Dodge won't stay long article

[Marty]

Dodge Ball’ won’t stay long

By Bill Spinks

Herald Democrat

DENTON — North Texas’ athletic program is aglow in a euphoria not seen since the days of Hayden Fry. The Mean Green believe they have found the man that will lead them to the big time.

Athletic director Rick Villarreal, possibly feeling the heat after letting the popular Darrell Dickey go, desperately needed to hit a home run in hiring Dickey’s replacement.

What’s bigger than a home run? A bases-loaded, walkoff grand slam in the bottom of the ninth (I know, that’s redundant) that lands in Lake Dallas?

That is what Villarreal delivered Tuesday with the hiring of Southlake Carroll’s Todd Dodge.

Not only is Dodge bringing an exciting spread offense to town, but also he is injecting life into Villarreal’s quest to elevate UNT into a player on the national scene.

“It’s going to be an exciting brand of football,” Dodge said. “It’ll be something we can be proud of. I want to create a tremendous college atmosphere in this town.”

What Dodge has accomplished at Carroll is nothing short of astounding. With a 77-1 record in Class 5A since 2002, the Dragons have owned the state’s top classification like nobody else since Abilene in the 1950s.

Carroll is on a 46-game winning streak that would go to 48 if Dodge coaches them to another 5A state title next week. The Dragons already own the state mark of 72 straight regular-season wins between 1986 and 1993, but have a 50-game regular-season streak right now.

Dodge is confident the same formula that extended Bob Ledbetter’s success at Carroll to incredible heights will work at UNT.

“As a ball coach, you’ve gotta believe in your heart you can win,” Dodge said. “North Texas has won, and will win. Coming from a place where you win a lot of games, you want to go to a place where you can win. I want to be a part of that at North Texas.”

But how long will “Dodge Ball” last in Denton?

Two possibilities exist which would spell a short tenure at UNT for the relatively young coach.

First: What if, after a rough first year or two of transition, Dodge’s offense clicks and suddenly the Mean Green become a 10- or 11-game winner, shock an Oklahoma or Alabama on the road, and become a BCS bowl contender?

Like with Fry years ago, the national powerhouse schools will beat a path to Dodge’s door, and one of them will snap him up quickly — and for millions.

The opposite is also a possibility. What if UNT takes longer to establish than either Dodge or Villarreal expect, and one or the other loses patience?

Either way, I’m not convinced Dodge will be at UNT for the long haul.

The inevitable comparison to Gerry Faust comes up, but it’s a faulty one.

Faust was the head coach at Cincinnati’s Moeller High — like Carroll, a national prep powerhouse in the 1970s — when he was chosen by Notre Dame to replace Dan Devine.

Faust lasted four years in South Bend and had a winning 30-26-1 record — but at the Golden Dome, it’s all about national championships, and that isn’t good enough.

That’s not the situation Dodge is getting into. Unlike Faust, Dodge has the college coaching experience, and he seems to be more loyal to his assistants than Faust was.

And UNT, despite the demands of its win-now athletic director, is no Notre Dame.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Dodge signed a five-year contract that, with incentives, could be worth as much as $1.3 million.

Dodge has a clause in his contract that requires him to pay one year’s base salary — $185,000 — if he leaves before the contract ends in 2012. But that is chicken feed for your average Big 12 powerhouse, who would pay that amount without blinking.

So buckle up, Mean Green fans.

It’s going to be a fun ride while it lasts.

[FirefightnRick]

The "popular Darrell Dickey"?

And Moeller High School was not a public high school like SLC but rather a private high school. Faust was recruiting, picking and choosing his talent. Dodge's team played one of those "professional" prep high schools this year, Shreveport Evangel, and embarrased them. Amazingly a short time after that SLC's game scheduled against California's De La Salle was canceled for some reason. Somthing tells me now that we may see that game suddenly get re-scheduled?

By the way, Evangel won the Louisiana 1A state championship last week.

Rick

[meangreendork]

So if he does and then leaves...then I think our AD isn't as stupid as Helwig was and will use the extra fame to get a coach that can easily fit TD's old shoes. Don't be a jerk, Spinks.

[NT80]

Athletic director Rick Villarreal, possibly feeling the heat after letting the popular Darrell Dickey go

And UNT, despite the demands of its win-now athletic director, is no Notre Dame.

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?? I can tell this writer has not been to a NT game since 2002.

