Public Negativity

KRAM1 · December 11, 2012

I am spent some time thinking about tylermeangreen's excellent post and some of the replies that have been both supportive and some not so supportive of his position. And, I think for me it all comes down to this..."it's not always what you say, it's how you say it" that can be the challenge for some folks...myself included. The personal attacks on fellow GMG.Com members, on RV, on players and coaches and on staffers has just gotten to be far far too common on the board. One can disagree and still be professional and "adult" in the way they do the disagreeing.

I have no problem with many of those on here who have completely the opposite views that I have on many things...including politics. I have no problem with them and enjoy reading their posts because they respond in a sensible and professional way...no name calling, no vendetta, none of that garbage. I think it is past time that we all think about this. If the only way you can respond is to make it personal, then maybe you might want to think about why it is you have so much anger and why you have so little ability to express yourself in any other manner.

I think everyone here enjoys the differences of opinion...doubt many of us would post much if everyone else always agreed. That's the point of a message and fan board as some here have pointed out. Traffic on the board is always up when there is a bit of disagreement. But, folks, think just a bit before you post a reply and how you post it.

Playing nice in the sandbox with the other kids does not mean you have to agree...it only means that you should disagree in a professional, public and adult manner.

Just my opinion after giving this thread and the various responses some "thinking time".

emmitt01 · December 11, 2012

Here is the thing that is both ironic (and HILARIOUS) to me.

There is an entire thread devoted to calling out those who are "negative", and it is directed at people who don't simply take pot shots from behind a keyboard but also "put their money where their mouth is" by attending games and paying MGC dues. It's the people who show up and see IN PERSON where we are failing in the revenue sports who are the most vocal ones.

Here's an idea. Let's devote a thread to the thousands who graduate from our school and are never heard from again. Or how about devoting one to those who bash the program from the comfort of a couch they can't be bothered to leave for a game. Where's are the histrionics (because that's what this is) for those who are "negative" by showing up only when they're given tickets, bitch when they have to *gasp* pay money to get better parking at Apogee, or maybe just maybe for those who want us all to pump sunshine and rainbows while they don't make the investment (in time OR money) that many of us do?

Hell, I'm obviously crazy. Feel free to tell me as much at the next basketball or football game I schedule my life around.

MeanGreenTexan · December 11, 2012

I am spent some time thinking about tylermeangreen's excellent post and some of the replies that have been both supportive and some not so supportive of his position. And, I think for me it all comes down to this..."it's not always what you say, it's how you say it" that can be the challenge for some folks...myself included. The personal attacks on fellow GMG.Com members, on RV, on players and coaches and on staffers has just gotten to be far far too common on the board. One can disagree and still be professional and "adult" in the way they do the disagreeing.

I have no problem with many of those on here who have completely the opposite views that I have on many things...including politics. I have no problem with them and enjoy reading their posts because they respond in a sensible and professional way...no name calling, no vendetta, none of that garbage. I think it is past time that we all think about this. If the only way you can respond is to make it personal, then maybe you might want to think about why it is you have so much anger and why you have so little ability to express yourself in any other manner.

I think everyone here enjoys the differences of opinion...doubt many of us would post much if everyone else always agreed. That's the point of a message and fan board as some here have pointed out. Traffic on the board is always up when there is a bit of disagreement. But, folks, think just a bit before you post a reply and how you post it.

Playing nice in the sandbox with the other kids does not mean you have to agree...it only means that you should disagree in a professional, public and adult manner.

Just my opinion after giving this thread and the various responses some "thinking time".

I'm certainly on board with this KRAM. I just don't think this was the sentiment of the topic.

The gist, at least what I got out of it, was to talk up and give kudos for all of the good things going on at UNT (which there are some great things going on here!), while ignoring accountability for the bad things going on at UNT (and there are some bad things going on here). If all Mean Green fans simply wave the pom-poms and buy season tickets, then coach Dodge would probably still be here, and still losing, because there would be no pressure on RV to make any changes.

For instance, I'm sure the guys our football staff are recruiting are great character guys, and there may even be some diamonds in the rough, but overall, if you take a step back, recruiting is not going well. I believe GMG.com is the correct forum to vent that frustration... not AD folks' offices.

I don't even think we need to mention basketball...

Conversely, there are great things happening at UNT athletics. We're moving to a new, better conference! Our soccer ladies won conference! We had several FB players named to the all conference teams! Our game at the super pit on Dec. 20th will have 40+ NBA scouts in attendance! GMG.com is also the correct forum to laud these great things.

untjim1995 · December 11, 2012

Here is the thing that is both ironic (and HILARIOUS) to me.

There is an entire thread devoted to calling out those who are "negative", and it is directed at people who don't simply take pot shots from behind a keyboard but also "put their money where their mouth is" by attending games and paying MGC dues. It's the people who show up and see IN PERSON where we are failing in the revenue sports who are the most vocal ones.

