This Week, Some Of The Wind Was Taken Out...

[scotty474]

good job with the facts, apparently only at UNT are we not expected to win in a coaches first or even second year in one of the bottom conferences of NCAA Div 1A football.

Okay, I was wrong it only took him 6 years to build a winner. My point was that it will take him some time to build the SMU program. I have high expectations for our program and could give a rats ass as to what SMU does.

[UNTLifer]

I just don't understand some views on this. I don't know if some here are trying to stay positive or what, but everyone has to admit that of all the candidates this was the one that impacts NT the most in a negative sense, or am I off base?

I also don't buy the no Texas ties thing. A quick scan of Mack Brown's wikipedia page showed ZERO Texas ties. Yes he was close as a coordinator at OU and in Tulane as well. Also Dennis Franchione, didn't really have them either. He spent two seasons as coach at Texas State, but that's really it before getting to New Mexico and then TCU and he did great at TCU. Plus, JJ goes into a kids home and says, "Hey you saw Colt Brennan in New York for the Heisman. You saw us in a BCS Bowl." What's TD say, "hey you saw me at SLC and I know your coach." I know TD's relationships with coaches is great, but kids these days want all kinds of attention. I watch the HS all-star games and these kids have like three hats in front for the college choice and then knock them all off the table and pull one from behind their back. It's a joke. Point is, coaches only have so much influence. And if it's true that SMU is lowering standards that's even more the case. I don't have the desire to look it up, but I guarantee you we can find numerous coaches that didn't have specific regional ties and still did fine in recruiting.

Now I'm not getting down on TD or his ability. I have FULL faith in TD and expect him to make NT into a solid D-1 program. All I'm saying is that it got a little more difficult last week. I don't know how anyone can disagree.

I understand your point, but there is no use worrying about it. TD will do NT proud. SMUt is SMUt.

[Danish42]

They fired the AD from Hawaii on Tuesday.

[untbowler]

Okay, I was wrong it only took him 6 years to build a winner. My point was that it will take him some time to build the SMU program. I have high expectations for our program and could give a rats ass as to what SMU does.

Yup taking an 0-12 team to 9-4 and bowl game in Year 1 is not creating a winner.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

All this hire did was make us look in the mirror. And, that bothers some people. I'm not bothered. As I posted during the season, I fully understand that the UNT administration and athletic department is constantly selling us a bill of goods. It's no big deal. It's like watching hamsters run in their wheels.

We don't have money and our administration and athletic department don't know how to raise big chunks of it quickly. SMU finally has someone who can do it. No biggie. But, it pains some people with the pinprick of jealousy.

Last year, we got a high school coach for $2k less than we were paying the previous guy. This year, SMU's new athletic director wrestled $10 million out of Pony grads in a matter of 30 days or so. And, so, the hired a guy with so many different types of skins he probably has to have an extra garage just to hang them in - NFL, CFL, USFL, college, BCS, etc.

Just shrug it off and keep your fingers crossed that we get the defensive coordinator to turn this ship around. The offense already works. Throw a quality DC into the mix and we're right back in the Sun Belt hunt in 2008.

If Gridiron Santa Clause could also bring us a strength and conditioning coordinator who could cut some 40 times for every type of player on the field, that'd be nice, too. But...it's probably asking too much for this athletic department to do two sensible thing all in one off-season. There's just no history of it. We do things in stages here.

Edited January 10, 2008 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

All the worry and concern in the world won't change the situation. Yep, SMU got a quality coach and he will get some players that we wanted. We're used to that. But, I think that Todd Dodge is a pretty good recruiter in his own right and when he starts having some success it will make him even tougher.

As it stands now, TD has the eighth best recruiting class (tied with UCF) in the mid-major (how I hate that word) conferences and could finish a couple of notches higher. Don't underestimat his ability to recruit, especially in this state. He still has deeper ties in Texas than June Jones.

SMU will be fine in time but unless Jones can find a Tommy Chang or Colt Brennan clone somewhere immediately, it won't be this coming year. Not only that but he needs to find some stop troops. His cupboard is pretty bare and the good ones are already commited.

[UNTLifer]

All this hire did was make us look in the mirror. And, that bothers some people. I'm not bothered. As I posted during the season, I fully understand that the UNT administration and athletic department is constantly selling us a bill of goods. It's no big deal. It's like watching hamsters run in their wheels.

We don't have money and our administration and athletic department don't know how to raise big chunks of it quickly. SMU finally has someone who can do it. No biggie. But, it pains some people with the pinprick of jealousy.

Last year, we got a high school coach for $2k less than we were paying the previous guy. This year, SMU's new athletic director wrestled $10 million out of Pony grads in a matter of 30 days or so. And, so, the hired a guy with so many different types of skins he probably has to have an extra garage just to hang them in - NFL, CFL, USFL, college, BCS, etc.

Just shrug it off and keep your fingers crossed that we get the defensive coordinator to turn this ship around. The offense already works. Throw a quality DC into the mix and we're right back in the Sun Belt hunt in 2008.

If Gridiron Santa Clause could also bring us a strength and conditioning coordinator who could cut some 40 times for every type of player on the field, that'd be nice, too. But...it's probably asking too much for this athletic department to do two sensible thing all in one off-season. There's just no history of it. We do things in stages here.