[meangreendork]

Spinks has probably never seen the UNT Campus. Dickey's always been on a thin string with fans, and in the last 2 seasons, a lot of people have wanted his head or at least wanted to kick him in the head until he fixed things.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

You sir are an imbecile.

This is some of the single worst and most biased journalism I have ever seen. This should have been posted in the editorial section because it is in no way a factually based article.

Mr. Spinks,

RESEARCH then WRITE. Inserting your hand in the nether regions and pulling out a story is not, I repeat not journalism.

MGB

Edited December 14, 2006 by MeanGreenBuzz

[ADLER]

First: What if, after a rough first year or two of transition, Dodge’s offense clicks and suddenly the Mean Green become a 10- or 11-game winner, shock an Oklahoma or Alabama on the road, and become a BCS bowl contender?

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You are right Mr. Spinks, and I am already dreading that situation.

[PlummMeanGreen]

These guys just run out of things to write about I guess.

But Spinks could put most any other non-BCS school's name in this article whose HFC would be as successful whatever the time-table and wouldn't they be goners too? But Mr. Spinks, TCU's Gary Patterson fits your criteria of "goners" and he is still in Fort Worth, now isn't he?

Get a grip, media-types, and get some fresh new subjects to write about, too, because this one is getting a bit trite. FWIW, Matt Simon in 1994 was getting such talk from most of The Ticket (in their inaugural year on the airwaves) and it didn't turn out that way for him, now did it?

How about doing a story like this, Mr. Spinks, and in 3 inch headlines:

"And Todd Dodge with all the state-wide and national press he has received for accepting the UNT job could (right alongside the UNT AD, ie, Rick Villarreal) be the catalyst which will help the Mean Green get their $60 million for their new football stadium on all that interstate real estate which is now called the Mean Green Village. In fact, the press conference introducing UNT's new coach looked like a Dallas Cowboy press conference when the 'Boys have a big announcement of their own.

And a location for UNT's new stadium which will (honest to goodness) be built in a location that anyone traveling thru the northern sector of the North Texas Metroplex (60,000 commuters per day according to TxDOT) will get a very nice birds-eye view.

In fact, projecting ahead with all this, how many of those 60,000 driving by UNT's (eventual) new football stadium daily getting those up-close views might be future Texas HS blue-chip athletes that UNT will (more than ever in its entire football history) be able to snatch recruits not only from the UH's, the Rices, the SMU's, the TCU's, etc, etc, etc, but from some BCS-type schools as well?"

So in closing, its like some poster on that GoMeanGreen.com website and who wears a fireman's hat at all MG football games says:

It's All Good & It's All Green!"

Mr. Spinks, we dare you to write such an article (or similar) as the one above. It's a double dare in fact!

Edited December 14, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[ADLER]

These guys just run out of things to write about I guess.

But Spinks could put most any other non-BCS school's name in this article whose HFC would be as successful whatever the time-table and wouldn't they be goners too?  But Mr. Spinks, TCU's Gary Patterson fits your criteria of "goners" and he is still in Fort Worth, now isn't he?

Get a grip, media-types, and get some fresh new subjects to write about, too, because this one is getting a bit trite.  FWIW, Matt Simon in 1994 was getting such talk from most of The Ticket (in their inaugural year on the airwaves) and it didn't turn out that way for him, now did it? 

How about doing a story like this, Mr. Spinks, and in 3 inch headlines:

"And Todd Dodge with all the state-wide and national press he has received for accepting the UNT job could (right alongside the UNT AD, ie, Rick Villarreal) be the catalyst which will help the Mean Green get their $60 million for their new football stadium on all that interstate real estate which is now called the Mean Green Village.  In fact, the press conference introducing UNT's new coach looked like a Dallas Cowboy press conference when the 'Boys have a big announcement of their own.

And a location for UNT's new stadium which will (honest to goodness) be built in a location that anyone traveling thru the northern sector of the North Texas Metroplex (60,000 commuters per day according to TxDOT) will get a very nice birds-eye view. 

In fact, projecting ahead with all this, how many of those 60,000 driving by UNT's (eventual) new football stadium daily getting those up-close views might be future Texas HS blue-chip athletes that UNT will (more than ever in its entire football history) be able to snatch recruits not only from the UH's, the Rices, the SMU's, the TCU's, etc, etc, etc, but from some BCS-type schools as well."

So in closing, its like some poster on that GoMeanGreen.com website and who wears a fireman's hat at all MG football games says:

It's All Good & It's All Green!"

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My best friend's cousin told me that if you read Plumm's post backwards that they'll not only tell you that Paul McCartney is dead, but also where he's burried.

