Presidnet Greets Dodge

[MeanGreen61]

President greets Dodge

By TROY PHILLIPS

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DENTON - How's this for Todd Dodge's first bit of history made at North Texas: First football coach to meet a sitting head of state.

On Friday, Dodge, his wife, Elizabeth, son Riley and daughter Molly were guests of President George W. Bush in the Oval Office on roughly 48 hours notice.

Scheduled to speak in the Washington area, Dodge and his family had just hoped to tour the White House, but instead they spent 20 minutes with the president, who in December watched on television as Dodge coached Carroll to a fourth state title in five years.

Connections helped set up the meeting.

Lindsay Lineweaver, an aide to first lady Laura Bush, is the sister of Carroll defensive line coach Aaron Lineweaver. Their father, Steve Lineweaver, is the Trinity High School coach.

"The trip had been planned for quite some time," Dodge said. "I later decided to take my whole family with me for an educational trip. From that perspective, it was a slam dunk."

Dodge said a tour of the White House turned into a meet-and-greet with the president in the Oval Office. The whole time, Dodge figured something would come up in the president's schedule to scuttle the appointment.

"I was just happy we had the chance to do it," Dodge said. "I figured something would come up, and it wouldn't happen. I was just glad we were there at all."

They walked in, Dodge said, and the first thing President Bush said was, "Hey, Riley, I've never seen anyone throw up and then throw a touchdown pass," referring to cameras catching Riley Dodge getting sick during the Class 5A state title game against Austin Westlake.

During the visit, Bush showed them the famous trapdoor in his desk, the one John F. Kennedy Jr. was photographed playing inside while his father worked.

The Dodges posed for pictures with the president, took home several autographs and still can't quite believe where they were.

They even went outside and petted the president's dog.

"I had to go to Baltimore after that, and my family had planned to look around [Washington] some more," Todd Dodge said. "When they left there, they said, 'We won't see anything better than this.'"

PRESIDENT GREETS DODGE

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/colleges/16695415.htm

[FirefightnRick]

Damn, what a great hire, publicity wise. Four straight bowl wins wouldn't have garnered us this much attention. When TD comes through with the wins this hire may go down as one of the all time greatest at North Texas.

Rick

[NT80]

I hear the next time he goes to meet the President, Dodge will have the UNT football team with him!

[runt96]

IS IT TIME ???............................................................PRESIDENT-ELECT TODD DODGE !!!

This is a great story. He should have offered the commander-in-chief season tickets.

[Bryan316]

I wonder if Coach Dodge was wearing an NT sweater or golf shirt in the photos. Those would be good pics for the North Texan.

[greenjoe]

Very, very, very cool story.

I'd have loved to see the President wearing a Mean Green cap holding season tickets.

[KingDL1]

Man that is a great article, it made my skin tingle.

I think my excitement may overload me long before this season ever starts, what a great problem to have.

Edited February 15, 2007 by KingDL1

[good_ken]

Had this happened in the past you you think DD would have referred to the President as an F-er also?

That article was cool.

[MeanMag]

Had this happened in the past you you think DD would have referred to the President as an F-er also?

That article was cool.

HAHA, I'm still laughing over that. thanks.

[MeanGreen61]

Easy to overlook in the article, but wonder who Dodge was addressing in the Washington area and the topic ? No one can deny that we've got a coach who DOES get around and one that DOES know people. He's certainly got a HUGE, well populated bunker !

Edited February 15, 2007 by MeanGreen61

[risinggreen]

So maybe now we're going to make a last second run and beat out the punies for that biblioteca?

[shaneb]

I just hope that vacuum didn't suck any brainpower from our new coach.

Shane

[NT80]

Easy to overlook in the article, but wonder who Dodge was addressing in the Washington area and the topic ? No one can deny that we've got a coach who DOES get around and one that DOES know people. He's certainly got a HUGE, well populated bunker !

Nike "Coach of the Year" clinic:

Presentation by the 2004 and 2005 HS National Champion Head Coach Todd Dodge, South Lake Carroll HS, TX

http://www.nikecoyfootball.com/c-90-Clinic-Information.aspx

Edited February 15, 2007 by NT80

[JayDub]

So maybe now we're going to make a last second run and beat out the punies for that biblioteca?

We may be a bunch of liberals...but by God, even we will take a free presidential library.

