Bruce Benson wrote me back...

[1989Buff]

So, a few weeks ago when we were all discussing writing notes to people in the CU power structure to complain about the football program, I dropped one to Bruce Benson.

I had never written him before. I wrote Bohn a couple of times (heard back once). I never expected a response...but I got one. Not a form letter (since he referenced points I made in my note).

I don't think it's proper to copy and paste it here, but I will say that I was impressed. I had accused him of not valuing the importance of football's success enough in the part it would play in how he would be remembered by alumni after he's gone (after praising his work on the education side of things and pointing out that I, too, believed this was the most important part of CU's mission...by far...not football). He assured me that whatever I had heard about him not understanding that fact was in error...and that he was very concerned about the situation. He said his standards for the program were higher than I thought, and that the program must be held accountable for it's lack of progress. He repeated what we've heard elsewhere (that we are rebuilding right now, and that this won't be quick or easy)...but that despite what I may have heard, he's committed to getting it turned around.

Well...we can say what we want about the guy...but I like a man in a high position who answers his email from time to time. He may have been blowing smoke...he may not have...but he can't say that he hasn't been hearing from alumni about the football program's woes now.:wink2:

 

[Quattro]

:rofl:

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

You should email him back and remind him that "talk is cheap."

 

[J.R. Ewing]

Mods, can we megre this with the 'AD Plant' thread?

 

[1989Buff]

Perhaps you should look back and check...and notice that I was the guy who suggested that we all write Benson after one of our many horrible losses before suggesting I am part of an AD plant.:rolling_eyes:

Or perhaps go back and look at where I call for coaches heads...whatever.

And I didn't say that the note back MEANT anything. We had been talking about comments from Benson where he supposedly said he hadn't been hearing any complaints from alumni about the football team's performance (so I and others suggested writing him so he WOULD hear them). Well...regardless of anything else about that note...he's heard some now.

That's all the significance one can attach to such a note. It is what it is. Just thought I would update you all, since I was one of the people suggesting that we all write Benson in the first place (I posted the email links...hardly a thing an "AD plant" would do...:rolling_eyes.

 

[Quattro]

Post the note

 

[1989Buff]

Do you really think that's a cool thing to do? It's a pretty standard response piece...not a form note because he references the point I made about me hearing that he just blew off concerns about the football program's lack of success. But taking a private email and posting it in public seems like bad form to me. I pretty much summed up the salient points anyway in my original post.

Here's the thread page where I suggested we write them though:
http://www.allbuffs.com/showthread.php/78990-What-do-the-fans-do?p=1237601&highlight=#post1237601

 

[BinaryBuff]

Meh. Benson says he is "concerned" about the situation and yet he feels it's necessary to state to the DC that Embree's job is safe? He needs to leave those decisions and statements to the AD but at a minimum, he needs to wait until the season is complete before making a blanket statement that the HC is safe despite putting the worst CU team in history out on the field.

Benson might be "concerned", but to paraphrase our friend Bama Charlie, Benson sure as **** doesn't take CU football seriously enough. Being concerned doesn't mean jack ****. We're falling into the abyss with a coaching staff that shows no clue how to coach and is losing the team. If Benson really thought football was important, there would be action to fire the coaching staff, provide the resources necessary to compete at a higher level, commit to a real coaching search, ....

His inaction and public comments speak for themselves on how much he values CU football and how "concerned" he is.

 

[1989Buff]

Meh. Benson says he is "concerned" about the situation and yet he feels it's necessary to state to the DC that Embree's job is safe? He needs to leave those decisions and statements to the AD but at a minimum, he needs to wait until the season is complete before making a blanket statement that the HC is safe despite putting the worst CU team in history out on the field.

Benson might be "concerned", but to paraphrase our friend Bama Charlie, Benson sure as **** doesn't take CU football seriously enough. Being concerned doesn't mean jack ****. We're falling into the abyss with a coaching staff that shows no clue how to coach and is losing the team. If Benson really thought football was important, there would be action to fire the coaching staff, provide the resources necessary to compete at a higher level, commit to a real coaching search, ....

His inaction and public comments speak for themselves on how much he values CU football and how "concerned" he is.

