"Texas Bowl" replaces Houston Bowl

[NT80]

Houston Bowl gets a makeover

03:57 PM CDT on Thursday, August 10, 2006

By KEITH WHITMIRE / The Dallas Morning News

Houston's latest bowl game will have a statewide reach with its new name: the Texas Bowl.

The bowl's name and logo, in the shape of a western-style belt buckle, were unveiled Thursday. The new bowl, which is part of the entertainment arm of the NFL's Houston Texans, takes the place of the financially-strapped Houston Bowl.

"The name 'Texas Bowl' and this mark perfectly communicate our vision for the game," Lone Star Sports and Entertainment president Jamey Rootes said, "which is to create an annual celebration of the culture, heritage and football tradition of the Lone Star State."

The Texas Bowl name may be familiar to high school football fans around the state. FSN Southwest has marketed its state championship game broadcasts as the Texas Bowl. An FSN Southwest spokesman said the Texas Bowl brand has been relinquished to the new bowl.

"We've worked out that issue," Lone Star event manager David Brady said. "This will be the Texas Bowl."

The inaugural Texas Bowl kicks off at 7 p.m. on Dec. 28 at Reliant Stadium. The bowl has agreements to pit a Big 12 team against a team from either Conference USA or the Big East. TCU, which plays in the Mountain West Conference, also has access to the game.

[FirefightnRick]

Amazing, simply amazing. Kicked in the nuts again. I had better not find out that we were not in communication with these folks as obviously TCU's people were. I cannot think of a better motivational factor for our program to go out and build ourselves back to where we are a factor on the radar of respect. We need to kick SMU and Tulsa's ass and take advantage of our OOC opportunities. It's almost enough to make me want to say to hell with it all.

Rick

Edited August 11, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[Got5onIt]

Jesus Tap Dancin' Christ, you've got to be kidding me!!!!??????

[UNT_playmaker]

What the F***....you cant be serious.....North Texas is still a Division 1A school, the last i checked we had an enrollment of over 33,000 and are ranked #3 in the state in enrollment.

Without NT access to the bowl you idiots will lose out on the revenue generated from our fan base, ya'll's loss good luck with this year's first game, all of TEXAS will be waiting for the much anticipated game of UCF or East Carolina vs. Baylor....

Edited August 12, 2006 by UNT_playmaker

[MeanMag]

That is some kinda bullshit. This has got to be the worst slap in the face for the athletic department and football team. It's not like this is ever going to be a HUGE matchup, but christ. They are going to call it the TEXAS BOWL and all d1 teams are invited but us... perfect.

[buff64]

What the F***....you cant be serious.....North Texas is still a Division 1A school, the last i checked we had an enrollment of over 33,000 and are ranked #3 in the state in attendance.

Without NT access to the bowl you idiots will lose out on the revenue generated from our fan base, ya'll's loss good luck with this year's first game, all of TEXAS will be waiting for the much anticipated game of UCF or East Carolina vs. Baylor....

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# 3 in attendance ???

[untgirl04]

# 3 in attendance ???

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I think he means we're number 3 in terms of enrollment in the school.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

# 3 in attendance ???

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---We are number 3 in enrollment, I suppose that is what he meant by attendence. We are definitely not #3 in football game attendance.

---The is absolutely BS and and an insult, are the directors SMU grads?? There are ten division I universities in this state and nine are eligible to be invited. This is a pile of horse manure. Someone should register a complaint about this and point out that "9 out of 10 fact" to them. The last time I looked we are in Texas as well. It is unlikely that we would be invited but all I-A universities in Texas should be considered as a posisble invitee.

---Different subject but West Texans are not too happy about the new HS deal [Texas Bowl???] to have the title game in San Antonio (or Houston) every year. Our travel expenses are terrible anyway but this assures a lot of eastern high-schools an almost home game and assures West Texans another 300 mile (500+ if Houston) trip and a huge burden on the fans and will decrease attendence by WT fans. [curse East Texans and big city folks again]. Maybe we will show up wanting a lot of revenge... maybe that is why WT wins teams win so much [see Midland Lee, Permian etc.], we have a bad attitude after the long trip and want revenge.

