How Easy is the buyout for Rick V?

[greenminer]

What did you all do before there was tailgating?

[VideoEagle]

What did you all do before there was tailgating?

A lot fewer people went to the games. No, more accurately a lot fewer people even went to the stadium on game day. 

[GMG24]

I read/heard that it was surely after the game and in the locker room but was it really in front of the whole team as well?

yes, the kids were changing and leaving still but here's what Scoop says 

 

	FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop)
10/10/15, 8:48 PM Can somebody explain to me why North Texas’ AD felt need to do this immediately after the game? The guys were still in locker room#BadForm

Edited October 11, 2015 by GMG24

[GrayEagle]

I know Rick has a contract that pays him somewhere in the realm of 300k- is that a one-year contract? If Smastrek pulls the trigger on Rick V, he has to do it now- you know the search firm vultures are coming around and Rick is going to pay another 40k for one... 

Is everyone is agreeance that Rick V should go? Does he have any supporters on here?

Yes, he's built a lot of athletics faciilities, and attendance has grown, but that's mainly due to student growth and enrollment. 

For one thing, I believe that you saw three reasons yesterday as to why RV is still the AD.  No other AD in our history has approached what Rick has done as far as facilities.  Nor has another AD secured the amount of donations in the process; even considering the current dollars worth.  He has been adept at balancing the budget while increasing salaries. 

He has made a couple of good hires in the three "revenue" sports.  Johnny Jones gained respect for our men's basketball program.  Karen Aston was own her way when UT grabbed her up after only one year.  I believe that Jalie Mitchell was a good hire and that we'll see the women's program rise.  Unless Benford pulls off a miracle this coming season, that hire was a dud (meaning a sub .500 tenure).  Ditto on the bad hires to include Dodge, Stephens and McCarney.  At least, Mac did have one very good season.  RV has also made some good hires in the "non-revenue" sports such as tennis, cross country, golf, and volleyball.  

Rick has always treated me kindly but I'm still somewhat neutral on getting rid of him now.  His bad hires in football and scheduling fauxs make me understand why he is unpopular.  At the same time, I'm not keen on wiping out all of the top dogs at once.  I still think about what happened at UT and how Patterson is already gone and Strong (at least until yesterday) was on a slippery slope.  A new broom does not necessarily sweep clean.  

Edited October 11, 2015 by GrayEagle

[UNTflyer]

Rick didn't wave a magic wand and make these facilities happen.  In the end, capital projects are BOR decisions.

Any AD can raise money by hiring good people and good coaches.  He raised money in spite of the bad hires.  Someone else can do better by hiring better.

If this isn't the right time to make a change at the top, WHEN WILL IT BE?!

 

[KRAM1]

i can't find the news articles now, but an example is that Rick V reportedly fired Mac in the locker room in front of the team. #classy

No....I have been told that is not true.  It was not done in front of the players.

yes, the kids were changing and leaving still but here's what Scoop says 

 

	FootballScoop Staff (@FootballScoop)
10/10/15, 8:48 PM Can somebody explain to me why North Texas’ AD felt need to do this immediately after the game? The guys were still in locker room#BadForm

yes...guys were still in the locker room, but it did not happen in front of them.  This "Scoop" stuff does not even indicate as such.  How such rumors get started is always a mystery and why folks seem to want to believe the worst of things in rumors is an even bigger mystery.  It did happen immediately after the game, but it was not a surprise to Coach Mac.  When should it happen?  I have no idea what created the situation that it happened immediately after the game, but it does give Chico a little extra time to prepare for a quick turn around Thursday night game.

[gksmith]

If UNT is looking for their 3rd coach in 6 years the problem may well be the Athletic Director.

[KRAM1]

Rick didn't wave a magic wand and make these facilities happen.  In the end, capital projects are BOR decisions.

Any AD can raise money by hiring good people and good coaches.  He raised money in spite of the bad hires.  Someone else can do better by hiring better.

If this isn't the right time to make a change at the top, WHEN WILL IT BE?!

 

I agree...any AD can make new facilities happen...but none did until Rick.  Folks who are recent to the program don't remember all the past promises from past AD's it seems and are very quick to dismiss what Rick has done with facilities.  That is a shame as it short changes his efforts.  It isn't easy at UNT due to numerous reasons that will not be discussed here, but read GMG.Com and you will understand a big reason why it is so hard and find the history of past administrations if you want the facts and not just rumors.  If you want to fault Rick for coaching hires, well so be it, but to short change his efforts in upgrading facilities at UNT is in very poor form and very ignorant of UNT history.  Indeed he did not wave a magic wand....if only that could have been the case it would have happened long ago.  As to the BOR, you are correct, they approve or not capital projects but they don't initiate the campaigns, create the plans or raise the funds...they approve or not others efforts.  The BOR never ever proposed a new football stadium, athletic complex or any other facility.  They approve or not and allocate funds over which they hold sway.  The hard work is done by the boots on the ground.  

