McCarney juggles long hours with sleep, exercise

[Ben Gooding]

Uhh...0-12 paired with this years 4-8 is grounds for firing regardless of contract.

[UNT90]

I"m not going to disagree about Bedford. And I'm not worried about what should have been done about Dodge as you can't change the past.

But are you really saying we shouldn't reward what is arguably the best year in the 100 year history of football with a multi-year contract extension because he MIGHT go 0-12 two years after the fact? And do this KNOWING that not giving such an extension actually makes it more likely we will go 0-12? Are you really that beaten down eleven months after one of our best years ever?

Yes, Bedford is a problem we are not fixing. That doesn't mean we should sabotage other programs after they have been successful. You fix the problems you can, when you can. And you try to find a way to mitigate the damages the other problems cause until you can fix them one way or another.

I'm saying we should NEVER give a contract that we aren't willing to buy out one year later.

We do that all the time around here.

So, either step up like a real FBS institution and fix problems when they arise, or just be what UNT really wants to be (cheap when it comes to athletics).

[NT80]

No, generally a new coach brings in added excitement and a substantial uptick from a down program. You saw that with Dodge and Dickey, but not McCarney.

You are seeing that this year at Smut.

[NT80]

HS recruits care most about playing time. Not how long the coach that recruited them is going to be there. It's an add-on, but not a decisive factor.

Rick

Very much true. HS kids want opportunity to compete for playing time, a school with a major they want, and some want to be close enough home for parents to come watch.

Any consideration of Coaching contract is bunk. A coach can leave anytime during a contract for a better job, or be fired anytime for poor performance (by real programs), and players know that because it happens every year to about 30+ programs.

[NT80]

I was talking about Benford. We won't fire him because we don't want to pay out his contract.

If Mac goes 0-12 next year, we won't fire him, either. That's why I can see some of the criticism for extending him. All you have to do is look at our history. Dodge should have been fired after year 3. Nope. Couldn't pay out 2 years of a contract.

It's all about the perceived bottom line at UNT.

At NT, a buyout prior to year 5 comes down to money (or lack of). Nebraska fired Pelini with a 67-27 record with contract years left... just because they didn't like his personality. They have the resources to fire coaches every year if they want to, most P5 programs do.

But NT also made it's own mess by giving an untested HC (Benford) a 5-year deal to start with, or at least without benchmarks with achievements to continue or cut him loose. We also gave an extension to a HC (Mac) without seeing if he could rebuild or recruit to rebuild. A Bowl bonus would have been better than added contract years.

Now with declining attendance, MGC, and revenue NT has to wait further, enduring more losses and driving away more fans, before it can afford to make a change in all revenue sports.

[Ben Gooding]

Mac did get a bowl bonus, an extension and a raise. Overkill. The last 2 shouldn't have happened. The first, absolutely.

[UNT90]

Now with declining attendance, MGC, and revenue NT has to wait further, enduring more losses and driving away more fans, before it can afford to make a change in all revenue sports.

If what you say is true here, RV should have been fired at the end of football season.

It is so frustrating to see UNT leadership continually accept below mediocre accomplishments from the AD.

[Ben Gooding]

I'm banking on RV's firing after another pitiful basketball season.

[UNT90]

I'm banking on RV's firing after another pitiful basketball season.

Won't happen. He has the ear of far too many on the BOR and (always the most important thing when it comes to UNT athletics) he has more than 1 year left on his contract.

[Ben Gooding]

I'm getting an auto marker and marking my back window, "FIRE RV!"

[UNT90]

Careful.

Do you really think this university is capable or really wants to hire an aggressive, effective AD?

I think it's time for RV to go, but that doesn't mean the replacement doesn't scare the hell out of me.

[Ben Gooding]

Careful.

Do you really think this university is capable or really wants to hire an aggressive, effective AD?

I think it's time for RV to go, but that doesn't mean the replacement doesn't scare the hell out of me.

50/50 chance. A chance I'd be willing to take.

[UNT90]

I'd put the chance at more like 20/80, but I'm also ready to roll the dice.

[wardly]

I keep reading on this site about some of you wanting "someone" to buy us out of existing coaches contracts. The repayment to the state for money we owe back because of "creative accounting" has created a budget crunch in all departments, including athletics. We do not have the funds to buy anyone out of their contract even if the Athletic Department wanted to.This you can take to the bank[pun intended].

