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

DT 90 · November 15, 2013

Saturday vs UTSA will be Ryan's last regular season home game at UNT(Notice I said regular season). It has been a wonderful experience for him as well as his parents and family. We really appreciate all the support that the Mean Green Family has shown Ryan personally.

I never had any reason to follow UNT before Ryan started to play there. I played against North Texas State in 1986. Texas A&M 48 - NTSU 28 and that was about it. Ryan was offered a scholarship to play Football by Todd Dodge. UNT was the first school to offer so Ryan accepted. I have missed 5 UNT games since 2010.(Army,Ohio,three yearly trips to Florida). It was a matter of being able to drive to get to the game after youngest son's Friday night football games.

Being able to travel and follow the team all over the Southeastern US has been the best part. I will truely miss the travel/road trips. Being a part of the move from Fouts to Apogee was pretty cool too. Another very nice surprise has been the Green Brigade. A REALLY entertaining band and better than a vast majority of Big 12 and SEC Bands.

Again, thanks to everone for your support of Ryan.

JEFF BOUTWELL

Edited November 15, 2013 by DT 90

Christopher Walker · November 15, 2013

I started out at Texarkana College in 2007, biding my time for when my girlfriend would graduate high school. Got the Associates two years later, then packed it up for Denton for either music or RTVF.

From 2009 to this past May, I had an awesome undergraduate career; SGA, President's Sustainability Council and Chair to the We Mean Green Fund, Board Member and President of the Composers Forum, lots of late nights on the Square, Kevin Roden's house for Drink & Thinks, shows, 35 Denton (and Oaktopia tomorrow!), got engaged then married over my Senior+ year (she was the Intern for the Alumni Association for 3 years as well), went to every home football and a few basketball and soccer games, performed in amazing ensembles, and got a job running the live streams for the College of Music, etc.

So now I've got a BM in Music Composition ('13), my wife's got a BS in Psychology ('12) and just started a Masters in Counseling. If admitted, I hope to start an Masters of Public Administration next Fall. I still work for the College of Music Recording Services and when my wife left the Alumni Association, I stepped in and now run the Alumni Pavilion.

Love love love this school.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Christopher Walker

UNT86 · November 15, 2013

I was born when my parents were at NT. Went to classes there before my first birthday.

We moved away when I was one, but came back in the Ft. Worth area when I was in 4th grade. Mom and dad started going to the games and I wanted to go too. Dad said to save my money and buy my season ticket. It was $20 for season tickets then (4 home games), but I did just that. I've been going since 1974.

Graduated from there twice (B.Ed in '86 and M. Ed in '94). My wife has a degree from there too. We were there at the same time, but did not meet since she was in the College of Business.

I also have one grandmother, two aunts, an uncle, and my daughter with UNT in their blood.

Edited November 15, 2013 by UNT86

golfingomez · November 15, 2013

Grew up in the RGV in a purely Aggie household... not a fan of the weather... needed something colder... so after my parents told me they would pay, provided it was in state and the 4 year clock was running as soon as I started... looked around and didnt want to join my sister at A&M...

saw that UNT was in state, I had a good chance to see snow (Which this underprivileged guy hadn't at that point) and it WASN'T TTU... so i was going there...

funny part is... after one semester at UNT... i saw no snow whatsoever... i go home for break and get a call two days later that I just missed a snowfall... then... by an act of God, it snowed in the RGV on Christmas Eve... first snow in over 110 years when that happened...

ended up loving UNT and hoped that one day the team would get back to where we were when i was a freshman... and now we are!

Peacock · November 15, 2013

Back in 85 or 86, I joined Big Brothers' & Sisters' as a lil brother. I was matched up with a recent UNT Grad (Campbell) who is/was/always will be the most dedicated UNT fan I know. In fact, we got kicked out of BBBS for going on an overnight trip out of state to see UNT/NTSU play the ASU Indians in Jonesboro. I will not forget that game, as each time ASU scored, they shot off several rounds of fireworks. They had run out of fireworks by halftime.

