What's your connection and why do you follow UNT?

[Travis]

I would love to hear everyone's story as to why they follow UNT? What is your connection and how did you end up there?

As for me, I have had UNT in my blood from birth. My grandfather, Harold Miller, was the Union Director in the early 70's. My grandmother, Phyllis Miller, managed College Inn (the restaurant and ballroom). Can you believe they actually had weddings at that place!? My father, Steve Miller, went to school there in the late 60's and was there when Joe Greene came into town. My father got a job in human resources for UNT and went up the chain to eventually be the Assistant Vice President. He passed away in January of 2005. They still have a scholarship named after him, a plaque near his office, and, a staff award named after him. I am proud of that. Years after his death I would run into strangers and hear stories of ways he left a big impact on them.

As a kid my father would take me to many UNT games-basketball and football. I remember the McNeese State? game here in the rain among many others. My Sister went to UNT for her undergrad and masters and my brother later went there for his undergrad. I wanted to go to a school outside of my home town. But, when I was a senior in high school my dad said to me, "Travis, you can go to any school in the state you want to, but you are paying for it." That meant I was going to UNT because 1. I had a scholarship there and 2. it was affordable for me. I instantly fell in love with it. I got my bachelors in Philosophy in '04. I met my wife just after graduating. She also bled green and was a UNT cheerleader. I am proud of that too. She is now on her last year in the doc program... at UNT. I am really proud of this!

I left for a year and then came back on as a Hall Director in housing for five years. I managed Mozart Square for most of that time living with the basketball teams and soccer teams (it was interesting being on the inside with them when certain news broke-as well as the news that never did).

I enjoyed working with all the head coaches-including Coach Mac when his football players lived in the halls. I can definitely say that Benford, Mac, and JJ all really cared a great deal about the character of their players. While working in Student Affairs I got my M.S. in Recreation. I no longer work at UNT (stopped last October), but my connection is just as strong as always.

I love this place for what it has done and been to my family. It is a source of pride and a place where I met my wife, built a family, made a living, created lifelong friendship and memories.

Thank you guys for having a forum like this that we can keep connected, remain involved, and waste precious office time.

What's your story?

This post has been promoted to an article

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

I beat my cousin in NCAA when we were 10,he was using a custom UT team with himself as QB(all 99 stats) and I chose UNT randomly. Beat him and he didn't talk to me for a week. It was awesome. The rest is history.

[EagleGreen]

My wife and I are alumni and I am now a professor here.

[smoothfresh]

Had no affiliation to UNT at all. I grew up in Manhattan, Kansas and was an avid K-State fan (so there is not a person on here who has seen worse football than me). I moved to Texas, long story short I had a little boy and am not able to get back to Kansas so I adopted UNT as my team in 2010.

I have to say I can not be more pleased with my decision. I have met alot of nice people and everyone in the athletic department has been nothing but the best to me and my family. Because of this I now have alot more green in my closet than I do purple.

I look forward to what the future holds for UNT athletics and I believe in this program 100%.

[North Texas Shep]

I transferred to UNT from Blinn Junior College after one semester (I decided College Station was the worst place on Earth). Denton had always interested me because of my newly found love of music. When I started checking out where bands I liked would be playing in Texas I noticed all of them were going through Denton. So, I came to UNT and went to school off and on till I had too many hours to get financial aid and had to transfer for my last year to get a bachelors. I stayed living in Denton working in the music and bar scene. Went to TCU for my masters and now I am back at UNT working on a Graduate Academic Certificate in Hospitality Management. I graduate in May. It has been a fun, interesting, and long journey. Also, I met my wife at UNT and she is an alum.

Edited November 15, 2013 by North Texas Shep

[Mean Green 93-98]

Had no affiliation to UNT at all. I grew up in Manhattan, Kansas and was an avid K-State fan (so there is not a person on here who has seen worse football than me). I moved to Texas, long story short I had a little boy and am not able to get back to Kansas so I adopted UNT as my team in 2010.

I have to say I can not be more pleased with my decision. I have met alot of nice people and everyone in the athletic department has been nothing but the best to me and my family. Because of this I now have alot more green in my closet than I do purple.

I look forward to what the future holds for UNT athletics and I believe in this program 100%.

These are the kinds of fans we need to get more and more of to get to where we want to go. Glad to have you, smoothfresh.

