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Larry Scott not happy with Bruce Benson

The dude has to be PC all the time, he doesn't really have a choice. Trust me, Scott has no great love for UT as they tried to pull a power play on him at the 11th hour last year, so he knows exactly what Benson is talking about. Plus, Benson is technically one of Larry Scott's bosses.
 
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F him! I'm glad that our president publicly took a stand for us and our interests. Everyone else is looking out for number 1 in this mess and we need to also. I hope Benson can get together with Utah and the Arizona school and they force a pod system on everybody.
 
Meet the new neighbours, same as the old neighbours ... but we now live in a nicer neighbourhood and the rent has been slashed in half. hm.
 
i was kinda wondering about that. for all our adulation, i think LS takes the money if it's on the table. and that may not be our fave thing.
 
Don't all of the schools have to vote to allow expansion? I'm sure the $$$ sounds good to LS and a small percentage of P-12 schools, but if the schools vote against expansion they have no idea how much brain damage they will save themselves down the road. One of the few times (if any) Benson grew a pair and stated what most of us feel.
 
Don't all of the schools have to vote to allow expansion? I'm sure the $$$ sounds good to LS and a small percentage of P-12 schools, but if the schools vote against expansion they have no idea how much brain damage they will save themselves down the road. One of the few times (if any) Benson grew a pair and stated what most of us feel.

Takes 4 to block ...
 
I re-read Bruce Benson's remarks and i can't see what he said that Larry Scott would genuinely be upset by, let alone to the point that responding would involve "dignifying" Bruce Benson's remarks. Either he is just being careful or the Missouri source of this article played fast and loose with Larry Scott's quote.

All Benson said was that it wasn't in CU's interest for the pac12 to expand further, and that Texas Tech and Okie State are mediocre schools. Nothing for Benson to be ashamed of.
 
I re-read Bruce Benson's remarks and i can't see what he said that Larry Scott would genuinely be upset by, let alone to the point that responding would involve "dignifying" Bruce Benson's remarks. Either he is just being careful or the Missouri source of this article played fast and loose with Larry Scott's quote.

All Benson said was that it wasn't in CU's interest for the pac12 to expand further, and that Texas Tech and Okie State are mediocre schools. Nothing for Benson to be ashamed of.
I agree. Before I criticize Scott I'd like to know more. Sounds fishy to me. Doesn't match Scott's MO up to now.
 
I think something that we have all taken for granted is the unity that the pac 12 has shown outwardly up to this point. I'm guessing Scott is fine with Benson telling him his opinions in private, but there's no need to put that out over the airwaves and make the conference look like there might be a schism from within.

And for that, I can respect Scott's call. We don't want to look all big 12-like anymore. let that conference wallow in its own filth, we're the pac 12, and we're dignified, damnit.
 
We don't know what is going or has gone on behind the scenes. First, the TV deal may have some stipulations for expansion given the right scenario. Second, if the PAC believes two or three conferences are expanding to 16 they will have no choice. Finally, I admit it's a stretch, but the Big 64 may be colluding. You never know.
 
Thats a good point. It might have been better for Benson to say what he said in private. That being said, what he said was still pretty bland. We don't want to lose exposure in CA and some big 12 schools aren't great academically. Not exactly earth shattering candor from Benson.
 
Benson was absolutely correct in his remarks. We went to the PAC to get close to our Cal alums. If Scott pushes us to an East division it would be akin to a bait and switch. Although, I admit, they could have thrown us a bare hook and we'd have bitten.
 
Eh, I'm glad Benson said what he said... things can be said in private, but it's the public and fans who can influence the Presidents, AD's, etc. and I think it's important for other PAC 12 fans to know the that "Texas likes things Texas' way"
 
I don't blame Larry Scott for being unhappy with Benson's comments. We're at the table with the big boys, and there's no reason whatsoever to tip your hand. I love the way Scott has handled himself with the Delaney's of the world, and want him to be free to play the hand without any second guessing from the new kid. I have a lot of faith in this guy. He's one tough cookie.
 
