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Full Version: A Serious Question for Memphis Blazer - Or Any Other UAB Hoops Guru ...
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Is this current state of UAB basketball the new norm? Are we destined to hoping for post-season NIT bids (if we're lucky) instead of expecting a post-season NCAA bid year in and year out?

I was never really fond of Haase, but I liked his background and charisma enough to give him time to grow into his position ... and he pretty much did. When Ehsan was hired I was sorely disappointed. I have to admit, I still am. Most people here we're thrilled. In my opinion, you fail more often than you succeed when you hire from within. (Anyone remember Murry?) We used to be better than having to hire like we did, but I'm not so sure we still are. Each year we fade deeper into the shadows, the harder it will become to get a coach we can build on. Ehsan may be that guy one day, but he doesn't look to be there yet. We can't afford to wait for him to get there.

I'm getting pretty tired of reading all of the pre-season recruiting hype here about how good we're going to be, only to go 0-for-whatever to start the season. We're not awful, but we're no longer 'UAB' either. If we're really recruiting well, then it has to be the coaching. Right? Am I missing something? I really don't pay much attention to UAB basketball anymore because it's so average.

I'll admit now that I was really spoiled. I arrived at UAB during Coach Bartow's tenure, and it was great! Sure! It was the Sun Belt Conference, but we always won our conference. Look at what Conference USA is now? It's no better than the Sun Belt talent level used to be. Is that not true?

When I arrived at UAB, I didn't pay much attention to college basketball, but I soon learned to love it. Several consecutive NCAA tournament bids were great, and the game atmosphere was really fun. I'm now back to not really paying attention to Blazer or college basketball again.

Have we sold our basketball soul for football? Coach Clark is a great man doing wonderful things. Our football program is in great hands. That's great, but UAB used to be a basketball school. I honestly don't see us getting back there for a long time. I'm not sure UAB has the resources/funds/support/commitment to support both football and basketball. I've pretty much lost interest in it. I know many here will slay me for being candid about it, but it's my honest sentiment. Are we gone for good? If not, how long will we be hard to watch before we have high expectation that we can realistically meet? I'm looking for honest assessments of our basketball program from people who know it well.


[DISCLAIMER: Watch ... With my luck, we'll turn it around today, not lose another game the rest of the season, and be a national power for many years to come. Football and basketball will live in harmony at the top of the college sports world, and this thread will be permanently pinned on this board as a text book 'chicken little' overreaction. If that's the case, I'll be O.K. with that. I'd love to succeed at both sports just to prove those bastards down I-95 wrong]
This problem isn't a UAB problem. Its a college sports problem and UAB is on the wrong side of the equation.

The basketball landscape has changed from the way it was in the eighties and 90's. The Power 6 conferences get the majority of the bids and it won't get any better. The only reason that the smaller schools haven't been excluded from the tournament is because TV likes the Cinderella story. The powerbrokers are doing everything they can to get rid of the Cinderella story so they can finally get rid of the little guys.

Football drives the boat and football is worst with the Power 5 vs. the other guys. Top recruits want to play for the schools that will give them the most exposure. They don't want to play in CUSA where the only way to watch a game if over a bad computer feed. They want to be seen on TV. They want to play in sell out houses. To get those recruits, you need high profile coaches who makes multi million dollars. The smaller schools can't afford them so the talent level gap is widening. The Power 5 conferences aren't letting anybody else in. The Big 12 attempts at expanding last year was quickly shut down.

That's why I don't get that upset with any UAB coach anymore. It's a losing battle they are fighting.

Eventually, Division one will split into two divisions. We will be in the lower division. Then maybe we can compete.
I am curious who the Bastards down I-95 are though.

[Image: interstate_95_state_map.gif]
(11-22-2017 09:04 PM)89_Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Is this current state of UAB basketball the new norm? Are we destined to hoping for post-season NIT bids (if we're lucky) instead of expecting a post-season NCAA bid year in and year out?

I was never really fond of Haase, but I liked his background and charisma enough to give him time to grow into his position ... and he pretty much did. When Ehsan was hired I was sorely disappointed. I have to admit, I still am. Most people here we're thrilled. In my opinion, you fail more often than you succeed when you hire from within. (Anyone remember Murry?) We used to be better than having to hire like we did, but I'm not so sure we still are. Each year we fade deeper into the shadows, the harder it will become to get a coach we can build on. Ehsan may be that guy one day, but he doesn't look to be there yet. We can't afford to wait for him to get there.

I'm getting pretty tired of reading all of the pre-season recruiting hype here about how good we're going to be, only to go 0-for-whatever to start the season. We're not awful, but we're no longer 'UAB' either. If we're really recruiting well, then it has to be the coaching. Right? Am I missing something? I really don't pay much attention to UAB basketball anymore because it's so average.

I'll admit now that I was really spoiled. I arrived at UAB during Coach Bartow's tenure, and it was great! Sure! It was the Sun Belt Conference, but we always won our conference. Look at what Conference USA is now? It's no better than the Sun Belt talent level used to be. Is that not true?

