Will not support DD & RF any further....

eulesseagle · December 26, 2005

Let and may the "force" be with the Admin. on this issue ASAP next year.

Do I see DD, et al., winning 2 OOC games and the SBC, like I stated about a month ago when I set down my personal perameters???? NO!!

1. Can UNT beat Texas?? NO

2. Can UNT beat LaTech? NO

3. Can UNT beat SMU??? I hope so

4. Can UNT beat Tulsa?? NO

5. Can UNT run the belt??I hope so

6. Can UNT afford another year of DD and an inept staff that gets out recruited in Texas and Area 51 by D-1AA schools and other Mid-Majors (particularly from out of state)??? NO

7. Can I change my mind when the handwriting is on the wall?? YES

8. Can I expect others to change their minds on this issue?? YES

PlummMeanGreen · December 27, 2005

Let and may the "force" be with the Admin. on this issue ASAP next year.
Do I see DD, et al., winning 2 OOC games and the SBC, like I stated about a month ago when I set down my personal perameters???? NO!!
1. Can UNT beat Texas?? NO
2. Can UNT beat LaTech? NO
3. Can UNT beat SMU??? I hope so
4. Can UNT beat Tulsa?? NO
5. Can UNT run the belt??I hope so
6. Can UNT afford another year of DD and an inept staff that gets out recruited in Texas and Area 51 by D-1AA schools and other Mid-Majors (particularly from out of state)??? NO
7. Can I change my mind when the handwriting is on the wall?? YES
8. Can I expect others to change their minds on this issue?? YES
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REVISED AND UPDATED ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27'th:

Well, eulesseagle, for what its worth its like part of a verse of an old song many times we hear played on bagpipes: "I once was lost but now am found."

I tried, I tried, I tried, God Almighty knows how hard I tried to be a good little NT Ex and support Dicky Ball, but a few kept bringing to my attention things that you can read in the NT FB Media Guide. Once I finally took off the green tinted glasses, faced the reality of the situation and discoved what I sorta' already knew were the way things really were I just asked myself: Why are we delaying our ultimate "higher profile" success at UNT by doing the same things with the same people that will keep producing the same results and at an SBC level?" As the old Hank Williams song title says: I Saw The Light! (and it wasn't a freight train coming toward me at the other end of the tunnel, either).

In many ways all of us sports enthusiasts are all romanticists, that is, we all like happy endings to sports stories; we all like to see (or hear) of those Bill Mazaroski type winning home runs in the bottom of the 9'th inning of the last game of a tied series as was the case in the 1960 World Series versus the Yankees; we all love to see those old NFL film archives such as the "Hail Mary" pass from Staubach to Drew Pearson; and we all sorta' pull for the sports under-dogs since that is a very easy thing for us to do at NORTH TEXAS (since we've played that role for way too long) BUT............

...........IMO, the best case scenario happy ending (to some of you-not me)that this can ever be with DD at the helm is only being the best of the worst, that is, being at the top of the SBC, to expect another loss to CUSA's #4 team in a NO's Bowl matchup and never, never, never have any Top 25 consideration (like the top schools of the MAC most always do). All this with Dickey Ball annually draws about 15K per home game at Fouts Field and even in each of our 4 bowl years and I just think that every UNT alum out there knows in his (her) heart of hearts that we can just do better than this. We actually have before and had the Mo Valley had bowl tie-ins, we'd stayed a bit longer there (probably) and had some bowls under our belt back in the 1970's when there weren't too many bowl games at all.

OK, SO SOME OF OUR LIGHT BULBS HAVE FINALLY TURNED ON: Yet its time for NT officials (our Board of Regents) to wake up to all these cold, stark, blatant realities and to make decisions that allow this football program to go to the next level. I know there will be one more year of DD ball, but there really doesn't have to be after national signing day results are in this February.

Are any NT officials (outside the NT Athletic Dept) even having evaluated on a daily or weekly basis how our present recruiting is going in comparison to those we recruit against? Shouldn't they be doing so with the money we spend on NT football? And especially how we are recruiting versus those who we thought we would have beaten this last Fall or at least played closer games (which we didn't)? If our campus leaders are not checking out present recruting they need to because what we are doing now on the recruiting trail will show up in 2-3 years no matter who the coach is. This is really not rocket science is it? Could not even a novice amatuer (oxymoron there? ) figure some of this out by just observing who we were beatej by even in our bowl years?

NT officials and leaders who take this serious enough (and I hope they all take this serious enough with the budget our campus spends on football annually) can even go to some area outsider who are up on Texas HS recruiting to get their information on just how UNT has been doing (and is doing now) against those we recruit against who are at our level. How about starting with Dave Campbell TEXAS FOOTBALL'S own recruiting guru, ie, one Mr. Randy Rodgers" whose son (Jeff) played linebacker at UNT.