While I didn't start at UNT, I have made up for it in spades. I transferred to UNT in 97 to start classes, but it was rushing the field after the MTSU game in 2001 that solidified my Mean Green Madness. I have worked at UNT Admissions for 13 years, and I am now an Assistant Director of Undergrad Admissions, and do my best to make as many more new members of the Mean Green Family as I can.

GMG

Edited November 15, 2013 by Peacock

Tyler Maryak · November 15, 2013

My aunt played basketball at UNT when she was in college. After a year at a military academy prep school, I decided to go to a real university and started looking at Texas schools because I had Texas Guaranteed Tuition. After touring UNT, I fell in love. I went to UNT for three years as an undergrad while doing ROTC. I was, unfortunately, medically disqualified from military service for hearing, so I currently work for UNT as well. Although being on the administrative side of things reveals some less than beautiful aspects of the university, I still love the direction it is going. Because of the awesome employee discount, I'm pursuing a Masters in Public Administration currently. (That's the #1 program for an MPA in Texas, for anyone interested!) UNT is as much a part of me as anything else at this point.

SouthBendGreen · November 15, 2013

I always wanted to be in radio from the time I was like 12. Senior year in HS I did a lot of research on the best schools for that career. Missouri, USC and North Texas were always at the top of the list. USC is primarily a film school so that was out and at the time Missouri had a great broadcasting school, but NT was right there. Then you factor in-state tuition for my parent's and close to home and it was a no-brainer.

andrewrozell · November 15, 2013

Great thread Travis.

I went to Sam Houston Elementary, the Selwyn School, and Denton High School.

I tried to escape Denton by going to the University of Tennessee. Couldn't stay away.

I finished my BBA in Finance at UNT in 2006. I will be receiving my MBA from UNT in December.

I guess you could say I really [heart] denton!

Eastwood Eagle · November 15, 2013

I'm originally from south Texas. I was first exposed to UNT because my sister transferred there after her freshman year in college. I used to love coming up to Denton to visit her. What really sold me on Denton and UNT was that it was very quirky, eclectic, artsy and it seemed like a place where you could truly be yourself. That is the Denton/UNT I love the most. Now that we have a winning football team, I can get best of both worlds.

I double majored in political science and history ('12) and I met my girlfriend on the first day of moving in to the dorms (she lived in Kerr I lived in Clark). We now have been dating for four years and live together in Houston. I'm in law school at UHLC and she is in grad school at UH. We both bleed green and love every moment when we are able to get back up to Denton (which sadly is not enough).

Edited November 15, 2013 by Eastwood Eagle

NTPhiKap99 · November 15, 2013

Growing up in Dallas as the son of UT grad I bleed orange for the first 18 years of my life. I only applied to three schools, UNT, UT and at the time SWTS(dad moved to SA) so my first pick and one close to each parent. UT accepted me on probation requiring I attend summer school while the other two had open arms so not wanting to give up my first summer of freedom I chose North Texas over swts because of D1 football. At the time the plan was to stay a couple years and transfer to Austin but after just a couple weeks I knew I’d never leave. Starting here in 1999 there were some tough times but some really great times in New Orleans 4 bowl and a NCAA tourney made it all worth it. The bowls may have been why I had to leave school for a while to grow up before coming back to finish up in ‘08. The dodge era may have tested my sanity but after being a cowboys season ticket holder at 8 years old in 1989 I think I can live through anything. Here it is 14 years after first spilling green blood I missed maybe half a dozen games since and made several road trips and couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. We’ve made the turn again I just can’t wait to see where the ride take me next GO MEAN GREEN.

drex · November 15, 2013

Transferred from Southwest Missouri State to NT in '66...two cousins and my sister all went to NT. Our fraternity was big on school spirit and supporting the school...got work in Denton post grad and then, after a few years, got the opportunity to work for the athletic department at NT for ten years...also did a lot of volunteer work for Hayden Fry in the 70's. Have been going to games since '66 and still get the thrill of NT's successes athletically. There is something about NT that has just grabbed me and won't let go.

emmitt01 · November 16, 2013

Went to pretty much every Denton elementary school you can think of (Borman, Ginnings, Rayzor, Hodge, Lee), then Strickland and graduated from Ryan in '97. Started running up and down the Super Pit stairs when I was about 8 because my aunt had season tickets. Watched several Ryan games at Fouts in high school. When it came time for college I actually had a dorm room and room mate lined up at Colorado State before a friend asked "hey, you wanna just get an apartment together and go to UNT?" It was massively cheaper and I could still go home and hug mom so I stayed. Joined Talons my freshman year and fell hard for North Texas and all of her allure. Met my wife and we started dating at NT in 1999. I've missed two home football games since 1998. Prior to the Benford era I hadn't missed many basketball games either.

