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

(01-09-2015 04:49 PM)Cole Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:45 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:13 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  This is still a huge up hill battle. Watts could agree to only bring back football at a lower level. If that is done, he has somewhat achieved his original goal. If everything works out and football returns to FBS, the program has still taken about 100 steps back. Look how long it is taking SMU to recover. It has been decades and they still struggle even though SMU is loaded with cash from wealthy alumni.

Don't let up and keep the fight going. You need to keep a story in the press every few days to keep public interest and to help ensure this doesn't fade away.

Ramblin Wreck, I was about to make the same point referencing the SMU case. By shutting down UAB football for one year, he has achieved his goal - to kill the UAB football program. It will be 10 years before we will have a chance to see a winning program again. The nay sayers will be louder than ever with their "UAB football is a waste of money" chant. I want someone to go to jail for this atrocity!

If Watts is out and we keep Coach Clark, then I think we can recover alot sooner than 10 years. After just one year here and at JSU, Coach Clark has shown he can build a program. We'll struggle with youth at first, but I don't doubt he will have us competitive in a few years. Without Coach Clark, you may be correct on your timeline.

We should demand an IPF and OCS at least with the city's & county's backing as well as still work on changing the makeup of the BOT.

(01-09-2015 04:45 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:13 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  This is still a huge up hill battle. Watts could agree to only bring back football at a lower level. If that is done, he has somewhat achieved his original goal. If everything works out and football returns to FBS, the program has still taken about 100 steps back. Look how long it is taking SMU to recover. It has been decades and they still struggle even though SMU is loaded with cash from wealthy alumni.

Don't let up and keep the fight going. You need to keep a story in the press every few days to keep public interest and to help ensure this doesn't fade away.

Ramblin Wreck, I was about to make the same point referencing the SMU case. By shutting down UAB football for one year, he has achieved his goal - to kill the UAB football program. It will be 10 years before we will have a chance to see a winning program again. The nay sayers will be louder than ever with their "UAB football is a waste of money" chant. I want someone to go to jail for this atrocity!

I think it could be quicker than that. SMU took so long partially because of self-imposed academic standards which made it difficult to recruit. Basically the academics took over the University after the death penalty debacle.

Maybe 10-15 holdovers from this team will stay and red shirt then we sign 25 this spring (albeit all I-AA level players) red shirt them all. Then sign 25 (mostly jucos) in Feb of 2016. Obviously, we will take a beating in 2016, but I think we could be competitive in 17 or 18.

Another thing that will accelerate the rebound is if construction starts on an OCS or IPF during our off year. This will send a strong signal to recruits that we are here to stay.

This is not over by a long shot. It now is absolutely essential that the Faculty Senate still vote no confidence. That would strengthen our hand immensely. They need to understand that this is part of his PR firm's plan to save him from a no confidence vote. If they spare him because of this tactic, his position will be significantly strengthened and he will be even more dangerous. With all of their degrees we have to hope that the faculty is smart enough to see this as the ploy which it is. We may get our football team back because of this ploy, unless Watts can figure out a way to influence the results, but it is still a PR ploy timed right before the faculty vote.

We have to use every tool we have to convince the Faculty Senate to vote no confidence. Call, write, do everything you can to get this done.

(01-09-2015 05:00 PM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  We have to use every tool we have to convince the Faculty Senate to vote no confidence. Call, write, do everything you can to get this done.

Completely agree. He simply cannot remain president.

(01-09-2015 04:55 PM)blazer-J Wrote:  Another thing that will accelerate the rebound is if construction starts on an OCS or IPF during our off year. This will send a strong signal to recruits that we are here to stay.

At this point, I think an OCS is an absolute imperative.

If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

We won't have a team next year.

(01-09-2015 05:16 PM)uabblazer2012 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

We won't have a team next year.

I said "if."

Granted, I know it's a really, really big if, but still.

(01-09-2015 05:18 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:16 PM)uabblazer2012 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

We won't have a team next year.

I said "if."

Granted, I know it's a really, really big if, but still.

It might be harder since those players have already enrolled at other schools. Who knows what the NCAA would do though, I don't know if they've ever come across this situation before.

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

Watts already said no team for 2015. Even if it did happen, I don't see the NCAA allowing them to return. They are already enrolled and attending classes. Plus, it would be a hit to the teams they are on now. We will just have to rebuild with what we have.

the zone should be rocking tonight.

