Mean Green Supporters Both Old And New

[MeanGreen61]

Mean Green supports both old and new

8:52 AM CDT on Friday, March 16, 2007

By Monty Miller Jr. / Staff Writer

Mean Green this morning, the wearing of the green on Saturday.

University of North Texas fans may have to wear the same clothes two days in a row, as droves of them decked out in green fill local venues to watch their team play in the NCAA Tournament today, the day before St. Patrick’s Day.

The UNT men’s basketball team plays the University of Memphis in Round 1 of the tournament at 11:30 a.m. in New Orleans. The game will be broadcast on KTVT-TV (Channel 11).

Some of the team’s most fervent fans couldn’t make it to New Orleans, but that won’t stop them from donning Mean Green gear and flaunting their team spirit throughout Lake Forest Good Samaritan Village before sliding into easy chairs to watch the home team.

“I’ve caught the fever,” said one of the newest UNT fans, Caroline Jenkins, who attends the games with her husband, Paul. “It’s so much fun.”

This rowdy bunch of senior citizens can be seen at UNT home games, waiving pompoms, wearing green and yelling and whistling for the Mean Green. They also make signs for the team. Their favorite sign reads “Drop it on ’em, Eagles!”

ON TV

The UNT men’s basketball team will play the University of Memphis in Round 1 of the NCAA Tour­na­ment at 11:30 a.m. today. The game will be aired on CBS (KTVT, Channel 11).

The trips started two years ago when UNT assistant coach Fred Rike donated season tickets to some of the center’s residents. Coaches donated tickets again this year. In fact, assistant coach Charlie Leonard paid for the seniors’ tickets out of his own pocket for the playoff game against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Feb. 28.

“The coaches have been just great,” said Judy Wiley, a retired teacher and the outspoken leader of the Senior Eagles. “We cheer and have a lot of fun.”

It didn’t take long for the original group of seven or eight to grow into a following of more than 20 UNT fans who wear green wigs and hats, make signs and deck themselves out in UNT gear for home games.

“I love going to the games,” said 95-year-old fan Juanita Brannon, who was wearing a green hat and waving a green and white pompom. Another 95-year-old, Grace Dulgensky, also attends the games.

On game days, the group meets in the main hall at the Good Samaritan Village in full regalia and takes a bus to the game.

“I still don’t know the rules very well, but I get mad when I miss a game,” said Linda Mendonsa, the seniors’ activity director.

Also in the group of Senior Eagles are a couple of UNT graduates from the 1940s and 1950s, including Art Wiley, who began his career at the university in 1944, before being sent to fight in World War II and then to the Korean conflict. After his military service, he went back to UNT and graduated in 1953 before going to medical school.

The Senior Eagles plan to watch the game from the fourth floor of the Good Samaritan Village, where they have a big-screen television and, of course, some comfortable easy chairs.

Other UNT fans plan to watch the games at their own age-appropriate venues — local bars and restaurants such as Riprocks, Cool Beans, Lucky Lou’s and The Loophole.

MONTY MILLER JR. can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is mwmiller@dentonrc.com .

PLACES TO WATCH

University of North Texas fans are gathering at restaurants and bars in the area to watch the Mean Green in Round 1 of the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a list of some popular places to watch the game in Denton.

Cool Beans, 1210 W. Hickory St.

Fry Street Tavern, 121 Ave. A

Hooligans, 104 N. Locust St.

The Loophole, 119 W. Hickory St.

Lucky Lou’s, 1207 W. Hickory St.

Movie Tavern, 916 W. University Drive

Riprocks, 1211 W. Hickory St.

A POEM FOR THE OCCASION

This poem was written by Alta Schupp, a resident of Lake Forest Good Samaritan Village, in honor of the University of North Texas men’s basketball team.

Good Samaritans Love UNT

We live in a retirement complex, and we’ve been around awhile,

You fellows have class, and we like your style!

So congratulations, from your Lake Forest fans.

Two seasons now, we’ve cheered from the stands.

You gave us comp tickets, that’s true,

For that we all send our thanks to you.

At Wendy’s we got free hamburgers a time or two,

Because you guys put seven three pointers through.

Don’t think that’s the only thing we like to see.

Enjoy your hustle, free throws, being sharp as can be.

At first you were just five guys, throwing at a bucket,

Then you seemed to realize, that just wouldn’t cut it.

‘Course Coach Johnny, might have said a thing or two,

Anyway something sure got through to all of you.

Now you don’t care who puts the ball in,

‘Cause you’re a real TEAM, fighting to win!

Each of you are living a lifelong dream,

As you represent UNT and the Mean Green.

We wish you luck, wish we could be there,

But we’ll watch on TV, from our easy chair.

[NT80]

This rowdy bunch of senior citizens can be seen at UNT home games, waiving pompoms, wearing green and yelling and whistling for the Mean Green. They also make signs for the team. Their favorite sign reads “Drop it on ’em, Eagles!”

I saw them at the ULL game, they were a very spirited group.

[JayDub]

Somebody buy them a beer!!