@ UTEP (2/18/2023)

[GMG_Dallas]

12 hours ago, NT80 said:

The original context was replying to the statement: "Coach McCasland is the best thing to ever happen to to NT sports."

In my opinion,  Coach Fry was the best thing to ever happen overall to NT sports.  But I can understand someone not being around then thinking McCasland is.  I never saw the Odus Mitchell era, but he was good too, for NT, so I'm told. 

McCasland is great also and we need to do everything we can to keep him!   I fear he may eventually leave for some of the same reasons Fry left NT....  attendance issues that are not a problem at a better-conference school, more National media attention for his program, and better access to postseason.   

Fry had an impact beyond just results in his sport.  As AD also, he affected change in all sport's from culture, to uniforms, marketing, and branding using "Mean Green" instead of Eagles for the first time.  He elevated the Athletic program to modern times.  The combo of him coaching football and Blakeley coaching basketball at the same time were magical years for this student back then!

I understand that. Whatever stirs up that initial excitement one has for a team or program can often feel to be the most exciting times. I was a student in 2013 so The Stand against Rice on a Halloween night followed by the bowl win a few months later is some of the most exciting football I've witnessed at UNT. I also can recognize why it's not the most exciting time in UNT football history.

Looking at the past 30 or so years I can't think of a major sports team at UNT being more relevant on a national level than right now. I also haven't been following the program for the past 30 years. Constant bubble talks, our first NCAA tournament win against a highly ranked Purdue which was a major upset, multiple 20+ win seasons, conference regular season championships and conference tournament championships. He's a hall of fame coach if he leaves today. He won a game in the biggest national competition college basketball has.

What Fry built up was unfortunately not maintained in the way it needed to be once he left. Not his fault. If UNT basketball keeps this progress and turns in some Cinderella runs in the big dance in the next 5 years or so, with or without Grant as HC, it'll always be him who started that. Sure it's not an impact on the entire AD but it will have brought national recognition to our AD in a way we probably haven’t seen since Fry. A coach having that impact with only one sport is no small task. He's not there yet but he could very well be on his way.

[NT80]

2 hours ago, GMG_Dallas said:

What Fry built up was unfortunately not maintained in the way it needed to be once he left. Not his fault. If UNT basketball keeps this progress and turns in some Cinderella runs in the big dance in the next 5 years or so, with or without Grant as HC, it'll always be him who started that. Sure it's not an impact on the entire AD but it will have brought national recognition to our AD in a way we probably haven’t seen since Fry. A coach having that impact with only one sport is no small task. He's not there yet but he could very well be on his way.

Yes, Grant certainly has set the bar with our basketball program.  The Purdue win in the NCAA tourney, the CBI championship, and Virginia to OT in the NIT are all quality National benchmarks for the program.

Fry beat Tennessee in Knoxville in football, which was amazing at the time for NT.  He also did leave one lasting impact on the program: the first use of "Mean Green" as our nickname and on our uniforms!

Edited February 21, 2023 by NT80