Eagles Or Mean Green?

[risinggreen]

is there an emoticon that bangs its head on a desk?

Its 'mean green' because it's a hell of a lot cooler than an 'eagles'. It is unique. Our mascot is the Eagle, we are the 'Mean Green'. It IS marketable. It works for Alabama. Not unlike the 'Crimson Tide', most everyone already knows us as the 'Mean Green'. The sportscasters call us the 'mean green'. We wear green uniforms.

embrace it. love it. buy the new logo gear. help create a lasting tradition.

I love our "Mean Green" nickname, but in some ways I would prefer that it be used to refer to our once bad ass defense as it was originally intended. Not a biggie to me either way.

[foutsrouts]

I love our "Mean Green" nickname, but in some ways I would prefer that it be used to refer to our once bad ass defense as it was originally intended. Not a biggie to me either way.

Ditto. As long as we win, people can call us "The Beagles" and we can use Snoopy as our mascot for all I care.

[gksmith]

Personally I like having BOTH nicknames-mascots.

I actually like Mean Green Eagles.

[Zeke]

I can honestly say that I haven't seen anyone complain about being called "Mean Green" -- until now.

Nor have I. For some reason, all the new fans seem to have the panties in a wad wanting to be Eagles. How about instead of listening to what your buddy makes fun of you take a stand for what we are........The Mean Green.

[UNTLifer]

Its obvious why its there. We were always officially the North Texas Eagles. Our nickname and mascot were the eagles. But all of a sudden it got changed because of some marketing reason or campaign? If you ask me thats pretty sorry and you're kind of going against the schools history and tradition. The tigers is pretty common at LSU...why dont we change that name? KState wildcats? Texas A&M Aggies? Those are all common names dude. But hey since they are common lets just change it right? If its for marketing purposes then trust me it aint gonna last long if the product on the field/court is sorry....thats a fact. Marketing is something that people can do if people just think about it...heck almost every school out there has a marketing program.

Our nickname and mascot were not the Eagles.

Our mascot has always, since the beginning, been the Eagles.

Our nickname came about in the late 60's due to our defense and our SID's wife making a comment about the Mean Green defense.

North Texas has had the nickname Mean Green since then. The mascot did not change.

RV came aboard and decided to emphasize Mean Green because of the plethora of Eagles used as mascots. The Mean Green nickname is unique, not any others out there except UNC Charlotte is trying to use it now.

RV realized that the Mean Green was more marketable than Eagles and set North Texas apart from the flood of other Eagle teams out there.

There's the nutshell.

[GabeGMG]

Personally I like having BOTH nicknames-mascots.

I actually like Mean Green Eagles.

I agree,

Why can't we just combine the two and make THAT official?

[PlummMeanGreen]

Being an alien from outside Texas, it's only been 3 years that I've known of UNT and its location.

During the past year we've had inquiries as to where our son is attending college. When we respond with "University of North Texas", their first response is, "The 'Mean Green', now is that in Dallas?".

Reading on this board of the passion those of you who are alums exhibit, I've started noting to myself the common thread that those outside the state of Texas and the program recognize. It is 'MEAN GREEN'.

Most of our family, friends, neighbors and press still can't get the school name correct. Most don't know that our mascot is an Eagle, most still think it's in Dallas, but they all know 'Mean Green'.

One problem with our (sometimes) lack of identity is all the name changes our school (and all its alums) have had to endure during most of our lifetimes. I believe there have been 3 or 4 names changes with NT during my entire lifetime and I'm "only" 56 years old. I guarantee anyone in Texas that SMU grad, SMU Mustang letterman from the Doak Walker era and former Texas governor Bill Clements knows we are UNT because he signed the bill giving us that official name.

Unfortunately, it was "NTSU" that nationally known (because of his SWC past) and the high profile Hayden Fry coached when his teams had some pretty impressive wins during his 6 year career at NT. Some in our state who I suppose cannot seem to embrace "UNT" inside their (apparent) pea-like brains say "NTSU" because many of that group actually think it hurts all of our feelings when they call us that. My bachelor of science degree still says "NTSU" so I guess it doesn't bother me as much as those who have "UNT" on theirs; but when some lady gets married most of us or topical or keep ourselves aware enough of whats going on around us to know she has a new last name and then we call her by such.

We have some even here in the DFW area who still refuse or accept our "16 year old" new name of the University of North Texas for whatever the reason. Amazing how many of the local and regional Texas sports media types could probably reel off position by position the starting line-ups of the 1960 New York Yankees American League Championship team but still cannot seem to remember that NTSU changed its name to UNT back in 1988. No excuses for Texas sports media types to be that ignorant, IMHO.

