NT Daily covers UNT Fan Meeting from Monday

Austin.Jackson · June 29, 2016

This is the fan/alumni/donor forum article for you.

http://ntdaily.com/unt-consultants-host-open-athletics-forum-as-fresh-start/

Sorry it's late.

-AJ

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

Dunham is the campaign manager for the Hank Dickerson for AD campaign. Same old North Texas bullshit.

Some donors, and I'm beginning to think Dunham is one of them, care more about keeping the tight group of 50 or so major players, never wanting the university to expand beyond that. Dickenson is ABSOLUTELY cut from this cloth.

There were about 100 people in that meeting, a meeting open to any UNT fan to attend. And 100 showed up. From a 35,000 student university with a conservative estimate of 100k alums living within 60 miles of Denton.

If that's how you want it to stay, President Smatresk, go ahead and hire Hank Dickenson.

And be prepared for some long time fans to walk away.

So sick of important alumni picking friendships over what is best for UNT athletics, and that's absolutely what George Dunham is doing here.

Edited June 29, 2016 by UNT90

All About UNT · June 29, 2016

3 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Dunham is the campaign manager for the Hank Dickerson for AD campaign. Same old North Texas bullshit.

Some donors, and I'm beginning to think Dunham is one of them, care more about keeping the tight but group of 50 or so major players, never wanting the university to expand beyond that. Dickenson is ABSOLUTELY cut from this cloth.

There were about 100 people in that meeting, a meeting open to any UNT fan to attend. And 100 showed up. From a 35,000 student university with a conservative estimate of 100k fans living within 60 miles of Denton.

If that's how you want it to stay, President Smatresk, go ahead and hire Hank Dickenson.

And be prepared for some long time fans to walk away.

So sick of important alumni picking friendships over what is best for UNT athletics, and that's absolutely what George Dunham is doing here.

"One thing we seem to be really good at [at] North Texas is complaining,” Dunham said, also saying he planned to listen for the most part but would speak up if needed"

Here is the thing George....not one person, that I can recall, said anything about Hank until you did. You came with an agenda and plugged it when you could.

Silent Eagle · June 29, 2016

what we're seeing from people like Dunham is the old guard in its death throes. I wonder if he feels so strongly about his friend becoming ad that he'd walk away from the program.

I don't want to see us lose any supporters, but at the same time if they're not part of the solution they're part of the problem.

I'm wondering if anyone from the ivory tower/wine and cheese crowd was at the meeting silently supporting their chosen successor.

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

4 hours ago, All About UNT said:

"One thing we seem to be really good at [at] North Texas is complaining,” Dunham said, also saying he planned to listen for the most part but would speak up if needed"

Here is the thing George....not one person, that I can recall, said anything about Hank until you did. You came with an agenda and plugged it when you could.

Ya, because there is nothing to complain about when it comes to UNT athletics, right George? And then to say Hank "made excuses for the last guy for 15 years" and actually believe that's a selling point? Like what UNT needs is another guy that is practiced at making excuses? It was about the worst argument for Hank that could have been made.

Stop picking friendship over what's best for UNT athletics, George Dunham.

Edited June 29, 2016 by UNT90

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

2 hours ago, Silent Eagle said:

what we're seeing from people like Dunham is the old guard in its death throes. I wonder if he feels so strongly about his friend becoming ad that he'd walk away from the program.

I don't want to see us lose any supporters, but at the same time if they're not part of the solution they're part of the problem.

I'm wondering if anyone from the ivory tower/wine and cheese crowd was at the meeting silently supporting their chosen successor.

George got quite the applause from the older crowd after his campaign speech. There was more than silent support. I hope the applause was people just being polite, I fear just the opposite.

George attempting to play the victim was also laughable. The "I've been personally attacked for the comments I made on my show" line followed by an attempt to generate tears made me throw up in my mouth. It was like seeing RV in action all over again. He was intentionally trying to play victim and generate sympathy for his friend. It's was extremely calculated.

Really pissed me off.

Edited June 29, 2016 by UNT90

NTAlum09 · June 29, 2016

8 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Dunham is the campaign manager for the Hank Dickerson for AD campaign. Same old North Texas bullshit.

Some donors, and I'm beginning to think Dunham is one of them, care more about keeping the tight big group of 50 or so major players, never wanting the university to expand beyond that. Dickenson is ABSOLUTELY cut from this cloth.