I can't disagree with this. I'm not sure why, in the most horrible of CU seasons, you would say the coach's job is "safe" (unless you thought it hamstrung recruiting to make it look like he was twisting in the wind...and of course, with Embree and Co. good recruiting is kinda where we are putting our eggs in this hope basket...it sure isn't in the hope that the Xs and Os will improve all of a sudden...).

I sure as heck don't understand why the Defensive Coordinator wasn't fired after the Arizona game...I can't see what anyone gains by keeping him around. Give Cabral a few games to see if there's any improvement to be had from anyone on this staff...

 

[DBT]

Some pretty smarmy responses to 1989Buff's post. I don't, for one minute, believe Bruce Benson is happy with the state of the football program. I do disagree with his handling of the situation.

 

[GoonieBuff]

Meh. Benson says he is "concerned" about the situation and yet he feels it's necessary to state to the DC that Embree's job is safe? He needs to leave those decisions and statements to the AD but at a minimum, he needs to wait until the season is complete before making a blanket statement that the HC is safe despite putting the worst CU team in history out on the field.

Benson might be "concerned", but to paraphrase our friend Bama Charlie, Benson sure as **** doesn't take CU football seriously enough. Being concerned doesn't mean jack ****. We're falling into the abyss with a coaching staff that shows no clue how to coach and is losing the team. If Benson really thought football was important, there would be action to fire the coaching staff, provide the resources necessary to compete at a higher level, commit to a real coaching search, ....

His inaction and public comments speak for themselves on how much he values CU football and how "concerned" he is.

Well said.

 

[absinthe]

The ironic thing is that Benson is not the anti-sports guy you'd believe him to be based on our programs. I have a couple of acquaintances that know him well and they've always he enjoys sports and that he values what they say about our school. Admittedly he has an odd way of showing that.

 

[Scotch]

We'll see how concerned he and the powers that be are after the Utah game.

 

[BuffNut99]

I don't have a telegraph so I can't write him or get his responses.

 

[Quattro]

Do you really think that's a cool thing to do? It's a pretty standard response piece...not a form note because he references the point I made about me hearing that he just blew off concerns about the football program's lack of success. But taking a private email and posting it in public seems like bad form to me. I pretty much summed up the salient points anyway in my original post.

Here's the thread page where I suggested we write them though:
http://www.allbuffs.com/showthread.php/78990-What-do-the-fans-do?p=1237601&highlight=#post1237601

Yes. Post the letter.

 

[SuperiorBuff]

1989Buff, thanks for the info. I agree with your decision not to post the letter.

 

[BuffClass90]

Assuming you aren't an AD plant, the fact he wrote you back is cool. That shows some class. However, talk is cheap...we want wins (hell, just to be competitive) and sooner than later.

 

[Buffalo Brad]

How long did it take to get your response? I am still waiting and wondering how long the window I give him should be.

 

[1989Buff]

Assuming you aren't an AD plant, the fact he wrote you back is cool. That shows some class. However, talk is cheap...we want wins (hell, just to be competitive) and sooner than later.

Well, I'm NOT an AD plant:lol:...unless the AD dept. has started hiring people who live in Oregon!

But, I agree about the talk is cheap line. As i told my wife, it's not so much that I mind THIS season being lost...I mind not having hope for the next several seasons either. That's what kills me about being SO bad that you realize how far the climb will be back to simple respectability...much less a program that stands a chance to compete for anything meaningful.

Also, I hate knowing how much harder the job gets with every succeeding blowout (and how the losses have a domino effect that just makes the rebuilding even harder...the loss of recruits...potential transfer of good young players, etc.).

My only point in starting this thread was a pleasant surprise that the CU Prez wrote a note back at all. As I said, Bohn wrote me back too...once...he never did after that (but in fairness...my notes got less and less polite over time...)

 

[1989Buff]

How long did it take to get your response? I am still waiting and wondering how long the window I give him should be.

Well, the date of the thread where I suggested we write them was the 27th of October...and I just got the response yesterday (Nov 11th)...so that's how long it took.

 

[BinaryBuff]

My only point in starting this thread was a pleasant surprise that the CU Prez wrote a note back at all. As I said, Bohn wrote me back too...once...he never did after that (but in fairness...my notes got less and less polite over time...)

I think we all appreciate the info from you, at least I did. I don't need his exact words/response, I'm sure they would just find a way to anger me further :lol:

I'm just beyond tired of Benson & crew. Until their actions show me that they really do care, I will assume they don't.

