Razorback Fans Get Response From Coach Bielema.

[FirefightnRick]

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=418842

After making HEADLINES for closing most of the team's Spring practices, Head Razorback Football Coach Bret Bielema announced today that Saturday's football practice inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will be open to the public.

For there to be enough pressure back in the spring that it made the news,..and then for the coach to respond, says quite a bit as to how important practices are to some fanbases.

And as for their Fall practices, they had open practices last year,..http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/85710/arkansas-camp-datestimes-set-practices-open-to-razorback-fans,...and and have done so since '07. But this year their site says their first week is closed, as to hint that they will reopen later.

Rick

Edited August 7, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[UNTFan23]

[forevereagle]

[UNTcrazy727]

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=418842

For there to be enough pressure back in the spring that it made the news,..and then for the coach to respond, says quite a bit as to how important practices are to some fanbases.

And as for their Fall practices, they had open practices last year,..http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/85710/arkansas-camp-datestimes-set-practices-open-to-razorback-fans,...and and have done so since '07. But this year their site says their first week is closed, as to hint that they will reopen later.

Rick

You really need a new hobby

[GoMeanGreen1999]

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=418842

For there to be enough pressure back in the spring that it made the news,..and then for the coach to respond, says quite a bit as to how important practices are to some fanbases.

And as for their Fall practices, they had open practices last year,..http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/85710/arkansas-camp-datestimes-set-practices-open-to-razorback-fans,...and and have done so since '07. But this year their site says their first week is closed, as to hint that they will reopen later.

Rick

I suspect he will open practices once the season gets closer. Everyone wants to go with him being in his first year. But two completely different programs, run completely different from the top to the bottom. People around here act like it's no big deal to have closed practices and it's probably not except for a handful of people. Up there it is 1000's of people who want to go. But again up there you don't have merchandise issues, ect.

Edited August 7, 2013 by GoMeanGreen1999

[oldguystudent]

I have zero interest in ever going to a practice. Ever. None. Severe disinterest might be a better description of how I feel about watching a practice.

Just like digestive expulsion orifices, of which everybody has one, but nobody particular needs to be shown, this is but one man's opinion.

[KRAM1]

Anyone who cares...feel free to head to Fayetteville and watch practice.

[FirefightnRick]

I suspect he will open practices once the season gets closer. Everyone wants to go with him being in his first year. But two completely different programs, run completely different from the top to the bottom. People around here act like it's no big deal to have closed practices and it's probably not except for a handful of people. Up there it is 1000's of people who want to go. But again up there you don't have merchandise issues, ect.

How could we ever know if just a handful show up when we have never promoted this as an annual thing to do to all of our fanbase?

Still, you gotta love the Razorback fans for their passion and their department responding like that.

Rick

Edited August 7, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[UNTFan23]

How could we ever know if just a handful show up when we have never promoted this as an annual thing to do to all of our fanbase?

Still, you gotta love the Razorback fans for their passion and their department responding like that.

Rick

Is that what the Kick-off Cookout on August 17th is for -- a Meet and Greet with the coaching staff and some of the players?

[KRAM1]

Is that what the Kick-off Cookout on August 17th is for -- a Meet and Greet with the coaching staff and some of the players?

YEP. Let's see who shows up. Hopefully a BIG crowd. Always enjoy these events and get to see some new Mean green fans every time.

[FirefightnRick]

Is that what the Kick-off Cookout on August 17th is for -- a Meet and Greet with the coaching staff and some of the players?

.

No. I'm referencing in bold above a promoted, annual practice or scrimmage. The kick off meet and and greet is not a practice. Remember, when we started that, cooking for the team, it followed a morning practice. Now that the AD Dept does it there is no practice for all fans to watch, just the greet and meet.

And there's no more practice blogging either that was basically the fan's last chance we had to keep up with practice. Now we are down to reading Vito's blog, and bless his heart, he does his best but even he's treated as a leper half the time, so that's minimal at best.

