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

Instead of complaining about no staff changes on here why don’t you guys step up to the plate and e-mail the Athletic Director. I did.

Here is Mackin's and Garrison’s e-mail addys.

bmackin@uab.edu - Brian Mackin
cgarrison@uab.edu – Carol Garrison

There is no e-mail address for Callaway.

I will talk to him this friday

I don't mind sharing my letter. Some may not agree with it but I support this program with money, blood, sweat, and tears so I feel I have a right to say my peace. It may not do any good but at least I will have had my say to the leaders of UAB.

Quote:Brian,
I am writing to voice my displeasure over no staff changes on the football coaching staff. As you know I have done everything I know to do in attempting to generate support and growth of the UAB fan base.
I find it disturbing that Mr. Callaway feels no staff changes are in order when the weaknesses are pretty glaring. After discussions with many of our boosters and fans it is pretty clear that attendance will be affected next season by a lack of action on the head coach’s part to correct the deficiencies within his staff. Quite frankly many people will simply not be back until some major changes are made by either coordinator changes and - or a completely new head football coach. While coach Callaway and staff have done an admirable job given the difficulties that have faced them the proof is in the pudding. The performance on the field, especially with the defensive side of the ball and special teams is unacceptable.
I am writing this letter with deep concern for I fear UAB football is headed down a path that it may not be able to recover from if changes are not made and made relatively quickly. From the people I have spoken with support is dwindling quickly and action must be taken before it is too late. Quite frankly the lack of action is quite disturbing.

Respectfully,

(12-03-2009 09:34 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  I don't mind sharing my letter. Some may not agree with it but I support this program with money, blood, sweat, and tears so I feel I have a right to say my peace. It may not do any good but at least I will have had my say to the leaders of UAB.

Quote:Brian,
I am writing to voice my displeasure over no staff changes on the football coaching staff. As you know I have done everything I know to do in attempting to generate support and growth of the UAB fan base.
I find it disturbing that Mr. Callaway feels no staff changes are in order when the weaknesses are pretty glaring. After discussions with many of our boosters and fans it is pretty clear that attendance will be affected next season by a lack of action on the head coach’s part to correct the deficiencies within his staff. Quite frankly many people will simply not be back until some major changes are made by either coordinator changes and - or a completely new head football coach. While coach Callaway and staff have done an admirable job given the difficulties that have faced them the proof is in the pudding. The performance on the field, especially with the defensive side of the ball and special teams is unacceptable.
I am writing this letter with deep concern for I fear UAB football is headed down a path that it may not be able to recover from if changes are not made and made relatively quickly. From the people I have spoken with support is dwindling quickly and action must be taken before it is too late. Quite frankly the lack of action is quite disturbing.

Respectfully,

:clap2:

I think this is the ultimate goal of the BOT. Kill fan support kill the program I will not attend any game CallOWay coaches in.

I will write a letter as well. Not sure it will do any good though. I will not be renewing my pair of season tickets and I am seriously debating my Blazer Club contributions.

not gonna waste the ink and paper or keystrokes...and done

(12-03-2009 09:45 AM)HellBlazer Wrote:  I think this is the ultimate goal of the BOT. Kill fan support kill the program I will not attend any game CallOWay coaches in.

So, you're going to fight the percieved conspiracy by meekly cooperating with the conspiracy?

OOOO....KAYYYYY.

(12-03-2009 09:55 AM)MC Blazer Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 09:45 AM)HellBlazer Wrote:  I think this is the ultimate goal of the BOT. Kill fan support kill the program I will not attend any game CallOWay coaches in.

So, you're going to fight the percieved conspiracy by meekly cooperating with the conspiracy?

OOOO....KAYYYYY.

Yeah, that was kind of wonky logic to me as well...

Voice your displeasure, then go buy tickets and make your Blazer Booster donation. Your only hurting UAB by withholding funds...the BOT couldn't care less what we do...

If you are pissed write. If you are happy with everything do nothing.

what about a telephone call, earlier this year? does that count?

Callaway is either a liar or a poor evaluator of talent.

Coach Neil Callaway on 8/31/09 Wrote:"Our scholarship numbers are up. It's good to have the personnel getting better and better as we go, particularly defensively. We have some linebackers and safeties in here that I feel comfortable with as far as being able to play like we want to play. The big thing now is getting them all to gel together."

http://uabsports.cstv.com/sports/m-footb...09aac.html

I, too, would like a change of DC for the new season, but I doubt any will come about this year. I believe Coach Callaway's thinking is that the coaches have not had a fair chance to show their skills when UAB was in such a "player deprived" situation. With the team arriving at near full capacity next season, his thinking might become more critical if results don't change for the better. I intend to purchase tix for all home games again next season in hopes for just such an improvement. I'm looking forward to improved recruiting and a spring practice with fewer players "held out" due to physical and/or academic injury.

What about face to face? Frenchy will do it and I will as well Friday.

I think a letter copied to garrison is important.

I'm waiting on the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy

(12-03-2009 09:45 AM)HellBlazer Wrote:  I think this is the ultimate goal of the BOT. Kill fan support kill the program I will not attend any game CallOWay coaches in.

Louisville and Memphis can get away with that. UAB can't.

I won't be writing. The athletic department has far deeper and ultimately more dangerous problems than staffing of the football program.