When I arrived at UAB, I didn't pay much attention to college basketball, but I soon learned to love it. Several consecutive NCAA tournament bids were great, and the game atmosphere was really fun. I'm now back to not really paying attention to Blazer or college basketball again.

Have we sold our basketball soul for football? Coach Clark is a great man doing wonderful things. Our football program is in great hands. That's great, but UAB used to be a basketball school. I honestly don't see us getting back there for a long time. I'm not sure UAB has the resources/funds/support/commitment to support both football and basketball. I've pretty much lost interest in it. I know many here will slay me for being candid about it, but it's my honest sentiment. Are we gone for good? If not, how long will we be hard to watch before we have high expectation that we can realistically meet? I'm looking for honest assessments of our basketball program from people who know it well.


[DISCLAIMER: Watch ... With my luck, we'll turn it around today, not lose another game the rest of the season, and be a national power for many years to come. Football and basketball will live in harmony at the top of the college sports world, and this thread will be permanently pinned on this board as a text book 'chicken little' overreaction. If that's the case, I'll be O.K. with that. I'd love to succeed at both sports just to prove those bastards down I-95 wrong]



Amen

I got interested during Anderson when he had a buzz around the city. The product hasn't near this in awhile. Davis was decent not great, but since him it's been a dumpster fire for a long time. I honestly look at Eshan as the table setter would really like to be wrong and have UAB be great at both money sports. This would be great for Birmingham. Coaching is my biggest problem with it right now. We could sign nine 4 stars and look like crap with this staff.
The issue I thought we would solve for last off-season would be bringing in the elder statesman assistant to help out.
The UAB @ Florida FB game indicated the gulf between a decent G5 team and a wounded P5 program. Even with their limited roster, they still dominated the game. The same principle is involved in BB as Memphis eloquently explained. Major college sports have become so expensive that only $100 million per year programs can effectively compete for the top spots.

In 2014 the Delta Cost Project survey of college athletic programs ranked the various conferences by their median school, and the SEC was number one with its median school spending over $35,000 more per athlete (at $167,000 per athlete) than the #2 conference's median school. Scarbinsky's article a year ago revealed that both AU and UA spent about $200,000 per athlete with about 2/3 going to FB.

A $4 million per year FBHC doesn't even make the national Top 10 in income. Perhaps Memphis can discuss the pay scale for the top BBHC across America.
(11-22-2017 09:30 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]I am curious who the Bastards down I-95 are though.

Sorry, brother. My mistake. I meant to type "I-20", but having to contend with I-95 traffic twice each day, I guess it was subliminally on my mind as I was typing. So, now I think it's a bit more obvious to whom I was referring as "those bastards".
(11-22-2017 10:54 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote: [ -> ]The UAB @ Florida FB game indicated the gulf between a decent G5 team and a wounded P5 program. Even with their limited roster, they still dominated the game. The same principle is involved in BB as Memphis eloquently explained. Major college sports have become so expensive that only $100 million per year programs can effectively compete for the top spots.

In 2014 the Delta Cost Project survey of college athletic programs ranked the various conferences by their median school, and the SEC was number one with its median school spending over $35,000 more per athlete (at $167,000 per athlete) than the #2 conference's median school. Scarbinsky's article a year ago revealed that both AU and UA spent about $200,000 per athlete with about 2/3 going to FB.

A $4 million per year FBHC doesn't even make the national Top 10 in income. Perhaps Memphis can discuss the pay scale for the top BBHC across America.

Our football team is more flawed than our record indicates. I’m not taking anything away from what Clark and company have done, but the team we see 2-3 years down the road is going to be very different than the team that got smashed by Florida.
(11-23-2017 08:07 AM)89_Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-22-2017 09:30 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]I am curious who the Bastards down I-95 are though.

Sorry, brother. My mistake. I meant to type "I-20", but having to contend with I-95 traffic twice each day, I guess it was subliminally on my mind as I was typing. So, now I think it's a bit more obvious to whom I was referring as "those bastards".

I knew who you meant, although hi think you meant I 59 rather than I 20 lol
I sense an explanation of the origins of I-59 / I-20 by a poster.
I need one
I'm sorry MB, I don't buy that. Butler, Witchita State, etc. aren't power 5 schools and they don't seem to be on the "wrong side of the equation." Eshan was a hire made by the players and a disinterested AD. And it is showing.

I believe it is much easier to compete at the highest levels of Basketball than Football, and as a student when we were ranked #1 in America I am really disappointed that we continue to accept mediocrity in basketball.
(11-24-2017 12:05 AM)PTBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I'm sorry MB, I don't buy that. Butler, Witchita State, etc. aren't power 5 schools and they don't seem to be on the "wrong side of the equation." Eshan was a hire made by the players and a disinterested AD. And it is showing.

I believe it is much easier to compete at the highest levels of Basketball than Football, and as a student when we were ranked #1 in America I am really disappointed that we continue to accept mediocrity in basketball.

