Nine Years Squandered

[Eagle Man]

I am so sick and tired of helplessly watching the school I love being abused year after year after year by incompetence, arrogance, questionable back room deals, shady politics and down right ignorance!

There for years, have been RED flags everywhere warning us that we are headed the wrong way and yet nothing is done to right the ship. WHY?

I promise you this, that 1,000,000 dollar donation given to complete a SCALED DOWN ATHLETIC CENTER, will forever haunt this great University.

This University deserves better.

The Administration, the BOR and the Athletic Department should be ashamed of what they are trying to sell the students, the alumni and the general public.

I say to those in charge, prove that you are motivated to building a nationally respected athletic program. Convince us that you have the confidence, the fortitude and passion necessary to rise above mediocrity. Make the changes now.

You want investors, then quit being double-minded!

Edited September 24, 2006 by Eagle Man

[PlummMeanGreen]

O BROTHER JOHN AND SISTER MARY.......ANOTHER ONE OF THESE...

Who can disagree with Eagle Man? Well, anyone can disagree with him but give some valid reasons that woudn't sound like just more canned responses from such as those who get paid some pretty nice livings at UNT. Scaled down Athletic Center? Wait till they scale down the blueprints of our futuristic "some day in the sweet by and by" football stadium so they can just get the damn thing built and then be able to put that on their resume's,too, and then leave us with another pink elephant of a college football stadium in Denton because of how small it will end up being (in context to the rest of NCAA D1-A)

This group over in the UNT athletic dept. literally have the best jobs in all of the NCAA (at thats at any level, sports fans).

** They pat each other on the back, apparently talk about how "easy" NT Exes are to pull the wool over our eyes and then they just keep on sending over to our BOR's more recommendations to extend their own contracts and this an athletic program with one varsity coach above .500 folks! What gives with that?

UNT Athletics Today:

** They build a bunch of athletic venues buildings of which the majority (once all completed) will most likely look NCAA 1-AA-esque or worse, maybe en NCAA D-II when all is said and done. But no matter their quality or how they fit for an athletic program that (by name) is NCAA D1-A, all their completions will still look rather nice on some resume's, right?

** They have very effectively kissed the Chairman of the NT Board of Regent's arse (and thats Bobby Ray who should resign his position today because he no longer has any objectivity or unbias toward he and his family's vaction buddies, ie, Darrell Dickey and the DD family) You think Bobby Ray could fire a vacation buddy? Do you somehow feel DD could win 2 or 3 games this year and (still) the only thing Bobby Ray would think about are those 4 fabulous trips he and family had in New Orleans to watch us win 1 of 4 games? Sorry I couldn't be at any of those mid-week games, but FWIW, some of us without 2'nd incomes in our households have to work that time of year and (moreso) that time of the week at the place I worked those 4 years.

** Yet how many others have allowed those 4 bowl trips to the Big Easy for the Wright Waters/SBC/DD love-fest fool them into wanting to just keep on giving DD JUST ONE MORE YEAR to right the many wrongs created under his watch of which his present football programs trend should tell UNT leaders that its time to change the command of our sinking ship? I use the color red to symbolize our football future with DD as the head man.

Yet all this "low expection" and sub. 500 efforts going on 9 years have effectively split the Mean Green Nation right down the middle and caused many fans to no longer want any kind of association with any of this as long as DD (and others) are on the UNT payroll. The SMU/UNT crowd which one of you on this board (who would know) said there were really only about 21-22,000 "real butts in seats" for that game which should only be just another in a long line of red flags for UNT officials to observe if only they would. NOTE: Hellsbells folks, we had just as many "butts in seats" for the 1990 SMU/UNT game at Fouts Field--maybe more.

** Speaking of Mr. Bobby Ray, anyone want to break the news to that man that 4 trips to the NO's Bowl is not tantamount to having a successful up and coming NCAA D1-A football program? Didn't Tulsa (this and last year), La Tech (who UNT should out-recruit with anyone as head football coach in Denton) and the Akron Zippee'doo'dahs" sorta' tell us all what our last 3-4 years recruiting efforts have spawned for the Dickey Ball gang and will for our next 3-4 years if things continue with Darrell Dickey in charge?

** More on Mr. Bobby Ray: He of NCAA D1-A intercollegiate expertise and fame and whose just keep on rubber-stamping UNT varsity coaches contracts in the most unusual management style (perhaps) in the history of NCAA D1-A, ie, the rewarding of mult-year under .500 varsity coaches? One of those extended contracts (to you who may have already forgotten) who in her 18'th year AND.............is still nowhere close to a .500 record. And is our Lady Mean Green basketball coach's career W/L record even included in her varsity program's annual media guide anymore? If so, what does it say is her 17 year W/L record at UNT? Anyone want to enlighten the rest of us on what that record is?

Rick V personally recommended her extension and even seemed to gloat about it in a FW StarTelegram feature article which brings up this QUESTION? ? ? ? ? ? At the level we annually recruit, does it really matter if any our our non-BCS opposing coaches say this to a prospective recruit for UNT: "That UNT coach only has only 1 or 2 years left on his/her contract so you don't want to go there?" (AND..................FWIW..................Will thE day ever arrive when we have any long term and under .500 UNT varsity coach with only "1 or 2" years on their contracts?

BACK TO BOBBY...........anyway, it was Mr. Ray whose leadership gave us ex state of Texas politician Lee Jackson and SMU Distinguished Alum. Yes in deedy, we have our Mr. (non "Dr/Phd") Lee Jackson (another SMU employee to add to our other ex SMU employee & offensive "on the radio airwaves to those who pay him" coordinator who had his UNT head football coaching job (basically) handed to him on a "KSU purple'ish" and green tarnished silver platter. And with Lee Jacskon a chancellor who will continue to insure that UNT keeps its proper place in the Metroplex as a "would be" above Tier 4 school. Anyone know when that new UNT Law School is scheduled to open?

