"Texas Bowl" replaces Houston Bowl

[SilverEagle]

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.

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Well, here's the question. Are we ever going to get invited to any bowl game other than the NO bowl, on our own merits and/or potential? If not, then we are going to have to be invited to join CUSA or the Mountain West, or the B-12.

How is that going to happen? Obviously having a 25 conference game winning streak, plus four straight bowl trips hasn't gotten it done. Also, two straight national rushing champs didn't get those other conference officials all tingly either.

So what will? My first vote would be a better OCC record, AND a consistent 25K+ attendance at games. And finally, trips back to the NO bowl with consistent wins over our opponents.

BTW, has anyone gotten any credible feedback from one of the aforementioned conference officials that a lack of a new stadium is what kept us from getting invited to CUSA?

My guess is that Fouts wasn't the real reason.

Edited August 11, 2006 by SilverEagle

[IslandEagle]

Well, here's the question. Are we ever going to get invited to any bowl game other than the NO bowl, on our own merits and/or potential? If not, then we are going to have to be invited to join CUSA or the Mountain West, or the B-12.

How is that going to happen? Obviously having a 25 conference game winning streak, plus four straight bowl trips hasn't gotten it done.

So what will?  My first vote would be a better OCC record, AND a consistent 25K+ attendance at games.  And finally, trips back to the NO bowl with consistent wins over our opponents.

BTW, has anyone gotten any credible feedback from one of the aforementioned conference officials that a lack of a new stadium is what kept us from getting invited to CUSA?

My guess is that Fouts wasn't the real reason.

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It wasn't the main factor at all. Overall attendence, the viability of the basketball program and participation in key sports, such as baseball, where the main factors that led to our rejection. Until we address those, we better just focus on winning the Sun Belt and OOC games. Did you know that UTEP's football attendence topped ours even when they were in the depths of one of the worst losing streaks in college football history and we were actually winning? If we could have consistently (win-lose) put 25-30,000 fans in the seats we'd be in the CUSA today.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

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

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---If I were there with an email address available to me I would point out to them that 9 of the 10 Texas I-A teams are eligible. They should have just included all Texas I-A teams (which gets TCU and us) plus Big-XII and conference USA teams. They still would not have to pick us if weren't deserving.

It is the TEXAS BOWL and only one Texas team can not go....(even if we had a undefeated record)............... very insulting.!!!!!

Do you have a Houston Chronicle email address that be posted here???? Maybe the dummies are so enept they did not realize what they just did. You might be surprised what could happen if they were swamped with emails from UNT and realized we actually care and that there are lot of us.

---If we get that address...keep it short and mention that 9 of the 10 Texas teams are eligible but not UNT which is completely unfair for a TEXAS BOWL. It is completely stupid to have Marshall and Iowa State eligible as the host and we aren't.

Edited August 11, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[NT80]

Do you have a Houston Chronicle email address that be posted here????  Maybe the dummies are so enept they did not realize what they just did.  You might be surprised what could happen if they were swamped with emails from UNT and realized we actually care and that there are lot of us.

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This is the email for the writer of the Houston article Joseph Duarte(joseph.duarte@chron.com) , although the real person that needs to answer the question is Jamey Rootes as named in the article:

"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."

Again, I think the slight only signifies the perception of UNT football and SunBelt Conference football to these folks that we are not on a 1-A level, but still similar to an SFA or Sam Houston. Until we consistantly beat teams from CUSA or the Big12, they will continue to view us as lower-tier.

[PHSCoach]

Again, I think the slight only signifies the perception of UNT football and SunBelt Conference football to these folks that we are not on a 1-A level, but still similar to an SFA or Sam Houston.  Until we consistantly beat teams from CUSA or the Big12, they will continue to view us as lower-tier. 

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The bowl people really do not care what teams you beat to become bowl eligible but how many people will follow you to the game. It's all about money...