I took the long road of a transfer, years of working full-time before and in between, and accumulating over 180 undergraduate credit hours, but I finally graduated from UNT at the age of 27 with a BM in Music Education in 1998. My bride is an alum as well.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Mean Green 93-98

[forevereagle]

My older brother (also posts here) was at UNT and I had enjoyed time spent on campus. I spent my freshman and sophomore years at TCC and decided on UNT while there because of my experience on campus and the presence of a good business college. Started on campus in 2001 and met my wife not long after. Attended almost every football and basketball game while on campus. The bowl games and the experiences that accompanied them certainly helped with my attachment to the university. Graduated in 2003 with a BBA in Marketing.

[ColoradoEagle]

Started off at UTD for a semester and hated it enough to take four years off from school. Decided that I wanted to get a big time college feel (vs. UTD's commuter school feel), but wanted to remain in DFW. First football game ever was Baylor in 2003, so I just assumed that tons of people came to UNT games every week.

Fell in love with sports enough to go to all the football games and start tailgating for basketball games. Still here 10 years later, even with a couple hiatuses for personal reasons.

[mdmeangreen]

For my freshman year I attended college in Maryland. I decided to transfer and choosing a school was easy- my father, who had retired after a long military career- had just moved back to Texas and I decided to move closer to my parents. North Texas welcomed me with open arms- I will always be grateful to UNT for this. After moving to Texas, I spent most of the rest of my time in Denton either going to class, driving a school bus for Denton ISD, or eating at Flying Tomato!

I graduated in 1997 and my wife and I moved back to Maryland and have lived here every since. But make no mistake- I will ALWAYS bleed North Texas Green. Go Mean Green!!!

Edited November 15, 2013 by mdmeangreen

[oldguystudent]

First UNT was a customer. I occasionally went to campus and did faculty training at the ESL institute. I was curious about the whole notion of a school with a football team since I'd never attended one at any level. I meant to go to a game sometime, but just never got around to it.

I quit working in 2008 and ended up going to grad school at UNT for no other reason than proximity to where I lived at the time.

If you think Kansas St is the worst football anybody has ever seen, you're wrong.

I got picked up along the way by this cranky old dude in the flooring industry who has a special interest in UNT athletics.

The rest is history.

[BillySee58]

Born in Tennessee and grew up in Texas so I was a huge football fan from an early age. Loved watching college football starting in the 2001 season when I was just 8 years old. Still one of my all-time favorite college football seasons with Eric Crouch winning the Heisman, watching Jason Witten go bonkers in Tennessee's bowl game against Michigan, Miami having the most dominant team in college football history that year (IMO), and watching UNT play in their first New Orleans bowl. I watched that game because UNT was close to where we live (Arlington) so I rooted for them.

Bought NCAA game every year and UNT was always one of my favorite schools. Loved Booger, Awasom, Cobbs, J Thomas, Fitzgerald and others in that game.

College time came and UNT gave me a great academic scholarship and was the perfect distance from home for me. I've loved every second of my two and a half years here in school, with my girlfriend, playing club baseball, and following our sports programs. I will have season tickets to football and basketball after I graduate and look forward to all the road trips watching the guys in green play.

[bleedgreen4ever]

Let's just say I had a productive and fun time at UNT. But interesting to read everyone's background. Thanks for sharing.

[GBarksdale]

I graduated from UNT in 87. I was on the 5 year plan, so I have a lot of good memories from my time there.

I moved from Texas 20 years ago, so following UNT -- and reading GMG -- keeps me connected with the school.

[smoothfresh]

Oldguystudent.. who is worse... 614 losses for the Cats... 24 wins in the 1980's which I lived thru... let me know...

Edited November 15, 2013 by smoothfresh

[bstnsportsfan3]

I moved from New Hampshire to Arkansas when I was 16, finished high school and moved to Lewisville with my mom at 18. Did a few semesters at NCTC in Corinth and knew I wanted to do radio. I heard about UNT's RTVF program and decided I wanted to attend. Was on campus from 2007-2010 and was an RA at Victory from 08-10 during the lean dodge years. My first great UNT sports moment was my very first b-ball game vs OSU and I got to rush the court. I signed up for GMG that night and have been addicted to North Texas Athletics ever since. I moved away in 2011 but now I'm back in the area and loving every minute of it.

