Is it too soon to talk about a Mason Fine Statue at Apogee?

[Harry]

My thinking is it will be similar to what they did with the Mean Joe Greene statue, but on the student side.  Thoughts? 

[UNTLifer]

At some point and time, but I feel that Abner Haynes and Leon King deserve one first.

** Abner for sure and Leon King should be mentioned somewhere for breaking the color barrier along with Mr. Haynes.

Edited November 6, 2019 by UNTLifer

[golfingomez]

wayyyy too early

[MeanGreenTexan]

14 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

At some point and time, but I feel that Abner Haynes and Leon King deserve one first.

Beat me to it.

These dudes are a huge feather in the cap for the University as a whole.  

[GrandGreen]

28 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

At some point and time, but I feel that Abner Haynes and Leon King deserve one first.

Way too late, should have been the first statue. 

Maybe NT's finest moment and NT administrative continues to fail to commemorate it. 

Ever time, I see or hear the SMU Jerry Levias story; I regret the failure of NT to publicize Haynes and KIng's football careers, which happened about a decade before.  

Edited November 6, 2019 by GrandGreen

[Wag Tag]

HOF first. I like all the above with Fine on the student side.

[GrandGreen]

Too early for Fine,  HOF and statues need to be done after NT career's has time to mellow.

Makes me wonder why there was not a similar request for Steve Ramsey?  He had far more national records at the time than Fine does now and his teams were better. 

I think Fine is a better QB, but Ramsey put up some great numbers.  Ramsey is severely handicapped when compared to Fine because of the great disparity in games played.  

[tmjerm]

I was actually pondering this in the shower this morning and arrived at the same thoughts as the above.  Needs some time to pass and get Haynes and King done first (like NOW).  

[Harry]

I think Joe Greene is a testament to the older generation -- my thinking is Fine could be someone the younger folks could embrace and know.  The younger folks are our future.  I agree there are plenty of guys that could be recognized and are deserving.  The Fine story is so emblematic of North Texas, the underdog that had to prove himself against all odds.

[UNT86]

Only one statue is deserved... for now.

Joe has served our university for decades.  Mason has been and will be an awesome ambassador for our school.  Time will tell if he gets a statue, but to match Joe it will be a long hill to climb.

 

[El Paso Eagle]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

I think Joe Greene is a testament to the older generation -- my thinking is Fine could be someone the younger folks could embrace and know.  The younger folks are our future.  I agree there are plenty of guys that could be recognized and are deserving.  The Fine story is so emblematic of North Texas, the underdog that had to prove himself against all odds.

Harry, IMO these are for the greatest of our greats. Mason's time might come, but there are others that need to go up before him. With all due respect, our HOF is more of a Hall of Really Good, or in some cases, a Hall of "he was a good guy", If more statutes are to come, make them truly special. 

[meangreenlax]

Love the kid and it’s admirable that he put up the numbers he has. Undoubtedly the best QB North Texas has ever had.

But let’s get real... He’s a sure fire UNT HOFer. That’s it.

Joe Greene was a generational talent, NFL HOFer, made a huge imprint on the NFL and is a household name for what he did in and out of football. 

This isn’t a shot at Mason, he’s seems like a good guy. But comparing the two is a little ridiculous.

Edited November 6, 2019 by meangreenlax

[GrandGreen]

19 minutes ago, Harry said:

I think Joe Greene is a testament to the older generation -- my thinking is Fine could be someone the younger folks could embrace and know.  The younger folks are our future.  I agree there are plenty of guys that could be recognized and are deserving.  The Fine story is so emblematic of North Texas, the underdog that had to prove himself against all odds.

Maybe those younger folks need to wait about 40 years like us older folks did to see Greene honored with a statue. 

Joe Greene is one of a kind.  Fine is a special player, but I hope he is the start of a lot of special players to play for NT.  

Unlikely, as it may seem: NT may generate more special players in the near future.  If NT doesn't produce those type of players in a decade or two; then let's discuss a statue for Fine.  

[Cerebus]

Joe Greene didn’t just get the statue for what he did at NT. He was an incredible ambassador for the university for decades after he left.

