UNT_92_Fan

THank you Emmitt...I am glad you knew who I was talking about when Is aid it was NOT UNT students

also i wouldnt be so sure it was students of UNT that started it.... if it were the same group protesting this week i guarantee they were not UNT students... too young

Tomato torched ahead of demolition 02:58 AM CDT on Thursday, June 28, 2007 By DONNA FIELDER and SARAH CHACKO / Denton Record-Chronicle dfielder@dentonrc.com; schacko@dentonrc.com DENTON – Before the wrecking crew could push down the walls of The Tomato, the Fry Street icon died by fire Wednesday night at the hands of men seen running from the building just before flames burst out from the windows. GARY PAYNE/Denton Record-Chronicle Denton firefighters work Wednesday night to contain a fire that destroyed the former location of The Tomato pizza parlor on Fry Street. The building and several others nearby were scheduled for demolition to make way for a controversial new retail development, but officials fear that the blaze might have damaged some buildings that will remain. While hundreds of young people milled behind yellow crime scene tape in the rain watching and recording the scene with everything from professional cameras to cellphones, University of North Texas and Denton police detained three young men at the scene but later released them after intensive questioning. By 12:30 a.m. an amateur video was already posted on YouTube. Denton Fire Marshal Rick Jones called the three young men “persons of interest” in what he said was definitely an arson fire. Witnesses pointed them out as the men who ran from the building. “We know where to find them,” Jones said. “We found some evidence that leads us to believe they were involved, but we didn’t have enough evidence tonight to hold them.” Police saw flames shooting from the roof amid a heavy smoke cloud about 11 p.m. and called for the fire department. Battalion Chief Cort Higgins said the building was fully in flames when firefighters arrived. “The building was going down anyway,” Higgins said. “But we were worried about extension to some of the adjoining buildings that are going to remain, and we had power lines down and burning.” There also was danger of sparks from the high flames jumping the street and spreading the damage across Fry Street to the buildings there, he said. Power lines fell on a car parked in front of the building, and the resulting fire destroyed it. Higgins did not believe early Thursday that there was damage to viable buildings. An announcement last year that United Equities Inc. had bought most of the city block that contained such college hangouts as The Tomato and Mr. Chopsticks caused an uproar that continued this week as preparation began to bulldoze The Tomato and other buildings. United Equities plans to build a modern business and restaurant center there, but representatives have promised it will retain some of the spirit of the old buildings. Concerned residents formed Save Fry Street, a grassroots organization, to try to preserve the 1920s-era buildings, but failed to stop the demolition. At 1 a.m. Higgins said the shell of the building that remained was unstable and too dangerous to leave standing. He was working to get a bulldozer into the area to knock down the walls as soon as possible, he said. He wanted the walls down before morning Thursday. Jones said investigators would work into the night investigating the cause of the fire and finding the spot where it began. He planned to ask for help from the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, he said. “We’re not going to be solving this or making arrests tonight,” he said. “It’s going to be a long, drawn-out process.” Students and bystanders watched emergency personnel quell the fire from a safe distance marked out with yellow tape and enforced by police. Some were drawn out of the local bars and neighboring University of North Texas buildings. Others said they and people around them were receiving phone calls and text messages about the fire within minutes of the flames starting to show. Many bystanders said that with all the controversy surrounding the Fry Street redevelopment, they were not surprised by the act. UNT junior Al-Dana Aldana said it may have been a little anticlimactic considering the buildings were going to be demolished anyway, but it was a way to send the historic buildings off with a bang. "The most they accomplished was getting people's attention one last time before Fry Street is gone," he said. Organizers of Save Fry Street said there wasn't enough protection around The Tomato in the first place. "It hasn't been a barrier at all," said Chris Flemmons, a Save Fry Street organizer. "Police have told kids to get out of there." "You knew someone was going to get hurt or something," said Martin Iles, another supporter. "It was coming to a head." Both Flemmons and Iles said the arson was a disservice to everyone involved. "It's just more negative chaos associated with a corner which has already received negative attention," Iles said. UNT sophomore Abbey Muzzy said the fire wasn't the smartest way to protest, but it was someone's way of sending a message. "Everyone's so pissed about everything being torn down," she said. "It's poetic." Texas Woman's University senior Brandy Gilbeaux, who has lived in Denton her entire life, said it's always sad to see something historic go, but she's interested to see if what developers put in its place will be worth what was taken down. Even with the impending demolition, Gilbeaux said she was happy to see the Tomato go in a fire, rather than just being torn down. "It made a statement for what it was," she said. "It showed that it meant something to the people here."