Rick

Edited August 7, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[PlummMeanGreen]

4 to 6 instead of 6 to 8 (when the temp. sorta' starts going down on a Texas August thermometer)?

Try for times when the most people can come out and so UNT doesn't have its first heat stroke victim in Apogee Stadium?

Today's Class Assignment: Go outside even today between 4 and 6 and you will find out that it is the hottest time of most any day in August.

Now maybe they had valid reasons to schedule this event from 4 to 6. Also, there is a shade in the very sections of West Apogee that they may need to sale many more season tickets, too. Heck, I may even buy an additional S.T. myself. So maybe its the "shade effect" going on here?

Oh well...even with the recently announced open to the public practices they seem to be more sensitive to the very public that is going to make or break this program no matter what the W/L records are. Anyone else ever think if North Texas had had the kind of football program East Carolina did for the last 30 years that it could be the Mean Green in the Big 12 instead of TCU? ECU's big time attendance figures during the last 2 to 3 decades comes to mind and last time I observed....its large numbers of people (as in fans?) which made that happen in Greenville, NC. So (perhaps) cater to the regulars, those coming back and then all the "would be" Mean Green fans as much as you possibly can especially when wins have been so few of late?

GMG!

Edited August 7, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[forevereagle]

How will we live without being able to watch the team run drills that tell us nothing about how they will perform during a game?

[UNTFan23]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d29VsG35DQM

[FirefightnRick]

How will we live without being able to watch the team run drills that tell us nothing about how they will perform during a game?

Ask Iowa, Florida, Bama and Tennessee fans? There must be something to it? ..(I know the answer btw)... Many go see their scrimmages too. Your telling me you wouldn't go to an open scrimmage in Apogee?

Rick

Edited August 7, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[PlummMeanGreen]

Ask Iowa, Florida, Bama and Tennessee fans? There must be something to it? ..(I know the answer btw)... Many go see their scrimmages too. Your telling me you wouldn't go to an open scrimmage in Apogee?

Rick

Actually, I've met many on this very message board from such open to the public practices over at Fouts and before Harry's Mean Green was established and then went viral.

As a UNT student, Coach Fry's teams practiced near the Fouts Field practice fields and I would go to many of those. Coach Fry didn't seem concerned with hiding some of his famous Fry's exotic plays, either. During a UT game week he would tend to close practices, though.

With open to the public practices there are more good things that can happen than bad....IMHO.

GMG!

Edited August 7, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[UNTFan23]

[KRAM1]

4 to 6 instead of 6 to 8 (when the temp. sorta' starts going down on a Texas August thermometer)?

Try for times when the most people can come out and so UNT doesn't have its first heat stroke victim in Apogee Stadium?

Today's Class Assignment: Go outside even today between 4 and 6 and you will find out that it is the hottest time of most any day in August.

Now maybe they had valid reasons to schedule this event from 4 to 6. Also, there is a shade in the very sections of West Apogee that they may need to sale many more season tickets, too. Heck, I may even buy an additional S.T. myself. So maybe its the "shade effect" going on here?

Oh well...even with the recently announced open to the public practices they seem to be more sensitive to the very public that is going to make or break this program no matter what the W/L records are. Anyone else ever think if North Texas had had the kind of football program East Carolina did for the last 30 years that it could be the Mean Green in the Big 12 instead of TCU? ECU's big time attendance figures during the last 2 to 3 decades comes to mind and last time I observed....its large numbers of people (as in fans?) which made that happen in Greenville, NC. So (perhaps) cater to the regulars, those coming back and then all the "would be" Mean Green fans as much as you possibly can especially when wins have been so few of late?

GMG!

Plumm...I hear you, but did you go outside at 6pm? Still plenty darn hot...I was out in it...seemed just like it did at 4pm to me. And, I guess you haven't made it to the event recently as it is not outside...it is in the main concourse of Apogee and there has been a nice breeze blowing through the last couple of years that cooled it down quite a bit. Here's hoping that we have a breeze this year...and it is a Saturday, so most wanting to attend who are in town will be able to attend. Not too ate for the kids even. And still early enough for those folks with later evening events to attend in the metroplex.

