Karl Benson Comments On Unt

[OldTimer]

That plus the fact that UNT doesn't really need the extra $500M, as hard as that might seem, as they are reaping large oil and gas profits from recent good production on their campus and surrounding acreage.

__________________

Assuming that this is true, would the University be inclined to give any of this money to the athletic department? Also, would this money all belong to North Texas, or does some of it have to go to the general fund for all Universities?

Based on my experience the oil and gas money would be considered auxiliary income and could be spent as NT desires...probably subject to BOR. The $500 K is just the purchase of the right to drill...any royalty income from oil or gas would also be aux income.

[Eagle1855]

Then non-BCS isn't non-BCS. Word is that FAU is the choice if CUSA takes from the Belt.

you're killing me, Smalls.

Non-BCS is non-BCS with regards to the BCS. None of them have automatic bids. For that reason, all other things being equal, you stick with a conference that promotes regional rivalry/interest. For UNT, CUSA accomplishes this, the WAC does not.

[DeepGreen]

Stop the madness!

Let's play some offense and defense against MUTS this weekend and get win Number 2.

[Cowtown]

For some reason it seems like we have been through this before...

But now that Benson has sweetened up the pot with exciting trips to Utah St and the Kibbie Dome...I dont know how we could possibly refuse.

Since we are in the rumor mill, I have heard from some Frog faithful that Boise to the MWC is a done deal.

And since we are having wishfull regional conf. talk, this is what I would like to see.

UTEP, NMSt, NT, LATech, ArkSt, UH, Lafayette, So Miss, Troy, Memphis

[Go_UTA]

Based on my experience the oil and gas money would be considered auxiliary income and could be spent as NT desires...probably subject to BOR. The $500 K is just the purchase of the right to drill...any royalty income from oil or gas would also be aux income.

That's right. It's auxiliary income, and not dedicated for a specific purpose. It's like an unrestricted gift, so what you earn would would be yours to spend as you wish. And, as the website explains, whatever UT Arlington earns is for UT Arlington. Period.

It is an understatement to say that the UT System knows something about natural gas, so we had the benefit of System expertise in making this arrangement.

[ADLER]

This is how it played:

Boise, Nevada, La Tech, Fresno, Hawaii, and UTEP needed replacements for the member that the WAC had lost to CUSA; SMU, Rice, and Tulsa.

Benson wanted Utah St, NMSU, and North Texas to join the WAC and screw over the 3 remaining Sun Belt football schools; Arkansas St, Louisiana-Laf, and Middle Tenn.

Dr Pohl told the WAC that North Texas was not going to join another western-only league and that it wouldn’t be involved with any alignment that didn’t insure Division 1 conference participation to all our members. (At the time they thought MTSU may go MAC to replace the loss of Marshall and UCF, and ULM was still a full member of the Southland even though they played their football in the ‘Belt). All the Sun Belt presidents agreed to not make a move until there were contingency plans for all members.

Hawaii was opposed to adding additional Central schools. There was a stand-off, but a league merger was inevitable unless somebody turned traitor. The WAC-Sun Belt merger was going to combine all members and have the 3 WAC bowls and the New Orleans Bowl.

Enter the quisling: USU Athletic Director Rance Pugmire. Despite the fact that the Sun Belt had rescued USU’s football from the immanent slow death of independent status less than a year earlier, and that USU’s President had made a commitment to the other Sun Belt Presidents, USU AD Pugmire convinced their President to back-stab the league and jump ship immediately to the WAC. May USU athletics rot in hell forever.

NMSU’s President and AD conferred with the Belt and decided that they too would need to join the WAC to avoid being excluded from a western league.

TCU bolted from CUSA for the Mountain West, and La Tech was convinced that they would be the replacement. It didn’t happen and UTEP was invited to CUSA.

The WAC again needed an eighth school and Boise was adamantly opposed to Idaho. Once again North Texas was invited, and the answer was again “No thank you, not unless ASU and ULL are included and a home is also found for MTSU.

The WAC begrudgingly accepted Idaho.

The Sun Belt; UNT, ULL, ASU, and MTSU, then offered full membership to ULM, Troy, FIU, and FAU to arrive at its current configuration.

The WAC members live with the constant fear that one or more of its members may bolt for the MWC and there aren’t any western Division 1 candidates to replace them. UNT has a standing offer to join but has constantly refused because of A) no desirable bowl, excessive travel expenses, and C) unstable membership with threat of current WAC schools going to the MWC, CUSA, or Division 1AA.

