What Makes Brett Vito A Football Guru?

gangrene · March 9, 2009

This thread is an embarrassment to the forum and to UNT.

Good grief, don't you have anything better to do than complain about what little publicity we do get for our football program these days? And, just because someone didn't play football doesn't make them any less knowledgeable about the game. That is such a tired argument. I don't recall Lou Holtz having played much college football, yet he was a great coach. Likewise, Emmitt Smith was a stellar athlete, yet he absolutely SUCKS at trying to translate his knowledge as a reporter/sports analyst.

If you want to complain about something, why don't you complain about our 3-21 record or our inability to draw more students to the games? Or...you know...I really don't care...but this beef everyone has with the media coverage we get (whether it's Vito or Troy Phillips) is just stupid. Sometimes I think we must have the world's most naive football fans - maybe ignorant is the better term.

greenblooded43 · March 9, 2009

Figures. Wrestling *is* fake. You're glad a reporter got his ass kicked by someone who was lying.
No wonder you want Vito to tell you UNT football isn't in the crapper right now.

Okay rcabe, you believe and follow the football media of no return. This should not be the gomeangreen forum it should be the Bash UNT Football forum. I will let your buddy off the hook. I still feel he is not reporting the way he can because of a personal issuses. Always in it to get someone.

greenminer · March 9, 2009

Always in it to get someone.

If you want to take it a step further, let's bring in the DMN, because they are the ones that pay him and review his work. If they're okay with crap reporting, they should be the ones held accountable.

Damn the DaMN!

greenblooded43 · March 9, 2009

This thread is an embarrassment to the forum and to UNT.
Good grief, don't you have anything better to do than complain about what little publicity we do get for our football program these days? And, just because someone didn't play football doesn't make them any less knowledgeable about the game. That is such a tired argument. I don't recall Lou Holtz having played much college football, yet he was a great coach. Likewise, Emmitt Smith was a stellar athlete, yet he absolutely SUCKS at trying to translate his knowledge as a reporter/sports analyst.
If you want to complain about something, why don't you complain about our 3-21 record or our inability to draw more students to the games? Or...you know...I really don't care...but this beef everyone has with the media coverage we get (whether it's Vito or Troy Phillips) is just stupid. Sometimes I think we must have the world's most naive football fans - maybe ignorant is the better term.

Maybe one has a problem and it is not Phillips

SilverEagle · March 9, 2009

This thread is an embarrassment to the forum and to UNT.
Good grief, don't you have anything better to do than complain about what little publicity we do get for our football program these days? And, just because someone didn't play football doesn't make them any less knowledgeable about the game. That is such a tired argument. I don't recall Lou Holtz having played much college football, yet he was a great coach. Likewise, Emmitt Smith was a stellar athlete, yet he absolutely SUCKS at trying to translate his knowledge as a reporter/sports analyst.
If you want to complain about something, why don't you complain about our 3-21 record or our inability to draw more students to the games? Or...you know...I really don't care...but this beef everyone has with the media coverage we get (whether it's Vito or Troy Phillips) is just stupid. Sometimes I think we must have the world's most naive football fans - maybe ignorant is the better term.

I totally agree. To address the original question regarding BV being a guru. IF Brett Vito was one of the big time gurus of College Football, I would really hate to see some of his assessments in print.....they would be brutal. Personally, I think BV has been rather kind and restrained regarding North Texas football.

If you want to hear the green-colored-glasses spin on our program go to the athletic dept. site and read the press releases of the SID.

foutsrouts · March 9, 2009

So if Vito should be fired for not looking like a jock, I guess this means that TD (and half the coaches in the country) should be fired because he doesn't exactly look like a jock either. I can think of better reasons to fire either one of them.

Monkeypox · March 9, 2009

Okay, here it goes:

GOOD Journalist: The Mean Green defense failed once again to control an opponent's ground game, allowing more than 3572 yards to Middle Tennessee.

VITO: Predictably, the (Not So) Mean Green defense was pounded on the ground by an unspectacular opponent, giving up 3572 yards to the lowly MUTS.

Both of these give you the same information. One of them uses colorful (though not terribly clever) language to insert their own analysis. Vito does this often, except he's not an analyst. He's a beat reporter. If he were an analyst, as he attempts to be, then he really SHOULD have a football background. Or, if he just wants to spout opinions, then stop calling him a journalist unless you believe every freaking yahoo on this board deserves the title.