Here's an idea. Let's devote a thread to the thousands who graduate from our school and are never heard from again. Or how about devoting one to those who bash the program from the comfort of a couch they can't be bothered to leave for a game. Where's are the histrionics (because that's what this is) for those who are "negative" by showing up only when they're given tickets, bitch when they have to *gasp* pay money to get better parking at Apogee, or maybe just maybe for those who want us all to pump sunshine and rainbows while they don't make the investment (in time OR money) that many of us do?

Hell, I'm obviously crazy. Feel free to tell me as much at the next basketball or football game I schedule my life around.

This sentence in your post that is bolded got me thinking about this subject. What other school in the country has this same problem of complete and utter apathy of their own school and its teams like we have by a huge amount of our students and alumni? I know that their are lots of alumni and students from other schools that also don't care for athletics, either, but all of the other schools in this region, anyway, with our enrollment and living alumni in the Metroplex, have to be way under on this percentage. The private schools in the region are significantly smaller in size so I get where SMU or TCU or Rice playing in front of 15k isn't as bad as us playing in front of 15k with our numbers. The big metro schools have always drawn better than we have (UTEP and UH) and I am interested to see how UTSA does over the next few years on this front. I have read where we actually voted on ending football back in the early 70s and I know that Fry left here because attendance was never any good even when we were winning and ranked in his tenure. The only school that comes to mind is UTA, since they actually did abandon their poorly-supported program, but no one else comes to mind. I wonder if some of those schools in the MAC are like this, too? I don't know too much about enrollments of any of those schools in MIchigan or Ohio but I suspect they have good sized enrollments as well, but get ignored by the NFL teams in the area and the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc...

It just amazes me that so many who got their degree here or even live nearby (especially Dentonites) just flat-out don't care about UNT in the least, whether they win or lose. I'll try to get some of them to go to games with me and it rarely happens unless we arre playing someone they know about (Baylor, SMU, etc..) I grew up in Ft. Worth and that town really supports TCU, even though its small and it is expensive. Even when they were bad, TCU has always gotten great press from the FWST and strong civic support from the City of FW. I just don't know that Denton will ever support UNT even half this much--and for that, I still will never fully understand. But I do believe that mindset is what permeates thru the faculty and the student body here. It can't just be winning that changes it, since the 70s and the early 00s never saw any huge jump in attendance or support from the dismal 80s, 90s, and later 00s.

MeanMag · December 11, 2012

Of all the negative stuff I hear with my ears, gmg is a ray of sunshine.

kj86 · December 11, 2012

I am spent some time thinking about tylermeangreen's excellent post and some of the replies that have been both supportive and some not so supportive of his position. And, I think for me it all comes down to this..."it's not always what you say, it's how you say it" that can be the challenge for some folks...myself included. The personal attacks on fellow GMG.Com members, on RV, on players and coaches and on staffers has just gotten to be far far too common on the board. One can disagree and still be professional and "adult" in the way they do the disagreeing.

I have no problem with many of those on here who have completely the opposite views that I have on many things...including politics. I have no problem with them and enjoy reading their posts because they respond in a sensible and professional way...no name calling, no vendetta, none of that garbage. I think it is past time that we all think about this. If the only way you can respond is to make it personal, then maybe you might want to think about why it is you have so much anger and why you have so little ability to express yourself in any other manner.

I think everyone here enjoys the differences of opinion...doubt many of us would post much if everyone else always agreed. That's the point of a message and fan board as some here have pointed out. Traffic on the board is always up when there is a bit of disagreement. But, folks, think just a bit before you post a reply and how you post it.

Playing nice in the sandbox with the other kids does not mean you have to agree...it only means that you should disagree in a professional, public and adult manner.

Just my opinion after giving this thread and the various responses some "thinking time".

Excellent post! Not being satisfied with the way things are going and hateful attacks on others are not the same thing. Hard to understand how grown men can say some of the things they do to others, whether in person or hiding behind a keyboard.

MeanGreenTexan · December 11, 2012

This sentence in your post that is bolded got me thinking about this subject. What other school in the country has this same problem of complete and utter apathy of their own school and its teams like we have by a huge amount of our students and alumni? I know that their are lots of alumni and students from other schools that also don't care for athletics, either, but all of the other schools in this region, anyway, with our enrollment and living alumni in the Metroplex, have to be way under on this percentage. The private schools in the region are significantly smaller in size so I get where SMU or TCU or Rice playing in front of 15k isn't as bad as us playing in front of 15k with our numbers. The big metro schools have always drawn better than we have (UTEP and UH) and I am interested to see how UTSA does over the next few years on this front. I have read where we actually voted on ending football back in the early 70s and I know that Fry left here because attendance was never any good even when we were winning and ranked in his tenure. The only school that comes to mind is UTA, since they actually did abandon their poorly-supported program, but no one else comes to mind. I wonder if some of those schools in the MAC are like this, too? I don't know too much about enrollments of any of those schools in MIchigan or Ohio but I suspect they have good sized enrollments as well, but get ignored by the NFL teams in the area and the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc...

