For Those Who Think The Belt's Perception Is Changing

[eppy4life]

For those who didn't watch the game, late in the game while Northern Illinois was running the clock out they began talking about the win and what it meant to their program and their conference. Last year the MAC ended a double digit bowl game losing streak (I forget the exact number) when Central Michigan beat Troy in the GMAC bowl. After talking about that streak coming to an end last year, one of the announcers said something like 'But this win is huge because it's comes against a national program... not just a Sunbelt team.'

Even our most recognized program nationally gets zero respect for a MAC/WAC audience.

[Cerebus]

So what. No non AQ conference is going to get respect from most football fans, so until you figure out how to get us an invite, pleas stop talking smack about our current home.

Oh, and don't fool yourself and think there is any national respect for the MWC or WAC, that respect goes to TCU or Boise, if then.

[PlummMeanGreen]

For those who didn't watch the game, late in the game while Northern Illinois was running the clock out they began talking about the win and what it meant to their program and their conference. Last year the MAC ended a double digit bowl game losing streak (I forget the exact number) when Central Michigan beat Troy in the GMAC bowl. After talking about that streak coming to an end last year, one of the announcers said something like 'But this win is huge because it's comes against a national program... not just a Sunbelt team.'

Even our most recognized program nationally gets zero respect for a MAC/WAC audience.

Sportwriters who have voted past MAC teams into the Top 25 polls in season's past are much more kind to that league than sportswriters who with one giant swath of their pen, their opinion and their votes seem to still have not recognized our "much better" Sun Belt Teams from year's past which says the media is yet another huge obstacle Wright Waters and Gang have yet to break that voting media's code of acceptance. Not hatin'--just sayin'...

GMG!

[eppy4life]

So what. No non AQ conference is going to get respect from most football fans, so until you figure out how to get us an invite, pleas stop talking smack about our current home.

Oh, and don't fool yourself and think there is any national respect for the MWC or WAC, that respect goes to TCU or Boise, if then.

I'm not complaining about our home, I agree it's the best place for us right now. I'm simply trying to combat those who argue the greatness of the Belt.

We can agree that it's a good fit right now without pretending that it's something it's not.

[oldguystudent]

Including yesterday's New Orleans Bowl victory for Troy, the belt went 5-32 OOC this season for a .135 winning percentage. The wins came against 2-9 Bowling Green, FCS Austin Peay and Southeastern Lousiana, 4-8 UAB and Ohio. Only a single victory against a winning FBS team.

Put as much lipstick on this thing as you want, but that's pretty piss poor performance as a conference.

[Keith7]

The Sun Belt is horrible.

[CMJ]

They could also have meant that Fresno State is pretty well known? If Northern Illinois had played and beaten...say Idaho of last year (the HB Champs)...I doubt that comment would have been made. Fresno has a bit of national cache built up over the last 8-9 years.

[oldschoollefty]

So what. No non AQ conference is going to get respect from most football fans, so until you figure out how to get us an invite, pleas stop talking smack about our current home.

Oh, and don't fool yourself and think there is any national respect for the MWC or WAC, that respect goes to TCU or Boise, if then.

Not trying to put words in eppy's mouth, but what I think he's getting at is, the 'belt is the biggest joke amongst the disrespected non-AQ conferences. Moving up to a stronger AQ conference would still represent an increase in stature for North Texas. Unfortunately, the 'belt is our home for the forseeable future so we'll make of it what we can as UNT once again becomes relevant in FBS football.

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

For those who didn't watch the game, late in the game while Northern Illinois was running the clock out they began talking about the win and what it meant to their program and their conference. Last year the MAC ended a double digit bowl game losing streak (I forget the exact number) when Central Michigan beat Troy in the GMAC bowl. After talking about that streak coming to an end last year, one of the announcers said something like 'But this win is huge because it's comes against a national program... not just a Sunbelt team.'

Even our most recognized program nationally gets zero respect for a MAC/WAC audience.

Let the excuses begin.

[Mean Green 93-98]

The title of this thread is a little confusing--who thinks the perception people have of the Belt has changed favorably, this year especially?

In actual quality, Belt football has been a notch above the MAC the past few years. With the teams leaving the WAC, the Belt should be a notch or two above the WAC. But perception does not always match reality, and for now, the Belt remains at the bottom of the perception totem pole.

Obviously, any chance we get to jump to any conference other than the 3 mentioned above should be jumped on immediately.

[FloMoGrad]

When we go 3-0 vs the MAC this year, perceptions will begin to erode... Do it again next year, and further erosion.

This perception wasn't built overnight, so we shouldn't expect it to change overnight.

Perception, however, is not always reality. It's up to us to change that. Starts 9/10/11 with Houston...

[GrayEagle]

When we go 3-0 vs the MAC this year, perceptions will begin to erode... Do it again next year, and further erosion.

This perception wasn't built overnight, so we shouldn't expect it to change overnight.

Perception, however, is not always reality. It's up to us to change that. Starts 9/10/11 with Houston...

Shouldn't it start 9/3/11 with Tulsa?

[FloMoGrad]

Shouldn't it start 9/3/11 with Tulsa?

It should, didn't realize that game was finalized and set. I thought there was a chance we opened at Alabama as well? or is that game on the 17th?

Edited December 20, 2010 by FloMoGrad

[Green Mean]

The Sunbelt is bad....the new WAC is worse. But the Sunbelt is still nothing to brag about. Fortunately we play in FBS. We still need out ASAP.

[untjim1995]

Let the excuses begin.

