DRC: On eve of title game, UNT appears locked into New Orleans Bowl

KingDL1 · December 2, 2017

Just now, pastorgrant said:

I'm hoping for Independence, but if the players want to go to New Orleans, then that's okay with me. They played with such grit and determination this year, they deserve to be able to choose.

It should be about what is best for the future of the program, seems like they got to play last time in Boca

pastorgrant · December 2, 2017

Just now, KingDL1 said:

It should be about what is best for the future of the program, seems like they got to play last time in Boca

Strengthening relationships with the players who will be ambassadors for our school going forward may also be good for the program long term.

KingDL1 · December 2, 2017

1 minute ago, pastorgrant said:

Strengthening relationships with the players who will be ambassadors for our school going forward may also be good for the program long term.

I don't see that as important as playing in a better perceived bowl. and don't see playing in one bowl over another as really making a difference of how these players will be ambassadors.

MeanGreenTexan · December 2, 2017

13 minutes ago, Silent Eagle said:

The players want it- they don’t owe us an explanation.

Is this a hypothetical? Or a statement of fact?

if a hypothetical, then sure! I completely agree, the players owe us nothing. ... but I believe the guys would want to play the team that best gives them a chance to cement a legacy. That opposing team may be a Seminole squad waiting for them in Shreveport.

If a fact, then dang. Can’t believe they are already sold on playing the SBC champs without seeing the potential openings, especially if they win tomorrow.

Ryan Munthe · December 2, 2017

This is just insane. What are we doing?!

If we win we could play Florida State!! The HELL!?!

Edited December 2, 2017 by Ryan Munthe

PlummMeanGreen · December 2, 2017

37 minutes ago, Silent Eagle said:

The players want it- they don’t owe us an explanation.

Do the players really want it or are they being told that they want it? 🙃

Voodoo City Bowl is tantamount to UNT driving a new Cadillac for the last few years & then suddenly being told we have to go back to enjoying driving a used Buick & to just deal with it.

The Big Un'Easy Bowl would still be a temporary program set-back for Mean Green NewDenton progressives, but may actually be our only (forced) choice this year.

Keep winning--Start filling Apogee on a regular basis--& we won't be relegated to being treated like a 2'nd hand Rose in the future, but OldDenton will say: "We po' but we proud--just give us any chicken bones & we'll suck the bone marrow out of those & enjoy it! 😫

About 5O years of being told what we're supposed to like by mostly NCAA novices most of whom could not get jobs outside the Denton City Limits post-UNT jobs might cause others to concur & feel similar.

Still, if our players truly want the NO's Bowl, then they should get it & enjoy it in about 14 "short" days, but please let's not get stuck again on an annual basis vs a conference that does not advance our brand & what most of us think our real upside is in Denton--Old & New.

Edited December 2, 2017 by PlummMeanGreen

Mean Green Matt · December 2, 2017

6 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Is this a hypothetical? Or a statement of fact?

if a hypothetical, then sure! I completely agree, the players owe us nothing. ... but I believe the guys would want to play the team that best gives them a chance to cement a legacy. That opposing team may be a Seminole squad waiting for them in Shreveport.

If a fact, then dang. Can’t believe they are already sold on playing the SBC champs without seeing the potential openings, especially if they win tomorrow.

I'm along these lines. The players deserve a big say, but leadership should also be selling them on the best options for the program.

bstnsportsfan3 · December 2, 2017

If its in New Orleans i won't be there.

MeanGreenTexan · December 2, 2017

1 minute ago, Mean Green Matt said:

I'm along these lines. The players deserve a big say, but leadership should also be selling them on the best options for the program.

I wonder if Wren approached the team with the C-USA tie-ins & asked which one they preferred in case the Independence Bowl/HoD/Cure is not available, & N.O. is the answer he got.

He may also be privy to info from the Indy/HoD committees saying, “we’re not going to take UNT anyway” & is now making plans to get the guys what they want.

