McCarney juggles long hours with sleep, exercise

[Harry]

AUSTIN, Texas Spring drills were over. The final intrasquad game in April 2013 was in the books, and Dan McCarney finally went in for a simple angiogram for chest pains as he had promised his wife.

When the North Texas football coach awoke from the procedure, he saw a look of concern on her face.

She looked like somebody shot both of our dogs, McCarney said. She told me, You have four blocked arteries. Theyre 95 percent blocked.

Surgery was not an option. It was mandatory. And within 48 hours, McCarney was on an operating table undergoing quadruple heart bypass surgery. That he was in good health and had run the 140 stadium steps in North Texas Apogee Stadium end zone each day helped.

Did the 60-year-old McCarney take off the rest of the spring and summer to recover and recharge for the next season?

I was back in the office in five days, he said almost apologetically.

As a totally driven football coach obsessed with doing the job right, McCarney remains more the rule than the exception in his profession.

Read more: http://www.bendbulletin.com/home/2698200-151/coaches-juggle-long-hours-with-sleep-exercise#

[FirefightnRick]

McCarney believes the stress level in coaching has risen because of the exorbitant salaries coaches are now getting and the vast outlets fans have to voice their opinions. According to USA Today, 51 of 128 FBS coaches make at least $2 million this year. In 2006, there were 10 $2 million coaches.

Its self-imposed, and obviously you want to win and want to be successful, no doubt, knowing that the world watches everything you do now, McCarney said. Who are we kidding? Not everybody thinks he can be a banker or a Realtor or a doctor or a lawyer, but everybody thinks they can coach. Everybody in the stands does.

Our guy,.....the only one in the article with a jab at the paying customer.

Rick

Edited December 19, 2014 by FirefightnRick

[emmitt01]

Our guy,.....the only one in the article with a jab at the paying customer.

Rick

Geez Mac, if only there were other professions that the general public felt like they could do better than those who do it for a living. Maybe one where decisions really are life or death and not just whining because you're not loved on a message board. Cry to me when people loot/riot because you didn't go for it on 4th down.

[Christopher Walker]

Washington State’s Mike Leach walks 7 miles round-trip to and from work.

Of course The Pirate would.

[meangreenbob]

As a head coach, Mac's a loser. Hey, that's what his won/loss record says.

[Quoner]

As a head coach, Mac's a loser. Hey, that's what his won/loss record says.

Worst leader since Pope Boniface VIII imo.

[VideoEagle]

Worst leader since Pope Boniface VIII imo.

We probably need to start a new chapter of the American Protective Association to shield NT from Mac and RV.

[UNT90]

We probably need to start a new chapter of the American Protective Association to shield NT from Mac and RV.

14 years too late...

[Quoner]

We probably need to start a new chapter of the American Protective Association to shield NT from Mac and RV.

#95 No more indulgences!

#96 Moar downfeeld passing!!11!

[UNTLifer]

Come on FFR, can't take what you dish out?

[FirefightnRick]

Come on FFR, can't take what you dish out?

Come on Lifer, can't demand better from your own school? Just gonna lay there and keep taking it in the keester?

Rick

[TheColonyEagle]

Holy crap. If coaching a sport at UNT is stressful just think how stressful it would be coaching at a place that took accountability seriously and where his job would be on the line if he didn't win consistently.

The expectations here are so low that one winning season gets you a guaranteed extension.

Pretty sweet gig really.

[Ben Gooding]

This just brews bitch mode.

I don't know what is worse, this or his post game hissy fit about it being sooooo hard here.

And Mac people think they can coach bc it's a GAME. I bet the Doc doing your bypass wasn't picturing playing operation when working on you. Life and death is not a game, football is. Get over yourself, dude.

[VideoEagle]

The expectations here are so low that one winning season gets you a guaranteed extension.

Pretty sweet gig really.

Getting a contract extension for having the first winning season in forever isn't the problem. NOT extending the contract means you are not playing real football as an extension after a bowl season is the norm for both P5 and G5 schools.

The problem is what are you doing after a losing season. That doesn't mean automatically fire everyone but it does mean some serious evaluations and at least having some kind of consequences. There are a lot of steps between nothing and being fired!

[LongJim]

I guess I don't take enough personal offense at these kinds of comments. Have heard many coaches say essentially the same thing, and usually they are smiling and shrugging it off as part of the job. It just doesn't come across as whiny to me, but whatever.

[Harry]

Getting a contract extension for having the first winning season in forever isn't the problem. NOT extending the contract means you are not playing real football as an extension after a bowl season is the norm for both P5 and G5 schools.

The problem is what are you doing after a losing season. That doesn't mean automatically fire everyone but it does mean some serious evaluations and at least having some kind of consequences. There are a lot of steps between nothing and being fired!

