The Mean Green Story So Far Part Two

[Green to the Bone]

People love to generalize, but generalizations are usually not too helpful. When I hear that North Texas is a school of last resort, or that fill-in-any-school here has the prettiest wimmin or the best Greeks or the sorriest dining halls, or that fill-in-any-city has the worst drivers or the most fickle sports fans, I kind of roll my eyes.

So NT was perceived as a hippie school in the 1960s and '70s. Nothing special there. So were just about all of them, with the possible exception of Bob Jones University and such. Not only were dope, sex, and freedom freshly discovered all across our great nation, but hundreds of thousands of guys stuck around in school as long as possible to keep out of that Asian adventure. Those striving to keep their student deferments ranged from Weather Underground wannabes to future chest-beating podium patriots. Their efforts gave most big schools of the era a distinctively Hashbury air. It wasn't a North Texas thing.

[FloMoGrad]

Near Easter of this yr my wife and I, '04 & '03, came back in town to look at new houses and while in town, we ventured up to check in on the new stadium and meet my rep on season tickets and seeing the stadium and where we thought we'd want to sit. Afterwards, we took our 2.5 yr old son Hayden and 3 month old daughter Addyson for a stroll thru campus on a Tuesday at 12:00 a month or so before finals.

My opinion: The new buildings being constructed are impressive, well designed, fit in with the rest of the campus architecture and in our eyes, the campus is better looking today than when we strolled on to it for the first time nearly a decade ago.

My wife left A&M to come to UNT. I left a full ride soccer scholarship (rare for a male) in Missouri to come home and come back to UNT. I had offers all over and could have transferred anywhere. Was no last resort. As was the case for each and every FB recruit we signed this spring. They all had numerous other options, but CHOSE to come to UNT over somehwere else.

I see my campus and school for what it is, but that in know way impedes my hope for progress, my ambition for better and my ultimate support of any endeavor to move our school forward.

[shaft]

I like to know more about how he got the name "mad dog?"

[Graddean]

I might have to agree about the look of the campus when I hit here in 1960, but I do take offense at the "school of last resort" comment. Tell that to one of my roommates at West Dorm from Poteet, TX. He finished med school and was a pioneer in laproscopic surgery, or tell my other roommate who earned his PhD at Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I have been fairly successful myself, and many of the men who lived near us in West Dorm also became successful. If we indeed wound up at North Texas because it was the last resort, our selected alma mater did a wonderful job of educating us.

[OldTimer]

I might have to agree about the look of the campus when I hit here in 1960, but I do take offense at the "school of last resort" comment. Tell that to one of my roommates at West Dorm from Poteet, TX. He finished med school and was a pioneer in laproscopic surgery, or tell my other roommate who earned his PhD at Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I have been fairly successful myself, and many of the men who lived near us in West Dorm also became successful. If we indeed wound up at North Texas because it was the last resort, our selected alma mater did a wonderful job of educating us.

********************************************************************

I started at NTSU in summer of 1954 and graduated in 1957. Majored in accounting which was held in high regard by major CPA firms at that time. That education gave me the ability to pass my CPA exams and led to a great accounting position with Tennessee Gas in Houston.

The accounting major was the big reason I went to NT...The NT band played a part in this decision as I played in the marching band and ROTC band. I don't remember any hippy dress between 1954 and 1957. I met my future wife while contacting an accounting lab..and we were married in Sept 1956 over 55 years ago. I am happy to say one of my grandsons is currently attending UNT at this time. OldTimer

[KRAM1]

Where can I get your biography besides on a GMG forum?

All you have to do is ask if it interests you that much. Sometimes actual experience counts for something. But, if you actually do want to know, give me a PM and we'll set up a time to have a chat and a beer. Then again, you'll probably never take me up on that...offer stands.

Edited June 23, 2011 by KRAM1

[KRAM1]

Just a word of thanks to those who have posted on this thread about their positive experiences. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to understand the "value" in something and sometimes it takes a visit back to actually see things as they are today. The many successful professionals in almost every field that are graduates of UNT attest to the quality of the education one receives at UNT. It is true that one must then actually "work" and put forth the effort to achieve success in their careers. A degree from any university does not guarantee success. It is what you make of it and it is the choices one makes upon graduation.

The success of UNT graduates is well documented, as has been attested to on this board many times. Appreciate the actual examples folks...keep 'em coming.

