Next Season

Green to the Bone · March 16, 2007

1. Expectations: After some time for greatly deserved enjoyment, accolades and decompression, JJ carefully analyzes both assets and needs and hits the recruiting trail with significant success. He pitches how exciting it is to be on the way up and get some great national PR and play on the big stage.

He's able to pull in some impressive high school talent and gets some interesting inquiries from potential jucos or transfers, especially three new guards who are in the 6-5, 200 range.

Calvin Watson talks to the new class of recruits wearing both his old Mean Green and his new NBA gear. The Mavs, still giddy from their NBA championship, repeat their workout in the Pit and also hold a highly publicized clinic and photo op for our players. Given the friendship between JJ and Avery Johnson, the Mavs declare the Mean Green the official college team of the NBA champs.

We win the Belt regular season and the tourney, enter the Dance again as a higher seed, maybe 13 or so, and win Round 1.

During the March Madness publicity, it becomes know that Bell, Sturns, Williams and Wooden had formed a pact in October not to wash their socks during the whole season. High-school kids all over the country stop washing their socks.

2. Schedule: We get two national and several regional TV games. We pencil in a couple of away majors to give the guys more experience in the spotlight and really stretch their limits. Highly ranked teams are willing to schedule us, but no longer as a body-bag game, because we've shown ourselves as contenders. We take a whuppin' in one but pull out a shocker in another with a buzzer-beating alley-oop from the sleeper combination of Mangrum to Howerton. Hank immediately nicknames them the Pale Perils.

3. Attendance: Season average is 4,000-plus, tending toward 5,000. Home opener is 6,000-plus, after a great publicity and word-of-mouth campaign, including invitations to high school teams all over the Metroplex (are there NCAA rules on this?) to be there for the pregame ceremonial raising of the SBC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners and displaying of the SBC trophy. Avery Johnson and Mark Cuban are both there; Cuban announces a $5 million personal donation to UNT athletics because, as he tells the crowd, "Who the hell couldn't love this?" This year's whole team is there, plus members of the '88 team. When RV and Dr. B introduce Coach Jones, students' rythmic shouting of "Jay Jay! Jay Jay!" is taken up by all 6,000 fans and continues for three minutes until the referee threatens us with a technical. It continues anyway.

4. Name of the University: Not one single person anywhere refers to us as "North Texas State" anymore.

Edited March 16, 2007 by Green to the Bone

CMJ · March 16, 2007

I was thinking-

If we could schedule some serious Mid Majors, we could get a Bracket Buster game on ESPN. It'd have to be on the road though, since we haven't shown ESPN we can actually have folks at games. But a road Bracket Buster game is not pie in the sky.

I'll post more later.

BonfireBrian · March 16, 2007

1. Expectations: After some time for greatly deserved enjoyment, accolades and decompression, JJ carefully analyzes both assets and needs and hits the recruiting trail with significant success. He pitches how exciting it is to be on the way up and get some great national PR and play on the big stage.
He's able to pull in some impressive high school talent and gets some interesting inquiries from potential jucos or transfers, especially three new guards who are in the 6-5, 200 range.
Calvin Watson talks to the new class of recruits wearing both his old Mean Green and his new NBA gear. The Mavs, still giddy from their NBA championship, repeat their workout in the Pit and also hold a highly publicized clinic and photo op for our players. Given the friendship between JJ and Avery Johnson, the Mavs declare the Mean Green the official college team of the NBA champs.
We win the Belt regular season and the tourney, enter the Dance again as a higher seed, maybe 13 or so, and win Round 1.
During the March Madness publicity, it becomes know that Bell, Sturns, Williams and Wooden had formed a pact in October not to wash their socks during the whole season. High-school kids all over the country stop washing their socks.
2. Schedule: We get two national and several regional TV games. We pencil in a couple of away majors to give the guys more experience in the spotlight and really stretch their limits. Highly ranked teams are willing to schedule us, but no longer as a body-bag game, because we've shown ourselves as contenders. We take a whuppin' in one but pull out a shocker in another with a buzzer-beating alley-oop from the sleeper combination of Mangrum to Howerton. Hank immediately nicknames them the Pale Perils.
3. Attendance: Season average is 4,000-plus, tending toward 5,000. Home opener is 6,000-plus, after a great publicity and word-of-mouth campaign, including invitations to high school teams all over the Metroplex (are there NCAA rules on this?) to be there for the pregame ceremonial raising of the SBC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners and displaying of the SBC trophy. Avery Johnson and Mark Cuban are both there; Cuban announces a $5 million personal donation to UNT athletics because, as he tells the crowd, "Who the hell couldn't love this?" This year's whole team is there, plus members of the '88 team. When RV and Dr. B introduce Coach Jones, students' rythmic shouting of "Jay Jay! Jay Jay!" is taken up by all 6,000 fans and continues for three minutes until the referee threatens us with a technical. It continues anyway.
4. Name of the University: Not one single person anywhere refers to us as "North Texas State" anymore.

Good post. All of this sounds great to me, except the not washing socks thing.

