AD at UNT

[untjim1995]

Actually the best option is not even listed in the poll and that would be for RV to resign thereby freeing the University from the heavy financial burden created with firing him.

We desperately need a change. A new spirit and new direction. New ideas. The whole atmosphere within the AD is stale. What a shame we haven't even sold out Apogee during its first 4 years. What are those season ticket numbers?

Unless RV mismanaged his 401 he should have more than enough to comfortably retire on negating any need to force the University to fulfill the remainder of his contract. A win/win for all.

Why would he resign? What financial reason would compel him to do something that dumb? He isn't stupid...

We can complain about his scheduling and the hires that are terrible, but RV does what the BOR asks hime to do. He doesn't complain in public, he runs a tight budget, and he doesn't cause any PR problems. That's why he keeps getting extensions here.

You'd be better off hoping that BOR members would resign and get replaced by folks who care about revenue sports than to hope RV resigns. Trust me, I think he should be fired, too, but this is where the BOR would just go out and hire someone else who follows those three simple tenets, but probably isn't as savvy at dealing with the fans as RV has been. Think Craig Helwig...that's what you'll get. To expect anything better is not to know or understand how athletics works at this university.

Edited November 14, 2014 by untjim1995

[SilverEagle]

This thread is as much fun as self-flagellation.

Funny, because that's how my wife describes being a loyal NT fan.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

EDITED:

NO POLITICS OUTSIDE THE EAGLES NEST.

[UNT90]

Just to be clear, I was referencing what somebody else said. My own personal concern is that the annual gift requirements and ticket prices of the club seats skyrocket out of my range, and then I'm out my stadium donation and sitting with the likes of Thor and company. My god. I just don't think I could do it.

Na, if demand gets that high, just sell one or two of the games to pay for the whole season.

Now, you will have to suffer through Thor for those 2 games. Just grin and bear it. ;-)

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

EDITED:

NO POLITICS OUTSIDE THE EAGLES NEST.

Democrats still sore a little from the buttkicking, eh?

[TheTastyGreek]

Democrats still sore a little from the buttkicking, eh?

I'm not a Democrat. I'm a moderator, and the policy is (and has been for years now) no politics outside of that forum. There are at least 3 guys I've had remove Obama avatars, CBL's Elizabeth Warren sig... It's not a partisan deal.

I think you're pretty swell, but we've resolved to start enforcing this very firmly again. Don't do this any more, or you'll be suspended. Same goes for anyone, on either side of the political aisle.

For everyone:

If you can't make a UNT or other sports point without a political analogy, metaphor, or allusion... DON'T MAKE IT.

If you absolutely must have Hot Political Takes, do it in the Eagles Nest. Otherwise, you'll be suspended. Do it repeatedly, and you'll be banned.

[TheTastyGreek]

And if you see political content outside of the Eagles Nest... Flag it. Don't engage with it.

I don't care who started it, everyone misbehaving gets punished. And I will TURN THIS FORUM RIGHT AROUND. Don't doubt it, I will. And then NOBODY goes to Disneyland. NOBODY.

[TIgreen01]

I think it's funny that we get one post from oldguystudent and the rest of the thread takes the tone that firing RV = instant P5 level donation requirements.

I like RV well enough. I do agree that 14 years is a long time, though.

In reality a new AD is not going to change our revenue situation overnight. He might come in and hire a better men's basketball coach. He might not (seems impossible, I know, but we did go from Dickey to Dodge. We have a track record!). I would have been MUCH more confident in us hiring an equal or better replacement if Dr. Rawlins was still here, though. Nothing against the new Prez, I just don't have enough information on him yet.

[Cerebus]

I think it's funny that we get one post from oldguystudent and the rest of the thread takes the tone that firing RV = instant P5 level donation requirements.

Exactly. Most people aren't complaining about getting out performed by UT and Notre Dame. They are upset that our peers seem to be out performing us.

[oldguystudent]

I shall scuttle back to my corner and cower in shame for my posts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KniUNdVZvH4

[UNT90]

And if you see political content outside of the Eagles Nest... Flag it. Don't engage with it.

