DMN details UNT started planning move 2 years ago

[jycww]

Wow! Just read an article in Dallas Morning News talking about UNT started planning for their next conference re-alignment more than 2 years ago. The article states:

"AD Wren Baker and and President Neal Smatresk quietly laid out plans for years to move the school to a higher level conference"

"School officials quietly hired more than a year ago to research what would drive the next wave of conference realignment. UNT then used the data the consultant provided to formulate printed material and get it into the hands of the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West within 2 weeks of the SEC's announcement that it would expand."

"UNT also built a website highlighting its assets from a student body of 42,000 to its successful sports programs and quietly shared it with the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West".

Leaves one to only wish our administration (Guice, AD Wood, etc.) had the forethought to pull off such actions. Yet here we sit.........

[johnnylightnin]

Proactive leadership…what a concept!

[FriscoDawg]

Proactive leadership…what a concept!

The Boy Blunder was quietly planning two years ago....how to get out of Ruston.

If Tech admin had been proactive--something that hasn't been the case since Dr. Taylor's office was on the 16th Floor--the Boy Blunder would have been gone after the Summitt scandal.

[HogDawg]

The Boy Blunder was quietly planning two years ago....how to get out of Ruston.

If Tech admin had been proactive--something that hasn't been the case since Dr. Taylor's office was on the 16th Floor--the Boy Blunder would have been gone after the Summitt scandal.

I think that's the only reason T-Mac left when he did.

Some years after the Tyler Summitt-Brooke Pumroy affair --and long after leaving Tech-- Tyler Summitt did a couple of "where are they now" interviews with the media. In one of those interviews, he accidentally let it slip that LA Tech's leadership actually knew about the "affair" much earlier than any of us initially thought, and months before Tech's administration took any action. Next thing you know, T-Mac resigned quickly.

Make no mistake, this is why T-Mac left so quickly, and took a "lesser" job. He was getting out of town before the Pitchfork folks got angry and put 2+2 together.

[dawg80]

I find it interesting that UNT would seek to move to a "higher level conference" when they have had practically ZERO success where they are. Schools like Boise State seek to move up because they have reached the pinnacle of the league they are in, and really can't accomplish anything more. But, UNT? They have been a doormat in CUSA since joining it.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding and they are off to the AAC...which will just be another CUSA, where they can continue to be a doormat.

[HogDawg]

I find it interesting that UNT would seek to move to a "higher level conference" when they have had practically ZERO success where they are. Schools like Boise State seek to move up because they have reached the pinnacle of the league they are in, and really can't accomplish anything more. But, UNT? They have been a doormat in CUSA since joining it.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding and they are off to the AAC...which will just be another CUSA, where they can continue to be a doormat.

What? Not quite. UNT won the CUSA Men's Basketball Championship (and CUSA's NCAA Tournament auto bid) last spring, and also won the regular season title in the same sport the year before in the spring of 2020. As you know, that 2020 season Tournament was ultimately cut short due to COVID, so no CUSA Tournament was played that season. But UNT can easily argue that they had the best men's basketball team in CUSA for the last 2 years. Furthermore, UNT has won CUSA Championships in Softball (2018 & 2020?), Women's Soccer (2018 & 2019), Men's Golf, and I think Women's BB (?). I guess Tech fans are just lucky that UNT doesn't play baseball. LOL!


https://tylerpaper.com/sports/colleg...54e4597c5.html

[HogDawg]

Wow! Just read an article in Dallas Morning News talking about UNT started planning for their next conference re-alignment more than 2 years ago. The article states:

"AD Wren Baker and and President Neal Smatresk quietly laid out plans for years to move the school to a higher level conference"

"School officials quietly hired more than a year ago to research what would drive the next wave of conference realignment. UNT then used the data the consultant provided to formulate printed material and get it into the hands of the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West within 2 weeks of the SEC's announcement that it would expand."

"UNT also built a website highlighting its assets from a student body of 42,000 to its successful sports programs and quietly shared it with the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West".

Leaves one to only wish our administration (Guice, AD Wood, etc.) had the forethought to pull off such actions. Yet here we sit.........

This is what Business Professionals like us do with our time. We don't attempt to do a Dive and Catch on decision day, when strategic decisions are at stake.

UNT (mostly AD Wren Baker) has been working it hard for at least 2 years. And some at UNT even longer. For example, UNT formed an official partnership with the Dallas Cowboys about 4 years ago to offer academic and internship opportunities for students. Baker also got UNT to sponsor (or co-sponsor, along with CUSA) the NIT Tournament that LA Tech played in last spring. (See links below). UNT partnered with the City of Frisco and CUSA to host the NIT in the DFW area. Baker even got some of the games played in UNT's floor in Denton, even though the bulk of the games were played in Frisco and UNT wasn't even in the Tournament.

This is EXACTLY the kind of stuff GOOD AD's do. This was all about BRAND building for UNT. These were all signals sent to the AAC (and the MWC) that said, "Hey, UNT is a big deal in this town. You need to add us to your conference if you want to have a big outreach here. We've got some serious partnerships, and our brand means something here in this town."


https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/un...ys-partnership

https://www.ntdaily.com/breaking-nor...-the-2021-nit/

https://meangreensports.com/news/202... ESPN or ESPN2.

[Cal&Ken]

This is what Business Professionals like us do with our time. We don't attempt to do a Dive and Catch on decision day, when strategic decisions are at stake.

