The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

(03-25-2013 04:21 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 02:25 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:28 AM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:14 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  My point is that this new conference is not a step down like everyone seems to think. Without Memphis, it will be much more competitive. As far as attendance, people need to be coming to see UAB instead of Memphis.

Ummmm.... OK, sure.

We won 20-25 games against all of the non-Memphis's for like 5 years in a row and it got us exactly one First Four appearance.

How many first round exits in the conference tournament does that include?

First round exits in a garbage conference tournament will keep you out of the NCAA's....

And the first round exists, how were they football's fault?

And I will not have you hanging this on Mike Jones.

(03-25-2013 06:36 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 04:21 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 02:25 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:28 AM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:14 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  My point is that this new conference is not a step down like everyone seems to think. Without Memphis, it will be much more competitive. As far as attendance, people need to be coming to see UAB instead of Memphis.

Ummmm.... OK, sure.

We won 20-25 games against all of the non-Memphis's for like 5 years in a row and it got us exactly one First Four appearance.

How many first round exits in the conference tournament does that include?

First round exits in a garbage conference tournament will keep you out of the NCAA's....

And the first round exists, how were they football's fault?

And I will not have you hanging this on Mike Jones.

They aren't. But football has us trapped in an awful basketball conference where losing in round one of your conference (even with 25 wins) can't be overcome with the rest of your résumé. Basically, if UAB hasn't earned its way into the tourney by 12/31 of each year, you can stick a fork in our tourney chances if we don't win the conference tournament. And that really isn't debatable, though I'm sure some of you CUSA devotees will try...

If memory serves Temple has been bounced from their conference tourney 2 years straight in the first game.... And they've still gotten in. And we all know why.... Because they play a quality schedule in a quality league.

You are correct about the non conference schedule. For whatever reason, we can't get anybody good (Unc will be nice this year) to come to Bartow. It's been like a SWAC invitational for the past 6 years.

So we've been layering a low-major non conference slate on top of a low-major conference slate.

And even so, the definition of a great program isn't solely about making the tournament. Even if we had made it many of the past few years, we're still left with the fact that even with winning teams, we weren't selling many tickets because week in and week out it is Rice... Or SMU..... Or Tulane.... HEY MEMPHIS..... Back to Marshall.... And then East Carolina. Now it's Rice.... And then FAU....and then FIU.... HEY MEMPH.... Oh wait, that's UTSA....

How this is acceptable to some of you is beyond belief.... But at least you were able to work a Hee-haw reference into the discussion, so there's that....

(03-25-2013 06:16 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 01:46 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  Me thinks we have a poster that has returned from the nether regions.

He does have that aroma, but I could be being uncharitable.

Ok....

"Acceptable" to me?

My bad. I guess I was out of range when ESPN called to get my opinion on the subject before turning college sports into a cash grab free-for-all.

Geez, somebody's an angry gnome.

While I do wish we were in a better conference, we ARE gaining solid basketball schools in MTSU (NCAA at-large), WKU (Sun Belt winner, assuming Tulsa leaves), La Tech (NIT at-large, bubble candidate), Charlotte (NIT at-large), and lets not forget that ODU has a proud basketball history. USM is no slouch and neither is UTEP (UNT was a disappointment). This is part of the reason why I advocate striking while the iron is hot and the Atlantic-10 is weak because we would be a better conference than what they are about to become post-raid. Unfortunately, I don't think people are looking at the Big East experiment in the right way, and our conference commissioner is about as creative as a goldfish.

(03-25-2013 09:33 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 06:36 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 04:21 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 02:25 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:28 AM)bartowfan Wrote:  Ummmm.... OK, sure.

We won 20-25 games against all of the non-Memphis's for like 5 years in a row and it got us exactly one First Four appearance.

How many first round exits in the conference tournament does that include?

First round exits in a garbage conference tournament will keep you out of the NCAA's....

And the first round exists, how were they football's fault?

And I will not have you hanging this on Mike Jones.

They aren't. But football has us trapped in an awful basketball conference where losing in round one of your conference (even with 25 wins) can't be overcome with the rest of your résumé. Basically, if UAB hasn't earned its way into the tourney by 12/31 of each year, you can stick a fork in our tourney chances if we don't win the conference tournament. And that really isn't debatable, though I'm sure some of you CUSA devotees will try...

If memory serves Temple has been bounced from their conference tourney 2 years straight in the first game.... And they've still gotten in. And we all know why.... Because they play a quality schedule in a quality league.