Oh, and did I mention that Utah State athletics can rot in hell. After this year they will be on probation for minimum attendance, will be ineligible for conference championships and will be on their way to being forced back to 1AA. I'm glad we sent the right man out there to help them on their way.

[VideoEagle]

No, we are not going WACy.

As has been shown over and over again, the WAC is a fine conference but a very poor fit for NT. Since games in the Western Time zone tend to end after the 10pm news in DFW, they get bumped to Sunday where NFL games cause them to be an afterthought.

Newspaper coverage is just awful as well. Repeated SMU games were merely listed as “check the website for results on late games.”

The WAC has serious Bowl game issues. The Hawaii bowl has made it clear that if UH is misses their bowl two consecutive years, the bowl folds. Boise’s Bowl is in great shape, but Poinsettia made it clear they’d prefer someone other than a WAC team.

Anyone who was around for the Big West days know that the attendance at Fouts is NOT going up because we are playing UNLV or Boise.

Last time this was brought up someone showed that even with the two Miami schools, travel for NT in the Sunbelt was significantly cheaper.

I would also point out that since La Tech joined the WAC, every school then in the SBC has made a significant capital investment improvement to their facilities. I don’t thing La Tech has.

There are more reasons, but they have been re-hashed ad nauseam.

So, no, we are not going WACy.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

---Give it up (some of you).. We have no business there... It has no regional rivals for us, too spread out, in the wrong time zone for media attention, and really isn't any better of a conference anyway (except for perhaps a couple of teams). I had not noticed us destoying people in our present conference lately either. Let us just take care of our own business and see what developes...

---This is worse that the cows who think the grass on the other side of the fence is greener. Anyone see the cartoon ZITS this weekend.. same thing.. Something like a character complaiming that he needed to obtain friends that had more class... the response was "Your friends say the same thing".

[badgerwolf]

The WAC has serious Bowl game issues. The Hawaii bowl has made it clear that if UH is misses their bowl two consecutive years, the bowl folds. Boise’s Bowl is in great shape, but Poinsettia made it clear they’d prefer someone other than a WAC team.

The New Mexico Bowl is shaky as well. Last year was the first year and Albuquerque's hometown team (Lobos) played so a large crowd showed up to cheer the Lobos to victory. Locally the bowl was billed as another Lobo home game so the crowds came out. The Lobos can only play once every 3 years so there is concern for bowl attendance this year.

If NMSU became bowl eligible, they would probably bring some fans up from Las Cruces, but I would be surprised if Albuquerque turned out for NMSU in the New Mexico Bowl. Since UNM abandoned the WAC years ago, Albuquerque is definitely not a WAC city -- the WAC is an after thought in ABQ. Just food for thought!

[akriesman]

Then non-BCS isn't non-BCS. Word is that FAU is the choice if CUSA takes from the Belt.

Doesn't FAU have horrible attendance, even with a decent team. Good luck with that.

[TIgreen01]

This is how it played:

Boise, Nevada, La Tech, Fresno, Hawaii, and UTEP needed replacements for the member that the WAC had lost to CUSA; SMU, Rice, and Tulsa.

Benson wanted Utah St, NMSU, and North Texas to join the WAC and screw over the 3 remaining Sun Belt football schools; Arkansas St, Louisiana-Laf, and Middle Tenn.

Dr Pohl told the WAC that North Texas was not going to join another western-only league and that it wouldn’t be involved with any alignment that didn’t insure Division 1 conference participation to all our members. (At the time they thought MTSU may go MAC to replace the loss of Marshall and UCF, and ULM was still a full member of the Southland even though they played their football in the ‘Belt). All the Sun Belt presidents agreed to not make a move until there were contingency plans for all members.

Hawaii was opposed to adding additional Central schools. There was a stand-off, but a league merger was inevitable unless somebody turned traitor. The WAC-Sun Belt merger was going to combine all members and have the 3 WAC bowls and the New Orleans Bowl.

Enter the quisling: USU Athletic Director Rance Pugmire. Despite the fact that the Sun Belt had rescued USU’s football from the immanent slow death of independent status less than a year earlier, and that USU’s President had made a commitment to the other Sun Belt Presidents, USU AD Pugmire convinced their President to back-stab the league and jump ship immediately to the WAC. May USU athletics rot in hell forever.

NMSU’s President and AD conferred with the Belt and decided that they too would need to join the WAC to avoid being excluded from a western league.

