We Play @ Uta Next Season----wed. Nov. 21

Green Means Go! · July 27, 2007

According to today's FW-ST, our guys will play on "The Stage" at UTA during the 2007-2008 season. The game is set for Wed. Nov. 21.

UNTflyer · July 27, 2007

This should be good. Here are some game day ideas:

-Instead of cheering when our boys score a basket, stand up and clap and yell "BRAV-O!"

-Bring opera glasses

-Once in a while turn to the UTA fans and go "SHHHH!"

-Show up in evening wear

greenminer · July 27, 2007

Save your applause until the timeouts.

Green Means Go! · July 27, 2007

I saw a doubleheader there once. It was a men's game, followed by a production of "Godspell."

medpilot21 · July 27, 2007

I mentioned this on the board a while back, but I did a year there in 96/97. (sounds like a prison sentence?). We watched several basketball games in Texas Hall (the stage) and it was a riot! The ball went out of bounds into the floor seats, and they couldnt find it? I also thought the Stephen F. players were really cool... They did their shoot-around before the game and were laughing about the drop-off, but showed a lot of class when the game was over. The student section is against the back wall, and the fans in the auditorium were looking UP at the game. I have to say that is probably the second strangest place I have ever seen a sporting event. (Anyone who has been to Idaho knows my #1)

The simple truth is that UTA at least has a place to play basketball. It may not be good, but at least they have that team. After football was taken away from them, I worried that other sports would soon follow. Anyone who has spent more than two semesters there since 1995 understands the demographics are quite different for UTA now. Sports are a difficult sell with the majority of students. I am happy for the students, who get to have a homecoming celebration during basketball season... but that is better than no homecoming at all. I'll go back and watch a game in Arlington. UTA beat us last year, so this would be a great time for a "Pay-back" game!

As for the players?, watch where you are walking...

GMG!!!

Censored by Laurie · July 27, 2007

Named "The Best Place in America to Watch College Basketball" by Sports Illustrated in 1997, Texas Hall is the home to UTA's men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. Possibly the most unique setting for intercollegiate events in the nation, the Mavericks¹ home court seats 4,200 and allows fans two areas of seating that allow for two radically different ways to watch the game. One side of the court gives the UTA faithful the opportunity to sit in plush, theater-style seating while watching the action on the elevated floor. This means that fans will never have to yell, "Down in front!" since the action is taking place a few feet higher then them. Imagine rock concert meets run-n-gun offense. The other side of the court is for the fan who wants to be close up to the event. With seats just a few feet from the court, fans in the bleacher area are right on top of the action. Texas Hall is also equipped with one of the best sound and lighting systems around, contributing to an atmosphere that makes "Ball at the Hall" one of the most exciting and unique experiences for fans, student-athletes, coaches and everyone else involved.

I've never had the chance to watch or play here...and I'm kinda upset that I probably won't...it seems like a unique watching experience.

OldTimer · July 27, 2007

Named "The Best Place in America to Watch College Basketball" by Sports Illustrated in 1997, Texas Hall is the home to UTA's men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. Possibly the most unique setting for intercollegiate events in the nation, the Mavericks¹ home court seats 4,200 and allows fans two areas of seating that allow for two radically different ways to watch the game. One side of the court gives the UTA faithful the opportunity to sit in plush, theater-style seating while watching the action on the elevated floor. This means that fans will never have to yell, "Down in front!" since the action is taking place a few feet higher then them. Imagine rock concert meets run-n-gun offense. The other side of the court is for the fan who wants to be close up to the event. With seats just a few feet from the court, fans in the bleacher area are right on top of the action. Texas Hall is also equipped with one of the best sound and lighting systems around, contributing to an atmosphere that makes "Ball at the Hall" one of the most exciting and unique experiences for fans, student-athletes, coaches and everyone else involved.
I've never had the chance to watch or play here...and I'm kinda upset that I probably won't...it seems like a unique watching experience.

PLEASE NT SUPPORTERS ARRIVE EARLY AND SIT BEHIND THE NT BENCH...I have seen NT play there several time...the opera pit is just a few steps from the court on the audiance side...dangereous, UTA fans sat behind the NT Bench...they could lean over the rail and used a car jack handle and a garbage can lid and banged them OVER THE HEADS OF THE PLAYERS. ANOTHER...A DEAD CHICKEN DRIPPING BLOOD OVER OUR KIDS BENCH. I AM NOT KIDDING. THAT PLACE IS A DANGER TO OUR PLAYERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILAR WITH THE STAGE.

UNTflyer · July 27, 2007

Anyone who has spent more than two semesters there since 1995 understands the demographics are quite different for UTA now. Sports are a difficult sell with the majority of students.

I'm in my last week of summer school there and i know exactly what you mean.

UTA beat us last year

They got a gift from the referees last year. Anyone who watched that game live knows they didn't beat the buzzer.

untwillrise · July 28, 2007

Im going to have this game circled on my schedule.

Don't forget after last year's game we lost KD. After being robbed.

GrandGreen · July 28, 2007

Im going to have this game circled on my schedule.
Don't forget after last year's game we lost KD. After being robbed.