GoMeanGreen1999 · March 16, 2007

The Mavs, still giddy from their NBA championship,

Apparently you didn't watch the Mavs this week when they played Pheonix. Before this week, I felt good about their chances, but I have to say, I am very concerned now. They still don't have a go to guy and they really have a hard time in "finishing" key games.

Green to the Bone · March 16, 2007

Apparently you didn't watch the Mavs this week when they played Pheonix. Before this week, I felt good about their chances, but I have to say, I am very concerned now. They still don't have a go to guy and they really have a hard time in "finishing" key games.

You're right -- they've only won 82.5 percent of their games this year and are just 22-7 on the road. Bunch of losers! Let's tell Cuban he can't come to our opening game and we don't want his stinkin' loser money!

I think you kinda missed the point of the post ...

LittleMeanGreenMan · March 17, 2007

Good stuff.

class84 · March 17, 2007

What I find interesting about next year is that we'll have the best inside tandem in the Sunbelt in Wooden and Williams. Those guys really started to become effective late in the season as Bell progressed and could set them up down low. JJ may have to change the style of offense from a perimeter team to a half-court team.

I would expect us to bring in a JUCO scorer to fill in for Watson/Davis, and hope Sturns can find a consistent groove. We have a great chance to be back on top next year.

meangreenacct · March 17, 2007

We need a backup point guard! The problem with basketball recruiting is most of the top graduating players signed in the early signing period in November. I think we'll be able to pick up some nice players to come in next fall, but the impact really won't be felt until next season's early signing period.

NT91 · March 17, 2007

1. Expectations: After some time for greatly deserved enjoyment, accolades and decompression, JJ carefully analyzes both assets and needs and hits the recruiting trail with significant success. He pitches how exciting it is to be on the way up and get some great national PR and play on the big stage.
He's able to pull in some impressive high school talent and gets some interesting inquiries from potential jucos or transfers, especially three new guards who are in the 6-5, 200 range.
Calvin Watson talks to the new class of recruits wearing both his old Mean Green and his new NBA gear. The Mavs, still giddy from their NBA championship, repeat their workout in the Pit and also hold a highly publicized clinic and photo op for our players. Given the friendship between JJ and Avery Johnson, the Mavs declare the Mean Green the official college team of the NBA champs.
We win the Belt regular season and the tourney, enter the Dance again as a higher seed, maybe 13 or so, and win Round 1.
During the March Madness publicity, it becomes know that Bell, Sturns, Williams and Wooden had formed a pact in October not to wash their socks during the whole season. High-school kids all over the country stop washing their socks.
2. Schedule: We get two national and several regional TV games. We pencil in a couple of away majors to give the guys more experience in the spotlight and really stretch their limits. Highly ranked teams are willing to schedule us, but no longer as a body-bag game, because we've shown ourselves as contenders. We take a whuppin' in one but pull out a shocker in another with a buzzer-beating alley-oop from the sleeper combination of Mangrum to Howerton. Hank immediately nicknames them the Pale Perils.
3. Attendance: Season average is 4,000-plus, tending toward 5,000. Home opener is 6,000-plus, after a great publicity and word-of-mouth campaign, including invitations to high school teams all over the Metroplex (are there NCAA rules on this?) to be there for the pregame ceremonial raising of the SBC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners and displaying of the SBC trophy. Avery Johnson and Mark Cuban are both there; Cuban announces a $5 million personal donation to UNT athletics because, as he tells the crowd, "Who the hell couldn't love this?" This year's whole team is there, plus members of the '88 team. When RV and Dr. B introduce Coach Jones, students' rythmic shouting of "Jay Jay! Jay Jay!" is taken up by all 6,000 fans and continues for three minutes until the referee threatens us with a technical. It continues anyway.
4. Name of the University: Not one single person anywhere refers to us as "North Texas State" anymore.

Not one single person anywhere refers to us as "North Texas State" anymore.

jgb0607 · March 17, 2007

Apparently you didn't watch the Mavs this week when they played Pheonix. Before this week, I felt good about their chances, but I have to say, I am very concerned now. They still don't have a go to guy and they really have a hard time in "finishing" key games.

Well, the Mavs came up with a gritty win last night while Phoenix got THUMPED by around 20 points to Detroit! Sunday against Motown will be a very interesting game!

Anything short of a 20 win season next year depending on our OOC schedule would be dissappointing............................

Edited March 17, 2007 by jgb0607

ParksAndRecRick · March 17, 2007

Your Right...

"State" is OFFICALLY GONE ACROSS AMERICA!!!!

Long LIve "The University of NOrth Texas"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UNTLifer · March 17, 2007

We need a backup point guard! The problem with basketball recruiting is most of the top graduating players signed in the early signing period in November. I think we'll be able to pick up some nice players to come in next fall, but the impact really won't be felt until next season's early signing period.

JJ will go to the JUCO ranks for this as he did Bell.

scotty474 · March 17, 2007

Your Right...
"State" is OFFICALLY GONE ACROSS AMERICA!!!!
Long LIve "The University of NOrth Texas"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost gone, but not entirely. Mike Rhyner of the Ticket always calls us North Texas State. It has become his signature line about The Univeristy of North Texas.