But FWIW and to amplify on this part of the subject...............there is still absolutely no excuse for any sports media person (expecially in Texas) to ever call us "NTSU" any longer (especially those who broadcast our football games and we've have many of those broadcasted even nationally the last several years in spite of what DFW ESPN 103.3 radio's Little Ball of Hate seems to be aware).

Yet media types broadcasting Mean Green football in their pre-game/pre-broadcast research times in those hotel rooms are supposed to be studying our "UNT" football media guide for "UNT-type" info, correct name pronounciations of our "UNT" players, interesting facts about "UNT's" ie, location, our rich and famous, etc, etc, etc, when there is down time in a TV game and time to discuss such........................BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME...............on UNT graduate Craig Way's Texas HS Play-Offs TV Show he has hosted for years and his show right after the SLC Dragons had beaten Austin Westlake to win the 5A state championship, the dude of the left side of Craig Way with all the pre-mature gray/white hair called us "North Texas State" and his calling us "NTS" seemed to even produce a funny kind of look from "UNT" graduate Craig Way (who also just happens to be the radio Voice of Texas Longhorn football).

Wonder when Todd Dodge has a Top 25 ranked "UNT" in the BSC Championship Series (a la Boise State) if the local, regional and national sports media will have it all figured out by then?

Edited December 29, 2006 by PlummMeanGreen

[football fan]

Personally I like having BOTH nicknames-mascots.

I actually like Mean Green Eagles.

If we have to keep the "mean green" (which we will), let's at least say "Mean Green Eagles". I cringe when hearing only "Mean Green". We are Eagles first. Mean Green came along later. Not 100% sure but feel that I have heard George Dunham just say UNT Mean Green or the Mean Green of UNT. He has to change that. We are the Eagles darn it!!

[Got5onIt]

If we have to keep the "mean green" (which we will), let's at least say "Mean Green Eagles". I cringe when hearing only "Mean Green". We are Eagles first. Mean Green came along later. Not 100% sure but feel that I have heard George Dunham just say UNT Mean Green or the Mean Green of UNT. He has to change that. We are the Eagles darn it!!

Uh, Nope.

The University of North Texas is the Mean Green.

Eagles went by the wayside much like Orange Men & Indians.

[UNTFan23]

I cringe when I hear Mean Green Eagles. Why? ... Cause it's too freakin' long.

[Zeke]

If we have to keep the "mean green" (which we will), let's at least say "Mean Green Eagles". I cringe when hearing only "Mean Green". We are Eagles first. Mean Green came along later. Not 100% sure but feel that I have heard George Dunham just say UNT Mean Green or the Mean Green of UNT. He has to change that. We are the Eagles darn it!!

I am not trying to be an elitist with this.........but who exactly are you to demand that we make this switch back to the Eagles? Why is it that this bothers you so much? Is it simply because that is what you grew up with and it is hard for you to change?

It is obvious from replies that you are in the minority here but you still persist in getting upset with our Mean Green moniker. Yes, you are in the minority. I am sure all your buddies agree with you, but that does not change the fact that a great majority of North Texas fans prefer the Mean Green.

[Cr1028]

The athletic programs should be known as the Mean Green. The mascot should remain the eagle.

Do I really have to explain to you why it makes absolutely no sense to wear green Eagles gear 30 minutes from the home of the Dallas Cowboys?

[Ibleedgreen]

Mean Green Eagles.....yeah!!

[untwillrise]

Subjects like this need to stop. Just a few years ago the "University of North Texas Mean Green Eagles Albino Squirrels" was rejected by only a few votes.

As one student, alum, or faculty memeber we are the UNT Eagles. But with our powers combined we form the Mean Green.

[stebo]

As posted above:

Eagle of any type: throwing up in my mouth and pissed off.

We are the MEAN GREEN. We are NORTH TEXAS. We are NOT the Eagles. We have a mascot that is an Eagle but our teams are not CALLED the EAGLES, haven't been for sometime now. That was officially changed and is NOT changing back. To put an Eagle on the helmet would simply confuse our apathetic fan base... case in point, all of the new members posting on this board that THINK that we are the Eagles, well folks - WE AREN'T. That team name came and went and our OFFICIAL NAME is now the Mean Green for all 17 Div IA sports at North Texas. The last team to be called the Eagles was the women's basketball team - they were given the choice, when the name changed OFFICIALLY to Mean Green to stay the Lady Eagles and they decided to keep the Eagles on their jerseys. Since there are 117 other Eagles of some type in college athletics (all the way from NAIA up to DIV I, IAA, II, or III) - the last hold out decided to join the other 16 sports in 2003 and become the Mean Green as well. At that point, they tossed around the name "Lady Green" but the girls voted and wanted to be "Mean" just like the guys.

