Rumor on Campus?

FirefightnRick · November 4, 2003

TALONS EXCLUSIVE? Never thought of a spirit group that consists mainly women and open to all as EXCLUSIVE. That's a new one.

Talons has always and will always uphold this university's traditions and along with doing that for Talons and more so for this university it takes a little bit of work. Working for free isn't for everyone but it sure makes you feel a bigger part of the ownership of it. With that said, every season is different as the kids come and graduate. The leadership changes every season. When Emmitt was president was one of the more recent productive times. When I was there during the Keith Swartz era we had over 120 actives on campus and NO ONE I knew of felt excluded or felt like they were being required to do too much. It was an honor to uphold the traditions and an even more honor to help the Athletic Department out with everything they asked us too. Many from this group in the late 80's are some of our bigger donors and participants and I sit next to many of them in the stands. It's great to see this same group of people after 15 years rooting for their team. I agree that some more motiviation from their leadership might help, but consider they still are one of the biggest student groups that you will see traveling to the far away games many of the times. I remember about 40 at Tech in Lubbock in '00, at least that many in Las Cruces in '01, an entire bus load at N.O. last year and at OU this year. They do more than their part so if another group on campus is trying to rise up to their level of participation then I say the Talons have succeeded in leading by example.

Ricky McKinney

Talon '88

PROUD TO BE A TALON!

UNT_92_Fan · November 4, 2003

I agree Rick....I am in my third or fourth year here....losing track isn't a good sign...i remember when emmitt was here...it was a really good time...but from what i am hearing the current talons are "dogging" on some of the fans they see every time out there because so little things they may not agree with...

Somebody brought up the fact that they do not do cheers or chants that are disrepesctful to the other team....I APPLAUD that....cause hearing some of the things i hear at the games is ridiculous.....

I just know from the people i have talked to that the Talons are not making some current students that are truely into the MEAN GREEN feel like they can even sit around them at the games....

people have also said they haven't seen anything other than the games...I am clueless onthis...do the talons do anything other than the athletic games? I haven't been as INTO the athletics as I am now before this year or so....

I think a new spirit group could do nothing but help...like someone said more spirited fans = MORE Spirit...someone tell me where that equation comes up negative....

Go Mean Green!

stebo · November 4, 2003

I will give you two things that I have learned recently that bothered me abuot Talons. When we were putting the MTSU trip together, some Talons almost couldn't go... why? Because they would lose game "credits" for not watching it on TV with the group. Even though they were actually going to the game. That is silly. Secondly, this weekend is our closest road conference game of the year. We could wrap up the Belt with a NT win and a USU loss; it is a cheap trip and arguably the only realistic road trip for this year. You won't see one Talon there this weekend.. why? They scheduled their initiation on the same day as the game and if you miss then you get in trouble.

Organizations need rules and structure, I understand that. But the purpose of Talons is to support the team, if their rules get in the way of that than it is kind of defeating the whole purpose.

Gamma Beta Omega is not out to destroy Talons, it is a top secret organization with 3 main goals to be disclosed at a later time (tee hee). Plus, we have that kick ass Lil Sis program.

And Iron, I am not a "former student"... there is a big diploma hanging on the wall of my office. It is very insulting to refer to an alumnus as a "former student"... when you graduate next year you will feel that way as well.

CMJ · November 4, 2003

I will give you two things that I have learned recently that bothered me abuot Talons. When we were putting the MTSU trip together, some Talons almost couldn't go... why? Because they would lose game "credits" for not watching it on TV with the group. Even though they were actually going to the game. That is silly.

Geez, the MTSU thing is ridiculous. If I was still on Exec, Emmitt and I would taken that one down by ourselves. We were nasty in Exec meetings.

Secondly, this weekend is our closest road conference game of the year. We could wrap up the Belt with a NT win and a USU loss; it is a cheap trip and arguably the only realistic road trip for this year. You won't see one Talon there this weekend.. why? They scheduled their initiation on the same day as the game and if you miss then you get in trouble.
Organizations need rules and structure, I understand that. But the purpose of Talons is to support the team, if their rules get in the way of that than it is kind of defeating the whole purpose.

Dealing with initiation was a huge problem with the fall semester on acouple of occasions. We lucked out when we had road games that were FAR AWAY(i.e. Big West days), but if we had home games there would always be problems that would arise. Even during basketball season, we'd occasionally miss a game to perform the ceremony(once I remember in the Fall for certain). It was always a tough call, and one that I personally discussed ad naseum on seven different Exec Boards.

Gamma Beta Omega is not out to destroy Talons, it is a top secret organization with 3 main goals to be disclosed at a later time (tee hee). Plus, we have that kick ass Lil Sis program.
And Iron, I am not a "former student"... there is a big diploma hanging on the wall of my office. It is very insulting to refer to an alumnus as a "former student"... when you graduate next year you will feel that way as well.

Just FYI : Technically even former students who don't graduate are alumni. I looked it up in the Webster Dictionary about a year ago to use in a different argument.