Benson to be Sun Belt Commish

[KoldBeer]

Well it looks like Benson will finally be a commissioner of a conference that North Texas is in (now it might not be for long).

CBS Report:

WAC commissioner Karl Benson is expected to take the same position with the Sun Belt Conference, CBSSports.com has learned.

Benson, 60, has been in his current position since 1994. The recent instability of the league may have led to his decision to pursue the Sun Belt job. Current Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters is retiring later this year.

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/34838955

[MDH]

Stalker.

[Eastwood Eagle]

I do not see how this is such a bad thing (if UNT does not leave). I do not know much about Benson but he seemed to have WAC in a good position for several years. Better then Waters in my opinion.

[akriesman]

Benson was at least very agressive in trying to hold the WAC together. He has skins on the wall. Benson coming to the SBC from the WAC would seem to indicate the potential, or lack thereof, of both conferences. Good move for the SBC IMHO.

[FirefightnRick]

The only way this happened is if Benson promised the Belt he could bring them something such as a named team from another conference.

Dude isn't a survivor for nothing.

Rick

[Green Mean]

I really do admire the guy's relentless perseverance.

[LakeTravis]

I feel like Karl Benson offered us a drink and we just woke up 8 hours later, face down, in a seedy motel room.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Karl Benson was not responsible for what has been happening to the WAC.

I think he will be good for the 'Belt and would have been a good hire for CUSA or the MWC if they were to continue to be separate leagues and were looking. Not sure that North Texas will ever subconsciously be one of his SBC favorites, though. since we were one of the reasons he had to start looking for a new job.

GMG!

[VideoEagle]

Benson followed the wishes of the Presidents of the WAC. There have been a number of reports that he opposed some of the ideas those Presidents put forward, but like any good manager followed the wishes of his owners once the decision was made.

Conference commissioners tend to move from one conference to another, but they don't get hired without a reputation for following instructions.

Lot's of folks didn't care for WW but he too was following the instructions he was given. Reading message boards from various schools and various conferences makes me believe it's part of a commissioner's (and AD's) job to annoy fans. But the fans don't directly pay them - the President's do.

[FirefightnRick]

Karl Benson was not responsible for what has been happening to the WAC.

I think he will be good for the 'Belt and would have been a good hire for CUSA or the MWC if they were to continue to be separate leagues and were looking. Not sure that North Texas will ever subconsciously be one of his SBC favorites, though. since we were one of the reasons he had to start looking for a new job.

GMG!

I hope he is as agressive growing the belt as he was pursuing us. The Belt has more to offer IMO.

Rick

[UNTFan23]

[Harry]

I'm going to be open minded about this. The guy knows everyone and has been around the block a few times. He has always seen the value that North Texas represents to the marketplace.

[MeanMag]

I hope he is as agressive growing the belt as he was pursuing us. The Belt has more to offer IMO.

Rick

Ditto.

If there is ever a point down the road that the WAC and the Sun Belt need to merge, it's at least a good chip to have when dealing with those presidents/institutions already.

[NT03]

Benson was at least very agressive in trying to hold the WAC together. He has skins on the wall. Benson coming to the SBC from the WAC would seem to indicate the potential, or lack thereof, of both conferences. Good move for the SBC IMHO.

Totally agree

[Green Otaku]

If he destroys the WAC without us going further west than NMSU I'll be fine with it.

Funny how the WAC talked about bouncing back and rebuilding. Even their commissioner ditched them.

PS i hate the term "Commish." It sounds like you have limp wrist syndrome.

[greenminer]

Very torn on this. I grew up watching the WAC die in slow motion under him.

But the guy has been around, knows people, and has demonstrated more than once his appreciation for what we offer.

[UNT90]

has demonstrated more than once his appreciation for what we offer.

So the new commissioner of the Sun Belt wants to keep us in the conference?

Color me underwhelmed.

Really don't understand this hire.

[oldguystudent]

I can't look at the timeline of membership and see that his tenure in the WAC has been a resounding success. He lost eight teams to the MWC in 1999, loaded up with more teams who bolted to CUSA, then became a landing pad for transient programs moving up from 1-AA, via the Big West, one of which, just so happened to be Boise. For the third time in his career, the conference is at the verge of collapse and reloading with lower tier programs than it had before.

I don't know the guy, I have nothing personal against him. This is just what I see looking at the ever informative wikipedia pictogram.

[TIgreen01]

I can't look at the timeline of membership and see that his tenure in the WAC has been a resounding success. He lost eight teams to the MWC in 1999, loaded up with more teams who bolted to CUSA, then became a landing pad for transient programs moving up from 1-AA, via the Big West, one of which, just so happened to be Boise. For the third time in his career, the conference is at the verge of collapse and reloading with lower tier programs than it had before.

I don't know the guy, I have nothing personal against him. This is just what I see looking at the ever informative wikipedia pictogram.

Good post. Any positive spin on this hire is simply putting lipstick on a pig.

[Rudy]

DAMMIT! The day started out so good. Had a good night's sleep, had a good bm. I don't need any bad news.