I'm pretty far down on the program, but that will never make me consider what Vito does good journalism. I can agree with someone and think they can't write and they make crappy arguments. I can also disagree with someone and believe that their conclusions are well thought-out and their writing is solid. I can't understand how people really think his writing is worth much, other than wishing some day he might be a poor man's Randy Galloway.

Green Dozer · March 10, 2009

Brett does a good job. Journalists aren't supposed to be cheerleaders. Besides, Dodge has no idea what it's like to be under real media scrutiny.
Ask guys like Houston Nutt (two losing seasons in 10 at Arkansas, final season: 8-5, Cotton Bowl), Paul Pasqualoni (one losing season in 14 at Syracuse, final season: 6-6 Champ Sports Bowl) or Tommy Tuberville (two losing seasons in 10 years, final season 5-7) who throw together decades of winning seasons and are forced out of their jobs.
Or, ask Gary Gibbs (no losing seasons in six years, bowl in final two years) or Frank Solich (no losing season is six at Nebraska, bowl every year), who won at Oklahoma and Nebraska, but were fired for not living up to the expectations there. Ask Mack Brown who gets critiqued for every small detail, in or out of his control, that surrounds UT. Ask Phillip Fulmer (two losing seasons in 17, final year 5-7) a former Tennessee player who led his alma mater to a national title, but was forced out after one down year.
The list of coaches fired after doing well is long, so the reality of it is this - Dodge is lucky that no one really pays attention to us. If more people paid attention, he'd have already been fired. Dodge has no expectations weighing on him the way the majority of college coaches do. He's lucky. And, if he can't handle one local beat writer reporting news instead of cheerleading, then he's not cut out to be a college football coach (as if the on the field product and off the field circus don't already offer proof enough of that).

You are partly right. However, this program has not given much reason for us to get attention for many years, not just the last 2. It was no different when your Uncle Darrel was coach here. He did not do much in the media relation department either. We have gotten more press from Dodge than any other coach since Fry, and most of it good. I do not recall a story in the New York Times about how the coaches here before Dodge handled certain problems, and it was a pretty positive article at that.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · March 10, 2009

You are partly right. However, this program has not given much reason for us to get attention for many years, not just the last 2. It was no different when your Uncle Darrel was coach here. He did not do much in the media relation department either. We have gotten more press from Dodge than any other coach since Fry, and most of it good. I do not recall a story in the New York Times about how the coaches here before Dodge handled certain problems, and it was a pretty positive article at that.

Right. None of which reflects on Vito, that's the point. The thrust of the thread began with bashing Vito. We all know full well that the program is largely ignored expect when there's bad news. We have a culture of ignore - the administrations ignore, the athletic directors, the coaches, the students, the fans.... It's like a perpetual cycle. That's why people who raise up and demand better stick out like a sore thumb.

Anyway, Brett does a good job covering UNT athletics and we are lucky. Many other area schools would love to have dedicated writers.

GrandGreen · March 10, 2009

NT should count their blessings. I question some of Vito's actions but not anymore than Dodge's in this foolish duel. Vito seems to work very hard at his job and it is appreciated by most of us. I can't believe anyone equate looks with competence or honestly believed you have to have played to report. NT is lucky to have some semblance of a local paper to report on athletes. Newspapers are dying fast.

eulessismore · March 10, 2009

NT should count their blessings. I question some of Vito's actions but not anymore than Dodge's in this foolish duel. Vito seems to work very hard at his job and it is appreciated by most of us. I can't believe anyone equate looks with competence or honestly believed you have to have played to report. NT is lucky to have some semblance of a local paper to report on athletes. Newspapers are dying fast.

Brother, you got that right! Maybe that could be our next gripe; no local newspaper!

