Heard Something Troubling Today

[golfingomez]

at least we handle things like our own team store well...

[TheColonyEagle]

Maybe that student that posted on here a few weeks ago was on to something....

[untjim1995]

2 hours ago, Hunter Green said:

There's no sense of pride at UNT. 

Never has been…that’s why 2% of the alumni give back to the athletic department.

[UNTLifer]

What bothers me about this is the lack of care about our few traditions and the silence with which they disappear.

1.  Homecoming Parade: cancelled under the guise of sustainability.  Nobody questions it and poof its gone.  I sent an email to UNT about it last year and received a canned response which I found ridiculous.

2.  The Lighting of the Tower:  the department sure uses this slogan to promote things.  The NIL Group, hashtags on every tweet, etc. yet they allow the Talons to decide it is just too difficult to walk over and flip a switch.  It appears from what I have heard, that this caught WB off guard and he is taking steps to correct this issue.

3.  The Model A: It was left out in the elements to rot, converted to an electric vehicles that never ran, converted back, put on display at Apogee for all to see and then "poof" it was gone.  Nobody said a word.  

4.  Boomer: it took the efforts of an alumni, who found it out in the elements rotting away, to restore it and teach the current Talons how to use it correctly.  Every year he trains a new group and every year he finds it in a condition that reveals they aren't taking care of it to the level it requires.

I reached out to this alumni and he confirmed everything and then shared even more.  The problem is that the alumni that really care are worn out with the constant battle with administration that doesn't care or get it and they are starting to give up.  We need more people to be vocal about these issues, and others, and fight to keep our few traditions in place.  The lighting of the tower, or lack thereof, was only brought to the attention of Wren Baker because a fan/alumni that posts on Twitter took a picture of a dark Administration Building Tower after the WKU game.  Barstool UNT posted on Oct. 29th "yo, @wrenbaker did we pay the electric bill?  Need to see this shit lit up." 

This alumni that has ties to the Talons showed me a list of reasons as to why it hasn't been done.  One person complained that there were weeks where they might have to go up there six or seven times, one complain about catching the flu or Covid, etc...  They were all ridiculous.  Now, I was not a part of Talons, but they are our official spirit group and those that choose to join know what is required.  If they don't want to do it, then have someone else that cares take up this charge.

Off my soapbox, but this pisses me off to no end.  I can imagine how those Talons that worked hard through the years feel.  People like @CMJ @emmitt01 @FirefightnRick and others made that a great organization.  It shouldn't just fall on their shoulders to make sure these traditions are upheld.  Speak out if you believe these are vital to our university.  Don't sit by and one day wonder where they all went.

Edited November 3, 2022 by UNTLifer

[drex]

We are gravitating toward being Rice.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

3 minutes ago, drex said:

We are gravitating toward being Rice.

Without the athletic history and academic prestige, but, sure. 

[southsideguy]

With the traditions all going away we might as well be UTSA.

[NorthTexasWeLove]

4 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

With the traditions all going away we might as well be UTSA.

Without the baseball team, but, sure. 

[xyresic]

These threads are hilarious, most of these posts have to be satire but the past two weeks the following have been cancelled:

- Vito, The Mayor, Scrappy, Seth, Aune (cancelled and then uncancelled), Wren, the Administration, the entire Athletic Department, the Talons, UNT Sports Creative team, UNT Students, the city of Denton

Its almost as if we aren't the fastest growing school in Texas, and we didn't blow out WKU on the road last week. To put things in perspective:

2012

Basketball 12-20

Football 4-8

Conference: Sun Belt

2021-2022

Basketball - 25-7

Football 5-4

Soon to join the AAC

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by xyresic

[El Paso Eagle]

2 minutes ago, xyresic said:

Its almost as if we aren't the fastest growing school in Texas

Sadly that growth is not reflected in support for athletics at this point in time. 

[LongJim]

UNT can't spring for a Clapper?

[emmitt01]

49 minutes ago, xyresic said:

These threads are hilarious, most of these posts have to be satire but the past two weeks the following have been cancelled:

- Vito, The Mayor, Scrappy, Seth, Aune (cancelled and then uncancelled), Wren, the Administration, the entire Athletic Department, the Talons, UNT Sports Creative team, UNT Students, the city of Denton

Its almost as if we aren't the fastest growing school in Texas, and we didn't blow out WKU on the road last week. To put things in perspective:

2012

Basketball 12-20

Football 4-8

Conference: Sun Belt

2021-2022

Basketball - 25-7

Football 5-4

Soon to join the AAC

 

Help me understand, what the hell does on-field performance have to do with letting the few traditions we have fall by the waist side?  

[Greenrex]

2 hours ago, keith said:

This only applies to home games, but I made a suggestion earlier this year in the basketball forum (would apply to football as well) that after a home victory, the video display would switch to a live shot of the tower.  The Talons or whoever could come to center court (or field) with a big green button that when pushed, lit the tower (done remotely) and this would be a great tradition to keep the home crowd in the stands to actually see/participate in the lighting instead of it being done when no one is around to witness it.  They could make a big to do about it and would only take an extra 5-10 minutes after a game and allow the fans to celebrate the victory with the team.  Some things are too easy to not be done.

Good idea !

[MrAlien]

Universities have traditions, its what separates them from other institutions... more and more this institution seems to be run as if its just another community college in the Dallas suburbs. 

[xyresic]

25 minutes ago, emmitt01 said:

Help me understand, what the hell does on-field performance have to do with letting the few traditions we have fall by the waist side?  

