Just when it was starting to get interesting

[SilverEagle]

I just wanted to add my 2cents about the Denton community discussion.

I don't know what sort of progressive or non-progressive decisions the Denton city fathers/mothers regularly make. I just know that if it weren't for UNT sitting right there on 35 (E&W) you probably wouldn't know that it was there. The businesses in Denton do not "wave the flag" so to speak for one of the biggest source of customers that they have. I find that rather absurd.

Now, I have seen those "light pole banners" go up on University and Carroll street, but BIG DEAL, even the tiny community of Haslett puts "light pole banners" up.

[meanrob]

Business sponsors

Platnum Level

Ben E. Keith / Budweiser

Coca-Cola

Wells Fargo

Gold Level

Denton Community Hospital

Denton Record-Chronicle

Denton Regional Hospital

The Outback Steakhouse

University Courtyard Apartments

Silver Level

Bill Utter Ford

Line-X of North Texas

Little Guy Movers

Martin Eagle Oil Company / Diamond Shamrock Gasoline

Point Bank

Texas Bank

Verizon

Whataburger

Wendy's

Bronze Level

Clinesmith & Lynch

Denton Area Teacher's Credit Union

Jason's Deli

MARPAC

Ramey and King Insurance

Technifax Office Solutions

Voertman's Bookstore

Mean Green Level

Chick Fil A

Host Communications

Total Eye Care / Eye Wear

Southwest Housing Management

UNT Bookstore

Wingstop

C&K Mudbug Boil

C Bar T Properties

Eagle Home Inspectors

See any company from Lewisville on there?

Should the list be longer? Sure, but whose responsibility is that?

[DeepGreen]

C&K Mudbug Boil

Aeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii ! Sha, you telling me dat Denton done got one of dem "mudbug" restaurants, hah?

[SilverEagle]

Rob,

Do any of those businesses that you listed have a banner (ideally in Green and white) outside of their business saying (essentially) "proud sponsor of Mean Green Athletics, or (insert company name here) says "Go Mean Green" etc.......You know, an OUTWARD manifestation of their support of North Texas.

THAT was my point.

[meanrob]

Most if not all don't.

However, since they all give money to the athletic department, I personally am not inclined to criticize them.

Years back the athletic department had a campaign to sell flags to businesses and have them display them. It was fairly successful and flags were seen around Denton. That promotion lasted one year. Why only one year I'll never know.

When prompted, for the most part the businesses will get on board. If I remember right when Emmitt went around distributing posters, an overwhelming amount displayed them. You can argue that they shouldn't have to be prompted and I would say up until when Dr Pohl came on board the university didn't even promote athletics. Why should it be the job of local businesses to do it? Those relationships haven't exactly been fostered over the years.

Is it an ideal situation? No. But people are paid to improve the situation and if doesn't improve I hold them responsible. It's not the local businesses responsibilty to promote UNT athletics, it's up to UNT athletics to get the businesses involved.

[SilverEagle]

I wonder how many businesses in Austin, College Station, or the Forest Park area of Fort Worth for that matter, have to be "prompted".

My wife and I attended an event in the panhandle last summer, and on the way back, we went to a museum on the West Texas A&M campus. Now, Canyon is not a very big town, but it seemed that everywhere I turned, the word "Buffalo" was on some business there in the town. I wonder if they had to be "prompted" to do that?

[meanrob]

You can put it on the business community that's your opinion.

But you're giving a free pass to the athletic department and that free pass is why you're waiting almost two months for a DVD that you paid for that won't even contain the content you were promised.

That comment probably got this thread locked too.

[SilverEagle]

Believe me, I wouldn't have ordered the DVD from them if I had any other choice. I certainly don't absolve the staff (or management) at the athletic department in this issue......it's just gotten too easy to take shots at them. I just thought that I would take shots (today anyway) at a little more challenging target.

[meanrob]

I don't think the community gets a free pass but neither do the alums or university or certainly not the athletic department.

At the end of the day only a few people get paid to get the word out about UNT. It's not you and not I and not business owners. Coming off a successful season I expect more from those who do get paid and I hope you do too.

[FirefightnRick]

Years back the athletic department had a campaign to sell flags to businesses and have them display them. It was fairly successful and flags were seen around Denton. That promotion lasted one year. Why only one year I'll never know.

I'm guessing the money that went for some of that was blown on the Baylor game with the rest of the marketing budget.