TIgreen01 · March 10, 2009

Okay, here it goes:
GOOD Journalist: The Mean Green defense failed once again to control an opponent's ground game, allowing more than 3572 yards to Middle Tennessee.
VITO: Predictably, the (Not So) Mean Green defense was pounded on the ground by an unspectacular opponent, giving up 3572 yards to the lowly MUTS.
Both of these give you the same information. One of them uses colorful (though not terribly clever) language to insert their own analysis. Vito does this often, except he's not an analyst. He's a beat reporter. If he were an analyst, as he attempts to be, then he really SHOULD have a football background. Or, if he just wants to spout opinions, then stop calling him a journalist unless you believe every freaking yahoo on this board deserves the title.
I'm pretty far down on the program, but that will never make me consider what Vito does good journalism. I can agree with someone and think they can't write and they make crappy arguments. I can also disagree with someone and believe that their conclusions are well thought-out and their writing is solid. I can't understand how people really think his writing is worth much, other than wishing some day he might be a poor man's Randy Galloway.

This is the best post in this thread (by a mile!). I do think it's hard to differentiate between Brett Vito-the beat reporter and Brett Vito-the blogger, though.

aztecskin · March 10, 2009

Brett does a good job. Journalists aren't supposed to be cheerleaders. Besides, Dodge has no idea what it's like to be under real media scrutiny.
Ask guys like Houston Nutt (two losing seasons in 10 at Arkansas, final season: 8-5, Cotton Bowl), Paul Pasqualoni (one losing season in 14 at Syracuse, final season: 6-6 Champ Sports Bowl) or Tommy Tuberville (two losing seasons in 10 years, final season 5-7) who throw together decades of winning seasons and are forced out of their jobs.
Or, ask Gary Gibbs (no losing seasons in six years, bowl in final two years) or Frank Solich (no losing season is six at Nebraska, bowl every year), who won at Oklahoma and Nebraska, but were fired for not living up to the expectations there. Ask Mack Brown who gets critiqued for every small detail, in or out of his control, that surrounds UT. Ask Phillip Fulmer (two losing seasons in 17, final year 5-7) a former Tennessee player who led his alma mater to a national title, but was forced out after one down year.
The list of coaches fired after doing well is long, so the reality of it is this - Dodge is lucky that no one really pays attention to us. If more people paid attention, he'd have already been fired. Dodge has no expectations weighing on him the way the majority of college coaches do. He's lucky. And, if he can't handle one local beat writer reporting news instead of cheerleading, then he's not cut out to be a college football coach (as if the on the field product and off the field circus don't already offer proof enough of that).

Has PapaDodge done any complaining about the media coverage? If he has, then he needs to read the above post.

But I wouldn't worry about one guy at a small town newspaper ragging on the team. C'mon. How much influence does this guy really have?

KRAM1 · March 10, 2009

My guess is that Coach Dodge gives very little thought to what Brett Vito writes, and that posters on GMG.COM give WAY TOO MUCH thought to what he writes. He is a beat writer in a small town newspaper who, due to the paper's ownership, gets picked up in the DMN from time to time (OK, fairly often). The writing he does surely doesn't merit all the ink and comment given to it on this board. I personally think he does a decent job of covering the sports scene at UNT and am pretty happy that UNT at least HAS a beat writer. What do you think would happen if the Denton RC "closed shop"? You think the DMN and the FW Star wuld pay much attention to UNT? I seriously doubt it. So, if you go by the adage that all press is "good press" Vito does a big service to UNT by simply writing what he does. More should probably be done by the fans of UNT to see that the DRC keeps publishing. That's one reason I subscribe to the DRC's daily and weekend editions.

So, love the guy or not, I think it is very good that UNT has Brett Vito around and, all in all, he is pretty "fair" in his reporting....everyone can go "off the reservation" from time to time or get a bit of a "thing" on for one program or another. It happens...check out Dale Hansen and the Cowboys as an example.

Anyway, we here on GMG.Com probably pay way more attention to Brett's work that Coach Dodge or anyone associated with the program when it comes to what and how he writes his stories/reports. I agree that it is hard to see much difference between Brett the blogger and Brett the reporter.

GO MEAN GREEN! BUY SEASON TICKETS!!!! ATTEND THE GMG.COM BOWL on April 11th and have a great time and make a scholarship donation!!!!!

greenblooded43 · March 10, 2009

Has PapaDodge done any complaining about the media coverage? If he has, then he needs to read the above post.
But I wouldn't worry about one guy at a small town newspaper ragging on the team. C'mon. How much influence does this guy really have?

