UNT President NT Daily Inverview

untjim1995 · February 5, 2015

But he will have to convince the BOR to spend the money to make those changes.
I hope he understands the culture he is stepping into when he makes that request.

Yep, that's all he has to do. Since they hired him, don't you think they made it clear that athletics is never gonna be the primary window to the university? Look at his first answer to the question that was linked about attendance at athletic events--he mentions the Green Brigade. That tells you all you need to know. The president of Texas Tech isn't answering that question by saying anything about their band, nor are the presidents at TCU, SMU, or any other FBS school in the region.

Music is the primary window here--and that's what the UNT community and Dentonites overwhelmingly want. Frankly, we have no idea what a big winner would look like here in either of the big two sports. It'd be nice to see, but if Fry's success ever happens again here, sustained ranked seasons, that might be the only way things could change. But the BOR and administration showed everyone back then how they truly felt about athletics after he left--you can only hope it would be different the next time, and that assuming it can ever happen here again, which it hasn't since Fry left in 1978.

UNTLifer · February 5, 2015

1. Great interview.

2. We need to quit trying to attract the average Dentonite and focus on the student body and new alumni to grow attendance, MGC members and season ticket sales.

3. The union is not a wet blanket on tge campus.

4. I did not realize Apogee, the AC and Loveless were all completed behind schedule. That is the first I have hrard of that. Is this true or more RV dog piling?

5. 380/University is a state project.

6. I35 has been under construction for 40 years and it won't end with this project. Not Denton or UNT's fault.

gradumacated · February 5, 2015

And the "old" building was actually the "old-old" building with another building wrapped around it - in the '70s.

There's a difference between an extension (which the Union in my time (2008-) was and a complete breakdown-and-rebuild, which the new Union is. It's being built from the ground up as new.

Ben Gooding · February 5, 2015

1. Great interview.
2. We need to quit trying to attract the average Dentonite and focus on the student body and new alumni to grow attendance, MGC members and season ticket sales.
3. The union is not a wet blanket on tge campus.
4. I did not realize Apogee, the AC and Loveless were all completed behind schedule. That is the first I have hrard of that. Is this true or more RV dog piling?
5. 380/University is a state project.
6. I35 has been under construction for 40 years and it won't end with this project. Not Denton or UNT's fault.

3. That's subjective.

5. Yes, I'm aware of that.

6. Yes, I'm aware of that.

James · February 5, 2015

There's a difference between an extension (which the Union in my time (2008-) was and a complete breakdown-and-rebuild, which the new Union is. It's being built from the ground up as new.

It's not a complete breakdown. The skeleton remains.

Green Mean · February 5, 2015

Yeah, apogee wasn't completed on time, or the basketball practice facility, or lovelace stadium. Construction delays are a problem with rv.

I'll take construction delays in a heartbeat if it means consistently winning football and basketball teams. Just sayin...

FirefightnRick · February 5, 2015

Ill simply say, I came from a basketball heaven. UNLV had a team that packed the house every single game, and the spirit was electric. You could be sitting down in the arena and there was Flavor Flav, and over there was Steve Wynn, and over here was a billionaire donor. It was the place to be.

I would have asked him his opinion concerning the differences in coaching hiring philosophies between his AD at UNLV and his current AD at North Texas. At UNLV they hired their current basketball coach starting out with a 3 year contract. Here, our AD firmly believes "No Coach Worth His Salt Would Come Here For Less Than 5 Years".

Rick

MeanGreenTexan · February 5, 2015

I would have asked him his opinion concerning the differences in coaching hiring philosophies between his AD at UNLV and his current AD at North Texas. At UNLV they hired their current basketball coach starting out with a 3 year contract. Here, our AD firmly believes "No Coach Worth His Salt Would Come Here For Less Than 5 Years".
Rick

The UNLV AD also just hired Todd Dodge 2.0, so I don't think I would hold him in very high esteem.

FirefightnRick · February 5, 2015

The UNLV AD also just hired Todd Dodge 2.0, so I don't think I would hold him in very high esteem.

I said nothing about holding anyone in high esteem. But the fact they were willing to fire a coach that got them to a bowl game just 12 months before is telling about UNLV's expectations, which would have been a perfect Segway to another question,...Dr. Smatresk's definition of athletic success and his timeline expectation to get there?

Rick

Edited February 5, 2015 by FirefightnRick

NorthTexan95 · February 6, 2015

It seems that he didn't want the conference center on UNT's land ... and he didn't like the deal as it was. Interesting because unless we would reap some kind of profit from the convention center it does make sense not to use our land for it. Maybe I'm missing something here but it makes sense not to have it on UNT property.

NT80 · February 6, 2015

The number one thing the Pit needs to be dressed up is more banners.
That will fix what's wrong with basketball attendance.

Oh, like maybe Banners recruits would see?....honoring former great players *cough* Kenneth Lyons *cough* with a "retired-number" Banner? Great idea!