I know of your efforts as well in the Apogee program through student government, so you are very much aware of the boots on the ground.

[greenminer]

For one thing, I believe that you saw three reasons yesterday as to why RV is still the AD.  No other AD in our history has approached what Rick has done as far as facilities.  Nor has another AD secured the amount of donations in the process; even considering the current dollars worth.  He has been adept at balancing the budget while increasing salaries. 

He has made a couple of good hires in the three "revenue" sports.  Johnny Jones gained respect for our men's basketball program.  Karen Aston was own her way when UT grabbed her up after only one year.  I believe that Jalie Mitchell was a good hire and that we'll see the women's program rise.  Unless Benford pulls off a miracle this coming season, that hire was a dud (meaning a sub .500 tenure).  Ditto on the bad hires to include Dodge, Stephens and McCarney.  At least, Mac did have one very good season.  RV has also made some good hires in the "non-revenue" sports such as tennis, cross country, golf, and volleyball.  

Rick has always treated me kindly but I'm still somewhat neutral on getting rid of him now.  His bad hires in football and scheduling fauxs make me understand why he is unpopular.  At the same time, I'm not keen on wiping out all of the top dogs at once.  I still think about what happened at UT and how Patterson is already gone and Strong (at least until yesterday) was on a slippery slope.  A new broom does not necessarily sweep clean.  

Gray, your voice is a welcome change this weekend.  There is a lot of emotion being released on this board right now, and I can't recall a single post by you ever that is not eloquently written nor lacking grace.

I'm glad you're a part of this community.

Edited October 11, 2015 by greenminer

[SilverEagle]

Rick didn't wave a magic wand and make these facilities happen.  In the end, capital projects are BOR decisions.

Any AD can raise money by hiring good people and good coaches.  He raised money in spite of the bad hires.  Someone else can do better by hiring better.

If this isn't the right time to make a change at the top, WHEN WILL IT BE?!

 

In doing the contract extension with Mac after the HOD bowl he has essentially waved a magic wand and made those 3 million in donations go away.

And as to hiring good people. Hiring Mandy McKinley to be head of the MGC and then not sending her away when it was very evident she wasn't getting the job done sure cost the department a lot of money.

What are those numbers that Cerebus posted a few weeks about about the University graduating about 76K potential customers during his tenure here. How many of them are now MGC members?

[NorthTexan95]

Rick has done a tremendous job getting new facilities.  However, we shouldn't have to choose between facilities and being competitive.  The bad hires are reason enough for him to lose his job.  There's also the unprofessional ways this AD office operates at times (there's been numerous reports on this board) and bad marketing decisions (how can you dump Beyond the Green?).  I think the program is now past the ability of RV to manage and we could use a new and more experienced AD. 

[UNT90]

For one thing, I believe that you saw three reasons yesterday as to why RV is still the AD.  No other AD in our history has approached what Rick has done as far as facilities.  Nor has another AD secured the amount of donations in the process; even considering the current dollars worth.  He has been adept at balancing the budget while increasing salaries. 

He has made a couple of good hires in the three "revenue" sports.  Johnny Jones gained respect for our men's basketball program.  Karen Aston was own her way when UT grabbed her up after only one year.  I believe that Jalie Mitchell was a good hire and that we'll see the women's program rise.  Unless Benford pulls off a miracle this coming season, that hire was a dud (meaning a sub .500 tenure).  Ditto on the bad hires to include Dodge, Stephens and McCarney.  At least, Mac did have one very good season.  RV has also made some good hires in the "non-revenue" sports such as tennis, cross country, golf, and volleyball.  

Rick has always treated me kindly but I'm still somewhat neutral on getting rid of him now.  His bad hires in football and scheduling fauxs make me understand why he is unpopular.  At the same time, I'm not keen on wiping out all of the top dogs at once.  I still think about what happened at UT and how Patterson is already gone and Strong (at least until yesterday) was on a slippery slope.  A new broom does not necessarily sweep clean.  

An old broom that has never swept clean before will not sweep clean in the future.

Rick treating you kindly should have absolutely no bearing on your evaluation of his job performance, yet you felt the need to put this in your post. If a heart surgeon was kind to you, yet you knew he hadn't performed a successful heart surgery in 14 years, would you let him perform open heart surgery on you? 

Just because you like someone doesn't mean they are good at what they do. 