Customer service is abysmal. Hiring a pair of extra fund-raisers while leaving the ticket office staff intact showed exactly where we, the fan base, stand in the esteem of Bartow West.

Marketing is poor.

Media relations are apparently non-existent.

It doesn't matter how many games UAB wins or loses in football or basketball if a) potential fans never hear about them and b) if they do show up, they're treated like unwelcome vermin.

Complaining about an assistant football coach just muddies the waters and allows Brian Mackin to dismiss all complaints as the product of a handful of angry whiners. His problems are a lot worse than that, and it's his job performance that needs to be under the microscope, and not because of wins and losses.

Or to put it in another perspective: I've attended five football games and six basketball games this season. I've been welcomed at exactly one of them: the away game at Jacksonville.

Thank you brother 58-56 for telling the truth. I've been actively supporting UAB since 1996, and I have had a total of 1 good experience dealing with the athletic department (outside of coaches) and that person left immediately thereafter. They make it really hard to be a fan.

I live 13 hours away. I could go 5 miles down the road to pull for another mid-Major (I hate that term) that went to the final four a couple of years ago and not have to buy new clothes to wear to the game. I could go to the Verizon Center and watch pull for one of the best programs in America (Georgetown). If I want to watch bad football I can drive 45 minutes and watch Maryland. But I'm a Blazer fan, and these guys have done everything they can to make me want to go somewhere else. Obviously I'm stupid, a masochist or too lazy to change, because anyone in their right mind would have told Brian Mackin and co. to go to hell years ago. Hell maybe it IS time.

I'm afraid I have lost my belief

(12-03-2009 10:48 AM)linus Wrote:  Thank you brother 58-56 for telling the truth. I've been actively supporting UAB since 1996, and I have had a total of 1 good experience dealing with the athletic department (outside of coaches) and that person left immediately thereafter. They make it really hard to be a fan.

I live 13 hours away. I could go 5 miles down the road to pull for another mid-Major (I hate that term) that went to the final four a couple of years ago and not have to buy new clothes to wear to the game. I could go to the Verizon Center and watch pull for one of the best programs in America (Georgetown). If I want to watch bad football I can drive 45 minutes and watch Maryland. But I'm a Blazer fan, and these guys have done everything they can to make me want to go somewhere else. Obviously I'm stupid, a masochist or too lazy to change, because anyone in their right mind would have told Brian Mackin and co. to go to hell years ago. Hell maybe it IS time.

I'm afraid I have lost my belief

Change? This is a choice to you? You CHOSE to follow UAB? If it's a choice, then you CHOSE UAB over USC, Ohio State, Georgetown, Duke, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, et. al. In that case, sir, you may indeed be a masochist. I follow UAB because I love it and it's where I earned two degrees. Belief in UAB is not something I chose, and it's not something I can, or will, un-choose. There are a long list of things in and around the UAB athletics program that I have been unhappy about over the years. Some of them were significant enough that I voiced my displeasure to the powers that be (as far up the line as I felt the situation merited). But no amount of incompetence or even malfeasance - by parties in the past, present, or future - will cause me to lose my belief in my alma mater. It will get my money, my time, my cheers, and my grief for better or for worse. Always.

(12-03-2009 10:58 AM)blazr Wrote:  

(12-03-2009 10:48 AM)linus Wrote:  Thank you brother 58-56 for telling the truth. I've been actively supporting UAB since 1996, and I have had a total of 1 good experience dealing with the athletic department (outside of coaches) and that person left immediately thereafter. They make it really hard to be a fan.

I live 13 hours away. I could go 5 miles down the road to pull for another mid-Major (I hate that term) that went to the final four a couple of years ago and not have to buy new clothes to wear to the game. I could go to the Verizon Center and watch pull for one of the best programs in America (Georgetown). If I want to watch bad football I can drive 45 minutes and watch Maryland. But I'm a Blazer fan, and these guys have done everything they can to make me want to go somewhere else. Obviously I'm stupid, a masochist or too lazy to change, because anyone in their right mind would have told Brian Mackin and co. to go to hell years ago. Hell maybe it IS time.

I'm afraid I have lost my belief

Change? This is a choice to you? You CHOSE to follow UAB? If it's a choice, then you CHOSE UAB over USC, Ohio State, Georgetown, Duke, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, et. al. In that case, sir, you may indeed be a masochist. I follow UAB because I love it and it's where I earned two degrees. Belief in UAB is not something I chose, and it's not something I can, or will, un-choose. There are a long list of things in and around the UAB athletics program that I have been unhappy about over the years. Some of them were significant enough that I voiced my displeasure to the powers that be (as far up the line as I felt the situation merited). But no amount of incompetence or even malfeasance - by parties in the past, present, or future - will cause me to lose my belief in my alma mater. It will get my money, my time, my cheers, and my grief for better or for worse. Always.

At some point you had to choose, albeit, probably very early on, but a choice had to be made. Then, and only then, was UAB able to capture your heart, and is no doubt a part of you now, but at some point, it was a choice.

There are many here who have said they at one point were fans of other teams, but made a choice to go to a game or attend school and were then captured by that UAB spirit.

Besides, don't ever talk down to someone because they "chose" to support UAB. I mean, really, is that something as an ambassador of UAB that you want to do? Maybe that's why we have fans who only feel welcomed at road games.