University of North Texas Athletics
Green Gang: I Like Fan Message Boards
8/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Return to Play
By Eric Capper, August 9, 2009, 10:48 a.m.
I set out to write this blog post about all of the good karma that seems to be surrounding the Mean Green football team as we get started with two-a-days. I know, I know, everyone is undefeated and at the top of the standings in August. Optimism is easy this time of year. But the aura around this team is a little different this year than years past.
I jumped on the information superhighway and cruised on over to the resident fan message board to take the pulse of some of our loyal supporters. It seems most of them are willing to look past the lack of recent success and get behind the notion that this could be a breakout year.
There were some very funny and somewhat insightful posts, by people with screen names that were unbelievably creative and humorous. But, it was here during my time cruising this site that my idea for this blog entry took a radical detour.
While most posters were positive and hopeful in their dialogue, there was a significant amount of cynicism and doubt. Understandable, considering the number of wins and losses over the last four years.
It made me wonder, however, why is this the only place I have heard these harsh opinions and suggestions on how everyone on the football staff and in the athletics department could be doing a better job? Contrary to what some might think, very few of us at 1301 South Bonnie Brae actually peruse the fan message board every day to find out if we misspelled a word on the web site... or sent the Mean Green Club brochure to the wrong address... or ran out of hot dogs in the concession stand.
Don't get me wrong, we appreciate feedback and we want to be told when we make a mistake, but the fan message board is not the most effective vehicle to drive that message.
Accessibility is not a problem at North Texas. You can find the email address and phone number of any athletics department employee on MeanGreenSports.com. Mine is eric.capper@unt.edu and 940-565-2476. I like to think I am responsive to ideas, suggestions and heaven forbid, corrections. If the only medium used to relay those thoughts is a fan message board, I might not ever hear it.
I actually love the idea of the fan message board, it gives a group of people with a common passion a place to gather. It is an ideal tool for everyone to share in the elation of success or dwell in the company of defeat.
The component that I have an issue with is when people who cloak themselves in anonymity have all the answers and they are unwilling to communicate those to the appropriate people through conventional means.
You don't like that Coach Dodge hasn't used a snap from under center? How about you email him, write him a letter or better yet ask him about it in person at one of the many public events he will be at over the course of the next month.
As I am writing this blog entry, it takes me back a couple of years to a similar post by a friend and colleague at the University of Oklahoma in which I remember him having a similar take on a similar topic. It can be found here: http://soonersports.com/genrel/070207aam.html
As we continue to develop this web site and hopefully provide accurate, timely and interesting content we hope that you will hold us accountable to the standards that you set for us. We are all in this together, so if you like what we are doing, shoot me an email or give me a call. And by all means, if you have complaints, send them to rick.villarreal@unt.edu or 940-565-2662.
