Darrell Dickey is leaving the University of North Texas as its football coach at the end of the season. Dickey, whose Mean Green just a few short years ago dominated the Sun Belt Conference, has been fired after a second consecutive losing season. (Dickey's team won four straight titles before its first losing campaign.) But his name will not soon be forgotten at UNT.
Alumnus Jim McIngvale, better known as "Mattress Mac," a loud but benevolent businessman from Houston, had the school's new practice facility named after him following a $1 million donation to the UNT athletic department.
When Dickey was fired -- just weeks after suffering a heart attack -- Mattress Mac asked the school to instead put Dickey's name on the practice facility. UNT honored the request, not wanting the money redirected to the music department, as had been threatened, according to The Associated Press.
UNT did the right thing, although it was terribly awkward to be forced to name a facility after a coach the university just dumped. Dickey guided the Mean Green through a series of solid seasons and only fell on hard times recently, as the rest of the Sun Belt caught up to his team. But the real winner here is not Dickey, but Mattress Mac, who once again found a creative way to get his name in the paper.
He's pretty good at that. Anyone whose ever watched TV in Houston for more than about five minutes will certainly agree.
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