Saturday In Austin

UNT90 · October 12, 2009

I was invited to a tailgate by a good friend who is a Longhorn Fan. I usually make one of his every year. Of course, I wear my North Texas shirt, which seemed to cause less perplexity this year than last. While tailgating, I suddenly hear several people doing the "Caw, Caw" thing and look over to see them throwing up the talons. I walk over and discover that they are 5 UNT grads down tailgating in Austin. Yes, they were wearing UT crap, which I lovingly chided them for doing, and had graduated from 2000 to 2003. One couple lived 5 miles from Fouts, and all were in the DFW metro area.

All of them talked of how they had watched the first game and had much hope for the season. All said they had planned on attending the 2nd game before the monsoon changed their minds. None knew of any tailgating that occurred at UNT and seemed surprised when I described the scene to them. All said they had already planned on attending the homecoming game against FAU (and they did know FAU was the opponent). I encouraged them to come by my tailgate and told them of the free beer and wings offerred by the Bud Light guys.

The 3 guys were faily familiar with the team and had been keeping an eye on them through the season, they just need a reason to come to games (much like myself 4 years ago)!! Please, just a decent team with a little promotion and I promise you we will average 24K a game.

They are out there. Win, promote, and they will come.

Green P1 · October 13, 2009

It makes me so sad that the vast majority of UNT students/graduates are just like the 5 you described.

UNTLifer · October 13, 2009

It makes me so sad that the vast majority of UNT students/graduates are just like the 5 you described.

Yep, pretty sad they would drive to Austin, donn Douche Apparal and are familiar with the tailgate scene down there, but have no knowledge of what is going on at their own university. BTW, I've rarely heard of tailgating in Austin.

untjim1995 · October 13, 2009

Yep, pretty sad they would drive to Austin, donn Douche Apparal and are familiar with the tailgate scene down there, but have no knowledge of what is going on at their own university. BTW, I've rarely heard of tailgating in Austin.

You know, it doesn't bother me too much. I mean these are two different levels of competition that we are talking about. The NCAA may classify us as both FBS, but the Grand Canyon-esque divide between UNT and UT is just so enormous. To me, a college football fan should love and support their school first--I agree that a real douche chooses to root for UT, OU, Tech, etc. over UNT when his degree says North Texas on it. But, if you like another school, too, I don't see any problem with sporting their apparel at their games like was being told here. At UNT, we would love it if someone who went to A&M wore a Mean Green shirt to a game just to fit in at Fouts. He would not be a douche, either.

perryfrog · October 13, 2009

I have came to Denton (Fouts) and worn Mean Green gear several times. My

number one school is TCU. My number two school is UNT. I hope no one thinks

of me as a douche.

GO FROGS!!!!

GO MEAN GREEN!!!!

Stan R · October 13, 2009

I have came to Denton (Fouts) and worn Mean Green gear several times. My
number one school is TCU. My number two school is UNT. I hope no one thinks
of me as a douche.
GO FROGS!!!!
GO MEAN GREEN!!!!

Nope. We don't think you are a douche.

TheTastyGreek · October 13, 2009

Showing up at a game wearing apparel for one of the two teams involved in that game is not douchery.

Quoner · October 13, 2009

You know, it doesn't bother me too much. I mean these are two different levels of competition that we are talking about. The NCAA may classify us as both FBS, but the Grand Canyon-esque divide between UNT and UT is just so enormous. To me, a college football fan should love and support their school first--I agree that a real douche chooses to root for UT, OU, Tech, etc. over UNT when his degree says North Texas on it. But, if you like another school, too, I don't see any problem with sporting their apparel at their games like was being told here. At UNT, we would love it if someone who went to A&M wore a Mean Green shirt to a game just to fit in at Fouts. He would not be a douche, either.

The whole point of the much abused and twisted douche term is to reflect upon a person who decides to attend a North Texas game while wearing for Texas, A&M, OU or any other large program. He has no affiliations to that program other than the fact that he thinks theyare really good, but will often create a loosely affiliated back story for cover.

untjim1995 · October 14, 2009

The whole point of the much abused and twisted douche term is to reflect upon a person who decides to attend a North Texas game while wearing for Texas, A&M, OU or any other large program. He has no affiliations to that program other than the fact that he thinks theyare really good, but will often create a loosely affiliated back story for cover.

