The Mean Green Funk

[KRAM1]

After reading Brett Vito's piece in today's Denton-Record Chronicle, it dawned on me that what we have is a fan base in a big time funk!  For whatever reason, we are there.  All of us...not just the banner boys led by UNT90 or the flyonthewall boys, but rather all of us.  We are down and we are grumpy.  We have friends here fighting against each other for no other reason than we have differences of opinion.  We have long time fans saying they will no longer support the program.  We have football fanatics saying they will fly their flags upside down, wear black or simply stay home.  We have folks calling those who disagree with them childish names and, at times, being downright hateful.  Brett got it right when he said that the fanbase is "demoralized".  And that "demoralized" thing is showing itself in some pretty distasteful ways among the faithful.  And, folks, that is not good, and it is worse than just being unhappy over a won-loss record, a coach or AD or whatever else.

Brett is right.  We need someone to rally the troops.  But, before that, we need the fans we have left to stop fighting among themselves over different opinions of what needs to be done.  No one...no one...is going to change anyone else's mind on how/what needs to be done to right this ship.  Opinions are pretty much set by now.  Don't believe that?  Check out this site over the last few week's postings.  Every thread becomes the same either immediately or soon thereafter.  Same people pretty much saying the same thing over and over and over and over.  And, yet, here we are...even deeper in that funk. The lines of difference dug deeper and deeper as if it were WWI trench warfare all over again.

So, what's to do?  Well, hire a great new coach for one thing, but I have no power or influence over that and I dare say few others here do either.  So, what can we do to ease the funk?  Well, for me, and perhaps for you as well, tone it down, step back a bit and realize we all want the best for UNT (yes, I make that assumption).  Realize that in the grand scheme of things arguing a position to the point of getting childish and nasty does no one any good and certainly does nothing to improve the situation for UNT.  In fact, it probably worsens it as long time UNT friends build walls that may or may not be able to be tumbled down once all this funk has past...and it will pass.  It will.

So, I am stepping back from the fray.  No, I am not leaving GMG.Com, and I'll still be posting from time to time.  I am just going to try to step back from the funk in the hopes others might see the emptiness of carrying forward so much bitterness toward other members of the same great Mean Green Nation.  Sure, have your differences, do what you think you should do, but tone it down.  Not every thread is an invitation for conflict.  Not every thread needs to delve into the same subject.  Not every thread needs to be a "my way or the highway" thread.  We have long ago lost the ability to have great discussions without all the drama and conflict.  I think it is time we returned to our respectful dialogues about the Mean Green.  And, yes, it's time for humor to return to GMG.Com.

Hopfully, I am not the only one to believe that we can once again be a united and great fan base.  No, not united in the same opinions, of course, but at least respectful of those other opinions and our friends who hold differing opinions.  We can either stand together in support of UNT or we will fall alone.  It is time to get out of the funk as a fan base and realize that things can change, and that together we will and can overcome this malaise we are currently suffering through.  I pledge to try.  Hard? Sure.  Anyone else care to at least try?

Thanks, Brett Vito, for an insightful column this morning.  Pretty much nailed the need.  Someone must emerge as a HC to help bring this fan base hope for a better tomorrow.  Because right now, it's in pretty much a big time funk.

[El Paso Eagle]

I hope you are correct. We need to be optimistic as a fan base and hope for the best (because whether those on this board believe it or not we do not really have the final say).

And yes, I for one will be behind whoever we choose and will (once again) hope that this is the person who finally turns us around.

[TheTastyGreek]

In Cairo, Egypt, there is an ancient artifact. 

It's in a museum now... They found it in the tomb of Amenhotep. 

Scholars call it "the wishing cup". 

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

An exciting football coach hiring and winning Basketball would sure help me feel better at least. 

[golfingomez]

An exciting football coach hiring and winning Basketball would sure help me feel better at least. 

well... let's hope for an exciting football coach hiring at least...

[EagleMBA]

In Cairo, Egypt, there is an ancient artifact. 

It's in a museum now... They found it in the tomb of Amenhotep. 

Scholars call it "the wishing cup". 

^{Translation of the inscription on "the wishing cup":}

May your ka live, may you spend millions of years, you, who love Thebes, sitting with your face to the north wind, your eyes beholding happiness.

 

 

Does this mean that you must sit quietly beside Spiriki, staring out at a simulated eagle's rear end for millions of years before your eyes behold a winning score on the endzone scoreboard? Oh what a cruel prophecy!

[KRAM1]

There was a winning score for the Mean Green on the scoreboard the last time they played at Apogee.  Whatever this Ka thing is, let's hope it helps to bring another Mean Green winning score to that Apogee scoreboard a week from this Saturday when the Mean Green take on the Miners from UTEP.