There were about 100 people in that meeting, a meeting open to any UNT fan to attend. And 100 showed up. From a 35,000 student university with a conservative estimate of 100k fans living within 60 miles of Denton.

If that's how you want it to stay, President Smatresk, go ahead and hire Hank Dickenson.

And be prepared for some long time fans to walk away.

So sick of important alumni picking friendships over what is best for UNT athletics, and that's absolutely what George Dunham is doing here.

Ya that's bad

We get a little over a 100 alumni at our UNT Lacrosse Alumni Game

Hunter Green · June 29, 2016

1 hour ago, NTAlum09 said:

Ya that's bad

We get a little over a 100 alumni at our UNT Lacrosse Alumni Game

This illustrates the amount of apathy, of hopelessness, that has been allowed to fester with nothing to look forward to athletically. Losing in football, losing in basketball, losing in women's basketball, no baseball, no commitment to excellence from anyone. Most of us are disheartened that even with RV gone and the consultants coming in, very little will change in the foreseeable future. Hype is just that. Hype. I fear this latest effort by Dr. S may have come too late.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Hunter Green

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

8 minutes ago, Hunter Green said:

This illustrates the amount of apathy, of hopelessness, that has been allowed to fester with nothing to look forward to athletically. Losing in football, losing in basketball, losing in women's basketball, no baseball, no commitment to excellence from anyone. Most of us are disheartened that even with RV gone and the consultants coming in, very little will change in the foreseeable future. Hype is just that. Hype. I fear this latest effort by Dr. S may have come too late.

We will have an answer to this inside a month. If Hank is named AD, it will be the death of UNT athletics. It will be more go along to get along and more excuses for failure.

IF UNT goes outside and hires a youngish person who has turned around an AD at a lower level, hope abounds. It's not too late, but it's late.

MeanGreenHoops · June 29, 2016

Sorry I don't agree that hiring from within is definitely wrong. It's quite possible, especially in the dysfunctional leadership we've had, that there was someone who would be a great leader if given the chance is there. If Hank is given the job, I'll judge by the results.

However, if as Dunham says in this article, that the AD needs to build relationships and that is why Hank is right for the job, I strongly disagree and would say he is not the man for the job.

The AD is the CEO of the business. Their job is not to establish relationships, that's a sales job. Their job is to establish the vision for the business, and the culture of how you achieve that vision and treat your customers. This is what was severely lacking in the past.

So based on Dunham's quotes, if someone who builds relationships is the person who gets the job as AD, we are in big trouble.

wardly · June 29, 2016

I have known Hank since he first came to UNT. He wants what is best for the University, honest as the day is long,and is qualified for the position. However, I think he is tied to the past administration much like Clinton is tied to Obama.[not trying to be political,just showing an example].

akriesman · June 29, 2016

9 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Dunham is the campaign manager for the Hank Dickerson for AD campaign. Same old North Texas bullshit.

Some donors, and I'm beginning to think Dunham is one of them, care more about keeping the tight big group of 50 or so major players, never wanting the university to expand beyond that. Dickenson is ABSOLUTELY cut from this cloth.

There were about 100 people in that meeting, a meeting open to any UNT fan to attend. And 100 showed up. From a 35,000 student university with a conservative estimate of 100k fans living within 60 miles of Denton.

If that's how you want it to stay, President Smatresk, go ahead and hire Hank Dickenson.

And be prepared for some long time fans to walk away.

So sick of important alumni picking friendships over what is best for UNT athletics, and that's absolutely what George Dunham is doing here.

I think this all goes back to communication with alumni. If you are not a GMG forum member, how else were you going to hear about this event ? The only media attention that it seemed to get was after the actual meeting took place.

I agree that our fan base is apathetic, especially now. But, this event could have been much better attended with a little more publicity. On the other hand, I am not sure that they wanted a lot of people to show up. IMO, this event was probably staged in part to attempt to quell the negativity coming from this forum. I am not being critical of anyone here. Just making an observation. The hardcore UNT fans are all right here.

Edited June 29, 2016 by akriesman

FirefightnRick · June 29, 2016

If you want to see why people are willing to walk away from this program just look at some of the opinions in this thread.

Despite countless example after example of fans being treated like lepers, horrible business practices and zero accountability we still have spineless fans who refuse to stand up for their "friends" and for their university. I saw this in dealing with Mandy McKinley as well.

One poster above told me to my face Monday night he's 50/50 on Hank, then wakes up this morning and states he's worried nothing will ever change around here.

WTF?????