[PlummMeanGreen]

My best friend's cousin told me that if you read Plumm's post backwards that they'll not only tell you that Paul McCartney is dead, but also where he's burried.

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No, Jeff, you've got it all wrong; that would be George Harrison!

Lookin' forward to seeing some old friends again soon--I've miss you all since I've been on my personal tirade!

And to some of you I've pissed off the last 2 years on this board and beyond, I do offer my sincerest apology to each and every one of you.

GMG!

Edited December 14, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[kj86]

Dodge Ball’ won’t stay long

By Bill Spinks

Herald Democrat

First: What if, after a rough first year or two of transition, Dodge’s offense clicks and suddenly the Mean Green become a 10- or 11-game winner, shock an Oklahoma or Alabama on the road, and become a BCS bowl contender?

Like with Fry years ago, the national powerhouse schools will beat a path to Dodge’s door, and one of them will snap him up quickly — and for millions.

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Uh, dumb-a$$, this is exactly what we hope happens.

If this is why he doesn't last long here, we'll be thrilled. Did you or an editor read your article before it was printed?

[GBarksdale]

My best friend's cousin told me that if you read Plumm's post backwards that they'll not only tell you that Paul McCartney is dead, but also where he's burried.

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[greenminer]

Amazingly a short time after that SLC's game scheduled against California's De La Salle was canceled for some reason.  Somthing tells me now that we may see that game suddenly get re-scheduled?

Rick

←

I understand a big reason why DLS cancelled is because they're tired of traveling to other stadiums, when no one returns the favor and plays them their.

I can understand their frustration. But to be on ESPN, I'd put up with it. Their call, I suppose.

-gm

[meangreendork]

As bad as this guy's journalism is...it's no wonder he's working in Sherman. Some people choose local journalism out of love for the area or the scale of the work there...some people just don't have the ability to go any further.

Or at least in Spink's case- won't do the extra research to keep from looking stupid.

Dickey hasn't been popular since at least the UNT/So-Miss New Orleans Bowl.

[drex]

Apparently, this guy actually is Michael Spinks, using a nom de plume to write sports articles. Too many punches to the head, obviously.

[Baby Arm!]

These guys just run out of things to write about I guess.

But Spinks could put most any other non-BCS school's name in this article whose HFC would be as successful whatever the time-table and wouldn't they be goners too?  But Mr. Spinks, TCU's Gary Patterson fits your criteria of "goners" and he is still in Fort Worth, now isn't he?

Get a grip, media-types, and get some fresh new subjects to write about, too, because this one is getting a bit trite.  FWIW, Matt Simon in 1994 was getting such talk from most of The Ticket (in their inaugural year on the airwaves) and it didn't turn out that way for him, now did it? 

How about doing a story like this, Mr. Spinks, and in 3 inch headlines:

"And Todd Dodge with all the state-wide and national press he has received for accepting the UNT job could (right alongside the UNT AD, ie, Rick Villarreal) be the catalyst which will help the Mean Green get their $60 million for their new football stadium on all that interstate real estate which is now called the Mean Green Village.  In fact, the press conference introducing UNT's new coach looked like a Dallas Cowboy press conference when the 'Boys have a big announcement of their own.

And a location for UNT's new stadium which will (honest to goodness) be built in a location that anyone traveling thru the northern sector of the North Texas Metroplex (60,000 commuters per day according to TxDOT) will get a very nice birds-eye view. 

In fact, projecting ahead with all this, how many of those 60,000 driving by UNT's (eventual) new football stadium daily getting those up-close views might be future Texas HS blue-chip athletes that UNT will (more than ever in its entire football history) be able to snatch recruits not only from the UH's, the Rices, the SMU's, the TCU's, etc, etc, etc, but from some BCS-type schools as well?"

So in closing, its like some poster on that GoMeanGreen.com website and who wears a fireman's hat at all MG football games says:

It's All Good & It's All Green!"

Mr. Spinks, we dare you to write such an article (or similar) as the one above.  It's a double dare in fact!

←

With all the crazy fonts and colors, Is it just me or are PMG's posts beginning to look like a psychopath's ransom note made from cut up magazines??????

Edited December 15, 2006 by Baby Arm!

[NT80]

With all the crazy fonts and colors,  Is it just me or are PMG's posts beginning to look like a psychopath's ransom note made up from cut up magazines??????    

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Post of the Day!

[Coffee and TV]

By the way, Evangel won the Louisiana 1A state championship last week.

