http://www.953theticket.com/?p=14946

Notes:

CUSA voluntarily dropped the Arizona Bowl. (I'm confused as to why) SBC happily jumped in to take their place.

Feels 5 is an important number for bowls because it gives us the same amount of bowl tie ins as the MAC and CUSA.

Football Coaches have been encouraged to limit money games to 1 per year, and to work on "strategic scheduling" of OOC games to improve the league's standing in the playoff money pool.

Universal agreement that a Football Title game would not happen until CCU completes transition in 2018. The 10 football coaches and 10 AD's will be given final say on what to do with that. It is an ongoing discussion that will not be decided until 2017.

Not concerned about CCU's difficulty with stadium expansion. Said that State Politics are nothing unusual, and CCU has promised they will work around it.

Happy that the league dumped Men's and Women's basketball doubleheaders during midweek. Believes that it's unfair that women don't get a chance to be seen in prime time like the men.

My reactions...

-as much as feel it's kind of contradictory that King karl made specific "geographic footprint" a big deal yet we get a bowl game in Arizona, i will concur it's achievement to have equal bowl games as both the MAC & CUSA whereas 3 years ago this conference only had 2

-he can twist and spin as much as he wants how the teams need to have less "money games" for the good of the conference but unless he's willing to dish out 1.5 here and there, that's not gonna happen

-he makes it pretty clear in the interview despite he's attempts to twist and politic around that he's pretty much in favor of divisions and championship game

-surprises Chiefsfan left out the part where he takes a jab at Astate fans-he still sucks

If you limit the money games and it improves the SBC's standing in the CFP, then the teams will get a larger payday and mitigate the loss.

He's not saying don't take a money game, he is saying limit it to one money game a season and that is reasonable. So far USA has only had one each year. Even though we have both MSU and LSU this year, the MSU game isn't a money game, but part of our 2 for 1 for them to come to Mobile.

(05-28-2016 08:35 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  He's not saying don't take a money game, he is saying limit it to one money game a season and that is reasonable. So far USA has only had one each year. Even though we have both MSU and LSU this year, the MSU game isn't a money game, but part of our 2 for 1 for them to come to Mobile.

Same difference. We get the money from the P5 or ticket sales plus we get our ass kicked either way.

(05-28-2016 08:35 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  He's not saying don't take a money game, he is saying limit it to one money game a season and that is reasonable. So far USA has only had one each year. Even though we have both MSU and LSU this year, the MSU game isn't a money game, but part of our 2 for 1 for them to come to Mobile.

you can see his point. while it is nice to have some big payday games and everybody wants to play in the big pool after traveling so far to get there, those beat downs just make us look like we dont belong.

We're going to keep playing our P5 games and eventually we'll stop losing at the last minute.

Especially when no one seems to want a home and home.

Karl was smart to jump on the opportunity to make this a full time bowl for the Sun Belt. The bowl freeze shut out any attempt for a SC bowl location.

We have four bowl games in our footprint and one (Tucson) out of it. Only one is at a member's stadium (GoDaddy which pre-dates USA football)
CUSA outlier ties are Bahamas and Hawaii. New Mexico is an outlier if UTEP doesn't go.
AAC doesn't have ANY bowl game that is reasonable travel for the western schools other than Birmingham and half the west division is long drive to B'ham. Only one bowl at a member's stadium. Great bowl line-up for the eastern schools though.
MAC has no bowl games that are easily accessible to fans. None at member stadiums.
MWC five of six games are at member stadiums.

(05-28-2016 02:37 AM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  My reactions...

-as much as feel it's kind of contradictory that King karl made specific "geographic footprint" a big deal yet we get a bowl game in Arizona, i will concur it's achievement to have equal bowl games as both the MAC & CUSA whereas 3 years ago this conference only had 2

-he can twist and spin as much as he wants how the teams need to have less "money games" for the good of the conference but unless he's willing to dish out 1.5 here and there, that's not gonna happen

-he makes it pretty clear in the interview despite he's attempts to twist and politic around that he's pretty much in favor of divisions and championship game

-surprises Chiefsfan left out the part where he takes a jab at Astate fans-he still sucks

I haven't had a chance to listen to the whole clip yet.
What jab does he take at stAte fans?

Thought he was straight forward on every question asked.

As I have stated before hopefully one of the days the rest of the SBC will come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here to derail and vilify him, are base strictly on the fact they think he is not bowing down to them.

He must have the the interest of the SBC as a whole in mind not just them, and that really irks them.

Little FYI for the A-State posters here ..........by any measure the SBC is getting better under him, so deal with it.

I can't wrap my head around any reason why a conference with 14 members would cut ties with a bowl in today's landscape in which no new bowls can be added?

Is it really that damning to not fill your bowl slots to where this move makes sense?

(05-28-2016 06:40 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  Thought he was straight forward on every question asked.

As I have stated before hopefully one of the days the rest of the SBC will come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here to derail and vilify him, are base strictly on the fact they think he is not bowing down to them.

He must have the the interest of the SBC as a whole in mind not just them, and that really irks them.

Little FYI for the A-State posters here ..........by any measure the SBC is getting better under him, so deal with it.

I think it's more accurate to say the conference has gotten better despite him. If Benson was professional, had tact, and didn't play favorites, maybe stAte fans would have more respect for him. We're just not afraid to call him out on all his BS.

(05-28-2016 08:39 PM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  

(05-28-2016 06:40 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  Thought he was straight forward on every question asked.