I don't blame Larry Scott for being unhappy with Benson's comments. We're at the table with the big boys, and there's no reason whatsoever to tip your hand. I love the way Scott has handled himself with the Delaney's of the world, and want him to be free to play the hand without any second guessing from the new kid. I have a lot of faith in this guy. He's one tough cookie.

The point is we don't want to have a hand at the table. We are fine right where we are. Who cares about tipping your hand if you don't want them in your conference in the first place? I am with sacky... we have a great contract OWN two of four time zones, have great regional rivalries and the geography of the conference works perfect.
 
The point is we don't want to have a hand at the table. We are fine right where we are. Who cares about tipping your hand if you don't want them in your conference in the first place? I am with sacky... we have a great contract OWN two of four time zones, have great regional rivalries and the geography of the conference works perfect.

I"m thrilled with the way things stand. Larry Scott has done a fine job of putting us in the position we're in. The landscape is going to continue to change, however, whether we like it or not. I trust Scott to find his way through this minefield with a great deal of skill and finesse, keeping out the unwanted and the teams that don't bring a lot to the table. That would include the Oklahomas, who don't bring either eyeballs to tvs or major recruiting markets. I trust Scott to be as smart and tough as Delaney and Fiori or whoever who represents the SEC.
 
In related news, Cinch Jeans is looking carefully at their relationship with CU's Athletic Department...
 
Scott was not amused by Colorado President Bruce Benson’s anti-expansion remarks.
“I’m not going dignify the comments that were made,” Scott said, when asked about Benson’s statement.

Larry only says that if Benson was speaking out of line. Which to me seems to confirm the speculation/rumor/belief that when Utah and Colorado were set up in the South division at the time the P12 was created, it was done so conditional on the stipulation that the California schools would be reunited into a single division if additional expansion occurred and Scott was pre-authorized to negotiate such an expansion. I don't necessarily blame Benson for speaking out, since public lobbying was probably the only way he could try to influence the situation, but you can clearly see Larry putting the kabosh on that.

As far as scheduling in a new P16, here are some things to consider.

Currently teams schedule OOC games for one of three reasons:

1) Body Bag games - helps maximize poll rankings by reducing the probability of a loss/downside
2) Challenge games - helps maximize poll rankings by having more potential upside
3) Rivalry games - ex. USC-ND, Florida-Florida State

Currently very few OOC games fall into category #3. But if 16 team super-conferences exist, a 1+1 playoff system will not be far behind. And once that exists, there is no need to engage in mid-season poll ranking management techniques. Which opens up the possibility for more OOC games of type #3. Weaker teams will still schedule Body Bag games to help them reach 6 wins and bowl eligibility - lower tier SEC teams do this already. But stronger teams would be able to establish rivalry games to help them in recruiting.

For instance, if Texas were in the P16, the most beneficial annual OOC opponent for them would be Miami or Florida State. This would allow them to counterattack into the SEC's recruiting base. Even more generally, there would be a strong move by some teams to schedule additional non-conference games with non-divisional rivals. Again this would be for recruiting purposes. For example in a P16, Texas would play one California team a year. It might want more exposure than that. Similarly California teams might want to play one of the Four Stooges teams more than once a year. Problem solved by scheduling a non-conference home and away. Or in Colorado's case, there really isn't anything preventing the Buffs from scheduling two OOC games a year with California teams, perhaps one a P16 non-conf game and one with a non-AQ Calif team such as Fresno State. The point is that once a 1+1 is established, all the 4x16 teams will have no problem getting exposure in their targeted recruiting markets - you have 3 free OOC games to accomplish that with.
 
Larry only says that if Benson was speaking out of line. Which to me seems to confirm the speculation/rumor/belief that when Utah and Colorado were set up in the South division at the time the P12 was created, it was done so conditional on the stipulation that the California schools would be reunited into a single division if additional expansion occurred and Scott was pre-authorized to negotiate such an expansion. I don't necessarily blame Benson for speaking out, since public lobbying was probably the only way he could try to influence the situation, but you can clearly see Larry putting the kabosh on that.