Tavern tried to stay open but everyone flooded in and without power it wasn't happening... talking with the police sounds like someone went old school and got ahold of a Moltov Cocktail and lit that thing up... It was coming down tomorrow so the building being destroyed ( which it really wasn't destroyed...just burnt up,the shell is still there) isnt that big of a thing. The fact that someone that WILL be caught is stupid enough to do this the night before the scheduled demise baffles me... Arson is a helllllllluva a jail sentence... people saw it... the dude is getting caught and will serve some MAD time in Jail for this eff up.... Anyone else that witnessed it think it was pretty surreal. There were TONS of people watching history burn down. I also feel bad for whoever parked their new car in front of the tomato...that car was rather effed up. VIDEO POSTED IN NON-UNT SPORTS.... I figured thats where this topic should be

WwtEw6oR31U My Friends Video is ALOT better this is just the only one on Youtube I will post the other one as soon as she uploads it

Last night around 11ish I got a phone call that all the lights were out in the bar i work at and the Tomato was engulfed in flames. The video a friend took isn't on Youtube ytet but keep your eyes open. According to the police officers, it was set purposely.... someone thought they would take it down before it was demolished tomorrow.... I would say over 300+ were out there watching history go up in smoke...it was kinda surreal....

on Vizza... Talking to one of the guys a few weeks back...the kid is looking ridiculous in summer work outs. Said player even mentioned that he would trust Vizza just as much as any other person.

well it went to whataburger then went nowhere.... i had better odds with the drunk redneck lady at WB

B cause maybe at the abnquet we could see a highlight film to the soothing sounds of john mayer.... right emmitt?

You need a job...wait I NEED A JOB... you need something to do at work...

touche hemingway touche.....

I left it open for your little cousin joke.... and you dropped the ball...reminds me alot of your intramural career.... ZIIIIINGGGGG

Agreed... I have a thing for basketball chicks... so I definitely agree

that guy said taint...

If he can coach as good as he did at Deering High on that show Hang time with the Chick on a Guy's team...more power to him....

its not that great... It wont last too incredibly long

We've been down this road before... I think i know where it ends up at too...

here's an idea for this thread... For 500 Dollars you can sponsor a Basketball Players Locker... Who would you choose and what would you name the Locker... I would have " HEY YOU GUYS" put above howerton's locker....

Can someone Cliff Notes this thread for me...?

How did I know Dub would respond with that...

Yes Eaglechick was in the Tavern this weekend... After a few (15) cocktails she called me over by the pool table after I kicked someone out and said.... "Justin i have something important to tell you, Tavern has really good water" Good times/Drunk Times at Tavern... no comparison... and to chime in on the Beerman stuff... Bartending while he plays is a ROYAL beat down!

I kinda like the Tavern too... And I appreciate all you alkies that have been paying my bills while I have bartended there....

Ouch... you got me... I need to proofread my response... Bowen is one of the better defenders i give you that, but you can't say I am wrong about his altercations that have happened over the years. He has a continual problem with sticking his foot under people on their way down and never gets called for it. The knee to the nuts of Steve Nash, while it looked alittle dirty, if someone has played guard they know thats a normal move to get space. Nash's junk was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Go to yutube and search Bruce Bowen plus Vince Carter. Thats one of my favorites as well as the attempted kick/step to the back of Amare during this year's playoffs. As far as Amare fouling hard when he gets beat... I honestly don't watch many Suns games as I am not a fan of their style of basketball. The Mavs finally got past that crap these last few years only to have it bite them in the ass this season. Can you give me a few examples of his hard fouls? Depending on the situation I can understand a hard foul if you get beat. If I was forced to cover Shaq or Duncan and they beat me... I would not only foul out six possessions into the game but I would lay as hard a foul on them as i could without injury. Bowen plays dirty old school defense. The new PC NBA doesn't like it. In reference to the suspensions in that series, that rule needs to change. Yes Nash flopped to an extent, but Horry's little shoulder check was bush league. Neither player (Amare or Diaw) got involved in the altercation. Bad Example but If we are all hanging around watching something and one of you guys punch JayDub (I would laugh) I am going to run up to see fi he is ok. Now if I run up and knock the hell outaa someone thats a different story. The rule needs some sort of guideline. It leaves the administration of the NBA too much gray area to affect the outcome of series. Not saying the Suns would have won as as sick as it makes me feel, once the Mavs lost out my gut was that the Spurs would walk to the trophy... Also, whats your take, if you saw it, on the McDyess foul on Varejo the other night in the DET/CLE series? I didn't proofread this one either solely because I don't care...but I think that I did ok. haha

Wow... this stupid argument made my day... Greenbat... to say amare is dirtier than bowen is the best thing in your little rant... Bowen has a proven track record of slapping, stepping under people, etc etc etc. Amare isn't the cleanest player...but to say he is worse than amare is damn ridiculous. But I am just a whiny ass bitch Mavs fan...i dont know shit

I saw the title to this thread...didnt take time to read any of it's content...But I will take both...Beer and Football... go ahead and put that on my tab under Steve Boedeker or Justin Winters...I should have a tab under one of those names.....