Wouldn't most of us feel DC'sTB's Randy Rogers would probably give any high ranking UNT official a candid opinion on what he thinkgs of our overall NT recruiting and to all that free gratis; then if need be, go get a 2'nd or 3'rd opinion if one thinks the "coach's networks" is at work with some of these evaluations of NT recruiting. But FWIW, Tulsa and La Tech losses last Fall really should have given NT's leadership all the answers they really needed to know NT's recruiting has not been up to snuff the last 2-3 years.

WE NEED MORE THAN JUST GOOD RECRUITING ANNUALLY: Then on the matter of who we do recruit and sign, once they arrive on our campus they still need to be taught disciplined football, they need to be developed physically and they need to be taught that they are actually allowed to beat other schools than merely just those in the SBC (which we have not for the most part in 8 years of Darrell Dickey Ball). Truly, why so much of all this has NT officials and Regents so blind-sided is as much a concern and question to many NT Exes as anything we are discussing about Darrell Dickey. None of this continuance of obvious mediocrity and low expection in Denton just doesn't make sense and it won't make cent$ much longer if its allowed to continue.

W/O doubt, we will have "one of the best recruiting classes in the DD era" when all this is done and said this February after the national signing date. Already the spin-masters are at work (with the help of the DRC who is totally in the NT Athletic Dept. back pocket and has to be in order to get any scoops from NT's varsity athletics headquarteres-----------but haven't we all heard this "best recruting class ever" stuff before only to (now) see our heads handed to us on a silver platter during bowl years by 1-AA schools now in the SBC and this last Fall, Tulsa U and La Tech?

Yet when it came to matching on the field of battle our recruiting hauls the last 3-4 years in compariason to the La Techs and the Tulsas, I think we'd all agree that maybe we were came up short, that is, maybe we were all wearing those green tinted glasses a bit too long all hoping those were (in deed) good recruiting classes those previous 3-4 years? Well for those who need further proof............I present to you the worst good old fashioned country lickin' and home loss in the history of Fouts Field in our home season opener versus the Tulsa Golden Hurricane just this last September. It proved to many that we are not even remotely close to where this football program should be in recruiting and IMO whatever the recruiting haul this Winter will still not be enough to turn all this around in one season--so why burn another year with all this? Surely we won't give another UNT varsity coach 17 years to figure it all out while still being under .500 in year SEVENTEEN, will we?

One might also wonder if each of our NT Board of Regents have the most recent copy of an NT Football Media Guide (and have actually taken the time to read it)? What they might want to especially focus would be those season-to-season break downs all those lower profile schools who we lost to during most our bowl years. I think if they read that, it might be the very thing that takes their minds off their (I'm sure) very high profile Bourbon Street experiences and fun times as regents briinging them back down to earth to some pretty stark realities concering what they keep rubber-stamping each year with extended contracts.

Anyone else think schools like Troy U (who beat us in 2001--our 1'st bowl year) may have thought back then that they should have really been in the NO's Bowl instead of North Texas? What about even 5 year old program FAU 2 years ago when they beat us in our first meeting ever at Fouts Field (and that when we went to our 4'th bowl game in a row)? Anyone think Coach Howie Schnellenberger had a few negative things he was uttering under his breath about North Texas, ie, the very school he beat in Denton, Texas, America, who went bowling instead of his very fine FAU team? You remember good ol' FAU, right? They beat us once again this last season in now only their 6'th year of football operations. PLEASE LET US IN ON THE BIG SECRET, NT REGENTS: Once again, what are we all missing with this that the NT Board of Regents just keep rubber-stamping with their approval. Are there special commendations for never being in the Top 25 and lingering toward the Bottom 10? Will we get special grants for that?!?!? Seriously, would any other board of regents or trustees at any other NCAA D1-A outpost's deem any of this as acceptable? I think we all know the answer to that question.

Good to see others are apparently now reading their own NT football media guides (as well as reading the realities of what the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star Telegram's top 50 or 100 "area" lists are telling each and everyone of us; that is what many of you already sorta' knew about our Texas/DFW area recruiting).

So why delay our football program's eventual progress at UNT (as we know our leaders will) even one more recruiting season or football season if we see that some trends are still not changing and are never going to change under our present coaches? Whoever has been at the top of the SBC in football in recent years, doesn't the SBC bowl representative deserve to be of the same quality of the MAC's top football school each Fall with the MAC champion annually getting Top 25 rankings of which we have been light years away from even in 4 bowl appearances. Any of you who know Bobby Ray please do consider bringing some of these things up in conversation next time you have a private audience with him. Who knows, maybe some already have.

