Artist drawings of MUTS proposed baseball venue

[NT80]

MUTS proposed baseball stadium

[MrStrange62]

after seeing the pathetic excuse of a softball stadium we are erecting... i doubt our baseball stadium will be able to hold a candle to this!

GMG!!!

[UNTLifer]

after seeing the pathetic excuse of a softball stadium we are erecting... i doubt our baseball stadium will be able to hold a candle to this!

GMG!!!

←

Is the softball field really that bad? I haven't been by the site since I moved to Houston. Maybe that explains why there haven't been any new construction photos since the tennis facility was completed. After all the touting of the new facilities at the Mean Green Village, I would be disappointed if they didn't meet expectations.

[kingwoodgreen]

you should check out Sam Houston's new softball field. It is nice. If we cannot better then them then I am very disappointed.

[UNTLifer]

SHSU Softball Facilities

you should check out Sam Houston's new softball field. It is nice. If we cannot better then them then I am very disappointed.

←

[THOR]

Why should the university go overboard on a baseball field or a softball field when the two sports just started? How about we see what type of progress is made and whether or not the sports even make it? Later on, someone can donate money or something and they can improve on the existing structures. I've got no problem with what we are building. It might not be the best or the prettiest, but it doesn't have to be right now.

[NT80]

you should check out Sam Houston's new softball field. It is nice. If we cannot better then them then I am very disappointed.

←

New UNT Softball field under construction photos

New Sam Houston State Softball field

Edited February 21, 2006 by NT80

[untgirl04]

New UNT Softball field under construction photos

New Sam Houston State Softball field

←

The biggest difference I see is that the SHSU facility has an overhang over the stands, while ours does not. Keep in mind also that the SHSU picture was taken from a completely different angle which flatters the stadium, and the UNT one was a head-on shot. Also, we don't have grass yet, which will make a big difference in the asthetics.

And you can't always judge a field by its looks. Sometimes even if the grass is green and the surroundings are pretty, there are holes in the outfield and a grade between the bases. As a softball player for 10 years, I would much rather UNT spend the money on the field itself and not on the surroundings. Besides, they can always add on to the surroundings as funding comes in.

[UNTLifer]

Why should the university go overboard on a baseball field or a softball field when the two sports just started?  How about we see what type of progress is made and whether or not the sports even make it?  Later on, someone can donate money or something and they can improve on the existing structures.  I've got no problem with what we are building.  It might not be the best or the prettiest, but it doesn't have to be right now.

←

Sorry, but this is the attitude that got NT in its current situation. Why shouldn't we want nice facilities from the start? Don't you think the better recruits want to play in the nicer facilities? Seems to me that this attitude sets us up for a catch 22 situation.

[THOR]

Sorry, but this is the attitude that got NT in its current situation.  Why shouldn't we want nice facilities from the start?  Don't you think the better recruits want to play in the nicer facilities?  Seems to me that this attitude sets us up for a catch 22 situation.

←

I agree on having nice facilities, but the facilities for a couple of brand new sports don't have to be the best in the conference. Of course, recruits want to play in nice facilities. That's why we're building new facilities for these sports. I just don't want to go overboard and then have something happen to the funding of these sports or some TITle IX problem. I think it's a damned if we do, damned if we don't thing.

[UNTLifer]

I agree on having nice facilities, but the facilities for a couple of brand new sports don't have to be the best in the conference.  Of course, recruits want to play in nice facilities.  That's why we're building new facilities for these sports.  I just don't want to go overboard and then have something happen to the funding of these sports or some TITle IX problem.  I think it's a damned if we do, damned if we don't thing.

←

Do you think SHSU, which is in a D1AA conference, should have nicer facilities than North Texas?

[bigrobdsp]

I dont see anything wrong with our new stadium. it looks like it will look very nice when it is done. the locker facilities look great. I assume that this is what we could afford to build right now and the stands look very upgradeable. if the choice was wait a few years or build a staium that can be enhanced and added onto later, but is not as nice as Sam Houstons right now I say they did a great job.

[mhow2]

as a former baseball player I personally never care about what the stands looked like. It is the playing surface that matters.

[UNTLifer]

as a former baseball player I personally never care about what the stands looked like.  It is the playing surface that matters.

←

I agree, but my original response was to this quote:

Why should the university go overboard on a baseball field or a softball field when the two sports just started? How about we see what type of progress is made and whether or not the sports even make it?