I'm starting to lean with Rob on this. Case in point, the football team and their coaches found out that they were invited to eat with us saturday about 24 hours before however the event was planned 6 weeks in advance. The communication has gotten much better, but it's still got a long way's to go.

Emmitt, Mark and I walked around the Denton square last year and it didn't take much proding to get those posters up. There are a lot of us who would be happy to do something like that every weekend or whenever a chance comes up if only asked to do it by the right folks. The Talons are a source that needs to be asked to do more stuff like that too. I don't see them being utilized near enough. Of course, they should be asking to do it as my group did when I went to school and Emmitt did too.

Communication and resourcing could improve a lot. I think a mandatory daily meeting with everyone on the payroll could help them a lot so that the right hand knows what the left is doing at all times. It's a common business practice.

Rick

[meanrob]

I get a little heated, sometimes too heated, when I hear people pointing the finger for some of the woes of NT Athletics. Whether it be the music department, liberals, city of Denton, mayor, and whoever you want to throw under the bus there comes a time when NT Athletics is gonna have to pick itself up and get it done.

We have a conference champion who won their bowl on national TV and almost the whole team returning. An opening home game against Baylor with a very favorable schedule.

Interest and enthusiasm have to be at an all-time high.

I don't want excuses and I don't want finger pointing from the fans. Certainly not finger pointing at the outside variables listed above. Not when I don't believe we are getting maximum effort from the main variable.

The Greenbackers get it done. GomeanGreen.com gets it done. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but sooner or later the buck stops with the athletic department. I don't want plans or speeches, have had enough of those. DD and his coaches have gotten it done under tough circumstances and certainly not with the support given RV.

Time for the athletic department to step up and the fans to quit blaming others for our troubles. Or the troubles will continue.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Business sponsors

Platnum Level

Ben E. Keith / Budweiser

Coca-Cola

Wells Fargo

Gold Level

Denton Community Hospital

Denton Record-Chronicle

Denton Regional Hospital

The Outback Steakhouse

University Courtyard Apartments

Silver Level

Bill Utter Ford

Line-X of North Texas

Little Guy Movers

Martin Eagle Oil Company / Diamond Shamrock Gasoline

Point Bank

Texas Bank

Verizon

Whataburger

Wendy's

Bronze Level

Clinesmith & Lynch

Denton Area Teacher's Credit Union

Jason's Deli

MARPAC

Ramey and King Insurance

Technifax Office Solutions

Voertman's Bookstore

Mean Green Level

Chick Fil A

Host Communications

Total Eye Care / Eye Wear

Southwest Housing Management

UNT Bookstore

Wingstop

C&K Mudbug Boil

C Bar T Properties

Eagle Home Inspectors

See any company from Lewisville on there?

Should the list be longer? Sure, but whose responsibility is that?

To Whom It May Concern:

For a university that has inhabited a city for 113 years and been its largest employer (and a top revenue producer for that city's businesses) for most of those 113 years, I am sorry, but that list seems to be almost too small to even print; except it does give many of us "former" Dentonites an idea of who to do business with when we make our trips into town.

Still even stranger is that I've been asking for 2 years on this board what hotel/motel in Denton supports UNT so I could do business with that Denton hotel/motel and I don't even see a Super8 Motel listed on the above list.

The Radisson? Why not the, uh, Radisson for heaven's sake? Don't they mostly survive because of UNT conferences, sporting events, musical events, ect, ect, ect? Why is the Radisson not on that Mean Green Business Directory list. It just defies all logic why the are not on that list.

And no, meanrob, I didn't see any businesses from Lewisville but why should we? UNT/Denton has avoided this very progressive city like it had the bubonic plague or something. Surely (and hopefully) not jealousy working here? God, I hope we're not down to that level among grown responsible citizens and civic leaders. UNT is located in Denton so UNT & Denton officials should be initiating the invites for its lakeside neighbors to come visit its northern neighbor.

????? I just wonder what kind of promotion, though, UNT could initiate (113 years later) with the Greater Lewisville folks specifically in mind, a complete focus on the lake city folks (not just its NT Exes either) to first of all make them feel welcome, and then make them feel as if they were an important cog in the wheel of Denton County's largest university and even its athletic program?

