Side Show Joe

I know, but it is still too high for UTSA.

Ha! Ha! Ha! That was hilarious. But, If you make a directors cut, maybe.... 1. Lower that GPA standard when everyone leaves the room. 2.5 is just way too high for the number of people left. 2. Reference those stupid orange wigs their fans wear. 3. Work in their "Come and Take It Flag" reference.

I know it isn't our bowl, but the BIG10 didn't place a team in the HOD and it would have been great for North Texas to face the BIG12's West Virginia. I know we would have sent more fans to this game then Utah will. Remember, the PAC had no tie to this game. If the DFW community takes no interest in this year's match-up, the HOD committee might just remember how valuable the North Texas fan base is.

I've been waiting for some substantial in depth reporting about the issues this bowl selection has created. Between the graduation scheduling and the fan turmoil there is plenty to write about. But, all we are getting is a free athletic department advertisement from the DRC. Anything from the NT Daily yet? I'd hope one of their reporters would like to write an actual story on this.

I disagree. We have several weapons back next season. I would not be surprised to see North Texas finish next season with a similar or even better record. Especially if we can get a real defense on the field. Few G5 teams take impressive crowds to their bowls. Our attendance will be explained as a result of scheduling issues with graduation, and disgruntled fans over the opponent and date. I really don't see it as a problem with future invitations. Do you really think the New Mexico Bowl expects WKU to travel well?

Ha! That's funny. She has been keeping a close watch on me all day. But, happy to say, as old as I am, I am in solid health and take no medication. Sorry to disappoint some on this board.

We had a lot to sell to the I Bowl. 2nd place in C-USA. Larger university. More alums. Large attendance numbers in our past bowls. Beat USM this season. Closer proximity to their bowl. They don't care how many we take to the NO Bowl this year. Our university and athletic department needs to get better at selling our program. Right now Wren is having to respond to angry students mad about the bowl being during their graduation. Yes, he has said they will hold a small service in New Orleans for athletes and students, but that is a weak quick fix. Students are not going to call home and tell their parents, aunts, uncles, baby cousins, and old blue haired grandmothers to pack it up, travel to New Orleans, and watch them graduate in some half planned pseudo-graduation on Bourbon Street. My opinion is that with all we had to sell this season, our leadership didn't do a good enough job, and needs to improve. I think that is far more important for future bowl invitations, then how bad our attendance is going to be in the NO Bowl.

Outside of the I Bowl, no C-USA bowl is perfect, just better, in my opinion.

Finally some good news

I'd take any one of those over the NO Bowl.

It has been clear for several days that a segment of our fan base would be disgruntle if we went to the NO Bowl and had to play a Sun Belt school. There had to be other offers extended to North Texas. We are the second place team in C-USA, and undefeated in our division. The fact that USM is enjoying a nice match up in a better bowl rubs me the wrong way. Yes, they may have not been interested in us. but, it is our leaderships job to make them interested in us. We are closer to the I Bowl. We have a much larger university and alumni population. We have a better record, And, we beat them this season. If this angry response from some of us comes as a surprise to our administration, then they are tone deaf.

Are you telling me no other C-USA bowl wanted us?

I do support this program with my time and my money, and I'm not trying to teach the AD a lesson. I'm pointing out the fact that fans that are mad have no obligation to be fleeced into attending a bowl they don't want to be in and view as inferior to others that were possible. I'm pointing out that I believe they have made a very bad error in judgement and it will probably have a very bad impact on the attendance. Because of this, the AD needs to think long and hard before ever considering another NO Bowl invitation.

As the 2nd place team in C-USA was not going to be left out of the bowl season. That is a completely unrealistic possibility.

I disagree. I think the worst thing you can do is continue to tolerate this kind of flawed logic. This is supposed to be New Denton. The athletic department needs to think twice before they ever consider taking another NO Bowl invitation again. Yes, I hope North Texas stomps a mud hole in Troy. And, yes, I hope those that go have a great time while they are there, and certainly hope they all have safe travel. But, I totally understand North Texas fans not willing to lay down some significant money to travel to a New Orleans Bowl they don't even want to be in. Especially when USM is getting to play Florida State in the Independence Bowl. That isn't the same as not supporting the team either.

No Independence Bowl Rep was itching to pick USM. They all wanted a couple of P5 programs. They settled for USM. Our leadership's job was to sell them on settling for us instead. They obviously didn't do that.

You are putting words in my mouth. The cold hard facts are that our leadership didn't do enough to get us a better situation. If the Independence Bowl felt Southern Miss was a better fit, when we are closer to their bowl, then our administration didn't do enough to sell our program to them.

Not trying to spite our program, and it isn't about getting what I want. It is about our leadership doing the best they can to get us the best possible bowl situation. I do not believe they did that. And if this is the best they could do, the they need to get much better. Truth is, FAU should be down right irate.

No I don't hope for that. It would look terrible. But it is what I expect. I'm just being honest about this debacle.

Sarcasm and wit are no substitute for cold hard facts. Our leadership failed us today. That is the truth.

How's that NO Bowl invite looking now? Southern Miss, a team we beat will get to play Florida State in the Independence. Yes, fan morale and turn out will certainly be low for our NO Bowl appearance. North Texas could and probably would have traveled somewhere between 25K-35K strong for this match up.

Yes. I believe no 6-6 or 7-5 P5 programs wants any part of FAU. That said, they got and deserve a better bowl then us. But, we still should have a better situation then the NO Bowl.

I'm interested too. I believe it will look very bad watching small town (18,000 pop) Troy (19,000 students) bring more fans them the 4th largest university in Texas. But, that is what we will see.

I hope you have a great time in New Orleans and I hope North Texas wins. Go Mean Green! My opinion does not mean that I do not love and support our team. I'm just questioning some of the choices and overall standard being set by our leadership. I do not believe that is a bad thing.

No. I mean the University of North Texas, Neil Smatresk, Wren Baker, the entire athletic department including our athletes, and our entire fan base. We. Under the current NO Bowl arrangement, our leadership should be actively pursuing better bowl opportunities then the New Orleans Bowl verses a Sun Belt program. Not just this season, but every season. We finished 2nd in our conference, but other programs, most of which we beat during the season, will face programs with better overall history and perception. I know we are now locked into the NO Bowl, and I view this fact as a contradiction to the "New Denton" branding our athletic department is pushing. In my opinion, we are what we do. Sending our team to the NO Bowl is clearly an "Old Denton" goal. If it is also a "New Denton" goal, then there is really no difference in them. From what has been reported, our administration could have chosen any bowl not picked by FAU. And, in my personal opinion, almost every one of those bowls would have been better for the growth of our program. In my opinion, our leadership failed to get us the best possible bowl situation. And that failure has lead to a divided fan base Basically, our athletic leadership is creating problems. Even if some on here don't want to admit it, this fan base is currently divided over this bowl selection, and on a deeper level, what we believe the standard we expect our leadership to pursue. On the day of our championship game, we had multiple threads regarding the NO Bowl locked, a few posters banned, and many others discussing this very topic well into the night. It isn't like I'm the only one unhappy with this decision by or leadership. There are many, and for various reason. Some don't like that the NO Bowl features a Sun Belt team. Some don't like that it will be during UNT's graduation. Some don't like that it is the first bowl of the season. Some don't like that it won't feature an opponent with more history or prestige. Some don't like that it is not in DFW. I could go on and on. And I will admit, some just want to complain, or even stir up trouble. I have no doubt that attendance will suffer at the New Orleans Bowl, especially when some on here call for fans to just shut up and accept our fate. That doesn't serve as a tactful call for unity. Some of us fans are angry, and we feel we have a right to be.