point is... UNT NEEDS TO TRY. And I believe they're starting, but it's pretty late in the game, as this is the 30th year of the program. I can tell you that Smatresk and the University have been MUCH more involved than previous administrations have been. The alumni outreach is going to be the critical factor. That, and REALLY trying to poach those kids. I don't know if there's any kind of handshake agreement about that or anything, because I have a hard time understanding how hands-off the school is. I went to my first UNT football game my first week there, walking across the field to Fouts with my best friend, and meeting one of my other best friends for the first time. So I can say our lack of athletic success is also part of the equation.

Replacement 2 had a higher winning percentage than DD.

A lot of the research rewards and work they do results in grant money and award funds for UNT as well as the students. Also, UNT gets two years of 400-500 undergrads above and beyond what they would normally attract, with better academic credentials than their average. UNT makes money on TAMS. UNT needs TAMS more than TAMS or TAMS students need UNT. The idea that, because the kids aren't out there "repping" UNT, a program that makes money and earns scholarship and research rewards isn't a benefit, is the kind of small-time thinking that's made UNT an afterthought for these kinds of students in the first place. The first step is getting them in the door. Even if it's only two years, you've at least got them for that long. The point I was making was that UT Austin could self-fund TAMS with private money without having to worry much about the state funding. Hell, UT could go entirely private if they wanted to with their endowment. So it wasn't a point of costs to UNT. It was a point of institutional support. AGAIN, ALMOST ALL OF TAMS FUNDING COMES FROM THE STATE.

So, UT and A&M, you get auto-scholarships after TAMS. This has been the case since the inception of the school in 1987, in order to mitigate the fact there's no class ranking at TAMS (the 10% rule). For years, the top 10% of your class at Texas High School got auto-scholarships to those schools. Because TAMS kids are all taking university courses, with vastly different coursework starting as early as 2nd semester, they're all treated as top 10% (although theoretically they're top 1%). UNT only SPOKE about offering that last year. I don't know if they've done anything yet. But keep in mind, this is mostly state-level money that TAMS lives and dies by. UNT does provide for a percentage of the TAMS budget, but it's less than they recoup from the state for the 400-500 student enrollment and from Room and Board, which is still the responsibility of students. TAMS has stated in recent years that they HAVE to maintain full enrollment in order to keep from risking their finances. I'm hoping if we get the endowments really rolling, then TAMS can continue to operate. I believe there's a plan for some concerned alumni to meet with the Dean sometime late this year or early next. We'll see what happens. I stayed at UNT after TAMS, because I liked it there, and because I burned out on the programs I had been interested in after the introduction to the realities of life in those fields in Academia. If I'd stayed on my course, there's no way I would have stayed there. Honestly, though, if they'd have had some tracks like they're speaking of introducing in the arts, then I think it would help. I might have found out much earlier that I liked the things offered outside of the pre-med/engineering curriculum. A lot of programs, though, you're fighting an uphill battle. I think the value proposition for staying at UNT is the first step, though. Try and at least keep them through undergrad. Know that, even though a lot of students go off to Cal Tech and MIT and Stanford, you're still mostly losing them to UT and A&M. IF it honestly came down to money from UNT to keep it afloat, then I think it either shuts down or moves to another school in the state willing to host and pay for it. Like I said, UT Austin was FIERCELY competing for the program, and they certainly have the cash flow for it.

UNT GETS a shit-ton from TAMS. The TAMS scholarship is funded by the state (through the TEA). Those details are in the article. Smatresk said last year they UNT was going to try to do more to keep UNT students there, but that's not on the students. That's on the University. I would say they've failed to entice the students to stay, but last year was the first to make overtures to it. UT Austin was PISSED when UNT got TAMS.

You guys have any planned discussions concerning whatever horrible pandemic is afflicting CUSA referees?

Add 3 more to all your totals.

I'm really tired of people who think you can win one or two seasons or half of a season even and think that's what people mean when they say "win." One winning season, a CURRENT winning season, in fact, is not an example of "win and they will come." Right now, SL is 11-11. Yes, that's winning more than we usually do, but it's not enough to overcome the overall perception of our program. I think Memphis is a better example of a team that can now be considered "winning". I've been disappointed in SL's level of recruiting, but, as Billy pointed out, they've done well in the other aspects to help make up for it.That said, I'll be EXTREMELY disappointed if recruiting doesn't improve after this season, especially given the strides made in our offense, including what's being done by some relatively unheralded recruits. A winning season and HOPEFULLY a bowl win, and Littrell and Co. had better be able to make some strides in this, or, even if they leave UNT on a high note, they might be handicapping us down the road to remain only at our current levels.

