Head Coach Salary

[wardly]

I tend to agree with what you posted here. The culture, although slower than we all wish, is moving toward a more spirited campus amongst a growing core of students and faculty. When we won in the early stages of the SBC, most fans looked at the collection of schools in that conference as a glorified 1-aa league. The gameplan for those games, no matter who we played, seemed to always be run-run-run-punt, then go back on defense. When we had a great defense, we won with that system against lesser-talented teams. Most fans recognized this, so they didn't really get all that into a big SBC championship run, for the most part. If we start winning again, we will see a bigger jump in attendance, which will help the entire athletic department.

As far as basketball goes, what most fail to recognize is that college basketball is not all that popular in the state of Texas, unless you are winning big. Even then, its a crapshoot sometimes (see A&M and their support this year of a ranked team.) Texas has had trouble getting attendance to watch a great program play lesser teams. Tech is even worse, attendance-wise, unless they are winning big. I really believe that a lot of people are missing the boat on college basketball and its entertainment value during the regular season, but that is probably another story. The point I want to make is that we have improved our attendance over the last 5 years--with very little help from the league we play in--and there are few schools in the state that can say that. As a matter of fact, I would challenge any of the Big XII or CUSA schools in this state to see how their attendance would be if they got ULaLa, ULaMon, F_U, Denver, etc..to play conference games with them and we got Kansas, K-State, Mizzou, Oklahoma, and OSU, as conference mates. It would make us all laugh to have to see Baylor host Troy for a conference game or SMU to host ULM for a conference game while we got to play Kansas at the Pit. It will never happen, but its why I think attendance issues for UNT are apples/oranges when compared to other schools in the state.

then who should we compair ourselves against? again, just asking.

[UNTMike81]

Ok...doing this from memory. 16-4 to busy trying to make a living than reviewing our exact record. Prior to 3 or 4 years ago UNT's overall BB record was 4-something every year. It take several years of 20-something to erase 20 years of not winning squat. Our attendance would have been better had we not lost 6 out of 7!!!

Next year should be a break out year if UNT AD markets this team right. Newspaper and TV ad buy's are will make a difference next year. If UNT spends the money the entire DFW area will come. Schedule good Big XII, SEC, and other name BB programs and we'll be able to raise ticket prices to cover additional BB marketing expenses.

If you put a winner on the floor with Jordan and Mitchell as cornerstones of UNT BB the people will come.

All UNT needs is to educate public about the talent on next years time. BB insiders and the pro's will be at the PIT already. Now its time to educate casual fan about what UNT has put together!!! After they see UNT's team next year, they'll all ask "how did UNT pull this off" mark my word!!!!

[Army of Dad]

Ok...doing this from memory. 16-4 to busy trying to make a living than reviewing our exact record. Prior to 3 or 4 years ago UNT's overall BB record was 4-something every year. It take several years of 20-something to erase 20 years of not winning squat. Our attendance would have been better had we not lost 6 out of 7!!!

Next year should be a break out year if UNT AD markets this team right. Newspaper and TV ad buy's are will make a difference next year. If UNT spends the money the entire DFW area will come. Schedule good Big XII, SEC, and other name BB programs and we'll be able to raise ticket prices to cover additional BB marketing expenses.

If you put a winner on the floor with Jordan and Mitchell as cornerstones of UNT BB the people will come.

All UNT needs is to educate public about the talent on next years time. BB insiders and the pro's will be at the PIT already. Now its time to educate casual fan about what UNT has put together!!! After they see UNT's team next year, they'll all ask "how did UNT pull this off" mark my word!!!!

You are assuming much, like we will be able to get name programs to play us at home. We have a tendency to win lots of our home games, and beat schools from "bigger" conferences. Also, you do realize that Tony Mitchell won't be able to suit up for us until after the fall semester, right? That would keep him out of almost all of our non-conference games and the Tony Mitchell Show won't be able to start until the season is 1/3 to 1/2 way over. Then of course he could (assuming he is here and not in the NBA) really put us over the top and begin to help drive attendance.

[forevereagle]

All it takes is the greasing of the right hands to be very powerful. Of course I'm not saying they would do that, but there is a history.

Gross.

