We have lots of company..

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

No Texas teams in men's tourney.. Guess they can't say much about us...

[UNT90]

No Texas teams in men's tourney.. Guess they can't say much about us...

Have they ever?

[Legend500]

Hey, the NY Times pointed out that our absence from the tourney was a disappointment - along with the absence of Texas and the Aggies. I'll live in that company any day, even for the wrong reasons.

[untjim1995]

Here's the thing that bothers me the most, but is absolutely par for the course when it comes to UNT athletics. If we had performed up to expectations at the beginning of the year, could you imagine how much love we would get right now from all over the state for being the ONLY team in Texas to be going to the NCAAs, especailly with the potential draft lottery pick, Tony Mitchell? If you even win one game in the tournament, you become a darling in this state. Oh well, dreams are great, but reality often disappoints--in our case, for a suffering fanbase that rarely gets any attention in a state full of Longhorns, Aggies, Red Raiders, etc..., we blew our chance to finally show off one of our ATHLETIC teams to the rest of the state.

Hell, even if had made the NIT, which would have been a disappointment to think about at the beginning of the year, we still would be playing in a tournament with Baylor and SFA...instead, I see where UTA is involved in a postseason tournament today. We have had teams in the apst that easily could've been in the CBI or CIT, but we never agreed to pay to get in. Now, we see UTA doing what SMU has done, pay to get their team a chance to win a few postseason games and maybe garner some more attention. Again, it just seems so typical to see this happen, both on our side of the aisle and the Metroplex's other schoolss.

Edited March 18, 2013 by untjim1995

[cdizzle86]

But we played in the pre-season NIT....

[untjim1995]

But we played in the pre-season NIT....

That worked out great...but, you know, when you have to open up against a team like Alabama-Huntsville on a neutral court, you really cannot expect too much...

[UNT90]

Hell, even if had made the NIT, which would have been a disappointment to think about at the beginning of the year, we still would be playing in a tournament with Baylor and SFA...instead, I see where UTA is involved in a postseason tournament today. We have had teams in the apst that easily could've been in the CBI or CIT, but we never agreed to pay to get in. Now, we see UTA doing what SMU has done, pay to get their team a chance to win a few postseason games and maybe garner some more attention. Again, it just seems so typical to see this happen, both on our side of the aisle and the Metroplex's other schoolss.

Ya. We were too poor to play in the CBI or CIT the last 2 years, but freaking UTA can do it?

Just more proof that the powers that be only want athletic success at UNT if they can get it on their own terms (low cost). There is zero commitment to winning from the BOR or the chamcellor's office at UNT. And we wonder why most alums don't give 2 craps about their alma mater's athletic programs.

Freaking UTA cares more than us. Amazing.

[KRAM1]

Believe the schools actually pay a fee, do they not, to play in those tournaments?

[KRAM1]

Ya. We were too poor to play in the CBI or CIT the last 2 years, but freaking UTA can do it?

Just more proof that the powers that be only want athletic success at UNT if they can get it on their own terms (low cost). There is zero commitment to winning from the BOR or the chamcellor's office at UNT. And we wonder why most alums don't give 2 craps about their alma mater's athletic programs.

Freaking UTA cares more than us. Amazing.

You really are funny! This one deserves to be in the HOF for comics!

[untjim1995]

Ya. We were too poor to play in the CBI or CIT the last 2 years, but freaking UTA can do it?

Just more proof that the powers that be only want athletic success at UNT if they can get it on their own terms (low cost). There is zero commitment to winning from the BOR or the chamcellor's office at UNT. And we wonder why most alums don't give 2 craps about their alma mater's athletic programs.

Freaking UTA cares more than us. Amazing.

So what do we do about this? Do we just accept it and move forward? Do we accept it and move on? How do you make a university care about athletics when they obviously never have and their alums and the citizens around the unviersity make it very clear that they want little-to-no energy or funding to be spent on athletics? You will have the usual suspects saying, "Look we just built a stadium and we are paying more for our coaches than we ever have--what more proof do you need that we care about athletics?" But my answer to that is that we had to build a new stadium or our football program's future--Fouts couldn't function anymore, with all of the generators needed to even get the stadium up and functioning. And even that new stadium doesn't ensure our place at the FBS table in the years ahead. With our hires of McCarney and Benford, we simply paid what the market asks for at the time, so that doesn't really show me that much. You will never convince me that another FBS school that plays football would keep their AD if he had made hires like Todd Dodge, Shanice Stephens, and Tony Benford during his tenure. And even though it makes me frustrated with RV, I still wonder if this is because its really all the BOR will let him do--and the BOR does it because it knows that is what the majority of the administration, faculty, alumni, students, and citizenry of the town want.

