The State Of Mean Green Basketball: PJ Hardwick To Transfer

Harry · April 11, 2013

The North Texas Mean Green basketball team didn’t have a good year or a good conference tournament, and there is no reason to re-hash that story over and over again. But the momentum has continued to go downward ever since the season ended. Players are leaving left and right from the Mean Green team that had so much promise before last season.

It started with losing in the conference tournament and immediately losing four senior players who contributed at UNT during their careers. Roger Franklin was the heart and soul of the Mean Green team and was the most consistent player all year. Niko Stojiljkovic finished his career with underwhelming numbers but he was a fan favorite that brought an inside outside presence that was a boost off the bench. Jacob Holmen was the only senior to leave that played four years at North Texas and brought versatility and production whether he started or came off the bench. Finally, Justin Patton leaves after just one season at UNT. He brought good defense and production off the bench and scored a career high 16 points, showing he could score with the best of them. If you only lost those guys then you would have been losing a lot of leadership and production from your team, but then there were more.

Read more: http://sportdfw.com/2013/04/10/the-state-of-mean-green-basketball-pj-hardwick-to-transfer/

UNT90 · April 11, 2013

First article to question Bonfire's relationship with the team.

Lower and lower we go.

UNTMike81 · April 11, 2013

Unfortunately this is all on RV and UNT administration above RV probably. This is just a message board I know, but at the beginning of the season most of the wise UNT basketball faithful posted we'd have our worst season in years and our program would be set back at least 10 to 30 plus years if coach Benford wasn't fired after UAH game!!! RV didn't have the guts so were just along for the ride. Only question is will our program be set back as many as 3 decades, or just 1 decade. I pray it's on 10 years...time will tell. Come on Andrew close your go ahead defend Benford!!!

foutsrouts · April 11, 2013

As many have said before, we cannot afford to NOT get rid of this guy. My crystal ball sees only a couple of hundred fans in the stands after the fourth or fifth game next year. Gotta cut off the leg before the infection spreads elsewhere.

CMJ · April 11, 2013

As many have said before, we cannot afford to NOT get rid of this guy. My crystal ball sees only a couple of hundred fans in the stands after the fourth or fifth game next year.

Edited April 11, 2013 by CMJ

greenminer · April 12, 2013

How was attendance during the worst of the Trilli years?

KRAM1 · April 12, 2013

I think we will see good attendance next season...why not? It's UNT basketball and, like the coach or not, it's college basketball and it is OUR team. Players deserve our support.....as do UNT's coaching staffs and support personnel.

Have heard folks say they will not attend another game until "this or that happens" fairly often in my many years of following the Mean green. Interesting that they are then seen at the next home game...or the next after a one game pout.

Those predicting doom and gloom on the attendance front are simply underestimating the the fans and overestimating the number that have some problem with Coach Benford that is enough to keep them from coming to the games.

be careful posting that you will not attend...makes one look a tad childish when they show up for the next game.

Besides..college basketball in the new and re-designed C-USA will be a good and positive experience...new teams (at least some) with new possible rivalries...good stuff...worth the price of admission in my opinion.

CMJ · April 12, 2013

How was attendance during the worst of the Trilli years?

Maybe around 1K a game.

TheTastyGreek · April 12, 2013

Those predicting doom and gloom on the attendance front are simply underestimating the the fans and overestimating the number that have some problem with Coach Benford that is enough to keep them from coming to the games.

February 21st vs. Florida Atlantic. Players are being introduced, maybe 90 seconds before tipoff.

Announced attendance? 2,522. And it looks like 60-75% of them are in the parking lot, on the highway, or invisible.

Last year, a Thursday game against ULM on the 16th of February had an announced of 3,810. And the actual attendance was a lot closer to that figure than this year's FAU game was to it's announced.

I know we're losing at least 6 season tickets in my section alone (not me) because of this season. And I know a lot of people who didn't bother to show up to a lot of games because of the way our season turned out.

TheTastyGreek · April 12, 2013

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Compare and contrast to a Monday night practice/scrimmage in October.