If you ask any player - they LOVE the uniqueness of the Mean Green name over the generic Eagle name. There was a poll done a couple of years ago on the most common nickname in the athletic world and Eagle came out on top by far - statistically speaking, within every metroplitan area, there are at least 3-4 schools with the nickname of Eagles for their team. In fact, in Dallas alone - someone posted all of the Eagles that we had a couple of years ago and there were like 27 schools in a 100 mile radius that were using that nickname. It is GENERIC and NOT UNIQUE.

Mean Green is unique and something that ONLY North Texas can call its own. Since we cannot put a Mean Green into a logo form (at least not successfully yet) - other than just using a blank green helmet, we should go with the name that all alumni - despite their graduation date - have called their alma-mater. It doesn't matter if they went to North Texas Teacher's College, North Texas State College, North Texas State University, or the University of North Texas - all alumni and students have been able to identify with one common name - NORTH TEXAS. Put it on the helmet, in script - or interlocked initials - and MOVE ON! If the President and his branding baffoons continue to force the block lettering on us, screw it - I think we should just keep it. The worst possible thing for our identity would be to stick an Eagle on the helmet or spell our UNT.

[CMJ]

I hate this debate. It's such a beating.

And I'm a Mean Green Eagle guy,

[foutsrouts]

We have some even here in the DFW area who still refuse or accept our "16 year old" new name of the University of North Texas for whatever the reason. Amazing how many of the local and regional Texas sports media types could probably reel off position by position the starting line-ups of the 1960 New York Yankees American League Championship team but still cannot seem to remember that NTSU changed its name to UNT back in 1988. No excuses for Texas sports media types to be that ignorant, IMHO.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the name change occur in '88? That would mean NTSU went away 18 going on 19 years ago.

[Cr1028]

As posted above:

Eagle of any type: throwing up in my mouth and pissed off.

We are the MEAN GREEN. We are NORTH TEXAS. We are NOT the Eagles. We have a mascot that is an Eagle but our teams are not CALLED the EAGLES, haven't been for sometime now. That was officially changed and is NOT changing back. To put an Eagle on the helmet would simply confuse our apathetic fan base... case in point, all of the new members posting on this board that THINK that we are the Eagles, well folks - WE AREN'T. That team name came and went and our OFFICIAL NAME is now the Mean Green for all 17 Div IA sports at North Texas. The last team to be called the Eagles was the women's basketball team - they were given the choice, when the name changed OFFICIALLY to Mean Green to stay the Lady Eagles and they decided to keep the Eagles on their jerseys. Since there are 117 other Eagles of some type in college athletics (all the way from NAIA up to DIV I, IAA, II, or III) - the last hold out decided to join the other 16 sports in 2003 and become the Mean Green as well. At that point, they tossed around the name "Lady Green" but the girls voted and wanted to be "Mean" just like the guys.

If you ask any player - they LOVE the uniqueness of the Mean Green name over the generic Eagle name. There was a poll done a couple of years ago on the most common nickname in the athletic world and Eagle came out on top by far - statistically speaking, within every metroplitan area, there are at least 3-4 schools with the nickname of Eagles for their team. In fact, in Dallas alone - someone posted all of the Eagles that we had a couple of years ago and there were like 27 schools in a 100 mile radius that were using that nickname. It is GENERIC and NOT UNIQUE.

Mean Green is unique and something that ONLY North Texas can call its own. Since we cannot put a Mean Green into a logo form (at least not successfully yet) - other than just using a blank green helmet, we should go with the name that all alumni - despite their graduation date - have called their alma-mater. It doesn't matter if they went to North Texas Teacher's College, North Texas State College, North Texas State University, or the University of North Texas - all alumni and students have been able to identify with one common name - NORTH TEXAS. Put it on the helmet, in script - or interlocked initials - and MOVE ON! If the President and his branding baffoons continue to force the block lettering on us, screw it - I think we should just keep it. The worst possible thing for our identity would be to stick an Eagle on the helmet or spell our UNT.

Well put Stebo!