In the last few years, we have seen SMU and UTEP buy into conference tournaments. We are now watching freaking UTA do the same thing. Is there any doubt that Rice or UH would do the same thing? Why do those schools care about athletic spending, even in the sport that isn't the number one money maker to the AD, but we don't? Seriously, how can anyone expect for our programs to even compete with CUSA teams if we don't have (or much worse, won't spend) more money on athletics? If we can't--or won't--spend enough to compete with the CUSA schools, at the bare minimum, there is no way you can expect for your teams to do anything positive, record-wise. If all we want is to just spend on education, music, arts, and other ventures, that's fine. But tell us that--and get our teams in a conference that we can compete with. I think it is beyond embarrasing that a university of our size doesn't want to be the best they could be in athletics, but they make the decisions. It embarrassed me that we felt that the SBC was a solid barometer of who we could compete with, even though we are as big as we are. It would embarrass me if we had to play against Southland-type schools again, in part because our leadership funded the program that way, but at least it would tell the few fans around here that still do care that we have decided to play in a league with other schools that fund their program at a similar fashion. Right now, we are telling our fanbase that we are moving up in conference affiliation by going to CUSA. But our approach to athletics is telling us all that we our setting ourselves up for more poor performances on the football field and on the basketball court because we can't--or won't--support athletics like ALL of the other Texas schools do. Sadly, that list now includes a basketball-only school in the middle of the Metroplex, UTA. I realize that is their main $$$ sport, but seriously, if we cannot afford to support our basketball program at a similar level as freakin' UTA, why bother having a program here? Just be the best music and arts school in the country if that's what you want. But just tell us...for me, I'm giving this place 5 years to get this right. If this place doesn't care about sports, which means so much to me, then I need to give my fandom to other ventures that want it. It amazes me that there are some folks out there who have put up with this lack of support for athletics for 30 or more years. I've given this place 22+ years of following it, as a student and as an alum. If we don't see major changes in performance AND funding, there is just no way I can stick with this.

Edited March 18, 2013 by untjim1995

[untjim1995]

Believe the schools actually pay a fee, do they not, to play in those tournaments?

Exactly...UTEP and SMU paid those fees. Now UTA is paying it. And we couldn't or wouldn't.

[KRAM1]

Exactly...UTEP and SMU paid those fees. Now UTA is paying it. And we couldn't or wouldn't.

Looks like LSU "couldn't or wouldn't" either. For me, this "pay to play" is not a sign of winning anything. To me it is more a sign of desperation..."we are not good enough to or did not play well enough to be invited anywhere, but we'll just pay to play and that will look better". Sort of like the guy who donates $1,000,000 to some charity and then BINGO they guy is celebrated by the charity as "father of the Year" or some other such nonsense...never mind the fact that he beats his wife and ignores his kids.

But, if it makes folks feel better to "buy into" a tournament to save face...great...got the cash to waste...go for it! For me, I hope I never see UNT in a "buy in" post-season tournament in any sport. I want UNT to win their way in or stay home and use the resources to try to improve the team in question. But, that's just my opinion...understand others think differently.

[UNT90]

Looks like LSU "couldn't or wouldn't" either. For me, this "pay to play" is not a sign of winning anything. To me it is more a sign of desperation..."we are not good enough to or did not play well enough to be invited anywhere, but we'll just pay to play and that will look better". Sort of like the guy who donates $1,000,000 to some charity and then BINGO they guy is celebrated by the charity as "father of the Year" or some other such nonsense...never mind the fact that he beats his wife and ignores his kids.

But, if it makes folks feel better to "buy into" a tournament to save face...great...got the cash to waste...go for it! For me, I hope I never see UNT in a "buy in" post-season tournament in any sport. I want UNT to win their way in or stay home and use the resources to try to improve the team in question. But, that's just my opinion...understand others think differently.

You do t get it.

Buying into these tournaments gives your team extra practice time and extra game experience. It would also show your fan base that you give a crap about athletics and your athletes.