People noticed. People cared. People stopped showing up.

Army of Dad · April 12, 2013

I think we will see good attendance next season...why not? It's UNT basketball and, like the coach or not, it's college basketball and it is OUR team. Players deserve our support.....as do UNT's coaching staffs and support personnel.

Have heard folks say they will not attend another game until "this or that happens" fairly often in my many years of following the Mean green. Interesting that they are then seen at the next home game...or the next after a one game pout.

Those predicting doom and gloom on the attendance front are simply underestimating the the fans and overestimating the number that have some problem with Coach Benford that is enough to keep them from coming to the games.

be careful posting that you will not attend...makes one look a tad childish when they show up for the next game.

Besides..college basketball in the new and re-designed C-USA will be a good and positive experience...new teams (at least some) with new possible rivalries...good stuff...worth the price of admission in my opinion.

Please define good attendance. I think the toilet dropping of a season we just had will lower attendance next season and if the slide continues throughout next season it will continue to get markedly worse. I'm referring to actual butts on seats and not the SMU like counting of official attendance. People in general in this area will follow a winner, but shun a loser. 12-20 is a loser and that will negatively affect attendance.

As for posting about ticket buying or never going to another game there are reasons why I haven't said anything about our family buying season tickets again next year. I will say I am strongly considering not buying them next season. If the AD and the BOR don't care more about putting a good product on the floor why should I choose that entertainment option? Isn't it reasonable to assume that the above scenarios are also being factored by others? We get it, you will be there. I'm happy for you, I really am. I envy that you can still find pleasure and joy in watching this dumpster fire. I can't, and I don't see that changing soon.

In the end, we still haven't decided though it certainly wouldn't hurt if there was a good reason to continue. Right now, there hasn't been any good news to help swing the decision.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Army of Dad

MeanGreenTexan · April 12, 2013

February 21st vs. Florida Atlantic. Players are being introduced, maybe 90 seconds before tipoff.

Announced attendance? 2,522. And it looks like 60-75% of them are in the parking lot, on the highway, or invisible.

Last year, a Thursday game against ULM on the 16th of February had an announced of 3,810. And the actual attendance was a lot closer to that figure than this year's FAU game was to it's announced.

I know we're losing at least 6 season tickets in my section alone (not me) because of this season. And I know a lot of people who didn't bother to show up to a lot of games because of the way our season turned out.

Wow. That's not pretty.

Kram,

I understand your position, and I kinda admire it sometimes, but if you don't think the outcome of this past season will not have a negative effect on attendance, you're crazy.

And it really doesn't matter what most of those lost seats think of Benford, it's the results. People here on GMG.com can nit-pick between the coach or the players, or both, and maybe, maybe some folks on here will bail. But the majority of the lost seats are going to belong to last year's "Curious George" fans, who bought tickets because they heard we were supposed to be really good. Those fans, who are probably more than you care to admit, are the ones who are as good as gone. Not people on a die-hard message board.

UNT90 · April 12, 2013

People noticed. People cared. People stopped showing up.

Too bad none of the people that noticed and cared were top UNT administrators.

They could give a crap less.

KRAM1 · April 12, 2013

Happy that everyone is happy with their own position. Buy...don't buy...your call. Me, I'm there and I'll enjoy supporting the Mean Green.

You make your own call, but until this "what's in it for me, and I'll support you if you win or if you speak to me" attitude changes, UNT will indeed struggle. Your call. Make it and be happy with it...no problem. Lots of options for you and lots of places you can spend your time. It is OK afterall.

We'll see you back when the bandwagon heads your way again. And,those who stayed will be happy to see you back. No problem. UNT needs all the fans we can get...bandwagon or not.

Greendylan · April 12, 2013

I don't think anyone who survived this basketball season (and 8 years of losing football) and is still on here discussing the Mean Green qualifies as a bandwagon fan.

KRAM1 · April 13, 2013

I don't think anyone who survived this basketball season (and 8 years of losing football) and is still on here discussing the Mean Green qualifies as a bandwagon fan.