Hardly robbed, NT lost a home game to what proved to be a very mediocre UTA team. NT basically let UTA shoot a layup with time running out with the outcome of the game at stake. Yes, the game should have went to overtime, but I didn't see anything that would have indicated that NT would have had the edge in the next period. NT played very lackadaisically and UTA played with emotion, and the less talented team won.

OT, I have see many games at UTA and have yet to see anything close to what you report. With a couple of exceptions, there have not been enough people at the games to even fill the stands between the benches. It is an odd venue, but I have never seen anyone or even heard a report of anyone being injured because of falling off the stage. It actually a good place to watch a game assuming you set behind the benches.

Interestedly, under Helwig and Trilli; NT canceled all the games with old Southland foes wanting to distance themselves from the lower tier teams. At the end of Trilli's reign, NT was playing non-scholarship teams to scrape out any win.

OldTimer · July 28, 2007

Hardly robbed, NT lost a home game to what proved to be a very mediocre UTA team. NT basically let UTA shoot a layup with time running out with the outcome of the game at stake. Yes, the game should have went to overtime, but I didn't see anything that would have indicated that NT would have had the edge in the next period. NT played very lackadaisically and UTA played with emotion, and the less talented team won.
OT, I have see many games at UTA and have yet to see anything close to what you report. With a couple of exceptions, there have not been enough people at the games to even fill the stands between the benches. It is an odd venue, but I have never seen anyone or even heard a report of anyone being injured because of falling off the stage. It actually a good place to watch a game assuming you set behind the benches.
Interestedly, under Helwig and Trilli; NT canceled all the games with old Southland foes wanting to distance themselves from the lower tier teams. At the end of Trilli's reign, NT was playing non-scholarship teams to scrape out any win.

It was many years ago when Blakely and the SOC coach were at NT. I was a full time accounting instructor at the time at UTA while building a CPA practice, but it actually happened. Please come early and sit behind our bench.

OldTimer · July 28, 2007

Hardly robbed, NT lost a home game to what proved to be a very mediocre UTA team. NT basically let UTA shoot a layup with time running out with the outcome of the game at stake. Yes, the game should have went to overtime, but I didn't see anything that would have indicated that NT would have had the edge in the next period. NT played very lackadaisically and UTA played with emotion, and the less talented team won.
OT, I have see many games at UTA and have yet to see anything close to what you report. With a couple of exceptions, there have not been enough people at the games to even fill the stands between the benches. It is an odd venue, but I have never seen anyone or even heard a report of anyone being injured because of falling off the stage. It actually a good place to watch a game assuming you set behind the benches.
Interestedly, under Helwig and Trilli; NT canceled all the games with old Southland foes wanting to distance themselves from the lower tier teams. At the end of Trilli's reign, NT was playing non-scholarship teams to scrape out any win.

It was many years ago when Blakely and the SOC coach were at NT. I was a full time accounting instructor at the time at UTA while building a CPA practice, but it actually happened. Please come early and sit behind our bench.

Buford_Julep · July 30, 2007

"The Best Place in America to Watch College Basketball"

The above statement is true, if you sit in the reserved seats on the stage behind the benches. The experience is similar to watching a game in an old, small, rural gym. It is also comparable to sitting in the court side wooden seats at the old Snake Pit.

All the auditorium seats are general admission. At least they were the last time I was there.

Go to the balcony, not the lower level. The front row of the balcony offers almost as good of a view as the reserved seats.

I watched just one game from the floor level. I can't really remember it well enough to describe what it was like, but I never considered sitting there again.

Go_UTA · July 30, 2007

The demographic comments were interesting, and not something I have thought much about. Judging from the comments and what is probably implied, I assume that race is what is meant. So, I went to the interactive reporting system off the Higher Education Coordinating Board site. For 2006, enrollment demographics of UTA, UTD, Univ of Houston, UNT were as follows, respectively.

White 51%, 53%, 39%, 66%

African-American 12%, 6%, 13%, 12%

Hispanic 14%, 8%, 19%, 11%

Asian 11%, 17%, 20%, 5%

Other 12%, 15%, 9%, 7%

All of these universities are among the "emerging research" university category defined by the state. I purposely selected those that I thought would be somewhat similar to UT Arlington. That is, non-flagships (meaning not Austin or A&M), metropolitan locations, and with large engineering programs. Obviously, other universities will look different. UT San Antonio and UT El Paso (the other 2 "emerging research" universities) will look highly hispanic. Tech, SFA, and others will probably be very white. The University of Houston is very low in white (39%) and highest in the Asian category. (A Conference USA athletic school, btw.) UNT, not surprisingly (with traditional strengths in the liberal arts and a small engineering college), has more whites than this group, and Asian faces are less common.

Some students may not like so much diversity and may choose less diverse schools. However, from a societal perspective, state universities seek diversity. They want to look like the public, so to speak, since the public is its constituency. This is what the state is after with its "Closing the Gaps" initiative. Also, for instance, schools like Texas State-San Marcos are seeking to be declared "Hispanic Serving." In any case, UT Arlington is not so different from UT Dallas, and U of H. Not sure what racial demographics alone says about support of athletic programs. BTW, UT Dallas and U of H or pretty darn good places. In fact, U of H is an "aspirational peer" for UT Arlington.