I dunno, just trying to give WB & the players/staff the benefit of the doubt.

I truly believe the players would want a P5 in Shreveport over a trip to NO, if given the opportunity.

UNTexas · December 2, 2017

The funny thing is most media outlets are predicting us in the NO Bowl. Even Wren came out and scoffed at all the predictions. Tomorrow around 3 will clear all this up.

vpackrats · December 2, 2017

I'm more of a reader than a commenter on this board but sometimes I wonder if people realize how hypocritical some of their posts are? For months we hear stuff like "Man, screw SMU -- they always look down on us & think they're so much better than us" -- or -- "Man, why does school X always try & blow us off? Their fans' message board keeps talking about how they have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing us or Conference USA. Eff them!".

NOW: "Man, screw Troy -- we're so much better than them -- or -- "Man, why would we play anyone from the Belt? We have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing Troy or the Sun Belt. Eff them!".

Can we at least please be consistent? I'm got a neck brace on due to the extreme whiplash of reading these posts.

Edited December 2, 2017 by vpackrats

untjim1995 · December 2, 2017

1 minute ago, vpackrats said:

I'm more of a reader than a commenter on this board but sometimes I wonder if people realize how hypocritical some of their posts are? For months we hear stuff like "Man, screw SMU -- they always look down on us & think they're so much better than us" -- or -- "Man, why does school X always try & blow us off? Their fans' message board keeps talking about how they have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing us or Conference USA. Eff them!".

NOW: "Man, screw Troy -- we're so much better than them -- or -- "Man, why would we play anyone from the Belt? We have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing Troy or the Sun Belt. Eff them!".

Can we at least please be consistent? I'm got a neck brace on due the extreme whiplash of reading these posts.

Be careful...lots of posters don’t like this being brought up.

KingDL1 · December 2, 2017

1 minute ago, vpackrats said:

I'm more of a reader than a commenter on this board but sometimes I wonder if people realize how hypocritical some of their posts are? For months we hear stuff like "Man, screw SMU -- they always look down on us & think they're so much better than us" -- or -- "Man, why does school X always try & blow us off? Their fans' message board keeps talking about how they have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing us or Conference USA. Eff them!".

NOW: "Man, screw Troy -- we're so much better than them -- or -- "Man, why would we play anyone from the Belt? We have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing Troy or the Sun Belt. Eff them!".

Can we at least please be consistent? I'm got a neck brace on due the extreme whiplash of reading these posts.

You must be kidding we worked at getting out of the sorry ass sun belt for years.

Shark84 · December 2, 2017

59 minutes ago, Mean Green Matt said:

CUSA has a secondary tie in in Shreveport so a CUSA team will almost certainly fill that other spot.

I am not trying to dismiss the wishes of the players. If they want to leave Dallas, that's fine and I get it, they've played their butts off. But when a closer bowl for the fans against a higher profile (but possibly weaker team as @MeanGreenTexan has been trying to point out) exists, then I just feel like our administration should be steering us in that direction (especially if we have first choice).

Troy is good and a win against them would be great on the field. But in the grand scheme of things, despite the fact Troy beat LSU, there is really no perception "win" for us by playing them. Especially if we wrap up win #10 tomorrow

untjim1995 · December 2, 2017

I have enough faith in Neal smatresk, Wren Baker, and Seth Littrell that they wouldn’t openly choose a bowl game without looking at the merits of the opponent and location.

I can promise you that if we pull off a miracle tomorrow in Boca and beat a team who could’ve beaten us by 50 if they wanted to last time, we will not choose the NO Bowl to play Troy if the Independence or HoD Bowl are options against P5s.

Have some faith in our leadership. It ain’t Gretchen Bataille, RV, and Todd Dodge running things anymore.