TCU bolted from CUSA for the Mountain West, and La Tech was convinced that they would be the replacement. It didn’t happen and UTEP was invited to CUSA.

The WAC again needed an eighth school and Boise was adamantly opposed to Idaho. Once again North Texas was invited, and the answer was again “No thank you, not unless ASU and ULL are included and a home is also found for MTSU.

The WAC begrudgingly accepted Idaho.

The Sun Belt; UNT, ULL, ASU, and MTSU, then offered full membership to ULM, Troy, FIU, and FAU to arrive at its current configuration.

The WAC members live with the constant fear that one or more of its members may bolt for the MWC and there aren’t any western Division 1 candidates to replace them. UNT has a standing offer to join but has constantly refused because of A) no desirable bowl, excessive travel expenses, and C) unstable membership with threat of current WAC schools going to the MWC, CUSA, or Division 1AA.

Oh, and did I mention that Utah State athletics can rot in hell. After this year they will be on probation for minimum attendance, will be ineligible for conference championships and will be on their way to being forced back to 1AA. I'm glad we sent the right man out there to help them on their way.

Excellent recap. I knew I liked ULL, ASU and Troy---er, MTSU for a reason! It hurt that NMSU left, though....that was our biggest rival and they always brought fans to Fouts.

The scary part of this is that we really only have 4 schools who are committed to one another....and Pohl is gone so those relationships may not be as strong. We already know that Schnellenberger thinks the Sun Belt is beneath him and will get out asap. Western Kentucky is a good add, but are they as loyal as MTSU? I think that if CUSA made a hard push at either MTSU or Troy (or any of us for that matter) that the bond you describe above would be tested.

I like CowTown's grouping of teams, but would like MTSU added to it...heck, add Western Kentucky to get to 12 teams:

UTEP, NMSt, NT, LATech, ArkSt, UH, Lafayette, So Miss, Troy, Memphis, MTSU, WestKen

My question is which teams in that grouping would object to that slate?? You would remove all the private schools(IMHO they can do as Adler wishes for USU) and have a very tight-nit regional conference. That slate would INSTANTLY be better than the crap that CUSA has become. Why can this not get done?? Who hates who in that grouping??

[Eagle1855]

Cant see UH leaving Rice for anything short of the Big 12...

[johnnylightnin]

Doesn't FAU have horrible attendance, even with a decent team. Good luck with that.

CUSA doesn't care. They are gambling on the USF/UCF factor. If they really cared about attendance, do you think they would've invited SMU and Rice?

[ltudchi72]

Facility upgrades currently underway at Tech: $52 million in upgrades to housing and $300,000 upgrades to the Thomas Assembly Center.

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread....ight=facilities

http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45132

[ltudchi72]

Newspaper coverage is just awful as well. Repeated SMU games were merely listed as “check the website for results on late games.”

So, no, we are not going WACy.

Tech Schedule for our West Coast games:

@ Cal 5:30pm Central

@ Fresno 9:00pm Central

@ Utah State 2:00pm Central

@ Idaho 4:00 pm Central

@ Nevada 3:00 pm Central

Crappy schedule huh? Really late games. I hate having to stay up to 6 or 7 at night to hear the 4th quarter.

[THOR]

Tech Schedule for our West Coast games:

@ Cal 5:30pm Central

@ Fresno 9:00pm Central

@ Utah State 2:00pm Central

@ Idaho 4:00 pm Central

@ Nevada 3:00 pm Central

Crappy schedule huh? Really late games. I hate having to stay up to 6 or 7 at night to hear the 4th quarter.

the key word is to HEAR their games. i can't say i'd make any roadgame other than latech. i want to be able to drive to the road games....the wac doesn't bring that.

[UNTFan23]

Tech Schedule for our West Coast games:

@ Cal 5:30pm Central

@ Fresno 9:00pm Central

@ Utah State 2:00pm Central

@ Idaho 4:00 pm Central

@ Nevada 3:00 pm Central

Crappy schedule huh? Really late games. I hate having to stay up to 6 or 7 at night to hear the 4th quarter.

How many conference road games have you made?

[PlummMeanGreen]

Then non-BCS isn't non-BCS. Word is that FAU is the choice if CUSA takes from the Belt.

If not FAU, look for Troy U to get some CUSA buzz. Our being in the Lone Star State (and DFW) is a CUSA deal-stopper for dear ol' alma mater I have feared all along.

IF......