Beat UTEP! Go Mean Green!

Edited November 16, 2015 by KRAM1

[TheTastyGreek]

^{Translation of the inscription on "the wishing cup":}

May your ka live, may you spend millions of years, you, who love Thebes, sitting with your face to the north wind, your eyes beholding happiness.

 

 

Does this mean that you must sit quietly beside Spiriki, staring out at a simulated eagle's rear end for millions of years before your eyes behold a winning score on the endzone scoreboard? Oh what a cruel prophecy!

Prophecy is a complicated thing. 

I heard a different interpretation of what must be done with the wishing cup just last night. 

[rcade]

We need to be optimistic as a fan base and hope for the best (because whether those on this board believe it or not we do not really have the final say).

Everyone in Mean Green Nation has tried "hope for the best" as our approach for years.

At some point, it becomes absurd to do the same thing and hope for better results.

It's not true that we lack the final say. UNT is a public institution. Athletics is supported with public money. President Smatresk, AD Villarreal and every other employee at the school is beholden to the public. If their decisions do not reflect what we want, they can be held accountable for them. Part of their job is to be responsive to the public and other stakeholders of UNT.

[Ben Gooding]

After reading Brett Vito's piece in today's Denton-Record Chronicle, it dawned on me that what we have is a fan base in a big time funk!  For whatever reason, we are there.  All of us...not just the banner boys led by UNT90 or the flyonthewall boys, but rather all of us.  We are down and we are grumpy.  We have friends here fighting against each other for no other reason than we have differences of opinion.  We have long time fans saying they will no longer support the program.  We have football fanatics saying they will fly their flags upside down, wear black or simply stay home.  We have folks calling those who disagree with them childish names and, at times, being downright hateful.  Brett got it right when he said that the fanbase is "demoralized".  And that "demoralized" thing is showing itself in some pretty distasteful ways among the faithful.  And, folks, that is not good, and it is worse than just being unhappy over a won-loss record, a coach or AD or whatever else.

Brett is right.  We need someone to rally the troops.  But, before that, we need the fans we have left to stop fighting among themselves over different opinions of what needs to be done.  No one...no one...is going to change anyone else's mind on how/what needs to be done to right this ship.  Opinions are pretty much set by now.  Don't believe that?  Check out this site over the last few week's postings.  Every thread becomes the same either immediately or soon thereafter.  Same people pretty much saying the same thing over and over and over and over.  And, yet, here we are...even deeper in that funk. The lines of difference dug deeper and deeper as if it were WWI trench warfare all over again.

So, what's to do?  Well, hire a great new coach for one thing, but I have no power or influence over that and I dare say few others here do either.  So, what can we do to ease the funk?  Well, for me, and perhaps for you as well, tone it down, step back a bit and realize we all want the best for UNT (yes, I make that assumption).  Realize that in the grand scheme of things arguing a position to the point of getting childish and nasty does no one any good and certainly does nothing to improve the situation for UNT.  In fact, it probably worsens it as long time UNT friends build walls that may or may not be able to be tumbled down once all this funk has past...and it will pass.  It will.

So, I am stepping back from the fray.  No, I am not leaving GMG.Com, and I'll still be posting from time to time.  I am just going to try to step back from the funk in the hopes others might see the emptiness of carrying forward so much bitterness toward other members of the same great Mean Green Nation.  Sure, have your differences, do what you think you should do, but tone it down.  Not every thread is an invitation for conflict.  Not every thread needs to delve into the same subject.  Not every thread needs to be a "my way or the highway" thread.  We have long ago lost the ability to have great discussions without all the drama and conflict.  I think it is time we returned to our respectful dialogues about the Mean Green.  And, yes, it's time for humor to return to GMG.Com.

Hopfully, I am not the only one to believe that we can once again be a united and great fan base.  No, not united in the same opinions, of course, but at least respectful of those other opinions and our friends who hold differing opinions.  We can either stand together in support of UNT or we will fall alone.  It is time to get out of the funk as a fan base and realize that things can change, and that together we will and can overcome this malaise we are currently suffering through.  I pledge to try.  Hard? Sure.  Anyone else care to at least try?

Thanks, Brett Vito, for an insightful column this morning.  Pretty much nailed the need.  Someone must emerge as a HC to help bring this fan base hope for a better tomorrow.  Because right now, it's in pretty much a big time funk.

Quit reading right after that. There's a reason KRAM and you know what it is. Through the losing what has been the common denominator???? Don't worry, I'll wait....