Mr. Ray was so very candid, straight-forward and outright bold to tell one on this forum most recently that we are making "zilch" progress or headway with a new football stadium at our UNT-Denton campus; so I just wonder if he might also voice with that same candidness and boldness that (in light of who we even lost to in bowl years) it appears we are also not making any progress or headway with Mean Green football as well? In fact, haven't we been going backwards in light of what that NT FB Media Guide is telling us?

Edited December 27, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

TeachinTodd · December 27, 2005

Well said, M.E.!

If you promise not to post anymore than we will all have a Merry Christmas.
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eulesseagle · December 27, 2005

My ultimate frustration is, again, DD getting out recruited in Texas by other Mid-Major programs (in and out of state) and D-1AA (in state) programs. One only has to look and remember the last two or three years of top 100 state and "Area 51" prospects. How many did we land??? Whose "ULTIMATE" responsibility is it to recruit???? Ans: the football staff!!!!

Granted DD, the first four years at UNT were dismal, with a losing record, but his last four he has eaked out a winning record. The only problem is that in his tenure at UNT he recruits "JUST WELL" enough to be competitive in "DANTE'S INFERNO" of the SBC!!! DD, IMHO, is complacently content with his current surroundings and again because I am not a psychologist or pretend to be one must think he has reached the apex of his career, which is mediocrity. We have all coined the phrase, "DD Ball" for a very good reason!!!! Lack of imagination!! Has it taken his entire tenure at UNT, minus the last 5 games, to realize that defensive teams are stacking 8-9 men on the line to stop him!!! When will he realize that you can not have a philosophy of, "keeping a game close to the 4th Quarter so we have a chance to win" is NUTS!!! UNT deserves a coach that has a philosophy of, "We are here to kick your butts and the further ahead we are the better off we are."

Some of my frustration is the sucess that JJ has had recruiting in BB!! Look what he started with and what he has now and what will be coming in next year!!! This is almost like comparing a YUGO (for those of you who do not remember what a YUGO was....it was one of the world's most crappiest cars off the assembly line from communitst Yugoslavia back in the late 60's or early 70's.) to......name a luxury car.

Yea, I supported DD and had the glimmer of hope that his SBC success would give us recruiting dividends, especially in the state of Texas and some of the fringe states. NOW, we have other Mid-Majors from Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Michigan and the rest come into DD and RF's own "BACK YARD" and recruit our talent base because they know DD, et. al., are not recruiting them. My question is WHY??? Are our own coaches intimidated by other recruiters???? Do our coaches know how to "SELL" our program??? EVIDENTLY NOT!!!!! We will again see plenty of 2 star(2nd team all district) and possibly a couple of 3 star players sign up with more JC players in this class!!!! WHY??? We will hear the same old diatribe from DD about how great this class was. I remember that Matt Simon said after his first or second recruiting class, "This class of recruits are just as good as ALABAMA."

I have always enjoyed NTSU/UNT sports but getting humiliated by Tulsa, LaTech and K-State by them keeping the score down to 50+ is tough to swallow when WE know that we are better than that!!!

I see a lethargic staff that settles for mediocrity for success. I see a lethargic staff that does not know how to sell our FB program with our modern facilities to HS recruits. I see a lethargic staff that lets them get out recruited by D-1AA programs in Area 51!!

After looking at today's FW Startlegram and seeing NO recruit considering/commiting to UNT and others selecting/considering NMSU, a ZERO WIN TEAM--but with a dynamic coach......that was the last straw!!!

The only way I would even consider keeping DD would be for him to win 2 OOC games, run the table on the SBC and win the NO bowl against a 4th place CUSA team!!

SilverEagle · December 27, 2005

The only way I would even consider keeping DD would be for him to win 2 OOC games, run the table on the SBC and win the NO bowl against a 4th place CUSA team!!
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Last year after the NO bowl, I was discussing North Texas football with my son, who is also a North Texas graduate. Now, "Son-of-silver" hasn't been a bandwagon-type fan since he was in early High School, when his favorite team was Nebraska. Since then he's maintained an almost "professional" stance regarding College and Pro teams. By that I mean that he loves to watch a good match-up between well coached and talented teams, but he rarely takes sides. He can quote sports statistics with the best of them. I use him as my sounding board for an objective view of North Texas athletics. It's like getting the frank criticism of our opponents without the flaming.

Anyway, after the NO bowl game, I mentioned that I was disappointed that we didn't recruit better in Texas. Especially when you consider we've been to four straight bowl games AND we have one of the longest conference winning streaks in College Football. "Son-of-Silver" just smiled at me and said "well Dad, how many of those bowl games did North Texas win?". He then added "and how many OCC games has North Texas won in the last five years?" That, he said, is what really gets the attention of the casual fan.

Just the other day, I mentioned to him that North Texas signed four mid-term JUCO players that many people feel will give North Texas some immediate help. I told him that I thought that most of them were at least honorable-mention all-conference players. Once again "Son-of-Silver" just smiled at me and said "Dad, what North Texas needed to do was sign four mid-term JUCO ALL-AMERICANS. THEN, maybe people will notice, and THEN maybe the better HS recruits might want to give North Texas a more serious look".