 

[Deleted member 807]

For the record, I don't think 1989 is an AD plant. But that doesn't mean anyone on this message board shouldn't make that allegation. Pushing people's buttons is who we are and what we do.

Its encouraging that President Benson's office is writting back on football matters. The next step is for him to state (restate) and clarify his vision for the athletic department, define some of the key challenges, and let the friends of the program know how we can help.

 

[1989Buff]

I think we all appreciate the info from you, at least I did. I don't need his exact words/response, I'm sure they would just find a way to anger me further :lol:

I'm just beyond tired of Benson & crew. Until their actions show me that they really do care, I will assume they don't.

Well, it was pretty standard stuff too...no bombshells worth breaking the etiquette of posting someone's note. Hoped I would continue supporting the Buffs...it's a rebuilding process, etc. The one part that showed it wasn't a form letter was where he responded to my criticism concerning a specific event discussed on these boards (anyone remember it? Where someone said they ran into him and he basically acted like he didn't hear from anyone concerning fans being upset over the state of the program?). He said that this wasn't true, and that he was very concerned.

Yes...I agree...hot air until we hear otherwise (or see it). Hope it comes soon...after Utah...I don't want us to be hitting the post season recruiting trail with all this uncertainty hanging over us. Do it (fire someone! At least Brown IMHO) and move on!

 

[Buffalo Brad]

Well, the date of the thread where I suggested we write them was the 27th of October...and I just got the response yesterday (Nov 11th)...so that's how long it took.

Thanks for the info. That means I should hear well into Dec! By then, we will know where we stand.

 

[sackman]

Where someone said they ran into him and he basically acted like he didn't hear from anyone concerning fans being upset over the state of the program?). He said that this wasn't true, and that he was very concerned.

Ummm, yeah... He said that in an interview.

 

[cubuffthis]

If you will use a facebook account; your own or your wife's, you will get info back from Benson. I've done it twice and I really thought I would hear nothing. He responded fairly quickly to it.

 

[BinaryBuff]

If you will use a facebook account; your own or your wife's, you will get info back from Benson. I've done it twice and I really thought I would hear nothing. He responded fairly quickly to it.

Learn something new every day.. Today, I learned that facebook has integrated with telegraph machines as a way to receive and send messages.

 

[4DemBuffs]

So, a few weeks ago when we were all discussing writing notes to people in the CU power structure to complain about the football program, I dropped one to Bruce Benson.

I had never written him before. I wrote Bohn a couple of times (heard back once). I never expected a response...but I got one. Not a form letter (since he referenced points I made in my note).

I don't think it's proper to copy and paste it here, but I will say that I was impressed. I had accused him of not valuing the importance of football's success enough in the part it would play in how he would be remembered by alumni after he's gone (after praising his work on the education side of things and pointing out that I, too, believed this was the most important part of CU's mission...by far...not football). He assured me that whatever I had heard about him not understanding that fact was in error...and that he was very concerned about the situation. He said his standards for the program were higher than I thought, and that the program must be held accountable for it's lack of progress. He repeated what we've heard elsewhere (that we are rebuilding right now, and that this won't be quick or easy)...but that despite what I may have heard, he's committed to getting it turned around.

Well...we can say what we want about the guy...but I like a man in a high position who answers his email from time to time. He may have been blowing smoke...he may not have...but he can't say that he hasn't been hearing from alumni about the football program's woes now.:wink2:

you do understand the difference between a politician trying to placate the masses and someone who actually cares, right?

one just says what you want to hear. the other does something to show that they care.

now, you tell us. where exactly do you think he falls?

 

[1989Buff]

you do understand the difference between a politician trying to placate the masses and someone who actually cares, right?

one just says what you want to hear. the other does something to show that they care.

now, you tell us. where exactly do you think he falls?

I haven't a clue. Just reporting what happened. I was impressed that he responded at all. I get a ton of email in my job and respond to very little...so it was nice to receive a reply. Does it mean anything? Nope. Just better than NOT getting a reply I would say. That's about all it counts for (that, and at least he knows that there's at least one person he's heard from that's complaining about the state of the football program).

 

[DenverBuff77]

I want to believe soooo bad that the university president still cares about our crappy team, so I'm buying it.