[Ben Gooding]

That's why alllll of this reverts back to RV. 5 year contract to a first tone HC?!? What the what!!

An extension and raise after a good year (in North Texas standards) in football. Whaaaat???

Neither should have happened and RV is the ONE to blame. If we know we can't buyout shit then these things shouldn't be happening.

[UNT90]

I keep reading on this site about some of you wanting "someone" to buy us out of existing coaches contracts. The repayment to the state for money we owe back because of "creative accounting" has created a budget crunch in all departments, including athletics. We do not have the funds to buy anyone out of their contract even if the Athletic Department wanted to.This you can take to the bank[pun intended].

Then we need to stop playing FBS level sports.

[greenit]

It's almost as if most of you don't realize that it is the boosters that buy out coaching contracts, not the school. When schools want someone gone, they go to their boosters and say this is what we want to do and this is how much we need. The boosters either make it happen or not.

We need more, and bigger, boosters. I won't argue with whose shoulders on which that responsibility falls.

[UNT90]

It's almost as if most of you don't realize that it is the boosters that buy out coaching contracts, not the school. When schools want someone gone, they go to their boosters and say this is what we want to do and this is how much we need. The boosters either make it happen or not.

We need more, and bigger, boosters. I won't argue with whose shoulders on which that responsibility falls.

But the university has to go to those boosters and tell them they want someone out.

You seriously think this has occurred with the AD position? You could have donors begging to buy out the AD's contract, and if the university doesn't want it to happen, it ain't happening.

But you know that.

[greenit]

Maybe our only hope is Prez Smatresk. If he could somehow lay out the ground rules for the AD, and hold him accountable, then maybe the AD would be motivated to go out and make it happen. Agree that RV is not motivated to go out and stir things up if he is not forced to. Why would he?

The AD does report to the President, correct?

[greenit]

While on the President, I think it is on his shoulders to set the criteria by which he will judge his AD. I think Smatresk should set MGC goals, season ticket goals, on field/court goals, etc... Once the AD knows what he is being held accountable to meet, then his hands will be forced to take action. But to be clear, no AD is going to set these requirements on themselves. Not sure that the BOR really has a say in these matters as much as the President does.

I guess you can keep playing this game all the way to the top of the chain though. Nobody is going to do something different than status quo, unless there is fear of the consequences.

Edited December 21, 2014 by greenit

[FirefightnRick]

You don't have to buy anyone out if need be. You reassign them. We did this with Simon.

Rick

[wardly]

Rick, that's even worse. If you reassign him, the University must continue to pay his salary plus that of his replacement. We don't have the money to do that.

[FirefightnRick]

Rick, that's even worse. If you reassign him, the University must continue to pay his salary plus that of his replacement. We don't have the money to do that.

But that's not what they do. Coaches want to coach. They don't want to be closet fodder so they move on. And their replacement is an assistant till such time occurs.

We did this already to get rid of Simon and it worked perfectly. He was reassigned to Assistant AD for Facilities and moved on within a few months or less.

Rick

[wardly]

I don't know who you want to get rid of,but it sounds like everyone. Just an old man's opinion:1] R.V. will not be fired. Our new president has a serious financial problem to deal with and I doubt athletics is high on his radar.2] This is Mac's last job.We owe him about $700,00 a year for 5 years or so. At his age and with his health suspect he will clip coupons until his contract expires. 3] even if men's basketball crapes out, he won't be fired, as we do not have the money to hire a better and more expensive replacement. Its not like we are a basketball powerhouse. Even when J.J. was winning we only averaged about 3,000 or so fans. Big Whoop! Bottom line: cleaning house is expensive, and our program may have a little cushion, but basically lives paycheck to paycheck. We need to loose the attitude that WE don't care what it cost as long as WE don't have to pay for it.[WE being you and me]

[oldguystudent]

Even when J.J. was winning we only averaged about 3,000 or so fans.

2011-2012 Men's basketball home schedule:

St. Gregory's - 3175

Sam Houston - 3313

Jackson St - 3146

Grambling State - 2732

LSU - 6838

New Orleans - 2617

UALR - 2825

Troy - 2747

Western Kentucky - 3941

Denver - 4859

Arkansas St - 3643

Middle Tennessee - 5510

ULM - 3810

Louisiana Lafayette - 6921

----------

Total 56077

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Average: 4005.5