[untbowler]

---We are number 3 in enrollment, I suppose that is what he meant by attendence.  We are definitely not #3 in football game attendance.

---The is absolutely BS and and an insult, are the directors SMU grads??  There are ten division I universities in this state and nine are eligible to be invited.  This is a pile of horse manure.  Someone should register a complaint about this and point out that "9 out of 10 fact" to them.  The last time I looked we are in Texas as well.  It is unlikely that we would be invited but all I-A universities in Texas should be considered as a posisble invitee.

---Different subject but West Texans are not too happy about the new HS deal [Texas Bowl???]  to have the title game in San Antonio  (or Houston) every year.  Our travel expenses are terrible anyway but this assures a lot of eastern high-schools an almost home game and assures West Texans another 300 mile (500+ if Houston) trip and a  huge burden on the fans and will decrease attendence by WT fans.  [curse East Texans and big city folks again].  Maybe we will show up wanting a lot of revenge... maybe that is why WT wins teams win so much [see Midland Lee, Permian etc.], we have a bad attitude after the long trip and want revenge.

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Are we actually surprised that our AD probably did not contact the Bowl Game, judging by the crickets chirping at the new AC not much is getting done (no open fundraising, no real contact with alumni, website updated weekly rather than daily (geez doesn't UNT have a media department = Interns!!!))

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Are we actually surprised that our AD probably did not contact the Bowl Game, judging by the crickets chirping at the new AC not much is getting done (no open fundraising, no real contact with alumni, website updated weekly rather than daily (geez doesn't UNT have a media department = Interns!!!)) 

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--As I posted on another thread...we do have an advertising and marketing school plus as you pointed out we also have a computer science and graphics courses. We should be smart enough to use this talent. That in itself doesn't say much for the academic part of UNT or the leadership. We should promote ourself better...one thing for sure SMU and the other division I schools sure are not going to do it for us.

[Peacock]

---We are number 3 in enrollment, I suppose that is what he meant by attendence. We are definitely not #3 in football game attendance.

Actually we are number 4...

U of H still has us beat by a few K.

[KingDL1]

Just goes to show what 4 trips to New Orleans will get you, nothing!

Maybe some OCC wins? Go figure.

Until we are a real threat, we will always be a joke.

But our AD should still be raising hell!

[DeepGreen]

This is the ultimate slap in the face. All of Texas' 1A programs are eligible to play in this bowl with the exception of one - North Texas. If the officials of our university bend over and once again take it in the b%tt, then this university and it's athletic programs are a joke. If the BOR, Lee Jackson, Rick Villareal, Dickey, and whoever else is running this train wreck in Denton, do not from a investigative committee and file a complaint with someone, somewhere, then we know where this program and university is going. Nowhere! Our officials need to at least put up a fight damnit! Do nothing and we will all know the future of NT.

Everyone of you who want to hang around the Sun Belt and play for crap, well this should be your wakeup call.

Again, this is the ultimate slap in the face.

Edited August 11, 2006 by DeepGreen

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

This is the ultimate slap in the face.  All of Texas' 1A programs are eligible to play in this bowl with the exception of one - North Texas.  If the officials of our university bend over and once again take it in the b%tt, then this university and it's athletic programs are a joke.  If the BOR, Lee Jackson, Rick Villareal, Dickey, and whoever else is running this train wreck in Denton, do not from a investigative committee and file a complaint with someone, somewhere, then we know where this program and university is going.  Nowhere!  Our officials need to at least put up a fight damnit!  Do nothing and we will all know the future of NT.

Everyone of you who want to hang around the Sun Belt and play for crap, well this should be your wakeup call.

Again, this is the ultimate slap in the face.

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---Absolutely, we once had company, UTEP and us, but now they they are a member of CUSA they are in a league with the old SWC teams. In the older days it was SWC and "there are others???? Things aren't good but better than they once were.

