Todd Dodge's Holy War On Brett Vito

MeanGreenZen · January 6, 2008

Dodge and UNT are completely screwing Vito and the Belo newspapers. Vito is there on the scene working hard every day asking questions but the Star-Telegram has broken almost every major story of the Dodge regime. The Star-Telegram writer is only part-time on the UNT beat, but Dodge is purposelly going around Vito to break stories through the Star-Telegram.

Vito was out of town with the basketball team when Mendoza was fired, but that is a HUGE story for the UNT beat. At the very least, the UNT sports information director should have contacted Vito and given him a "heads up" that the firing was happening, but that didn't happen. So the Star-Telegram had the Mendoza firing a full day before the Belo papers and Vito was left looking bad. And I guarantee the Star-Telegram did not have a reporter out there digging for this story. No, a rep from UNT called the Star-Telegram and gave them the story while freezing out Vito and the Belo papers.

Plus, Vito tried to verify Tina Yother's report on the defensive backs coach, but he got a denial. Then the next day the Star-Telegram had the story. Plus, Dodge does not let Vito talk to the assistant coaches, but I have seen quotes from assistant coaches, including Mendoza last season, in stories by the Star-Telegram.

Todd Dodge is a lot of good things, but he is not treating Vito and the readers of the Belo papers fairly.

Edited January 6, 2008 by MG Insurance Pro

Censored by Laurie · January 6, 2008

Dodge and UNT are completely screwing Vito and the Belo newspapers. Vito is there on the scene every day asking questions but the Star-Telegram has broken almost every major story of the Dodge regime. The Star-Telegram writer is only part-time on the UNT beat, but Dodge is purposelly going around Vito to break stories through the Star-Telegram.
Vito was out of town with the basketball team when Mendoza was fired, but that is a HUGE story for the UNT beat. At the very least, the UNT sports information director should have contacted Vito and given him a "heads up" that the firing was happening, but that didn't happen. So the Star-Telegram had the Mendoza firing a full day before the Belo papers and Vito was left looking bad. And I guarantee the Star-Telegram did not have a reporter out there digging for this story. No, a rep from UNT called the Star-Telegram and gave them the story while freezing out Vito and the Belo papers.
Plus, Vito tried to verify Tina Yother's report on the defensive backs coach, but he got a denial. Then the next day the Star-Telegram had the story. Todd Dodge is a lot of good things, but he is not treating Vito and the readers of the Belo papers fairly.

I just want to curb this post before it turns into a Dodge bashing thread...which I am sure in no way did MG intend. Dodge has done a lot of great things in his short tenure...and I think he proved his commitment to the program's success with RM's firing...but his promotion of the program has been less than stellar. Vito is the guy who can spin a 2-10 season into something positive...he has UNT's best interest in mind in his reporting and for Dodge to have burned his bridge already with the school's best PR voice is upsetting.

H-towngreen · January 6, 2008

Totally agree, TD has a bit of a man crush on Troy Philips from the FWST. Vito is getting the shaft and it is undeserved.

untbowler · January 6, 2008

Totally agree, TD has a bit of a man crush on Troy Philips from the FWST. Vito is getting the shaft and it is undeserved.

Just curious who has the bigger circulation? I would assume FWST as such I could give a damn if Vito gets a story or not as long as the story gets out. Obviously Vito pissed somebodies wheaties but you guys sure are hard up to rip Dodge and UNT AD for who gets the stories. Could it possibly be that FWST has already earned creds with Dodge during his SLC tenure, while DRC had little to do with SLC unless they played a Denton Team.

MeanMag · January 6, 2008

Just curious who has the bigger circulation? I would assume FWST as such I could give a damn if Vito gets a story or not as long as the story gets out. Obviously Vito pissed somebodies wheaties but you guys sure are hard up to rip Dodge and UNT AD for who gets the stories. Could it possibly be that FWST has already earned creds with Dodge during his SLC tenure, while DRC had little to do with SLC unless they played a Denton Team.

Dodge doesn't coach at SLC anymore. He coaches in Denton, Texas.

KingDL1 · January 6, 2008

Dodge doesn't coach at SLC anymore. He coaches in Denton, Texas.

You all are guessing at relationships you have no idea about. While I like what Vito has done, it does not mean he has some God given right to be the most privileged.

Many D1a practices are closed to the public & press for many reasons depending on the coach, and if it is only the idea keeping the players focused as far fetched as some may think it is I am glad TD does it.