[ColoradoEagle]

Prior to 3 or 4 years ago UNT's overall BB record was 4-something every year.

Can you stop being wrong?

[untjim1995]

then who should we compair ourselves against? again, just asking.

Personally, I don't think we need to compare ourselves to anyone else, at least not in the state of Texas. Until the conference situation is comparable for UNT with any other public school in Texas, it really is apples-versus-oranges to me. But IF the SBC=CUSA, then comparing us to UH and UTEP would be very appropriate. It could very well be that we could be compared to UTSA/Texas State if the new WAC can survive and those schools can be competitive with the other WAC schools. But for now, CUSA=====>SBC==>New WAC.

One thing for sure is that we should not waste our time trying to compare ourselves to Tech. That is a much bigger animal than the other schools listed, if only because of conference affiliation and location (nothing else to do).

[filmerj]

just as long as we are not giving out half million dollar bonuses while attendance is drastically falling like Tech. apparently, tuberville had a clause that earned him that much to simply "not leave".

didnt we have the highest average attendance in the conference this year?

Should have seen the attendance during the Trilli era.

[MeanMag]

Attendance will continue to increase at UNT for the next year most definitely. If Johnny salary is a function of putting butts in seats, we are (or should be) prepared to increase it accordingly.

He is bringing in individuals with talent that basketball fans will want to see, not just UNT fans.

Compare us to whoever you want. It's all relevant.

[GrandGreen]

Basketball doesn't remotely pay for itself, just like every other sport at NT. Unfortunately, JJ salary unless a miracle happens is not a big issue this year. Obviously, there is a lot of factors that go into a coach's salary. With a seasoned coach at the same school for multiple contracts, the factors are the revenue produced, conference affiliation, success and the competition for his services. My guess is that JJ is payed in line with the other conference coaches. Based on his success, he certainly would be at the top of NT hc's. What it comes down to, other than fairness which is often disregarded, is NT's compensation enough to keep him at NT. I think it is fairly obvious that NT is not going to compete with a team in a power conference on a salary basis. A SEC or Big Twelve team is always going to be able to outbid NT for coaches. There is just too much difference in the revenue produced. Therefore, it seems to me that NT has to just keep his salary competitive with other like programs and hope that JJ is happy here until the big offer.

[wardly]

Basketball doesn't remotely pay for itself, just like every other sport at NT. Unfortunately, JJ salary unless a miracle happens is not a big issue this year. Obviously, there is a lot of factors that go into a coach's salary. With a seasoned coach at the same school for multiple contracts, the factors are the revenue produced, conference affiliation, success and the competition for his services. My guess is that JJ is payed in line with the other conference coaches. Based on his success, he certainly would be at the top of NT hc's. What it comes down to, other than fairness which is often disregarded, is NT's compensation enough to keep him at NT. I think it is fairly obvious that NT is not going to compete with a team in a power conference on a salary basis. A SEC or Big Twelve team is always going to be able to outbid NT for coaches. There is just too much difference in the revenue produced. Therefore, it seems to me that NT has to just keep his salary competitive with other like programs and hope that JJ is happy here until the big offer.

excellent summary! thanks for your thoughtfull answer, which answered my original question,at least for me.

[HoopManX]

FWIW, SMU is positioning & petitioning for a move up, should that day come. Not sure what the move would be for them, but if CUSA wants them to stay(provided they had a legit destination other than CUSA) part of the provision would be no UNT. I'm told UTEP/Houston/Rice would probably vote the same way.

[Mean Green Matt]

FWIW, SMU is positioning & petitioning for a move up, should that day come. Not sure what the move would be for them, but if CUSA wants them to stay(provided they had a legit destination other than CUSA) part of the provision would be no UNT. I'm told UTEP/Houston/Rice would probably vote the same way.

And here we have further proof that the SMU administration (and many fans who would support the statement above) are a bunch of arrogant morons. Let's just ignore that fact for a moment that putting SMU and UNT in the same conference would be a big money maker, and just sit in astonishment of the collective douchery it requires to base ones conference affiliation on the blackballing of another school. Especially, when that school, that thinks it is so much better, cannot even muster up the balls to play us in basketball, and will only agree to play us in football like 6 or 7 years out from the agreement date.