TheFranchise · November 16, 2013

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%.

That's awesome, man! I LOVE that we have what some other schools would refer to as "T-shirt fans." In my book, fans are fans. And any program worth their salt would NEVER turn away a fan of their program. That's why I've always found that to be a stupid term. Glad to have ya', smoothfresh and let's hope this program continues to make us even more proud each week!

As for me, I've worked in different aspects of broadcasting for over a decade, now. (television, radio, online journalism -- I covered every professional sports team here in D/FW at some point or another as well as the TCU football and baseball teams) But, sports is a hobby to me and my real passion is film.

You see, I graduated high school back in '97 but have slowly taken hours here and there but never earned a degree. At the end of 2010, during a brief job change from the world of investments back into television, my wife and I decided I needed to finally finish earning my Bachelors. Without hesitation, UNT was my first and only choice because of our outstanding RTVF program, but I was going to need to get my basics done first. I enrolled part-time at TCC and within 3 semesters I had earned my Associates.

This past January, I set foot onto the UNT campus as a student for the first time at the age of 33. I'm planning to graduate within the next 2 years with my Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television and Film with a heavy emphasis on film. After that, I want to make films full-time.

I already have a few ideas and plan to share them with the world when the time is right!!!!! *Yes, some have a sports theme . . . who am I kidding? Most of them do.*

In the meantime, I plan to study my butt off, brainwash my two children into being all green all the time, and catching every UNT sporting event I can. After all, as a student I get in for FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

KRAM1 · November 16, 2013

Well, moved to Denton just before my senior year of HS in 1965. Seemed natural to head to UNT after graduating from DHS. Already had part-time jobs to help pay for college expenses here in Denton so just stayed. Got involved in tons of activities while at UNT and just loved the place. Went off to grad school at OSU and then the Air Force during the Vietnam Nam era, but always Denton was home, and UNT was MY UNIVERSITY. After returning from the Air Force and settling down in Denton with my bride, who was a two-time UNT grad and employed by UNT at the time, I went back to UNT for my MBA. Well, the rest is pretty much history. We love Denton and we love UNT.

Green P1 · November 16, 2013

I went to UNT because they were the fastest to complete the admittance process. Was pretty lazy witth the college application process towards the end of my senior year and if I hadn't found something quickly I was being shipped to ACU. Being top 10% in my class I could have gone to any state school but UNT got me out of ACU the quickest.

7travis5 · November 16, 2013

Grew up in San Antonio, moved up to the DFW area in 2007, graduated from high school in 2010, and I wanted a 4-year university close to home. I couldn't afford Baylor or SMU. I didn't want to watch D-II or D-III talent for 4 years, so I decided on UNT because it fit the bill. As far as sports, I'm a huge Spurs fan and I've been lucky enough to be a Rangers fan for this sudden spurt of baseball excellence, so cheering for UNT is a different experience. My dad is a HUGE Texas fan, so that was my team for my whole life, until I came to UNT of course. North Texas has been poop for so long, and with former classmates going to A&M and Baylor and Texas, it's been hard hearing about success (minus UT) for the past few years. And truth be told, it's been hard to keep loyal to this team. But I really think this year has changed things. I will always love this school, but with this being my senior year, I don't think there will ever be a football team I love more than this year's, especially if we win C-USA and a bowl game. (Hit 11?)

UNTexas · November 16, 2013

I played football at UNT and was a four year letterman. I met my wife at UNT. She played Soccer and lettered three years. I was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma at UNT as well. My brother, stepfather, and stepbrother are graduates of UNT. Most of my best friends either played football for UNT or were Phi Kaps at UNT. I love me some Mean Green!

