Has UNT held you back personally?

[FirefightnRick]

"Oregon fans and University of North Texas students Austin Hall, left, and Jose Graciano came to see the ESPN shows."

Front page photo title of the Fort Worth Star Telegram seen in every office, break room and by each home subscriber today in Tarrant and surrounding counties.

Rick

Edited January 6, 2015 by FirefightnRick

[UNT90]

Pathetic.

But this is where we are because our administration REFUSES to put a priority on athletics.

The joke of Texas college athletics.

[Coffee and TV]

It is very possible to support both.

[UNTDoubleAlum]

It is very possible to support both.

It's true. Many of us belong to multiple college fandoms. It's hard to harp on a guy when all we know from that picture is that he's a UNT student that also happens to like Oregon.

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

Sadly UNT students don't feel they have a legitimate college program to support, so they have to go elsewhere to find a team to support.. This is no one's fault but the administration.

[SilverEagle]

It's true. Many of us belong to multiple college fandoms. It's hard to harp on a guy when all we know from that picture is that he's a UNT student that also happens to like Oregon.

You know, I might have some positive feelings about another college. But if I am going to do anything about those feelings it's nothing more than watching them play another team (usually one that I don't like) on TV from the comfort of my media room chair. I would NEVER think about getting in my car and driving anywhere to express my casual interest, and best wishes, for this other program.

And yet, we have people who are identified as North Texas students going down to Sundance Square showing their support for Oregon, WHEN IT'S A FRIGGIN STRUGGLE EVERY YEAR TO GET STUDENTS TO WALK ACROSS THE FOOT BRIDGE OVER 35 TO ATTEND OUR FOOTBALL EVENT. AND EVEN WHEN THEY GO OVER THERE IS OFTEN A FRIGGIN STRUGGLE TO GET THEM TO LEAVE THE TAILGATING AREA (where they get a pass on underage drinking in public) AND GO INTO THE STADIUM.........

I totally support the NT police going into those student tailgating areas and writing tickets for underage drinking starting halfway through the first quarter.

Edited January 6, 2015 by SilverEagle

[Christopher Walker]

Sadly UNT students don't feel they have a legitimate college program to support, so they have to go elsewhere to find a team to support.. This is no one's fault but the administration.

You can't just broadly paint that brush, dude.

I myself am I diehard Mean Green fan in all facets and sports, but am also a fan of Oregon's football program. I think they have hit a vein of gold that is fascinating to take in. Am I a bad UNT fan or has our administration failed me because I like a single team in Eugene? I think not.

[greenminer]

Longhorn fans be like, "Why are we not the Tshirt fan of every college kid in Texas? What is wrong with our AD?"

[Army of Dad]

Am I a bad UNT fan or has our administration failed me because I like a single team in Eugene?

If GMG has taught us anything it's that both are correct.

(Sorry you left that softball out over the plate, it had to be hit)

[Quoner]

I got demoted because we didn't go 5-7 this year. Thanks, UTSA.

[Censored by Laurie]

Fact of the matter is that there is nothing more important than athletics when trying to create a perception for a university.

Finally getting the national recognition they deserve.

http://mitathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/2014-15/schedule

eff you, Wesley College

[Shuke-D]

I got demoted because we didn't go 5-7 this year. Thanks, UTSA.

My bank invalidated my mortgage, saying that our lack of DT recruiting signaled an over-reliance on specialty investments and a lack of reliable foundation planning. They let me stay in the house if I pay a monthly fee. So,I now rent and no longer own. Thanks RV!

[ColoradoEagle]

Our workspaces were decided based on overall athletics success this past year. Because all three sports are awful, I got stuck in the smallest area, just off the kitchen, next to the patio. Thanks RV.

[TIgreen01]

Really, up until JJ left, we had at least one of either BBall or football to lean on for success in any given year (since 2001). Yeah, it mostly seesawed from DD to JJ, then we had DMac come through last year. The problem right now is we have nothing to hang our hat on....so the whole board is in flames.

[Stix]

Yes...its held me back all the time. I can't take it anymore.. That's why I'm writing while standing on the I-35 pedestrian bridge right now. Goodbye cruel World. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-I never saw Veniceeeeeee-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.... Poof.. Dammit, landed on a mattress truck.

[Cerebus]

Theron Fouts turned me into a newt!

...I got better.

[All About UNT]

The kid in the pic (Jose) just started at UNT this last August after transferring from OU. I would cut him some slack. UNT has neither set me back or advanced me in life in regards to networking professionally. It has introduced me to quite a few people that I consider to be great friends and sports family

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

You can't just broadly paint that brush, dude.

I myself am I diehard Mean Green fan in all facets and sports, but am also a fan of Oregon's football program. I think they have hit a vein of gold that is fascinating to take in. Am I a bad UNT fan or has our administration failed me because I like a single team in Eugene? I think not.

Do you think if you went to a school with a big time football program you would support both? I just don't see many people who go to school's with successful football programs root for other college's football teams, even just slightly.

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

I'm not judging anyone who does, I do it to a certain extent, but it is because I know my UNT fandom is a frustrating experience at times and I need an escape so I watch other programs.

