What Kind Of ? Do You Get Asked When Wearing Your Unt Gear?

MeanGreen61 · July 13, 2010

My wife is the manager of a new major hotel in Denton. The young man she hired to tend bar was not only a student but an officer in one of the larger fraternities on campus. He would brag to his customers that he would tail gate at the games but he was a UT fan. I have even heard him tell to a potential recruit who was in town for the kicking school that he shouldnt even waste his time considering UNT. Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer of that type student on campus anymore and clothing is gradually becoming easier to find.

For the good news, I was in Lids at Northeast Mall and found four UNT hats. I bought a new green one that has the eagle embroidered on the bill and back of the hat with block UNT on the front. After making the purchase the young man said,"thank you and GO MEAN GREEN!"

n

Was the recruit in the hotel bar ? :unsure:

Edited July 13, 2010 by MeanGreen61

VideoEagle · July 13, 2010

Was ther recruit in the hotel bar ?

I wondered about that too!

If he's a bartender, I just wouldn't tip him.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · July 13, 2010

Once I was wearing a North Texas Football shirt and a guy asked me why I was wearing it. I replied becuase that's where I went to school and I'm a fan. He then said, "are you like their only fan." sarcastically. He was a UNT student at the time also.

Did you punch him in the nuts?

I've got three North Texas t-shirts I rotate:

-One gray, North Texas UNT Alumni on the front

-One white, University of North Texas on the front

-One green one, Mean Green Football on the front

Oddly enough, I've never had a comment one way or the other about any of them.

I also have the strange experience of not knowing many people who support one school but went to another. My neighborhood block is a melting pot of alumni - Kansas, Missouri, Rice, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State - and each supports their alma mater.

The only thing I've experienced is people who have some sort of tie back to another school through family, or formerly living in another place, also being fans of a second school. I think that's probably much of what you see with local UT/OU fans. Lots of Arkansas and LSU in DFW as well. LSU and Florida even have alumni license plates in Texas!

DFW is an odd mix. You've got alumni and family from many different areas of the country. I don't have a problem with that. Any shortcoming in recognition of UNT is less a reflection of some random person's allegiance and more a manifestation of decades of poor marketing by our own athletic department and school.

Just seeing how Texas State is about to crack the Top 50 in licensing is enough to tell us that much. They've accomplished much less than we have on the field across the board, and yet they have found a way to successfully market their brand.

The bottom line is, no matter what the athletic department or school is doing now, we've got years of neglect to overcome. Although, I'm sure our 9-3 or 10-2 season in 2010 will turn enough heads to get us some more positive recognition.

Bank on it, ballslappers!

Edited July 13, 2010 by The Fake Lonnie Finch

greenjoe · July 13, 2010

I live in Denton and I'm seeing more and more North Texas stuff around town. Mostly college aged.

I wear my NT shirts a lot. I don't hear caps or hats. Sometimes I'm asked if I work at NT or if I'm a coach.

My favorite thing to do when I see someone with another college shirt on is to ask when they were at that college. Usually the response is just, "I just like (name of college)."

And what have you done to promote your University today ?

eulessismore · July 14, 2010

I wondered about that too!

If he's a bartender, I just wouldn't tip him.

That's what I was thinking to reply, before you did. It kinda reminds me of when I was at a barber shop in Bedford, where I lived at the time. Of course, American being the big employer in the area, even a threat of a strike against them by any of their unions is a big talking point, and the pilots were considering it then. The barber just launched into an anti pilots union speech that lasted throughout the haircut, with my responses being basically nonverbal and noncommittal. Not that I endorsed the Pilots, their union, or any proposed strike, but I didn't appreciate the barber's (apparent) assumption that I took his side on those issues, and did not tip him. Some occupations, (and, if they are done properly, they are professions), such as bartender, barber, etc., require conversational skills beyond delivering one sided debates on hot button issues. So, it's not a firable offense, but a supervisor who cared might give a "word to the wise".

MDH · July 14, 2010

Never got a comment of any sort...maybe I'll get some now that I live in Dallas.

