Pit Crew A 20 Year Old Organization?

ColoradoEagle · February 1, 2007

From the NT Daily:

A steady ripple of green-clad fans cheer and yell, jumping up and down for hours on end.
No matter what they wear, from face-paint to foam cowboy hats to punk rock mullet wigs or gia, it's green. This is the student section of NT basketball games, the denizens of which collectively call themselves "the Pit Crew."
It all started when Irving junior Trey Connolly became disappointed with what he said was a lack of school spirit during both men and women's basketball games in the Super Pit.
"At the beginning of this semester, I saw that the student section was kind of rundown, not that many people were coming to games," Connolly said.
Connolly, the Student Government Association director of student affairs, then contacted the NT athletics department to see what could be done.
"I talked to them about what can we do to get more people in the seats because we did a student survey for student government, and we saw that the things that people don't like about NT is that there is not enough spirit and traditions," Connolly said.
With that initiative, the Pit Crew rose from its dormant ashes. The original Pit Crew dates back more than 20 years, but it slowly dissolved because of lack of interest and support.
Dallas sophomore Michael Maher eagerly approached Connolly in the Pit Crew's first few games this season.
"Michael came up to me at a basketball game and said, 'Hey, man, how can I get involved?'" Connolly said
For Maher that means being one of the most recognizable members of the Pit Crew. He wears a green wig underneath a foam cowboy hat and an authentic 1970's Mean Green basketball jersey complete with matching shorts and knee-high white socks to each game.
"It's a great experience," Maher said. "It's getting people back into the stands and we're all having a good time doing it, going crazy and supporting our teams."
Maher said he was pleased with how successful the Pit Crew has been.
"More and more people are showing up every game," Maher said. "We supply face paint and we always have giveaways. We have a Super Pit area at Gate H before every game, and there we have a tent sent up for people to get painted and grab some free goodies and 3-point signs and such."
San Antonio junior Shana Gooch admitted the zany antics of the Pit Crew were something she looks forward to with great anticipation.
"I plan my day around the basketball game," Gooch said. "We're crazy and I love it, every second of it."
The basketball teams have also taken notice.
"They've done an excellent job with their cheers and cheering for our team, and trying to annoy the opposing team as well," said men's basketball head coach Johnny Jones.
Women's basketball head coach Tina Slinker said she wants the fans to feel a connection to the program.
"We want to win for them so they feel more like they're a part of something, something to be proud of," Slinker said.
Gooch said that the Pit Crew is more than just painting faces and waving cardboard signs. It's the human element that is the heart of the Pit Crew.
"It's the people," Gooch said. "It's the people that are there around me and hanging out and all enjoying something, and really being Mean Green and really enjoying the college experience."
Connolly said he believes the Pit Crew will remain an NT tradition, one that won't fall victim to the slow disbandment that plagued its original predecessor.
"Being able to get more people involved with this, I know that this will keep going and be a tradition for a long time," Connolly said.

There's a reply on the Daily article from someone saying that yes, in fact, the organization was around in the past and had the exact same name. Interesting that this never came up until just now.

Edited February 1, 2007 by ColoradoEagle

ColoradoEagle · February 1, 2007

From the December 3, 2004 NT Daily:

They come to basketball games donning Rastafarian dreads and oversized afros. They sing, chant, whoop and bellow, and carry a two-foot tall wooden mascot called 'Tiki.' Their aim is to 'stir it up' and heckle the other team as best they can. They are the North Texas Pit Crew.
The Pit Crew first came about during the 2003-2004 basketball season, when a group of fans came together for the men's and women's basketballs games to show their support, make a lot of noise and taunt the opposition. For their efforts, they were rewarded with T-shirts by the NT men's head coach Johnny Jones and given their very own sections in the stands to carry out their rowdy ritual display of antics.
They have now become an official school organization with a growing membership that maintains its own Web site and produces its own self-styled 'Pit Crew' T-shirts. Corey Strange, a Beaumont senior and promotions officer for the organization, explained that the pit crew is also dedicated to raising school spirit at NT, which he feels is somewhat lacking. "Other colleges have a lot of spirit groups that we don't have and one thing this college has been criticized for is not having enough spirit. The Pit Crew is all about raising school spirit," Strange said.
Justin Dearing, Mansfield senior and spirit officer with the group, added that while NT offers a great level of support for the football team, support for the college basketball teams, the Mean Green and the Lady Eagles, is less pronounced. "People need to realize there is more than just football here. The basketball team has been really good this year and we want people to come along and realize were the winning team," Dearing said.
The Pit Crew receives a lot of support from NT fans that are encouraged by the sight of the 30-strong crew wearing the recognizable green 'Pit Crew' T-shirts, holding posters, flags and carrying signs. The crew receives much reaction from the opposing teams, their coaches and fans. Strange fondly relays the time the crew was confronted at the Lamar University game by Coach Billy Tubbs.
"He was shouting at us saying 'you'd better be careful because in a minute I'll make the Detroit vs. Indiana incident look like nothing!'" Strange laughs. "It's all about heckling the other team."
The Pit Crew is organizing a tailgating party for fans at the TCU game this Saturday and welcomes new and existing members to come along and join in on the fun. The event kicks off at 5 p.m. with food provided by Rudy's Barbeque, which is free for the first 100 people. Bands Phoolway and Five Times August will be giving live performances at the party.
The organization is open to all students and the only requirements are that you purchase a 'Pit Crew' T-shirt, priced at $10 and available at the game and join in with the general crew commotion.

Edited February 1, 2007 by ColoradoEagle

MrStrange62 · February 1, 2007

yeah... oops. i guess it hasnt been 20 years

Edited February 1, 2007 by MrStrange62

UNT_92_Fan · February 1, 2007

The Pit Crew actually dates back to the early days of NASCAR....

greenminer · February 1, 2007

The Pit Crew actually dates back to the early days of NASCAR....

NASCAR!

UNT_92_Fan · February 2, 2007

NASCAR!

agreeeed

JayDub · February 2, 2007

I'm just going to keep my mouth shut.

But I may have just disowned the new Pit Crew and whatever dumbass at the Daily wrote the article...strictly for not knowing their roots.

Edited February 2, 2007 by JayDub

Bryan316 · February 2, 2007

It's also incorrect as far as how Michael Maher approached them. It was, as mentioned in one of the earlier "Pit Crew is back" threads that Talons, SGA, RHA, and others met with the Athletic Dept. Michael's in Talons and one of our people at those meetings, not someone off the street like the article makes it sound.

And the picture that accompanied the article? Talons in the first two rows.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Bryan316

emmitt01 · February 2, 2007

It's also incorrect as far as how Michael Maher approached them. It was, as mentioned in one of the earlier "Pit Crew is back" threads that Talons, SGA, RHA, and others met with the Athletic Dept. Michael's in Talons and one of our people at those meetings, not someone off the street like the article makes it sound.
And the picture that accompanied the article? Talons in the first two rows.

Anyone got a cookie?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

CMJ · February 2, 2007

Regardless if the Pit Crew is an actual organization...or just the name given to our student body at the game...they've been effective. Even listening to the game tonight, with less than 1500 fans in attendance the crowd was vocal.

Keep it up guys.

Edited February 2, 2007 by CMJ