[NT80]

The bowl people really do not care what teams you beat to become bowl eligible but how many people will follow you to the game.  It's all about money...

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I think we've shown we can take 12-15K to a Bowl. The real issue to them is will the "local" college fan be interested enough to come buy a ticket to see UNT play. That's where our appeal hurts.

If we beat some name teams that Houston area fans have heard of (like TCU did last year at OU) and not just the FIUs and Muts of the world, then we'd get more consideration as a draw. That's why OOC games are even more important to a school like us than a conference which has name teams within it.

IMHO, If we were to join the WAC, beat Hawaii, Boise, and Fresno plus OOC then we'd be better known. We could wipe out the SBC, as we have, and still get no respect.

Edited August 11, 2006 by NT80

[Stan R]

What NT80 said.

[PHSCoach]

I think we've shown we can take 12-15K to a Bowl.  The real issue to them is will the "local" college fan be interested enough to come buy a ticket to see UNT play.   That's where our appeal hurts.  

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We get maybe 8,000-9,000(non student) at home games at NOB maybe 7,500 in 2004 so why the large increase?? And for the Texas game maybe what 800-1000.

Edited August 11, 2006 by PHSCoach

[Guest JohnDenver]

We get maybe 8,000-9,000(non student) at home games at NOB maybe 7,500 in 2004 so why the large increase?? And for the Texas game maybe what 800-1000.

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I don't understand your post

[PHSCoach]

I think we've shown we can take 12-15K to a Bowl.  The real issue to them is will the "local" college fan be interested enough to come buy a ticket to see UNT play.  That's where our appeal hurts. 

If we beat some name teams that Houston area fans have heard of (like TCU did last year at OU) and not just the FIUs and Muts of the world,  then we'd get more consideration as a draw.  That's why OOC games are even more important to a school like us than a conference which has name teams within it. 

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I was responding to the above.

And for the second PP now many people know what teams Cinn. in OCC to play in the 2002 NOB??

[Zeke]

We get maybe 8,000-9,000(non student) at home games at NOB maybe 7,500 in 2004 so why the large increase?? And for the Texas game maybe what 800-1000.

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Hmmm..........

[yyz28]

What NT80 said.

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Here's a 3rd.

[Talon90]

One thing will fix this and all other problems......CONSISTENTLY WIN OUTSIDE OF THE SUN BELT. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

[DeepGreen]

One thing will fix this and all other problems......CONSISTENTLY WIN OUTSIDE OF THE SUN BELT.  IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

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You are correct, Sir! Give me OOC wins over SMU, LaTech, Akron and play Tulsa really close and competitive, sprinkle in 5 key SBC wins and I'll be happy. The SBC title would be great, but not a meaningful as those OOC wins. What about Texas, you ask? I want a competitive game. That's all I ask. No blowouts.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---You are correct, Sir!  Give me OOC wins over SMU, LaTech, Akron and play Tulsa really close and competitive, sprinkle in 5 key SBC wins and I'll be happy.  The SBC title would be great, but not a meaningful as those OOC wins.  What about Texas, you ask?  I want a competitive game.  That's all I ask.  No blowouts.

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---I Agree absolutely but an addition to that is-- defeat some teams from inside the state: [sMU, Baylor, SMU, Rice, SMU, TCU, SMU, TxTech, SMU, UTEP, SMU, Houston, SMU, and be competitive with the Aggies and Horns when we play them. That will get the attention of Texas media and Texas fans, and help recruiting inside Texas. Recruits will then see us as an equal. I repeat SMU because of local media and local interest where there are lots of HS players. [besides I admit, I don't like most of the SMU folks for what they have said and done to us for years, some are ok including Southern Stang who shows a lot of class]

---All this means that we get need to get a lot of Texas teams on our schedule when we can, and defeat a lot of them, especially those beside the powereful Horns which could defeat about anyone usually.

PS: No blowouts??? --What if we blew them out?? --Would that be ok?? --LOL..

