North Texas players turn backs on fans

ADLER · October 23, 2005

"We don't care about those that support us" is the resounding message.

The couple hundred North Texas fans that remained at the end of the La Tech game were there strictly out of loyalty to this team. They had stayed and faithfully stood and applauded the Mean Green at game's conclussion even after witnessing another incredibly uninspiring performance (if you could consider earning 3 first downs in the first half against a below average team uninspiring).

Despite the utter and complete lack of anything to cheer about, these fans that had travelled hundreds of miles to supprt this team stayed. They remained because of loyalty, there truly was no entertainment value whatsoever.

At the conclusion of the game, led by a senior kicker that was clearly exhausted after stepping on the field once for an extra point attempt, the North Texas football team again turned their backs on their fans and sauntered into the locker room. They didn't even pause one second to display appreciation to their supporters.

The message was perfectly clear, this team refuses to acknowledge even the most emphatic of their supporters. They don't appreciate your support.

flyonthewall · October 23, 2005

DD has created an environment of his team against everybody. He doesn't realize that after 4 years of some success we could be on his side. You hear him preach about the lack of support he gets. "HE KNOWS, HE WORKS HERE EVERYDAY" These kids are young men that need direction. The only direction they are getting from there leader is down, down, down.

KingDL1 · October 23, 2005

Dickey sets one hell of a roll model when it comes down to Fan Support! Can't blame the players too much.

shaft · October 23, 2005

Huh? What were they suspose to do?

Players & Coaches hate to loose. Sorry they didn't put on a happy face and act like the greenbackers are the most important part of their day.

Get over yourself. Your a fan, you went to watch a game. That's all your entitled to.

CaribbeanGreen · October 23, 2005

Huh? What were they suspose to do?
Players & Coaches hate to loose. Sorry they didn't put on a happy face and act like the greenbackers are the most important part of their day.
Get over yourself. Your a fan, you went to watch a game. That's all your entitled to.
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I hate to loose too.

MeanGreen61 · October 23, 2005

I hate to loose too.
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Is that worse than Losing

Hunter Green · October 23, 2005

Jeff, hopefully it was nothing more than the sting of defeat and being humiliated again and knowing they're going nowhere with Darryl's offense. Getting your ass handed to you repeatedly is a hard thing to take and sometimes you just want to go and hide. Don't be too hard on them.

It's the Darryl that should be getting well deserved heat.

emmitt01 · October 23, 2005

That is an issue that starts and ends at the top. It is in the hands of the coaching staff to instill in these players that they don't play simply for themselves...they play for this school, the alumni AND themselves. A coach that presses that point leads to players who make it their mission to acknowledge the efforts we make.

El Paso Eagle · October 23, 2005

Huh? What were they suspose to do?
Get over yourself. Your a fan, you went to watch a game. That's all your entitled to.
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Shaft; please tell me this comment was made out of frustration. All fans are entitled too? What if these fans stopped buying tickets, merchandise, or making any donations to the athletic programs? If NT ever wants to stopped being considered “small” time then they better start realizing hat the fan/player relationship is a two-way street. As long as the athletic programs give the impression that they deserve support and to be followed, BUT they in turn have no obligation to earn fan support then we will never change.

GreenBrigadeDebbie · October 23, 2005

I think that it is really disgusting that the team can't appreciate the fans that watch them play. Win or lose, they should at the VERY least is to wave to the fans and acknowledge them. Yes, it sucks to lose. But that gives them no right to be ungrateful.

ADLER · October 23, 2005

Huh? What were they suspose to do?
Players & Coaches hate to loose. Sorry they didn't put on a happy face and act like the greenbackers are the most important part of their day.
Get over yourself. Your a fan, you went to watch a game. That's all your entitled to.
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True. Neither the players nor the fans are actually obligated to do anything which acknowledges the existance of the other.