DeepGreen · December 27, 2005

"The Force" is starting to play mind games with me.

December 28, 2005

First, I'd like to comment on the post that started this thread. Rick (GGII) didn't simply say this time that he wouldn't post anymore but that he would not attend any more games. He's been fed up before, as we all have, but I think that this time his boycott has reached a fever pitch. I believe that he means it. And this is from a fan who I'd guess has attended more North Texas games than any other, possibly in our history. There were years that GG attended every North Texas within a day's drive.

Regarding the thread as it has developed; both recruiting and coaching have diminished but which came first? I think that the coaching did. The very first pre-game interview that I ever heard from Coach Dickey (first LSU debacle) told me that we had no chance of winning; that we were there to fulfill a contract. I agree with Euless Eagle that I want a coach who will not accept defeat. If you don't believe that you can win, I'd say you're right. As to being close in the fourth quarter and maybe pulling out a win, how'd that work for you this year? I'd also like to see a coach that teaches multiple formations so that if one doesn't work, another might. (Please note that this was Celina's path to the state championship this past year). I'd like to see any adjustments necessary, offensively and defensively throughout the game. To me, football is a little like a chess game; you must always be alert defensively and think two or three plays ahead offensively. It seems that we are often outcoached (but I think that someone else has already made that point).

I also hate this stealth recruiting. I don't buy that we have to be secretive about who we have offered. If we lose one or more, at least other recruits and fans will know that we are in there trying. This year I did not see a single top recruit in Dallas, Fort Worth or San Antonio who were even considering North Texas. Our best recruiting these days seems to come from the Houston area and Oklahoma. I'm afraid that Houston could take a hit because Coach Bell is leaving but Coach Malone may have the contacts to keep that going. We also have gotten a sprinkling of good players from Central Texas. Even though we seldom get a Top 100 recruit, some of our recruits have been (or are) potentially outstanding. But they need to be coached to reach that full potential.

Personally, I'm giving it one more year. If I don't see great change then, like Rick, I'll sit it out until there's a coaching change.

KingDL1 · December 28, 2005

"The Force" is starting to play mind games with me.

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I am soo confused, is this GoMeanGreen.com?

eulesseagle have you truly jumped the fence and joined the dark-side? Wow!

If you have joined the dark-side and you start looking at the UNT world without your green-shaded glasses on, you will likely get more and more pi$$ed about where we are waking up to find ourselves. It is like a great awakening and you realize that we are already screwed next season as long as DD is here.

Damn glad to have you!

UNTFan23 · December 28, 2005

NT80 · December 28, 2005

As we were watching a Bowl game tonight, my brother-in-law asked me what happened to North Texas football this year. I had to pause and really think about a semi-short answer for someone that doesn't follow NT could understand.

I started about our senior QB had graduated, then about the loss of some players to grades, then how we can't beat anyone outside the SunBelt and now we can't beat them, and then...oh, heck with it I said....it's the coaching!

KingDL1 · December 28, 2005

As we were watching a Bowl game tonight, my brother-in-law asked me what happened to North Texas football this year. I had to pause and really think about a semi-short answer for someone that doesn't follow NT could understand.
I started about our senior QB had graduated, then about the loss of some players to grades, then how we can't beat anyone outside the SunBelt and now we can't beat them, and then...oh, heck with it I said....it's the coaching!
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Pretty funny, that is how several conversations have gone for me this year. I distilled it down to just coaching also, because it is what is. I have had that same question thrown at me at least a hundred times this season. I am thinking about having cards printed.

TIgreen01 · December 28, 2005

Pretty funny, that is how several conversations have gone for me this year. I distilled it down to just coaching also, because it is what is. I have had that same question thrown at me at least a hundred times this season. I am thinking about having cards printed.
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Important to note....do NOT take this line of argument with anyone who has ever coached! In explaining last year's NO Bowl game and this entire season, I said something to the effect of our coaching being sub-par to my father-in-law (longtime ex-high school bball coach). His response? "4 conference championships and YOUR COACH is the problem?"

We have a truly baffling situation here at North Texas. To anyone who has never watched an NT game in the last 8 years, you would think that the fans were crazy to question the coaches after 4 conference championships. To anyone who has actually watched us....the coaching comes into question. This whole situation baffles me....I honestly don't know which side to take.

Eagle1855 · December 28, 2005

I honestly don't know which side to take.
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I do.

