(08-17-2018 06:40 AM)GoAppsGo92 Wrote:  My 2 cents is that Benson overall should feel proud of his accomplishments in the SBC. I think he navigated realignment for the SBC better than any of our peers, and positioned our schools well to maximize CFP revenues. His efforts to increase bowl tie ins should also be appreciated. Getting everyone to finally have divisional play and a football conference championship game is another big accomplishment. In the future, the conference would benefit from someone that will work hard to improve our SOS in football and elevate our tie ins with a few P5 games. In the end however, all members must work together to elevate the conference by creating challenging schedules and winning those games.

Yes. I understand why long time league members didn't like him. The Goodell type suspensions and mailing stAte their trophy were both low points. I mean at least send a deputy commissioner if you personally can't make it. But he's made some shrewd decisions in terms of membership, bowls, and a TV deal that's arguably better than our peer conferences who hold more historical prestige.

Early on...C-
Everything else...B+ or A-

To his credit, he did help bring Appalachian State to the conference, and then he brought Georgia Southern in after that.

(08-17-2018 11:35 AM)APPrising Wrote:  To his credit, he did help bring Appalachian State to the conference, and then he brought Georgia Southern in after that.

Actually......

(08-17-2018 06:40 AM)GoAppsGo92 Wrote:  My 2 cents is that Benson overall should feel proud of his accomplishments in the SBC. I think he navigated realignment for the SBC better than any of our peers, and positioned our schools well to maximize CFP revenues. His efforts to increase bowl tie ins should also be appreciated. Getting everyone to finally have divisional play and a football conference championship game is another big accomplishment. In the future, the conference would benefit from someone that will work hard to improve our SOS in football and elevate our tie ins with a few P5 games. In the end however, all members must work together to elevate the conference by creating challenging schedules and winning those games.

This is what I agree with. The additions of App State and Georgia Southern were brilliant. The temporary additions of NMSU and Idaho were wise, as well as him waiting to see what the NCAA did about the minimum requirement for a conference championship game.

We were stagnant under Waters as commish. He struggled to bring in bowl games. Benson wound up bringing in some great bowls in great locations, instead of pulling a CUSA and playing bowls in the Bahamas or Hawaii.

I liked Benson. He had a good overall vision for the Sun Belt that was desperately needed.

Is the SBC better today than when he became commissioner?

Few commissioners can say that.

(08-17-2018 12:05 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  

(08-17-2018 11:35 AM)APPrising Wrote:  To his credit, he did help bring Appalachian State to the conference, and then he brought Georgia Southern in after that.

Actually......

Are you saying he wasn't responsible for bringing in App State who joined first and then Georgia Southern who joined 2nd after App State?

He did well when it came to conference realignment, and navigating the rough waters. We wouldn’t exist as a conference if we wouldn’t of added teams we did. This would be our conference if we wouldn’t of done anything.

AState
Louisiana
ULM
South Alabama
UALR

In the past 16 yrs we have added
Troy
Texas State
Georgia State
Georgia Southern
App State
Coastal Carolina
UTA

He did a great job!!

Now we need to get a Commisioner that can bring up the conference, and bring us to the level of a MWC or American Conferences. We need to change the perception of the Sun Belt Conference, and we need to focus on quality not quantity!

(08-17-2018 12:46 PM)APPrising Wrote:  

(08-17-2018 12:05 PM)GaSouthern Wrote:  

(08-17-2018 11:35 AM)APPrising Wrote:  To his credit, he did help bring Appalachian State to the conference, and then he brought Georgia Southern in after that.

Actually......

Are you saying he wasn't responsible for bringing in App State who joined first and then Georgia Southern who joined 2nd after App State?

Somebody lied to you about the timeline there friend

Yes - Benson announced GS first due to travel schedules but those in the know understand how it really worked.