Dickey out at UNT

[DickerJames]

NTSU's lost Dickey just coached his team to a win over La Laffette today, the same La Laffette that beat the Cougars in Houston. It would be pretty funny if they win their next two and end the season on a winning streak.

[MrMustang1965]

Article in the Houston Chronicle mentions David Bailiff at Texas State-San Marcos and Todd Whitten at Sam Houston State as candidates. No kidding.

[SMU Football Blog]

Full page ad taken out by UNT Athletic's biggest donor, James F. McIngvale ("Matress Mac")

To: Gretchen M Bataille, President, University of North Texas
John Robert "Bobby" Ray, Chairman of the Board of Regents, UNT
Lee Jackson, UNT System
Rick Villarreal, Athletic Director, UNT

This letter is to inform you of my grave disappointment in your decision to fire Coach Dickey at a time when the team needs him most. Coach Dickey was the man who brought UNT to the New Orlens Bowl for 4 consecutive years, a feat which is nearly unparalleled in colleg football. The concept that a coach takes his team to four consecutive bowl games and is fired two years later after the tragic loss of our beloved quarterback, Andrew Smith, which simply crippled the team, is beyond comprehension. Matt Simon, the head coach before Coach Dickey, did not have nearly the accomplishments that Coach Dickey has carried out, and future coaches will be hard pressed to equal Coach Dickey's accomplishments.

Coach Dickey's leadership during this horrendous time period, that is, after losing Andrew Smith, was absolutely superb. He arranged Andrew's funeral in coordination with the Smith family and made sure to get all of Andrew's teammates to the funeral - not because it would increase his public image or stature, which motivates some in the athletic department, but instead because he cared about Andrew, Andrew's family, and his players and because he knew it was the right thing to do. The impact of the loss of Mr. Smith to the team is beyond measurement. The fact that coach Dickey could pull the team back together at all after such a loss should be applauded, not ignored.

Coach Dickey has been a tireless supporter of the Univeristy of North Texas, not only of his players and staff members, but of the athletic department in general, and also the citizens of Denton. Coach Dickey worked endlessly to show his love for the community of Denton, to raise awareness and support for the football team and to bring much needed economic assistance to the football team, which the athletic department has failed to do. My son, James McIngvale, a UNT student, has also seen Coach Dickey at every UNT event he's attended, championing the colors of Green and White!

Additionally, the decision to inform Coach Dickey of the school's decision only weeks after his untimely heart attack, which was unquestionably influenced by the immense stress he was under to bring the team to a winning season, is beyond callous and beyond heartless. UNT will not find a better coach for the price they were paying, period.

In this regard, it's important to note that Coach Dickey had every intention of staying at UNT for the entire length of his professional career. The same cannot be said of other athletic department members, who openly court other schools so they can move up to a "better job" away from UNT! The problem with UNT football is systemic and the football program is forced to play teams such as UT/OU/A&M for big pay days and expected to compete with these college football juggernauts. The football budgets at UT/OU/A&M are virtually unlimited...wheras at UNT the head coach makes considerably less than many UT/OU/A&M assistant coaches. Many assistant coaches at UNT left during Coach Dickey's term no because they wanted to, but because other universities recognized their talent and offered thm a pay raise of $20,000 which UNT could not/would not match. The administration and athletic director at UNT are asking the football coaches to stop a frenzied, charging full speed bull elephant with a BB gun - try as you may - it can't be done.

Finally, I believe you're aware that I had given a million dollars to North Texas which I was proud to do. Let me inform you now that the only reason I did this was because I believed in Coach Dickey and knew how far he could take the program. I am hereby requesting that you change the sign you recently dedicated to me from the James F. McIngvale Football Practice Facility to the Darrell Dickey Football Practice Facility. If you neglect to honor my request, I am hereby requesting that you re-route the $1,000,000 I gave the athletic program to the One O'Clock Lab Band. I doubt the director there will be fired if he/she has a bad semester. I was taught at UNT many years ago that Dr. Deming said, "Blame the System, not the People." Perhaps the President, Board of Regent members, and Athletic Director who fired Coach Dickey should read Dr. Deming's epic work, Out of the Crisis.

I teach my children that you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear - Darrell often did - four bowl games on a pauper's, not a prince's budget. He should be recognized as such and should have been given a fair chance to turn around the team he loves so much.

Sincerely,

Jim McIngvale

P.S. Albert Einstein's definition of Insanity: Keep on doing what you've always done and expect different results. If the football budge isn't raised considerably - the results will never get better.

[jtstang]

That is awesome, good for him. What a mess up there in Denton, I sure am glad Turner had the foresight to keep them out of Conference USA.

[Stallion]

see a lot of you could learn a lot from jtstang. He knows some NTSU fan might read this post and he sticks a innoucuous piercing stiletto blow in their back even before they have a chance to respond. Let's work on our smack talk with this in mind.

[mrydel]

However, 20-6 is a good come back for the next year.

[Big10Ponyfan]

However, 20-6 is a good come back for the next year.

24-6

[mrydel]

Really. I guess I was passed out by then.

[jtstang]

see a lot of you could learn a lot from jtstang. He knows some NTSU fan might read this post and he sticks a innoucuous piercing stiletto blow in their back even before they have a chance to respond. Let's work on our smack talk with this in mind.

Thanks Stallion. I am happy to announce that I will be teaching Smack Talk 101 as an adjunct professor in the Cox MBA evening program next fall, so I look forward to seeing many of you there.

For the NTSU crowd who might be interested, I'll be leaving a classroom window open where you can eavesdrop, so you might want to get your application into the maintenance department early for next fall.