My gf (Baylor alum) jokingly doesn't understand my love for UNT. But she's $35k in debt to Baylor. I always tell her at least I don't wear t-shirts of my creditors.

And for the record, we're both accountants, I have a job and she doesn't. Take that Baylor

Edited July 14, 2010 by mdh0192

ntexeagle · July 14, 2010

My wife is the manager of a new major hotel in Denton. The young man she hired to tend bar was not only a student but an officer in one of the larger fraternities on campus. He would brag to his customers that he would tail gate at the games but he was a UT fan. I have even heard him tell to a potential recruit who was in town for the kicking school that he shouldnt even waste his time considering UNT. Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer of that type student on campus anymore and clothing is gradually becoming easier to find.

For the good news, I was in Lids at Northeast Mall and found four UNT hats. I bought a new green one that has the eagle embroidered on the bill and back of the hat with block UNT on the front. After making the purchase the young man said,"thank you and GO MEAN GREEN!"

To clarify, the potential recruit and his mom were sitting in the restaurant and the FORMER barkeeper's job was to take their food to them.

n

ntexeagle · July 14, 2010

I wondered about that too!

If he's a bartender, I just wouldn't tip him.

The kid and his mom were seated in the restaurant area. The FORMER bartender was delivering their food and making small talk.

eulessismore · July 14, 2010

My wife is the manager of a new major hotel in Denton. The young man she hired to tend bar was not only a student but an officer in one of the larger fraternities on campus. He would brag to his customers that he would tail gate at the games but he was a UT fan. I have even heard him tell to a potential recruit who was in town for the kicking school that he shouldnt even waste his time considering UNT. Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer of that type student on campus anymore and clothing is gradually becoming easier to find.

For the good news, I was in Lids at Northeast Mall and found four UNT hats. I bought a new green one that has the eagle embroidered on the bill and back of the hat with block UNT on the front. After making the purchase the young man said,"thank you and GO MEAN GREEN!"

Please, lets not forget to comment on the "good news" part of this post, or better yet (yes I plan to visit Lids and see what I can find), patronize said business.

n

UNTFan23 · July 14, 2010

I question I sometimes get asked is "What exactly is a Mean Green?" I respond with the question "What exactly is a Crimson Tide?" I generally get " :blink: " look and no response. When I try to explain it them, they are surprised when I tell them the official mascot for Bama is actually an elephant and Crimson Tide is a moniker they use much like NT's mascot is an eagle and our moniker is Mean Green. It doesn't make the " :blink: " go away though. Oh well.

Mean Green 93-98 · July 14, 2010

I question I sometimes get asked is "What exactly is a Mean Green?" I respond with the question "What exactly is a Crimson Tide?" I generally get " " look and no response. When I try to explain it them, they are surprised when I tell them the official mascot for Bama is actually an elephant and Crimson Tide is a moniker they use much like NT's mascot is an eagle and our moniker is Mean Green. It doesn't make the " " go away though. Oh well.

That's not exactly parallel. We are also the Eagles, but I do not believe Bama has ever been known as "the Elephants."

UNTFan23 · July 14, 2010

That's not exactly parallel. We are also the Eagles, but I do not believe Bama has ever been known as "the Elephants."

The fact we insist on going by both only exacerbates the confusion. I feel we should either be the Mean Green or the Eagles, but not be both the Mean Green and the Eagles. Enough with the schizophrenia.

NT80 · July 14, 2010

That's not exactly parallel. We are also the Eagles, but I do not believe Bama has ever been known as "the Elephants."

Another example would be Nebraska. Cornhuskers is the mascot and Big Red is their nickname.

letsgiveacheer · July 14, 2010

The fact we insist on going by both only exacerbates the confusion. I feel we should either be the Mean Green or the Eagles, but not be both the Mean Green and the Eagles. Enough with the schizophrenia.

Do the women teams still use "Lady Eagles"? In this day and age, why do we continue adding "Lady" in front of women teams? Can they not be Mean Green as well?