I don't care who started it, everyone misbehaving gets punished. And I will TURN THIS FORUM RIGHT AROUND. Don't doubt it, I will. And then NOBODY goes to Disneyland. NOBODY.

From fighting the man to being the man.

Some may lament this occurrence. I see it as a natural progression of life. ;-)

[UNTexas]

I think he's done better than any AD we've ever had and he's done it with resistance. I think he's done well. Sure things could be better but it could be a whole lot worse. Plus, I think the culture in Denton is changing. Students are supporting sports now and that's a big change. I'd like to think the AD had something to do with changing the culture.

[NT80]

Well, if you can't count Bowls, then football would never be counted.

We were in 1-AA football playoffs during the 1980's...no wins in playoffs. No wins for soccer or volleyball in NCAA's that I recall. Only real postseason success I can think of beyond Bowl games was Golf National Championships way back. Any others?

Point being for all the self-love we have for the Program and it Administrators, it hasn't actually ever achieved much on a National level.

[NT80]

Exactly. Most people aren't complaining about getting out performed by UT and Notre Dame. They are upset that our peers seem to be out performing us.

This. Mucho this.

I like RV, but I don't like stale Athletics and stale Marketing of Athletics.

There is no real Marketing for the program nor of making MGC a real Member-Organization since he "borrowed" the club from Mean Rob back in the early 2000's.

[VideoEagle]

Funny, because that's how my wife describes being a loyal NT fan.

You are married to a wise woman. But you probably already knew that!

[NT80]

Students are supporting sports now and that's a big change. I'd like to think the AD had something to do with changing the culture.

RV did change Tailgating policies back at Fouts (allowing it) and upgraded gameday athmosphere and food vendors. That was a huge improvement for attendance, and not just students; notice the increase during the Dodge years, it wasn't because of winning.

Again, you don't have to have a winning team to only gain attendance like some think by dumbing-down the schedule. Better Marketing, Atmospere, and making it A Place To Be are as important as what is on the field.

Since those days at Fouts though, it's been on auto-pilot. It's time for some new ideas to spur the masses, or new leaders!!

[oldguystudent]

Two things come to mind for me:

1) A lot of the vitriol towards RV seems to be personal. Like he pissed on somebody's cornflakes fourteen years ago kind of personal. Personal in the way that should UNT rise above the ashes, go 15-0 next year, winning the playoffs and the national championship, some would see it as his intentionally working behind the scenes specifically to piss them off kind of way. Like how a pissed off wife just before a divorce sees a husband who can do no right kind of personal.

2) The gut reaction to everything athletics is to fire and replace. There are some cases where that is definitely merited (cough...Dodge!...cough). But over all, stability and long-term vision seem to be outdated ideas. Short-term gain only. Miss it? Fire and replace.

Things can definitely get better. Things can always get better. I know, just ask my estranged blushing bride. There was always room for more More MORE!

While things can get better, maybe I'm in the minority in that I think things are pretty good right now and that UNT (and Denton) is a pretty good place to be.

Edited November 14, 2014 by oldguystudent

[untjim1995]

We were in 1-AA football playoffs during the 1980's...no wins in playoffs. No wins for soccer or volleyball in NCAA's that I recall. Only real postseason success I can think of beyond Bowl games was Golf National Championships way back. Any others?

Point being for all the self-love we have for the Program and it Administrators, it hasn't actually ever achieved much on a National level.

Hell, we haven't achieved much on a state-wide level or even a local level...

[UNTLifer]

I find it funny that some expect the Board of Regents, the same Board that has done nothing to hold Dr. Jackson accountable for the financial issues at our university, to fire an AD that has done more that any AD in the past. Yes, some of his coaching hires have failed, marketing is almost nil and the Mean Green Club isn't run properly, but overall he has done much more, while managing a budget and maintaining compliance. Dr. Jackson, on the other hand, is a joke.

[oldguystudent]

Dr. Jackson, on the other hand, is a joke.

What's the punchline? I've been waiting for years to laugh with that guy.

