(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.

This doesnt belong on our main board.

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.
This doesnt belong on our main board.

excuse me, sir. But the supreme court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

(03-30-2013 05:13 AM)Walter Sobchak Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.
This doesnt belong on our main board.

excuse me, sir. But the supreme court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

Just curious, with where ULM is with their football program, how are the Warhawks not mentioned in the 3 that could beat any CUSA teams?

(03-30-2013 09:20 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 05:13 AM)Walter Sobchak Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.
This doesnt belong on our main board.

excuse me, sir. But the supreme court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

Just curious, with where ULM is with their football program, how are the Warhawks not mentioned in the 3 that could beat any CUSA teams?

Based on where your program is you should have been mentioned...

(03-29-2013 10:32 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  ULM may have a real small budget but seems they are doing a lot with it.
To be 8-5 and have some of the best wins in the conference last year
says a lot. At least they will get some more money with the BCS divide.
Still funny that they beat Arkansas and then lost to stAte. Guess
Arkansas blamed it on a new coach.

You caught on quick. Arkansas always has an excuse.

(03-30-2013 09:20 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 05:13 AM)Walter Sobchak Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.
This doesnt belong on our main board.

excuse me, sir. But the supreme court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

Just curious, with where ULM is with their football program, how are the Warhawks not mentioned in the 3 that could beat any CUSA teams?

You've certainly got the talent, but just like ASU did for years on end under Steve Roberts, you guys find a way not to win the ones you should and win some you shouldn't.

Until that first part changes, you'll always be dangerous on a given Saturday, but not a real contender.

(03-30-2013 12:03 PM)Senatobia Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 09:20 AM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 05:13 AM)Walter Sobchak Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.
This doesnt belong on our main board.

excuse me, sir. But the supreme court has roundly rejected prior restraint.

Just curious, with where ULM is with their football program, how are the Warhawks not mentioned in the 3 that could beat any CUSA teams?

You've certainly got the talent, but just like ASU did for years on end under Steve Roberts, you guys find a way not to win the ones you should and win some you shouldn't.

Until that first part changes, you'll always be dangerous on a given Saturday, but not a real contender.

Well an 8-5 record, bowl appearance, a win over the #8 team in the country, and 2nd place finish in the SBC with almost the entire team coming back including a Senior Kolton Browning at QB would seem to be a contender to most.

ULM has to be considered a contender.

(03-30-2013 12:51 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  ULM has to be considered a contender.

Thanks GoApps. With that said, the difference between the top teams in the SBC is who stays healthy. We played the Cajuns and Red Wolves without Browning last year, which definitely makes a difference. Should be a shoot out between all 3 of those plus maybe WKU and Troy this year.

(03-28-2013 11:54 AM)Fear The Frog Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 11:25 AM)Turnberry79 Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 10:00 AM)Senatobia Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 08:55 AM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(03-28-2013 08:31 AM)Senatobia Wrote:  Benson will have the opportunity to screw up SBC athletics for a long time. He's keeping his job at the memberships expense.

That's how he rolls.

I know that everyone loves to "pile on" Cousin Karl, but seriously . . . Do you really believe that as The Conf. Commish he loves watching all these schools bail . . . and then having to back fill w/start ups or FBS programs from the island of misfit toys? If it aint good for the Conf., It aint good for Cousin Karl either . . . .

Cousin Karl has a track record of stupid moves that go back over a decade. He is an unmitigated fool.

I have read these posts blaming Karl Benson for everything imaginable under the sun. The fact is the people who have made those assertions are woefully uninformed and have no idea as to what went on in the WAC while he was commissioner nor do they know why he has taken the steps he has since becoming commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. Benson is just no more than an easy target to attack for them from behind a computer.

First, the situation and dynamics which were present in the WAC were unique to the WAC and do not parallel what you see now in the Sun Belt. The schools in the WAC never cared much about the welfare of the conference they competed in. Every school's unique agenda was all that mattered to the member institutions such that the WAC became a weigh station, just a place to park your athletic program until you could get into what you "perceived" to be a better conference. The back biting and sometimes outright dishonesty in how some of the schools often dealt with the conference office and their fellow members was beyond imagination. When long term strategic plans were drawn up to improve the conference they were often ignored. Again, how can you be successful unless all the members are on the same page with a commitment to move forward together? Nonetheless, no one seems to bring up the fact that five years ago Benson renegotiated the WAC media rights contract with ESPN where each of the member schools received right at one million dollar annually. Again, that was five ago. Nor do they know that Benson is a very good negotiator in that area.

