Two Years Ago Today: Fire Rick Villarreal Banner

[NorthTexan95]

Two years ago today I posted images on Facebook of the "Fire Rick Villarreal" banner flying over Denton.  I'm assuming the banner was actually flown on that same day. 

Two years later we have a division winning football team, a conference winning soccer team, a conference winning volleyball team, hope for both basketball teams as they start their seasons, a new soccer/track facility under construction, a IPF that's close to ground breaking, and an athletic department that is doing more than the AD staff has ever done at North Texas.  

I was a proud supporter of this banner.  Perhaps from now on we should refer to November 12th as "Banner Day".  

Edited November 12, 2017 by NorthTexan95

[Hunter Green]

No need to pour salt in the wound. Rick did some good things for us, but stayed a little too long, that's all.

[Matt from A700]

Quicker rebuild than I-35.

[Green92]

Poor taste and shows poor character. 

[outoftown]

I gave a little money to that, not regretting it either as it was necessary. But now its time to move on and make up with the past.

Edited November 12, 2017 by outoftown

[UNT90]

37 minutes ago, Green92 said:

Poor taste and shows poor character. 

Right, because left to folks like you, RV would still be here and we would still suck. 

Some people decided to do the heavy lifting. Most sat on their hands and criticized. Here’s to the doers, especially the one cat overseas that donated about half the amount. That guy is a freaking hero to this program, and his “character” is spot on. 

43 minutes ago, Hunter Green said:

No need to pour salt in the wound. Rick did some good things for us, but stayed a little too long, that's all.

10 years is more than “a little too long.” UNT is ripe to make the same mistake again.Mainly because it has one of the dumbest fan bases in college athletics. How else do you explain an RV being allowed to hang around for 10 years after he should have been fired. 

Edited November 12, 2017 by UNT90

[meaniegreenie]

9 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Right, because left to folks like you, RV would still be here and we would still suck. 

Some people decided to do the heavy lifting. Most sat on their hands and criticized. Here’s to the doers, especially the one cat overseas that donated about half the amount. That guy is a freaking hero to this program, and his “character” is spot on. 

10 years is more than “a little too long.” UNT is ripe to make the same mistake again.Mainly because it has one of the dumbest fan bases in college athletics. How else do you explain an RV being allowed to hang around for 10 years after he should have been fired. 

While I agree with a lot of what you say, attacking the fans isn't the full story.

For most of the last 30+ years, the "fans" could have completely stayed home (0 attendance), burned down most of the facilities, and flown 5 banners every day and you know what would have happened....NOTHING. 

We've finally got support for athletics at the upper levels of the administration and that makes for a whole new climate for the first time forever.

[GRN-WHT]

Some of the best money I’ve ever spent.

Good riddance. 

[UNT90]

4 minutes ago, meaniegreenie said:

While I agree with a lot of what you say, attacking the fans isn't the full story.

For most of the last 30+ years, the "fans" could have completely stayed home (0 attendance), burned down most of the facilities, and flown 5 banners every day and you know what would have happened....NOTHING. 

We've finally got support for athletics at the upper levels of the administration and that makes for a whole new climate for the first time forever.

Support? Benford was allowed to coach out a contract, it took well over 6 months from the time the media reported on the banner (flying it wasn’t important, media coverage was) until RV “resigned.” 

Dont think because things are going well this fall that’s the terrible culture that is UNT athletics has magically changed. It hasn’t.

[Hunter Green]

33 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Right, because left to folks like you, RV would still be here and we would still suck. 

Some people decided to do the heavy lifting. Most sat on their hands and criticized. Here’s to the doers, especially the one cat overseas that donated about half the amount. That guy is a freaking hero to this program, and his “character” is spot on. 

10 years is more than “a little too long.” UNT is ripe to make the same mistake again.Mainly because it has one of the dumbest fan bases in college athletics. How else do you explain an RV being allowed to hang around for 10 years after he should have been fired. 

Oh, lord. Are you still here? Just go away and take your miserable attitude with you. We've been over this a thousand times. RV is gone. Let it go and go to TCU games where I'm sure you are much happier.

[greenminer]

51 minutes ago, UNT90 said:

Right, because left to folks like you, RV would still be here and we would still suck. 

You're suggesting that anyone against the banner wanted RV to stay.

[KingDL1]

39 minutes ago, GRN-WHT said:

Some of the best money I’ve ever spent.

Good riddance. 

I wish it had not come to us flying the banner but it was time for something drastic to be done, I agree it has turned into the best money I ever spent.

 

RV was simply a parasite and I hope everybody learned to expect more. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

I knew this thread would bring 90 back around.   Likely the crowning achievement of his life.

It had little-to-no-impact on anything (something about wheels in motion...)  But I’m glad y’all can be proud of something in life.

27 minutes ago, greenminer said:

You're suggesting that anyone against the banner wanted RV to stay.

That’s the impenetrable defense.   That & “well, what did YOU do?!?”

[laxtonto]

Some times things like this do actually work.

In some ways I was and still am a bit ashamed that I supported something as blatant as this,  but then again it was effective and helped achieve the intended results. I am curious how Neal S and BOR feel about the banner now. At the time there was some conflicted viewpoints on how the optics of the banner impacted the overall brand.