All the SBC wins in the world wont matter to me if we start sunbelt play with an 0-3 record. If we lay an egg against SMU like we did against Tulsa, then lose games in Sun Belt play, you will see a new coach in 2007 (in my opinion). I dont think we can afford to go 0-5 at home again without some shake ups. Especially when we are in the freaking Sun Belt.

eulesseagle · December 28, 2005

KingDL1 et. al.---

You are 120% correct in stating that I have been influenced by the "Dark Side." As I stated earlier in this thread the last straw was seeing NO H.S. perspective recruit in the State 100 or "Area 51" (Area 51: an anomoly in the DFW area that is a complete recruiting mystery for DD/RF and there minions) consider UNT!!! Not only this year but now for the last couple of three years.

There has been NO building from SBC championship success by this current FB staff by landing anything other than 2-star recruits who are, for the most part "Honorable Mention"!!!! The same goes with the JUCO's!!! If everyone remembers there were always those "past" H.S. recruits in the state 100 or "Area 51" that considered UNT........NO MORE........I submit-----WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?????????? Why do these recuits REJECT UNT now in favor of other Mid-Major, in/out of state programs, and would much rather go to D-1AA schools instead of UNT???????????????

GEO is correct when he says what is so secretive about our recruits that DD does not want to disclose??? It would be easier for DD to publically admit that he and his staff are incapable of recruiting anything other than "Honorable Mention" recruits and those with past physical malodies that prevented them from going to another Mid-Major or BCS school. DD then proudly admits that these are "great finds" that will enhance our program.

I am tired of schools like LaTech, Tulsa and K-State play everyone on their roster to keep the score down to 50+ points.

While other programs are getting OCs to develop "HIGH POWERED" & "INNOVATIVE" offenses (and now Troy has hired an OC for a "high octane" offense) DD and RF are stuck in "YESTERYEAR." FB technology has "OUTPACED" DD and his staff and it appears that there is "NO" help in sight. While other programs "fire" their OC's for non-productivity DD has kept RF from the begining. All we have had since 1998 is "Mediocrity Ball." It is NO LONGER "DD BALL" IT IS NOW " MEDIOCRITY BALL."

To keep DD he needs to win 2 OOC games, run the table on the belt and win the NO Bowl against a 4th place CUSA team. Do I seriously think that will happen.......NO!!!

New Definitions that EVERYONE should get used to reading:

1. "MEDIOCRITY BALL"- replaces DD Ball because he has reached his apex of success at UNT.

2. "AREA 51"- replaces the DFW area recruits (and possibly Houston/Austin-San Antonio) because it is an anomoly or black hole that RF is unfamilar with.

3. "HONORABLE MENTION"- these are DD's All-State 4-star players.

I will stop here because I know some of you have other DEFINITIONS that you want to share.

Yes, I have been overtaken by the "Dark Side" and damn proud of it!!

UNTFan23 · December 28, 2005

Important to note....do NOT take this line of argument with anyone who has ever coached! In explaining last year's NO Bowl game and this entire season, I said something to the effect of our coaching being sub-par to my father-in-law (longtime ex-high school bball coach). His response? "4 conference championships and YOUR COACH is the problem?"
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To go from first to worst, I do blame the coach to an extent. I saw no change in style of play the entire season. That flat tire was never changed. We just kept on trucking like nothing was ever wrong.

You'll always get what you've always got, if you do what you've always done.

PlummMeanGreen · December 28, 2005

Important to note....do NOT take this line of argument with anyone who has ever coached! In explaining last year's NO Bowl game and this entire season, I said something to the effect of our coaching being sub-par to my father-in-law (longtime ex-high school bball coach). His response? "4 conference championships and YOUR COACH is the problem?"
We have a truly baffling situation here at North Texas. To anyone who has never watched an NT game in the last 8 years, you would think that the fans were crazy to question the coaches after 4 conference championships. To anyone who has actually watched us....the coaching comes into question. This whole situation baffles me....I honestly don't know which side to take.
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I know, here comes the Hayden Fry gibberish from an old fart 70's alum once again but...........there was not a day in the 6 years we were lucky enough to have him as the NORTH TEXAS head football coach that we fans (students) were ever embarrassed with the product we got from him on the football field.

Of course, I realize we are talking about one who came to Denton already a proven product {hmmm? what a concept that is, eh? } which I guess is a similar scenario and scene as to what UTEP (with Top 25 first time rankings ever) are experiencing now with their Coach Price (although the jury is still out if he will ever be in the College Football Hall of Fame such as Hayden Fry).

There were hardly ever any games that we went into with the innovative Fry that we ever felt was a body bag game. Hellsbells! We thought Fry would find a way to beat most anyone we ever played any time we teed up the football. That was a good feeling for NT alums and students to have back in the day. It is an experience that I believe we will one day (again) experience, too.

I just know in my heart of hearts my saintly mother looks down from above and is embarrassed with some of the things I've posted on this forum, ie, GoMeanGreen.com; but (God rest her soul) she has no idea how her only son feels how right he feels he is (along with others on this board and beyond) with our present and future situation with Darrell Dickey.