Special time at 7 pm tonight for the zone.

(01-09-2015 04:54 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:49 PM)Cole Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:45 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:13 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  This is still a huge up hill battle. Watts could agree to only bring back football at a lower level. If that is done, he has somewhat achieved his original goal. If everything works out and football returns to FBS, the program has still taken about 100 steps back. Look how long it is taking SMU to recover. It has been decades and they still struggle even though SMU is loaded with cash from wealthy alumni.

Don't let up and keep the fight going. You need to keep a story in the press every few days to keep public interest and to help ensure this doesn't fade away.

Ramblin Wreck, I was about to make the same point referencing the SMU case. By shutting down UAB football for one year, he has achieved his goal - to kill the UAB football program. It will be 10 years before we will have a chance to see a winning program again. The nay sayers will be louder than ever with their "UAB football is a waste of money" chant. I want someone to go to jail for this atrocity!

If Watts is out and we keep Coach Clark, then I think we can recover alot sooner than 10 years. After just one year here and at JSU, Coach Clark has shown he can build a program. We'll struggle with youth at first, but I don't doubt he will have us competitive in a few years. Without Coach Clark, you may be correct on your timeline.

We should demand an IPF and OCS at least with the city's & county's backing as well as still work on changing the makeup of the BOT.

If football comes back it will have to have those 2 components because no recruit will come without the commitment from the University and nothing says commitment like an OCS and a IPF.

I agree & I think we can get that now.

(01-09-2015 04:49 PM)Cole Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:45 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 04:13 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  This is still a huge up hill battle. Watts could agree to only bring back football at a lower level. If that is done, he has somewhat achieved his original goal. If everything works out and football returns to FBS, the program has still taken about 100 steps back. Look how long it is taking SMU to recover. It has been decades and they still struggle even though SMU is loaded with cash from wealthy alumni.

Don't let up and keep the fight going. You need to keep a story in the press every few days to keep public interest and to help ensure this doesn't fade away.

Ramblin Wreck, I was about to make the same point referencing the SMU case. By shutting down UAB football for one year, he has achieved his goal - to kill the UAB football program. It will be 10 years before we will have a chance to see a winning program again. The nay sayers will be louder than ever with their "UAB football is a waste of money" chant. I want someone to go to jail for this atrocity!

If Watts is out and we keep Coach Clark, then I think we can recover alot sooner than 10 years. After just one year here and at JSU, Coach Clark has shown he can build a program. We'll struggle with youth at first, but I don't doubt he will have us competitive in a few years. Without Coach Clark, you may be correct on your timeline.

Me too. He proved he can build a team with a lot of juco guys. That is a key to bringing an fbs team in from scratch. Without Clark, who the hell knows.

I just walked into the room in time to see Watts making a statement on 33/40 News. Who were his "supporting staff" standing behind him? Was one of them Mackin?

If the football program comes back, we can look at the models of ODU/UNCC/USA/GaST etc. The road back may not be as long/hard as we think, yes we were set back but there at least would be positive momentum going in rather than negative.

I will say that Watts should still go, you can't have a president making these kind of major decisions then back tracking on them when they turn out to be wrong. It just shows how truly unfit they were for the job in the first place.

(01-09-2015 05:39 PM)Cole Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

Watts already said no team for 2015. Even if it did happen, I don't see the NCAA allowing them to return. They are already enrolled and attending classes. Plus, it would be a hit to the teams they are on now. We will just have to rebuild with what we have.

So, this probably keeps us in CUSA, tentatively, until official reinstatement...

I think the BOT and the UAB administration are feeling the heat from this. The Governor went underground, Watts went into witness protection, and the Chancellor hiding are all accessories to the criminal decision.

(01-09-2015 06:41 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:39 PM)Cole Wrote:  

(01-09-2015 05:13 PM)iam4uab Wrote:  If we were to somehow reinstate football for 2015, what are the chances that the NCAA grants affected players a waiver to rejoin the team?

I think we would have a very strong case for it. Some might not, because they are at more marquee programs now, but you never know.

Watts already said no team for 2015. Even if it did happen, I don't see the NCAA allowing them to return. They are already enrolled and attending classes. Plus, it would be a hit to the teams they are on now. We will just have to rebuild with what we have.

So, this probably keeps us in CUSA, tentatively, until official reinstatement...

Right, but if CUSA wants to actually help us out, they need to make a statement that our continuation in CUSA should be contingent on us reinstating football.