I agree completely with you and it is annoying to see so many people with degrees fom UNT that will root for some other school and in mnay cases support it financially because they are good and big and well-known and our piss-ant school isn't. That said, with the superior product that UNT has chosen to roll out there for so many decades, it isn't much of a surprise that the student body here never really supported their own. Heck, if the administration and alumni didn't care much at athletics, why should the students? I am glad it is changing now, though.

KingDL1 · October 14, 2009

I have several UT Alumni in and around my office, one thing they all say is they don't like the Tailgating in Austin much because is very spread out. They all pretty much talk about how they would like to see it more centralized. I can't compare I have never been to a UT Tailgate.

Green Dozer · October 14, 2009

When it gets down to it, the big boys like Texas, OU, USC are just the farm system for the NFL. So are you really rooting for the "school"? I mean you don't here to many Aggie football players calling for the bonfire to start back up because it motivates them to beat Texas. No, it is a place for them to major in football so they can get at a shot at the pros. To me, the big programs are big business and rooting for them is no different than picking your favorite NFL team. Yes, every few years, a Boise, Fresno, or Cincy shakes its rattle, but the 'farm system" is still it.

AJR2010OX · October 14, 2009

As stated in previous posts, its simple. Win, and they will come. I've heard from many on this board that we could potentially be a sleeping giant... and we can. If you think about it, more and more people are posting on this site (we have over 3000 members), and more and more people are wearing green on this campus. Metroplex sports fans are never ones to support losing teams (unless of course its the Cowboys) and are huge bandwagon fans. The main reason I'm a longhorn fan is most of my family went there, and I was introduced to TX/OU when I was one. Do you think people would be as passionate about UT (whether they went there or not) if the team went 3-9, 2-10, 1-11 the past three years? Maybe, because of past traditions, but winning in Dallas is the biggest factor.

On another note, the reason tailgating is spread out is there are so many groups with houses and other mechanisms. When my father was in a fraternity down there, he tailgated at his fraternity house. Same with my brother now. My mother said even the yearbook group had a place on campus. With UNT, its small enough to where everyone can fit in the parking lot. But once again, build a tradition of winning (10 years of winning seasons or so) and you could have full tailgating in the parking lot, clark park, etc.

UNT90 · October 14, 2009

I have several UT Alumni in and around my office, one thing they all say is they don't like the Tailgating in Austin much because is very spread out. They all pretty much talk about how they would like to see it more centralized. I can't compare I have never been to a UT Tailgate.

Yes, tailgaating is much more spread out, and you have to pay for your spot in the grass. There is no parkinglot tailgating that I saw. We were in Waterloo park (Trinity and 15th) next to about 10 other pretty major tailgates. Very different from Denton, and not in a good way.

And to address Lifer, they did know what was going on with the program. They had watched the 1st game on TV, were planning on attending the Ohio game until the monsoon, and are coming to the homecoming game this weekend. The fact that they were wearing UT stuff didin't bother me, after all it was a UT game. I always bring extra UNT shirts for my tailgating invitees to wear to the game, so I dont really see an issue with this.

Now, the UNT grad wearing OU stuff outside the stadium in Norman before the 2003 game? That was a different story!!

Edited October 14, 2009 by UNT90

Green P1 · October 14, 2009

Yes, tailgaating is much more spread out, and you have to pay for your spot in the grass. There is no parkinglot tailgating that I saw. We were in Waterloo park (Trinity and 15th) next to about 10 other pretty major tailgates. Very different from Denton, and not in a good way.
And to address Lifer, they did know what was going on with the program. They had watched the 1st game on TV, were planning on attending the Ohio game until the monsoon, and are coming to the homecoming game this weekend. The fact that they were wearing UT stuff didin't bother me, after all it was a UT game. I always bring extra UNT shirts for my tailgating invitees to wear to the game, so I dont really see an issue with this.
Now, the UNT grad wearing OU stuff outside the stadium in Norman before the 2003 game? That was a different story!!

It might just be me, but I would not be caught dead wearing another schools swag. Every time I run into a UNT grad/student in an Insert Popular School Here t-shirt I wanna throw up on it. I've attended plenty of Oklahoma State or aTm games and the best I can do is a neutral t-shirt. My definition of "douche" must be overly strict.

Edited October 14, 2009 by Green P1

untjim1995 · October 14, 2009

It might just be me, but I would not be caught dead wearing another schools swag. Every time I run into a UNT grad/student in an Insert Popular School Here t-shirt I wanna throw up on it. I've attended plenty of Oklahoma State or aTm games and the best I can do is a neutral t-shirt. My definition of "douche" must be overly strict.

Yes--you are correct--it is.