Two Longhorns

[EagleD]

No word on where.

[emmitt01]

We don't need quitters.

[island eagle]

  On 4/21/2010 at 11:50 AM, emmitt01 said:

We don't need quitters.

Troy has done quite well with them.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

I'd welcome them both.

Also, the "quitters" thing needs to die. These guys don't get "four year rides" like most casual fans believe. Their scholarships are either renewed each year or not.

Coaches go into these kids' homes and do their sell job on them. If the thing isn't working out and a kid is sitting on the bench, he's just as much in his right to move on as the athletic department is to not renew his scholarship.

And, don't kid yourself, sometimes a coach will keep guys sidelined hoping they will leave, for whatver reason. Ask former players and their parents. It's a business in the 21st century and a kid's only got five years. If whatever the coach sold him isn't what is happening in reality, or the kid just isn't living up to the hype, it's fine for him to leave - it's a two-way street.

[KRAM1]

  On 4/21/2010 at 3:41 PM, The Fake Lonnie Finch said:

I'd welcome them both.

Also, the "quitters" thing needs to die. These guys don't get "four year rides" like most casual fans believe. Their scholarships are either renewed each year or not.

Coaches go into these kids' homes and do their sell job on them. If the thing isn't working out and a kid is sitting on the bench, he's just as much in his right to move on as the athletic department is to not renew his scholarship.

And, don't kid yourself, sometimes a coach will keep guys sidelined hoping they will leave, for whatver reason. Ask former players and their parents. It's a business in the 21st century and a kid's only got five years. If whatever the coach sold him isn't what is happening in reality, or the kid just isn't living up to the hype, it's fine for him to leave - it's a two-way street.

Excellent...you get a +1 from me. Well said.

[UNT Mean Green]

I'd take them both in a New York minute if they're motivated to work enough to get on the field somehwere else and not just use a scholarship to get a free ride. "Quitters" is a term way overused by the majority of the Mean Green fanbase and needs to go by the way-side.

Why did they choose not to return to Texas? The article states playing time, but the reasons could go a lot deeper than that. Texas is one of about 5 or 6 schools in the country (Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State) where the depth and recruiting is so far above other programs, and good "3 star/4 star" high school athletes could never get a chance for a number of reasons.

Programs like North Texas can benefit tremendously from athletes like these two in particular. These "bounce back" players tend to bode well for almost every other program in the country, including some of the big programs I listed above (see Colin Peek the TE from Alabama this past year, was a 'bounce back' from Georgia Tech) and these players are everywhere. We certainly have welcomed Tyler Stradford and William Cole with open arms (though Cole was on his last rope academically) and why not welcome as many as possible? Unless there's unspoken off the field baggage that the AD would find out ahead of time, take a chance. What do you have to lose? These guys are probably bigger, faster, and stronger than anyone on the North Texas team at their respective positions. As someone mentioned, Troy does quite well with them, and why can't we?

[greenjoe]

By defination, a quitter is a player that leaves our program. A good player looking for more playing time by coming to North Texas after playing somewhere else is a transfer.

[LongJim]

  On 4/21/2010 at 3:55 PM, UNT Mean Green said:

I'd take them both in a New York minute if they're motivated to work enough to get on the field somehwere else and not just use a scholarship to get a free ride.

Why did they choose not to return to Texas? The article states playing time, but the reasons could go a lot deeper than that.

Wells (really both kids) would be great pickups for whoever landed them. Wells would have been coming off the bench this year, and so would Carter.

Having said that, apparently this has been in the works for a while. Good luck to them wherever they go.

[KRAM1]

I think UNT is beginning to position itself as the program of choice for these type of players who realize that the chances of seeing significant playing time is much greater at UNT than at Texas, Oklahoma, USC, etc., etc. Tough to "beat" the bright lights and big names of certain schools in the recruiting process, but it does seem some kids are beginning to figure it out. Too bad more don't figure it our BEFORE that opt for the big time program and a nice spot on the bench.

The things UNT is doing to upgrade its facilities and programs will certainly give more players a reason to make UNT their "first" choice.

Good things are happening at UNT. GO MERAN GREEN!

[SilverEagle]

I too find the term "quitter" very overused....and mostly inaccurate. I've often wondered what the difference is in a player that someone says has "quit" another team, and a player that "transfers".

My favorite QB of all time, Jordan Case, started off playing at Sul Ross State, and was freshman of the year in their league. He decided to come to North Texas and wrote Hayden Fry a letter asking for a try out....which (thank goodness) Fry agreed to.

Now, did that make Jordan Case a "quitter"?

Edited April 21, 2010 by SilverEagle

[KRAM1]

  On 4/21/2010 at 4:42 PM, SilverEagle said:

I too find the term "quitter" very overused....and mostly inaccurate. I've often wondered what the difference is in a player that someone says has "quit" another team, and a player that "transfers".

My favorite QB of all time, Jordan Case, started off playing at Sul Ross State, and was freshman of the year in their league. He decided to come to North Texas and wrote Hayden Fry a letter asking for a try out....which (thank goodness) Fry agreed to.

Now, did that make Jordan Case a "quitter"?

Well said. +1 to you, Sir!

