We did not turn down a bid to the Military Bowl!

(12-03-2012 10:02 PM)MTowho Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 09:58 PM)CrazyCajun Wrote:  

(12-03-2012 01:32 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  #1 I'm disappointed MTSU got left out
#2 per Adam Sparks, the ADs did not vote to send WKU to Detroit and deferred to the bowl. WKU had been working them for weeks.
#3. MTSU turned down the Military on Thursday expecting Liberty/GoDaddy to work out but Iowa State coming available killed that.
#4. You are leaving and while I'm disappointed it is getting a bit trite seeing the same glad we are out posts and trashing of the league when your administration is responsible for gambling and losing.

Very similar manner as Louisiana Tech, without the arrogance. MT AD is at fault more then anyone else suggested in this thread. Thank you sir!

We elected to uphold our duty to the Sun Belt by letting bowl negotations go through the conference office. We were trying to do things the right way, as we always have. We got burned, obviously. MT never turned down Military.

THIS IS THE TRUTH. EXCERPT FROM DNJ ARTICLE QUOTING THE MILITARY BOWL DIRECTOR:

Quote:Benson negotiated a possible bid for MTSU to the Military Bowl in Washington, D.C., but Bowling Green and San Jose State were instead chosen for the two at-large spots.

“Karl gave us a good offer that included (MTSU),” said Military Bowl executive director Steve Beck via text message Monday night. “Our executive committee voted for the (Mid-American Conference) offer (for Bowling Green) and not the Sun Belt’s offer. I had no idea what he had going on with other bowls.”

So anyone claiming that Chris Massaro 'turned down' or 'refused' the Military Bowl doesn't have their facts right.

(12-04-2012 01:02 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  We were told to back off. By our "negotiator".

Like I said "IF", but if Benson screwed MT just because they were leaving the conference, then thats a bad business move. And could in the long run bite not only Benson but also the Sun Belt.

Why would Benson screw over a team...leaving or not? It makes him and the conference he's over look better for more teams to be in the post season, than to play favorites. The only favorites played were who the bowls wanted or didn't want.

(12-04-2012 12:01 PM)WarhawkReport Wrote:  Why would Benson screw over a team...leaving or not? It makes him and the conference he's over look better for more teams to be in the post season, than to play favorites. The only favorites played were who the bowls wanted or didn't want.

I'm not buying either. Benson's job is to facilitate as much revenue as possible for the Sun Belt. Screwing over MT is counter productive to that goal.

Regardless of whether or not Benson meant to screw everything up for us he did. I'm glad we won't have to deal with him much more. Good luck, SBC, and be careful.

(12-04-2012 08:19 AM)SpaceRaider Wrote:  ]So anyone claiming that Chris Massaro 'turned down' or 'refused' the Military Bowl doesn't have their facts right.[/b][/size][/color]

Gasp. Does this mean our ultra super insider at the SBC was doing the conference bidding by misinforming fans or did the SBC dupe him too?

(12-04-2012 12:11 PM)CrazyCajun Wrote:  

(12-04-2012 12:01 PM)WarhawkReport Wrote:  Why would Benson screw over a team...leaving or not? It makes him and the conference he's over look better for more teams to be in the post season, than to play favorites. The only favorites played were who the bowls wanted or didn't want.

I'm not buying either. Benson's job is to facilitate as much revenue as possible for the Sun Belt. Screwing over MT is counter productive to that goal.

News flash- our conference makes little to nothing on bowls, especially ones we are not contracted to. The SBC generally takes a hit that it sees as worth it to increase exposure. Getting the MT in a bowl would be of little benefit to the SBC beyond being able to claim 5 bowl teams which would have been nice.

(12-03-2012 09:31 PM)Cajunman02 Wrote:  Hopefully coaches in the Sun Belt explain to their recruits the benefit of going to a Sun Belt school over a CUSA school that couldn't get a bowl invite.

Nice revisionist history, pal. There isn't a CUSA school that couldn't get an invite. There are two schools left out this year, one from the WAC and one from the Sun Belt. If you really want to play that game the last bowl eligible CUSA school to sit at home despite bowl eligibility was in 2006. Its now happened to a Sun Belt school three times since then.