Edited August 12, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[GreenEddieNT]

---I Agree absolutely but an addition to that is-- defeat some teams from inside the state:  [sMU, Baylor, SMU, Rice, SMU, TCU, SMU, TxTech, SMU, UTEP, SMU, Houston, SMU, and be competitive with the  Aggies and Horns when we play them.  That will get the attention of Texas media and Texas fans, and help recruiting inside Texas.  Recruits will then see us as an equal. I repeat SMU because of local media and local interest where there are lots of HS players.  [besides I admit, I don't like  most of the SMU folks for what they have said and done to us for years, some are ok including Southern Stang who shows a lot of class]

---All this means that we get need to get a lot of Texas teams on our schedule when we can, and defeat a lot of them, especially those beside the powereful Horns which could defeat about anyone usually.

PS:   No blowouts???   --What if we blew them out??  --Would that be ok??  --LOL..

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That all sounds great but in actuality is highly unlikely to happen because we have 3 huge disadvantages to overcome. We're not operating on an even playing field with the other non-bcs 1-A teams in Texas let alone the ones in the Big-12. Our fight for "equality" will most likely continue to be a failure as long as:

(1)We are coached by DD.

(2)Continue to play in Fouts instead of a new state-of-the art FB stadium.

and,

(3)Are members of the Sun Belt conference.

Those 3 strikes might be too much to overcome.

Edited August 12, 2006 by GreenEddieNT

[UNT_playmaker]

As long as we are in the Possum league, i mean Sun Belt then we are looked down upon, we share the league with such heavyweights and well known teams as Florida International Airport, Florida Atlantic Sea Basin, and Middle-Halfway-Center-Tennessee State.

Our OCC games, and only that will determine our season, ranking, and our future.

Our stadium plans are in the dumps, because of what we did last season, if we won more OOC games, we would be where UCF is at with their plans....

[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....

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i meant to say enrollment not attendance, but i would have loved to think we had good attendance

[GreenEddieNT]

As long as we are in the Possum league, i mean Sun Belt then we are looked down upon, we share the league with such heavyweights and well known teams as Florida International Airport, Florida Atlantic Sea Basin, and Middle-Halfway-Center-Tennessee State.

Our OCC games, and only that will determine our season, ranking, and our future.

Our stadium plans are in the dumps, because of what we did last season, if we won more OOC games, we would be where UCF is at with their plans....

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It's not at all surprising that the Sun Belt does not get any respect. I mean what other conference has schools trying to count road games as home games in order to skirt around the NCAA attendance requirements. This conference should just rename itself "The Bush League". We are already handicapped by having the non-bcs and mid-major labels attached to us but now even the other non-bcs leagues are laughing at us.

Edited August 13, 2006 by GreenEddieNT

[SilverEagle]

Folks, we need to get some OCC wins. Plan and simple. We've got to beat some people that Joe (and Mary Lou) six -pack have heard of.

Can you imagine the attention we would get today if we were beating teams like we were in 1988?...when we were 1-AA......in the Southland conf.

More than ever, our mantra at every game needs to be.

I DIDN'T COME HERE TO LOSE!

We cannot move forward otherwise.

[FirefightnRick]

The bowl people really do not care what teams you beat to become bowl eligible but how many people will follow you to the game.  It's all about money...

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There's probably more truth to that than we realize. And as it has been mentioned too many times before, we have taken a nice crowd to N.O. 4 times. Some may not think taking between 10K to 15K isn't much but you must consider the situation those 4 years. Give North Texas the chance to attend a bowl game that is only a 4 hour drive and is on the weekend and see how we do?

However, season tickets does play another part in it as well. Remember what got Troy to their bowl game. They promoted themselves by guaranteeing a certain number of tickets sold in order to get the bid, and they did just that. Although season tickets and how your fans travel could be one in the same?

But nothing heals all problems like winning.... as Talon90 says.

Rick

Edited August 13, 2006 by FirefightnRick