I totally agree...a couple of really good basketball players can completely change a team - unlike football...the players and (MANY) fans made a bad hire...for now we live with it
(11-24-2017 12:28 AM)Dragonz Lair Wrote: [ -> ]
(11-24-2017 12:05 AM)PTBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I'm sorry MB, I don't buy that. Butler, Witchita State, etc. aren't power 5 schools and they don't seem to be on the "wrong side of the equation." Eshan was a hire made by the players and a disinterested AD. And it is showing.

I believe it is much easier to compete at the highest levels of Basketball than Football, and as a student when we were ranked #1 in America I am really disappointed that we continue to accept mediocrity in basketball.

I totally agree...a couple of really good basketball players can completely change a team - unlike football...the players and (some) fans made a bad hire...for now we live with it

UAB could be one of those teams if we invested in the program, instead of hiring a whippersnapper for pennies who can't coach.

I believe we are on the path to becoming one of the highly successful "mid major" college football programs, because we are finally investing in the program at a higher level.
I don't blame posters for wanting to walk away from the hire of BBHC Ehsan, but I remember many thoughtful posts claiming it was the right thing to do. "He knew the players, they knew and liked him and that would provide continuity". Human nature can be like that.

I don't know Ingram, his level of interest or anything else, but a new guy on the job might have been reluctant to go against many program supporters who he didn't know. I'm sure he was reminded of UAB's financial constraints as well.

What I want to know from our basketball "gurus" is what facility upgrades might help the team prepare better to play competitively against teams like we lost to. I know we have an improved locker room, but I'm talking about spaces for better play -- like the new turf for the FB team. Has anything been added since Bartow Arena was built? Providing the millions for improved new facilities has certainly helped the FB program. What can be done for BB?
(11-24-2017 12:05 AM)PTBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I'm sorry MB, I don't buy that. Butler, Witchita State, etc. aren't power 5 schools and they don't seem to be on the "wrong side of the equation." Eshan was a hire made by the players and a disinterested AD. And it is showing.

I believe it is much easier to compete at the highest levels of Basketball than Football, and as a student when we were ranked #1 in America I am really disappointed that we continue to accept mediocrity in basketball.

#1 in America ? Top 20, yes. Not #1.

As far as accepting mediocrity, you do realize we have a limited budget and its not like we could have gotten gregg marshall in here when haase left.

At the time, most of us were still a little tipsy over the NCAA win and we probably thought we were better than we actually were.
Maintaining the team seemed like a priority in light of the large number of transfers whenever a new coach is brought in.

There were no names mentioned that were clearly better choices. I remember thinking that we might be talking to Kermit Davis and I was not sure how I felt about that if we were. (It took him a long time to get MTSU rolling) I have no idea if we had any interest in Davis or not. But, it would have made sense. But how many of us would have been happy getting him and losing 2-3 of our players?

Ehsan is not going to be fired any sooner than the end of his 4 year contract unless we just post 2 more terrible seasons. And even then, I'm not sure they will fire him. So we need to hope he improves.

And we have a lot of issues that you cant blame solely on the coach.

Nick is not back to where he was.
HaHa has regressed.
But Coke is playing like a first team all conference guy and Scootie is nothing short of a fantastic steal of a recruit.

The season can still be salvaged and we have the talent to win the conference. But so do 3-4 other teams. So it will not be easy.
If Nick gets the cobwebs out and Haha sees a shrink, we could still be pretty good this year.
UAB was going low budget with that hire from the time Dr Evil announced football was coming back. The big raise Haase received was more political theater than good business. When we really needed quick action and a raise up to $1 million in salary was in the Spring of 2004. Instead we screwed around with Mike Anderson's raise when we should have been showing him maximum love. Sigh.

Ehsan was an easy, and cheap, choice by a puppet AD and a fan base holding on to the hope of the Iowa State win. Blaming the fans misses the broader point about the state of our overall athletic program. Football is in great hands but we still have a complete bastard sitting in the President's Office that at best doesn't care about Blazer athletics. The AD he hired is there to execute his "vision". So even if a booster coughed up the buyout $ for Ehsan's contract, does anybody trust Watts to get the next hire right? We held a search for AD and ended up with Ingram, also a cheap, learn-on-the-job hire.

Ehsan is flopping and there isn't one damn thing we can do about it other than hope he gets better.

Bill Clark is The Man and football is now our premiere sport. Unfortunately, the rest of our men's team sports are in the toilet.
(11-24-2017 12:05 AM)PTBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I'm sorry MB, I don't buy that. Butler, Witchita State, etc. aren't power 5 schools and they don't seem to be on the "wrong side of the equation." Eshan was a hire made by the players and a disinterested AD. And it is showing.

I believe it is much easier to compete at the highest levels of Basketball than Football, and as a student when we were ranked #1 in America I am really disappointed that we continue to accept mediocrity in basketball.

You named two. There are a few more exceptions. There are more than three hundred other schools that prove me right.
We've got over 3 years of this with Lee now. He's not going to change, especially with the laid back, be your friend, young coach we have.
First of all, I am real happy with what we have going on in football, at least on the defensive side of the ball. We are in good hands there, and the donations to the FB program have been phenomenal. I wish I could say the same thing about the basketball program, but we blew it with Mike Anderson, and have been mediocre ever since, with no real chane for better days in sight.
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