Second, he did try to backfill the WAC with FCS schools. But if you were in the same geographic location where there were practically no FBS schools which had a desire to change conferences wouldn't you do the same? The FCS schools that made sense for the WAC just did not have the money to transition and/or were entangled in politics such that any transition was impossible to achieve. You probably don't remember that Benson came very close to pulling off a plan that would not have only saved football in the WAC but would have made it stronger than the Mountain West. That was foiled again when some of his member institutions were saying one thing to the conference office while negotiating with the Mountain West. Was that Benson's fault? I think not.

Now to today. If you stop and look at the landscape it is not difficult to see what he has done and is doing with the addition of NMSU and Idaho for football and why it is in the conference's best interest moving ahead. He not only wants to keep the Sun Belt viable in the short term as an FBS conference but just as important he wants at the same time to insure that it will become much stronger moving forward.

I know the guy......and I trust him. And ya know, you should too. I think I want a guy on my side that has been in this typeof knife fight before. He knows how the game is played and what has to be done to become successful, especially in these unprecedented times of realignment. If he is as bad as some have suggest how did he keep his job in the WAC as long as he did, 18 years, and why did the chief executive officers of the Sun Belt member institutions hire him to replace Wright Waters? I doubt if they voted for his hiring if they truly felt he was the guy who destroyed the WAC. Their votes were based on facts.......something totally foreign to some Internet message board posters.

In sum, I think I want a guy who has not only the experience of running a conference, not unlike the Sun Belt, but understands what is important and has the vision to move things forward. The alternative most likely would be someone with no commissioner experience having to learn these hard lessons on the job. No one wants to go where that would be likely to lead.

You my friend have wise words.. but the blind will not read them...

Senatobia is not blind he is just a product of The Den, and they tend to view the world through dark glasses.

As far as the SBC they are one of the G5 Conferences and will be so for a long time and will have no problem replacing anyone that leaves.

Even better is they are going to be a very solid in football, and their better teams will more than hold their own against the better teams in the other G5 Conferences.

In for a penny, in for a pound...

sent from trojanbruthazTB using Tapatalk 2

(03-30-2013 01:13 PM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 12:51 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  ULM has to be considered a contender.

Thanks GoApps. With that said, the difference between the top teams in the SBC is who stays healthy. We played the Cajuns and Red Wolves without Browning last year, which definitely makes a difference. Should be a shoot out between all 3 of those plus maybe WKU and Troy this year.

Brother, you know I respect you. Dont pull out the excuse card for that loss to the Cajuns.. Im sure we all remember that UL was without their starting QB and their starting tailback for most of the year. Including their bowl victory. You can either coach em up or you cant.. that simple.

Good Luck,

Z

(03-30-2013 03:56 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 01:13 PM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 12:51 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  ULM has to be considered a contender.

Thanks GoApps. With that said, the difference between the top teams in the SBC is who stays healthy. We played the Cajuns and Red Wolves without Browning last year, which definitely makes a difference. Should be a shoot out between all 3 of those plus maybe WKU and Troy this year.

Brother, you know I respect you. Dont pull out the excuse card for that loss to the Cajuns.. Im sure we all remember that UL was without their starting QB and their starting tailback for most of the year. Including their bowl victory. You can either coach em up or you cant.. that simple.

Good Luck,

Z

Z,
I'm honestly not making excuses, I was making a point. The Cajuns have our number lately and stAte whooped us. The SBC championship has and will come down to who stays the healthiest and has good enough depth, but we obviously couldn't overcome our injuries to win against the Cajuns or Red Wolves. Now, to say that ULM couldn't beat anyone in CUSA or be a contender for the championship this year, I would think you would agree, is ludicrous.

(03-30-2013 04:17 PM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 03:56 PM)zeebart21 Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 01:13 PM)Arrowhead Wrote:  

(03-30-2013 12:51 PM)GoApps70 Wrote:  ULM has to be considered a contender.

Thanks GoApps. With that said, the difference between the top teams in the SBC is who stays healthy. We played the Cajuns and Red Wolves without Browning last year, which definitely makes a difference. Should be a shoot out between all 3 of those plus maybe WKU and Troy this year.

Brother, you know I respect you. Dont pull out the excuse card for that loss to the Cajuns.. Im sure we all remember that UL was without their starting QB and their starting tailback for most of the year. Including their bowl victory. You can either coach em up or you cant.. that simple.

Good Luck,

Z

Z,
I'm honestly not making excuses, I was making a point. The Cajuns have our number lately and stAte whooped us. The SBC championship has and will come down to who stays the healthiest and has good enough depth, but we obviously couldn't overcome our injuries to win against the Cajuns or Red Wolves. Now, to say that ULM couldn't beat anyone in CUSA or be a contender for the championship this year, I would think you would agree, is ludicrous.

Agreed, I think the GaSo fans will be in for a rude awakening their first year in the Sun Belt.