Not the President

Not the coaching staffs

Sure as hell not the season ticket holders (poor souls)

Not professors

Not students 

Not Denton residents

Not donors

Hell,  not even stadiums

All of these have changed during this decade of losing...Except for what?!?!?  You got this one. You can answer it. 

 

[KRAM1]

Like I said, Ben, not every post and thread is an invitation to re-hash what has been said over and over, and no one is going to change positions because of some post.  Time to back it down a notch or two with the rehortic.  At least for me.  Perhaps you might consider joining me in an attempt to back away from the "my way or the highway" thinking.

[97and03]

Prophecy is a complicated thing. 

I heard a different interpretation of what must be done with the wishing cup just last night. 

Does it require two girls?

[El Paso Eagle]

At some point, it becomes absurd to do the same thing and hope for better results.

I believe that our greatest hope is with someone above the AD deciding, and "walking-the-walk" that athletics is a integral part of the success of the growth of the University. I am in agreement that we need to invest the resources and then demand accountability.

[Eagle-96]

There is only one type of funk that can solve our problems. And that's the P-Funk.

[NT1978]

There was a winning score for the Mean Green on the scoreboard the last time they played at Apogee.  Whatever this Ka thing is, let's hope it  helps bring another Mean Green winning score to that Apogee scoreboard this Saturday as well.

Beat UTEP! Go Mean Green!

That funk is so deep you forgot about Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro this weekend. That is where we want to see the Mean Green winning score this Saturday.

[Aldo]

So, what's to do?  Well, hire a great new coach for one thing,

O rly?

Too lasseiz faire for me.

[Green P1]

[KRAM1]

That funk is so deep you forgot about Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro this weekend. That is where we want to see the Mean Green winning score this Saturday.

100% agree about Middle Tennessee, but the Ka was referring to games at Apogee.  Middle is on the road of course.  But, absolutely...Beat Middle too!  Why not North Texas!

[MeanGreenTexan]

100% agree about Middle Tennessee, but the Ka was referring to games at Apogee.  Middle is on the road of course.  But, absolutely...Beat Middle too!  Why not North Texas!

I'm on board with playing nice Kram.   But you're tearing a fresh scab off with coach McCarney's catchphrase.  Let's bury that one.  

Edited November 16, 2015 by MeanGreenTexan
bad your/you're grammar

[MGNation92]

Why not

FTFY

[NT1978]

100% agree about Middle Tennessee, but the Ka was referring to games at Apogee.  Middle is on the road of course.  But, absolutely...Beat Middle too!  Why not North Texas!

I guess I was confused since you were referring to Apogee and this Saturday in same sentence.

[Censored by Laurie]

What Kram isn't telling the rest of you is, he truly is probably perfectly fine stepping away from North Texas.  If North Texas wins or loses its no skin off his nose.  Why?  Because his other school he supports,...Oklahoma State,...is in the middle of one of its best football seasons ever and possibly a bid to the FBS playoffs.  If NT craps the bed he just turns an eye further northward.  

I don't know about the rest of you but if your like me I don't have another college program to support.  It's North Texas or nothing for me.  That's why I and most everyone else demand accountability and he doesn't.   If NT fails he just supports his other school.  It's the Big 12 after all, something good athletically is always going on there.   Then, when things go south here and folks speak up about it he has the gall to hang around to judge people for it, sending threatening P.M.'s about sicking his lawyer on people and spewing his Ned Flanders-style vomit on the rest of us.  

The dude has issues and needs to walk away for a while.

 Walk away Mark and take that Knight Spirit award some gullible, clueless moron you were able to brown nose hard enough into giving you with you.  Take it back to Stillwater and show it to the Cowboy alumni.  Maybe someone there will give a rats enough to buy you a cup of coffee and a fresh new Eskimo Jo's t shirt.  I hear they come in all colors....green included.

 

 

 

Rick

 

 

 

 

 

 

you have Tarleton State.

[FirefightnRick]

you have Tarleton State.

No I don't.  The wife does though.

 

Rick

Edited November 16, 2015 by FirefightnRick

[THOR]

i think that people just care to much or put too much of their life into the school.  i went there...loved it, still do...but if the team wins or loses, it doesn't affect me...sure, i'd like for the boys to win, but it isn't he end of the world to me or changes the outlook of my day.    

 

i'm the apathetic fan that gives cash, enjoys the tailgating and games, but the results don't matter to me in the grand scheme of things...sun still rises, i still have beer...

[KRAM1]

I guess I was confused since you were referring to Apogee and this Saturday in same sentence.

Sorry...got the dates mixed up.  I will go back and try to edit that...thanks.  Good catch.