UA'08

New blood is coming in as one chapter closes. This is the fun part where we will see who the candidates are and all the speculation that revolves around the search. Should be exciting times.

14 minutes ago, Eli said:

You're grasping, sir...

Brown is in charge of recruiting players and coaches who make nothing or very little (what's an assistant coach make at UA? 50k?). Benson is in charge of hiring and firing people making hundreds of thousands (Brown, Gattuso, etc.). One guys 1 foot in-1 foot out status means very little while anothers 1 foot in-1 foot out could have a decades long impact on the overall program at a large university because his lack of care for the program since 'it won't be his problem soon' could cost the university hundreds of thousands.

They are not 1:1.

This is clearly a business. I’m not saying Benson made the right or wrong decision letting Brown walk. The fact that he interviewed for the W&M job should have nothing to do with whether he signed Brown or let him go. If Benson extended him with brand spanking new contract today that’s a bad decision with one foot out the door. Plenty of ADs, presidents, and all positions will look out for number 1. 

3 minutes ago, godanesgo99 said:

Always great to get fired on the day the local news broadcasts a special about a prestigious national award you won for your community involvement and work on cancer.

Great Job Benson and UA. 

I am a Brown supporter, and I wanted him renewed a thousand times before we keep Benson at the helm to keep pushing us into being a "football school."  Does the department know that they will never become a football school in the Northeast? It's impossible. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Capital Region people are sports snobs. They will never fully support a program at the FCS level. We are too close to other hubs like NYC/Boston/Montreal. No one cares. If we had a P5 program, we could sell out every game, but anything less and no one will care. We don't have the resources or ability to go that high anytime in the next few decades.

A trip to the NCAA basket tournament and a loss in the first round does more for our recognition locally and nationally than a FCS national championship in football would give us. I hope they realize this when they are hiring the next coach and talking about supporting the program with facilities and resources.

Blame the school then and not benson. He was brought in to make the transition to the best FCS football conference. I agree the money pumped into FCS football for all those full scholarships are a waste, but without the full buy in into football I don’t know how much of these donations you will still see. This I believe is the biggest issue between between the football and basketball diehards.

17 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

I'm not sure I ever said anything like that. I have been extremely clear that the issue is that Benson has had it out for Will regardless of his progress since he got here. That is an issue I personally have with the way someone would run their administration. There are other issues with Benson outside of coaching that I have issues with. 

No you did not say that directly, its the just the impression I have. Apologies. Everyone’s got issues with everyone at some point.

Facts are from the outside looking in we have a a top 20 ranked lacrosse and football program even with a $2 million budget defect with Covid. So something seems to be going right. 

6 minutes ago, Eli said:

One is responsible for one program while the other is responsible (and could purposely or inadvertently sabotage) a dozen programs...nope, not the same. One can ruin a university and the other not so much. 

Someone contacts you about a potential job make sure you decline it Eli! Lol

6 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

Not if UA staff and myself knew months ago. You just don't get it. Oh well. Cuz what does that do for anyone to convince you. 🤷🏻‍♀️

No I definitely get it. Clearly your ties run deep into the staff and that’s fine. WB and co. could have gone .500 the next four seasons on a new contract and you’d still want him back after. 

I won’t disagree with you that Benson had it out for Brown, but I also don’t believe this is the first time in history that this has happened at any school. You make it seem like he was fired after winning a championship with and 3 years left. 

14 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

I'm going to be careful how I respond here, had he parted with Will Brown after Brown went to the finals, your point would have some teeth behind it. I'm aware of the speculation that Will was gone even if he went dancing this year, and had that happened obviously that would NOT have been justified and the outrage would be far more severed IMO. The reality for what it's worth is we don't know what he would have done with CB had he won or went deep into the post season. I know you feel that you do but unless you have it on tape or email it's still conjecture. The reality is Benson made the move he did after this staff pulled into the finish line at the end of the last 3 seasons in 5th, 7th and 6th place. The outcome of those results sealed the fate for all involved. You may disagree with what the outcome should have been, another 3 year deal with the last not guaranteed...fine, but the results weren't there, the product wasn't great and it emboldened Benson.  To suggest that this staff was killing it and got run off simply doesn't comport to reality. Look at the game threads from the last few years. 

