11-30-2014, 12:05 AM
This is my latest email to Dr. Watts:
What are you doing?
I will try my best to be civil, but this is getting ridiculous. Keeping the student athletes, coaches, boosters, fans, and student body of UAB in limbo while you put out meaningless statements is not only cruel, but also totally unwise. Either you are not taking the advice of your public relations staff or you need to fire all of those who are advising you. Even rank amateurs would tell you that you should never intentionally prolong a disastrous situation like this one.
However, it still could be worse. If you dismantle the football program, UAB will be the laughing stock of college athletics. More importantly, you will make it obvious that establishing a healthy college atmosphere for the undergraduate students at UAB is not one of your priorities. That would seriously jeopardize our entire undergraduate program. You will also demonstrate disrespect for Birmingham city officials and the Birmingham area legislative delegation; these are people you definitely want in total support of you and your University. You have already upset many people who over the years have made substantial contributions not only to the athletic programs, but also to the academic and medical programs as well. This is not what you do in the middle of a major funding drive. The question now is whether you will totally alienate these loyal supporters of the University. If you do, your ability to continue to lead will be suspect.
I strongly suggest that you cut your losses, end the suspense now and reassure everyone as quickly as possible that UAB athletic program will remain in totally intact. And may God help you if make the wrong decision.
Yours (for now)
Richard Guilbeau
MBA class of 1984
What are you doing?
I will try my best to be civil, but this is getting ridiculous. Keeping the student athletes, coaches, boosters, fans, and student body of UAB in limbo while you put out meaningless statements is not only cruel, but also totally unwise. Either you are not taking the advice of your public relations staff or you need to fire all of those who are advising you. Even rank amateurs would tell you that you should never intentionally prolong a disastrous situation like this one.
However, it still could be worse. If you dismantle the football program, UAB will be the laughing stock of college athletics. More importantly, you will make it obvious that establishing a healthy college atmosphere for the undergraduate students at UAB is not one of your priorities. That would seriously jeopardize our entire undergraduate program. You will also demonstrate disrespect for Birmingham city officials and the Birmingham area legislative delegation; these are people you definitely want in total support of you and your University. You have already upset many people who over the years have made substantial contributions not only to the athletic programs, but also to the academic and medical programs as well. This is not what you do in the middle of a major funding drive. The question now is whether you will totally alienate these loyal supporters of the University. If you do, your ability to continue to lead will be suspect.
I strongly suggest that you cut your losses, end the suspense now and reassure everyone as quickly as possible that UAB athletic program will remain in totally intact. And may God help you if make the wrong decision.
Yours (for now)
Richard Guilbeau
MBA class of 1984