I'm not asking the university to go overboard, but to not put us in the position of playing catch up facility wise in the future. They should build something that won't need renovations in the next few years. Build nice facilities that will attract the athletes to make us a success from the beginning.

[THOR]

Do you think SHSU, which is in a D1AA conference, should have nicer facilities than North Texas?

←

Should it...no, not in a perfect world, but this isn't a perfect world. There are plenty, and I am assuming, of lower tiered schools that have better facilities than us or other Sun Belt members. That's not what's most important. We are going to have a new baseball stadium. Why isn't that enough? What happens when we get a new football stadium, but it isn't as nice as Troy's or some other schools? This isn't a race as to who has the prettiest facilities. We have new facilities and they are nice.

[NT80]

Should it...no, not in a perfect world, but this isn't a perfect world.  There are plenty, and I am assuming, of lower tiered schools that have better facilities than us or other Sun Belt members.  That's not what's most important.  We are going to have a new baseball stadium.  Why isn't that enough?  What happens when we get a new football stadium, but it isn't as nice as Troy's or some other schools?  This isn't a race as to who has the prettiest facilities.  We have new facilities and they are nice.

←

To the fans the facilities matter, and fans are where the $$ come from. Fouts is not a modern, fan-friendly venue and it is a deterent to some fans who might come otherwise to a better facility.

[untgirl04]

To the fans the facilities matter, and fans are where the $$ come from.  Fouts is not a modern, fan-friendly venue and it is a deterent to some fans who might come otherwise to a better facility.

←

I agree that money comes from the fans, but I disagree about the fans coming to a nicer stadium. People attend games when your teams win. The best way to ensure victory is to have a good coach and the best possible players. Players (especially in sports like softball) are more concerned with winning and playing on a good field. Although they appreciate fan support, they don't really care whether or not the fans think their stadium is ugly.

[MrStrange62]

Do you guys honestly think that players dont care what their stadium looks like? That is one of the biggest recuiting tools for most colleges... facilities (stadium included!) You cant tell me that some high school senior would rather play on a field with great grass and a couple of metal bleachers behind them over the kind of facility that SHSU has. Build it nice from the start, youll recruit better players, youll win games, fans will come.

GMG!!!

[NT80]

I agree that money comes from the fans, but I disagree about the fans coming to a nicer stadium. People attend games when your teams win. The best way to ensure victory is to have a good coach and the best possible players. Players (especially in sports like softball) are more concerned with winning and playing on a good field. Although they appreciate fan support, they don't really care whether or not the fans think their stadium is ugly.

←

Any program will have players, but without fans there would be no 1-A football program at UNT.

We could have survived as a program with the old Athletic Center and saved $7 million. But I think the new place will attract better athletes and more fans and donations because of it. The same with a new stadium.

[bigrobdsp]

we just got a softball team and we dont have a baseball team yet. I am just happy that we are getting some of this stuff.

[NorthTexasFan]

Yeah, I'm excited to see what MG Baseball has in store!

[EXMeangreener]

My High School fields look better than that, and we are a freaking UNIVERSITY!! It looks like a regular field at some complex that a town built. I know they are trying to improve the facilities, but why not make them nice from the start? As a former collegiate athlete, I wanted to play in nice facilities when I chose the school I went to. However, it does help to fill the stands....if u can't fill the stands there is not reason to have a top of the line facility(hint hint). BUT, I have been to a few softball games, and there seems to be a lot of backing for the girls and I think they will have no problem filling the stands...the facilities they built are not going to accomodate everybody!!

[NorthTexasFan]

MUTS proposed baseball stadium

←

This looks similar to TCU's stadium.

[PlummMeanGreen]

after seeing the pathetic excuse of a softball stadium we are erecting... i doubt our baseball stadium will be able to hold a candle to this!

GMG!!!

←

SUNDAY MORNING COMIN' DOWN..........(if something stinks, don't you usually get around to saying something about the aroma that surrounds you and don't most do something about it)?

The key word in your post, MrStranger62, is, uh, e-r-e-c-t-i-n-g; you know, like in the old baby boomer toy we had back in the day which was called an.........."erector set?" ERECTOR SET?!?!?!?!? Is that what we are using to build this new softball stadium for crissakes? NOTE: Good golly Miss Molly, might there even be some Texas 5A high schools with better softball facilities?

