I guess you guys are hearing something different from me. My take was that he thought he would be speaking more about the ULL - stAte matchup than answering tough questions on GS's bowl eligibility. He clearly said why the Eagles are not automatically eligible, how they possibility could still go and reminded the interviewers that GS knew that ahead of time...

I hope GS wins the conference. I hope we are in the conversation for a bowl if one is available but truthfully before the season started I said a good season would be 6-6 and anything better than that would be fantastic. Well I have a feeling we are going to have a fantastic season!

Also did you hear him say a 9 game conference schedule had been discussed. I like that option what about you guys?

(10-21-2014 02:09 PM)CajunFanatico Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 02:05 PM)Ole Sleepy Wrote:  So, what exactly DOES he do? Like, when he wakes up on a Monday morning, what does he have to get done?

Drink, apparently.

Touche.

Anyone is better than commissioner Big Bird of the Southern Conference.

(10-21-2014 02:23 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  Also did you hear him say a 9 game conference schedule had been discussed. I like that option what about you guys?

I prefer more OOC match ups as they're more interesting to me. Only reason to go to 9 is if we only had 10 members and we needed to do round-robin with no CCG, like the big 12.

(10-21-2014 02:37 PM)Tiguar Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 02:23 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  Also did you hear him say a 9 game conference schedule had been discussed. I like that option what about you guys?

I prefer more OOC match ups as they're more interesting to me. Only reason to go to 9 is if we only had 10 members and we needed to do round-robin with no CCG, like the big 12.

But if we stay at 11 and had 9 conference games it would mean that we would only miss one conference opponent each year. Also if we also said no more FCS games it seems to me that having 9 conference opponents strengthens our schedule in light of the new playoff system.

(10-21-2014 02:42 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 02:37 PM)Tiguar Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 02:23 PM)Georgia_Power_Company Wrote:  Also did you hear him say a 9 game conference schedule had been discussed. I like that option what about you guys?

I prefer more OOC match ups as they're more interesting to me. Only reason to go to 9 is if we only had 10 members and we needed to do round-robin with no CCG, like the big 12.

But if we stay at 11 and had 9 conference games it would mean that we would only miss one conference opponent each year. Also if we also said no more FCS games it seems to me that having 9 conference opponents strengthens our schedule in light of the new playoff system.

I'd rather stay at 4 OOC games. Those games are fun and you get a chance to play big schools. I believe OOC games are also good for name recognition and Sun Belt conference exposure.



Posted from my mobile device using the CSNbbs App

I don't really have a problem with what he said in terms of us being bowl eligible. It's clear he was saying the rule has been around a long time and it's not changing. If it were changed, it would probably mean we would take the place of another SBC that would be left home. That wouldn't sit well with the team left out.

Benson does sound off, especially at the very beginning.

The only way I would support a 9 game conference schedule is if we had 10 teams and we would play everyone. The only way that happens right now is to jetison Idaho in 2 years. Honestly I think the conference is headed more to 12 rather than reducing to 10 however.

Money wise, its going to be hard to go to a 9 game league schedule. We've got teams who need the cash from the guarantee games.

I don't have a problem with what he said about Georgia Southern.

I do have a problem with the way he treated the host at a station trying to cover Sun Belt sports. I don't have any facts, but I bet there aren't very many of those.

The host asked a question about why the bowl eligibility rule is in place; A completely legitimate question that I would like to know the answer to. So Mr. Benson got angry about it instead of saying "I don't know". WTH? Be friendly. Be a salesman.

(10-21-2014 06:48 PM)bullitt_60 Wrote:  I don't have a problem with what he said about Georgia Southern.

I do have a problem with the way he treated the host at a station trying to cover Sun Belt sports. I don't have any facts, but I bet there aren't very many of those.

The host asked a question about why the bowl eligibility rule is in place; A completely legitimate question that I would like to know the answer to. So Mr. Benson got angry about it instead of saying "I don't know". WTH? Be friendly. Be a salesman.

Some leaders and organizations are secretive and some are open. The SBC password protected the conferences bylaws so fans and reporters couldn't see them in order to avoid questions. So it's no surprise that the commissioner wants to avoid questions.

(10-21-2014 11:36 AM)SkullyMaroo Wrote:  

(10-21-2014 11:25 AM)CrimsonPhantom Wrote:  I got to say I was very surprised that the SBC picked Benson up when he was voted out by the WAC schools. What SBC schools need to do is push Benson to get a better TV deal. He could never do that for the WAC. Schools wanted him to do that but he never did.

Benson did not seem awake for this interview. Awful to listen to.

Benson wasn't voted out by the WAC. He left the WAC for the Sun Belt. The handwriting was in the wall for that conference.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...nference/1

Well he helped put the writing on the wall for the WAC to help Boise, his alma mater, become what it is. There was a vote of no confidence done by the WAC, which was probably why Benson left.

if given the choice, I would rather stand in an ant bed than have to listen to that interview again.

hail southern

I finally listened. I expected blasphemy out of his mouth concerning GS after reading this thread, but he really just told it like it is. There is a rule in place, and not much we could do about it at this point. No conference would be in favor of putting Georgia Southern in a bowl over another team from their conference who is eligible, and other Sun Belt schools don't want to be passed up either. I didn't see anything wrong with what he said.

Now, overall he seemed completely disinterested and unprepared (Mr. Benson, USA has. 4-2 record, just so you know), but that is a different story.

(10-21-2014 08:02 AM)CajunFanatico Wrote:  Benson reminds me of another "leader" who made me cringe every time he opened his mouth. This guy ran a fairly large company that was traded on the NYSE. I could understand that perhaps the guy was brilliant at accumulating beans, but man, what a disaster when he tried to talk.

This one would have been so easy for Benson, and he should have known it was coming.

Something like this would have been appropriate:

First let me say that this office will do everything humanly possible to see that all of our bowl-eligible teams find a spot in post-season play. Georgia Southern has exceeded our wildest expectations and we're proud of their accomplishments. As you know, according to NCAA rules, they're not bowl-eligible in their first year in FBS competition, but we support them in their lobbying efforts and encourage the NCAA rules committee to give them the consideration they deserve.

There, short, sweet, no one offended.

That was well said, Fanatico. However, after listening to his interview, I know that isn't how he feels.

Well, this is going to tick off a few people here (especially other GS fans) but this is how I feel. I knew we would not be eligible for a bowl game unless there is a shortage of 6 or more win G-5 teams. As much as it stinks, I can live with it and not gripe too much about it.

(10-21-2014 10:21 PM)sarkelcpa Wrote:  Well, this is going to tick off a few people here (especially other GS fans) but this is how I feel. I knew we would not be eligible for a bowl game unless there is a shortage of 6 or more win G-5 teams. As much as it stinks, I can live with it and not gripe too much about it.

Exactly. It would be the longest of long shots. And even then not much of a chance. We knew when we notified the SoCon we were packing our bags and leaving, that we had no bowl shot in 2014. Some had to make the trek to FBS without the chance to win a conference championship in their transition period so for that alone to be different for us I'm grateful.

And if I was a fan of another conference team that had bowl eligibility on the line, the last thing I'd want to hear is rambling about something that is unlikely to occur.

Yeah just wait until you win 6 or more games and don't make a bowl. TXST, WKU, and others have been screwed in the past. It sucks geting those 6 wins and getting nothing for it. Hopefully the additional bowl additions cut back on that occurring.