I've been following college athletics a long time. When it comes to administrators, here are facts you can apply every single time when it comes to blaming one person for things perceived wrong and giving no credit for things that go well.

This happened, it's Benson's fault.
This happened, but Benson didn't have anything to do with it.

Concerning Georgia State, Benson's predecessor had already planted the seed at least a year before he retired. I remembered having lunch with him and asking what school interested in moving up had the most upside (this was before GS and App announced plans). He said Georgia State, no question. Maybe a few folks got butt hurt over the committee, but it was gonna happen regardless.

Presidents vote on expansion. In fact, Presidents and AD's make just about all decisions, but don't think for a minute they don't get advised by the Commissioner. Sometimes strongly.

We had two bowl tie ins. Now we have five. And, again, don't think Karl Benson doesn't deserve a lot of credit for that. Moreover, the bowls (with exception of Arizona, perhaps) make geographic sense to a solid percentage of the schools.

The money contract with ESPN was done when he got here. The ESPN 3 deal was not.

I was critical of the immediate expansion idea. I did not think we needed to get to 12 just to have a championship game, I STILL don't think it was a good move. We added NMSU and Idaho, both of which hurt our cause until this past season when Idaho finally had some success.

My other criticism of the Commissioner had to do with Arkansas State player Frankie Jackson who clearly tried to injure one of the Cajuns' offensive linemen on an extra point attempt in 2014. He did not issue a suspension and I'm still ticked off about that.

Many Louisiana fans don't like the commissioner because of his stance (until recently) on the name issue. But that's just as myopic as Arkansas State fans' wrath because they didn't get a personal presentation of a trophy. (If you knew why he wasn't there, you'd understand it was a legitimate reason. No I'm not going to tell you.) FWIW, he hasn't presented any of our last three SBC tournament baseball trophies either. We display the trophies just the same.

He's not been a perfect commissioner. Those don't exist (Greg Sankey is still getting hammered over his lack of leadership in the LSU-Florida hurricane fiasco.)

But this league is a damn sight better off than it was in 2012. That should not be viewed as a criticism of his predecessor, but rather a tribute to Benson's hard work when this league was in terrible flux.

We have something right now we've never had as a league since football was started: Stability

(02-10-2017 09:57 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  I've been following college athletics a long time. When it comes to administrators, here are facts you can apply every single time when it comes to blaming one person for things perceived wrong and giving no credit for things that go well.

This happened, it's Benson's fault.
This happened, but Benson didn't have anything to do with it.

Concerning Georgia State, Benson's predecessor had already planted the seed at least a year before he retired. I remembered having lunch with him and asking what school interested in moving up had the most upside (this was before GS and App announced plans). He said Georgia State, no question. Maybe a few folks got butt hurt over the committee, but it was gonna happen regardless.

Presidents vote on expansion. In fact, Presidents and AD's make just about all decisions, but don't think for a minute they don't get advised by the Commissioner. Sometimes strongly.

We had two bowl tie ins. Now we have five. And, again, don't think Karl Benson doesn't deserve a lot of credit for that. Moreover, the bowls (with exception of Arizona, perhaps) make geographic sense to a solid percentage of the schools.

The money contract with ESPN was done when he got here. The ESPN 3 deal was not.

I was critical of the immediate expansion idea. I did not think we needed to get to 12 just to have a championship game, I STILL don't think it was a good move. We added NMSU and Idaho, both of which hurt our cause until this past season when Idaho finally had some success.

My other criticism of the Commissioner had to do with Arkansas State player Frankie Jackson who clearly tried to injure one of the Cajuns' offensive linemen on an extra point attempt in 2014. He did not issue a suspension and I'm still ticked off about that.

Many Louisiana fans don't like the commissioner because of his stance (until recently) on the name issue. But that's just as myopic as Arkansas State fans' wrath because they didn't get a personal presentation of a trophy. (If you knew why he wasn't there, you'd understand it was a legitimate reason. No I'm not going to tell you.) FWIW, he hasn't presented any of our last three SBC tournament baseball trophies either. We display the trophies just the same.

He's not been a perfect commissioner. Those don't exist (Greg Sankey is still getting hammered over his lack of leadership in the LSU-Florida hurricane fiasco.)

