ALCS

meangreen · October 7, 2011

And, while I realize it's a personal choice, I gotta say that I 100% disagree with you. Count me as you do Matt...one of the 5%. Please provide your stats on how you determined that 95% would be watching the Rangers. Seems like a guess to me, and a pretty wild one at that colored by your obvious love for all things ACLS. Foolish is thinking the UNT game is meaningless...and is exactly what I was talking about in my earlier post. If you think supporting by attending...yes actually attending as well as purchasing tickets...is meaningless to a school attempting to become relevant and "big time", opening a new stadium and hiring a completely new coaching staff, well that, is really foolish. And as Zig Ziggler would say..."stinkin' thinking" for any true member of the Mean Green nation.

And, don't misunderstand here...I am not saying that if one doesn't attend every home game that he/she cannot be a true member of the Mean Green Nation...not my intent at all. Fans...even Mean Green Nation members make choices based on priorities, and there are simply times when one cannot attend a home game. That's certainly understandable. It's the thinking that the game is meaningless that I am referring to as a symptom of what is wrong at UNT these days and which I describe as "stinkin' thinking".

For whatever reason one is attending, thank you. It is very important for the future of this program. You, Sir, will help make a positive difference for UNT and will help create a new day and a new attitude within the ranks of those who call themselves fans of the Mean Green!

Maybe I was wrong to use the word "meaningless", my thinking is that this particular UNT game, compared on a scale with the Rangers' ALCS game, is miniscule as far as importance. As for my "95%" usage, is it not reasonable to expect that the Rangers playoff game would draw much, much more attention than a UNT game against FAU?

Don't get me wrong, I hope we beat FAU by a lot. I wish nothing but the best for UNT football. I know we will one day get to where our potential is and the team has my full support. However, playoff baseball takes up a few weeks while a football season lasts almost 4 months. I don't think it's unfair for a UNT fan to miss the game to watch the Rangers game. I'm a HUGE Rangers fan and I'll be at the UNT game instead. I'm just saying, that until UNT even begins to win on the field, they will not ever come close to attracting more attention than a Rangers American League CHAMPIONSHIP game.

GO UNT and GO RANGERS

meangreen · October 7, 2011

Best post yet.

Do I get a prize?

Keith7 · October 7, 2011

Do I get a prize?

Congrats, you've won a +1.

Quoner · October 7, 2011

Two team narratives at work, but both are very similar.

One team was in shambles and slowly rebuilt from the ground up. Everyone saw little return early and found plenty of reasons to second guess and nitpick the new leader. Still, he stayed the course and kept learning. This process really started four years ago, but most of the benefits of his approach would take at least two years to be visible outside the diehards. Now, everyone who invested in that journey has a great chance to see the final payoff for that investment and dedication. There was no urgency to watch every single game when the process started -- it was more about kids getting experience, building reps, figuring out roles and unlocking potential. The progress was not a crucial in game moment, it was about following the narrative of the team and seeing what happens.

Another team we all love is starting a similar journey and the same process has hopefully begun (because it's pretty similar so far.) I know UNT is on the right path, and I will be at the game, but the idea of this game being more important than a winnable ALCS series is just absurd.

Caring about the Rangers doesn't make you any more or less of a UNT fan and anyone who wants to beat up anyone for making a perfectly reasonable sports argument is just being...I don't even know the word...stubborn, idealistic, biased?

Worst case scenario -- attendance is down for one home date, but the bigger picture is what will ultimately pay off for the program. It's when people stop caring or believing in that vision you need to start worrying.

Censored by Laurie · October 7, 2011

Two team narratives at work, but both are very similar.

One team was in shambles and slowly rebuilt from the ground up. Everyone saw little return early and found plenty of reasons to second guess and nitpick the new leader. Still, he stayed the course and kept learning. This process really started four years ago, but most of the benefits of his approach would take at least two years to be visible outside the diehards. Now, everyone who invested in that journey has a great chance to see the final payoff for that investment and dedication. There was no urgency to watch every single game when the process started -- it was more about kids getting experience, building reps, figuring out roles and unlocking potential. The progress was not a crucial in game moment, it was about following the narrative of the team and seeing what happens.