P.S. My girls want to go to school at North Texas.

Dtown43 · November 16, 2013

Although I have been lurking in the background of this site for about a year now I have never registered or posted anything (yikes) BUT, what a perfect subject for my first post.

After graduating high school from Coppell, I decided to head west like many of my friends and attended Texas Tech for my first two years of school. It was not a terrible experience by any means- had a lot of fun and met a lot of great people. However, I needed a change.

The change came in the spring of 2007 when I transferred to North Texas. Naturally, I began to compare things between Texas Tech and North Texas. First, I noticed how personal your education can feel at UNT. Both universities have an enrollment of 30k+ but in my opinion the North Texas faculty is much better at making your education feel like they are there for YOU and not the other way around. Second, the personality, it was nice to see students wearing something other than a polo shirt, khakis and Sperry’s every single day with the personalities to match. I know this is superficial and somewhat hypocritical because I do own these things myself, but the main point being the sheep like atmosphere will never beat our uniqueness in my view. Third, and this may be silly, but the trees and grass on our campus were an awesome change for me. Glorious wind stopping trees, never take them for granted people. Finally, the last thing I will mention even though there are many more things I could is Apogee Stadium. After I transferred, Fouts Field was the only thing I was not absolutely in love with. Now that we have Apogee for our program to call home, there is nothing I do not love with all my soul about UNT. I brag about our beloved university to everyone I can every chance I get and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. This is my connection and why I follow UNT.

GO MEAN GREEN

RushnStudies · November 16, 2013

My husband and I met in college someplace else and got married after graduation. I saw him through his advanced degrees and he got a teaching job at UNT. Now it's my turn, as I'm in grad school at UNT and love it. Our kids go to Denton schools and we have enjoyed living in this community. We have been season ticketholders for basketball since we've lived here, and the only time we aren't at a home football game at Apogee is when we've made a road trip to our undergraduate alma mater for a game there.

In the dying days of the Southwest Conference, after Arkansas split and everyone else was solidifying plans for After Death, there was this one tiny little voice emanating from the southeast portion of the state, "Why can't we let North Texas in and keep this thing going?!?!?" Yeah... that was me. I ended up not only seeing the last-ever football game of the SWC- I also worked at it, selling programs and renting stadium seats. Programs! Chairbacks!

southsideguy · November 16, 2013

I was raised in El Paso and went to UTEP for two years and transferred to NTSU. Life in El Paso just went bad and I wanted a fresh start. I tell people i was born El Paso but grew up in Denton. I graduated and moved to New Mexico and lived for 25 years. I moved back to Denton this year and bought season tickets. Apogee is one of the nicest stadiums i have been to. It is great to be back home! First time I saw the Mean Green play was in the Sun Bowl vs UTEP_Fry was the coach and they destroyed UTEP. I bleed green and i wanted to name by daughter Scrappy but my wife said no.

UNTexas · November 16, 2013

I was raised in El Paso and went to UTEP for two years and transferred to NTSU. Life in El Paso just went bad and I wanted a fresh start. I tell people i was born El Paso but grew up in Denton. I graduated and moved to New Mexico and lived for 25 years. I moved back to Denton this year and bought season tickets. Apogee is one of the nicest stadiums i have been to. It is great to be back home! First time I saw the Mean Green play was in the Sun Bowl vs UTEP_Fry was the coach and they destroyed UTEP. I bleed green and i wanted to name by daughter Scrappy but my wife said no.

Amen hoss! I'm from EP and got sent back there for work for the last ten years and it went from bad to worse for me too. Although I miss NM too. Especially in the winter up north. I love the high desert. I moved to Frisco recently and have really missed it up here.

Thank goodness we destroyed UTEP. I know way to many miners.

Edited November 16, 2013 by UNTexas

Cerebus · November 16, 2013

Originally from Odessa. I had never heard of North Texas until a family member was offered a scholarship to play football by Matt Simon. Did a little research and found out the University had strong programs in computer graphics (for me) and behavioral analysis (for the then girlfriend, now wife) moved here in '96 and now we both have two North Texas degrees each.