For those who are asked the question, what is a "Mean Green", you can tell them we just come from a long and distinguished tradition of naming our athletic teams after the school color...starting with the Oxford Blues, Harvard Crimson, Cornell Big Red, and Stanford Cardinal. There are also the Cleveland Browns to consider.

So..we are Green and (sometimes) Mean!

SilverEagle · July 15, 2010

Do the women teams still use "Lady Eagles"? In this day and age, why do we continue adding "Lady" in front of women teams? Can they not be Mean Green as well?

For those who are asked the question, what is a "Mean Green", you can tell them we just come from a long and distinguished tradition of naming our athletic teams after the school color...starting with the Oxford Blues, Harvard Crimson, Cornell Big Red, and Stanford Cardinal. There are also the Cleveland Browns to consider.

So..we are Green and (sometimes) Mean!

Crimson Tide? What's that? Some really bad-ass algae?

AstroMike · July 15, 2010

This is a great topic and one I have recently discussed with my wife. I've been asked all of those questions.

I was recently at Taco Casa in Gainesville when a teenage guy working there came up and asked me if I worked for Valley View. It dawned on me that I was weaing my mesh coaching type cap that only has the Eagle on it and is green with a black bill. I told him know that it was a Mean Green cap. All of the coaching/working for UNT then started up. Living north of Denton I get alot of Valley View comments when wearing Mean Green apparel. Valley View is about 20 miles north of Denton, near Sanger, and they they are the Eagles and their primary color is Green. I have about 20 UNT shirts/jerseys and about 10 caps, so I regularly have something on. I have a dark green #81 jersey that I frequently wear. When T.O. played for Philly I used to always get, "Why are you wearing that? I thought you didn't like him and were a Cowboys fan."

I get the Aggie ring question as well. That one doesn't bug me as much, because my wife got here undergraduate degree there and I went to grad school and worked for them for two years. I usually just respond with "No, it's my North Texas ring, but I did go to grad school there." I understand the confusion with that one.

Having recently been traveling for work and vacation and wearing UNT gear I had three different people in three different locations come up and say something about UNT, Denton, or the Mean Green. All was positive. I have found that to be a common occurrence when traveling.

Hang in their guys. Keep wearing your UNT clothing, caps, rings, etc. UNT needs to push their way onto the scene, much like Texas Tech has the last decade. I remember when Tech pretty much stunk and UNT stuck it to them several times. The number of current UNT students and alum is tremendous, but people need to be more outspoken about their school. I'm pretty much sick of the "I went to UNT, but I'm really a __________ (insert team-usually Longhorns) fan."

One thing I have done every Super Bowl Sunday for the last ten years or so is that I have an annual family/friends football game. It took a little time time and money, but my team (which usually consists of about 7 or 8 guys) wears a Mean Green jersey. No other teams allowed for my side. It is nice to take the big photo at the end and have all the tech, horns, sooners, etc. fans standing there in Mean Green gear. Those pics are framed and set in my office at home and work each year. Go Mean Green!

Marty · July 15, 2010

Taco Casa in Gainesville is greatness!!

gangrene · July 15, 2010

The number of current UNT students and alum is tremendous, but people need to be more outspoken about their school.

Based on my own experiences and those that I've read here, I really think the above statement is the key point. I believe the UNT alumni/fanbase truly is a sleeping giant. So many of those associated with UNT are just searching for reasons to shout out their allegiance, but are afraid or embarrassed to do so. Many of us will say it's foolish to be afraid or embarrassed to show a public display of affection for UNT, but it's the cold, hard fact of the matter. Unless you're truly associated with another identity (Duke - basketball, Harvard - education, etc), if you're wearing university attire that is not sport-specific, the majority of people are going to think of the football team first and foremost - that's especially true in Texas. And, for most people, losing is embarrassing. If we could trade records with Texas Tech, for example (both W-L and quality of victories), over the last 3-4 years, I think you'd see a lot more people going green. After all, you do play to win the game.

For now, we'll have to be satisfied with Skulls-like, head-nodding acknowledgments, quiet words of encouragement and secret handshakes as endorsements when we wear our Mean Green gear outside the safety of our own homes.