---Our athletic dept need to point out to them than 9 out of 10 Texas I-A teams are elgible for the Texas Bowl bid and only one Texas I-A teams isn't....UNT... which ain't exactly right. They could have simply said any I-A teams in Texas plus Big XII and CUSA members and get around it without insulting us (even if we unlikely to get a bid).....but they didn't.......jerks!

[PlummMeanGreen]

Amazing, simply amazing.  Kicked in the nuts again.  I had better not find out that we were not in communication with these folks as obviously TCU's people were.  I cannot think of a better motivational factor for our program to go out and build ourselves back to where we are a factor on the radar of respect.  We need to kick SMU and Tulsa's ass and take advantage of our OOC opportunities.    It's almost enough to make me want to say to hell with it all.

Rick

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This is just the tip of the "kicked in the nutts" iceberg for us, FFR, and this kind of thing will continue until someone in Denton wakes up and understands what 4 bowl games as SBC champion has not done for us at all AND what it has not done for us even in our home state, ie, the great sovereign state of Texas to boot! Hellsbells! Even a school that has experienced the NCAA Death Penalty and has been on NCAA probabtion more X's than Carter has pills is on the freakin' Texas Bowl list. TRIVIA QUESTION: How many times has UNT been on NCAA probation? (Answer at the bottom in 3 inch headline type)

I hope some of you young gun alums (in your 20's and 30's) don't wake up one morning and suddenly find yourselves in your mid-50's (which I and many others are now), and you find all those non-stop letters from AARP, then you start having pre-planned funeral folks eye-balling you a bit closer and then you all figure out that our alma mater is dedicated to hiring the level of personel that are really good ol' boys, ie, very hunky-dory salt of the earth type people (in most cases--not all) but personel who don't have a clue (or the ability) how to get us out of our present state.

I think for those we have on campus who probably do have a clue on how to get us out of our situation will be squelched by all this new leadership that have more important things on their minds than the very thing that excites more NT Exes than 1,000 One O'Clock Lab Band concerts will ever do and that is a higher profile NCAA D1-A co-existance than presently exists. Our "low profile-ness" kept us off that Texas Bowl list, folks.

We talk a helluva' good talk at UNT,in fact, we specialize in it, but rarely have many of us who kept thinking our messiah would come and lead our most impressive very large UNT constituency into the NCAA D1-A Promise Land; anyway, we have just not had those on payroll who can back up their talk the talk with the walk the walk. (I am talking about fund-raising and finding Big Donors, you know, like, uh, Troy U did to build their new football stadium?

Its a matter that we can all take our share of blame, but none of us are ever on selection committees to choose those who set our ship's direction. None of us are ever on selection committees of which I really feel even a novice would have to do very little research to figure out that a Coach Price (UTEP)) type hire and similar ancillery personel to go with such a hire are the kind of hires who get a school like NORTH TEXAS out of the bottom of the NCAA D1-A barrell doldrums and onto selection lists of possible bowl-worthy schools such as the Texas Bowl officials have drawn up.

So as most always, FFR, you are right inasmuch that that was a royal kick in the ass to anyone who has just started out following this program or to those who have followed all this for over a half century. Where does it stop and who will be active enough from campus to insure that this kind of bullshit gets stopped?

We are fartin' in the wind with our present crowd folks and in your hearts you know I (and many others who have expressed the same on or off this forum) are right about this. So in Mean Green Country we once again defer to a saying used often: This too shall pass (or at least we hope it does before we lose this program at the 1-A level). A subtle hint to new UNT leaders or those who've been around awhile but who seem to have forgotten: UNT and Denton, Texas, America, is in a major league sports market and we expect no less than major intercollegiate sports (or a direction that is actively pointed that way) "even" with Mean Green varsity athletics).

Now excuse me while I make a return call to a funeral pre-planner sales-person who has been circling my abode like a damn buzzard over some road-kill!

Answer: NONE!