Being from Odessa I cheered for the football team because your are supposed to support your school, but I fell in love with the program after we beat Texas Tech in '97 and '99.

Rudy · November 16, 2013

I never really gave much thought about college growing up. I knew I would go, but I wasn't sure where. My mom went to TCU, so I thought I might go there. I had to do a year at Richland College since I blew off my SAT's. I started looking and saw UNT was local. I got accepted and started in 1997. I was going to try and walk on, but got into hockey. I started up the in-line and ice hockey clubs, my first couple of years. I joined Talons in the fall of '98, my second year at NT. I ran the Big Ass Flag and built a few bonfires. Finally got my Bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2004. Only missed 2 home football games this whole time. One of those I caught on TV in a San Antonio bar. When I do have kids, they will, like Emmitt's daughter, be singing the UNT Fight Song by 3, and will bleed green.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Rudy

northtexassigep · November 16, 2013

Born and raised in San Angelo, Texas. Moved to Wylie my senior year near plano and fell in love with the area. Wanted to go to a large school and was not going to go to Tech like all my friends back home. Visited UNT and loved the campus feel and went there in 2008 for my freshman year. Got to rush an amazing fraternity and thank goodness they supported UNT athletics unlike make of the other fraternities at the time who I had seen UT flags in their houses. (Big turnoff) My pledge class brothers and I have traveled all over for the football team and the basketball team and have really enjoyed being UNT fans despite the dark years. I am so glad I have a tight knit group of friends who are die hards like I am and will continue to support the Mean Green for the rest of our lives.

GMG

untcampbell · November 16, 2013

I fell head over heels for UT as a 9-year old when it won the national championship (1.1.70). Wore burnt orange for the rest of my days until I got to UT. I learned quickly it wasn't for me. Too big, too many topsiders and starched shirts/jeans and too far away from my girlfriend. In January 1980, I transferred to NT based on proximity to my family/girlfriend in FW and the time I spent in Denton with a former girlfriend's family (Jeff Hawkins, et al). The first NT sporting event I saw was NT vs UT in basketball, I believe a few days before my first class. May be embellishing but NT beat UT with a buzzer beating shot from near half court by the great Pat Hicks, winning in OT (may have been more than one) something like 107-106. I was hooked.

My first football game was against UTA in the Fall of 1980. We dominated in the opening of their new stadium, a few short years before they gave up football.

Joined Talons, built bonfires, drove the bell around campus before games to rally the dormies, shot cannons, participated in parades, trailered the Model A to away games, was a beertender at the RBL, delivered pizzas for Domino's, J-school grad, and the roommate I met at NT introduced me to my wife after we both graduated. Wife is a RN-grad from Baylor, but went to art school at NT and is pretty loyal now.

And props to the great Peacock for mentioning our BB/BS relationship. I am very proud to see his talents selling North Texas recruiting kids to NT.

My brother graduated from NT also, and we are the only college graduates our family has ever produced.

Until we moved to Colorado in 1994, I made at least 9 football games a year. When we returned to Texas (I missed NT, er my family, too much) in the Fall of 1996, I took my son (meangreen2018) to his first home game when he was 6 months old). He has not missed a home game since he was born and will be starting at NT in the Fall as one of its most dedicated fans. My step-nephew is a J-School/Photo major.

My son and my daughter have brought at least one friend to every game since they were old enough to have friends. Some of those friends will attend NT. Some won't but they remain fans. My tailgating crew consists of the parents of some of those kids, none with previous NT ties (one has a daughter attending now), along with NT Letterman Jeff Katon and his NT grad wife Rina. Jeff played in the other Rice game we won before this year's win.

On weekends when we compete well against or upset, i.e. Georgia, I get texts from all over the country from friends, co-workers and family members, none of whom went to NT, who know how passionate the Campbell's are about our team.

I am so proud of my school, of my teams, and the student-athletes that play for my school. I am humbled by those that support NT through my connections with them. I am elated my son will be here for the next 4-10 years. And I very appreciative of the time waste that GMG.com affords me daily.

GMG