You are correct about the non conference schedule. For whatever reason, we can't get anybody good (Unc will be nice this year) to come to Bartow. It's been like a SWAC invitational for the past 6 years.

So we've been layering a low-major non conference slate on top of a low-major conference slate.

And even so, the definition of a great program isn't solely about making the tournament. Even if we had made it many of the past few years, we're still left with the fact that even with winning teams, we weren't selling many tickets because week in and week out it is Rice... Or SMU..... Or Tulane.... HEY MEMPHIS..... Back to Marshall.... And then East Carolina. Now it's Rice.... And then FAU....and then FIU.... HEY MEMPH.... Oh wait, that's UTSA....

How this is acceptable to some of you is beyond belief.... But at least you were able to work a Hee-haw reference into the discussion, so there's that....

We got blown out by ECU in the first round and got an at large bid. You don't know very much about basketball, for a bball only guy.

(03-25-2013 09:33 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 06:36 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 04:21 PM)bartowfan Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 02:25 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(03-25-2013 11:28 AM)bartowfan Wrote:  Ummmm.... OK, sure.

We won 20-25 games against all of the non-Memphis's for like 5 years in a row and it got us exactly one First Four appearance.

How many first round exits in the conference tournament does that include?

First round exits in a garbage conference tournament will keep you out of the NCAA's....

And the first round exists, how were they football's fault?

And I will not have you hanging this on Mike Jones.

They aren't. But football has us trapped in an awful basketball conference where losing in round one of your conference (even with 25 wins) can't be overcome with the rest of your résumé. Basically, if UAB hasn't earned its way into the tourney by 12/31 of each year, you can stick a fork in our tourney chances if we don't win the conference tournament. And that really isn't debatable, though I'm sure some of you CUSA devotees will try...

If memory serves Temple has been bounced from their conference tourney 2 years straight in the first game.... And they've still gotten in. And we all know why.... Because they play a quality schedule in a quality league.

You are correct about the non conference schedule. For whatever reason, we can't get anybody good (Unc will be nice this year) to come to Bartow. It's been like a SWAC invitational for the past 6 years.

So we've been layering a low-major non conference slate on top of a low-major conference slate.

And even so, the definition of a great program isn't solely about making the tournament. Even if we had made it many of the past few years, we're still left with the fact that even with winning teams, we weren't selling many tickets because week in and week out it is Rice... Or SMU..... Or Tulane.... HEY MEMPHIS..... Back to Marshall.... And then East Carolina. Now it's Rice.... And then FAU....and then FIU.... HEY MEMPH.... Oh wait, that's UTSA....

How this is acceptable to some of you is beyond belief.... But at least you were able to work a Hee-haw reference into the discussion, so there's that....

There is so many things wrong with your post. Where to start.

1. Please point out where UAB had 25 wins going into the CUSA tournament and failed to get an NCAA bid. It has never happened.

2. The SWAC invitational? In the past 5 years, we have played a grand total of 3 sWAC teams.

3. The conference schedule? Do you really think the fine football loving populace of Birmingham is going to show up with A 10 powerhouses of St, Bonaventure, St, Joseph's, Richmond, Dayton and Fordham? Sure there are strong programs in the A 10, but the general football crazed populace isn't going to recognize that. If you are expecting to fill the Arena based on the opponent, then we better get that invitation to the SEC or ACC, and that ain't coming.

4. I won't say the status Quo is acceptable. But it is the reality, and we must deal with the hand we are dealt. Griping about it or pining away what might have been 20 years ago if a different direction was taken doesn't solve any problems. Recognizing how major athletics works today and doing what you can do to survive and thrive within those parameters and supporting those in charge of guiding the program is what will make UAB great.

I've heard you gripe plenty, but I haven't heard any of your solutions? Saying what should have done in the past is not a solution.

You might have missed it, bartowfan, but Mike Davis isn't here any longer. The new staff has and continues to work at getting us better OOC games.

What we know:

Charleston Classic: UAB, Clemson, Georgia, Nebraska, New Mexico, Temple, TBA, TBA
Troy
Rutgers
North Carolina
@ Northeastern

There are very strong rumors of an SEC home and home.
There are also rumblings about an H & H with another BC$ school.

As to the conference, it is what it is. We're in C-USA, and you can pout and whine all you want, that's not going to change unless we somehow get an invite up the food chain. Like it or not, the only way that's likely to happen is if our football gets better.

