Louisiana Tech (1/29/22)

[MeanGreenTexan]

5 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

Look I wish we had 10,000 Emmitts in the stands ...

Andrew short-circuiting:

[UNTcrazy727]

4 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

Look I wish we had 10,000 Emmitts in the stands but the simple fact is we don't... And if you can't see the apples and oranges argument with hosting ODU versus hosting LSU then I don't know how to better convey that obviously opponents do matter. The Benford era sucked the life out of the student section. I was really excited to see that some students made the trip to Ruston. I feel like the Mean Green Maniacs are on the come up again and that as their ranks swell more and more students will become aware. Grant and his teams certainly deserve better attendance. 

I think Emmitt's point, which I agree with, is that regardless of who were playing we should be able to average 4.5K per game. Hell, in the Johnny Jones era there were a couple years we averaged around 4K with less talented teams while playing in a MUCH worse conference. 

The biggest difference between the prime JJ years (2008-2010) and now is the lack of students. The Pit Crew would easily fill up multiple sections, while a good student turnout today is filling maybe 1 section. Hopefully, these new "Mean Green Maniacs" will continue to grow because they're the best and easiest way to grow attendance. 

[UNTLifer]

14 minutes ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

The biggest difference between the prime JJ years (2008-2010) and now is the lack of students. The Pit Crew would easily fill up multiple sections, while a good student turnout today is filling maybe 1 section. Hopefully, these new "Mean Green Maniacs" will continue to grow because they're the best and easiest way to grow attendance. 

Yep.

I am curious as to why the AD has distanced themselves from the term "Pit Crew"

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

28 minutes ago, All About UNT said:

Look I wish we had 10,000 Emmitts in the stands but the simple fact is we don't... And if you can't see the apples and oranges argument with hosting ODU versus hosting LSU then I don't know how to better convey that obviously opponents do matter. The Benford era sucked the life out of the student section. I was really excited to see that some students made the trip to Ruston. I feel like the Mean Green Maniacs are on the come up again and that as their ranks swell more and more students will become aware. Grant and his teams certainly deserve better attendance. 

Rome wasn't built in a day. Attendance will continue to rise, especially among students but it will take time. The main thing is that the foundation is now there and we have a dedicated group of students (MGM) working to make sure it keeps going up. I'm very optimistic in the crowds we will have come in if the basketball team can continue to be this exciting. 

[Andrew]

55 minutes ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

Andrew short-circuiting:

Hoping to  see him in the stands Thursday (assuming we play…. Hoping UTEP and UTSA can get here for their games). 

[Andrew]

37 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Yep.

I am curious as to why the AD has distanced themselves from the term "Pit Crew"

Cancel culture 

[Jonnyeagle]

38 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

Yep.

I am curious as to why the AD has distanced themselves from the term "Pit Crew"

I heard it was politics.

[UNTLifer]

3 minutes ago, Andrew said:

Cancel culture 

 

1 minute ago, Jonnyeagle said:

I heard it was politics.

Not sure I follow how politics had anything to do with this.  Care to enlighten me?

[Jonnyeagle]

14 minutes ago, UNTLifer said:

 

Not sure I follow how politics had anything to do with this.  Care to enlighten me?

Internal politics over the direction of the organization etc.  I just heard that from a friend who used to be in it.  You might ask some who post on here like @Rudy and others who may know more than me.

[Mean Green Matt]

1 hour ago, UNTcrazy727 said:

I think Emmitt's point, which I agree with, is that regardless of who were playing we should be able to average 4.5K per game. Hell, in the Johnny Jones era there were a couple years we averaged around 4K with less talented teams while playing in a MUCH worse conference. 

The biggest difference between the prime JJ years (2008-2010) and now is the lack of students. The Pit Crew would easily fill up multiple sections, while a good student turnout today is filling maybe 1 section. Hopefully, these new "Mean Green Maniacs" will continue to grow because they're the best and easiest way to grow attendance. 

They haven’t been anywhere near filling a section in years. 

[Mean Green Matt]

23 minutes ago, Jonnyeagle said:

Internal politics over the direction of the organization etc.  I just heard that from a friend who used to be in it.  You might ask some who post on here like @Rudy and others who may know more than me.

My direct involvement ended around the time Johnny Jones left. With regard to the Pit Crew name I will fully admit moderate bitterness along with a bit of “old man yelling at clouds” frustration over the name change given how many people worked extremely hard over many years to build what was built. It came crashing down with the Benford Era. I am not aware of any specific issues with the name itself leading to its demise.
 

I hope the Maniacs ultimately make what we did with the Pit Crew look like an SMU football game. The Pit Crew was a legitimate team effort between the Athletic Department (and I mean direct support), student groups (primarily SGA), and a revolving group of dedicated students. I’m not sure if that is what is happening now but believe that is still the winning formula. 

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

I don’t care what the student section is called, as long as they are bringing people and noise (which it’s  starting to pick up a lot) I’m a very happy person. Over in my section, 122 row C and 1 section and 1 row to the right of Emmitt lol, I heard McCasland’s pack of people and other fans talking about how good the students have done so far.

It can only continue to grow, and with the pace of winning we have right now, I expect great things. Hopefully snow and ice, which I loathe, stays away and we can sweep the UT satellites!!

