Green Dozer

The decision belongs to only RV and Rawlins, so they say. Most in this thread have made some very good arguments. After giving it some thought, I would support Leavitt and trust that RV and Rawlins look extensively into the allegations. If they say that they feel it will not have a negative impact in the future of our program, then I will support the hiring of Leavitt. FWIW, I am going to support the program no matter what. I will trust in RV! The greatest thing about all these arguments is that we all care. That is sign that the passion in the Mean Green Nation is alive and growing!

Sorry Rick, but Lonnie makes some good points as to why the timing for Leavitt is just not right. I agree Tech wanted to get rid of Leach, but do you think 20 people actually got together and conspired against Leavitt? If we were further along in our program, then I would agree we might could take the chance. Also, I don't think your guys at the station have a radio show on the side where they will make comments about how they feel about Leavitt one way or the other. But we are not in a position where we can keep "starting over" as we have done so often since Fry left. I have heard the argument since 1972, having lived in Denton since then, that North Texas is a sleeping giant and is ready to take off. Every coach since Fry has said the same thing. Well, and I know you are to, are ready for it take off. And when it does, I don't won't to have to turn around and come back to refuel because we did not think through some of the ramifications that a Leavitt hire might have. Lonnie is right, there are to many other coaches out there that are qualified rather than to have to take a chance on him. And given your knowledge of things, I can't understand why you would want to. And yes, we need to find one who will fight like hell for North Texas!

Thanks for the insight. I don't have a problem with the ra ra stuff that is mentioned. It might be a good break from the all business attitude that is getting more prevalent in college ball. I can get past the altercation between him and a player. It is not like it was a confrontation on a pee wee team he was coaching. NO, it is not right that he put his hands on a player in anger, and a coach has to do his best to keep his cool at all levels. Like it or not, college football has crossed the line of becoming a business. It has to when you look at the investment in multi million dollar stadiums, weight rooms, salaries, etc that schools are making. These are all men, and human beings as well. Emotions run high from the pressure of the moment, and these things happen. I could also get past it if his recollection of what took place and why was different than those around him. Maybe they did not see the whole thing, for example, what led to it or heard what the player said. What I do have a problem with is that it is purported that Leavitt tried to cover it up by not being forthcoming and asking players and coaches to change their stories. I am not saying I would not support him coming, I would just hope this situation is given a good hard look before we do something we will regret down the road.

Sounds similar to some comments during a local radio show this afternoon.

If we get Leavitt or Leach, will we have to keep Under Armour? Noticed USF wear their gear, same at Tech. I guess we would have to take the good with the bad.

Mr. Graham makes a very good case! Good article, and it makes sense.

Rawlins is also familiar with Bower from CUSA days, but he will be gone when and if it failed.

I know you did not mean "forget Texas". Who knows, maybe he could get Miss's #4 rated QB or DT to come here. I agree with you. Very similar programs, even though their program was a little ahead of ours when he took over.

The player in question in this thread is Blake Dunham, son of George Dunham.

Many dissed Dodge his first couple of years because players left. Now with a new coach, players leaving is just part of the process when a new coach comes in it now seems. My how times and attitudes change so quickly!

Hoops, was Mason a typo?

I have been thinking the same thing. It would give this program the continuity that it never has had before!

Just think what he will do to some of our guys after some of their personal foul calls.

Forgot that. Typed without thinking, so duly noted and corrected! But what gets me is I have thought we needed a Texas forum on this board because of all the bashing of Texas. Yet our last coach had UT ties, and there were more than a few posts making negative light of that. Now, many are clamoring for Applewhite. What gives? What "way of doing things or system", with the exception of the $$$ resources to do some of it, do you think he is going to bring here?

Needs a few more years as an assistant under his belt, and we should have somebody who has at least been a coordinator. The kids he would be recruiting don't remember him from his playing days. Don't misunderstand, he has a lot of upside and a great future, just not the man for this job at this time. *Forgot about his stint as a coordinator at Alabama and Rice when I wrote this. Sorry!