Rick

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how did they go from 5A to 1A in one year?

[UNTflyer]

Oh c'mon. The man hasn't even moved into his office and they're already talking about his departure.

[FirefightnRick]

how did they go from 5A to 1A in one year?

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As I recall the governing body forced them down. I could be wrong, and hopefully someone here, maybe ADLER can correct me on this but there was pressure/complaints from the bigger schools such as West Monroe to force them down in class to limit the amount of talent they could cultivate. Doesn't seem any more fair to me for the little schools. I remember the problems created by schools such as Evangel being allowed to compete with the public schools was discussed when Bishop Lynch was allowed to do that?

Rick

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

The "popular Darrell Dickey"?

And Moeller High School was not a public high school like SLC but rather a private high school.  Faust was recruiting, picking and choosing his talent.  Dodge's team played one of those "professional" prep high schools this year, Shreveport Evangel, and embarrased them.  Amazingly a short time after that SLC's game scheduled against California's De La Salle was canceled for some reason.  Somthing tells me now that we may see that game suddenly get re-scheduled?

By the way, Evangel won the Louisiana 1A state championship last week.

Rick

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----I think Evangel are the same cheap "dogs" that played Midland Lee a few years ago (a couple years after Ced Benson was here with three consecutive state championships) and defeated Lee in the rain and then when the coaches met at midfield after the game they told the Lee coach they were cancelling out of the return trip to Midland........ They had signed a home and home deal but refused to visit West Texas the next year..... nice guys...they did not fulfill their end of the bargain and it was a very expensive trip for Lee.

[runt96]

Oh c'mon.  The man hasn't even moved into his office and they're already talking about his departure.

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exactly. he hasn't hired a coord. yet. I think if we respect the fact that he's finishing his current job(after accepting ours), we can be assured that he will at least give us sufficient warning before leaving. we need to be patient till the 23rd(hopefully he wins it all and does'nt have regrets)and he will take over and hopefully be one of the best hires in UNT history. we all wish he could step in tomorrow and bring us a whole bunch of starting frshmen but it isn't going to happen that quickly.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

how did they go from 5A to 1A in one year?

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I know how football classification in Louisiana used to be and I know how it is now. I don't know when it changed.

Because there are so many all-boy and all-girl parochial schools in Louisiana who all play under the same Louisiana High School Athletic Association, the old standard was to classify high schools based on the number of male students. So, let's say a coed school had a thousand students, 500 boys and 500 girls, they played in the same classification as an all-boys school of 500 students. I believe that you could even opt to play one classification higher than what your enrollment qualified you for. It seemed to me to be a fair way.

They now play under a system like Texas, that is, based on total enrollment. Class 1A in Louisiana is roughly 200-400 students. Class 5A is 1200 students and above. Evangel Christian, an all-boys school of about 400 fell to the next lowest classification.

[FirefightnRick]

I know how football classification in Louisiana used to be and I know how it is now.  I don't know when it changed.

Because there are so many all-boy and all-girl parochial schools in Louisiana who all play under the same Louisiana High School Athletic Association, the old standard was to classify high schools based on the number of male students.  So, let's say a coed school had a thousand students, 500 boys and 500 girls, they played in the same classification as an all-boys school of 500 students.  I believe that you could even opt to play one classification higher than what your enrollment qualified you for.  It seemed to me to be a fair way.

They now play under a system like Texas, that is, based on total enrollment.  Class 1A in Louisiana is roughly 200-400 students.  Class 5A is 1200 students and above.  Evangel Christian, an all-boys school of about 400 fell to the next lowest classification.

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Thanks GEO. Just wanted to add that Evangel is co-ed. Here's a link to their front page.

http://www.evangelacademy.com/

Rick

[PlummMeanGreen]

With all the crazy fonts and colors,  Is it just me or are PMG's posts beginning to look like a psychopath's ransom note made from cut up magazines??????    

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Mount Everest? "It's there, I'll climb it!"

Fonts/Colors? "They're there...I'll use them!"

PS: And scissors do come in handy from time to time!

From jealous opponents and media types who've run out of new ideas to write about:[scissor size=7]

"He Won't Stay There Long?"

Who's He?

Answer? Any New Non-BCS HFC's Hire With Any Semblance of Upside?

GMG!

PS II: Hellsbells! Wouldn't all of us from the non-BCS rather they say "he won't stay there long" than..........."the sumbich' will stay there forever and won't get jack-shit done!"

Edited December 15, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen