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

This may be a bit of a monologue, but hear me out.
I am frustrated, like everyone else on here about last nights performance. Awful.
This morning, however, I realized how truly angry I was at the players on this team. Their lack of effort, their poor shot selection, their failure to live up to the Bartow standard. I was angry.
But, this morning (in church ironically enough) I realized that at the end of the day, these players are kids. Eric Gaines is 19 years old. Jelly is in his early 20s. After last night, I felt like the wind had been taken out of the sails of what was a truly exciting time for this program. So much talent, and rightfully so expectations were high. It’s hard to not be disappointed, but it was wrong to be so angry. I love UAB athletics, but the basketball program holds a special place in my heart, as I know it does for many of you here. The history of the program, Gene Bartow, and what this team means to the city of Birmingham. At the UTEP game I was amazed by the crowd and support for UAB. When things were dire, we stood up and cheered this team on, not because the game was easy but because it was hard. CUSA is a juggernaut of a conference. No easy games. The situation may be dire, so what as fans do we do? We show up to help this team. WKU comes into Bartow on Wednesday, and no matter how disappointed I was about last night, I will be there. To cheer on this team, because now more than ever, they need US. ALL of us. No matter how upset you are about last night, don’t give up on this team. As fans we never gave up on the dream of the football program, we kept believing and look where we are today. BELIEVE in this team. They need us to be loud, they need us to be proud. Show this team and this coach that the program is bigger than one loss. WE ARE F***ING UAB. If we bring that arena back to the Bartow standard, I truly believe we can help push this team to that standard as well, and together we will WIN AS ONE.

(01-08-2023 03:56 PM)TT32 Wrote:  This may be a bit of a monologue, but hear me out.
I am frustrated, like everyone else on here about last nights performance. Awful.
This morning, however, I realized how truly angry I was at the players on this team. Their lack of effort, their poor shot selection, their failure to live up to the Bartow standard. I was angry.
But, this morning (in church ironically enough) I realized that at the end of the day, these players are kids. Eric Gaines is 19 years old. Jelly is in his early 20s. I almost felt guilty for being so angry at them personally. After last night, I felt like the wind had been taken out of the sails of what was a truly exciting time for this program. So much talent, and rightfully so expectations were high. It’s hard to not be disappointed, but it was wrong to be so angry. I love UAB athletics, but the basketball program holds a special place in my heart, as I know it does for many of you here. The history of the program, Gene Bartow, and what this team means to the city of Birmingham. At the UTEP game I was amazed by the crowd and support for UAB. When things were dire, we stood up and cheered this team on, not because the game was easy but because it was hard. CUSA is a juggernaut of a conference. No easy games. The situation may be dire, so what as fans do we do? We show up to help this team. WKU comes into Bartow on Wednesday, and no matter how disappointed I was about last night, I will be there. To cheer on this team, because now more than ever, they need US. ALL of us. No matter how upset you are about last night, don’t give up on this team. As fans we never gave up on the dream of the football program, we kept believing and look where we are today. BELIEVE in this team. They need us to be loud, they need us to be proud. Show this team and this coach that the program is bigger than one loss. WE ARE F***ING UAB. If we bring that arena back to the Bartow standard, I truly believe we can help push this team to that standard as well, and together we will WIN AS ONE.

Your anger is justified, don't rationalize it away. That was a sh!t performance from the top down. This FL trip was an unmitigated disaster. You have a right to be angry, and even though the players are young, that doesn't justify the crappy effort and decision making. They deserve all of the ire they are getting.

I hope they turn it around, but I have severe reservations about that.

Regular season is over. AK can use the remaining games to get things right on defense, rotations, etc. Doesn’t matter if we lose. The at-large bid is done. Just focus on getting better and good enough to win 3/4 games in 3/4 days in Texas in March.

Plenty more games to play this season to change their strategy

I hear what you are saying but there are two things you can always control no matter your age or situation: your attitude and effort. This team, especially a few, have terrible attitudes and at times their effort is not there. Even before the past weeks disastrous play this team was not very fun to support with the bad attitudes. I don't think it is just the bad play everyone is upset about but that we keep hearing about playing up to GB's standards and there is no proof of that happening and no reason at this point to believe that this team will be held to that standard.

It wouldnt be BLazer sports without overreaction Sunday, win or lose. Lol

(01-08-2023 04:22 PM)blazinrunner Wrote:  Regular season is over. AK can use the remaining games to get things right on defense, rotations, etc. Doesn’t matter if we lose. The at-large bid is done. Just focus on getting better and good enough to win 3/4 games in 3/4 days in Texas in March.

Still need to get a first round bye though. And regular season games will impact our seeding if we do win in Frisco.