CONSPIRACY THEORY COMIN' AT YA' ! lol! Is all this like the "less than inspriing" softball facilitey and other such (I'm sure) planned similar facilities happening at our alma mater mean't to be some kind of a joke or punishment aimed at a growing army (trust me on that one) who are really getting concerned now about what they feel they are getting up there in MG Country (and some who are just now beginning to voice their sincere and dire concerns for the first time--& not necessarily on this forum, either)?

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

I HAD A MEAN GREEN NIGHTMARE JUST THE OTHER NIGHT:

I dreamed NT AD Rick V gave all our "non-productive/not even close to .500 in wins/losses after many years of trying" another 5 years of extended contracts (on top the extensions they already have) and then Rick V made this announcement: "Yall have fun now, ya' hear, I now have a new job--SEE YA' LATER NORTH TEXAS STATE!"

......................................................................................

Are we going to end up with a bunch of 1-AA'ish type facilities at our Eagle Point Campus, fellow NT Exes/Mean Green fans? I haven't been up lately, but is the new tennis complex a truly NCAA D1-A kind of complex we can all be proud of?

Anyone want to volunteer to give a critique on our new tennis complex? Thanks in advance to you who does that. (Even wonder what Mr. Warranch thinks about his own name-sake facility--golly, I hope he doesn't get disappointed with the end results).

A TRUE MEAN GREEN SHOCKER! ! ! ! ! ! Yet I just now today looked at the link of the new UNT softball "complex" and I am in total unadulterated shock. Will our NT Board of Regents just about rubber-stamp or approve anything when it comes to UNT Athletics and what they are dishing out to our entire NT community for us to get to look at (and sit in) for decades to come? (Hey! They are short termers while the majority of us are long termers).

These are just not the best of times at UNT compared to the actual real bonafide "upwardly mobile" direction that our NT athletic program used to have at one time, but that was another era many years ago with what we can all now assume were much more talented employees with a "just don't talk about it but just get the damn job done" mindset and for damn sure that group who were respected among most of the NT alumnus base.

..................................................................................................................

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE PHILOSOPHY WE USED TO SAY WE HAD AT ONE TIME WHICH WAS:

"If you can't build it to be and look first class---THEN DON'T BUILD THE DAMN THING AT ALL?

..................................................................................................................

AND NOW A PRAYER FROM A MEAN GREEN INFIDEL: O Lord Almighty, please do put an end to all of this soon. Show all of us who have seen better and want better again Divine Intervention if you must. Amen........... (Heckbells! All this at UNT is even driving me to religion).

UNT Phd graduate "Dr. Phil" McGraw will probably be next on the dockets for many of us who can really tell some of you young gun alums that we really have had something to be exicted about this athletic program in another era BUT......... at a much higher profile (which is the key to all of this).

????????????????????????????????????????????????????

PS: When will winning the SBC tourney and actually winning a first round game in the NCAA basketball tournament actually be a criteria to stay on the NT payroll? The SBC is hardly the bell cow of NCAA D1-A, sports fans, so just being competitive in the SBC shouldn't be our standard at UNT, should it?

HOW NOW BROWN (uh, green) COW? Are we always going to be a contented herd of cows out in a pasture chewing our cuds with heads looking continuosly downward oblivious to what is happening around us?

Oblivious to the fact that while we chew our cuds in a "business as usual/no questions asked" mode that there is actually a raging, wind-driven north Texas prairie fire surrounding our entire herd and all that driven by the continuous "non results" (inside and outside the SBC) we are now getting "across the board" in MG Country?

So go ahead (and since we are in this "tear down" mode up at UNT these days); just go ahead and tear down that poor NCAA D1-A excuse of a softball stadium and just start over from scratch if we have to, but pleeeezzzzzzzzzzz, get it right the 2'nd time around? Hey! Let's let NCAA 1-AA "Sam Houston State" (sorry, general Sam) be our role model with all this, eh?

Just no upwardly bound direction in Denton from those who are hardly believeable anymore, folks, that's all. Wouldn't be so bad if all this were happening anywhere but the University of North Texas.

Have A Nice Day!

Edited March 5, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[UNTX]

Would it really cost that much more to build a brick veneer around the back and sides of those seats? Would it have cost that much more to build a press box not made of barn/sheet metal? That's the problem with this thing. Whatever the costs of those extras, this university should have been able to raise it. If we can't - we have no business................doing anything.