Unt Officially Declines Wac Offer

AgandEagle · November 23, 2010

Please don't get behind the wheel of an automobile this evening. Perhaps not for the next 8 hours or so.

The Sunbelt is the laughingstock of college football. Hell, I remember several bowl games that used Sun Belt refs last year and the commentators were literally mocking their ability to call the game because they were Sunbelt refs. What other conference is continually mocked publicly like that?. I thought my fellow Ags were complacent staying in the Big 12 (-2), but the willingness of some of the "mean green" on this site to stay in this joke of a conference is sad. It's like you guys forgot or never have known what it's like to be successful. The Sun Belt is a dead end and always will be. It's full of pre-season fodder for the big 6. I got my MA at UNT and would love to see them do well in football in a decent conference, i.e. MWC, C-USA, or even the WAC. I always wondered why UNT has such an apathetic fanbase and student body when it comes to sports and some of your responses, justifications, etc., really explains a lot. At least men's basketball is good and has a decent shot at getting to the NCAA tournament.

Edited November 23, 2010 by AgandEagle

UNTFan23 · November 23, 2010

The Sunbelt is the laughingstock of college football. I thought my fellow Ags were complacent staying in the Big 12 (-2), but the willingness of some of the "mean green" on this site to stay in this joke of a conference is sad. It's like you guys forgot or never have known what it's like to be successful. The Sun Belt is a dead end and always will be. It's full of pre-season fodder for the big 6. I got my MA at UNT and would love to see them do well in football in a decent conference, i.e. MWC, C-USA, or even the WAC. I always wondered why UNT has such an apathetic fanbase and student body when it comes to sports and some of your responses, justifications, etc., really explains a lot.

The WAC should now be the laughing stock after getting turned down by us and Cal-Davis (a new FCS school). Montana, a top shelf FCS school, has also said "No thanks." If you're getting turned away by FCS schools, what does that say about your conference's future?

TheTastyGreek · November 23, 2010

The Sunbelt is the laughingstock of college football. I thought my fellow Ags were complacent staying in the Big 12 (-2), but the willingness of some of the "mean green" on this site to stay in this joke of a conference is sad. It's like you guys forgot or never have known what it's like to be successful. The Sun Belt is a dead end and always will be. It's full of pre-season fodder for the big 6. I got my MA at UNT and would love to see them do well in football in a decent conference, i.e. MWC, C-USA, or even the WAC. I always wondered why UNT has such an apathetic fanbase and student body when it comes to sports and some of your responses, justifications, etc., really explains a lot.

Sigh... Just when we were finally sweeping the Canales people out of here...

AgandEagle · November 23, 2010

Sigh... Just when we were finally sweeping the Canales people out of here...

So you're anti-success/winning. Good to know.

UNTFan23 · November 23, 2010

So you're anti-success/winning. Good to know.

Let me know how your trip on the titanic works out.

AgandEagle · November 23, 2010

Let me know how your trip on the titanic works out.

Fail...horribly.

UNTFan23 · November 23, 2010

Fail...horribly.

So is the new WAC.

AgandEagle · November 23, 2010

So is the new WAC.

Given UNT's record in these situations the WAC will come out fine and UNT will be stuck, once again, in this terrible, terrible conference.

ForneyGreen · November 23, 2010

Southland ... an upgrade?!

Folks - we are having a bad football year, and the Belt as a whole is having a bad football year. We can't judge long-term potential on just this year. Over the past few years, we've seen Troy, MTSU, and FAU enjoy good football success, and now FIU is on the rise. Soon, UNT will join this group (hopefully surpass this group).

Bottom line: all we have to do is take care of ourselves, and the right conference membership opportunity will be at our doorstep. I think the Sun Belt is at least a stable home and known quantity at this point. Right now, our conference membership is secondary... we need to sell-out our new stadium and win games.

Plus, I kinda like our hillbilly Sun Belt friends. Banjos and Cajun food -- Go Belt!

UNTFan23 · November 23, 2010

Given UNT's record in these situations the WAC will come out fine and UNT will be stuck, once again, in this terrible, terrible conference.

I guess we'll have to see who ends up with the better TV contract now that all the schools people cared about (BSU, NU, HU, FSU) have left the WAC.

I wonder what FCS schools are left that are viable to join the WAC?

AgandEagle · November 23, 2010

Folks - we are having a bad football year, and the Belt as a whole is having a bad football year. We can't judge long-term potential on just this year. Over the past few years, we've seen Troy, MTSU, and FAU enjoy good football success, and now FIU is on the rise. Soon, UNT will join this group (hopefully surpass this group).