[untjim1995]

On 1/30/2022 at 2:52 PM, Andrew said:

Then go find a loyal coach. If he wants to be here he will stay. UNT has a great team and isn’t some bottom of the barrel school. If he wants to leave so be it (we should work to keep him), but if he leaves find someone who will stay through the ups and the downs. Find loyalty. 

I know you get loyalty. I mean, seriously, you are the only person still loyal to Tony Benford, a guy who couldn't outcoach a below-average YMCA coach, with his hockey-line changes.

But I agree with loyalty--we need to find loyalty...

 

 

 

In actual fans. Preferably those who will attend games, donate money, and actually care about winning, not accept losing.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, Mean Green Matt said:

My direct involvement ended around the time Johnny Jones left. With regard to the Pit Crew name I will fully admit moderate bitterness along with a bit of “old man yelling at clouds” frustration over the name change given how many people worked extremely hard over many years to build what was built. It came crashing down with the Benford Era. I am not aware of any specific issues with the name itself leading to its demise.
 

I hope the Maniacs ultimately make what we did with the Pit Crew look like an SMU football game. The Pit Crew was a legitimate team effort between the Athletic Department (and I mean direct support), student groups (primarily SGA), and a revolving group of dedicated students. I’m not sure if that is what is happening now but believe that is still the winning formula. 

I had no idea how hard it would be to rebuild the momentum we lost during the Benford years. We had 6 straight seasons of at least 18 wins before he got here, we are headed for our 5th straight season of at least 18 wins since he left, and somehow his 5 years of stink seem to overpower the 11 adjacent seasons of winning basketball.

So many people stopped coming to games and have still never come back. Two CUSA titles and an NCAA tournament win later. It does seem strange to me that we had such great student turnout back in the Jones era and seemingly how few of them are interested in attending games now. I would think more of these people who had such great memories of games back then just have no desire to attend games again in their early 30s.

[greenminer]

22 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

then just have no desire to attend games again in their early 30s.

[DeepGreen]

Is it possible to make the "Pit Crew" an organization?  With benefits when you attend a basketball game?  Free entry to the game (I guess students get in free anyhow, correct?), you get a coke and hot dog (or something).  But you have to stay the whole game.  I don't know.......just spit balling it.

[Aquila_Viridis]

5 hours ago, UNTLifer said:

Yep.

I am curious as to why the AD has distanced themselves from the term "Pit Crew"

They finally realized it wasn't auto racing going on in there so a multidisciplinary committee and some consultants recommended to change it.

[Andrew]

5 hours ago, DeepGreen said:

Is it possible to make the "Pit Crew" an organization?  With benefits when you attend a basketball game?  Free entry to the game (I guess students get in free anyhow, correct?), you get a coke and hot dog (or something).  But you have to stay the whole game.  I don't know.......just spit balling it.

It’s the mean green maniacs. Pit crew isn’t at games and university have changed the name. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by Andrew

[Andrew]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

I had no idea how hard it would be to rebuild the momentum we lost during the Benford years. We had 6 straight seasons of at least 18 wins before he got here, we are headed for our 5th straight season of at least 18 wins since he left, and somehow his 5 years of stink seem to overpower the 11 adjacent seasons of winning basketball.

So many people stopped coming to games and have still never come back. Two CUSA titles and an NCAA tournament win later. It does seem strange to me that we had such great student turnout back in the Jones era and seemingly how few of them are interested in attending games now. I would think more of these people who had such great memories of games back then just have no desire to attend games again in their early 30s.

You think Benford led to this? We still had decent crowds then. People showed up for losing basketball. Other than Army of Dad pretty much everyone stayed… 

[DeepGreen]

6 minutes ago, Andrew said:

It’s the mean green maniacs. Pit crew isn’t at games and university/Mac have changed the name. 

OK.  Do the Mean Green Maniacs come out in force?  By that I mean, more than 10 members?

[BillySee58]

39 minutes ago, Andrew said:

You think Benford led to this? We still had decent crowds then. People showed up for losing basketball. Other than Army of Dad pretty much everyone stayed… 

You think Mccasland led to this?

[Mean Green Matt]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

It’s the mean green maniacs. Pit crew isn’t at games and university/Mac have changed the name. 

You should let the Mean Green Maniacs know this. All of their good crowd pics on the Twitter page are from the Pit Crew era. 

[Mean Green Matt]

1 hour ago, Andrew said:

You think Benford led to this? We still had decent crowds then. People showed up for losing basketball. Other than Army of Dad pretty much everyone stayed… 

[golfingomez]

3 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

I had no idea how hard it would be to rebuild the momentum we lost during the Benford years. We had 6 straight seasons of at least 18 wins before he got here, we are headed for our 5th straight season of at least 18 wins since he left, and somehow his 5 years of stink seem to overpower the 11 adjacent seasons of winning basketball.

So many people stopped coming to games and have still never come back. Two CUSA titles and an NCAA tournament win later. It does seem strange to me that we had such great student turnout back in the Jones era and seemingly how few of them are interested in attending games now. I would think more of these people who had such great memories of games back then just have no desire to attend games again in their early 30s.

to be fair though, he had to play Alabama-Huntsville in his second career game coaching... you don't just show up and beat the Chargers...

Can you name me a single other coach that could have righted the ship in almost five years following that?

[emmitt01]

42 minutes ago, golfingomez said:

to be fair though, he had to play Alabama-Huntsville in his second career game coaching... you don't just show up and beat the Chargers...

Can you name me a single other coach that could have righted the ship in almost five years following that?