Travis · December 2, 2017

Boo. I don’t want this bowl at all

untjim1995 · December 2, 2017

4 minutes ago, KingDL1 said:

You must be kidding we worked at getting out of the sorry ass sun belt for years.

Well, it only worked because SMU left and CUSA needed a school in DFW. If that was work, it was wasted time until SMU left.

Aquila_Viridis · December 2, 2017

SO Miss and Memphis enjoyed their NOBs against Sunbelt us. Why would CUSA us see it differently than they did?

KingDL1 · December 2, 2017

7 minutes ago, untjim1995 said:

Well, it only worked because SMU left and CUSA needed a school in DFW. If that was work, it was wasted time until SMU left.

Everyone wanted out of the Belt, it was the worst conference with the least amount of bowl tie ins. The belt was the path for most teams to enter FBS. C-USA is not what it used to be either.

Well that was about the hard work we expected from the AD at the time

Mean Green Matt · December 2, 2017

12 minutes ago, vpackrats said:

I'm more of a reader than a commenter on this board but sometimes I wonder if people realize how hypocritical some of their posts are? For months we hear stuff like "Man, screw SMU -- they always look down on us & think they're so much better than us" -- or -- "Man, why does school X always try & blow us off? Their fans' message board keeps talking about how they have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing us or Conference USA. Eff them!".

NOW: "Man, screw Troy -- we're so much better than them -- or -- "Man, why would we play anyone from the Belt? We have nothing to gain & everything to lose by playing Troy or the Sun Belt. Eff them!".

Can we at least please be consistent? I'm got a neck brace on due to the extreme whiplash of reading these posts.

Hold up. If anything people on here have been complimentary of Troy. Unfortunately the perception of the Sun Belt is well...still the Sun Belt.

What does playing in that game specifically (meaning it is reportedly being specifically chosen over other options) do for us?

DemolitionDan · December 2, 2017

19 minutes ago, bstnsportsfan3 said:

If its in New Orleans i won't be there.

Good to know.

5 minutes ago, Travis said:

Boo. I don’t want this bowl at all

Okay.

I will be there and for anyone else who has the capability of making it - hopefully you’ll be there. I predicted 5-7 at the beginning of the year with no bowl. These guys worked their tails off and went 9-3.... 9-3!!!! Regardless of why that bowl was chosen You bet your ass I’m down to go have a little fun on Bourbon and squeeze in one last chance to watch this team live.

Salsa_Verde · December 2, 2017

I just feel uneasy about the possibility of the athletic department and the team already deciding on a bowl regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game. So then why play tomorrow? I just don’t want to see North Texas get skunked by half time. I hope that makes sense.

GMG

Mean Green Matt · December 2, 2017

25 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

I wonder if Wren approached the team with the C-USA tie-ins & asked which one they preferred in case the Independence Bowl/HoD/Cure is not available, & N.O. is the answer he got.

He may also be privy to info from the Indy/HoD committees saying, “we’re not going to take UNT anyway” & is now making plans to get the guys what they want.

I dunno, just trying to give WB & the players/staff the benefit of the doubt.

I truly believe the players would want a P5 in Shreveport over a trip to NO, if given the opportunity.

I agree with this. We may be able to infer from the ultimate matchups in these games how things went down. But based on comments from decision makers and the current reporting it is very puzzling.

GrandGreen · December 2, 2017

51 minutes ago, KingDL1 said:

It should be about what is best for the future of the program, seems like they got to play last time in Boca

What is best for the program. You don't know and neither does anyone else. What if NT was matched up with a Big 8 foe in the HOD bowl or an ACC foe in Shreveport and lost by 50 points, would that help the program? NT could also get beat in the NO bowl or any other place they may play.

I really would go to any of the Bowls being tossed around. I am not going to the Hawaii Bowl, and probably would turn down Detroit and a few others. But it is not because whoever the opponent would be or some kind of stupid protest against the selection. Hawaii is too expensive and I have been to Detroit already more than I ever wanted.