(sits in awe).

Edit: For the record HoopManX, I know in this case you are just reporting what you have heard, so that is not directed at you personally, just the content.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Mean Green Matt

[Army of Dad]

FWIW, SMU is positioning & petitioning for a move up, should that day come. Not sure what the move would be for them, but if CUSA wants them to stay(provided they had a legit destination other than CUSA) part of the provision would be no UNT. I'm told UTEP/Houston/Rice would probably vote the same way.

SMU I get, but why would Houston, Rice, and UTEP follow along?

[untjim1995]

SMU I get, but why would Houston, Rice, and UTEP follow along?

I can't say that I blame SMU or the other local CUSA schools from blackballing us--its there way of keeping a leg up on us for as long as possible. They don't want to take a chance on a large state school moving upward. Very similar to how most UNT fans look down at UTSA or Texas State as potential conference mates. It is fairly common knowledge that SMU, Rice, Tulane, and Tulsa all vote together in a block to protect their interests since they have smaller enrollments. What really amazes me is the good relationship Rice and UH have. I imagine because of UH's size back in the 70s along with their success in football and hoops, that the SWC just told Rice to deal with it, especially since they were the only team in the Houston market, but both schools seem to get along fine. Since DFW had both TCU and SMU already, that made things much more complicated for an invite for little ol' North Texas State back then to the SWC. UTEP also had to deal with being left behind, but their hoops success and being in the original WAC was not a terrible deal for them.

Old habits and reputations die hard. In Texas, if you weren't SWC material, most of the media and fans didn't care one iota about you. Today, if you are not in the Big XII, those groups really don't care about you much, either. But, being old SWC teams in bigger metro areas still gets attention--and every once in a while, a team like TCU's football team or Rice's baseball team really step up big time and the old-guard Texas media loves it. All of this is why I truly believe that our way upward isn't in the SBC and it won't allowed to be in CUSA as long as SMU is there, but instead, it would be through the MWC. We can do what TCU did and use our Texas recruits to build up a program that can play with and beat teams in the MWC that still carry strong name recongnition. In my mind, its our only chance of moving upward in the direction that most of us want to see.

[UNTMike81]

Ok Colorado Eagle. In the interest of truthfulness in stead of my memory or misguided perception about UNT BB.

95-96 15 W 13 L

96-97 10 W 16 L

97-98 5 W 21 L Oh...here you go. Top notch season

98-99 4 W 22 L Ditto!!!!

99-2000 7 W 20 L

00-01 4 W 24 L 90 Feet of Heat here!!!!

01-02 15 W 14 L JJ's first season I believe. Our savior has arrived!!!

02-03 7 W 21 L (Several FB players on this squad I believe)

03-04 13 W 15 L

04-05 14 W 14 L

05-06 14 W 14 L

06-07 started our NCAA appearance. Prior to this season quit a stellar BB record over the years in the mighty Sunbelt and maybe Big West Conf.. Point is win's put folks in the seats over time. Base on our recruiting class and all the TV exposure we'll be getting makes next year very special.

[GrandGreen]

Yes, the hoopman is a great source of good information. If SMU was so opposed to NT, why would they schedule a multiple year football series. Yes, SMU views UNT as local competition and in general doesn't want to aid in anyway to the development of NT's athletic program that was very obvious with their endorsement of La Tech over UNT for CUSA. A very difficult position to defend for SMU, as there was absolutely no rationale behind that decision other then they didn't want to enhance a competitive local program. However, that was a different day and circumstances change.

I don't have a big problem with SMU because they are going to do whatever they think best for their program. At some point they may decide that a local rivalry maybe to their benefit. This could easily happen provided that NT continues to grow their program.

The facts are that NT has far more important objectives then to worry about SMU. NT's current peers academically and athletically are the large state school sans A&M and UT and that should be NT's athletic focus. I think NT is already about even with UTEP and catching Houston is possible. Tech with their AQ membership is a leap. CUSA would be nice but I think in the short run; NT can be just as successful if they just don't compete but dominate the Belt. In reality, NT's main competitors for recruits are Western CUSA and lower tier AQ schools. Even recruiting retarded DD had some level of success against that group when he was winning titles.