UNT officials could meet with Boise State (our former Big West league-mate) and guarantee us (if that even possible) that they have no real chance for MWC membership and are staying put in the WAC, then I'd say we need to re-consider this whole WAC issue. I don't know if the SBC will ever lose its stigma or reputation in many of our lifetimes--maybe even some of you Young Gun Alum's lifetimes. Being in the WAC will also force UNT to get in the facility-arms race quicker which even a few SBC schools seem to be ahead of us.

THE MAIN WAC SELLING BENEFIT NOW: After all, the WAC is the only "non-BCS" league to produce a team for the BCS Championship Series to actually win one of its bowl games (last year vs OU). FWIW, that is pretty solid recruiting fodder when you can tell a kid that one of your league's teams has already passed up half of all BCS (and Big 12) schools to gain a BCS Series bowl berth and "one of our WAC schools" even won the gol' darned football game.

We need a solid guarantee from Boise State U with this one, folks--that IMHO, of course, and we know what opinions have been compared to.

Edited October 23, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[UNTFan23]

Facility upgrades currently underway at Tech: $52 million in upgrades to housing and $300,000 upgrades to the Thomas Assembly Center.

LaTech Athletics is funding new resident halls to be built? Did I read that right?

[johnnylightnin]

If not FAU, look for Troy U to get some CUSA buzz.

I doubt it. Again, CUSA doesn't care about performance. They want big markets and a big market will always take precedence over performance. MTSU is more likely IF Memphis were the CUSA team to depart. I don't see CUSA expanding beyond 12, so somebody has got to go. As of right now, I don't see that happening before 2012...2010 at the earliest.

[CMJ]

After all, the WAC is the only "non-BCS" league to produce a team for the BCS Championship Series to actually win one of its bowl games (last year vs OU).

Utah in 2004 won the Fiesta Bowl. They were MWC.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Utah in 2004 won the Fiesta Bowl. They were MWC.

My bad...You're right--I'm wrong on that one.

BUT....the Utah BCS Series Game game (versus ?) was I'd suppose not nearly as exciting nor was one that created the buzz that the Boise State win over the OU Boomers did.

Edited October 23, 2007 by PlummMeanGreen

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Perception is the Sun Belt is the weakest of the D1A conferences (or whatever the new name is), and in many cases SBC teams are weaker than a number of D1AA teams, a conference that is not taken seriously, garners no respect, and just doesn't belong on the major college football landscape.

Reality is the Sun Belt is the weakest of the D1A conferences (or whatever the new name is), and in many cases SBC teams are weaker than a number of D1AA teams, a conference that is not taken seriously, garners no respect, and just doesn't belong on the major college football landscape.

So true, so true. The WAC perception is light years ahead of the Belt.

as stated in my post, regional rivals.

like it or not, UH, Southern Miss, UTEP, Tulane, and SMU are far more enticing opponents than most of our Sunbelt brethren (from the casual fans perspective). Im not saying they are better programs, but they have a name...perception/reality.

Additionally, it would be a great benefit to our school to play a game or two in Houston every year. There's a lot of talent down there and most of the city doesn't realize UNT is Div 1.

All of those attract more people to our games than ULM, ULL or MTSU. Far more have heard of those than what we play against now. I guess I am in the minority here - I say if have the opportunity to move, then sign the papers. We could wait for a long time for CUSA to invite us.

[ADLER]

Louisiana Tech would have been the biggest beneficiary of a WAC expansion that added ASU, North Texas, and ULL. The western WAC ignored their interests because nobody wanted to split the Utah/Tulsa basketball earnings further, and four of those schools have long harbored hopes of jumping to the Mountain West. What happens to the conference if two or three are able to leave? Simply put, they are all looking out for only their own best interest and not that of the conference.

In addition to having regional rivals, reduced travel expenses, and a legitimate shot at playing in the New Orleans Bowl, Tech's chief rival for media attention in northern Louisiana would have been forced to return to Division 1AA to survive. How much easier would event promotion be for Tech if the nearest Division 1 competition was several hours away? Apart from not having a suitable bowl and not having any conference mates within 1300 miles, now they have to compete with Division 1 ULM for headlines in their own home market.

Oh well, live and learn.

[CMJ]

My bad...You're right--I'm wrong on that one.

BUT....the Utah BCS Series Game game (versus ?) was I'd suppose not nearly as exciting nor was one that created the buzz that the Boise State win over the OU Boomers did.

Utah annhilated Pittsburgh - who was barely in the Top 25. That was a great Ute squad, sort of like BYU in 1984 or something. Unlike with Boise who really had to prove something, most people felt Utah was legit that year.