But this league is a damn sight better off than it was in 2012. That should not be viewed as a criticism of his predecessor, but rather a tribute to Benson's hard work when this league was in terrible flux.

We have something right now we've never had as a league since football was started: Stability

If you cannot come with a trophy....delegate someone.

Conference bylaws should be public for ALL to read....not password protected when reporters and fans ask questions about them.

If you are going to overrule your professional head of officials...have a good reason prepared.

If you are going to promote one member's bowl game heavily on social media....promote the others as well.

The SBC is in a better position, it has a better lineup, it has more bowl tie-ins, it gets more press and is overall better off during his tenure.

But there is the appearance of pettiness, favoritism, cliqueishness, and lack of transparency that taints the accomplishments....and all for no really apparent good reason.

We are better than we are than in 2012 because unlike our peer conferences we didn't get the cream skimmed off the top of the league. Members began investing in their programs as well.

(02-10-2017 09:57 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  I've been following college athletics a long time. When it comes to administrators, here are facts you can apply every single time when it comes to blaming one person for things perceived wrong and giving no credit for things that go well.

This happened, it's Benson's fault.
This happened, but Benson didn't have anything to do with it.

Concerning Georgia State, Benson's predecessor had already planted the seed at least a year before he retired. I remembered having lunch with him and asking what school interested in moving up had the most upside (this was before GS and App announced plans). He said Georgia State, no question. Maybe a few folks got butt hurt over the committee, but it was gonna happen regardless.

Presidents vote on expansion. In fact, Presidents and AD's make just about all decisions, but don't think for a minute they don't get advised by the Commissioner. Sometimes strongly.

We had two bowl tie ins. Now we have five. And, again, don't think Karl Benson doesn't deserve a lot of credit for that. Moreover, the bowls (with exception of Arizona, perhaps) make geographic sense to a solid percentage of the schools.

The money contract with ESPN was done when he got here. The ESPN 3 deal was not.

I was critical of the immediate expansion idea. I did not think we needed to get to 12 just to have a championship game, I STILL don't think it was a good move. We added NMSU and Idaho, both of which hurt our cause until this past season when Idaho finally had some success.

My other criticism of the Commissioner had to do with Arkansas State player Frankie Jackson who clearly tried to injure one of the Cajuns' offensive linemen on an extra point attempt in 2014. He did not issue a suspension and I'm still ticked off about that.

Many Louisiana fans don't like the commissioner because of his stance (until recently) on the name issue. But that's just as myopic as Arkansas State fans' wrath because they didn't get a personal presentation of a trophy. (If you knew why he wasn't there, you'd understand it was a legitimate reason. No I'm not going to tell you.) FWIW, he hasn't presented any of our last three SBC tournament baseball trophies either. We display the trophies just the same.

He's not been a perfect commissioner. Those don't exist (Greg Sankey is still getting hammered over his lack of leadership in the LSU-Florida hurricane fiasco.)

But this league is a damn sight better off than it was in 2012. That should not be viewed as a criticism of his predecessor, but rather a tribute to Benson's hard work when this league was in terrible flux.

We have something right now we've never had as a league since football was started: Stability

I don't buy that the league got better because of Benson. The league got better because CUSA took some of our worst teams, and the teams we replaced them with clearly have invested in the game.

If Benson can't make the trophy presentation, that's one thing, but shipping the trophy via Fed Ex, not requiring a signature, and not notifying our Athletic Department what you were doing is just poor.

(02-10-2017 12:16 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(02-10-2017 09:57 AM)BirdofParadise Wrote:  I've been following college athletics a long time. When it comes to administrators, here are facts you can apply every single time when it comes to blaming one person for things perceived wrong and giving no credit for things that go well.

This happened, it's Benson's fault.
This happened, but Benson didn't have anything to do with it.

Concerning Georgia State, Benson's predecessor had already planted the seed at least a year before he retired. I remembered having lunch with him and asking what school interested in moving up had the most upside (this was before GS and App announced plans). He said Georgia State, no question. Maybe a few folks got butt hurt over the committee, but it was gonna happen regardless.

Presidents vote on expansion. In fact, Presidents and AD's make just about all decisions, but don't think for a minute they don't get advised by the Commissioner. Sometimes strongly.

We had two bowl tie ins. Now we have five. And, again, don't think Karl Benson doesn't deserve a lot of credit for that. Moreover, the bowls (with exception of Arizona, perhaps) make geographic sense to a solid percentage of the schools.

