So tired of the excuses...

NT03 · October 31, 2012

Pssssh... Like Cleveland Browns fans have anything on long suffering UNT fans.

After all, I think I would gladly move the football team to the UNT Dallas campus if it meant a BCS title...

Then again...

I'm a lifelong Cubs fan , UNT has nothing on the cubbies !!

Monkeypox · October 31, 2012

Not to go too far down this rabbit hole, but let me know the next time a team in FBS football goes from #120 to #1 in a year. The second that happens, I'll consider any comparisons to pro football relevant. Until then...

casual fan · October 31, 2012

Who is this "WE" of which you speak?

Well, I was just trying to inject a little satirical humor to point out that there might be a tiny amount of negativity in "OUR" postings. I debated about using "we" rather than "some people" in an attempt to not overly offend anyone by including myself in the term "we."

However, if the shoe fits........... If it doesn't then "WE" isn't talking about "YOU."

Thanks for pointing that out as I strive to stay as politically correct as possible in a world that is so obviously contentious.

casual fan · October 31, 2012

Yeah, on the recruiting and talent evaluation, we will see what happens next year. As of this year, I just don't see much improvement in the far future. I see us as being legitimately VERY good next year as our defense will be older, and our offense a lot stronger, but in the future, I just don't know yet. Prove me wrong, McCarney.

I see a light at the end of the tunnel and this time I don't think its a train.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 31, 2012

Not to go too far down this rabbit hole, but let me know the next time a team in FBS football goes from #120 to #1 in a year. The second that happens, I'll consider any comparisons to pro football relevant. Until then...

1. We weren't close to #120 at the finish of 2010. Probably around #90.

2. It's been two years.

3. Nobody's asking for #1 right now. But being able to remotely compete with the #78 and #88 teams would be nice.

DallasGreen · October 31, 2012

I happen to agree with you...but what I don't agree with is your implied assumption that the coaching staff did not do it's best to have the team ready to play.

So, specifics please...tell me, how does a coach, from your vast experience, insure that the team will be "ready to play". What specifics would you put in place that you assume Coach Mac and Co. Did not try?

From what limited experience I have, I have seen this happen to teams..and some very good teams..from the high school to the pro level and in each and every sport I follow. Seems to me that sometimes teams just come out flat. Sucks, but it happens. Ask any experienced coach and they will tell you this is always a mystery as to why it happened. You seem to imply that you have the answer...so, would love for you to share your secrets so this will never happen to the Mean Green EVER again!

I can just see Coach Mac sitting in that Monday coaches meeting and saying...OK, guys, let' do all we can to make sure the team comes out flat this week. Anyone think that happens?

One observation is instill some measure of FEAR in this team. Make it so tough in the next practice after a game like MUTS that the team is AFRAID to come out flat ever again. I knew a defensive player in the 80's who told me he literally dispised the defensive coordinator, but he played his guts out on every play because he FEARED incurring the wrath of same DC. Usually these are the type coaches that players come back to thank after they are alumni for not having led them down the easy path. In football more than any other sport the losses become easier to take with each consecutive loss and winners become more afraid that they might lose with each consecutive win, i.e., winning begets winning and losing begets losing. I will never accept that in the SBC that the talent level favors one team so much that an "inspired" conference foe can not compete against any other team in the league. This team was neither inspired or confident at MUTS or U of H. MT hit so much harder that it looked like UNT had substituted a middle school to make the trip. It was not just embarassing, it was shameful and humiliating. And don't start telling me about the BB team. I am a Texan by birth of three generations and FB is the ONLY sport that matters in TEXAS.