To those of us who can really still be objective and can have a change of heart on any of this; anyway, which part of any of the aforementioned is not true and if you list 1 or 2 or more that you feel aren't, then please do enlighten the rest of us as to which ones might not be true, but please do elaborate. We really are all ears and want to know that the calvary is on its way to our rescue. And on a similar subject: Who of our UNT leaders presently in charge might suggest that they have screwed up with the support and continuance of all this athletic mediocrity and would have the kajones to 'fess up that they were (in deed) wrong to support those who would lead us in our present athletic direction for much too long a period of time?

We are not a state-assisted retirement center for under-achievers, folks, but (speaking of direction) that seems to be just exactly what our direction is.

Edited September 24, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[Eagle Man]

This past July, I went by the new tennis facility on the UNT campus. It's a nice high school facility at best. Someone really scaled it down. It is not a 2,000,000 dollar faciltiy. My son played at a state tennis meet outside Waco last May and the high school had a better facility than UNT's new one.

The womans new softball field is vintage high school at best. The womans soccer field is also high school quality.

This is the truth. Makes me sick. But it's the truth. I hate to use the word raped but I cannot help feel like that is exactly what is happening to our University.

[untbowler]

This past July, I went by the new tennis facility on the UNT campus.  It's a nice high school facility at best.  Someone really scaled it down. It is not a 2,000,000 dollar faciltiy. My son played at a state tennis meet outside Waco last May and the high school had a better facility than UNT's new one.

The womans new softball field is vintage high school at best. The womans soccer field is also high school quality.

This is the truth. Makes me sick. But it's the truth.  I hate to use the word raped but I cannot help feel like that is exactly what is happening to our University.

←

The UNT is very nice compared to many. Better than SMU, UTA for sure. TCU has a public facility. In Waco your probably thinking of Waco Regional Tennis Center, which only has H.S. tournaments not a high scholl team. You can be pissed about Football, but the tennis Facility is very nice and much better than H.S. facilities. The center coutrt would be nice but don't bag on it so much. Check out other facilities, look at SHSU, SFA, UALR, Ark State, ULL, La. Tech, Lamar and UNT beats them all.

[foutsrouts]

Yeah, and I've been waiting for that Grade A baseball facility for a couple of years now also. It's really a shame that we haven't taken more than baby steps in the right direction over the last decade or so. I understand that some things take time and that this university has been the victim of blase management for years, but the time has come to find a way to build the facilities necessary to recruit the athletes we need to change perceptions and build a truly marketable program in Denton.

We are called the University of North Texas, and we can't even do a decent job of recruiting the suburban/inner city areas of the DFW area! Why is that? Is it out coaching staff, our administration, or our facilities that seem to put us at the bottom of every recruit's list year after year? Other than our AD and HOPEFULLY our new president, I say that all three are to blame for the fact that this 34K university is mired in athletic mediocrity. The time has come for change

[Eagle Man]

Can you or anyone else just imagine for one moment what would happen if the Chancelor, flanked on either side by the President and Athletic Director, boldly and passionately proclaimed that the University of North Texas had a goal of reaching the top 10 in football in 4 years. Also we will build a new 45,000 seat on campus stadium in that four year period. Enthusiasm is contagious. The attitude of the students, alumni and investors would change dramatically.

You come up with a battle cry or slogan that unites everyone.

What we currently have now are pretenders. A half-hearted effort. A double-minded committment.

Is it any wonder this program sits at the bottom when it comes to respect.

Who in their "right mind" would invest their hard earn money in any business or company being run the way this school runs its athletic program?

We are where we are on the ladder of success because this is where we choose to be!

[Hunter Green]

Yeah, and I've been waiting for that Grade A baseball facility for a couple of years now also. It's really a shame that we haven't taken more than baby steps in the right direction over the last decade or so. I understand that some things take time and that this university has been the victim of blase management for years, but the time has come to find a way to build the facilities necessary to recruit the athletes we need to change perceptions and build a truly marketable program in Denton.

We are called the University of North Texas, and we can't even do a decent job of recruiting the suburban/inner city areas of the DFW area! Why is that? Is it out coaching staff, our administration, or our facilities that seem to put us at the bottom of every recruit's list year after year? Other than our AD and HOPEFULLY our new president, I say that all three are to blame for the fact that this 34K university is mired in athletic mediocrity. The time has come for change

What I don't get, is that our head coach and offensive coordinator are BOTH former D-1 QB's and STILL cannot create an ofense that's worth a $hit, much less entertaining. I seriously question their ability in this area and in my opinion, should both be fired if significant progress is not made soon. Every year, it is the same ineptitude. Whether it's recruiting, or the fact neither are qualified for their positions, changes need to be made one way or the other. After nine years, we should be further along than we are.

On a different topic, I have exhausted my ability to attract new fans to the program. None of them want to come out anymore and watch such a bad brand of football. I have to admit, my local high school team is much more entertaining to watch than NT. I love my team and my school, but damn, it's hard to us not even be competitive against other schools we SHOULD be competitive with.

[GreenBat]

You come up with a battle cry or slogan that unites everyone.

←

It's time to $h!t or get of the pot.

[Eagle Man]

Squandered is a perfect term to describe dickey's tenure. You place way too much emphasis on SBC championships. That's dickey's problem as well.

[LongJim]

[CMJ]

Squandered is a perfect term to describe dickey's tenure. You place way too much emphasis on SBC championships. That's dickey's problem as well.

←

Since we won so many titles in the Big West, right?

Hell we only won acouple of titles in the SOUTHLAND. In fact we routinely had losing seasons in that league.