Aston was a successful hire... For UT. She was a below .500 coach for UNT. Numbers don't lie. 

[Harry]

For one thing, I believe that you saw three reasons yesterday as to why RV is still the AD.  No other AD in our history has approached what Rick has done as far as facilities.  Nor has another AD secured the amount of donations in the process; even considering the current dollars worth.  He has been adept at balancing the budget while increasing salaries. 

He has made a couple of good hires in the three "revenue" sports.  Johnny Jones gained respect for our men's basketball program.  Karen Aston was own her way when UT grabbed her up after only one year.  I believe that Jalie Mitchell was a good hire and that we'll see the women's program rise.  Unless Benford pulls off a miracle this coming season, that hire was a dud (meaning a sub .500 tenure).  Ditto on the bad hires to include Dodge, Stephens and McCarney.  At least, Mac did have one very good season.  RV has also made some good hires in the "non-revenue" sports such as tennis, cross country, golf, and volleyball.  

Rick has always treated me kindly but I'm still somewhat neutral on getting rid of him now.  His bad hires in football and scheduling fauxs make me understand why he is unpopular.  At the same time, I'm not keen on wiping out all of the top dogs at once.  I still think about what happened at UT and how Patterson is already gone and Strong (at least until yesterday) was on a slippery slope.  A new broom does not necessarily sweep clean.  

Great post Gray.  As usual the voice of reason.

[UNTLifer]

It was his decision to dump Beyond the Green?!

[Rudy]

Ok, so RV can bring in donations, then reassign him and make that his sole job. 

[TheWestie]

Ricky V had the benefit of having pretty much the first UNT president in history who actually gave two shits about athletics when he started to get the ball rolling with expanding facilities. And it has all been concurrent with an overall expansion and renovation of the campus to fit our exponentially growing student population and space needs. More buildings and facilities have been built on campus since 2000 than were built in the preceding 20 or 30 years. 

Let's list off facilities upgrades/expansions that happened either during Norval Pohl's time as president or that got started under him:

 

Athletic Center - 2005

Chemistry Building - 2004

Discovery Park - 2004

Gateway Center - 2001

Mean Green Village - 2005

Pohl Student Recreation Center - 2003

Sorority Row - 2004

Sullivant Public Safety Center - 2001

Traditions Hall - 2003

Victory Hall - 2004

Warranch Tennis Complex - 2005

 

[NorthTexan95]

. 

He has made a couple of good hires in the three "revenue" sports.  Johnny Jones gained respect for our men's basketball program.  Karen Aston was own her way when UT grabbed her up after only one year.  I believe that Jalie Mitchell was a good hire and that we'll see the women's program rise.  Unless Benford pulls off a miracle this coming season, that hire was a dud (meaning a sub .500 tenure).  Ditto on the bad hires to include Dodge, Stephens and McCarney.  At least, Mac did have one very good season.  RV has also made some good hires in the "non-revenue" sports such as tennis, cross country, golf, and volleyball.  

 

I'll give you Aston as I agree, she would have been very successful here if she had stayed.  However, I'm not giving you Jalie since she hasn't coached a game yet.  I hope she turns out to be very successful for us but, honestly, the odds are against it.  

[SilverEagle]

What did you all do before there was tailgating?

My wife and I would stop in and eat at the Texas Pickup and then go on to the game.

[Mean Green 93-98]

What did you all do before there was tailgating?

The concept of tailgating at a UNT game is still a foreign concept to me.

[Army of Dad]

My wife and I would stop in and eat at the Texas Pickup and then go on to the game.

When I first came to town and asked about a place to eat, the Pickup is the first suggestion I received. Damn fine suggestion and really miss that place.

[SilverEagle]

When I first came to town and asked about a place to eat, the Pickup is the first suggestion I received. Damn fine suggestion and really miss that place.

Me too.....................

[MeanGreenTexan]

 

Maybe rather than fire him we ask he to retire early - with the package being that we give him half his money and then name the Athletics Center in his honor. 

 

 

I'm completely on board with naming that athletics center after him.  He did a great job with all of the buildings we have over there now.

[Eagle-96]

My wife and I would stop in and eat at the Texas Pickup and then go on to the game.

I remember taking tennis in PE class and smelling the amazing smells coming from the the Pickup 3 days a week. It was torture. My stomach growled the entire time.

[VideoEagle]

My wife and I would stop in and eat at the Texas Pickup and then go on to the game.

Still sorry that place is gone. Great food. I wish I could find a Matt's for lunch today!

 

[KingDL1]

Ok, so RV can bring in donations, then reassign him and make that his sole job. 

No he is not really good and bringing in money and is far below his promises. If we had a good AD we would be much farther along.