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

That's true enough, Tom, but you have to take it in context. There was a study by the BoT as recently as 2008 that said UAB was better off with football, but killing our football remained a prime goal of several of the more powerful members. This is not a new conversation, and there has been move after move to weaken and hurt UAB football. Given that we *know* that the board understands how to build a successful football program, it is hard to see repeated moves to undermine UAB football as anything but a long term strategy to kill it. When you force a head coach on us who not only has never been a head coach, but never mentioned in a head coaching search, that's bad. When you give him an extension when he is 11-25, that becomes a rather blatant attack.

Watts may have believed what the plantation masters in Tuscaloosa told him, but given that he was not only ignorant (if indeed, he was) of the bylaw that would put us out of C-USA because we had no football but he that he had made no contingency plans he is at best incurious and uninterested and at worst a tool of the BoT.

Simply put, they wanted our football dead, and UAB forced into a conference that had no football to put a stake through its heart.

This gives some insight into Mackin's role. Brian Mackin definitely would have known that UAB could not have stayed in CUSA. He would have informed Watts if he was aware of what Watts was planning.

Either he wasn't in on it or Watts ignored him when he warned him.

(05-17-2015 01:35 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Watts ignored him when he warned him.

This is probably closer to what happened. Everyone likes to think Watts is an idiot, but he's not. He knew exactly what he was doing. He was not incompetent.

Yes. He ignored Mackin, and he did it deliberately for his own reasons. He's got to go.

I also believe that watts is not incompetent. He was doing this intentionally to hard UAB,
IMHO. Believing that he acted incompetently would insinuate he didn't mean any ill will towards UAB..

Given we're talking about Watts & Co but is there any guarantee of FBS over FCS? Was the report written & stated FBS? There's nothing in the pledges that denotes one or the other, so could he f*** us even more by saying we're coming FCS on 6/1 but still say he gave us fb back???

(05-17-2015 04:58 PM)blazerwkr Wrote:  Given we're talking about Watts & Co but is there any guarantee of FBS over FCS? Was the report written & stated FBS? There's nothing in the pledges that denotes one or the other, so could he f*** us even more by saying we're coming FCS on 6/1 but still say he gave us fb back???

I actually wrote a little line about the goal being bowl division in my pledge, but going FCS over FBS would be financially disastrous because it has all the negatives of leaving C*USA and few if any positives. The accounting gain of fewer scholarships would be peanuts compared to the penalties. I think even the state legislature would intervene on that diabolical plan because it would be crazy fiscally irresponsible.

Edit: I suspect it would also open them up to lawsuits with people pulling their pledges and claiming that an unsaid but obvious understanding was breached.

Look. At this point it is FBS or taking the fight to the next level. The report clearly is CUSA or no-CUSA options. If we are not in CUSA then no football. Period. The argument for FCS is moot with all of the FCS programs vying to get into a FBS conference as soon as possible. I just hope that football is reinstated. If we need to keep fighting then we will.

FCS is a red herring. All the expense, a helluva lot less revenue.

Even Watts is not that stupid.

I think.

I always think it is hilarious when someone suggests Rice could one day be president of UAB. She strikes me as a strong no-nonsense leader who is not going to be strong armed by anyone.

Why would the BOT want someone like that.

(05-17-2015 05:26 PM)Smaug Wrote:  FCS is a red herring. All the expense, a helluva lot less revenue.

Even Watts is not that stupid.

I think.

Considering that expense is not the real reason UAB football was shut down, I strongly believe if the Watts and the BOT ever are forced to bring football back, it will be at the FCS level.

The latest report will be turned against us and used to justify bringing it back at FCS.

(05-17-2015 05:30 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(05-17-2015 05:26 PM)Smaug Wrote:  FCS is a red herring. All the expense, a helluva lot less revenue.

Even Watts is not that stupid.

I think.

Considering that expense is not the real reason UAB football was shut down, I strongly believe if the Watts and the BOT ever are forced to bring football back, it will be at the FCS level.

The latest report will be turned against us and used to justify bringing it back at FCS.

I won't be surprised if they attempt that either.

(05-17-2015 05:26 PM)Smaug Wrote:  FCS is a red herring. All the expense, a helluva lot less revenue.

Even Watts is not that stupid.

I think.

What would be the effects on the rest of the UAB sports programs IF the football program was taken to FCS? My impression / opinion is that we would have to find replacements for nearly all our present head coaches if that happened just as happened at BSC. Therefore I don't see that move as a legitimate choice.

I hope this puts all the "maybe we can get into the MVC" stuff to rest.

(05-17-2015 05:27 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I always think it is hilarious when someone suggests Rice could one day be president of UAB. She strikes me as a strong no-nonsense leader who is not going to be strong armed by anyone.

Why would the BOT want someone like that.

Yeah, they want someone they can keep their thumb on, and Condie Rice does not fit that job description.

Here' show I see that it went down. Watts did not have talks with out her conferences because he thought he had time. I don't think he originally planned to shut down football after the 2014 season, but after the 2016 season. Remember the football schedule. Therefore he thought he had a couple of years to talk to other conferences. Talking to other conferences would have leaked the plan. When the plan came out anyway because of the Football Foundation, he panicked and decided to move up the timetable to 2014 leaving things like conference affiliation unanswered.

(05-17-2015 05:27 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I always think it is hilarious when someone suggests Rice could one day be president of UAB. She strikes me as a strong no-nonsense leader who is not going to be strong armed by anyone.

Why would the BOT want someone like that.

In many, many, many ways, Rice is more powerful than the BOT could ever be. If Rice wanted to be UAB's president and expresses that publically, it would happen. It's something the BOT could not ignore.

(05-17-2015 06:00 PM)tibber Wrote:  I hope this puts all the "maybe we can get into the MVC" stuff to rest.

Oh yes - let's shoot for the Atlantic Sun instead

That blank look on his face says everything.

Whoever thought this man looked Presidential in the first place needs to be fired along with Watts.

(05-17-2015 08:08 PM)Dragonz Lair Wrote:  

(05-17-2015 06:00 PM)tibber Wrote:  I hope this puts all the "maybe we can get into the MVC" stuff to rest.

Yes - let's shoot for the Atlantic Sun instead

Ohio Valley. JSU is a natural rivalry. Anniston has a good post game bar, and it's an easy road trip.