(03-30-2013 04:02 AM)AlaIllTex Wrote:  

(03-27-2013 10:58 PM)Bubba Bexley Wrote:  In the final years of WAC football, its more prominent members were working to get out, much like we have seen in the Belt. Benson's solution was to turn to FCS teams, much like we are seeing now in the Belt. Eventually, the WAC ran out of FCS options as teams continued to bolt, which could happen to the Belt if WKU plus two leave. I know the numbers may be there now in regards to who already signed up, but several of the current and future members' programs are barely hanging on as FBS schools.

Will Benson lead another football conference to its doom?

Mods-This belongs on the smack board. This is juvenile, not serious, and doesn't belong here. The poster appears to be cheering for the league this board is here for fans of to be destroyed because it assumes every negative possible outcome will occur no matter how far-fetched. Smack Talk board please.

The scenario the poster is discussing is far fetched and not a risk to occur.

Only Idaho in the SBC is even remotely at risk for being demoted (attendance) and politically there's no will to demote anyone, otherwise Eastern Michigan and Idaho would've been pushed to FCS. There's no risk of anyone not meeting attendance requirements otherwise the MAC would've collapsed years ago. Plus schools can purchase tickets from themselves (at a cost of zero dollars) to meet the requirements. No Belt members' athletic departments face serious financial difficulties.

Every Sun Belt member would accept a bid to a league earning more money as would every member of CUSA.

The most far-fetched scenario, assuming no one else wants to upgrade to FBS and that CUSA wants to expand to 16 teams, still leaves the Sun Belt with 8 teams that it appears no one else wants. No risk.

This doesnt belong on our main board.

The thing is that the MAC schools will always meet the official requirements for FBS. In EMU's case did you know they have a deal with Pepsi that has Pepsi buy tickets at the end of the year? You want to guess that the number of tickets sold will be whatever is needed to stay in FBS? Way back in the day when they required 30K stadiums to be FBS all the MAC schools upgraded their stadiums so at least they technically could hold 30K (even if they never expected to hit that mark) and when that requirement went away many downsized thier stadiums to make them look better. Schools in the MAC seem to always do whatever is needed to stay FBS.

(03-28-2013 05:16 AM)Buccaneerlover Wrote:  UT-C will once they get their house in order as will ETSU, Kennesaw st, UNF, FGCU. The Sun Belt will survive.

I think I read sometime ago that Kennesaw St. has a plan to become a BCS program

ULM has had bad leadership for years, but seems to have things headed in the right direction in athletics and academics. Winning cures all, our enrollment is increasing as well as athletic revenue.

(04-03-2013 10:51 PM)Warsaw landing Wrote:  ULM has had bad leadership for years, but seems to have things headed in the right direction in athletics and academics. Winning cures all, our enrollment is increasing as well as athletic revenue.

"will the sun belt meet the same fate of wac football"..yes . all the good programs left the wac because a never ending stream of no name lesser programs kept getting invited in. the better programs didnt want to associate with them so left..same thing is happening to the sun belt now.

(04-04-2013 06:57 AM)runamuck Wrote:  

(04-03-2013 10:51 PM)Warsaw landing Wrote:  ULM has had bad leadership for years, but seems to have things headed in the right direction in athletics and academics. Winning cures all, our enrollment is increasing as well as athletic revenue.

"will the sun belt meet the same fate of wac football"..yes . all the good programs left the wac because a never ending stream of no name lesser programs kept getting invited in. the better programs didnt want to associate with them so left..same thing is happening to the sun belt now.

With one exception . .. the WAC eventually ran out of Western "no name lesser programs" to call up, resulting in conference implosion. In the SBC footprint, there seems to be no end of "no name lesser programs" waiting to be called up . . . So while the conference may continue to take "hits" in the prestige dept., and on field performance may suffer, the SBC will go on . . . .

(04-04-2013 07:14 AM)Bobcat87 Wrote:  

(04-04-2013 06:57 AM)runamuck Wrote:  

(04-03-2013 10:51 PM)Warsaw landing Wrote:  ULM has had bad leadership for years, but seems to have things headed in the right direction in athletics and academics. Winning cures all, our enrollment is increasing as well as athletic revenue.

"will the sun belt meet the same fate of wac football"..yes . all the good programs left the wac because a never ending stream of no name lesser programs kept getting invited in. the better programs didnt want to associate with them so left..same thing is happening to the sun belt now.

With one exception . .. the WAC eventually ran out of Western "no name lesser programs" to call up, resulting in conference implosion. In the SBC footprint, there seems to be no end of "no name lesser programs" waiting to be called up . . . So while the conference may continue to take "hits" in the prestige dept., and on field performance may suffer, the SBC will go on . . . .

good point...