[untjim1995]

I find it funny that some expect the Board of Regents, the same Board that has done nothing to hold Dr. Jackson accountable for the financial issues at our university, to fire an AD that has done more that any AD in the past. Yes, some of his coaching hires have failed, marketing is almost nil and the Mean Green Club isn't run properly, but overall he has done much more, while managing a budget and maintaining compliance. Dr. Jackson, on the other hand, is a joke.

This is the problem--the BOR, who should be trying to do what is best for the university, allows us to extend Lee Jackson as chancellor, even with all of the issues that he has overseen. He should've been fired, or at least allowed to finish out a current contract, but instead the BOR rewarded him with an extension. Why? Because he is an academic leader focused on keeping UNT a "value". RV has surpassed the hurdle of being the best athletic director ever at UNT, a hurdle that is about as high as a curb. Meanwhile, he has hired the worst coach ever in football, women's hoops, and possibly mens hoops in the last decade. Anywhere else in America, the AD gets fired for losing hires in one or two of those of those revenue sports, much less all three. But here in "Value" Land, where staying in budget and not causing any waves publically are teh rules to follow, that same AD doesn't just get to keep his job, it gets extended!! When Todd Dodge and Vic Trilli post some of the worst three-year records that any coach in NCAA history can post, everywhere else they would get fired before they even fininshed that 3rd year--not here, though!! Let's give them a 4th year to reward them for trying hard and see if they have figured it all out!! And we get rewarded with a 3-9 football season and a 4-24 basketball record for making a great "value" call.

This is why I'm telling you that a near .500 record this season will get Tony Benford an extension as the head basketball coach. Its so clear to me, its not even funny...

Edited November 14, 2014 by untjim1995

[KRAM1]

So it appears some would rather lose and have access to the AD than win and not have access. To them, I pose some simple questions:

Why do you need access to the AD?

Why should $500 every year give you the right to take up valuable time that could be used, oh, I don't know, figuring out how to schedule football games.

What tangible change or action has ever come from your self-important meeting with the AD?

I long for the day where the UNT AD doesn't talk to anyone who doesn't donate 6 figures a year.

Get over your self-important selves. Realize RV is rolling his eyes the moment you turn the corner to leave his office.

The folks who need to get over themselves are the ones not donating, not buying tickets and yet still claiming to support the athletes while they whine and bitch about everything UNT.

[NT80]

he has hired the worst coach ever in football, women's hoops, and possibly mens hoops in the last decade. Anywhere else in America, the AD gets fired for losing hires in one or two of those of those revenue sports, much less all three. But here in "Value" Land, where staying in budget and not causing any waves publically are teh rules to follow, that same AD doesn't just get to keep his job, it gets extended!! When Todd Dodge and Vic Trilli post some of the worst three-year records that any coach in NCAA history can post, everywhere else they would get fired before they even fininshed that 3rd year--not here, though!! Let's give them a 4th year to reward them for trying hard and see if they have figured it all out!! And we get rewarded with a 3-9 football season and a 4-24 basketball record for making a great "value" call.

This is why I'm telling you that a near .500 record this season will get Tony Benford an extension as the head basketball coach. Its so clear to me, its not even funny...

Excellent post.

The benchmarks for achievement in Athletics at UNT to maintain a position or receive an extension seem to be skewed compared to other programs.

Value and good PR coach-speakers are one thing, but there seems to be a BIG piece of the resume missing during RV's evaluation of them...consistent wins and consecutive seasons of winning.

Wins are the key to a program's outside image and fan satisfaction. And not just fake wins over lower-level opponents, peer wins. Otherwise, any person could be hired if peer wins really don't matter. Do they here?

[UNT90]

The folks who need to get over themselves are the ones not donating, not buying tickets and yet still claiming to support the athletes while they whine and bitch about everything UNT.

On this we agree. If your not contributing, you really shouldn't voice an opinion in this argument.

[oldguystudent]

On this we agree. If your not contributing, you really shouldn't voice an opinion in this argument.

I contribute my vast abdominal capacity to your beer supply, so I think I'm good to go.