Students are noticing

emmitt01 · November 4, 2013

I was in the Academy sports store yesterday with my wife and daughter. The daughter and I had on our NT shirts. The girl in line behind us asks "Do you go to UNT?" I explained that I was an alum and she says "We're bowl...worthy, or something...now". I asked if she was there Thursday and she said yes and that she couldn't wait for Homecoming. Said there is quite a buzz amongst her friends who "aren't really football people" normally.

UNT90 · November 4, 2013

Academy in Keller has a fine spread of UNT merch, just FYI

meangreener · November 4, 2013

I was in Houston this weekend and got stopped multiple times. Was in line to get a piece of the Astrodome and we had a nice long conversation with an old alum from the Fry years who hasn't been back since the 70s, who is attending the UTEP game. "That Rice win was one of the biggest ever for that program," was his words.

Stan R · November 4, 2013

Forgot I was going to post this last weekend. I was at the new Dick's sporting goods in the Heritage area of Keller - and I was shopping with the family and wandered over to the shirts section or what I typically call:

"UT and TAMU love fest section with absurd amounts of those schools with some TCU and Tech sprinkled in"

And what do my eyes witness!?!?!?

wait for it... wait for it..

AN OASIS OF MEAN GREEN GEAR ON THE FREAKING END CAP SECTION BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OTHER STUFF!!

Yes I am not making this up I took a picture with my computer-phone.... awesome!

Harry · November 4, 2013

Make sure when you see this UNT gear you thank the manager of the establishment... bees with honey type principle.

meangreener · November 4, 2013

Forgot I was going to post this last weekend. I was at the new Dick's sporting goods in the Heritage area of Keller - and I was shopping with the family and wandered over to the shirts section or what I typically call:

"UT and TAMU love fest section with absurd amounts of those schools with some TCU and Tech sprinkled in"

And what do my eyes witness!?!?!?

wait for it... wait for it..

AN OASIS OF MEAN GREEN GEAR ON THE FREAKING END CAP SECTION BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OTHER STUFF!!

Yes I am not making this up I took a picture with my computer-phone.... awesome!

I work over there at that Best Buy. I'm going to go bask in the MG apparel. Edited November 4, 2013 by meangreener

UNT90 · November 4, 2013

Forgot I was going to post this last weekend. I was at the new Dick's sporting goods in the Heritage area of Keller - and I was shopping with the family and wandered over to the shirts section or what I typically call:

"UT and TAMU love fest section with absurd amounts of those schools with some TCU and Tech sprinkled in"

And what do my eyes witness!?!?!?

wait for it... wait for it..

AN OASIS OF MEAN GREEN GEAR ON THE FREAKING END CAP SECTION BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OTHER STUFF!!

Yes I am not making this up I took a picture with my computer-phone.... awesome!

This may be what I was referencing. Thanks for the post. I would hate for people to go to the wrong place..

TheColonyEagle · November 4, 2013

The advantage UNT has always had in this region is shear NUMBERS. It has always been there, under the surface. This is the "sleeping giant" we often hear about. We just haven't been able to take advantage of it. We're starting to scratch the surface.

The last few weeks I've noticed it as well. Anytime I'm wearing UNT gear out the FIRST thing anyone mentions to me: "hey their football team is playing some ball!"

First thing out of their mouth.

meangreener · November 4, 2013

The advantage UNT has always had in this region is shear NUMBERS. It has always been there, under the surface. This is the "sleeping giant" we often hear about. We just haven't been able to take advantage of it. We're starting to scratch the surface.
The last few weeks I've noticed it as well. Anytime I'm wearing UNT gear out the FIRST thing anyone mentions to me: "hey their football team is playing some ball!"
First thing out of their mouth.

Was it like this during the bowl years? Or was there no publicity and nobody cared because of Fouts/SBC/OOC games?

Stan R · November 4, 2013

Was it like this during the bowl years? Or was there no publicity and nobody cared because of Fouts/SBC/OOC games?

That's actually a great question. Hmmm. Don't think it was as good as it is now, that's just my opinion. I'd say mostly because of the SBC and lack of local teams. Beating Rice means something in Texas. So will beating the rest of the Texas teams.

Fouts did drag down the rest of the opinions as well.

TheColonyEagle · November 4, 2013

Was it like this during the bowl years? Or was there no publicity and nobody cared because of Fouts/SBC/OOC games?

It wasn't like this.

