Thank You

KABrother88 · September 3, 2017

I just wanted to express my personal gratitude to you guys on this board and the UNT community as a whole for your graciousness and absolute class during this time. People in Southeast Texas have experienced unimaginable loss this past week and its effects will be felt for a long, long time in our community.

You can not imagine the heart break, listening to the local news at 3:00 in the morning and have someone call in begging for someone to come rescue them and save their life. Then you get on social media only to see good friends posting addresses of family members that are in need of rescue. As daylight breaks, the local news rides along with the guy you sit behind at the local high school football games as he is rescuing people in a nursing home. You turn it over to national news to see a fraternity brother, the commissioner of your fantasy football league, the guy you joked saying you didn't want him to be in charge of saving your life when he became a firefighter. But there he is, holding an elderly lady he just pulled from a house. Then you look out your front door and realize you can do nothing. You are trapped in your neighborhood. I live very close to the airport which has turned into a makeshift military base and the location all of those rescued were brought to. It is Sunday and helicopters are still flying over.

Our players are dealing with issues that no one really has a good example of how to handle. By my count, roughy 60% of the players listed on our roster are from an area effected by the storm as well as a few coaches who are natives of those areas. I feel like having this game played was the right thing to do, not because of the money that our little program relies on, but because our players needed it. Those few hours were important to the psyche of our guys. Those few hours let our guys focus on something other than devastation or lack of running water. Those few hours let our guys play the game they love. I truly wished I would have been able to make this game. Obviously as a Lamar fanatic I was ready to see the season start. I was ready to put this storm behind me. I was ready to not hear the rescue helicopters passing over my house every 10 minutes. But I also wanted to meet these people who understood the bigger picture of this. I wanted to shake the hand of each one of those individuals and thank them for their generosity. Who directly contacts the Athletic Director of an FBS program to offer fundraising ideas to help an opponent? Someone who gets it and someone I want to personally meet. Thank you all again. You can bet your ass if Lamar and North Texas ever meet again I will be in Apogee Stadium and I will find you guys.

NM Green · September 3, 2017

Wow. Emotional post alert. This was maybe the most awesome post ever on the Gomeangreen.com board, and I've been on it a long time.

Thank you and your University for your class and commitment. It was nice to see fans having respect for each other. It was great seeing fans celebrate their teams and loved ones on a September evening in Apogee. This was more than just 1-0. This game was needed for a lot of reasons way beyond money and scoreboard. It was needed for a sense of relief and support. Seeing the Green Brigade play the Lamar song at the end of the game and the sign reading Texas Strong brought tears and emotions to the surface. All I kept hearing in my head was "Texans supporting Texans," that now infamous slogan ringing in my head.

I met some Lamar family members after the game and they were so incredibly kind. They had no idea what they were going back to and when, but there they were smiling and connecting with other humans on a beautiful Denton night.

Though this might not be a popular idea, I wouldn't even mind giving Lamar a home game one day. It doesn't have to be next year or in 5 years. But we will always be connected because of that First Saturday in September 2017.

All the best the rest of the way. God bless on the healing and rebuild. Gone on the schedule, but not in our hearts - EVER.

Go Lamar

GMG

tmjerm · September 3, 2017

God bless you guys. We will continue to support and keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Good luck the rest of the way!

Greenrex · September 3, 2017

All the best to you, KABrother88. Thank you for lending voice to the importance of a higher purpose and reminding us that we all have a part in that purpose. You are indeed the grace and class of which you speak.

trud1966 · September 3, 2017

THIS is a Great Example of what sportsmanship should be on both sides! Given what Mother Nature did to that area, I was very surprised (and very impressed) that the game wasn't cancelled. I would've completely understood if the game had to be postponed. But Lamar threw people and Logistics on the problem, and found a way (literally...) And it sounded like UNT was in constant communication with them. And I was equally impresssed and the amount of Lamar fans that showed!!! This is no exaggeration, Lamar brought more fans than SMU brought to Apogee year before last, and that includes SMUs band! That's the mark of a good program in my book!

Good Luck to Lamar University this year. They are now one of my new teams to follow.

#LAMARSTRONG GO CARDS!

drex · September 4, 2017

I think we should fly the Lamar flag under our flag for the remainder of the season to let Lamar and the affected region know that they are in our thoughts.

UNTLifer · September 4, 2017

30 minutes ago, drex said:

I think we should fly the Lamar flag under our flag for the remainder of the season to let Lamar and the affected region know that they are in our thoughts.

Yes, but we need a flag pole.

Great post and so thankful the folks that were there were able to enjoy a game and take their minds off of the devastation at home. Best of luck the remainder of the year.