UNT 2012 Hall of Fame Class Announced

[Harry]

DENTON (9/4/12) -The University of North Texas has announced its 2012 Athletic Hall of Fame class. Among the group of five former Mean Green greats is two of the best defensive lineman in school history, a running back great, and a track and field star. Walter Chapman (football), Brandon Kennedy (football), Ron Linscomb (track and field), C. Dan Smith (football) and Jamario Thomas (football) make up the class of 2012 and give the North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame 171 members.

The school's 30th all-time class will be inducted in the spring of 2013 in conjuction with the North Texas spring football game at Apogee Stadium. The North Texas Athletic Hall of Fame will also recognize and honor the 2002 football team that won the Sun Belt Conference title and the 2002 New Orleans Bowl.

Once called "a 5-foot-10, 240-pound stick of dynamite" by Texas Football magazine, Chapman was a quick, powerful defensive nose tackle who was a four-year starter for the Mean Green before, ultimately, earning All-America honors. Chapman was named the Missouri Valley Conferences freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 1973 and first team All-MVC as a sophomore in 1974.

Read more: http://www.meangreen...TCLID=205679120

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[Harry]

Vito's thoughts

[BIG DAWG]

Where in the hell is Scott Hall??? He was WAYYYY more influential than J-Mo, regardless of Hall being the QB when our defense was great! Lets be serious here...I know I will take flack for this, but J-Mo had one real good year. I know injuries played a part in his career, but HOF???

Scott Hall HAS to be in this group...It is getting to a point of ridulousness!

First time I have truly been disappointed in the athletic dept. I have been frustrated before, but this is that disappointment that hurts worse than that whippin' your dad didn't give you, he just told you, "I'm dissapointed in you."

[tylermeangreen]

Vito's thoughts

For us old-timers Walter Chapman's induction into the UNT Athletic Hall of Fame was very slow in occurring.

He was the epitome of the Hayden Fry model for a nose tackle in the John LaGrone (SMU) tradition.

I have lots of great memories of Chapman's heroics in the early-to-mid-70s.

Congratulations Walter - You, sir, were one helluva player.

[CMJ]

I'm surprised that it was so football dominated.

[UNTLifer]

The school's 30th all-time class will be inducted in the spring of 2013 in conjuction with the North Texas spring football game at Apogee Stadium

Really?

[drex]

Finally, Walter gets his just deserts. So sad that he will not be there for the induction...this was way too long coming.

[jdennis82]

J-Mo's inclusion is bunk

[CMJ]

J-Mo's inclusion is bunk

He is the 3rd all time leading rusher at NT isn't he? Hard to say it's that bad.

[Harry]

Really pleased to see Brandon Kennedy on that list. Chapman was a guy before my time but I know that many members on here whose opinion I respect rave about him so good deal. Really like the C Dan Smith pick -- guy has been instrumental in getting us through some dark, dark days. Jamario - what can you say - his freshman season was amazing and he truly was one of the most talented running backs I have ever seen.

Disappointed about Scott Hall but I don't want to rain on these other guys - all very deserving selections in my opinion.

[GrandGreen]

Great, Chapman was recognized, late but much appreciated by this fan. He IMO was overall a better player than Brandon Kennedy and the best player to play for Fry.

I will be lost not getting to go into my annual rant about why he was excluded.

Edited September 4, 2012 by GrandGreen

[GrandGreen]

J-Mo's inclusion is bunk

Why? He had the best season as a running back that any NT player has ever had. If he had his freshmen year performance in his senior year instead of his first, he would be seen by many as the best rb ever at NT. Disappointment that he didn't follow up his freshmen with similar seasons is no reason to not recognize the greatness of his rookie year and a very solid career.

[MeanGreenTexan]

There's gonna be a Booger on the wall in the HOF.

As for the exclusion of Hall, we can't just put them all in at once. He's a lock for next season. You have to spread them out a little so that you have great players to put in each year.

[Harry]

I don't know if you guys remember but when Jamario ran that touchdown against Colorado in his very first game -- that had to be one of the biggest highlights the program has ever seen.

[oldguystudent]

No Josh White? To the Twitter!

[Marty]

Great, Chapman was recognized, late but much appreciated by this fan. He IMO was overall a better player than Brandon Kennedy and the best player to play for Fry.

I will be lost not getting to go into my annual rant about why he was excluded.

Chapman was a great player! He was one that other teams had to gameplan for. I remember sitting near Walter's mother listening to her yell encouragement to her "baby", all 260 pounds of him!

[Cooley]

Walter Chapman was well overdue and better than Brandon Kennedy (for they guys who did not see Chapman play) Scott Hall is not HOF worthy and certainly should not be mentioned in the same breath of Steve Ramsey, Ken Washington or Jordan Case.

I agree that Jarmario declined quite a bit after his freshman year and shouldn't have made the list.

[CMJ]

As I said, Thomas made it in because he's UNT's third all-time leading rusher. Whatever the path he took to get those yards - he got them.

[Harry]

Scott Hall is not HOF worthy

[SilverEagle]

Walter Chapman was well overdue and better than Brandon Kennedy (for they guys who did not see Chapman play) Scott Hall is not HOF worthy and certainly should not be mentioned in the same breath of Steve Ramsey, Ken Washington or Jordan Case.

I agree that Jarmario declined quite a bit after his freshman year and shouldn't have made the list.

Are you kidding me? I've watched every one of the QB's that you mentioned and Scott Hall (when he was healthy...and often when he was not) was the equal of all of them and significantly better than Ken Washington.........who was waaaaaayy over-rated. In fact, Ken Washington should not be mentioned in the same breath with the likes of Steve Ramsey, Jordan Case/Scott Hall (they are both exactly alike), Scott Davis, Mitch Maher. And last, but certainly not least, he should never be mentioned in the same breath as Joe Stevenson.

[SilverEagle]

There's gonna be a Booger on the wall in the HOF.

As for the exclusion of Hall, we can't just put them all in at once. He's a lock for next season. You have to spread them out a little so that you have great players to put in each year.

Then why not let Jamario wait an extra year or so?

[MeanGreenTexan]

Then why not let Jamario wait an extra year or so?

Good question. I dunno, but I'm not too bummed. He's certainly not the headliner of this class. Hall would be, so maybe the AD is trying to put Booger & Hall in different classes.

[Ibleedgreen]

Jamario is an excellent choice. His hamstring injuries kept him from fulfilling his potential, but he had a good senior season. He is most worthy of the HOF.

[UNT90]

Jamario is an excellent choice. His hamstring injuries kept him from fulfilling his potential, but he had a good senior season. He is most worthy of the HOF.

While playing for Todd Dodge.

Just when he is finally healthy...