As much as I hate to admit it, the players are entirely entitled to ignore the existance of their supporters. And if, as you say, that they were in an extreme rush to wallow in their sorrows, then I can believe that even if I'm not ready to accept it as an excuse.

j0nat8an · October 23, 2005

Huh? What were they suspose to do?
Players & Coaches hate to loose. Sorry they didn't put on a happy face and act like the greenbackers are the most important part of their day.
Get over yourself. Your a fan, you went to watch a game. That's all your entitled to.
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i guess you're right. sometimes guys are sick of being outside, so girls need to get over themselves and stop expecting us to hold doors open for them...sometimes young men aren't in the mood to carry things, so old ladies need to struggle with their heavy bags because we can't be expected to help...

that's what this is about... DD is a model of manhood for many of these guys which involves thinking beyond yourself which and i don't think he models it well at all!

UNTSIG · October 24, 2005

I think that it is plainly obvious that I am no DD fan but I have to side with the folks that say you need to get over yourself on this one. The team didn't come over and acknowledge the fans after getting their ass handed to them by a technical school from Louisiana? So...just because you are a loyal fan doesn't mean that the team should come over and make a big deal that you are there. If they would play better football, I don't care if they flip you the bird on the way out of the stadium. Maybe after next weeks road game they could hand out goody bags to every UNT fan in attendance. I am just not sure what they were suppose to do to acknowledge you...Now the fact that the head coach bashes the fans in the media is a totally different thing.

ADLER · October 24, 2005

I think that it is plainly obvious that I am no DD fan but I have to side with the folks that say you need to get over yourself on this one. The team didn't come over and acknowledge the fans after getting their ass handed to them by a technical school from Louisiana? So...just because you are a loyal fan doesn't mean that the team should come over and make a big deal that you are there. If they would play better football, I don't care if they flip you the bird on the way out of the stadium. Maybe after next weeks road game they could hand out goody bags to every UNT fan in attendance. I am just not sure what they were suppose to do to acknowledge you...Now the fact that the head coach bashes the fans in the media is a totally different thing.
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Do the Longhorns ever just walk out on their fans after a game? How about the Mustangs, Frogs, Sooners, or Baylor Bears? What would be said if it was done at A&M? "Ahh, screw the fans and the Alma Mater, we got other stuff to do"

It's not that they don't care, it's that they want to make sure everyone knows that they don't care. It's just like when they put on headphones before the Mean Green March preceding home games. They are trying to show the North Texas fans how disinterested they are in their support. That statement has "I don't give a s#/t" written all over it.

NT80 · October 24, 2005

They are trying to show the North Texas fans how disinterested they are in their support. That statement has "I don't give a s#/t" written all over it.
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Gee, wonder who they get that attitude from?

Legend500 · October 24, 2005

Those players are nothing without fan and alumni support. Seeing as the site of Fouts will in the future become an Opera House for UNT, it's clear what's really important for the University.

So they wanted to wallow in pity. Boo hoo. If you really want to fix your problems, you get out there and play. You stay after the game and feel your fans staring at you. You don't hide in the locker room with your coach who tells you it's all the fans fault.

untcampbell · October 24, 2005

Question, seriously:

Most of the 200 or so that come to an away game at this point are parents, yes? If the players aren't willing to acknowledge their parents, why would any other fan expect different?

GDMG · October 24, 2005

You people are truly amazing. You rip these players to shreds week in and week out on this board, and believe me, they know it. Then you wonder why they don't come up to you at the game and thank you for your support? Get a clue.

emmitt01 · October 24, 2005

You people are truly amazing. You rip these players to shreds week in and week out on this board, and believe me, they know it. Then you wonder why they don't come up to you at the game and thank you for your support? Get a clue.
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This post brings up two very interesting points:

1)You're dead on when you say that the players are ripped week in and week out...it's a message board. We do say things like "Meager isn't any good" or "Our O-Line can't block to save their lives." I think all of us need to realize that no player goes to practice during the week and says "You know what guys, I hope on Saturday we get beat by 50" or "If we could just commit enough penalties we could completely negate any postives we might accomplish." These are young men who work their asses off.