I like most of ya,...and yall know I'd do just about anything for you but I'll never understand some of you guys with the whole..."Well....he's never pissed down my leg...so he must be a good guy" approach.

My point being we never stand up for our own and it's just sickening.

Unreal!

Rick

Edited June 29, 2016 by FirefightnRick

Cerebus · June 29, 2016

If this happens I wonder will everyone will end up posting to?

GRN-WHT · June 29, 2016

George was embarrassing. I lost a lot of respect for him that night.

Everybody before him had articulate comments and ideas and didn't name names or call anybody out past or present. For all of the anti-Hank sentiment on this board, it was George who first spoke of his name that night, it wasn't necessary. Especially when it was said by the organizers many times that the goal of the meeting was to find out what has been going on with the athletic department. It wasn't the time or place for campaign speeches.

George lost me from the beginning when he was bashing what he saw as the us vs them mentality, yet there was only one speaker who walked up to a microphone that bashed fans and furthered the us vs them mentality. His name is George Dunham.

Shameful.

Edited June 29, 2016 by GRN-WHT

oldguystudent · June 29, 2016

16 minutes ago, GRN-WHT said:

George was embarrassing. I lost a lot of respect for him that night.

Everybody before him had articulate comments and ideas and didn't name names or call anybody out past or present. For all of the anti-Hank sentiment on this board, it was George who first spoke of his name that night, it wasn't necessary. Especially when it was said by the organizers many times that the goal of the meeting was to find out what has been going on with the athletic department. It wasn't the time or place for campaign speeches.

George lost me from the beginning when he was bashing what he saw as the us vs them mentality, yet there was only one speaker who walked up to a microphone that bashed fans and furthered the us vs them mentality. His name is George Dunham.

Shameful.

Agree. It was embarrassing and absolutely not the time or place. I lost a lot of respect for him too.

UNT Five&Dime · June 29, 2016

Did Craig Miller show up?

greenjoe · June 29, 2016

Yes. At the OU forum.

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

41 minutes ago, greenjoe said:

Yes. At the OU forum.

But no one noticed, because 30,000 other fans were there.

Not 100...

drex · June 29, 2016

Whether they will admit it or not, the entire senior administration at the athletic department are tired and burned out. A fresh start is critical. Interesting how Dunham can switch from media to non-media upon his own whim.

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

30 minutes ago, drex said:

Whether they will admit it or not, the entire senior administration at the athletic department are tired and burned out. A fresh start is critical. Interesting how Dunham can switch from media to non-media upon his own whim.

And then use his media status to get quoted in the school newspaper. Such seedy behavior.

UNT Five&Dime · June 29, 2016

I know we're running out of time, since banners take 7 months for the payoff. But, have we considered flying a new one that says:

Just Say "NO tHANKs" to UNT AD!

Aldo · June 29, 2016

So you've got some consultants readily admitting there are many problems within the department, and you (general you) want to promote from within?

Nothing personal to Dickenson, as I don't know the guy, but he's unfortunately guilty by association.

On top of that it's small-time mentality. Put your big boy pants on, stop acting on emotion, and make the right business decision for the program.

UNT90 · June 29, 2016

2 hours ago, UNT Five&Dime said:

I know we're running out of time, since banners take 7 months for the payoff. But, have we considered flying a new one that says:

Just Say "NO tHANKs" to UNT AD!

Sounds like you just got yourself a project.

Then you can strangely fixate on yourself after you fly the thing, right?... ?

11 hours ago, Silent Eagle said:

what we're seeing from people like Dunham is the old guard in its death throes. I wonder if he feels so strongly about his friend becoming ad that he'd walk away from the program.

I don't want to see us lose any supporters, but at the same time if they're not part of the solution they're part of the problem.

I'm wondering if anyone from the ivory tower/wine and cheese crowd was at the meeting silently supporting their chosen successor.

If he walks away, he proves he cares more about a friend than he does what is best for UNT.

If that's the case, good riddance.

MeanGreenTexan · June 29, 2016

4 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Sounds like you just got yourself a project.

Then you can strangely fixate on yourself after you fly the thing, right?... ?

If he walks away, he proves he cares more about a friend than he does what is best for UNT.

If that's the case, good riddance.

Change is scary for some people.
But I'm fairly certain the new AD will be sure to meet with George Dunham early on to get level with him. Once they meet, and figure out that both want what's best for UNT athletics, George will jump on board. I'm betting the same for "the 17" and any others that were chummy with RV before.