It is like this. In talking with a fund raiser the other day in our athletic department, he said yes we have lost members in the Mean Green Club, but have picked up new ones. However, that does not increase membership, it stays level. Same with businesses, and with Denton's growth over the last several years, the first marketing decision is to cater to the universities. So you think you see more because you see the new ones try (i.e. Fuzzy's, Rooster's, etc.) But there is not really any growth because others like Rudy's, Frilley's, and Texas Roadhouse have cut way back or are not participating at all. You see the memorbilia (some from our Div II days), but you don't see them catering on the deck, in the Mean Green room, on the signage as they once were, nor advertising in the programs.

We agree. But let me also add that had Dodge come from Lake Dallas or Lewisville to UNT, the perception of him not being part of the community would not be an issue, even though his reasoning for living in Southlake was so his daughter could finish out high school. I don't blame him for that. Being the daughter of a successful high school coach and the little sister of the star quarterback, she probably felt a little lost in the shadows. I think it is the least they could have done for her by letting her finish school with her friends. It is the word "Southlake" that alienated Dodge in my opinion.

Lonnie, As a small business owner, I could argue North Texas does not support Denton. No, I am not talking about the students spending their money with us. But I have tried to get my business involved in the UNT Athletic Department. You meet with them, get promised this and that, and nobody follows up with you. Yes, I have tried to follow up but it is we are busy with golf, softball, etc. I have tried to find out about advertising, sponsoring a morning coffee where the business community could meet the coaches from all the sports, not just men's bb and football. I have asked about signage at the coliseum, sponsoring koozies. I get a yes answer, but nothing after that. I can take you to several businesses around town who have UNT stuff hanging up, as they tried the same thing when they opened. Texas Roadhouse tried and you don't see them. Visit Rudy's, they tried to. You can tell when the tried from the age of memorbilia. It seems the hospital, Ramey-King Insurance (owned by Aggies), Metzler's, and a couple of others that get the attention. So before you say Denton does not support North Texas, please remember it is a 2 way street.

He won't have a problem in his next interview. Sports interviews and real world interviews are very different. As a matter of fact, it would not surprise me if he ended up on the Texas staff. I am not sure how you got "wouldn't change anything" out of this. You think he is going to publicly say he wouldn't bring his own staff the first year, thus some would say he is not taking any blame? Rick even said the ball just did not bounce his way. I have never seen a person work as hard as he did, and have such bad luck. Some, his own fault, some not. He will be just fine, and will continue a mostly successful career. We all stump our toes, just not in as much of a public view.

Would you please reference when this scenario has taken place before? You can't change systems mid season, so will the fans come watch Leavitt watch the game? Beside, Leavitt, though a great choice, would not be enough of a splash right now to our casual fans (people on this board are not average nor casual fans) and be able to sell 10K extra tickets. We would be lucky to get 4K additional right now in the scenario you describe. Better to have the new coach be in the new stadium for his first game, just for the phsychological thing of "starting anew".

+++++++AGREE

Didn't some SL boosters make some overtures last year to try and get him to come back? I heard that rumor. I would imagine the athletic director at Southlake will take the fall eventually for the quarterback recruit debacle. Couple a head coaching salary along with an athletic director salary that Southlake would pay, and Dodge comes close to his base salary here.

Agree about Holgorsen. For some reason, he seems quirky enough to fit in at North Texas. We could call the student section "Holgorsen's Heroes".

The only people who have called him a "complete failure" are on this board. I did not hear that on The Ticket, Galloway, the news tonight, etc. They all said he did good things, but it came down to 6-37. And that is how a coach's job is measured. But he has not been called a complete failure as you imply.

99, I picked up the same thing. As a matter of fact, though RV said Canales could apply, I don't think he will get much consideration for the job. That is the way I took it.