[SilverEagle]

Just a word of thanks to those who have posted on this thread about their positive experiences. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to understand the "value" in something and sometimes it takes a visit back to actually see things as they are today. The many successful professionals in almost every field that are graduates of UNT attest to the quality of the education one receives at UNT. It is true that one must then actually "work" and put forth the effort to achieve success in their careers. A degree from any university does not guarantee success. It is what you make of it and it is the choices one makes upon graduation.

The success of UNT graduates is well documented, as has been attested to on this board many times. Appreciate the actual examples folks...keep 'em coming.

So it's not just shaking your pom poms that magically make people successful and/or satisfied in their field of endeavor?......NOW you tell us! .....

[KRAM1]

So it's not just shaking your pom poms that magically make people successful and/or satisfied in their field of endeavor?......NOW you tell us! .....

Well, in some cases it depends on what one's pom poms look like!

[eppy4life]

Well, in some cases it depends on what one's pom poms look like!

Good point. I can shake my pom poms with the best of them. But not many seem to enjoy it.

[mad dog]

I like to know more about how he got the name "mad dog?"

I think it is meant to be ironic, like calling the huge gym beefcake "tiny." Hey, we went to school together - did I ever strike you as a "mad dog?" Harry used it offhandedly once, and I laughed out loud. Then I came up with the whole "20-20" blog idea, and the idea of an "MD" writing for it made me chuckle again.

Just think of it as a series of really bad dad jokes.

[Green Mean]

While our campus can improve aesthetically it is a lot better today than it was when I started in 2004 and left in 2007. And the UT Austin campus is very very meh at best. But people won't criticize it because its...well its UT Austin.

[UNTcrazy727]

I think the perception that most students are at UNT as a second choice would only come from the sports fan or the guy who grew up assuming he'd attend the school he'd followed his whole life. So they may sort of feel like UNT was a second choice.

But for the majority, they didn't grow up with a choice school in mind. Once senior year came they looked around and chose UNT as the best fit for whatever reason.

I sorta agree with this statement and I think it's a reason why student participation is low on campus when it comes to student organizations and athletic events. When you have a bunch of kids coming to your school just because its the only one they could afford or its close to home you're going to have a harder time getting them involved compared to a kid who had in interest in the school since they were little.

[MeanGreenHoops]

I sorta agree with this statement and I think it's a reason why student participation is low on campus when it comes to student organizations and athletic events. When you have a bunch of kids coming to your school just because its the only one they could afford or its close to home you're going to have a harder time getting them involved compared to a kid who had in interest in the school since they were little.

Sorry I disagree with ya here. Let's hypothetically say I grew up in Madisonville, TX. And I had know interest in a school since I was little, I was poor but Texas A&M was close so I went there. Do you think I'd have no allegiance to the school. As your saying no to yourself think why? Because they brainwash you (in a good way) with the school as soon as you decide to go there. That's something we never did. Well there is that opportunity now with a new stadium. Hopefully the administration realizes that opportunity has been gifted them and they will begin this year making all kids know they attend school there, why is it good, and why they should support it.

Edited June 28, 2011 by MeanGreenHoops

[UNTcrazy727]

Sorry I disagree with ya here. Let's hypothetically say I grew up in Madisonville, TX. And I had know interest in a school since I was little, I was poor but Texas A&M was close so I went there. Do you think I'd have no allegiance to the school. As your saying no to yourself think why? Because they brainwash you (in a good way) with the school as soon as you decide to go there. That's something we never did. Well there is that opportunity now with a new stadium. Hopefully the administration realizes that opportunity has been gifted them and they will begin this year making all kids know they attend school there, why is it good, and why they should support it.

I never said you can't get someone to be involved on campus, it's just a whole lot easier when they come in already excited to be there.

And on the camps freshmen go to before school starts. UNT needs to completely overhaul theirs. Everyone I've talked to that went to Camp Crimson at OU or Fish Camp at A&M say those few days are some of the best days they had at school. Meanwhile, everyone at UNT seems to consider what we have some of their boring-est days at UNT. I helped work a few of them once and they were pretty dull.

Let's change it up a bit and get kids excited about North Texas

[MeanGreenHoops]

I never said you can't get someone to be involved on campus, it's just a whole lot easier when they come in already excited to be there.

And on the camps freshmen go to before school starts. UNT needs to completely overhaul theirs. Everyone I've talked to that went to Camp Crimson at OU or Fish Camp at A&M say those few days are some of the best days they had at school. Meanwhile, everyone at UNT seems to consider what we have some of their boring-est days at UNT. I helped work a few of them once and they were pretty dull.

Let's change it up a bit and get kids excited about North Texas

Agreed, hopefully that overhaul is coming this year, because it's only a new stadium once!