As I have stated before hopefully one of the days the rest of the SBC will come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here to derail and vilify him, are base strictly on the fact they think he is not bowing down to them.

He must have the the interest of the SBC as a whole in mind not just them, and that really irks them.

Little FYI for the A-State posters here ..........by any measure the SBC is getting better under him, so deal with it.

I think it's more accurate to say the conference has gotten better despite him. If Benson was professional, had tact, and didn't play favorites, maybe stAte fans would have more respect for him. We're just not afraid to call him out on all his BS.

As long as posters from the other SBC teams here come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here, and your coordinated efforts to discredit him has nothing to do with what is in their best interest I'm good with that.

He has in fact done a good job for them, and that it irks A-State fans here is probably a pretty good indication of that.

I'm not sure conference commissioners really make that big an impact. The product on the field drives value not them.

(05-28-2016 09:31 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  I'm not sure conference commissioners really make that big an impact. The product on the field drives value not them.

I agree

(05-28-2016 09:31 PM)Saint3333 Wrote:  I'm not sure conference commissioners really make that big an impact. The product on the field drives value not them.

The product on the field may drive value, but Benson is who is suppose to use that value to improve the conference in some way.
TV deals and the like would go differently if not for stAte and the value they bring to the table. stAte and ULL are the biggest contributors to the Sun Belt's value. With App and Georgia Southern not too far behind.
It's a legitimate complaint that the conference consistently puts us on the back burner when it comes to promoting our product. We don't want or need Benson to bow down to us. We just want equal treatment to the rest of the conference, and I don't think we get that.

(05-28-2016 09:02 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  

(05-28-2016 08:39 PM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  

(05-28-2016 06:40 PM)Seminole Indian Wrote:  Thought he was straight forward on every question asked.

As I have stated before hopefully one of the days the rest of the SBC will come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here to derail and vilify him, are base strictly on the fact they think he is not bowing down to them.

He must have the the interest of the SBC as a whole in mind not just them, and that really irks them.

Little FYI for the A-State posters here ..........by any measure the SBC is getting better under him, so deal with it.

I think it's more accurate to say the conference has gotten better despite him. If Benson was professional, had tact, and didn't play favorites, maybe stAte fans would have more respect for him. We're just not afraid to call him out on all his BS.

As long as posters from the other SBC teams here come to realize that the agenda of the A-State posters here, and your coordinated efforts to discredit him has nothing to do with what is in their best interest I'm good with that.

He has in fact done a good job for them, and that it irks A-State fans here is probably a pretty good indication of that.

Most SBC fans hate Karl. Maybe not to the level that AState fans hate him, but he, like every commisioner around these days, is unpopular.

AState fans will hate him until the day he leaves this job. No one gives two licks for whether or not the league has imrpoved under him. (That's arguable to begin with) We're going to still hate him, my advice would be for you to deal with it.

People vastly over-rate the power commissioners have. The bulk of what they do is give advice and try to help the members reach consensus. Commissioner can't add new members and can't set scheduling policy.

Seminole's inaccurate comments to the contrary there is reasonable reason to AState dislike of the commissioner that isn't about wanting him to bow down.

In a game in 2012 AState had a player involved in a "targeting" play. Official whose responsibility it was didn't see it as a targeting call, the supervisor of officials reviewed it grading the crew and didn't think it was targeting. WKU coaches saw it on film (they were the next opponent) they pointed it out and supervisor again reviewed it and ruled it a clean play. The commissioner looked at it and ruled it was targeting and suspended the player for the WKU game.

In 2013 the GoDaddy had indicated an interest in taking AState for a third straight season. The commissioner told them AState had another game lined up (we were making a pitch to Shreveport but so were others) and suggested taking WKU. The Cajuns then shat themselves and left AState in the title picture and AState discovered that we might get left out of the bowl picture despite the league football regs requiring that all teams tied for the league title had to be placed in bowls. Benson claimed that the rule didn't exist then that it didn't mean what it said (even though it plainly said all tied teams for first get a game if the league has enough ties). GoDaddy discovers AState is interested and doesn't bother to wait to see if AState will be a tied team and invites us.

Then in 2015 at the Sun Belt women's tournament Benson is asked about the AState-UALR match (AState is floating on the edge of the bubble, UALR has sealed up an NCAA bid) and says its in the best interest of the conference if UALR wins so they can get a better seed where anyone else in that situation says either way it is good, a UALR win means a higher seed, an AState win means two bids. But no equivocation, he wants UALR to win.

Then fall of 2015 AState has clinched no worse than a tie for first and is facing Texas State. AState plans a championship ceremony after the game since the only question is whether the Red Wolves share the title. Benson had presented at GaSo the year before but can't make it to Jonesboro for whatever reason. The trophy gets sent FedEx to the Convocation Center and arrives on Saturday, no signature required. Worker going in sees a box by the door! Finally word gets to the right people there is some box from the Sun Belt over here.

That's not asking the commissioner to bow down, it is asking him to not overturn his hired football rules expert on a controversial play, it is asking him to follow the league's own rules in bowl selection, it is asking for a veneer of professionalism in discussing who he wants to WIN a league title, it is asking for not having a trophy left outside a building on the day of an event.

Nothing inaccurate about my comment, just wanted the other posters here to be reminded that the coordinated efforts by the A-State posters here to discredit him are not necessarily in their best interest. The reasons for these efforts was not mentioned, but the effort and agenda is real.

It does appear that he has done a pretty good job considering the circumstances the last few years.