Like most things...no matter what time or what day there will be some that see it as inconvenient and others that love it. You simply cannot please everyone...especially those who are never happy about anything, and there are certainly those type of folks in every situation. You and I both know people like this. It is foolish ever trying to please them as you never can. And, they are usually in the minority anyway. I have, and I am sure you gave, have had to either re-arrange a schedule in order to be able to attend an event...or we ave simply had to miss the event. Happens to all of us.

Here's hoping lots of people can and do attend. I, for one, go to support the student-athletes, Cheer Squad, Dance Squad, Band, etc. who are there and to meet and greet with other Mean Green fans and to meet new ones. I am lucky enough to be able to attend this year...has not been the case at times in the past. Hope to see you there, but I guess you might be playing a gig as it is a Saturday.

[forevereagle]

Ask Iowa, Florida, Bama and Tennessee fans? There must be something to it? ..(I know the answer btw)... Many go see their scrimmages too. Your telling me you wouldn't go to an open scrimmage in Apogee?

Rick

Probably not. What am I going to see there? Scrimmages tell coaches things, they tell me very little. On top of that, I have a young child and I don't consider practice to be more important than spending time with my family.

If there were lots of people asking for this, it would be different. The reality of the situation is that you appear to be the only person with a truly strong opinion about this. You know what I want more than watching practice? Wins. If closing practice is how the coaching staff and AD feel will best achieve this, then by all means, close practice. I'm sorry that this situation doesn't make you feel special, maybe get a hug and move on.

[JesseMartin]

I haven't bothered commenting about the open practice issue because even if I were in town and able to come (which I probably would a couple of times just so my boys could check it out), overall I just don't care enough to fight about what should be the coach's decision if he feels it's best for the team and the school.

But what I think has been missed in the multiple discussions is that big-name coaches at big-boy schools (even those coming off a rough season) can have the confidence to just let anybody who wants to see what's going on at practices do so.

If we're hoping for a breakthrough season, a lot of that will depend on whether Mac's redshirts and under-the-radar players end up being worth the gamble and the extra training time. If he thinks we might get even the slightest edge by not broadcasting which player is good at any given thing and who will definitely be one to watch (prognosticators be damned), then I'm all for keeping practices closed. If we do turn the corner and return to the glory days a la Hayden Fry and Joe Greene and even Booger Kennedy, and get back on a consistent roll as a winning team contending for conference championships and national rankings, then I can see us able to have that level of confidence.

For now, it really does seem like DMc is playing things close to the vest and doesn't want to broadcast what he's got, which we all hope turns out to be a damn good hand. We're not at the point where we can be cocky about what we've got, and if this helps get us there, then I'm all for it. Don't show your cards until you've won a few hands, then once you're getting the occasional seat at the bog boys' table you can be confident enough to go ahead and open things up a bit more.

Though it's important to grow our fanbase, winning will help much more than open practices. Once one becomes more regular, the other will likely follow.

[FirefightnRick]

Probably not. What am I going to see there? Scrimmages tell coaches things, they tell me very little. On top of that, I have a young child and I don't consider practice to be more important than spending time with my family.

If there were lots of people asking for this, it would be different. The reality of the situation is that you appear to be the only person with a truly strong opinqion about this. You know what I want more than watching practice? Wins. If closing practice is how the coaching staff and AD feel will best achieve this, then by all means, close practice. I'm sorry that this situation doesn't make you feel special, maybe get a hug and move on.

.

.

Look, I hate coming off as the @sshole here with this subject, but when someone tells me I'm wrong I'm gonna keep proving I'm right. That's all this is. I know it looks like UNTFan23 and 97and03 are on my $hit list but they aren't and anyone who knows me knows I'd do anything for those guys at the drop of a hat. 23's from a great fan base family. I've known them for a while now and enjoy seeing them each season. We are all just board Fight'n. Nothing more.