ADDENDUM: Granted, the Texas Bowl folks may know the SBC champ (presently) has a contract to send its # 1 team to New Orleans if they even considerred us in the first place which I doubt they did), but one day the #2 SBC team will acutally be bowl-worthy quality and that #2 team could be UNT some year. Anyone think TCU would go to the Texas Bowl if they won the MWC? Folks, UNT Chancellor Lee Jackson's alma mater's fellow alums are laughing their Mustang heads off over yet another kick in the nutts to UNT. One day, we will have the last laugh with the SMU boys, but it won't be with our present officials in charge in Denton I'd wager.

Edited August 11, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[eulesseagle]

Come on guys what we need is a couple more bowls that will take the #2 SBC team (if they have enough wins.....how many times has this happened.....twice??). That way the #2 SBC team (provided it had a winning record) would have the chance to play the #9 or #10 Big 12, B.E., SEC, Big 10, ACC, WAC, MWC or MAC team.

I am not at least upset with UNT being deleted from this bowl......I am embarrased that UNT is in the worst possible D-1A conference in America with an equally dismal OOC record, with an admin that is complacently content with the direction of the program and still supporting a coach that has such a losing record.

[UNTLifer]

You all need to wake up and read the article. The Sun Belt Conference was ommitted, not North Texas.

[DeepGreen]

This could be the trick that killed slick. And right now my name is Slick.

Honestly, I have never been so pissed as I am this morning after reading that article.

[DeepGreen]

You all need to wake up and read the article.  The Sun Belt Conference was ommitted, not North Texas.

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YOU need to read the article. The MWC was also omitted but TCU was given special dispensation and was included. Now, do you feel better about this crap?

Edited August 11, 2006 by DeepGreen

[UNTLifer]

I read the article and I don't take it as a slap at NT. TCU brought a good crowd to Houston last year and are a perenial Top 20 team from the state, CUSA is a conference with much more cred. than the Sun Belt. I guarantee you that if NT were a consistent Top 25 team, instead of a 65+ team (100+ last year), and from a strong conference with national appeal that NT would have been included. When NT becomes consistently successful, try in our OOC games and either join a new conference or see the Sun Belt improve by leaps and bounds we can expect to be treated in this manner.

[PlummMeanGreen]

This could be the trick that killed slick.  And right now my name is Slick.

Honestly, I have never been so pissed as I am this morning after reading that article.

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There are many of us, uh, "Slicks" out here Phil. Didnt' take this to create us, either.

I'm afraid our lambs of UNT will continue to let our present officials lead them to the low profile existance slaughter house--no questions asked. What's sad to me is how I know some of these "lambs" who at one time would never be part of this as to accept anything that present UNT officials dish down to them. Honestly, I think their spirits have been broken by all the non-stop mediocrity and are now at a point that they would support anything at this point even if we were in a league with Tarleston State. Real nice, eh?

We all know what those 12 years at the NCAA D1- AA level did to the pysche of our alumnus base. Have present UNT leaders done any research or asked about those 12 glorious years and how our alums really did feel like 2'nd class Texas inter-collegiate citizens at that NCAA level? Maybe they should just get out of the branding business and check on things that really do make NT Exes proud of their school, eh? Not sure their branding ideas really caught on with our masses, either, eh?

I suppose we could all just lay down and accept all this if it just weren't for the fact that we are the 4'th largest university in Texas (& will be 3'rd largest one day in the future); and (after all) we are in a state where football is supposed to be King especially at schools our size. We just seem to operate like a damn JUCO at times, I swear we do.

ADDENDUM: I guess the other side of the coin with all this is will this bowl even be in business after next year or the next or the next?

Edited August 11, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[NT80]

The previous article I posted was the Dallas Morning News' version, mentioning TCU as also having access. Below is the Houston paper's article and it talks more about the 4-year conference agreements, and TCU playing last year, but does not say about them still having access. The head of that new Bowl group is named and he would have the definitive answer to the question of invitees...

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

Aug. 11, 2006, 12:42AM

Game resurfaces as Texas Bowl

Reliant event to put a premium on local appeal

By JOSEPH DUARTE

Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

If name recognition means everything, the city's next foray into the college bowl business won't be hard to remember.

Tapping into the state's rich football tradition, the Dec. 28 game to be played at Reliant Stadium will be called the Texas Bowl, organizers announced Thursday.