As far as scheduling in a new P16, here are some things to consider.

Currently teams schedule OOC games for one of three reasons:

1) Body Bag games - helps maximize poll rankings by reducing the probability of a loss/downside
2) Challenge games - helps maximize poll rankings by having more potential upside
3) Rivalry games - ex. USC-ND, Florida-Florida State

Currently very few OOC games fall into category #3. But if 16 team super-conferences exist, a 1+1 playoff system will not be far behind. And once that exists, there is no need to engage in mid-season poll ranking management techniques. Which opens up the possibility for more OOC games of type #3. Weaker teams will still schedule Body Bag games to help them reach 6 wins and bowl eligibility - lower tier SEC teams do this already. But stronger teams would be able to establish rivalry games to help them in recruiting.

For instance, if Texas were in the P16, the most beneficial annual OOC opponent for them would be Miami or Florida State. This would allow them to counterattack into the SEC's recruiting base. Even more generally, there would be a strong move by some teams to schedule additional non-conference games with non-divisional rivals. Again this would be for recruiting purposes. For example in a P16, Texas would play one California team a year. It might want more exposure than that. Similarly California teams might want to play one of the Four Stooges teams more than once a year. Problem solved by scheduling a non-conference home and away. Or in Colorado's case, there really isn't anything preventing the Buffs from scheduling two OOC games a year with California teams, perhaps one a P16 non-conf game and one with a non-AQ Calif team such as Fresno State. The point is that once a 1+1 is established, all the 4x16 teams will have no problem getting exposure in their targeted recruiting markets - you have 3 free OOC games to accomplish that with.

May as well go back to having 8-team conferences if that's the plan. If we have 2 divisions and play 7 games against our own division, we're not really in the same conference. We're just two conferences aligned by a championship game and some extra games like in the ACC-Big East challenge for hoops.
 
May as well go back to having 8-team conferences if that's the plan. If we have 2 divisions and play 7 games against our own division, we're not really in the same conference. We're just two conferences aligned by a championship game and some extra games like in the ACC-Big East challenge for hoops.

One big difference. We share money.
 
Totally agree, Buffnik. Might as well just call one side the Pac-8 and the other the Big Eight and just have the winners meet for the title game.

This is a joke, where college football is going. Sixteen-team leagues will make everything fly apart.
 
One big difference. We share money.

So it's basically 2 conferences sharing a championship game and a network, but calling itself one conference. Lame.

And it's not going to break that way. Not only do none of the 4 mountain teams want that, but there's no way in hell that OU is going to leave the Texas market and not get equal conference access to the California market.
 
So it's basically 2 conferences sharing a championship game and a network, but calling itself one conference. Lame. And it's not going to break that way. Not only do none of the 4 mountain teams want that, but there's no way in hell that OU is going to leave the Texas market and not get equal conference access to the California market.

First off where do you get that OU is leaving the Texas market? Simply put, in a P16 format, they don't. Your objection would only be relevant in a P14 format, in which case all the prior objections in your missive would be irrelevant.

Look, no one knows how this thing will turn out. But if Okie/Okie Lite/Texass/TT all asked to be part of the party and agreed to be equals, I don't think Larry Scott would let that pass. That was what everyone at the current P12 table agreed to a year ago. I give it only a 20-30% chance that Texass agrees to be an equal, but if it does, I think Larry hits people over the head with the fact that they already agreed to it. Which was the point of his comment in the OP's original link.

Besides, we get the fact that you guys despise the Whorns and think they can't be trusted as far as you can throw them. But at a certain point you have to draw confidence from the fact that there will be 14 of us and only 2 of them.
 
Besides, we get the fact that you guys despise the Whorns and think they can't be trusted as far as you can throw them. But at a certain point you have to draw confidence from the fact that there will be 14 of us and only 2 of them.

there will actually be 4 of them this was an issue in the big 12, OK/TX vote as a uniform block.
 
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