 

If we are being completely honest, in the 20 years there were some things that many of us didn't like, lack of development of some players, high transfer rate, reliance on JUCO's etc. I believe all of these things and many others like lack of administrative support paved the way to the struggles of this program. 

 

It's now on Benson to not only make the right hire, but to provide the support to this program which he hasn't done to compete with the top of the AE. His personal fate is tied to the fate of this coach (and that's being generous, I'd fire his ass today). Make no mistake about it, this is what Mark Benson wanted, be careful what you wish for!

Agree that this hire should be his make or break. Whether Browns time ended today or 3 years from now with another extension, it’s clear his diehards would not he happy with the decision. 

7 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

Making the descion before the start of the season means he didn't care how we did this yr. 

And this info was clearly coming out of the WB camp. It’s easy to say now that even if he won he wouldn’t be retained. MB was lucky he didn’t have to worry about him winning it all this year and if he did there was no guarantee he’d want to come back anyway.

11 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

I can understand most of it but you're saying the decision was "professional" when many of us know it was not. It was personal and had nothing to do with job performance. That's the issue many have here.  What's the new professional direction Benson is taking us to? 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

 

What makes Benson’s decision of not renewing a contract for a coach unprofessional? Contract expired and he wants to go a different path, whether he got along with him or not makes no difference. I’d now like to hear what dirt is out there right now on Benson besides not getting along with Brown. 

8 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

I can tell you this is NOT my position. I love UA hoops and whomever the hire is will have my full support and patience. I just know what I know about the man doing the hiring. 

Idk man, it’s unfortunate they didn’t get along, but that happens all the time when a boss and an employee butt heads. Other than the title IX issues what other kind of stuff is he doing that is so damming besides parting ways with a long time basketball coach. Whoever has info you might as well put it out there now I guess. Doesn’t make a difference anymore 

In the end I’m a fan on the name of the front of the jersey first. I’m already getting that feeling that some here are already hoping he fails with the next hire and are no longer going to support UA athletics. 

I for one hope when the dust settles people will be out there going back to games and supporting the BBall program and new coach. 

3 minutes ago, Eli said:

This. $15 for parking was a joke. Should have been like $1 or $2 or free...instead $15 parking + 4 tickets + vending for 4 people = too expensive of a family night out so people found other places to spend their cash.

$15 is a joke no doubt. But that $15 is supposed to go back to the athletic department. 

3 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Let's also talk about attendance, which is down EVERYWHERE...but...plummeted at UA due to a lot of moves made by Benson.  You need butts in the seats to bring in revenue...perfect example is fundraising.  $1 from millions versus 1 million from 1 donor...do the math.

 

There is more to the attendance issue as all games have been carried through first the America East tv Stream then ESPN+.

6 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Absolutely. In fact, I think the new coach shouldn't take the job unless he gets a max 5 year contract and guarantees on COLA, summer school, buy games, budget increases, and a real direction on SEFCU.

My question is how are these things supposed to be accomplished. Isn’t there a set budget for each athletic program? Donations you said are up marginally, but still up since Benson started. What would be the move to bring in more money? Directing more funds to one program means the another would get less, no?

100% agree with buy in games. Coaches control the scheduling and I’ve seen Oneonta on the damn schedule the past 4 seasons. Who’s fault is that?

3 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Fair enough.  If the man has one foot out the door, he shouldn't be making these decisions in a vacuum.  Just my .02.

I hear you. This can go around in circles lol. We can then say how is it ok for Benson to give a new contract extension to WB when he’s got one foot out too. In fact it’s probably even more ballsy to let him walk. The easy move that wouldn’t be scrutinized is if he just brought him back. 

5 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

Is your evidence me telling you who told me?  

Those who know me on this board, know I would not post the information unless it was true. And they know why I have some info. And so much more I still won't post because I just can't as its too personal. I have had so much of this information for years that I have held onto, with hopes Benson would not get his way. Now that he has, I'm ready to unload what I can, for those who can't due to their ties to the coaching staff and UA staff.  