Sad thing is that if things remain on there current path, you might be talking to yourself on this forum before long.

If they don't care, why should I.

[UNTLifer]

You don't get it. Nobody gives two shits about those two tournaments. Might I suggest you jump on the UNT bandwagon? UTA90 has a nice ring to it.

You do t get it.

Buying into these tournaments gives your team extra practice time and extra game experience. It would also show your fan base that you give a crap about athletics and your athletes.

Sad thing is that if things remain on there current path, you might be talking to yourself on this forum before long.

If they don't care, why should I.

Edited March 18, 2013 by UNTLifer

[UNT90]

You don't get it. Nobody gives two shits about those two tournaments. Might I suggest you jump on the UNT bandwagon? UTA90 has a nice ring to it.

I really ought to. I mean, why not run off a fairly recent MGC member. You don't need them,right? You can go back to enjoying UNTs losing ways like you have for the better part of 30 years without having to read my crap, right?

Don't expect anything, just accept losing, right?

Keep the club small, right?

[Greendylan]

Back to the original point of this thread: no teams in Texas. Do I even need to explain the difference between us and all the usual suspects? Next year there will be two or three ranked Texas teams and four or five tournament teams, and we won't be one of them.

[untjim1995]

You don't get it. Nobody gives two shits about those two tournaments. Might I suggest you jump on the UNT bandwagon? UTA90 has a nice ring to it.

If nobody cares about them, why would anyone pay to get into them? Why would the media even mention them, because they do, even if it is in a small way.

You make it seem like we are the smartest school in the state by NOT doing what everyone else has done. Even UH is in the CIT and gets to play UT at home. In Houston, that will get covered. That's UTEP, SMU, UH, and UTA that have decided it was worth it to their programs to gain a spot in one of those two tournaments. But, not us, by golly--we are the prudent ones!! All of those schools should learn from us!!

[cdizzle86]

I really ought to. I mean, why not run off a fairly recent MGC member. You don't need them,right? You can go back to enjoying UNTs losing ways like you have for the better part of 30 years without having to read my crap, right?

Don't expect anything, just accept losing, right?

Keep the club small, right?

I usually agree with you, but I, for one, am glad this season is over. I cannot stand to watch this years team anymore.

[untjim1995]

I usually agree with you, but I, for one, am glad this season is over. I cannot stand to watch this years team anymore.

I agree with you about this year's team, for sure. But we are talking about the teams from the previous 5-6 years that didn't make the NCAAs, but were still very good teams for these other tournaments.

[forevereagle]

If nobody cares about them, why would anyone pay to get into them? Why would the media even mention them, because they do, even if it is in a small way.

If people do care, who won the CBI and CIT last year without using Google (or any other search engine)?

Edited March 18, 2013 by forevereagle

[GrandGreen]

Exactly...UTEP and SMU paid those fees. Now UTA is paying it. And we couldn't or wouldn't.

They do have some standards, why does anyone think they would take a team with NT's record.

The craziest thing in the world, IMO would be to pay one dime for this NT team to play another game.

I can't believe anyone thinks this team is good enough to warrant another chance this year. This season did not end soon enough, and some want to add more loses to it.

[NT1978]

But we played in were invited to the pre-season NIT....

fixed

[UNT90]

They do have some standards, why does anyone think they would take a team with NT's record.

The craziest thing in the world, IMO would be to pay one dime for this NT team to play another game.

I can't believe anyone thinks this team is good enough to warrant another chance this year. This season did not end soon enough, and some want to add more loses to it.

It's about previous teams that we did want to see continue.

It's about commitment (or lack there of) to your athletic programs.

It's about doing everything possible to show future recruits you care about winning.

It's about a lot of things we don't do.

Edited March 18, 2013 by UNT90

[untjim1995]

They do have some standards, why does anyone think they would take a team with NT's record.

The craziest thing in the world, IMO would be to pay one dime for this NT team to play another game.

I can't believe anyone thinks this team is good enough to warrant another chance this year. This season did not end soon enough, and some want to add more loses to it.

We are talking about previous teams under JJ. No one wants to see a Benford team play again...for some of us, that means forever.

Edited March 18, 2013 by untjim1995

[Green P1]

If people do care, who won the CBI and CIT last year without using Google (or any other search engine)?

By that logic... we need to get rid of a lot more that the CBI or CIT.