Another team we all love is starting a similar journey and the same process has hopefully begun (because it's pretty similar so far.) I know UNT is on the right path, and I will be at the game, but the idea of this game being more important than a winnable ALCS series is just absurd.

Caring about the Rangers doesn't make you any more or less of a UNT fan and anyone who wants to beat up anyone for making a perfectly reasonable sports argument is just being...I don't even know the word...stubborn, idealistic, biased?

Worst case scenario -- attendance is down for one home date, but the bigger picture is what will ultimately pay off for the program. It's when people stop caring or believing in that vision you need to start worrying.

So the UNT game will hurt ALCS attendance, right?

KRAM1 · October 7, 2011

Maybe I was wrong to use the word "meaningless", my thinking is that this particular UNT game, compared on a scale with the Rangers' ALCS game, is miniscule as far as importance. As for my "95%" usage, is it not reasonable to expect that the Rangers playoff game would draw much, much more attention than a UNT game against FAU?

Don't get me wrong, I hope we beat FAU by a lot. I wish nothing but the best for UNT football. I know we will one day get to where our potential is and the team has my full support. However, playoff baseball takes up a few weeks while a football season lasts almost 4 months. I don't think it's unfair for a UNT fan to miss the game to watch the Rangers game. I'm a HUGE Rangers fan and I'll be at the UNT game instead. I'm just saying, that until UNT even begins to win on the field, they will not ever come close to attracting more attention than a Rangers American League CHAMPIONSHIP game.

GO UNT and GO RANGERS

Well, one could argue with some vailidity that game one of a seven game series is pretty much meaningless as well. It's a matter of one's perrsonal chioce and priorities. Never said it was unfair...said it was all about priorities and choices. Your original post did not refer to "attracting attention"...it, I believe, was more along the lines of agreeing that one should forego the Mean Green to watch the Rangers. I think we can all agree that the Rangers will get much more "attention" Saturday than the Mean Green will, but most going to see the Rangers or watching on TV will probably have ZERO connection to the Mean Green...another reason for the Mean Green faithful to show up to support UNT and the Mean Green. Appreciate your attending...even if you have said that you would not be there if you had not already invited others to attend with you. Glad to have you in attendance even if your heart isn't in it for this game. With a win over FAU, I'll bet you'll be happy you came...no matter the reason.

eppy4life · October 7, 2011

Simple solution. Play the ALCS on the Mini-Tron during the UNT game.

Solved.

I thought about that option but then I wonder how strange that would be for the players.

I wonder if sentiment would be different if we only had 1 loss right now.

Right or wrong, I think the answer to this is yes.

Green P1 · October 7, 2011

Well, one could argue with some vailidity that game one of a seven game series is pretty much meaningless as well.

I'll be there tomorrow in my seats......... But this sentence made my brain explode.... Twice.

UNTflyer · October 7, 2011

I will go to the UNT game and I will flip between Hank/George and the Rangers game on my radio.

It's game one, for Pete's sake. Now, if it were game 7...

meangreen · October 7, 2011

Well, one could argue with some vailidity that game one of a seven game series is pretty much meaningless as well.

wow...

KRAM1 · October 7, 2011

Another team we all love is starting a similar journey and the same process has hopefully begun (because it's pretty similar so far.) I know UNT is on the right path, and I will be at the game, but the idea of this game being more important than a winnable ALCS series is just absurd.

Almost as absurd as someone calling one game a series. No one in this thread has yet (well, except you) said anything about the UNT game being more important that a complete ACLS "winnable series". I thought we were discussing missing game 1 of a seven game series to support your university as opposed to a professional team. Let's see...7 game series...home field advantage...4 games in Arlington perhaps, but at least two, right?

Censored by Laurie · October 7, 2011

I'll be there tomorrow in my seats......... But this sentence made my brain explode.... Twice.

:blowup:

Keith7 · October 7, 2011

I will go to the UNT game and I will flip between Hank/George and the Rangers game on my radio.

It's game one, for Pete's sake. Now, if it were game 7...

We're a 1-4 team playing FAU for Pete's sake.

Censored by Laurie · October 7, 2011

We're a 1-4 team playing FAU for Pete's sake.

What did you study at Texas Rangers?

