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

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]