[oldguystudent]

Oldguystudent.. who is worse... 614 losses for the Cats... 24 wins in the 1980's which I lived thru... let me know...

6 wins in 4 years, 3 of which were over transitional WKU, would be on pace for fewer than 24 wins in a decade.

Edited November 15, 2013 by oldguystudent

[unt_rocket09]

2009 Grad. Met my fiance while at UNT and really just enjoyed my time in Denton. Try to get back as much as possible, but I teach and coach so it can be difficult. I was a huge UT fan growing up, but once I became part of the UNT family I gave that up. It gives me a sense of pride to know I have an affiliation with MY school.

[pastorgrant]

I moved to Denton my Junior year in HS when my mom took a job as a prof at UNT. I ended up attending UNT partly for the faculty family discount and partly because I didn't want to leave my church.

My best friend, Travis (yes, GMG's Travis), obviously also went to UNT and his fanatical support for all things UNT impacted me as well. It helped that I was a student here from 2000-2003.

I came back to work at UNT from 2008-2011 as a hall director (Clark Hall), also working with Travis (he was at Mozart).

Anyway, I love UNT because it's my alma mater, but Travis was a huge part of why I did and still do bleed green.

[Travis]

I moved to Denton my Junior year in HS when my mom took a job as a prof at UNT. I ended up attending UNT partly for the faculty family discount and partly because I didn't want to leave my church.

My best friend, Travis (yes, GMG's Travis), obviously also went to UNT and his fanatical support for all things UNT impacted me as well. It helped that I was a student here from 2000-2003.

I came back to work at UNT from 2008-2011 as a hall director (Clark Hall), also working with Travis (he was at Mozart).

Anyway, I love UNT because it's my alma mater, but Travis was a huge part of why I did and still do bleed green.

Grant, I think it also helped that we won a few games during our time at UNT.

We had some fun memories at the Mohican house! Then you had to get all married and stuff. Ruined all the fun.

[oldguystudent]

Grant, I think it also helped that we won a few games during our time at UNT.

We had some fun memories at the Mohican house! Then you had to get all married and stuff. Ruined all the fun.

Mom always said not to play with your balls in the house. It's all fun and games until somebody gets married.

[aztecskin]

Grew up in SA. Wanted to stay in Texas for college but wanted to get far away. Also wanted to be in civilization. By junior year my choices were down to UT, UH and maybe TTU. Then I saw that blue and green and brown UNT sticker on a teachers desk. Asked about it. She said that Scott Hall -- yes him -- went there. I looked up UNT, liked that it was in Dallas (far, yet close) and that it was kinda kewl.

[LongJim]

Grew up in the area when Fry was there. Liked the football helmet lights at McDonald's. Many friends from school went to UNT. Applied and was accepted but did not attend, as I felt it was too close to home at the time. Aunt is an alumn. Son is a sophomore there now.

[That_Guy_Arlo]

Long story short I was basically raised on the Mean Green as both of my parents are UNT alums and would always take me to games when I was a kid. Stared my freshman year in the Fall of 08' and just graduated this past May. Always been a huge supporter of the Mean Green and the university as a whole and I don't plan on ever stopping.

[Green59]

My wife and my connection to North Texas is from our son playing football for the Mean Green from 2007-2011. We have really enjoyed the whole game day experience and expect to be going to games for many years to come.

My wife and I graduated from the University of Iowa in the early 1980's. The first we had ever heard about North Texas was in 1978 when Iowa hired Hayden Fry away from the Mean Green. I was in attendance at a Hawkeye basketball game when he was introduced to the crowd for the first time and he confidently proclaimed, "We're gonna win!" Iowa had endured 19 straight losing seasons before Hayden was hired but he was quick to build the foundation of a winning program. My freshman year in 1977 was Dan McCarney's first year as an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes. Hard to imagine but he has mellowed over the years compared to his early days as a coach.

[EagleMBA]

Born and raised in Mishawaka, IN, just a couple of miles from Notre Dame Stadium. Uncle was an usher and I got to see a few games. After high school, I came across the country to attend Pan American (now UT-Pan American) in Edinburg. After graduation, took my first job in Dallas. In the 70s, took some graduate work at NTSU and SMUt. Finally got around to getting serious about grad school in the late 80s and did the MBA the hard way (6 hours per semester while working in the investment banking business). Started to go to football games when I got my first student ID and I was hooked. I bleed green.