 No doubt Fine can be that type of person, but I think he’ll have to do it to deserve the statue.

 

HoFer with out a doubt, Beck wave the five year rule and put him in on Senior day.

[greenminer]

No more than 5 statues total.  And at least two decades must pass from graduation to be considered.

[GrayEagle]

2 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

At some point and time, but I feel that Abner Haynes and Leon King deserve one first.

I certainly agree with Abner but not Leon King.  He did not take near the abuse that Abner did and his contribution was minimal.  Further, Abner was arguably the best player in the old AFL, a member of the Texas Hall of Fame and the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

[MeanGreenTexan]

1 hour ago, tmjerm said:

I was actually pondering this in the shower this morning and arrived at the same thoughts as the above.  Needs some time to pass and get Haynes and King done first (like NOW).  

Agree.  Abner is getting on up there in years...    He deserves to see his statue.

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

2 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

I certainly agree with Abner but not Leon King.  He did not take near the abuse that Abner did and his contribution was minimal.  Further, Abner was arguably the best player in the old AFL, a member of the Texas Hall of Fame and the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

That is true, but King was also there with Abner. King and Haynes were THE first black players in the state of Texas. That SMU guy isnt

[GrandGreen]

3 hours ago, GrayEagle said:

I certainly agree with Abner but not Leon King.  He did not take near the abuse that Abner did and his contribution was minimal.  Further, Abner was arguably the best player in the old AFL, a member of the Texas Hall of Fame and the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

King certainly would not get in on his athletic merit, but some events are much bigger than that.

 

[Cooley]

Fine is not worthy of a statute. Far exceeded everyone’s expectation and set some modern day passing records along the way; in this pass happy generation. We wouldn’t have a Mean Joe Green statute if he hadn’t also became a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Get the cute red down arrows ready. Come on now! 

[Withers940]

5 hours ago, tmjerm said:

I was actually pondering this in the shower this morning and arrived at the same thoughts as the above.  Needs some time to pass and get Haynes and King done first (like NOW).  

[tmjerm]

41 minutes ago, Withers940 said:

 

[GrandGreen]

1 hour ago, Cooley said:

Fine is not worthy of a statute. Far exceeded everyone’s expectation and set some modern day passing records along the way; in this pass happy generation. We wouldn’t have a Mean Joe Green statute if he hadn’t also became a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Get the cute red down arrows ready. Come on now! 

 

5 hours ago, Cerebus said:

Joe Greene didn’t just get the statue for what he did at NT. He was an incredible ambassador for the university for decades after he left.

 No doubt Fine can be that type of person, but I think he’ll have to do it to deserve the statue.

 

HoFer with out a doubt, Beck wave the five year rule and put him in on Senior day.

Greene is the only first team d1 All American to ever play at NT.   

He may not have got a statue without his pro career and all his ambassadorship for the school, but he still would be the most revered athlete ever to wear NT green. 

 

[wardly]

7 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

At some point and time, but I feel that Abner Haynes and Leon King deserve one first.

** Abner for sure and Leon King should be mentioned somewhere for breaking the color barrier along with Mr. Haynes.

I am 76 and grew up in Ft. Worth during segregation. In fact, the movies and restaurants in Denton were "White Only" when I enrolled at N.T.S.U. As a freshman in 1961 I took a one hour blow off course called "Coaching in Football ". The student sitting next to me was running back A.D. Whitfield, who later played for the Washington Redskins. [ I have slept since then but I think it was the Skins]. During class one day the coach teaching the class starting talking about making rubber guns as a kid, but that's not what he called them. I glanced at Whitfield, who was stoic at this racist comment, while I wanted to crawl under the table. I don't think you guys know what Haynes and King went thru in the 50's and 60's, and I am sure Greene got a strong dose of racism even in the 70's. I have never met Abner nor Leon, but in my mind while Joe Greene was the best, Abner Haynes and Leon King were the bravest.

Edited November 7, 2019 by wardly
spelling

[Philip Ferguson]

Maybe a bobble-head giveaway for season ticket holders next year...Scrappy needs some company.  GMG