meangreener · October 31, 2012

One observation is instill some measure of FEAR in this team. Make it so tough in the next practice after a game like MUTS that the team is AFRAID to come out flat ever again. I knew a defensive player in the 80's who told me he literally dispised the defensive coordinator, but he played his guts out on every play because he FEARED incurring the wrath of same DC. Usually these are the type coaches that players come back to thank after they are alumni for not having led them down the easy path. In football more than any other sport the losses become easier to take with each consecutive loss and winners become more afraid that they might lose with each consecutive win, i.e., winning begets winning and losing begets losing. I will never accept that in the SBC that the talent level favors one team so much that an "inspired" conference foe can not compete against any other team in the league. This team was neither inspired or confident at MUTS or U of H. MT hit so much harder that it looked like UNT had substituted a middle school to make the trip. It was not just embarassing, it was shameful and humiliating. And don't start telling me about the BB team. I am a Texan by birth of three generations and FB is the ONLY sport that matters in TEXAS.

I feel like it's Wade Phillips part deux coaching the MG.

CurveItAround · October 31, 2012

1. We weren't close to #120 at the finish of 2010. Probably around #90.
2. It's been two years.
3. Nobody's asking for #1 right now. But being able to remotely compete with the #78 and #88 teams would be nice.

ULL was ~#44 when we beat them. We moved up to the high 70's (#77 I think) after the win. A win over MT would have probably moved us to low 70's/high 60's. The team was riding high, getting calls from friends and family that saw the game on espn, thinking of a bowl game, about to play a team we beat 59-7 last year, they lost their best player, etc... We got this. Step off the bus. Whistle blows. What that what?

I can't imagine that this team had been that confident/overconfident in recent memory as they were coming off the ULL win. Based on the we they shat the bed, I can only guess that the players AND the coaches allowed themselves to lose a little focus. The result? They got their arses handed to them as soon as the whistle sounded. Before they knew what hit them the game was out of reach.

I hope it is a lesson that they don't forget anytime soon. I am confident they won't.

Mean Green 93-98 · October 31, 2012

ULL was ~#44 when we beat them. We moved up to the high 70's (#77 I think) after the win. A win over MT would have probably moved us to low 70's/high 60's. The team was riding high, getting calls from friends and family that saw the game on espn, thinking of a bowl game, about to play a team we beat 59-7 last year, they lost their best player, etc... We got this. Step off the bus. Whistle blows. What that what?

I can't imagine that this team had been that confident/overconfident in recent memory as they were coming off the ULL win. Based on the we they shat the bed, I can only guess that the players AND the coaches allowed themselves to lose a little focus. The result? They got their arses handed to them as soon as the whistle sounded. Before they knew what hit them the game was out of reach.

I hope it is a lesson that they don't forget anytime soon. I am confident they won't.

This team has already had plenty of lessons in humility. If they couldn't learn humility after the beating at Houston, I'm not sure I can share your confidence that they will learn it now.

CurveItAround · November 1, 2012

This team has already had plenty of lessons in humility. If they couldn't learn humility after the beating at Houston, I'm not sure I can share your confidence that they will learn it now.

Ok, got me there. I am HOPEFUL they have learned there lesson about being overconfident going into a game when they have not reason to be.

As far as humility after bad losses, this program has plenty of experience with that.

Monkeypox · November 1, 2012

1. We weren't close to #120 at the finish of 2010. Probably around #90.
2. It's been two years.
3. Nobody's asking for #1 right now. But being able to remotely compete with the #78 and #88 teams would be nice.

That's not my point at all. My point is that you can't blind yourself with hope for next year when you're consistently at the bottom of the barrel. The Cubs and Browns and any other pro team can be the absolute best team the next season, no matter how bad they are. In college football, you know it's a PROCESS to move up. You go into it knowing it takes time. When you see ABSOLUTELY ZERO progress after decades, what exactly are you deluding yourself with? We suck. We've sucked for a long time. The best we can hope for is to suck a little less next year, and a little less the year after that, and a little less... and then eventually, maybe before I die, we'll have a chance to actually make noise nationally.

Pro sports have nothing on college football for prolonged misery. And that was my point. Pro sports is a poor comparison.