Monkeypox · January 6, 2008

Dodge doesn't coach at SLC anymore. He coaches in Denton, Texas.

yeah, because Denton has such high circulation and all of Vito's positive reporting over the years has led to our massive local support.

it's actually, believe it or not, GOOD FOR THE PROGRAM to get these stories into the higher circulating FWST. that's better exposure for our program in the metroplex, reaching more recruits and potential fans. also, as mentioned, Vito was out of town covering basketball. so be it.

and i DO believe it was the intention of the original poster to turn this into a Dodge-bashing thread. otherwise, you don't start with all the hyperbolic "holy war" BS.

scotty474 · January 6, 2008

Maybe Vito is getting a raw deal. I do not know. The simple fact is we need to have coverage in the FWST, DMN and DRC. His job as a reporter is to figure out how to develop that relationship.

KingDL1 · January 6, 2008

Maybe Vito is getting a raw deal. I do not know. The simple fact is we need to have coverage in the FWST, DMN and DRC. His job as a reporter is to figure out how to develop that relationship.

Best statement yet!!!

Very very true!

GMoney · January 6, 2008

I don't know or will even act like I know the whole story between the relationship with Vito and the athletic department as a whole (not just TD). However, I do know that I am still waiting for the promised front page story/retraction on the whole NAACP story that was promised on a situation that is obviously over. I do believe that story, which deeply and personally hurt TD is not forgotten by all those who were involved. You need to look no further than all those on this board and in the media who worried about the long-term effects a story like that could have in recruiting and damaging a man's character.

SilverEagle · January 6, 2008

I don't know or will even act like I know the whole story between the relationship with Vito and the athletic department as a whole (not just TD). However, I do know that I am still waiting for the promised front page story/retraction on the whole NAACP story that was promised on a situation that is obviously over. I do believe that story, which deeply and personally hurt TD is not forgotten by all those who were involved. You need to look no further than all those on this board and in the media who worried about the long-term effects a story like that could have in recruiting and damaging a man's character.

Vito was being treated badly before that NAACP situation occured. The front page retraction about that story/situation is an editors call.....not Vito's.

scotty474 · January 6, 2008

I don't know or will even act like I know the whole story between the relationship with Vito and the athletic department as a whole (not just TD). However, I do know that I am still waiting for the promised front page story/retraction on the whole NAACP story that was promised on a situation that is obviously over. I do believe that story, which deeply and personally hurt TD is not forgotten by all those who were involved. You need to look no further than all those on this board and in the media who worried about the long-term effects a story like that could have in recruiting and damaging a man's character.

Hell, with all the excitement around here I had already forgot about this. Was there ever a promise made? Would it be good idea to run that story now? Sometimes it is just best to move forward.

UNT_92_Fan · January 6, 2008

Jihad?

GMoney · January 6, 2008

Vito was being treated badly before that NAACP situation occured. The front page retraction about that story/situation is an editors call.....not Vito's.

First, that's the reason why I mentioned in my first sentence that I don't know the full story of Vito's relationship with the athletic department as a whole (not just TD). Their relationship was "rocky" before TD even got there. Second, the "editor's decision" of a front page article was "promised", whether or not it is followed through upon by the DRC is another story. However, if you were the subject of the original article, had to defend your character on a local and national scale, and there has been no action since, it would tend to leave a bad taste in your mouth. This was not "x's and o's" bashing, this was a racism charge that never goes away.

Edited January 6, 2008 by GMoney

NTPhiKap99 · January 6, 2008

I can't really say anything bad about Brett he's done a great just in the paper and especially the blogs often breaking the programs big stories. I honestly hope it just happened while Brett was in Alabama and he just wasn't around to gather the clues and the FWST just beat him to the story and confirmation. If he's been cut out of the loop something must have happened between him and the staff and I certainly hope that gets fixed soon. If this does come down purely to circulation then I want to know why the FWST got the sorry and not the DMN. If we're looking for the most exposer than we're selling ourselves short again and if it is just a about the relationship Dodge has with the FWST then I think he does need to realize he's not at SLC anymore.

Monkeypox · January 6, 2008

I can't really say anything bad about Brett he's done a great just in the paper and especially the blogs often breaking the programs big stories. I honestly hope it just happened while Brett was in Alabama and he just wasn't around to gather the clues and the FWST just beat him to the story and confirmation. If he's been cut out of the loop something must have happened between him and the staff and I certainly hope that gets fixed soon. If this does come down purely to circulation then I want to know why the FWST got the sorry and not the DMN. If we're looking for the most exposer than we're selling ourselves short again and if it is just a about the relationship Dodge has with the FWST then I think he does need to realize he's not at SLC anymore.