Is it sport or fun for me (and others) to post things that will affect a human being and his family's lives? No, it is not fun at all, it is not what I consider to be sport and it still makes me feel uncomfortable with what I have posted many times; but on the other hand, we are just not in the business as an NCAA D1-A school of running a center of benevolence because people just happen to be good and decent people, either.

I have made much recently about our NT Lady Mean Green head BB coach's 17 year career at UNT and with her still being under .500 and what I feel would never been allowed at any other NCAA D1 school who is serious about a progressive athletic program. I've even met Ms. Slinker on one or 2 occassions in those 17 years and found her to be (what many times we say here in Texas) "good people" but there are many, many, many "good people" out there that are not cutting the mustard in their jobs no matter the scenario or how a situation has caused that to be the case and are not given the time that we seem to give those at UNT. That part coming from our leaders amost bothers me as much as some of our coach's W/L records over long periods of time, too. It makes me sometimes think that our present UNT leaders are not giving us the kind of progressive leadership one would expect to get at a school that is a member of NCAA D1-A.

Still (and as Yogi would say I'm being redundant all over again); anyway, any NT Ex or Mean Green fan only has to check the football media guide out to see that maybe we have been operating under some semblance of a disguised success and I will only have to defer to NCAA D1-AA schools we lost to in most of our bowl years. Like one said, you can fool the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time" and that becomes even more clear to me everyday with our present situation at the University of North Texas.

I read a post on GMG.com last night from a long time NT EX who has been attending Eagle/Mean Green football games since the 1940's. He said (in his post) that he was going to give all this with Dickey Ball just one more year. I believe him when he says "one more year" but all this should have never been allowed to come to this level.

Our NT leaders just merely need to put aside their Andersen's Fairy Tales book, face (and then admit) to the cold harsh realaties that they can easily see for themselves in an NT Football Media Guide and just show our entire UNT constituency and family that they really are aware of what has been going on with a football program that has been successful in a not so successful football conference. A football conference of which most of its members teeter-tooters in and out of the Bottom 10 most every football season. We all I believe just really expect more than this at UNT.

One might assume the glaring fact that Darrell Dickey gets no inquiries (least of all any interviews) with higher profile (than an SBC level) NCAA D1-A head football coach's job openings would also serve to be a fairly ominous red flag as to what the rest of the college football world thinks about the progress (or lack thereof) of Mean Green football and even all that after 4 bowl appearances.

After one reads all the facts with all this, I think even a novice amateur would see this as a "no brainer" with the football program at UNT and with the decisions that probably should have already been made as to nip all this at the bud now (rather than senselessly throwing another year with many NT Exes and Mean Green fans who see trends that are still not changing as to make any dramatic differences in the 2006 Mean Green football season.

A Challenge to NT Leadership: Please do consider getting a copy of the 2006 NT Mean Green football schedule and go down the list of each team we play and (taking off your green tinted glasses) just count how many wins you seriously think we can win next football season. Many who have been DD supporters on this board even think we probably start out 0 & 3 and among those 3 a loss to an emerging SMU Mustang football team. Others have even posted about our alma mater's football team staring out at 0 and 5 in 2006.

With the fact that we still seem to be recruiting at the same clip as the last 2 or 3 years with (not near enough) talent and similar overall talent that produced for us last season big losses to La Tech and Tulsa and now our recent recruting efforts have reared their ugly heads with the Mean Green now losing to SBC schools (such as FAU who "ONLY" beat us for the 2'nd time in a row with one of those 2 wins being in a year we went to a bowl); then after you come up with how many games you really think we can win in 2006--why do those who create the direction of our universtiy need to put this football program behind yet another year and delay the inevitable?

In closing, just who is it do you owe another full season even with present trends that show no signs of change? So NT Leadership, plea$e do con$ider that you owe the one$ you are a$king to annually inve$t into all thi$ a$ the one$ you owe; after all, there are many, many, many more of u$ than a mere handful you all ($eemedly) want to be the con$ummate "Texa$ Good Ol Boy($)" with.

Edited December 28, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

eagle60 · December 28, 2005

Our "NT Leadership" seems locked into the "Teachers College" mentality. Sports are just another form of entertainment for those few students who are interested. Sorry, but the world has moved on and "Butts In Seats" count for a lot these days.

After four straight SBC Championships, why are there so few fans in the stands, or "BIS." Why are sub .500 win records acceptable? Why aren't we recruiting 3 and 4 star athletes in the Metroplex? Why doesn't anyone try to hire our head coaches?

Last night I watched the Insight Bowl game. Truly an entertaining experience with lots of offense and effort. And Ariz State's QB is just a redshirt freshman who only got to start because of injury to the starter. They racked up over 500 yards total offense and scored 48 points. And they don't have any trouble drawing fans! Is there a corolation?