"NIH - Ranting on websites may just make you angrier"

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/...35194.html

(03-25-2013 09:53 PM)GreenMississippi Wrote:  Unfortunately, I don't think people are looking at the Big East experiment in the right way, and our conference commissioner is about as creative as a goldfish.

This.

Banowsky is a lump.

(03-25-2013 10:08 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  There is so many things wrong with your post. Where to start.

1. Please point out where UAB had 25 wins going into the CUSA tournament and failed to get an NCAA bid. It has never happened.

2. The SWAC invitational? In the past 5 years, we have played a grand total of 3 sWAC teams.

3. The conference schedule? Do you really think the fine football loving populace of Birmingham is going to show up with A 10 powerhouses of St, Bonaventure, St, Joseph's, Richmond, Dayton and Fordham? Sure there are strong programs in the A 10, but the general football crazed populace isn't going to recognize that. If you are expecting to fill the Arena based on the opponent, then we better get that invitation to the SEC or ACC, and that ain't coming.

4. I won't say the status Quo is acceptable. But it is the reality, and we must deal with the hand we are dealt. Griping about it or pining away what might have been 20 years ago if a different direction was taken doesn't solve any problems. Recognizing how major athletics works today and doing what you can do to survive and thrive within those parameters and supporting those in charge of guiding the program is what will make UAB great.

I've heard you gripe plenty, but I haven't heard any of your solutions? Saying what should have done in the past is not a solution.

OK.... uggggh... my bad, we had 22 wins in '08, 21 in '09, and 23 in 2010 going into the conference tourney.

The "SWAC Invitational" comment was actually conceding a point to those arguing with me that our nonconference schedule has been awful of late and that's part of the problem with attendance and making the tournament.... Do you disagree? You OK with our home schedule the past few years? Really glad to hear the non-conference games in the works that another poster mentioned (except I wouldn't include Troy in that list).

As for your 3rd point, if my memory serves me correctly, folks used to show up in strong numbers to see us play St. Louis, Marquette and other names that don't jump out to the average SEC football fan living in Birmingham. Those A10 names you mentioned aren't to the caliber of those teams and Mike Anderson basketball was a draw in itself, but still, I think folks in this area are sophisticated enough basketball fans to know the difference in Marshall and Dayton.

My solution to all of this is just what some other poster just mentioned.... for CUSA to at least throw the basketball fans a bone and get rid of this rule prohibiting non-football members. When we went looking for replacements for Memphis, SMU, etc we basically started with a list that excluded 95% of all the potential quality basketball teams that we might could have possibly snagged.

And this concept of, "Oh well, it is what it is, nothing we can do"... doesn't that apply to 99.7% of things discussed on these message boards?

You honestly think C-USA hasn't added good basketball teams? ODU and Charlotte (& potentially WKU) were league members with us during the glory years you keep reminiscing over.

Quote:if my memory serves me correctly, folks used to show up in strong numbers to see us play St. Louis, Marquette and other names that don't jump out to the average SEC football fan living in Birmingham.

Your memory does not serve you correctly. There are two kinds of teams in this town: "SEC" and "Not SEC."

This thread is approaching Blazersax status.

(03-26-2013 08:45 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  This thread is approaching Blazersax status.

No. It isn't.

The discussion of our conference's effect on our basketball program's success couldn't be more important.

We can't turn back the clock, but we do need to look at realignment from all angles, and with basketball's best interest in mind, IMO. Let's not be content to just ride the whirlwind.

Here's hoping the coming changes ARE ultimately for the better.

As you know, I'm a big believer in our "Floor Burns" of a new coach.
It's way past time we dusted off the dancing shoes on at least a semi-annual basis.

(03-26-2013 08:45 AM)58-56 Wrote:  

Quote:if my memory serves me correctly, folks used to show up in strong numbers to see us play St. Louis, Marquette and other names that don't jump out to the average SEC football fan living in Birmingham.

Your memory does not serve you correctly. There are two kinds of teams in this town: "SEC" and "Not SEC."

ESPN's site had attendance for the last time we played those two teams at over 7,000. What is that, like Marshall + East Carolina combined from 2013? Lots of other factors involved in attendance figures from 03, 04, 05 vs this year, but still.... St. Louis was 11-7 at the time in 2004.

2004 was a Mike Anderson coached team that wound up going to the Sweet Sixteen. This year was Haase's first season and a rebuilding year. I think that has to be factored in. We played E. Carolina toward the end of the January losing streak and Marshall just after, and that was also a part of it.

I'd agree that both St. Louis and Marquette are name games that would put butts in seats more than a routine conference game, especially when the record is down, for what that's worth.