[KRAM1]

In the vast majority of cases it is not the school or degree holding people back, but rather their personal choices and attitudes. Are you willing to move to a location where the job opportunity exists, have you majored in a field with job opportunities that are available, did you put in the time and effort to network, did you choose to study or party, did you work with the university career placement folks, did you apply for and obtain an internship....even an unpaid one, are you willing to accept an entry level position paying a tad less than you would prefer? Would you accept mentoring and actually fully participate? Are you willing to work when your buddies are off and partying? Are you willing to work the grave yard shift or holidays? Have you worked at all during college....actually, this can help a great deal with some employers. I do a good bit of career counseling and have throughout my working career. I find a good many recent grads are just not willing or interested in making the difficult choices often required of them....and some of the choices are very difficult. I know from personal experience.

Now, all that being said...one can make it work. Ask around in some of your older more established family and friendship circles...how many are actually working in their degree field? You might be surprised. Talk to these folks openly about the career path they took and how long and how they became successful. Most are not overnight successes and most have made several "career" changes and adjustments along the way before they became successful and happy in their careers. Don't fret...just keep your eye on the prize. Do not compare yourself with your peers' positions or salaries...it isn't a race!

And always remember...the happiest people in the world are the ones who have figured out "how much is enough".

Now...go out there...make those tough decisions and be the success you worked to be and that UNT helped give you the start to be...

[SilverEagle]

In the vast majority of cases it is not the school or degree holding people back, but rather their personal choices and attitudes. Are you willing to move to a location where the job opportunity exists, have you majored in a field with job opportunities that are available, did you put in the time and effort to network, did you choose to study or party, did you work with the university career placement folks, did you apply for and obtain an internship....even an unpaid one, are you willing to accept an entry level position paying a tad less than you would prefer? Would you accept mentoring and actually fully participate? Are you willing to work when your buddies are off and partying? Are you willing to work the grave yard shift or holidays? Have you worked at all during college....actually, this can help a great deal with some employers. I do a good bit of career counseling and have throughout my working career. I find a good many recent grads are just not willing or interested in making the difficult choices often required of them....and some of the choices are very difficult. I know from personal experience.

Now, all that being said...one can make it work. Ask around in some of your older more established family and friendship circles...how many are actually working in their degree field? You might be surprised. Talk to these folks openly about the career path they took and how long and how they became successful. Most are not overnight successes and most have made several "career" changes and adjustments along the way before they became successful and happy in their careers. Don't fret...just keep your eye on the prize. Do not compare yourself with your peers' positions or salaries...it isn't a race!

And always remember...the happiest people in the world are the ones who have figured out "how much is enough".

Now...go out there...make those tough decisions and be the success you worked to be and that UNT helped give you the start to be...

Great career advice.

If I may attempt to refocus. I think the motivation for the initial post has to do with all the coaching/administration-bashing going on. And to the casual observer this might be interpreted as UNT bashing. Hence the question "Has UNT (and I suppose the degree that UNT has bestowed on you) held you back personally?" For me, the direct answer to the question posed is no. For me, going to UNT was a big growth experience; both emotionally and intellectually.

My main issue with my alma mater is not that they don't devote larger portions of their financial resources (such as they are) to athletics, but that they could make much better decisions regarding Athletic dept. hires and coaching hires. And they don't seem interested in doing that. They seem to regard such things as "let's-get-it-done-as-quickly-and-with-as-little-bother-as possible". and in the case of the hiring process that resulted in the hiring of Dennis Parker, it was "let's get a committee of faculty/staff together to select the new coach because then the general rank and file of faculty/staff will not bitch so much about athletics". Never mind that the aforementioned committee was clueless about how to hire the best candidate.

So, "down the corridor of years" most of the decisions about athletics has been made with one main goal.........stay within budget, and keep the bitching from faculty/staff and liberal arts students about athletics to a minimum. Since Coach Mitchell retired, as far as I can see, this has been the policy except for one era.....the Hayden Fry era. But after he left, look how quickly things went back to the 1950's/60's attitudes. And look how fast they ran Jitter Nolan (the President who made the Hayden Fry hire happen) out of town.

My other issue is that the school does not value school spirit per se. Our spirit groups are minimally present, our spirit icons (cannon/model A) are grossly neglected, and our Band only gives cursory attention to promoting spirit and making game day a real event. They see football games only as another opportunity to practice their contest routine, and pretend that they are there to get the crowd into the game and to promote school spirit first and last. But be advised, that is not why they are there. They are there to practice the aforementioned contest show and amuse themselves.

In the old adage about commitment vs involvement, with a ham and eggs breakfast being the example; the chicken is involved, the pig is committed. For longer than I would like to think about, I have viewed the Band and the Talons as the chicken.

addendum: I am embarrassed that I neglected to mention our other, and oldest, spirit icon.....the bell. Maybe because it's been out of sight for so many years. This icon predates all the other icons. This is being cared for by former talons, but it has yet to appear at Apogee stadium. At minimum, on game day, our Model A should be driving out on the field just before, or during, the band making their pre-game grand entrance (after a fashion) to the field with most of the cheer staff either inside or holding on to the running boards. When we score( TD's & FG's), the cannon should fire AND the bell should be ringing.

Except for the Cannon, none of this is happening. And as of the last home game this year, not even that.

Edited January 7, 2015 by SilverEagle