Yeah, TAMS class of '96 and UNT alumnus here. THANKFULLY over the last year a number of our alumni groups have been active in creating endowments for the program, but the real help will come if UNT puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to enticing more students (pretty much like myself-only successful), to stay at the school. I actually think an entry into some of the arts is a good idea, because there's a decent contingent of students who burn out on Math and Science in the program and go into the arts (myself and a number of friends who work in film/video/radio/tv/whathaveyou. There's definitely less compelling reasons for those kids to look elsewhere, as they're strong programs at UNT. The number of successful men and women working here in DFW coming from UNT's RTVF (don't know if it's still called that) program from my time in school is amazing. But these budget cuts really hurt UNT's ability go get students into the program and especially to entice them to continue their studies at UNT. And that's a key, because a large number of those kids are the kind you'd like to keep at your school if you can (I was an exception to that rule.)

Yeah, I hate facing a winless team this late in the season, because you KNOW they're going to upset/steal one. Everyone does at some point. So I'm hoping they beat both La Tech and UAB after we cream them.

5-18 his last two years at UNT. People can come up with whatever excuses they want. He won less than 4 games in 5 of his 9 seasons here, and only had 3 winning seasons, finishing 42-64. That's the sum total of his HC experience (*unless you want to count 0-1 for Memphis in the bowl game against Auburn, but that'd be a little unfair). I think he was here an appropriate amount of time and is given the deserved credit of a coach with his particular statistical run. He's got a practice field and he's still working in college football. He doesn't need or hopefully care about me kissing his ass. As a HC, he's an easier sell now. I wouldn't be surprised if he were given a HC shot after this season, as Mike Norvell might be hired away from Memphis after only 2 years. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Dickey stay at Memphis (*perhaps both things happen), for any number of reasons. One reason he stayed in Memphis instead of going with Fuente was that his daughter was going to be a senior in high school. I think all bets are off after this year. And he's well-respected with coaches. He'll have some RB-coach/OC and HC offers this offseason, I'd bet. So I think Dickey gets another shot. And I think he's become a much better coach in the intervening years. Yes, the environment and everything about our program was terrible at the time. Yes, it was a tough job. But a coach's job is to win games, and Dickey was no longer doing that job when he was let go. End of story. If I criticize a coach, and he wins on Saturday, he can call me on my personal cell any time the following week and call me a "m-fer" if he wants. Hell, I'll give him my mom's number, too. You realize how few wins I've seen since 1998? These aren't HIGH expectations, folks. They're the ONLY expectations in athletics. Win games. Win games. That's it. Win games. I don't care about the environment. I don't care about the uniforms. I don't care if we play in Apogee or the Safeway parking lot. I don't care about your pageantry or locker rooms or lack thereof. I don't care who the opponent is. Win.

Always got room in the program for talent.

Bringing back the orange and blue accents.

Big win! Pretty sure it's only the 3rd time we've beaten them in my lifetime.

Dickey had a lot of bye weeks to maintain focus, though, like every time we played OOC.

LA Tech - 54 UNT - 33

I just don't know how many more weeks I can give a sh*t.

Not looking forward to a week of hearing how good Old Dominion is, or how this is the refs' fault, or how we went 1-11 a couple of years ago, or people asking why fans don't show up.

I'm rooting for Bane.

I don't know, but he transferred in the summer from Morgantown to St Frances, then like two weeks ago transferred back to Morgantown, so he's "being worked back in" at Morgantown, FWIW.

Well, I was a bit off on my prediction last week. UTSA didn't have negative points, and we were WELL short, so I'd have to say there were a lot of points left out there last week. So, carrying them over.... North Texas: 14,765,232.8 Del Boca Vista University: -23

I don't know. Have you seen how bad tackling has gotten in the NFL? I swear most of these guys don't even need arms to play. Is the Gator Roll illegal now or something? [/old man rant]

So... just Rice then.

Someone who played at UTSA.

UNT: 14,573,262.7 UTKFC: -12