MeanGreen61 · December 28, 2005

I know, here comes the Hayden Fry gibberish from an old fart 70's alum once again but...........there was not a day in the 6 years we were lucky enough to have him as the NORTH TEXAS head football coach that we fans (students) were ever embarrassed with the product we got from him on the football field.
Of course, I realize we are talking about one who came to Denton already a proven product {hmmm? what a concept that is, eh? } which I guess is a similar scenario and scene as to what UTEP (with Top 25 first time rankings ever) are experiencing now with their Coach Price (although the jury is still out if he will ever be in the College Football Hall of Fame such as Hayden Fry).
There were hardly ever any games that we went into with the innovative Fry that we ever felt was a body bag game. Hellsbells! We thought Fry would find a way to beat most anyone we ever played any time we teed up the football. That was a good feeling for NT alums and students to have back in the day. It is an experience that I believe we will one day (again) experience, too.
I just know in my heart of hearts my saintly mother looks down from above and is embarrassed with some of the things I've posted on this forum, ie, GoMeanGreen.com; but (God rest her soul) she has no idea how her only son feels how right he feels he is (along with others on this board and beyond) with our present and future situation with Darrell Dickey.
Is it sport or fun for me (and others) to post things that will affect a human being and his family's lives? No, it is not fun at all, it is not what I consider to be sport and it still makes me feel uncomfortable with what I have posted many times; but on the other hand, we are just not in the business as an NCAA D1-A school of running a center of benevolence because people just happen to be good and decent people, either.
I have made much recently about our NT Lady Mean Green head BB coach's 17 year career at UNT and with her still being under .500 and what I feel would never been allowed at any other NCAA D1 school who is serious about a progressive athletic program. I've even met Ms. Slinker on one or 2 occassions in those 17 years and found her to be (what many times we say here in Texas) "good people" but there are many, many, many "good people" out there that are not cutting the mustard in their jobs no matter the scenario or how a situation has caused that to be the case and are not given the time that we seem to give those at UNT. That part coming from our leaders amost bothers me as much as some of our coach's W/L records over long periods of time, too. It makes me sometimes think that our present UNT leaders are not giving us the kind of progressive leadership one would expect to get at a school that is a member of NCAA D1-A.
Still (and as Yogi would say I'm being redundant all over again); anyway, any NT Ex or Mean Green fan only has to check the football media guide out to see that maybe we have been operating under some semblance of a disguised success and I will only have to defer to NCAA D1-AA schools we lost to in most of our bowl years. Like one said, you can fool the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time" and that becomes even more clear to me everyday with our present situation at the University of North Texas.
I read a post on GMG.com last night from a long time NT EX who has been attending Eagle/Mean Green football games since the 1940's. He said (in his post) that he was going to give all this with Dickey Ball just one more year. I believe him when he says "one more year" but all this should have never been allowed to come to this level.
Our NT leaders just merely need to put aside their Andersen's Fairy Tales book, face (and then admit) to the cold harsh realaties that they can easily see for themselves in an NT Football Media Guide and just show our entire UNT constituency and family that they really are aware of what has been going on with a football program that has been successful in a not so successful football conference. A football conference of which most of its members teeter-tooters in and out of the Bottom 10 most every football season. We all I believe just really expect more than this at UNT.
One might assume the glaring fact that Darrell Dickey gets no inquiries (least of all any interviews) with higher profile (than an SBC level) NCAA D1-A head football coach's job openings would also serve to be a fairly ominous red flag as to what the rest of the college football world thinks about the progress (or lack thereof) of Mean Green football and even all that after 4 bowl appearances.
After one reads all the facts with all this, I think even a novice amateur would see this as a "no brainer" with the football program at UNT and with the decisions that probably should have already been made as to nip all this at the bud now (rather than senselessly throwing another year with many NT Exes and Mean Green fans who see trends that are still not changing as to make any dramatic differences in the 2006 Mean Green football season.
A Challenge to NT Leadership: Please do consider getting a copy of the 2006 NT Mean Green football schedule and go down the list of each team we play and (taking off your green tinted glasses) just count how many wins you seriously think we can win next football season. Many who have been DD supporters on this board even think we probably start out 0 & 3 and among those 3 a loss to an emerging SMU Mustang football team. Others have even posted about our alma mater's football team staring out at 0 and 5 in 2006.
With the fact that we still seem to be recruiting at the same clip as the last 2 or 3 years with (not near enough) talent and similar overall talent that produced for us last season big losses to La Tech and Tulsa and now our recent recruting efforts have reared their ugly heads with the Mean Green now losing to SBC schools (such as FAU who "ONLY" beat us for the 2'nd time in a row with one of those 2 wins being in a year we went to a bowl); then after you come up with how many games you really think we can win in 2006--why do those who create the direction of our universtiy need to put this football program behind yet another year and delay the inevitable?
In closing, just who is it do you owe another full season even with present trends that show no signs of change? So NT Leadership, plea$e do con$ider that you owe the one$ you are a$king to annually inve$t into all thi$ a$ the one$ you owe; after all, there are many, many, many more of u$ than a mere handful you all ($eemedly) want to be the con$ummate "Texa$ Good Ol Boy($)" with.
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Pedo Grande