2)Getting ripped on a message board is no reason to pout like a petulant child. People who are fans of this team spend hundreds of dollars in gas, food, tickets, MGC dues, etc. to try to be at every game possible...home and away...to show that we're behind this team. I wonder what kind of men these players are if comments on a message board can cause them this much damage. At a school like NT it is especially important to acknowledge those that make this extra effort.

BazMom · October 24, 2005

I am not understanding this post at all. The players after the game went to the locker room as always and then came at and acknowledged all that were there. Sat outside and ate their meal and then got on the buses. What more could they have done?

Coach · October 24, 2005

Players shouldn't read the board if they are going to get their feelings hurt. Same for the coaches and families of both groups. It's not like the content of this board is football genius, they won't be missing out on anything except getting their feelings hurt over an anonymous armchair QB. That is a very lame excuse for not even acknowledging the fans who use their time and money to cheer for an uninspired and way below average team.

C&S · October 24, 2005

I am not understanding this post at all.
I am with you on this one, BazMom. What do you people want from these boys? If you want acknowledgement for being at the games, then come and stand with the parents and wait for the boys. They will talk to you when they come out of the locker room. Many of them commented to the parents how great it was to see all the UNT fans. If you had taken the time to come over and be around the players you would have heard this from them.
You "fans" have to understand that when the players leave the field especially after a road game, they go to the locker room, meet as a team, shower, pack their equipment, bring it out to the truck,some get treatment on the spot for injuries, visit with their families and yes some fans, eat their dinners and go home. They are on a pretty tight schedule.
Again, I have to ask, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THESE BOYS? Week after week, you beat up on them on this board. Yes, they DID read this board but they have stopped because you have become so vicious. You act like these boys sit around and talk about how they are going to lose a game. Do you think they like losing? Do you think they want to lose?
Do any of you actually know the daily time committment these boys and coaches put in? You act like all of these boys haven't made the committment to go to class and make the grades because of a few. Trust me, they put in longer days than most of us. Their days include class, workout, mandatory study hall, treatment, study groups, watching film, team meetings and position meetings and homework. These kids carry any where from a minimum of 12 hours to some carrying as much as 15 hours.
I had stopped reading this board for a while. I had even commented to player parents' this weekend I hadn't read it for a while because it had gotten so vicious. They all agreed. Then for some reason I clicked on this morning and this is what I found. I am tired of you people beating up on our boys. Our boys work very hard to provide you entertainment on Saturdays during the fall. And yes, we parents spend our $$$$$ on travel, game tickets and apparel as well. We belong to the Mean Green Club just like you do. We support this program with our time and money just like you do but we give something else to this program you don't: OUR BOYS!

untbowler · October 24, 2005

Please do not tell me these boys work harder than every other student.

These kids all have the privilege to play D-1a football.

As for their workload NCAA Regulations only allow teams to practice 20 hrs a week maximum, if they do more over on their own then so be it. Many of the students at UNT regularly work 20+ hours a week and still take 15+ hours to pay for school. You add in the fact that the athletes have much easier access to tutors and also need only a 1.8 GPA, it would be hard-pressed to find someone to feel sorry for them.

The alums pay for these kids to get a free education and when they see that many are throwing it away then that is frustrating. As they said earlier nobody is forcing the players/coaches/parents to read the boards.

I think most on here are frustrated that the players and coaches at home games do not even stop and wait for the alma mater to finish, they just leave which is a slap in the face to the fans and the school who support them

BazMom · October 24, 2005

C&S - couldn't have said it better !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MootPoint · October 24, 2005

I really don't see the point in this thread. It seems that a lot of people are just speaking out in frustration at this point. I am sure the players and their parents are frustrated too. This thread doesn't have anything to do with how the players are performing, how the coaches are performing or what can be done to help this team do better, which is something we know they are capable of. The thread just comes across as a rant, imho. We all know this team has talent. We just want that talent to show, whether it be by the coaches playing to the strengths of the team, the team coming together and playing smart football or the wind blowing a few mph one direction or the other. In any event, they're still our team.