The bowl's logo is a silver belt buckle designed in the shape of a football featuring the words "Texas Bowl" across the middle and a cutout of the state.

"Our mission for the game is to create an annual celebration of the cultural heritage and football tradition of the Lone Star State," said Jamey Rootes, president of Lone Star Sports & Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Texans.

The Texas Bowl is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff and will be televised by the NFL Network. Under a four-year agreement, the game will feature a team from the Big 12 against representatives from the Big East and Conference USA in alternating years.

A presenting sponsor will be named at a later date, Rootes said. The payout per team is expected to be reduced from $1.2 million to about $750,000.

Rootes also said the bowl will have a tie-in with a local charity he declined to identify.

The Texas Bowl becomes the fifth different named bowl to be played in Houston, following the Oil Bowl (1946-47), Bluebonnet Bowl (1959-87), galleryfurniture.com Bowl (2000-02) and Ev1.net Bowl (2003-05).

Rootes said the short-term goal is for the Texas Bowl to establish economic stability, a problem in previous years because of dwindling attendance and debt.

Rootes said it will be important for the bowl to have "a local appeal" by getting choices of regional teams from the Big 12 and Conference USA, which will provide teams in 2007 and 2009 if enough qualify to fill the conference's bowl commitments.

This year's game tentatively will feature the Big 12's No. 8 team against the No. 4 Big East team, although Rootes said there is some flexibility in the selection order among available regional choices from the Big 12.

The postseason college game in Houston has been hurt in recent years by less-than-desirable matchups with no regional appeal. Roughly $1.2 million is still owed the Big 12 and Mountain West for participating last December in TCU's 27-24 victory over Iowa State.

"In order for the bowls to continue to survive and thrive, they've got to have exciting matchups, at least on a local interest," Rootes said.

If the new name sounds familiar, it's because it's not new. The University Interscholastic League also calls its high school football championships the Texas Bowl. Rootes said an agreement has been reached with Host Communications, which televises the prep title games, for exclusive naming rights.

"We've worked through that," Rootes said. "We don't anticipate it being called the Texas Bowl moving forward. ... We do anticipate us being called the Texas Bowl. We've spent a lot of time on this logo."

joseph.duarte@chron.com

[DeepGreen]

I read the article and I don't take it as a slap at NT.  TCU brought a good crowd to Houston last year and are a perenial Top 20 team from the state, CUSA is a conference with much more cred. than the Sun Belt.  I guarantee you that if NT were a consistent Top 25 team, instead of a 65+ team (100+ last year), and from a strong conference with national appeal that NT would have been included.  When NT becomes consistently successful, try in our OOC games and either join a new conference or see the Sun Belt improve by leaps and bounds we can expect to be treated in this manner.

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To my point, before last years craphole season, North Texas won 25 straight conference games, 4 straight SBC titles, 4 straight appearances in the New Orleans, and one year ranked 4th best D1A team in Texas ( I know, but it is a ranking!), and we get snubbed by this bowl. As long as we are in the Sun Belt, we can expect nothing more than stepchild treatment. Personally, I'm tired of it.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---I don't care if we have had 0-11 record for four years. It is still an insult to be the ONLY I-A team in Texas to not be eligible to play in this bowl... Obviously if we were 0-11 we would not be picked anyway. The ENTIRE point is that we are the ONLY TEXAS I-A team that would not be elgible even if we were 12-0. It is still an insult to us.

---It is still the old SWC buddy system..... every I-A team in Texas was a member of the SWC except UTEP (and us, thank SMU for the screw-over!! ) and now UTEP is in a league with 3 teams that were----SMU, Rice and Houston-- so they get included now.

---Being a Belt team is indirectly meaningless... not being in a league with former SWC members is everything.

Edited August 11, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[UNTLifer]

As long as we are in the Sun Belt, we can expect nothing more than stepchild treatment.  Personally, I'm tired of it.

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Exactly my point, plus I read the article from the Houston Chronicle this morning, live in Houston, that NT80 posted above.