You miss the big point. SMU alums have always supported the athletic department financially. NT's haven't and this administration is just starting to build the relationships that will produce these in the future. Then again, what would a TFLF post be without a jab at NT?

[StealthEagle84]

All the worry and concern in the world won't change the situation. Yep, SMU got a quality coach and he will get some players that we wanted. We're used to that. But, I think that Todd Dodge is a pretty good recruiter in his own right and when he starts having some success it will make him even tougher.

As it stands now, TD has the eighth best recruiting class (tied with UCF) in the mid-major (how I hate that word) conferences and could finish a couple of notches higher. Don't underestimat his ability to recruit, especially in this state. He still has deeper ties in Texas than June Jones.

SMU will be fine in time but unless Jones can find a Tommy Chang or Colt Brennan clone somewhere immediately, it won't be this coming year. Not only that but he needs to find some stop troops. His cupboard is pretty bare and the good ones are already commited.

You bring up a good point in the fact Dodge got the early jump on Jones. Jones, like Dodge last year, will have a hard time getting a good class together do to lack of time. Dodge has put together a good class regardless of the 2-10 season. Things can only get better from here on out.

[Dodge2007]

SMU only wished this would happen.

http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sp...110colfoot.html

[GreenBat]

You miss the big point. SMU alums have always supported the athletic department financially. NT's haven't and this administration is just starting to build the relationships that will produce these in the future.

Really, who is building these relaitionships? It's certainly not Mandy McKinley. Is it Rick V?

[dodgefan]

I have suggested the same things that fakelonnie and others have, and yet I seem to get hammered for it.

[UNTLifer]

Really, who is building these relaitionships? It's certainly not Mandy McKinley. Is it Rick V?

I don't think Mandy was responsible for the donations from Mac, Warnach and the Goldfields or the other bigger donations. Seems the development officers in the AD secure these. Mandy just pisses off the Mean Green Club members.

[GreenAlums]

I have suggested the same things that fakelonnie and others have, and yet I seem to get hammered for it.

I know the feeling!!

[eulessismore]

You know, SMU has a lot to feel good about concerning their HC hire. Actually, there were several reasons why I, for one, wanted them to go ahead and get someone hired, such as the occasional mention of Todd Dodge as a candidate, the need for a choice of more than 2 schools in the DFW area for students from this area who want to play in this area, and the possibility of an overall failure of their football program creating a bad precedent (such as to those who are reluctant to make the commitment to football, who could use that as an example of why further investment in major athletics is a bad idea).

Of course, at some point, June Jones will present a challenge to Todd Dodge in recruiting of area athletes. It may be too late this year for many such head to head competitions. Such competition is usually unsettling at first, but is usually healthy in the long run; perhaps it will focus Dodge and his assistants even more on finding and recruiting the best athletes for UNT.

Also, at some point, there will be competition for assistant coaches. Ironically, both coaches are looking, apparently, and hopefully, in different places. Also ironically, there may be days, and perhaps more than a week before either can announce a hire; possibly due to identical requirements for posting of available positions for ten days at Hawaii (where the DC Jones wants for SMU is now being considered as HC) and UNT. I think Dodge has proven to us how important coordinators and position coach hires can be, and I would guess potential recruits are also interested in such matters.

Most of all, let's keep things in perspective. I certainly feel one of the greatest losses to UNT in recent years was the death in an auto accident of one of the best quarterbacks we had had in years. As well as the personal and family tragedy involved, it was, in my opinion, not coincidentally preceding some of our poorest seasons. Hawaii also lost a member of their football team in the last few days, who simply collapsed and died, I believe during a pickup basketball game over the semester break. Not so much that that is SMU's loss, but I'm sure it is another distraction for their recently hired coach, who is probably at this point dealing with other matters, such as figuring out which of his assistants he may be able to hire, and without much time before national signing day.

Finally, let me point out what a poster from Ponyfans (yes, from SMU), who posted the following link after the June Jones hire, addressing the great uncertainty as to student support and resulting home game attendance for the Mustangs, and pointing to UNT (yes UNT) as an example of a school which supports its football and basketball programs with about the same records, but with much better attendance by UNT. Also, he recomments an attitude check by SMU fans, which frankly I wonder if we in the Mean Green Nation might also need at times.

Ponyfan poster with some real insight.

[NT80]

Finally, let me point out what a poster from Ponyfans (yes, from SMU), who posted the following link after the June Jones hire, addressing the great uncertainty as to student support and resulting home game attendance for the Mustangs, and pointing to UNT (yes UNT) as an example of a school which supports its football and basketball programs with about the same records, but with much better attendance by UNT. Also, he recomments an attitude check by SMU fans, which frankly I wonder if we in the Mean Green Nation might also need at times.

UNT, although playing football for nearly 100 years, is a slowly growing program searching for itself and destiny. Smu however has seen its glory days of Doak and SWC come and go. It's on a downward spiral since Death Penalty days and can't seem to pull out of it. Many of their old boosters still hold out hope for a return to glory and throw $$ trying to buy it on the quick. Their students are detached and Dallas cares the same for Highland Park HS football as it does the Ponies, little. Jones will come to find he left one culture in Hawaii to come to another culture also on a small island...Smu.