Good post VE. The other thing you have to keep in mind is we gave two year extensions to the coordinators. So that limits what you can do this year.

Lookit - noone here asked for the U to have such a horrendous account error dating back decades. It happened and poor Dr Smatresk got left holding the bag.

Until the state determines how much and how soon we have to pay them back we are basically frozen in terms of the budget. Why this is such a hard concept to understand by our fans is beyond me.

And Benford will be allowed to coach through conference play and the tourney at which time he will be evaluated. Again, our financial situation will play into this.

The state knows they cannot keep us in limbo for 4ever. They also know they've screwed up our state college system to where you have two schools UT and TAMU that are at overflow and unable to allow many good Texas students into. So I doubt they will kick us in the nuts too hard but they have to make a decision one way or the other.

It's the Christmas season. Why not take our lumps and feel good about the new DC who appears to be a solid hire. Feel good about keeping Tommy Perry in the fold, and Kevin Patrick flexing his recruiting muscles. We had a down year but just a year ago we had a terrific one...in fact we were making hotel reservations and extremely excited. Let us not forget how great it was just a year ago. We can get there again.

We've signed some top notch juco talent, the national juco defensive MVP, and appear to have a guy at QB who could be special. In closing, some of you need to watch the movie "A Christmas Carol" because you are sounding a lot like Scrooge!

[GrandGreen]

"NOT extending the contract means you are not playing real football as an extension after a bowl season is the norm for both P5 and G5 schools."

The Norm? There are I think 68 teams in bowls this year, all those head coaches are getting extensions?

The majority of teams routinely go to bowls. So it is not a big achievement for the majority of programs even at the g5 level.

RV made a foolish mistake giving an extension last year. It accomplished little and greatly limited the school's options.

[Eagle1855]

I guess I don't take enough personal offense at these kinds of comments. Have heard many coaches say essentially the same thing, and usually they are smiling and shrugging it off as part of the job. It just doesn't come across as whiny to me, but whatever.

For what it's worth, I had the same thought.

[VideoEagle]

"NOT extending the contract means you are not playing real football as an extension after a bowl season is the norm for both P5 and G5 schools."The Norm? There are I think 68 teams in bowls this year, all those head coaches are getting extensions?The majority of teams routinely go to bowls. So it is not a big achievement for the majority of programs even at the g5 level.RV made a foolish mistake giving an extension last year. It accomplished little and greatly limited the school's options.

Most FBS head coaches get a one year extension after a winning season. Not all, but the vast majority. Of course there are exceptions, but are are just that, "exceptions." That is, outside of the normal.

RV is far from perfect, but giving extensions last year was the correct thing to do if the plan is to play FBS football at NT.

[untbowler]

Most FBS head coaches get a one year extension after a winning season. Not all, but the vast majority. Of course there are exceptions, but are are just that, "exceptions." That is, outside of the normal.

RV is far from perfect, but giving extensions last year was the correct thing to do if the plan is to play FBS football at NT.

So of course what do we do, we give a 3 year extension, I might have been able to live with a 1 year, but many of us wanted to see what he would be able to do with a team full of his recruits before going long term.

As for the constant whining on money issues, then fine tell RV to do his damn job and bring in more $$$

[FirefightnRick]

Well of it's the past we're to look up to then I'm still stoked over the "Miracle In The Desert" game. That game was Bad Ass!

Rick

[UNT86]

Sometimes I can't tell... are NT90 and FirefightnRick the same person?

You never see Clark Kent and Superman in the same place....and those two same to sing the same negative song over and over....Just sayin'

[FirefightnRick]

Sometimes I can't tell... are NT90 and FirefightnRick the same person?

You never see Clark Kent and Superman in the same place....and those two same to sing the same negative song over and over....Just sayin'

I just said I was stoked about a game from the past. You want me to whistle you a tune as well?

Tough crowd!

Rick

[NT80]

...but giving extensions last year was the correct thing to do if the plan is to play FBS football at NT.

Mac was using Dodge's seniors to win the Bowl game with. The true test of a current coach being good is to see if he can reload with his own recruits after a good group of seniors are gone. 4-8 says we got our answer to the rebuild question.

Give a nice, large Bowl Bonus if you want, but not an extension until you really know what you have. The extension, if any, should have only been an extra year...not put us in another Benford-esk position, which we are now if another 4-8 disaster....

Edited December 20, 2014 by NT80

[UNT86]

4-8 tells me that his first recruiting class wasn't that great... and coming off the disaster that Dodge left, that should be expected.

I saw lots of Fr. and Soph's on the field. That tells me that each recruiting class has gotten better since his first.