[Quoner]

Emmitt's sarcasm was so nuanced that it is easy to see how this thread worked out the way it did.

[MeanGreenTexan]

So when these two decide not to join the Mean Green, can we start referring to them as "quitters" again?

If they join us... WELCOME TRANSFERS!!

[gangrene]

Well, we have plenty of PT to offer. However, I won't be holding my breath that either one finds his way to UNT.

I think we need to start collecting these stories and make them must-read articles for UNT prospects who are also considering Texas, OU, Tech, A&M, etc. Sometimes, the act of actually contributing to the team on the field outweighs the benefits of riding the pine in a national championship game. Some may call them quitters, but I'll take the guy that chooses playing over the one that likes standing on the sidelines every time.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

To me, a quitter is someone who bolts in midseason for no reason. Prime example - 1983, Marcus Dupree leaves Oklahoma when his sophomore season wasn't going as swimmingly as his freshman season. There, a guy walked out on a team in mid-season when a whole offense had been built around him. That's a quitter.

A kid not getting playing time, riding the pine at a big university, with almost no hope of cracking the two-deep = not a quitter. Rather, he's just being realistic about how much eligibility he has left and how he wants to use it.

Those we don't talk about: the kids who don't start or play very much, but nonetheless stick to it. Those guys are the backbone of the squad. You need them for practice and locker room "glue." These guys play their parts, take their degrees, and move on.

I've got no problem with anyone unless they are rule breakers or quit in midseason. But, if a kid really wants to play, I don't see the harm in him leaving a program.

[KRAM1]

  On 4/21/2010 at 6:05 PM, Quoner said:

Emmitt's sarcasm was so nuanced that it is easy to see how this thread worked out the way it did.

But, that's why we have you...to always let everyone else know that there are only a very select few "cool kids" who can figure out what other people are really saying. You know, how the "cool kids" snicker and assume they are they only ones who can really play the game. Appreciate the help. Maybe some folks actually did "get it", but are just stating their own opinions and comments. Hard to imagine,but it could be true.

BTW...I think the sarcasm in the above is easy enough for even us "non-cool kids" to figure out. Fire away! But, do it nicely.

[Quoner]

  On 4/21/2010 at 7:11 PM, KRAM1 said:

But, that's why we have you...to always let everyone else know that there are only a very select few "cool kids" who can figure out what other people are really saying. You know, how the "cool kids" snicker and assume they are they only ones who can really play the game. Appreciate the help. Maybe some folks actually did "get it", but are just stating their own opinions and comments. Hard to imagine,but it could be true.

BTW...I think the sarcasm in the above is easy enough for even us "non-cool kids" to figure out. Fire away! But, do it nicely.

YAWN -- thread to thread, begging for someone to finally notice you. If it helps, I gave you a +1. Now, let's not clutter the board with interpersonal bullshit, okay?

[KRAM1]

  On 4/21/2010 at 7:14 PM, Quoner said:

YAWN -- thread to thread, begging for someone to finally notice you. If it helps, I gave you a +1. Now, let's not clutter the board with interpersonal bullshit, okay?

Potty mouth! -1 for you, Sir, children are reading!

Edited April 21, 2010 by KRAM1

[Quoner]

  On 4/21/2010 at 7:17 PM, KRAM1 said:

Potty mouth! -1 for you, Sir, children are reading!

I see your -1 and raise you a +1 AND a rusty trombone.

[EagleD]

  On 4/21/2010 at 7:14 PM, Quoner said:

YAWN -- thread to thread, begging for someone to finally notice you. If it helps, I gave you a +1. Now, let's not clutter the board with interpersonal bullshit, okay?

If Emmitt stops calling people quitters, you know what he is? That's right, a QUITTER!!!!!! Quite frankly we don't need that kind of attitude here.

[TheTastyGreek]

  On 4/21/2010 at 8:08 PM, EagleD said:

If Emmitt stops calling people quitters, you know what he is? That's right, a QUITTER!!!!!! Quite frankly we don't need that kind of attitude here.

The only thing worse than a quitter?

Someone who quits at quitting.

[Censored by Laurie]

  On 4/21/2010 at 8:18 PM, TheTastyGreek said:

The only thing worse than a quitter?

Someone who quits at quitting.

Right. Just because the rope wasn't strong enough, the gun jammed or the garage wasn't as air-tight as you thought when you started idling doesn't mean its some sign from God.

Keep at it.

[Keith7]

They are quitters in my book and nobody is going to convince me otherwise

[eulessismore]

I believe that most people join sports teams, among other reasons, to play the game. In that scenario, to remain on a team with no real chance of playing would mean you had quit on yourself. And honestly, if players can step down to Division II teams, like Abilene Christian (my understanding is that does not require sitting a year), and play, they almost certainly have a better chance (small though it may be) at playing in the NFL than if they stayed with a team like Texas and got little to no playing time.

[eulessismore]

Oh, here's a story of a quitter who finally got it right, on his fourth try, at a place now called UNT.

Don January story in DRC

By the way, I thought from watching the spring game that his grandson, Sean, looked like a good pickup at linebacker; I bet Don had a little to do with that decision.