My final point to all this. People have commented that I have been unfair in remarks about Vito. Yet all I did is turn the tables on him. The people on this forum came to his defense. Thats because some of you feel strongly he is a good reporter. I'm just saying we should come to our teams defense the same way when there is negative out put as well. Vito needs to realize that just like he has been defended here on the forum, there are people out there who are going to defend UNT players and program as well. His opinion or perspective is not always in the best interest of the program and at a time like this we need to show our support. If Vito can't support the team he can at least report just the facts. These young men are away from home, trying to come together and do something good. Something their parents can be proud of! Does Vito realize that the players and recruits read what he writes as well? He is a link for them. He should consider it... By the way Home and Garden is not a good fit for Vito. UNT is, if he uses his god given ability.

Edited March 10, 2009 by greenblooded43

Green Dozer · March 10, 2009

My final point to all this. People have commented that I have been unfair in remarks about Vito. Yet all I did is turn the tables on him. The people on this forum came to his defense. Thats because some of you feel strongly he is a good reporter. I'm just saying we should come to our teams defense the same way when there is negative out put as well. Vito needs to realize that just like he has been defended here on the forum, there are people out there who are going to defend UNT players and program as well. His opinion or perspective is not always in the best interest of the program and at a time like this we need to show our support. If Vito can't support the team he can at least report just the facts. These young men are away from home, trying to come together and do something good. Something their parents can be proud of! Does Vito realize that the players and recruits read what he writes as well? He is a link for them. He should consider it... By the way Home and Garden is not a good fit for Vito. UNT is, if he uses his god given ability.

OK, but when a kid goes to a Div. 1 school, it is not high school anymore. And like it or not, college football is big time business which means everything good and bad is scrutinized. I am sure you understand that because of your experience. I also think these athletes should be mature enough that, like it or not, they are held to a higher standard than other students. If they maintain those standards, it should be reported. If they are stupid enough to lower them with stupid decisions,(drugs, theft, dui's, etc). then they must accept the consequences including their names in the paper. That is just the way it is. If we want his opinion or perspective to change, then it is up to Randy Cummins and Eric Cappers to put some warm fuzzy stuff out about some of the athletes. But to me, I just see a couple of guys sitting on their butts, making a good living, not making any noise for the program good or bad, and enjoying their free X shirts that none of us can get. They don't care! Casey Fitzgerald, a walk on burger flipper who earned a scholarship and became an All American is a prime example for a good feature story. Josh White is another example. And I am sure there are some softball players and golfers. Some athletes that are presented different things at bball games and football games I have never heard anything about. I have yet to see anything substantial in the Denton paper on Patrick Cobbs. You know, the media relations folks in the athletic department are not so busy that they can't have a lunch or beer with Vito and feed him some stuff, work as a team. But to put the jobs of others on Vito's shoulders is not right, and asking him to hide the negative is not right either. His check comes from Belo Corp., not UNT. He is a reporter, not a PR man for UNT. Kirk Bohls has been the Longhorn beat writer in Austin for many years, and I have read articles of him burning Brown, Davis, Barnes, and others at UT at the stake. Bill Little, the media man, writes all the warm and fuzzy stuff. Even the Oklahoma media roughed up Stoops after OU lost their latest big game. When people within the athletic department take it serious , then perhaps the media will.

Edited March 10, 2009 by Green Dozer

wardly · March 10, 2009

remember, you don't have to be dead to sell caskets.

calvin · March 11, 2009

Its one thing to state your opinion on the man's writing. But it is pretty classless to talk and make fun of how a guy looks and call him a clown.

eulessismore · March 11, 2009

Its one thing to state your opinion on the man's writing. But it is pretty classless to talk and make fun of how a guy looks and call him a clown.

Yeah, there aren't that many of us who can get by on our looks!

rcade · March 11, 2009

I'm just saying we should come to our teams defense the same way when there is negative out put as well. Vito needs to realize that just like he has been defended here on the forum, there are people out there who are going to defend UNT players and program as well.

On this we can agree.

I've been in Vito's position, covering a beat for a newspaper. It is not hard to sway a beat reporter simply by communicating with the reporter and editors. If even one-tenth of the people who read GMG made a practice of contacting the papers in response to UNT coverage, both positively and negatively, they'd get the message. Most people don't contact the paper. This is particularly true of people within a program. If UNT athletes, coaches and others involved don't like something Vito wrote, contact him.

(As I say this, it's been many months since I took my own advice.)