Coach Brown/AD Benson Thread

[Dane96]

3 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

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

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

He has ZERO sales skills. 

[UA1882]

I have enjoyed reading this blog today.  A lot of passionate fans. 

I read something interesting on Twitter today.  The post was that Siena is basketball around here and Benson wants to turn Albany into a Football / Lacrosse school.  

If true this hire will tell us. If we hire a true nobody from nowhere then this is true. 

I hope not to be the case but a commitment to the program must be in the works.  

[Dane96]

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30985656/will-brown-albany-men-college-basketball-coach-20-years

 

[nysteve661]

1 hour ago, Clickclack said:

This needs to be the way, people need to realize that the stability that we had with Brown doesn't exist at this level of basketball. The goal should be a 5 year run and hopefully a few NCAA trips out of it. Mediocrity isn't the way...

Yup, college sports have changed.  If a young, hungry coach comes in and does the following the next 6 seasons and then bolts for the big time, would you not sign up for it in a heart beat?

16-14

23-10 NCAA

27-4 NCAA

28-5 NCAA

24-9 NCAA

27-4 NCAA 2nd Rd

That is Coach Abe's record here in case no one remembers her run on the way to UCF.  I would take that and be very happy watching that success even if it meant no 41 seasons coach or a 20 seasons coach.

 

 

[McFan]

4 minutes ago, Dane96 said:

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/30985656/will-brown-albany-men-college-basketball-coach-20-years

 

A bit unfair to point this out but it's interesting that for a 7 year stretch he was 70 games over .500.  That means 50 games under .500 the other 13 seasons.  Some tough ones early obviously but he's basically a .500 coach in a terrible conference.  

[Dane96]

No, i would not actually.  Albany getting to the 2nd round would be a miracle...truly...as it's been only done from the AE a handful of times.

Unless we move up leagues, which we can't without resources, I would appreciate and accept an NCAA bid every 3-4 years...and graduating quality kids.

Wait a minute, didn't we just have....

[MRSGDG]

50 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

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.

 

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. 

Edited March 1, 2021 by MRSGDG

[UA'08]

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?

[MRSGDG]

16 minutes ago, UA1882 said:

I have enjoyed reading this blog today.  A lot of passionate fans. 

I read something interesting on Twitter today.  The post was that Siena is basketball around here and Benson wants to turn Albany into a Football / Lacrosse school.  

If true this hire will tell us. If we hire a true nobody from nowhere then this is true. 

I hope not to be the case but a commitment to the program must be in the works.  

I have also heard that Benson has told staff "UA is a Football School".. and he started saying that when he first got here...

[Dane96]

3 minutes ago, McFan said:

A bit unfair to point this out but it's interesting that for a 7 year stretch he was 70 games over .500.  That means 50 games under .500 the other 13 seasons.  Some tough ones early obviously but he's basically a .500 coach in a terrible conference.  

Ok, let's play numbers.  I don't count this season (freaking nightmare) and I don't count his first four because one was an interim, and the next three he was handcuffed in building a program by both admissions (believe me, I know deep details on this one) and the 5/8 rule.

So, in the 15 years since--admittedly good and bad years--he has gone 300 and 195, or 20-13 per season, with 5 NCAA appearances (once, every three years average).  He has had 26 All-Academic kids in that time.  He also had the unforeseen nightmare of the last three years with the Cremo and Nichols sudden departure....but that's on him to rebuild.

I know for a FACT that we were losing recruits due to the lack of COLA and, oh...get this...Benson REFUSES TO SUPPORT SUMMER SCHOOL.  Think about that!  He refused to fund it like every other team in the league does.  Do you know how hard that is to recruit with...and crap facilities.

So the man brought Albany to the NCAA's every three years, and won 20-13 per year.  Math may be a bit rust for me...but I will take a 606 win percentage any day of the week.

And this entire team (basically) was coming back.  Again, Coach had some things he needed to fix (I didn't like relying on only Albany guys for his staff...but that's his call)...a three year contract with 2 being guaranteed would have been fair.

But numbers DO NOT LIE...and the 15 year numbers I just put up would be taken by MANY schools better than Albany,.  There is a reason that Twitter is on fire today, from near and far, with people touched by Will Brown's leadership.  It's universally being stated as a SHOCK TERMINATION. 

[Dane96]

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...

[Dane96]

10 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

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?

Not him...all the foundation.  Not one thing due to him.

And no, the lockerroom upgrade was lax. 

[Dane96]

10 minutes ago, MRSGDG said:

I have also heard that Benson has told staff "UA is a Football School".. and he started saying that when he first got here...

Yet he doesn't give Gattuso what he needs.  No joke, I know of many kids who are shocked that the lockerrom doesn't have A/C.  That's appalling. 

[UA'08]

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.

[Dane96]

Why don't we delve in on why Benson forced out Brown's lead recruiter...