Bottom line: all we have to do is take care of ourselves, and the right conference membership opportunity will be at our doorstep. I think the Sun Belt is at least a stable home and known quantity at this point. Right now, our conference membership is secondary... we need to sell-out our new stadium and win games.

Plus, I kinda like our hillbilly Sun Belt friends. Banjos and Cajun food -- Go Belt!

Honestly, who wants to watch MSU, ULL, ULM, etc. play? Who cares? Conference affiliation is primary. Look at our attendance for games versus Rice, Army, etc. They don't sell out but there's a decent showing and that's in several of the worst seasons in UNT's football history. Once again, you're comments--not disrespect intended--scream complacency and mediocrity. You should want to be better and want UNT to have better, NOW. Even if UNT were to have a losing record in a conference like the MWC you're at least bringing in teams that people want to watch bringing in more revenue and exposure for recruiting.

TheTastyGreek · November 23, 2010

So you're anti-success/winning. Good to know.

I'm pro- bunnies and kittens. Don't be such a pessimist.

ForneyGreen · November 23, 2010

Honestly, who wants to watch MSU, ULL, ULM, etc. play? Who cares? Conference affiliation is primary. Look at our attendance for games versus Rice, Army, etc. They don't sell out but there's a decent showing and that's in several of the worst seasons in UNT's football history. Once again, you're comments--not disrespect intended--scream complacency and mediocrity. You should want to be better and want UNT to have better, NOW. Even if UNT were to have a losing record in a conference like the MWC you're at least bringing in teams that people want to watch bringing in more revenue and exposure for recruiting.

Don't get me wrong... I'm referring to a Sun Belt versus WAC debate. If the MWC came calling, of course we would jump at that offer as that would be a big upgrade in conference affiliation. When it comes to interest in watching WAC vs. Sun Belt teams, there really is no difference between MTSU/ULL/ULM versus San Jose St., Idaho, and Utah St. Actually, there is probably more interest in MTSU, etc. today because we have recent history with Sun Belt teams.

My point is that the MWC and CUSA are not options today - so our best path towards success (and future conference upgrades) is to concentrate on ourselves: sell out the new stadium and win games. That will be our ticket to more conference opportunities. Until that time, the Sun Belt is a nice home. The MWC is not going to be interested in a football program with 6 consecutive losing seasons and an average attendance of 18,000. They may however be interested in a program with multiple winning seasons and multiple sellout crowds of 30,000+.

Edited November 23, 2010 by ForneyGreen

GrandGreen · November 23, 2010

Honestly, who wants to watch MSU, ULL, ULM, etc. play? Who cares? Conference affiliation is primary. Look at our attendance for games versus Rice, Army, etc. They don't sell out but there's a decent showing and that's in several of the worst seasons in UNT's football history. Once again, you're comments--not disrespect intended--scream complacency and mediocrity. You should want to be better and want UNT to have better, NOW. Even if UNT were to have a losing record in a conference like the MWC you're at least bringing in teams that people want to watch bringing in more revenue and exposure for recruiting.

Maybe I missed something, but has NT got an invitation to the MWC? No disrespect, but do you think that NT is in the Belt for any other reason than it is the best option they currently have? NT and every other university that are not in one of the AQ conferences want to improve their conference affiliation. The sad fact is that you cannot go somewhere you are not invited. NT must make itself more attractive, the first and most important thing it can do is win. Winning attracts support and the more support you have the more attractive NT is to potential conferences. UTEP didn't beat out NT for a CUSA bid because they had a better football program but they have much greater local support. It is a classic chicken and the egg scenario. NT is not supported enough because they are in the Belt, but because they don't get that support; they can't move up.

I see a lot of a familiar mantra on the board, why doesn't NT: have a better oc schedule, a better conference, hire and pay better coaches, have more donations, etc. The problem is that resources are limited and there must be a process to achieve all these objectives. It is never going to be fast enough for some, but a couple of pieces have been addressed; better facilities and a significant increase in funds through student fees and additional revenue streams provided by the new stadium. Unfortunately a large portion of those revenues are going to be used for construction costs but there is definite progress.

Wishing and pontificating on a message board are poor substitutes for actual improvement although it can be very therapeutic. I particularly like those who take a more rational view, being branded as complacence and thrilled with mediocrity. I doubt there is any true fan that doesn't wish that NT was the dominate team in the nation and made UT look like TWU in comparison. Most of us though are going to be happy with forward progress because we understand how difficult it has been and will be to achieve. And spare me the "shoot for the stars" analogy, I want NT to have high goals but it is much more important to accomplish most of your objectives and consistently move forward.

