Side Show Joe

UNT doesn't really have regular fans. Regular fans, or T-shirt fans as I like to call them, follow name programs that win regularly. The diehards are really all we have, because our historical losing hasn't allowed us to develop a regular fan base. See, key points 1 and 2 are very much related. Also, I don't know any fans that have a good time watching there team get their rears kicked for a decade.

I think you are getting to the root of our problem and why those that want RV gone have a strong argument. 1. After over a decade as our AD, we only have a couple hundred members of the Mean Green Club, so that minority RV has spoken about could actually be the majority of the Mean Green Club. 2. Nobody cares because we lose too much, and those in charge have historically been okay with that.

I don't think there are many on this board that hate RV. I don't hate RV. Personally, I think he is a nice guy, and I think he cares about our athletics. I just no longer trust his judgement in selecting coaches or developing winning programs. We need new leadership. He has been in charge for 15 years. That is a good length of time. Lets give him a nice send off and name the Athletic Complex after him. You can even name the whole Mean Green Village after him. I'd be fine with that. But, he needs to go. I'm not going to tell you how much I donate to athletics every year, because it isn't any of your business. I've given to the Mean Green Club for years, bought season tickets for years, and every year I purchase more UNT athletic gear then my wife believes necessary. Everyone on this board supports this program at a higher level then the average fan. That is really all you need to know about our donation levels.

“There is no committee,” Villarreal said. “Any time we make a hire here, the president is always going to look to the athletic director to lead this. Because if he has faith and trust in that person, then they know the business as well as anybody.” - RV I have now changed my mind. We need a banner flying at every game until RV is gone. And new ideas need to be discussed. I assume Smatresk OK'd this response. I am quickly losing faith in his leadership too.

I'm mad and want RV to step aside too, but I still have reservations about publicly shaming him. I understand why this banner will fly. Many on here have already sent letters to Smatresk, and apparently some or even all were forwarded to the athletic department. I don't think anyone has read or seen a serious response from Smatresk. Now we hear about the head coach search committee, but we have no clue who is serving on it. It appears Smatresk may be part of the problem too. I'm positive UNT90 will hit his mark and the banner will fly. Personally, I think the powers that be at UNT could have avoided this banner problem if they were not so dismissive of the anger, and actually engaged our fan base, not just the wealthiest doners. I said it before, and I'll say it again... we need the students on our side. Those on here that are on campus everyday need to be discussing this with the other students that attend games. The students need to understand that they should be seeing better results for the funds they invest in North Texas athletics. When the banner flies, the student section should not be surprised.

RV is right. Those on this board who want his gone are the minority. On this board there were about a 170 of us that are completely fed up, compared to the 14 or so that think everything is going according to plan. On this board we are clearly the majority. But remember there are 37,000 students that don't follow what athletics does as closely as we do. They're too busy partying and doing a little school work, and believe me I totally understand. Most of us were doing the same thing in college. While the 170 or so on here don't carry the same weight as the mysterious 17, or even the student section, we do have power, but only if we claim it. Of those 37,000 students, between 4,000 and 9,000 cross over the freeway and attend the games. I honestly believe those students that actually attend games, would side with us if they truly had an understanding of just how badly our programs have been managed over the years, especially if we were to point out how much of their tuition goes towards our struggling athletics. We have a few students on this board, but no where near the number we should. We need the students on this board to spread the truth in the dorms, in the new Union, at the bars, and in between classes. We need them to bring new members to gomeangreen.com and the Mean Green Nation. When the majority of the students that attend games join with us and demand better, then we will be a united majority and have a voice that can not be ignored.

I'll reserve my opinion of this hire until after I see our next T.V. deal.

I appreciate Skip's efforts to defend UNT. A very honorable statement on his part. Chip Kelly's just a jerk and trying to deflect from the questions being asked by the reporter. M. Smith is crude, but he is right. His comments about most people not having a clue who we are is accurate. We as an athletic department have not done enough to register on the national stage. Every one of our big three sports have been under performing for years. That is exactly why we need a new AD after 15 years. I hope president Smatresk has seen this clip.

I think our receivers are going to need time getting used to Smith's passes. They have been trained on slower balls over the last two seasons. In all fairness, there were too many drops and some very bad passes from Smith. I think he will calm down and get more comfortable out there.

Well what did they do? Harris bashed the students and fans. Was it worse then that? I lost a little respect for Canales when I saw Harris out there in the 1st quarter. Have a spine.

1. D Smith will only get better. He did a reasonably fair job for a guy with three days prep time. The kid will only get better. Our offense might have been decent by now, if Mac would have started him early in the season. 2. Our defense is really bad. Cosh needs to be replaced as the D coordinator. 3. Canales shouldn't set a double standard. Some guys got suspensions for social media, and at least one other didn't. If you say, it do it. No one is bigger then the program. 4. Wilson and Goree are stars in the making. 5. RV still needs to go.