KRAM1 · October 7, 2011

I'll be there tomorrow in my seats......... But this sentence made my brain explode.... Twice.

Really...didn't take much. I wonder what the record is regarding the significance of game one in a seven game series when it comes to the eventual series winner? Sure, always better to win game one than lose it, but didn't the Rangers lose game one of their five game series with Tampa Bay? Seems to me that game one of that series turned out to be pretty meaningless with regard to the eventual outcome. Please put your brains back in your head...it's very messy when brains explode I am told.

Keith7 · October 7, 2011

Really...didn't take much. I wonder what the record is regarding the significance of game one in a seven game series when it comes to the eventual series winner? Sure, always better to win game one than lose it, but didn't the Rangers lose game one of their five game series with Tampa Bay? Seems to me that game one of that series turned out to be pretty meaningless with regard to the eventual outcome. Please put your brains back in your head...it's very messy when brains explode I am told.

Opening-game winners have a 52-28 record in the series, and 30-18 since the LCS went to best of seven.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101015&content_id=15649452&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

CMJ · October 7, 2011

Almost as absurd as someone calling one game a series. No one in this thread has yet (well, except you) said anything about the UNT game being more important that a complete ACLS "winnable series". I thought we were discussing missing game 1 of a seven game series to support your university as opposed to a professional team. Let's see...7 game series...home field advantage...4 games in Arlington perhaps, but at least two, right?

Actually I think Mean Green Matt did?

KRAM1 · October 7, 2011

wow...

Remind me again...in the Rangers 5 game series with Tampa Bay...who won game one? Who won the series? Game one = meaningless to the eventual outcome of the series. Just sayin...... Seems in a seven game series game one might even be less important to the eventual outcome than in a 5 game series. You want a meaningful game...try game 5 in a five game series...come on Cardinals!

Anyone have any stats on this?

Green Mean · October 7, 2011

Hey the Dallas Stars are playing tonight.

Keith7 · October 7, 2011

Remind me again...in the Rangers 5 game series with Tampa Bay...who won game one? Who won the series? Game one = meaningless to the eventual outcome of the series. Just sayin...... Seems in a seven game series game one might even be less important to the eventual outcome than in a 5 game series. You want a meaningful game...try game 5 in a five game series...come on Cardinals!

Anyone have any stats on this?

Opening-game winners have a 52-28 record in the series, and 30-18 since the LCS went to best of seven.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101015&content_id=15649452&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

CMJ · October 7, 2011

So, the winner of Game 1 takes the series about two thirds of the time. Seems pretty important to me.

In a short series, every game is pretty damn important.

Mean Green Matt · October 7, 2011

Actually I think Mean Green Matt did?

I don't think I did. In fact, I said that if someone had tickets, I would not blame them for going at all.

EDIT: I did make a couple statements about relative importance, but that is my personal scale, and I don't expect it to be shared by everyone. I persoanlly would rather NT win than the Rangers. If both win, that's great.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Mean Green Matt

Keith7 · October 7, 2011

It should be noted that UNT's game is Game 1 of seven remaining Sun Belt games.

CMJ · October 7, 2011

I don't think I did. In fact, I said that if someone had tickets, I would not blame them for going at all.

EDIT: I did make a couple statements about relative importance, but that is my personal scale, and I don't expect it to be shared by everyone. I persoanlly would rather NT win than the Rangers. If both win, that's great.

You actually said

I may be in the minority here, but I would rather the Rangers get swept by the Tigers than lose to FAU tomorrow.

KRAM1 · October 7, 2011

Opening-game winners have a 52-28 record in the series, and 30-18 since the LCS went to best of seven.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101015&content_id=15649452&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

Thanks for the stats. I knew they had to be out there somewhere. Now, what are the stats of a college team opening 1-4 and still making a bowl game if they lose game 6? Hmmmmmm...wonder what the significance of that would be? Meaningless? I think not.

Once more, I get it...it's a personal choice based on one's personal priorities. I am 100% good with that, but don't tell me the UNT game is meaningless and that game 1 of a seven game series is so meangingful just after the Rangers lost game 1 of a 5 game series and won the series. UNT loses this game and it will be most challenging to win 6 to become bowl eligible. Stats anyone?

Edited October 7, 2011 by KRAM1