I don’t need names and it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m just saying it’s easy to say he/she did that to this person and they did this on a message board without proving its true. No one has explained why benson gave him a five year deal with two years left back in 2016 if he was telling him and his staff he was going to fire him. 

1 minute ago, Dane96 said:

MMMM...nope.  W&M is in hotwater.  Their AD got canned for, you guessed it, unceremoniously firing their head basketball coach. 

Benson has connections to the state, to W&M, and experience.  They don't really give a $iena anymore about athletics. 

Did not know anything regarding that aspect. Just know they are in the CAA so bigger budget higher conference etc.

Comment was more geared to the one foot out the door thing.

5 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

And finally, I will go out and say it: BENSON HAS ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR.  He is in the running for William and Mary.  I can't wait until the public records request comes out...

So he’s gotta be doing something right then if W&M who’s in a better position than UA is interested in him.

Did WB had one foot out the door back in 2006? 

8 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

 

There is NO gun jumping. Benson TOLD staff he did not like Brown for years. He TOLD them he was going to fire him.  Brown has a clause in his contract that does not allow him to talk to people about this type of thing. That is why you'll neve hear him say it.  Many inside UA tried to warn Havidan about Benson and what he was up to.

The scoreboard was all the Foundation..that had NOTHING to do with Benson. If anything Benson has hurt the Foundation and they have to clean up after him, like today....

Again this is the frustration. So many people know the real behind the scene dumpster fire going on but can't say anything. If this was just regular performance based or regular changes we should expect with a new AD regarding non-coaching things, okay but this is not that. 

I just don’t get how it’s ok with putting this stuff out there when there’s no evidence of it lol. You can disparage Benson like that, but when it comes to WB he could have done no wrong.

13 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

Yes.  He's a pencil pushing administrator. An athletic director is a salesperson.

He has ZERO sales skills. 

There’s still gotta be some legwork to getting that all done and locking it up. Until things went sideways the past few years I saw changes at SEFCU albeit minor since I was there from 04-08. A real scoreboard, scanned ticket entry, more chair backs, I believe locker room upgrade? New LED scorers table?

2 minutes ago, dslyank said:

Benson is/was a money man [a bookkeeper to be more precise] NO MORE; and IMHO only so-so at that. I have attached part of his bio, you can read the whole thing on your own if desired. Says nothing about being an Athletic or Program Builder or A Leader of Men. As for communication skills, pretty sure there are few or any on this blog who can say anything positive.

During his time at Old Dominion, Benson was responsible for budget preparation and administration, as well as providing sport supervision for men’s and women’s sailing. Prior to his time at Old Dominion, Benson worked at Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. as an Educational Channel manager.

And do you think Albany wins the bidding to host the quarterfinals in 2023 without him?

The America East playoff format was forced to  change pretty much due to Albany. If the old school single host for the quarters and semis continued the way it was Benson would have done all he could to ensure the playoffs would be hosted at SEFCU forever. We’ll never know though.

Just now, Clickclack said:

He's done close to nothing...he deserves no credit for most of that stuff. Oh he'll claim credit but those close to the school knows he doesn't deserve it. 

It may be, but if it happens under your watch while you are at the top you will receive the credit. Not everyone has close ties to that level of information so if you are just a casual fan you’ll think he’s done a good amount fair or not.

It seems everyone has jumped the gun and has already labeled Benson as terrible. Everyone wants to point out WB doesn’t have the resources, but what are the facts on the whole athletic department as a whole? Benson can only work with what’s available in the budget correct? Do people mean that he’s holding out on funds to put into the basketball program? Donations have to have been higher than when he took over in 2014 and before the pandemic last year.

I saw a $10 million donation to the athletic department, a new scoreboard in sefcu, I believe more chair backs, and other minor upgrades. The NCAA lax quarterfinals are now coming to Albany in a few years. I wouldn’t say he’s done nothing.

13 minutes ago, GreatDanes06 said:

10 years for Becker at UVM...

11 years for Gallagher at Hartford...

 

If there was the right job opening for Becker he’d be out the door and if Hartford was smart they should’ve let Gallagher go when they had the chance.