Neinas, Rawlings Article

[Harry]

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/archives/2010/07/catching-up-with-lane-rawlins.html

[UNTLifer]

Love the fact that Rawlins and Neinas has a positive history which would/could lead to a good working relationship for our future.

[MeanGreen61]

Love the fact that Rawlins and Neinas has a positive history which would/could lead to a good working relationship for our future.

"That could lead to a new conference, but that is not the reason we hired Chuck."

[Side Show Joe]

A new conference needs to be the reason he hired Chuck. For the last ten years we've had a hard time developing a fan base and marketing this program in the Sun Belt. I don't see a plan where Neinas can change that. North Texas is always described as a school with great potential. As long as we stay in the Belt we will keep that dubious title.

This needs to end with North Texas moving to a better conference. Anything less, I see as failure.

[ColoradoEagle]

This needs to end with North Texas moving to a better conference. Anything less, I see as failure.

So North Texas rising to the level of Boise State in football and/or Gonzaga in basketball would be a failure if we're still in the Sun Belt?

[Side Show Joe]

Bosie got in to the MWC. That is a success. Gonzaga is an entirely different type pf school. Do they even play football?

If we didn't play football and our whole focus was basketball, we never would have needed to leave the Missouri Valley Conference. I need a better example.

My point is we only draw 18,500 a game because we haven't been good, and we play in the Sun Belt. Even if we play well and win, playing in the Sun Belt will always hold back our ability to develop our fan base. I believe the long term success of North Texas athletics depends on our moving to a better conference. If we can't get in a better conference, it won't matter how many new athletic facilities we build. The better recruits will still go to the better conferences, our fans will still not show up in the numbers they should, and we will continue to envy the funding of other athletic programs, while trying to do more with less.

If we are still in the Sun Belt in 20 years, they will still be calling us that school with lots of potential. I don't want that.