[PlummMeanGreen]

During a late evening dinner finally got around to reading my Star Telegram and was (like I'm sure many of you) very shocked and surprised to see this article on TD and family meeting with President Bush in the White House.

An understatement but Todd Dodge is having quite a year; hope we are all as happy this next December (or January?) but no matter where we stand upon this next football season's end I believe most will be pleased with the direction of this football program.

[greenminer]

Had this happened in the past you you think DD would have referred to the President as an F-er also?

That article was cool.

rofl no.

DD would have taken the opportunity to befriend him, then tell him that we need to approach the war on terrorism with more caution. Go in to keep it close then hope we come out unscathed.

[Stan R]

rofl no.

DD would have taken the opportunity to befriend him, then tell him that we need to approach the war on terrorism with more caution. Go in to keep it close then hope we come out unscathed.

I think we've already adapted that approach.

[Mean'n'Green07]

We may be a bunch of liberals...but by God, even we will take a free presidential library.

I read that SMU will have to pay a huge amount of money to get the library. Regardless, that was an awesome article. Maybe RV can work some magic with the president. Who knows, Bush Field might sound pretty nice

[GreenBat]

I read that SMU will have to pay a huge amount of money to get the library. Regardless, that was an awesome article. Maybe RV can work some magic with the president. Who knows, Bush Field might sound pretty nice

It all comes back to a new stadium will y'all.

[stebo]

How about the first ever library/football stadium! It could be the world's largest library!

DESCRIPTION : Quarterback Techniques

Saturday, February 10, 2007

4:05PM - 5:15PM

Lincoln Forum

Todd Dodge

Former Head Coach at South Lakes Carroll HS Southlake, TX

Head Football Coach North Texas

North Texas hired Todd Dodge, who led one of the most successful high school programs in Texas, to be its head coach on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the agreement said. Dodge will make the rare jump from high school to Division I-A after leading Southlake Carroll High School to three state championships. The person familiar with the hiring asked not to be identified because the move hadn't been announced. North Texas planned a news conference at its campus in Denton later Tuesday. A former Texas quarterback, Dodge has led Carroll to a 77-1 record in five seasons in the state's highest classification. The team has won 46 consecutive games, and its regular-season winning streak is 50. The Dragons won back-to-back "mythical" national championships, based on national polls, and two years ago they played on ESPN2 in the first Texas high school game televised nationally. Dodge was the offensive coordinator at UNT in 1992-93 before returning to high schools to start his head coaching career. Last year, he interviewed with Bill Parcells for an opening on the Dallas Cowboys staff, and he turned down an invitation to interview for the opening at Rice.

Edited February 16, 2007 by stebo

[greenminer]

bleh. already posted.

Edited February 16, 2007 by greenminer

[pollock]

So maybe now we're going to make a last second run and beat out the punies for that biblioteca?

Well, OK..... but only on the condition that it goes where Fouts "was."

[ntmeangreen11]

"W" in a North Texas Football shirt at the next State of the Union?

[H-TownScrappy]

LOL...At the end he could put up the eagle claw.

[GreenBat]

How about the first ever library/football stadium! It could be the world's largest library!

DESCRIPTION : Quarterback Techniques

Saturday, February 10, 2007

4:05PM - 5:15PM

Lincoln Forum

Todd Dodge

Former Head Coach at South Lakes Carroll HS Southlake, TX

Head Football Coach North Texas

North Texas hired Todd Dodge, who led one of the most successful high school programs in Texas, to be its head coach on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the agreement said. Dodge will make the rare jump from high school to Division I-A after leading Southlake Carroll High School to three state championships. The person familiar with the hiring asked not to be identified because the move hadn't been announced. North Texas planned a news conference at its campus in Denton later Tuesday. A former Texas quarterback, Dodge has led Carroll to a 77-1 record in five seasons in the state's highest classification. The team has won 46 consecutive games, and its regular-season winning streak is 50. The Dragons won back-to-back "mythical" national championships, based on national polls, and two years ago they played on ESPN2 in the first Texas high school game televised nationally. Dodge was the offensive coordinator at UNT in 1992-93 before returning to high schools to start his head coaching career. Last year, he interviewed with Bill Parcells for an opening on the Dallas Cowboys staff, and he turned down an invitation to interview for the opening at Rice.

Damn Republicans can't even get "Todge's" record correct. It was 79-1.