Allow me to explain a bit.

.A scrimmage may not tell you anything. But to those of us who played or follow it religiously it can tell us a lot. It gives the loyal fan an up close personal oportunity to see the depth charts forming and see the battles for starting positions erupt,.. It allows them to see and hear the coaches and their styles they use and better understand what the coaches are trying to get across to the players and what they expect of them. It gives the fan a chance to truly gain a relationship with the team they otherwise would never have that can grow to the point where, even during down times they continue coming back because they want to see the guys who earned their starts at the first of the year in August finish out the season in December. See any of the countless programs I have linked to...or better yet, every one of the 32 NFL teams as examples to the value they see in preseason fan inclusion. If they saw no gain or value in it, they wouldn't do it.

Heck, in 2000, several of us fell in love with what we were seeing during camp and I and a few here were just a few fans out of only about 700-900 people see our 2-8 team finish the season out with a win against NMSU at Fouts that year. Then the next year while we were 1-5, many of the same group of us on gmg.com loyally drove our numb-asses 12 hours to Las Cruces to witness the "Miracle in the Desert" game, and it was the game of a lifetime.......then we followed that team eventually all the way to N.O. And for many, we will never forget how we witnessed first hand the start and growth of that sweet Championship in the camps of '98, '99, '00 and '01.

Since at least dating back to the Corky Nelson years we used to see at least one practice or scrimmage each fall. As best I can recall, Dodge was the first to close practices to where the fans were kept at arms length. Coach Mac has now taken it a step further

And dont get me wrong, I'm with you, if it takes shutting the fans out to win, then by all means, shut them out. But if your going to shut the fans out then as a coach, you had better win. Or in the least,... don't go around at the caravans with a scolding tone claiming your doing all you can...but the fan base isn't...simply because no one showed up to see Lance Dunbar run over Middle Tennessee. And as an athletic department, if your going to shut the fans out don't go telling the few people who do show up to events "Thanks for showing up, and no disrespect, but we're tired of seeing the same ol' faces around here". .

It should be clear as day by now that we are hurting for fan support. And yes, wins will cure a lot of ills. Yet when I hear about our AD dept scolding students for successfully pulling off independent athletic event promotions simply because the AD dept wasn't included beforehand, then its crystal to me we have more than a losing football problem. When we cant even sell out our opening debut to our new stadium against U of H with a new coach with skins on the wall...., we have a problem. When loyal alumni like Emmit try to help with a suggestion for a promotional idea and is greeted with..."No Thanks,...first home games are Self Promoters"... and it doesnt even come close to selling out...we have a problem. When the Mean Green Club list attendance to a closed practice as a perk for a $1000 donation and it takes over a year and a half to pull off,....and when it does happen its not even a true practice...we have a problem.

I know our history of this. It's a long history and I simply believe we can do much better selling our program. And considering our history of less than stellar promotions I'm reminded in ways we can improve an area of need every time I read about another program reaching out to its fan base with open practice inclusion. And then I'll post it here as an example,...hoping by some miracle that someone notices it and makes a change, as it eventually did with Dodge. Then, as always after I point this out, someone tells me I'm wrong because even though they wouldn't go to a practice themself...(and probably has never been to a practice),... they are somehow CERTAIN there is no value in it.

That's where I'm coming from.

So it's a vicious, repetitive cycle each year and 'Im sorry it torque's some folks the wrong way. But until we're selling out The Nest every other Saturday I'm going to continue to suggest we turn over every stone and try everything we can to improve.

Rick

Edited August 9, 2013 by FirefightnRick

[JesseMartin]

If it becomes an annual standard, I'll protest with you. But again, if this is our year to surprise other teams, it's hard to do that if they know what's coming. Better to be underestimated. From a fan standpoint, you're totally right. But from an overall program standpoint, if we can score a few more TDs and notch a couple more Ws, it's better to be underrated so that they don't know what hit 'em. Like I mentioned in another thread, I'm normally down for even crazier ideas than you and Emmitt and everybody else if it will give us an extra push for attendance and support, but in this instance if Dan's being cautious about what he lets people see, I'm not going to argue with him over it. I think this was part of the plan all along...and if I'm right, it will work out quite well for us. If not, then open the practices next year, all year, and get a couple more donors hooked on the Mean Green addiction along with giving the steady stream of fan opportunities for the faithful.