Hmmm? Wonder if someone could come up with a viable idea that would finally make Denton's neighbor to the south feel as if they were a vital part of Mean Green Country? Seems it would make $ense for UNT and Denton to lead the way in such an endeavor. Seems UNT and Denton could even make a profit from such a new relationship with the lakeside city with almost equal population and just 18 minutes from the Denton city limits.

On another matter on the other thread that apparently had some kind of technical difficulties today:>), well, uh, a city has to have what many call a good business climate for a prospective business to even make a simple inquiry about a city for its business to even consider . My source who is a broker who lives between Krum and Sanger and one who had some influence on this WalMart Dist. Center location said the WalMart folks would not even talk to Denton because of its well known anti-business climate. My friend (the broker), anyway, his father used to be CEO/President/majority stock holder of Central Freight Lines and he and I used to go to Cowboy games years ago, park his Cadillac inside the Central Freight Lines fenced in parking lot (then lock the gate) and walk over to Texas Stadium for the game. Unfortunately, he and his family are all Baylor grads and contributors.

So much for all this, though, but my take on this forever has been what is good for UNT is good for Denton; what is good for Denton is good for UNT, and thats just about the way it is, IMHO, of course.

[UNTLifer]

UNT and Denton can point fingers at each other all day long, and it is not going to get us anywhere. Oh, and before you spout off about people living outside of Denton making comments, I lived in Denton for 27 years, the son of a UNT professor, Chairman of a Department, and Dean, so I have the historical knowledge to backup my views.

The climate that currently exists was created over many years of neither institution supporting the other. The main culprit in all of this was Denton, so the hard feelings that UNT has are well earned. Show me one example of how Denton has supported any of its educational institution's athletic teams through facility upgrades/enhancements! Denton is just now getting around to building a suitable football facility for its public schools, only after every community surrounding it has done so. I played baseball at Denton High, and our field was easily the worst I played on. Did DISD ever do anything to improve it? No, not until the last few years when they realized what a disadvantage their students had against other community's students.

Sure, UNT's athletic department should solicit more involvement from the community's citizens and businesses, but after 113 years of futile results, don't you think UNT wonders why they put forth the effort? Shouldn't the long term businesses be able to figure out who to contact if they want to support UNT? True, we have to keep trying, but like someone said earlier, "If the girl keeps saying no, go looking for another." I think PMG's idea to sell UNT to the Lewisville community is great. Maybe then Denton would again realize it has fallen behind the times, and jump on the bandwagon at the last minute!

I'll step down now

[UNTLifer]

BTW, I'm still trying to figure out why the other thread was closed?

[Keith Fever]

Please tell me how Lewisville is more progressive than Denton.

The City and UNT partner on so many different levels. Internships, classes, environmental research, transportation, advertising. The Mayor and her husband are big time donors to the school and Athletics, the City Manager has a ticket package and goes to every game he can, which is a lot. Until 2 years ago he had no tie to UNT and now he goes to more athletic events than 99% of our alumni. One Council member is a UNT professor.

Cities cannot build facilities for a university. Even if they could, UNT has a lot more money than the city does. What has UNT built for the City off campus?

There is a reason that DISD does not have a lot of money. Denton is very unique in that UNT, TWU, DISD, FEMA, Denton County, and City of Denton do not pay school tax on their land, which is a lot obviously. DISD is compensated somewhat by the state but not enough.

Until Dr Pohl, UNT admittedly did not support its' athletic department, yet the city and its residents get blamed for an apathetic attitude toward it. Gee, where did the apathy originate?

I think before the city or Denton residents are blamed, we should look at the UNT Admin in the past, the Alumni, and the current students. It is getting better and hopefully it will continue to do so.

[UNTLifer]

My point is that Denton, the businesses and citizens, have not supported UNT throughout the years. My family came to Denton and UNT (then NTSU) in 1965. My mom tells the story of them getting being excited about their first football game at NTSU and arriving 2 hours early to guarantee a seat. Well, lo and behold, when they arrived not one other person was in the stands! It has been that way for years.

With almost 100,000 citizens, 30,000 students and over 100,000 alumni, filling Fouts should be easy.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Please tell me how Lewisville is more progressive than Denton.  

Dallas Green (who I believe has lived in both Denton & Lewisville) may be better qualified to answer that question than anyone.

But lets not forget thru all this, that 99.9% of us are pro-Denton and only want to see the city that is home to our alma mater have only good things happen to it. We all want Denton to get more than its fair share of the pie that is being served and passed around the Metroplex.