We got some attention but the Sun Belt hurt, being non competitive in non conference hurt, facilities hurt. But the biggest difference in my opinion is the access available for UNT now.

More TV , more coverage of "mid majors"

I laughed the other day when I complained to my wife that the game on Fox College Sports wasn't in HD. Wow how far we've come.

Edited November 4, 2013 by TheColonyEagle

Stan R · November 4, 2013

Fouts was just a wet blanket on everything. Gawd it was awful. I mean. Depressingly awful. Any students who didn't have to experience it, consider yourself very lucky. Older Alums may poop on this opinion however.

meangreener · November 4, 2013

Fouts was just a wet blanket on everything. Gawd it was awful. I mean. Depressingly awful. Any students who didn't have to experience it, consider yourself very lucky. Older Alums may poop on this opinion however.

Fouts was the main reason I only went to two games my Freshman year.

No atmosphere. Dump. One bathroom. Terrible concessions. Five miles from the players.

Edited November 4, 2013 by meangreener

MeanGreenTexan · November 4, 2013

I remember quite the buzz for the NMSU conference championship clincher game in '02. The "goalposts" game. The game did not disappoint.

CMJ · November 4, 2013

I can't speak to the buzz in DFW during the bowl years, since i moved RIGHT BEFORE they started.

However...

I remember uNT had a nice sized story in the LA Times right before we played Cincy in the 2002 New Orleans bowl talking about how we were a program on the rise. That was a decent sized surprise considering the Times rarely covers much outside the Pac 12(10 back then) or Big 10. They do love their Rose bowl conferences out here.

And that was before we won. It seemed like everything was coming up NT back then.

meaniegreenie · November 4, 2013

Fouts was the main reason I only went to two games my Freshman year.
No atmosphere. Dump. One bathroom. Terrible concessions. Five miles from the players.

Yeah, good thing we no longer have the "pee walls". Oh, wait...

North Texas Shep · November 4, 2013

Every student I served this Sunday, I made sure enlighten them on the success of the Mean Green. Most knew about it but I told them all they better be at the game this week. Spread the word! GO MEAN GREEN!

North Texas Shep · November 4, 2013

Fouts was the main reason I only went to two games my Freshman year.
No atmosphere. Dump. One bathroom. Terrible concessions. Five miles from the players.

When I was working on my undergrad I maybe went to five games total because of the same reasons. All the bowl games I watched on TV. Apogee is much better and the students seem to really be into it. I love it!

ColoradoEagle · November 4, 2013

Academy in Keller has a fine spread of UNT merch, just FYI

The one on N. Tarrant?

Green Mean · November 4, 2013

I live in Plano and it seems I never see any stores around here and Collin County area in general carry UNT gear.

oldguystudent · November 4, 2013

I live in Plano and it seems I never see any stores around here and Collin County area in general carry UNT gear.

As a former resident of Collin County, and transplanted hippie from the left coast, I can say with some degree of confidence that this is because nobody in Collin County is from Texas.

meaniegreenie · November 4, 2013

I live in Plano and it seems I never see any stores around here and Collin County area in general carry UNT gear.

UNT should be targeting northern CC, Frisco, etc. Not a bad drive up to 380 and over to Apogreen. Likely there's a lot of UT, aTm, etc fans there, but there's got to be some potential fans there.

JRock · November 4, 2013

Fouts was a beating to go to. Apogee has and will continue to pay big dividends for the program.

Rudy · November 4, 2013

Love the TV coverage. We've come a long way from the time myself, Emmitt, and a couple of others went to the Buffalo Wild Wings to watch us play Arkansas State, but had to huddle around my laptop in a booth to watch the game since they couldn't get some obscure channel that had the game. Now we expect to see it in HD.

Green Mean · November 4, 2013

As a former resident of Collin County, and transplanted hippie from the left coast, I can say with some degree of confidence that this is because nobody in Collin County is from Texas.

Sure there are a lot of transplants here but I think they're pretty abundant all over the metroplex and even region.

UNT should be targeting northern CC, Frisco, etc. Not a bad drive up to 380 and over to Apogreen. Likely there's a lot of UT, aTm, etc fans there, but there's got to be some potential fans there.

With the sheer amount of current students and alums that are in the area there really isn't a reason every sporting goods store shouldn't carry UNT gear. I know for a fact there are plenty of UNT alums in CC, Plano, Richardson etc. They may be in the "I don't care" camp or apathetic but based off of how many alums are all over the metroplex, I would expect to see UNT gear selling everywhere...ideally of course.