[PlummMeanGreen]

If it becomes an annual standard, I'll protest with you. But again, if this is our year to surprise other teams, it's hard to do that if they know what's coming. Better to be underestimated. From a fan standpoint, you're totally right. But from an overall program standpoint, if we can score a few more TDs and notch a couple more Ws, it's better to be underrated so that they don't know what hit 'em. Like I mentioned in another thread, I'm normally down for even crazier ideas than you and Emmitt and everybody else if it will give us an extra push for attendance and support, but in this instance if Dan's being cautious about what he lets people see, I'm not going to argue with him over it. I think this was part of the plan all along...and if I'm right, it will work out quite well for us. If not, then open the practices next year, all year, and get a couple more donors hooked on the Mean Green addiction along with giving the steady stream of fan opportunities for the faithful.

Its an opinion board and I've never been shy to offer one even when it sometimes made me a temporary whipping post or worse straining prior friendships, but if we don't cater to those who are needed to fill Apogee Stadium then just who is getting catered to and moreso.....why? In any industry, if one has an inflated ego of self worth, then that one needs to also have a long list of accomplishments to back up that ego and in college athletics the main accomplishment of winning is at the top of the list. Not just at North Texas, but in the sports business there is never a shortage of egos. I defer to Dallas Cowboy's "General Manager" Jerry Jones for starters. Sometimes egos even get in the way of eventual success. Some sports scribes believe that ego thing fits Jerry Jones to the tee.

We've all been in jobs that require good to excellent customer service skills and without that basic trait, you are not going to have many customers and worse, you are not going to have repeat customers (which is what UNT must have to succeed)

Almost Made Me Blush:

I went up to UNT a couple weeks ago with a Mean Green friend, met a few others at the Apogee Ticket Office, rejoined the Mean Green Club along with a purchase of season tickets then we all went to the Ranchmen's Steakhouse in Ponder for lunch. The first thing I noticed once inside the Apogee Ticket Office was how so darn nice and accommodating A.J. and the other tickets dept. employees were; in fact, the attention they gave my fellow alums and me almost made me, uh, blush?

Then.....in a light rain, A.J. of the Ticket Office in full 3 piece business suit didn't flinch or worry about getting wet and took me outside to show me first hand some great seats for my giving level. When you are made to feel important even though your not a million dollar contributor (this alum still waiting to win the lottery) then you start feeling good about being all things Mean Green again no matter previous season's records and for me, a cause I've believed in since 1973.

GMG!

Edited August 9, 2013 by PlummMeanGreen

[MeanGreenTexan]

In the end, this is Coach McCarney's decision. It's not Rick's decision.

I know alot of people dislike Rick *EDIT: Villareal*, but this is not something he needs to be stepping in. Got a problem with open/closed practices, take it up with McCarney. But you're going to be in a minority because only a few people really care to watch practice.

Edited August 9, 2013 by MeanGreenTexan

[FirefightnRick]

But you're going to be in a minority because only a few people really care to watch practice.

.

.

.

Again.... How can you make that claim when we have never tried it?

Despite never promoting open practices and scrimmages before we used to have at times hundreds show up in the past . Before Dodge people just attended them through word of mouth here on gmg.com and or just showed up.

As I have linked to before, other programs make it a traditional event getting thousands to attend. At some point, they did it once, then again and again....every year it piggy-backed onto the previous year as a tradition and people became to expect it and it grew.

The truth is, you are pulling that assumption out of thin air. You have no way of knowing cause you probably never attended one and we have never tried.

Rick

Edited August 9, 2013 by FirefightnRick