Rudy · November 23, 2010

Please don't get behind the wheel of an automobile this evening.

I don't mind him getting behind the wheel, just as long as there are no other cars on the road.

The Sunbelt is the laughingstock of college football. Hell, I remember several bowl games that used Sun Belt refs last year and the commentators were literally mocking their ability to call the game because they were Sunbelt refs. What other conference is continually mocked publicly like that?. I thought my fellow Ags were complacent staying in the Big 12 (-2), but the willingness of some of the "mean green" on this site to stay in this joke of a conference is sad. It's like you guys forgot or never have known what it's like to be successful. The Sun Belt is a dead end and always will be. It's full of pre-season fodder for the big 6. I got my MA at UNT and would love to see them do well in football in a decent conference, i.e. MWC, C-USA, or even the WAC. I always wondered why UNT has such an apathetic fanbase and student body when it comes to sports and some of your responses, justifications, etc., really explains a lot. At least men's basketball is good and has a decent shot at getting to the NCAA tournament.

The Big 12 has some of the most obvious calls slanted to beneift t.u. and oklahoma, and YOU want to talk about our refs?! Yeah, they suck, but at least they suck equally and don't blow Bevo at the order of the BcS.

So you're anti-success/winning. Good to know.

An Aggie fan talking about winning? Shouldn't you be enjoying your one season of success this decade?

Honestly, who wants to watch MSU, ULL, ULM, etc. play? Who cares? Conference affiliation is primary. Look at our attendance for games versus Rice, Army, etc. They don't sell out but there's a decent showing and that's in several of the worst seasons in UNT's football history. Once again, you're comments--not disrespect intended--scream complacency and mediocrity. You should want to be better and want UNT to have better, NOW. Even if UNT were to have a losing record in a conference like the MWC you're at least bringing in teams that people want to watch bringing in more revenue and exposure for recruiting.

You say it's better to have a losing record in a better conference? How has that worked out for TAMU? And this is right after you lecture us on being "anti success/winning?

And we are talking about the WAC and not joining. It's pretty much a given that we all would love to join te MWC.

Try to follow along.

oldguystudent · November 23, 2010

There are rumblings out west from some baseball parents I know that San Jose St is considering reclassifying football and re-joining the Big West with football joining UC Davis and Cal Poly in the Great West conference. So that leaves four current teams before adding the movin' on up transients. Yeah, good move on not joining this conference.

Arkstfan · November 23, 2010

San Jose State is the uber-ULM. Plug their athletic budget into a cost of living calculator that compares cities and the number you get comparing San Jose and ULM is nearly identical. When 15,000 butts in seats looked to be a hard fast rule, their AD said they couldn't make it but their solutions were: close the school cafeteria on Saturday and set-up food service at the stadium so the only way students could eat on Saturday with their meal plan would be by coming to the stadium. They put temporary fencing around all the parking and brought in a carnival and craft fair and charged like $2. Your admission for the event also got you in the game free and they counted everyone who came and put their kid on the tilt-a-whirl and bought a corn dog as having attended the game. Called Cal and Stanford about playing a home game at their home stadium against them or at a Candlestick and both rejected the idea. At least Arkansas called ULM with their deal rather than other way around it isn't UA's primary facility.

Of course in the history athletics was there ever anything more shameful than Rice moving CONFERENCE home games against Arkansas to Little Rock in 1983 and 1991?

VideoEagle · November 23, 2010

Given UNT's record in these situations the WAC will come out fine and UNT will be stuck, once again, in this terrible, terrible conference.

Folks if you just ignore trolls, they will go away.

rcade · November 23, 2010

You should want to be better and want UNT to have better, NOW.

We do want better, but the WAC isn't better than the Sun Belt. And every day the WAC gets worse.

MeanGreenTexan · November 23, 2010

So WAC's off?

Despite the overwhelming evidence as to why we should not join the WAC, Mr. Miyagi can't decide...

untjim1995 · November 23, 2010

Of course in the history athletics was there ever anything more shameful than Rice moving CONFERENCE home games against Arkansas to Little Rock in 1983 and 1991?

Yes, and it was MUCH WORSE. Back in the late 70s and early 80s, Kansas State actually gave up their home games in Manhattan to play Oklhoma in Norman. I believe that KSU played OU like 6 or 8 straight years in Norman. That isn't just shameful, its pathetic.

shaft · November 23, 2010

San Jose was so desperate for attendance numbers a few years back they were sponsoring high school band competitions before the game and counting the visiting bands and parents has game day attendees. That's one of the reason the NCAA switch to the electronic scanners or actual attendance numbers.