The money contract with ESPN was done when he got here. The ESPN 3 deal was not.

I was critical of the immediate expansion idea. I did not think we needed to get to 12 just to have a championship game, I STILL don't think it was a good move. We added NMSU and Idaho, both of which hurt our cause until this past season when Idaho finally had some success.

My other criticism of the Commissioner had to do with Arkansas State player Frankie Jackson who clearly tried to injure one of the Cajuns' offensive linemen on an extra point attempt in 2014. He did not issue a suspension and I'm still ticked off about that.

Many Louisiana fans don't like the commissioner because of his stance (until recently) on the name issue. But that's just as myopic as Arkansas State fans' wrath because they didn't get a personal presentation of a trophy. (If you knew why he wasn't there, you'd understand it was a legitimate reason. No I'm not going to tell you.) FWIW, he hasn't presented any of our last three SBC tournament baseball trophies either. We display the trophies just the same.

He's not been a perfect commissioner. Those don't exist (Greg Sankey is still getting hammered over his lack of leadership in the LSU-Florida hurricane fiasco.)

But this league is a damn sight better off than it was in 2012. That should not be viewed as a criticism of his predecessor, but rather a tribute to Benson's hard work when this league was in terrible flux.

We have something right now we've never had as a league since football was started: Stability

I don't buy that the league got better because of Benson. The league got better because CUSA took some of our worst teams, and the teams we replaced them with clearly have invested in the game.

If Benson can't make the trophy presentation, that's one thing, but shipping the trophy via Fed Ex, not requiring a signature, and not notifying our Athletic Department what you were doing is just poor.

I don't either. You especially can't list more bowl tie-ins as an accomplishment. Everyone and their mother have started up new bowl games recently, and honestly, some of these bowls had no other option than to contract with SBC teams. They probably wanted to since they were getting regional teams with better records, but when other conferences are shorting bowls, they had to come to us.

The conference benefited from realignment. Karl benefited by being in the right place at the right time.

Reminds me of Bill Clinton....his first two years when Dems had control of both houses of congress were an utter failure. After mid-term elections, both houses turned and he became impotent. Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House designed the rest of Bill's Presidency with his Contract with America. The country prospered, and 'ole Bill continued nailing interns and lying with every breath, but came out as a success........one with which he had little or maybe even nothing to do with.

Karl is a turd. Period.

You guys are wasting your time trying to change the minds of A-State posters about Benson, and does it really matter.

They have been laying the hate on him for years, and he is still your Commissioner.

(02-10-2017 05:31 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  The conference benefited from realignment. Karl benefited by being in the right place at the right time.

Reminds me of Bill Clinton....his first two years when Dems had control of both houses of congress were an utter failure. After mid-term elections, both houses turned and he became impotent. Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House designed the rest of Bill's Presidency with his Contract with America. The country prospered, and 'ole Bill continued nailing interns and lying with every breath, but came out as a success........one with which he had little or maybe even nothing to do with.

Karl is a turd. Period.

I'm really starting to like this guy.

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ArkState fans sound like LaTech fans

(02-11-2017 09:42 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  ArkState fans sound like LaTech fans

Well, his IQ is about 110 pts higher than that of the average La Tech fan. With that being said, I doubt they sound alike.

(02-11-2017 09:47 PM)doberman1 Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 09:42 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  ArkState fans sound like LaTech fans

Well, his IQ is about 110 pts higher than that of the average La Tech fan. With that being said, I doubt they sound alike.

He may be talking about all of us.

(02-11-2017 10:09 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 09:47 PM)doberman1 Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 09:42 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  ArkState fans sound like LaTech fans

Well, his IQ is about 110 pts higher than that of the average La Tech fan. With that being said, I doubt they sound alike.

He may be talking about all of us.

Ah, saw the plurality a bit late.

(02-11-2017 11:04 PM)doberman1 Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 10:09 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 09:47 PM)doberman1 Wrote:  

(02-11-2017 09:42 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  ArkState fans sound like LaTech fans

Well, his IQ is about 110 pts higher than that of the average La Tech fan. With that being said, I doubt they sound alike.

He may be talking about all of us.

Ah, saw the plurality a bit late.

That A-State IQ at work.