I have been on this board for many years, since 2001. Not once, have I seen anyone post, "Yes, the SBC is the best place for UNT for the rest of history. The SBC is better than CUSA or the MWC for our school." Not once. I have seen idiots say that we should go join the WAC because Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada are bigger names than who we play in the Belt. No one argued that point, except that most people recognized that there was a great risk of those programs bolting the WAC to go to the MWC, which, just shockingly, happened.

Now, the SBC turned about to be a much better deal for UNT than the WAC would have, but no one is saying that the SBC is so good that we will just stay here. I will ask you again what advice you would give to the AD to have gotten that CUSA/MWC invite already or soon? Because it seems that the university and its AD have put into place quite a bit to entice such an invite, but it hasn't gotten here yet. Obviously, you must have the right ideas, though, since you always clamor to get out of the SBC.

In reality, this is our home for a long time. If that bothers you so much so that you perpetually post about the conference's woefulness, you should just stop following the program. You will be a great UT T-shirt fan--and have lots of fellow douches to keep you company.

Edited December 20, 2010 by untjim1995

[FloMoGrad]

I have been on this board for many years, since 2001. Not once, have I seen anyone post, "Yes, the SBC is the best place for UNT for the rest of history. The SBC is better than CUSA or the MWC for our school." Not once. I have seen idiots say that we should go join the WAC because Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, and Nevada are bigger names than who we play in the Belt. No one argued that point, except that most people recognized that there was a great risk of those programs bolting the WAC to go to the MWC, which, just shockingly, happened.

Now, the SBC turned about to be a much better deal for UNT than the WAC would have, but no one is saying that the SBC is so good that we will just stay here. I will ask you again what advice you would give to the AD to have gotten that CUSA/MWC invite already or soon? Because it seems that the university and its AD have put into place quite a bit to entice such an invite, but it hasn't gotten here yet. Obviously, you must have the right ideas, though, since you always clamor to get out of the SBC.

In reality, this is our home for a long time. If that bothers you so much so that you perpetually post about the conference's woefulness, you should just stop following the program. You will be a great UT T-shirt fan--and have lots of fellow douches to keep you company.

At this point in time, I'd say it's a little short sided to ask any fan of UNT to go support another university. Understand and agree with your post, but we literally need every fan we can get, at this point in time.

[NT71]

Untjim1995 you have valid points and FloMoGrad is correct but needs to add one more point. Support the program with your dollars, be in the stands if possible, and purchase UNT merchandise.

[FloMoGrad]

Untjim1995 you have valid points and FloMoGrad is correct but needs to add one more point. Support the program with your dollars, be in the stands if possible, and purchase UNT merchandise.

Agreed.

[VideoEagle]

The Sunbelt is bad....the new WAC is worse. But the Sunbelt is still nothing to brag about. Fortunately we play in FBS. We still need out ASAP.

With the new WAC, the Belt will no longer be the shortest dwarf. If we can rack up some wins against the MAC we can climb to being the third shortest dwarf.

[FloMoGrad]

With the new WAC, the Belt will no longer be the shortest dwarf. If we can rack up some wins against the MAC we can climb to being the third shortest dwarf.

Anything's better, perception wise, than where we currently sit. Bright side, only way to go is up!

What if we single-handedly pull this conference out of shortest dwarf status with wins over CUSA and Big Ten next year...Is this even possible? I know winning is possible, but can we change national perceptions in one season?

[eppy4life]

Anything's better, perception wise, than where we currently sit. Bright side, only way to go is up!

What if we single-handedly pull this conference out of shortest dwarf status with wins over CUSA and Big Ten next year...Is this even possible? I know winning is possible, but can we change national perceptions in one season?

Now those two wins in one season sure would help.

[foutsrouts]

Anything's better, perception wise, than where we currently sit. Bright side, only way to go is up!

What if we single-handedly pull this conference out of shortest dwarf status with wins over CUSA and Big Ten next year...Is this even possible? I know winning is possible, but can we change national perceptions in one season?

Not going to speculate on whether or not it's possible at this point, but if we are able to beat a football monster like Alabama , and have a 0, 1, or 2 loss season, we could go a long way toward changing perceptions in one season. Realistically though, I suspect it would take at least two to three seasons of great football before anyone on the national level would even begin to speak of us in the same breath as teams like Boise and TCU. A spectacular individual performance by someone like Mr. Dunbar wouldn't hurt the cause much either.

[UNTLifer]

For those that think the perception of the Humanitarian Bowl is changing.....

[PlummMeanGreen]

A few on this forum may have to understand that it depends on what era you attended UNT which may dictate their view of the Sun Belt Conference.

Those from the Mean Joe Greene era who had one team which all but beat (in fact, did beat if not for a crooked SWC referee) national champion contender Arkansas may not look at the 'Belt as so good a neighborhood.

Those from the Hayden Fry era may feel about the same as those from the Mean Joe Greene era at UNT.

Those from the Corky Nelson era saw one of his 1-AA teams beat 2 (or was it 3) SWC team in one season and in that same season almost beat the Texas Longhorns so they may have a different take on the SBC, too.

Fact is...it (the SBC) is what it is and it has served our purpose for the time being.

We have no idea how politics may rule the day in this next conference re-alignment and shuffle so we of UNT have to be prepared for just about anything, but this time around we can do all that in the luxury of the best strategically located college football stadium in the Lone Star State that is not shoe-boxed in by its campus, its campus building and with the luxury of much green real estate on that approx. 1,000 acres (our former golf course) that will still give us room to grow.

It's All Good...It's All Green!

GMG!

Edited December 21, 2010 by PlummMeanGreen

[NT03]

Just Win baby.

We will not be considered better than the new WAC unless we actually do something as a conference. We don't just get better by default