Harris is certainly entitled to his opinion of the students and us fans. He is a grown man, old enough to fight in a war for our country. We may not like his opinion, but he has a right to hold it. As a grown man, he also needs to own up to his responsibilities. His coach called for a social media ban within the team. Unless Harris has been dismissed from the program, he is clearly in violation of this team rule. I have a great respect and appreciation for what Harris has done over his playing career at UNT, but in this situation he is just plain wrong. Team leaders do not put their coach in this situation, and set a bad example for the underclassmen. Harris needs to be benched for the first half. If he won't accept that punishment like a man, then don't even let him dress out. If he still has a problem with the discipline, bye. Enjoy life after football. No player, coach, AD, President, member of the BOR, or fan is bigger then the program. If Canales doesn't bench Harris for at least the first half, then he has no real control over his team, and we might as well find a different interim head coach.

I think WKU is the best program in C-USA and will look like it on Thursday night. Its a bad time for UNT to have a short week. Having said that, WKU probably isn't expecting much fight from the Mean Green, and that's good news for us. Last time Canales took over our struggling program he was able to inspire the players and lead them to a competitive finish. No, I don't see us winning this game, but I do believe we will play are best game of the year (which shouldn't be hard to do). Lock the Gate... Again! North Texas 32 WKU 44

We don't need a committee. We need a wise and knowledgeable AD. No one wants to watch the mysterious big money doners advise RV on how to screw up our next 5 years of football, or watch faculty members with limited knowledge of college football dictate the direction of UNT football for the next decade.

I think RV will hang around a little longer. I'm sure Smatresk has him on a very short leash right now. I would not be surprised if the direction of our athletic programs was a topic of discussion at the next BOR meeting. I'm sure every one of the board members that attended the homecoming game must have left disgusted. I highly doubt Mac's firing has appeased them. Just my personal opinion.

What?!!! We are much more attractive then UTEP. They are stuck in El Paso. The only positive El Paso has over Denton is their Mexican food. We have great facilities and are in a great location. Basing our attractiveness on our history since 1980 is a bad standard. Coaches and recruits don't care that Oregon was a turd back in 1978. We have much more to offer then we did back in the dark ages. We just need to place a high powered college offense in Apogee. A good smart coach will understand how he can make a name for himself here turning this program around.

You most not have been following the Mean Green the last time Canales took over as interim back in 2010. To be totally up front about this topic, I was one of the people calling for RV to hire Canales after he led us to a 2-3 finish, and came within a few plays of upsetting Kansas State at Fouts (You can go look up my old posts on the subject). Back in 2010, I had my concerns about the McCarney hire. He wasn't a name I was terribly familiar with, and I worried he would struggle to recruit Texas kids. I hung my hopes on his recommendation from Neinas and his defensive mind. When Canales took over as interim coach, there was a real positive change in the team. They played a more exciting and explosive offense, and were much more competitive in games. I'm not expecting Canales to go out there on Thursday and upset WKU on national TV, but I think we will look more competitive and entertaining then we have all season. And, I believe the Mean Green now have a real chance to win 2 or 3 games out of the 7 left. If, and it's a BIG if, Canales can really turn this thing around and win 5 of the remaining 7, which probably won't happen, then I say he will have earned a real shot at the head coaching job. I do believe Canales loves this program, university, and community. I have run into him around UNT and in town and he has always been very kind and willing to talk. A short 3 year deal, with a very small buy out, could always be renegotiated if he earns it.

Wilson, if he continues to develop.

I don't know that for sure. Few on here thought Mac would be shown the door, but out the door he went. I believe we are in uncharted waters at UNT. If RV stays as our AD, then you are probably right. But if Smatresk and the BOR bring in a new AD, things could be very different. I believe we could lure one of these coaches, or another quality candidate. I agree. There are only 128 or so head coaching jobs in the FBS, and only a handful of those open up each year. Many coordinators would take chose to a million dollars a season for our job. A good hungry college coordinator with a high powered offense could do wonders selling our resources and location to recruits.

Lots of speculation about where UNT should look for its next head coach. List you top choices in order by preference and state why they would be good. Here are mine: 1. Kendal Briles ($?)- A successful Texas coordinator that runs a high powered college offense. Already has strong ties to Texas high school coaches. Recruits will know him and what he will do. 2. Sonny Cumbie ($210,000 at Tex Tech in 2014, must make more at TCU) - A successful Texas offensive coordinator that runs a high powered college offense. Strong ties in Texas recruiting. Never coached outside of Texas. 3. Major Applewhite ($600,000 at Texas in 2014, must make less at Houston) - A successful Texas offensive coordinator. Strong ties in Texas recruiting. Dark Horse: Tyson Helton ($135,000 at WKU in 2014) - Offensive Coordinator at WKU. Former QB at the University of Houston. Son of NFL and College coach Kim Helton. We get to see him coach on Thursday.

Happy Birthday Rick.

Canales did a fine job last time he was given this job. So far he been able to survive the firing of two failing coaches.The two interim approach was dumb. It will be interesting to see what changes Canales makes to the system now that he is calling the shots. If I remember correctly, his offense was more explosive, and used the shuttle pass very effectively. I see him getting Smith on the field and crafting the offense to fit his skills. I have no idea how he might address the defensive issues.

I found this on meangreensports.... • At halftime, North Texas Athletics announced donations of $1,000,000 from Bruzzy Westheimer, $1,250,000 from Jim McNatt, and $1,000,000 from Brint Ryan. Is that Mac's buyout money?

RV should not be here to name the interim, and should certainly be gone before he has a chance to sandbag us with another bad hire.

Football Scoope was reporting it. I'm glad it isn't true. I'll adjust my original post.