Putting "waist side" size to the wayside. You must have an alert anytime Aune is mentioned in a thread.

Players and recruits read these forums and I wanted to point out that the sky is not falling. The amount of complaints lately on everything related to athletics in these threads is overdone. Are some gripes justified, sure but do we need 10 threads a day about any small negative thing?

For example, I think the views on here about the homecoming parade are a bit rose colored glasses, participation had declined and it was just ok with out much student involvement. Things like the bonfire draw much more student interest.

I do think lighting the tower is a great tradition and a relatively easy fix. I think they should work out something there.

Edited November 3, 2022 by xyresic

[El Paso Eagle]

1 minute ago, xyresic said:

For example think the views on here about the homecoming parade are a bit rose colored glasses, participation had declined and it was just ok with out much student involvement.

Yet somehow other schools have these traditions and get participation. A lot of this apathetic behavior helps to fuel the "commuter school" stigma we have. Does our University and the Athletic department do enough to promote "Game Day" experiences? 

[TIgreen01]

10 minutes ago, xyresic said:

Putting "waist side" size to the wayside. You must have an alert anytime Aune is mentioned in a thread.

Players and recruits read these forums and I wanted to point out that the sky is not falling. The amount of complaints lately on everything related to athletics and that in my opinion it all seems a bit overdone. Are some gripes justified, sure but do we need 10 threads a day about any small negative thing? For example think the views on here about the homecoming parade are a bit rose colored glasses, participation had declined and it was just ok with out much student involvement. Things like the bonfire draw much more student interest.

I do think lighting the tower is a great tradition and a relatively easy fix. I think they should work out something there.

You're only helping to hammer the point home.  We have to SUPPORT these traditions with our time, money and energy or participation will fall and they will go away.

We have to decide if we want these things, and if we do, do the things that are required to keep them going.

Nothing happens without action.

All that said, when you pair this lack of lighting the tower with actual student butts-in-seats at football games this year....it doesn't paint a very good picture.  We have a lack of interest and engagement problem.  Good news is that that can be addressed with some targeted action to drive up attendance, incentivize participation in homecoming activities (like EVERY Big12/SEC school does), maintain old traditions or create new ones, etc....

[El Paso Eagle]

1 hour ago, LongJim said:

UNT can't spring for a Clapper?

[NT80]

10 minutes ago, El Paso Eagle said:

Yet somehow other schools have these traditions and get participation. A lot of this apathetic behavior helps to fuel the "commuter school" stigma we have. Does our University and the Athletic department do enough to promote "Game Day" experiences? 

That brings up some good issues.  Does upholding traditions fall on paid staff that will come and go?  Those people are not usually alums of NT, nor probably actually care about them.  Students and University organizations must be tasked with maintaining our traditions.

Now marketing, promotions, communication, Game day experience, yes, should definitely be the responsibility of the AD  and Athletic Dept.  That seems to have fallen short several times recently for reasons we don’t really know!?  Here, fill out a survey!

[El Paso Eagle]

1 minute ago, NT80 said:

Now marketing, promotions,

Somehow this comes to mind for the follow up meetings for our game day planning  -

[untjim1995]

3 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

Without the athletic history and academic prestige, but, sure. 

Well, now, this seems negative…

[Coach Mac Andy]

Look, I’ve been saying this for a while now. I don’t really know what this AD does well at this point. They’ve cratered student attendance which has been our strength since Apogee opened, let all of our traditions fall apart, can’t run an in-game presentation, results on the football field are not satisfactory…

At some point you have to look at Wren. I don’t think this is what we meant by New Denton.

[untjim1995]

1 minute ago, Coach Mac Andy said:

Look, I’ve been saying this for a while now. I don’t really know what this AD does well at this point. They’ve cratered student attendance which has been our strength since Apogee opened, let all of our traditions fall apart, can’t run an in-game presentation, results on the football field are not satisfactory…

At some point you have to look at Wren. I don’t think this is what we meant by New Denton.

Because there is no “New Denton”…it’s something that homers and newcomers want to believe in…the culture doesn’t want this to be important here, so it’s not…unless we beat schools people have heard of and care about.

[TIgreen01]

6 minutes ago, Coach Mac Andy said:

Look, I’ve been saying this for a while now. I don’t really know what this AD does well at this point. They’ve cratered student attendance which has been our strength since Apogee opened, let all of our traditions fall apart, can’t run an in-game presentation, results on the football field are not satisfactory…

At some point you have to look at Wren. I don’t think this is what we meant by New Denton.

He's done an above average (if not excellent) job at hiring head coaches, across all sports.  Gotta give him that, at least.  Hard to hold him accountable for the traditions part, but I certainly think it's an area he can influence (see the new Maniacs for basketball).  The other points you make I can't refute.

Edited November 3, 2022 by TIgreen01

[PlummMeanGreen]

22 minutes ago, TIgreen01 said:

He's done an above average (if not excellent) job at hiring head coaches, across all sports.  Gotta give him that, at least.  Hard to hold him accountable for the traditions part, but I certainly think it's an area he can influence (see the new Maniacs for basketball).  The other points you make I can't refute.

I believe Wren Baker is a treasure for UNT Athletics & I’d hate to lose him, but his treasure’ness might not be seen or appreciated until he has hired the full gamut of varsity head coaches.  After all, he did hire Grant McCasland.  
I think he also communicates with our rich & famous quite well, too.  I think he seems to impresses them & that is most important.  
 
GMG!