UNT (mostly AD Wren Baker) has been working it hard for at least 2 years. And some at UNT even longer. For example, UNT formed an official partnership with the Dallas Cowboys about 4 years ago to offer academic and internship opportunities for students. Baker also got UNT to sponsor (or co-sponsor, along with CUSA) the NIT Tournament that LA Tech played in last spring. (See links below). UNT partnered with the City of Frisco and CUSA to host the NIT in the DFW area. Baker even got some of the games played in UNT's floor in Denton, even though the bulk of the games were played in Frisco and UNT wasn't even in the Tournament.

This is EXACTLY the kind of stuff GOOD AD's do. This was all about BRAND building for UNT. These were all signals sent to the AAC (and the MWC) that said, "Hey, UNT is a big deal in this town. You need to add us to your conference if you want to have a big outreach here. We've got some serious partnerships, and our brand means something here in this town."


https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/un...ys-partnership

https://www.ntdaily.com/breaking-nor...-the-2021-nit/

https://meangreensports.com/news/202... ESPN or ESPN2.

This kind of stuff is why you don't hire someone that has experience from NSU and McNeese to try to move you forward. That was literally the worst hire- yes, even worse than Summitt. Any idiot could see you can't hire small time to go big time. It's becoming more and more obvious the last hire was not much better. I hope he proves us wrong, but so far I have seen nothing he has added to the table.

[Rama Jama]

This kind of stuff is why you don't hire someone that has experience from NSU and McNeese to try to move you forward. That was literally the worst hire- yes, even worse than Summitt. Any idiot could see you can't hire small time to go big time. It's becoming more and more obvious the last hire was not much better. I hope he proves us wrong, but so far I have seen nothing he has added to the table.

Hey! Wait a minute! He power washed the stadium..maybe if we still have the equipment we can offer free car washes next home game

[DallasDog]

This is what Business Professionals like us do with our time. We don't attempt to do a Dive and Catch on decision day, when strategic decisions are at stake.

UNT (mostly AD Wren Baker) has been working it hard for at least 2 years. And some at UNT even longer. For example, UNT formed an official partnership with the Dallas Cowboys about 4 years ago to offer academic and internship opportunities for students. Baker also got UNT to sponsor (or co-sponsor, along with CUSA) the NIT Tournament that LA Tech played in last spring. (See links below). UNT partnered with the City of Frisco and CUSA to host the NIT in the DFW area. Baker even got some of the games played in UNT's floor in Denton, even though the bulk of the games were played in Frisco and UNT wasn't even in the Tournament.

This is EXACTLY the kind of stuff GOOD AD's do. This was all about BRAND building for UNT. These were all signals sent to the AAC (and the MWC) that said, "Hey, UNT is a big deal in this town. You need to add us to your conference if you want to have a big outreach here. We've got some serious partnerships, and our brand means something here in this town."


https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/un...ys-partnership

https://www.ntdaily.com/breaking-nor...-the-2021-nit/

https://meangreensports.com/news/202... ESPN or ESPN2.

Frisco ISD has similar working relationships with the Cowboys, FC Dallas, Dallas Stars, Maverick and Rangers Minor league teams, and soon the PGA of America. Several of the surrounding ISD's have relationships with some or all of these as well. If you reach out and provide incentives to partner up its amazing who will say yes. I don't think Tech ever even asks anyone, much less provide them with information in advance or incentives.

Its not even just the sports, I have 15 HS seniors that intern 3 hours every A-Day at 15 local law firms across the area. Its about cultivating any and all community partners at every level.

Hey but Tech has Learfield and Pepsi

[Tech52]

Wow! Just read an article in Dallas Morning News talking about UNT started planning for their next conference re-alignment more than 2 years ago. The article states:

"AD Wren Baker and and President Neal Smatresk quietly laid out plans for years to move the school to a higher level conference"

"School officials quietly hired more than a year ago to research what would drive the next wave of conference realignment. UNT then used the data the consultant provided to formulate printed material and get it into the hands of the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West within 2 weeks of the SEC's announcement that it would expand."

"UNT also built a website highlighting its assets from a student body of 42,000 to its successful sports programs and quietly shared it with the decision makers of both the American and Mountain West".

Leaves one to only wish our administration (Guice, AD Wood, etc.) had the forethought to pull off such actions. Yet here we sit.........

You know Wood hasn’t even been here a year, right?

[HogDawg]

You know Wood hasn’t even been here a year, right?

Yes, he has.

https://latechsports.com/staff-direc...ic-a-wood/4443

[JuBru]

Yes, he has.

https://latechsports.com/staff-direc...ic-a-wood/4443

I was surprised because I didn't remember it being a year. To me, he disappeared until football season started. Didn't hear anything about or from him (OR FROM TECH) between when he was hired and then.

[HogDawg]

I was surprised because I didn't remember it being a year. To me, he disappeared until football season started. Didn't hear anything about or from him (OR FROM TECH) between when he was hired and then.

And, I look at it just the opposite of most folks. Wood had NOTHING to do with all the success LA Tech experienced in men's basketball and baseball last spring. CLEARLY, those outstanding seasons were already propped up and already in motion when he arrived. So, my question is, exactly what has Wood done for LA Tech?

[Dawgonit]

And, I look at it just the opposite of most folks. Wood had NOTHING to do with all the success LA Tech experienced in men's basketball and baseball last spring. CLEARLY, those outstanding seasons were already propped up and already in motion when he arrived. So, my question is, exactly what has Wood done for LA Tech?

The baseball regional in Ruston.
The stadium being power-washed.
Contract extension for Burroughs.
Released Coach Sherry from Soccer.

I can't think of much else.