It just amazes me that so many who got their degree here or even live nearby (especially Dentonites) just flat-out don't care about UNT in the least, whether they win or lose. I'll try to get some of them to go to games with me and it rarely happens unless we arre playing someone they know about (Baylor, SMU, etc..) I grew up in Ft. Worth and that town really supports TCU, even though its small and it is expensive. Even when they were bad, TCU has always gotten great press from the FWST and strong civic support from the City of FW. I just don't know that Denton will ever support UNT even half this much--and for that, I still will never fully understand. But I do believe that mindset is what permeates thru the faculty and the student body here. It can't just be winning that changes it, since the 70s and the early 00s never saw any huge jump in attendance or support from the dismal 80s, 90s, and later 00s.

IMO,

It's because even while I was there as late as 2005 no one cared about UNT athletics. It was not cool to be excited about UNT athletics. I can only imagine that apathy for UNT sports existed prior to my time there. How far back? Who knows? But all of those students who passed through campus during that time graduated with their degree and never enjoyed UNT sporting events... because it wasnt cool. Those students have no fun memories (as a matter of fact, they probably have detrimental memories) of any games they attended.

What is interesting is that when Dodge got here is about the time that students started getting excited about UNT sports. I don't know if the two are correlated though. But it just seems cooler to be on board with the Mean Green now than it did in 2005.

This season's basketball team was expected to be a historic one. One that could possibly pull some of those apathetic alumni back in becuase, "hey, UNT is actually good at something!"... instead, we're monumentally underachieving.

In football, If UNT were to pull some stunners like ULM did against Alabama or Arkansas the past few years... You'd better believe Apogee would be packed for the remainder of the year because, "hey, UNT beat a big-time team that people have heard of! I'd better go see if they're good! (because I want to be associated with a winner)."

Fear not Mean Green friends! The 'sleeping giant' moniker is VERY apt for our University... but we're currently in a coma and we will be until we beat Georgia next fall. If we don't do that, then we'll have to keep sleeping until we beat the other body bag game scheduled in 2014. If we don't beat that team, then we'll have to keep sleeping until we beat the other body bag game scheduled for 2015, etc... Or, if we're going to go the basketball route, we'll wake up when we win a game or 2 in the NCAA's.

emmitt01 · December 11, 2012

IMO,
It's because even while I was there as late as 2005 no one cared about UNT athletics. It was not cool to be excited about UNT athletics. I can only imagine that apathy for UNT sports existed prior to my time there. How far back? Who knows? But all of those students who passed through campus during that time graduated with their degree and never enjoyed UNT sporting events... because it wasnt cool. Those students have no fun memories (as a matter of fact, they probably have detrimental memories) of any games they attended.
What is interesting is that when Dodge got here is about the time that students started getting excited about UNT sports. I don't know if the two are correlated though. But it just seems cooler to be on board with the Mean Green now than it did in 2005.

This season's basketball team was expected to be a historic one. One that could possibly pull some of those apathetic alumni back in becuase, "hey, UNT is actually good at something!"... instead, we're monumentally underachieving.

In football, If UNT were to pull some stunners like ULM did against Alabama or Arkansas the past few years... You'd better believe Apogee would be packed for the remainder of the year because, "hey, UNT beat a big-time team that people have heard of! I'd better go see if they're good! (because I want to be associated with a winner)."

Fear not Mean Green friends! The 'sleeping giant' moniker is VERY apt for our University... but we're currently in a coma and we will be until we beat Georgia next fall. If we don't do that, then we'll have to keep sleeping until we beat the other body bag game scheduled in 2014. If we don't beat that team, then we'll have to keep sleeping until we beat the other body bag game scheduled for 2015, etc... Or, if we're going to go the basketball route, we'll wake up when we win a game or 2 in the NCAA's.

Not to start the scheduling philosophy argument again...but I truly believe we have the POTENTIAL see a packed Apogee next year even with a loss to Georgia. Win that opener against Idaho, beat Ohio and/or Ball State and put up 5 or so wins against CUSA and you'll see big crowds by season's end. Especially if we're bowl eligible before the last game.

But, again, we know what "potential" really means.

MeanGreenTexan · December 12, 2012

Not to start the scheduling philosophy argument again...but I truly believe we have the POTENTIAL see a packed Apogee next year even with a loss to Georgia. Win that opener against Idaho, beat Ohio and/or Ball State and put up 5 or so wins against CUSA and you'll see big crowds by season's end. Especially if we're bowl eligible before the last game.

But, again, we know what "potential" really means.

Yeah, I think there would be a 'buzz' about UNT. I think wins against Idaho, Ohio and/or Ball St, and some conference wins would certainly bring the students out. I bet it would even bring some sports-interested alumni back, and you're right, that alone would almost fill up the stadium. And IF (big IF) we're bowl eligible next season, that may even pique more interest. But I'm sure there would still be plenty of apathy out there from a large amount of alumni until we knock off a big program.