[Cr1028]

I’m glad we have Wren now and that RV is gone. But let’s be clear while we celebrate this CUSA West division title in football, soccer title, and volleyball title. 2 of those three were hired with RV in the AD chair and none with Wren in that AD chair. RV’s hiring was one of the biggest reasons he was pointed to as a failure. His hires weren’t necessarily bad, he just didn’t have the know how or want to in order to get them the resources needed to be champions.

Don’t kick the man while he is down as he still supports our U even after being pushed out. He needed to go and his hires likely don’t succeed in the way they have if he is still here but they were still his hires.

Thank you to both RV and Wren for their achievements in moving our programs forward.

[El Paso Eagle]

2 hours ago, UNT90 said:

Right, because left to folks like you, RV would still be here and we would still suck. 

Some people decided to do the heavy lifting. Most sat on their hands and criticized. Here’s to the doers, especially the one cat overseas that donated about half the amount. That guy is a freaking hero to this program, and his “character” is spot on. 

10 years is more than “a little too long.” UNT is ripe to make the same mistake again.Mainly because it has one of the dumbest fan bases in college athletics. How else do you explain an RV being allowed to hang around for 10 years after he should have been fired. 

Funny thing we clinch the west division  and your crappy comments return. Please go away again 

[untjim1995]

Whether it helped get RV fired or not, it proved two things:

1.) it got coverage in the local media and on social media

2.) there were A LOT of us who have money to this because we had grown so freaking tired of nobody doing anything regarding our situation...RV got 15 years to lead the athletic department, where the three main revenue sports combined to absolutely horrendous overall results.

Hes gone and we have someone in place to make things better for longer in Denton. Hopefully, it will be something we can look back on and see that the line was made in the sand here. 

[UNT90]

58 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I knew this thread would bring 90 back around.   Likely the crowning achievement of his life.

It had little-to-no-impact on anything (something about wheels in motion...)  But I’m glad y’all can be proud of something in life.

That’s the impenetrable defense.   That & “well, what did YOU do?!?”

Hardly the crowning achievement of my life. But one thing is for sure, it definitely wasn’t any achievement in your life, was it?

And that’s why you hate it so much...

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

You're suggesting that anyone against the banner wanted RV to stay.

Nope, just that they were willing to sit on their hands and let the status quo be.

Thank God some didn’t.

[NorthTexan95]

32 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

RV’s hiring was one of the biggest reasons he was pointed to as a failure. His hires weren’t necessarily bad, he just didn’t have the know how or want to in order to get them the resources needed to be champions.

"not necessarily bad"?  Dodge?  McCarney?  Benford?  His hires were one of the biggest issues.  

Let's not forget the scathing report made after he left which leaves to doubt he was in way over his head.  The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is he had someone with NO ACCOUNTING DEGREE handing the millions of dollars in the AD budget.  RV was awful.  

[UNT90]

3 minutes ago, NorthTexan95 said:

"not necessarily bad"?  Dodge?  McCarney?  Benford?  His hires were one of the biggest issues.  

Let's not forget the scathing report made after he left which leaves to doubt he was in way over his head.  The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is he had someone with NO ACCOUNTING DEGREE handing the millions of dollars in the AD budget.  RV was awful.  

Just wait. In a couple of years certain people on this forum and in the program will want to nominate him for the hall of fame. That’s gonna happen. And it shouldn’t. Ever.

[EagleMBA]

Proud to say that I participated. Definitely one of the better things I have done to benefit UNT athletics over the years. It certainly focused a light on a problem that needed to be fixed. I have marked and circled November 12 as Banner Day. It is on a Monday next year. :)

[Cr1028]

30 minutes ago, NorthTexan95 said:

"not necessarily bad"?  Dodge?  McCarney?  Benford?  His hires were one of the biggest issues.  

Let's not forget the scathing report made after he left which leaves to doubt he was in way over his head.  The one thing that really sticks out in my mind is he had someone with NO ACCOUNTING DEGREE handing the millions of dollars in the AD budget.  RV was awful

Are you taking me out of context or did you even read the complete post? Because like it or not that division champion football coach and conference champion volleyball coach you referenced in your first post were hired by RV. 

Edited November 12, 2017 by Cr1028

[TreeFiddy]

Hahahaha, no.

[Censored by Laurie]

RV OUT banner flies and months later RV loses his job

90 swears off GMG (but still makes sure he can post his self-important rants to the half dozen on the other board) and we have a winning season 

cause and effect are real!

[NorthTexan95]

19 minutes ago, Cr1028 said:

Are you taking me out of context or did you even read the complete post? Because like it or not that division champion football coach and conference champion volleyball coach you referenced in your first post were hired by RV. 

No, I just quote you saying "not necessarily bad".  Perhaps you need to go back and read my post ... or your original post.  His hires were a big part of the issue.

I don't give RV much credit for Seth as it's debatable how much influence he had on that. He other football hires in 15 years combined for ZERO conference titles ... ZERO division titles ... ONE bowl game ... ONE bowl win.  The thing is, not only did he hire people who didn't win but they were program destroying.  

I like to think of it this way ... "RV was here 15 years.  During that time we won four conference titles ... went to five bowl games winning two ... AND IT WAS STILL THE WORST 15 YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF UNT FOOTBALL. 

So RV gave us a great volleyball program ... yeah ... a great soccer program ... year ... and totally destroyed the three money making sports:  football, mens basketball, and womens basketball. 

The other thing that the Post- RV report highlight is what an awful administration he lead.  He was an inept leader and emotional to the point of being immature. 

Edited November 12, 2017 by NorthTexan95