GrandGreen · July 31, 2007

The demographic comments were interesting, and not something I have thought much about. Judging from the comments and what is probably implied, I assume that race is what is meant. So, I went to the interactive reporting system off the Higher Education Coordinating Board site. For 2006, enrollment demographics of UTA, UTD, Univ of Houston, UNT were as follows, respectively.
White 51%, 53%, 39%, 66%
African-American 12%, 6%, 13%, 12%
Hispanic 14%, 8%, 19%, 11%
Asian 11%, 17%, 20%, 5%
Other 12%, 15%, 9%, 7%
All of these universities are among the "emerging research" university category defined by the state. I purposely selected those that I thought would be somewhat similar to UT Arlington. That is, non-flagships (meaning not Austin or A&M), metropolitan locations, and with large engineering programs. Obviously, other universities will look different. UT San Antonio and UT El Paso (the other 2 "emerging research" universities) will look highly hispanic. Tech, SFA, and others will probably be very white. The University of Houston is very low in white (39%) and highest in the Asian category. (A Conference USA athletic school, btw.) UNT, not surprisingly (with traditional strengths in the liberal arts and a small engineering college), has more whites than this group, and Asian faces are less common.
Some students may not like so much diversity and may choose less diverse schools. However, from a societal perspective, state universities seek diversity. They want to look like the public, so to speak, since the public is its constituency. This is what the state is after with its "Closing the Gaps" initiative. Also, for instance, schools like Texas State-San Marcos are seeking to be declared "Hispanic Serving." In any case, UT Arlington is not so different from UT Dallas, and U of H. Not sure what racial demographics alone says about support of athletic programs. BTW, UT Dallas and U of H or pretty darn good places. In fact, U of H is an "aspirational peer" for UT Arlington.

Not sure what comment you are replying to, but I will throw in my two cents. I had a friend who graduated with a masters in engineering from UTA and I went to the ceremony. It seems that 90% of the grads were foreign students. This observation has nothing to do with race. UTA has just done an excellent job in recruiting foreign students, I believe I read were they were 9th in the nation in the number of foreign students attending. I think this is great for the school and diversification but I doubt it significantly helps UTA 's support for athletics. Also because foreign students tend to stay close to the campus because it is very difficult to go home for the night or weekend, it distorts the reality and it appears that the foreign population is much greater than it actually is.

PlummMeanGreen · July 31, 2007

I would hope that when UTA wants a game with us any year that we will not act like others in Texas have and get all condescending ie, high & mighty, etc, etc, etc...

UTA has started building more dorms to make it more of a residential campus and that is a good thing for them. I don't know what the progress of a possible new baskeball arena is for UTA, maybe someone from UTA can get back with us on that?

FWIW, UNT's timing when it built the Super Pit could not have been better. In the late Dr. James Rogers book "The Story of North Texas" he writes about how so many on our campus pre-Super Pit completion thought 10,000 would be too many seats. Many of that group wanted about 6,000 seats. (Wonder if they changed their minds when UNT hosted 3 (or 4?) NCAA Regional Basketall Tourney's because the Super Pit (in deed) had 10,000 seats and.......................many of us will never forget that magical night when UNT hosted SMU before a SRO crowd of 10,700 fans and...................WON THE GOL' DARNED BASKETBALL GAME TO BOOT!

Of course, many of us had our graduation ceremonies inside the Super Pit so I guess that's why campus publications call it a multi-purpose facility?

Go_UTA · July 31, 2007

Yeah, UNT's timing on the Super Pit couldn't have been better. You got it just a few years before the ad valorem tax was declared unconstitutional and shut down funding for quite a while. I think Jitter Nolan was the president who put that project through. At least that's what I think I read on the dedicatory plaque. We had one on the boards a few years later which had already received approval from the board of regents. So, it was on its way for sure. However, before the contract was let out, there was a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ad valorem tax (which was the source of university building funds). So, out of the blue and in a blink of the eye, the arena project went into deep freeze. It was gonna sit at the top of the South 40. When construction funding opened up a few years later, there was so much pent-up academic need, that the university went after those projects instead of starting with the arena (architecture building, nursing building, power plant). So, yeah, y'all can be glad you happened to get the Super Pit when you did.

I can't give any updates on the current arena initiative. Hopefully, we will hear more before long. I do know it is one of the projects that our president has taken on, and it is featured on the university's website under the development page. It is a tough thing...very similar to your stadium project. In fact, the projected costs of the 2 projects are very close. We might be able to get a little Permanent University Fund money for our project, however. (I don't think any state money is planned for the stadium.) Reason being, the arena will have legitimate academic purposes, e.g., commencements, convocations, major speakers, etc.

I do look forward to y'all coming down to Arlington. Like I said prior to last year's game in Denton, history shows that anything can happen when these 2 universities get on the b-ball court together. Well, that certainly proved to be the case in Denton last year. Very exciting game and down to the last second (past the last second, actually!).