SilverEagle · December 28, 2005

First, I'd like to comment on the post that started this thread. Rick (GGII) didn't simply say this time that he wouldn't post anymore but that he would not attend any more games. He's been fed up before, as we all have, but I think that this time his boycott has reached a fever pitch. I believe that he means it. And this is from a fan who I'd guess has attended more North Texas games than any other, possibly in our history. There were years that GG attended every North Texas within a day's drive.
Regarding the thread as it has developed; both recruiting and coaching have diminished but which came first? I think that the coaching did. The very first pre-game interview that I ever heard from Coach Dickey (first LSU debacle) told me that we had no chance of winning; that we were there to fulfill a contract. I agree with Euless Eagle that I want a coach who will not accept defeat. If you don't believe that you can win, I'd say you're right. As to being close in the fourth quarter and maybe pulling out a win, how'd that work for you this year? I'd also like to see a coach that teaches multiple formations so that if one doesn't work, another might. (Please note that this was Celina's path to the state championship this past year). I'd like to see any adjustments necessary, offensively and defensively throughout the game. To me, football is a little like a chess game; you must always be alert defensively and think two or three plays ahead offensively. It seems that we are often outcoached (but I think that someone else has already made that point).
I also hate this stealth recruiting. I don't buy that we have to be secretive about who we have offered. If we lose one or more, at least other recruits and fans will know that we are in there trying. This year I did not see a single top recruit in Dallas, Fort Worth or San Antonio who were even considering North Texas. Our best recruiting these days seems to come from the Houston area and Oklahoma. I'm afraid that Houston could take a hit because Coach Bell is leaving but Coach Malone may have the contacts to keep that going. We also have gotten a sprinkling of good players from Central Texas. Even though we seldom get a Top 100 recruit, some of our recruits have been (or are) potentially outstanding. But they need to be coached to reach that full potential.
Personally, I'm giving it one more year. If I don't see great change then, like Rick, I'll sit it out until there's a coaching change.
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I'd like to put this post into better perspective for everyone on this board, because some of you may not know GrayEagle.

In all my years of attending, watching, and talking about North Texas football I don't think that I have found one person that has more knowledge about North Texas football (both historical and technical) than GrayEagleone. In addition, I find him to be one of the most intelligent, fair minded, friendly and approachable fans I have ever come across at this institution.

I say all this not because I think that GEO's ego needs to be massaged, but because everyone needs to understand how serious things have gotten.

When GrayEagleone is so fed-up with a situaton that he is starting to drop hints that (metaphorically speaking) the sky is about to start falling, then everyone better start (again metaphorically speaking) worrying about large objects falling on their heads.

And the people that really need to pay attention and worry about this the most, are the ones in charge of this program....

Are you listening out there guys?

Edited December 28, 2005 by SilverEagle

Stan R · December 28, 2005

Good posts SE and GE. Well next year will be a great opportunity for DD to prove himself at home. or not - as the case may be. Playing both SMU and LaTech at home make this next season out to be the biggest in my history of following the school, PERIOD (follwowing since 1995 ).

Has there ever been a better NT home schedule than this one?

Potentially winnable games vs. instate schools and another against a school we frequently recruit against. Huge opportunity to win fans, support, recruits. WE SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD TO LAY ANOTHER EGG WITH NEXT YEARS HOME SCHEUDLE!

DD, for the love of all that is holy, please prove your critics wrong next year.

bison · December 28, 2005

And why do we excpect anyting different next year when nothing has changed in the past 8 years? Until changes are made I will not support UNT football!!

UNTLifer · December 28, 2005

Until changes are made I will not support UNT football!!
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Again, unfortunately at North Texas, this is the worst thing you can do. Find another way to express your displeasure.

Stan R · December 28, 2005

Why don't you just show up to games with a grocery bag on your head? You can put "DD supporter" on the front. That would be hilarious and a great way to still show up and support the team whilst taking a shot at DD. Hell he may even insult you in post game interviews! Think of the notoriety you'd get!!

NT80 · December 28, 2005

And why do we excpect anyting different next year when nothing has changed in the past 8 years? Until changes are made I will not support UNT football!!
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The best thing you can do to express change is needed is to email the BOR and RV. They won't miss 2, 100, or even a 1000 fans, and know why, but they will read your email and then know why.