A relationship with the FWST ALLOWS us to get the story there. If the relationship does not exist with the DMN, then he's obviously not going to be able to get the story there. The fact is that the metroplex papers have shown little desire in the past to put together ANY story about us. Now that we're getting increased exposure in the metroplex, people are griping about it.

KingDL1 · January 6, 2008

I can't really say anything bad about Brett he's done a great just in the paper and especially the blogs often breaking the programs big stories. I honestly hope it just happened while Brett was in Alabama and he just wasn't around to gather the clues and the FWST just beat him to the story and confirmation. If he's been cut out of the loop something must have happened between him and the staff and I certainly hope that gets fixed soon. If this does come down purely to circulation then I want to know why the FWST got the sorry and not the DMN. If we're looking for the most exposer than we're selling ourselves short again and if it is just a about the relationship Dodge has with the FWST then I think he does need to realize he's not at SLC anymore.

Except Vito writes for the Denton Record-Chronicle not the DMN, I know they are related but Vito's stuff is rarely in the DMN.

NTPhiKap99 · January 6, 2008

Except Vito writes for the Denton Record-Chronicle not the DMN, I know they are related but Vito's stuff is rarely in the DMN.

My point was Brett probably should have broke the story maybe it was dumb luck he didn't get it and maybe he was passed by but if he was passed by to get more circulation then the story should have been fed to the DMN.

Circualtion

DNM 702,135

FWST 304,200

eeally · January 6, 2008

Since when has Dallas been on board with UNT. I say let's make Ft Worth more of our base!!!

Monkeypox · January 6, 2008

My point was Brett probably should have broke the story maybe it was dumb luck he didn't get it and maybe he was passed by but if he was passed by to get more circulation then the story should have been fed to the DMN.
Circualtion
DNM 702,135
FWST 304,200

In that case, he should've broken it to the New York times. Except that, like the DMN, the NYT could give a crap about UNT.

GoMeanGreen1999 · January 6, 2008

I am not sure it has so much do to with Dodge not liking Vito as it does the fact that Dodge did so much with the Star Telegram when he was at SLC. I am sure the DMN has far more papers sold every day than the STelegram does, I just think it has to do more with familiarity than anything.

Don't worry though, with Tina and those boys, we will get the story. I firmly believe that the story of Butch was not going to be released for weeks until someone questioned them about it, and then they knew it would be out there, so they released it.

NTPhiKap99 · January 6, 2008

In that case, he should've broken it to the New York times. Except that, like the DMN, the NYT could give a crap about UNT.

You know your right lets think big screw the FWST, DMN and the Times lets go national the the USA today. Both the FWST and the DMN will cover NT if there is a story and currently neither city as a whole really cares but the way I see it is if we are going after pretty much the same people, the same distance away with the same distractions and competition then you go with the paper that gets to the most people.

Monkeypox · January 6, 2008

You know your right lets think big screw the FWST, DMN and the Times lets go national the the USA today. Both the FWST and the DMN will cover NT if there is a story and currently neither city as a whole really cares but the way I see it is if we are going after pretty much the same people, the same distance away with the same distractions and competition then you go with the paper that gets to the most people.

Except that one DOES care, because of their relationship with the coach and the coach's relationship to the community. The FWST WILL post the story, and the DMN won't. I don't see how that's hard to understand. BEFORE Dodge, neither would cover NT.

StealthEagle84 · January 6, 2008

Who really gives two hoots? Dodge's job is to run the operations of the football program, not media relations. This a PR issue, not Coach Dodge's. And last time I checked, a lot more people read the FWST rather than the DRC.

SUMG · January 6, 2008

Brett is, essentially our beat reporter for both the D-RC and the DMN. (Not all of his stuff that is printed in the D-RC, makes it to the DMN, but that's not his fault).

I think, if we're trying to build a new stadium.....IT BEHOOVES US, to have a good relationship with the press. UNT, which I think had (on average) about 12,500 empty seats at home football games this season....really isn't in the position to hold grudges...or to be arrogant.

And speaking of building a new stadium....I seem to remember Brett writing a great 3-part series on the history of Fouts ....and our hopes for a new stadium. (That was in both the D-RC and the DMN.....back in August or so, as I recall).

One more thought: Maybe the Goldfields don't even read the FWST. So, it's good to cover ALL OUR BASES.