Eight years? Wow...you are still a rookie...give it another 20 years or so and we'll see how that wagon has rolled for ya! Ha! Really, appreciate the support...hope you understand UNT needs your continued support.

Greendylan · April 13, 2013

Eight years? Wow...you are still a rookie...give it another 20 years or so and we'll see how that wagon has rolled for ya! Ha! Really, appreciate the support...hope you understand UNT needs your continued support.

My point is that by and large the people on this board are not the bandwagon fans with which we should be concerned. Furthermore, I don't think that support and criticism are mutually exclusive concepts. I tend to believe that it is not only acceptable but necessary that true fans vigorously assert their opinions when they see the Mean Green bus being driven off the cliff.

KRAM1 · April 13, 2013

My point is that by and large the people on this board are not the bandwagon fans with which we should be concerned. Furthermore, I don't think that support and criticism are mutually exclusive concepts. I tend to believe that it is not only acceptable but necessary that true fans vigorously assert their opinions when they see the Mean Green bus being driven off the cliff.

I guess that depends on one's definition of bandwagon fans...just because one posts on a message board...even for a number of years...certainly does not make them actual supporters of the program. Heck I know some that don't attend games for one reason or another and who are certainly close enough to do so, and others who want folks to think they are super fans but who do not even buy tickets or give to the Mean Green Club. So, define it as you wish..whatever works for you. All post here and have done so for any number of years. Talking the talk and walking the walk are really two different things.

Bandwagon or not, we need all the fans and supporters we can get, so I have no problem with and wagon fans....unless, of course, they present themselves as the holy grail of UNT fans and live off stuff they did umpteen years ago....or never.

UNT does not have enough rears in the seats to turn its nose up at any "fan". Bandwagon or not...until we can fill Apogee and the Super Pit on a regular basis we really need anyone...and everyone!

UNT90 · April 13, 2013

I guess that depends on one's definition of bandwagon fans...just because one posts on a message board...even for a number of years...certainly does not make them actual supporters of the program. Heck I know some that don't attend games for one reason or another and who are certainly close enough to do so, and others who want folks to think they are super fans but who do not even buy tickets or give to the Mean Green Club. So, define it as you wish..whatever works for you. All post here and have done so for any number of years. Talking the talk and walking the walk are really two different things.
Bandwagon or not, we need all the fans and supporters we can get, so I have no problem with and wagon fans....unless, of course, they present themselves as the holy grail of UNT fans and live off stuff they did umpteen years ago....or never.
UNT does not have enough rears in the seats to turn its nose up at any "fan". Bandwagon or not...until we can fill Apogee and the Super Pit on a regular basis we really need anyone...and everyone!

Bandwagon fans are fans who inly support winning teams. Our football team hasn't won in 8 years, so they don't have any bandwagon fans.

Our basketball team was just getting good and starting to get maybe a few bandwagon fans from the Denton area. Then in one coaching hire it has been pretty much demolished.

Anyone who goes to more than 2 basketball games next year should be considered a hard core fan.

oldguystudent · April 15, 2013

Funny thing about basketball this past season. I virtually never go to basketball games after December 31st regardless of how the team is doing, so no changes there. But this year, I know I went to 3 or 4 games, but I can't remember them. I remember two things, UNT90 yelling from the stands, and Armyofmomanddad yelling at referee Keanu Reeves after Tony Mitchell went down (on top of me, TYVM) with a sprained ankle. I haven't even had a drink in the mean green room for five years, yet something about this basketball program has left me hazy. Repressed memories of traumatic events?

Army of Dad · April 15, 2013

Funny thing about basketball this past season. I virtually never go to basketball games after December 31st regardless of how the team is doing, so no changes there. But this year, I know I went to 3 or 4 games, but I can't remember them. I remember two things, UNT90 yelling from the stands, and Armyofmomanddad yelling at referee Keanu Reeves after Tony Mitchell went down (on top of me, TYVM) with a sprained ankle. I haven't even had a drink in the mean green room for five years, yet something about this basketball program has left me hazy. Repressed memories of traumatic events?

tony was definitely fouled on that dunk