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

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/...out_sports

If wed only play each other in some sort of bjcc invitational

It might just create some excitement for the fans.

As the guy said, it'll never happen - at least not UAB-Alabama. There are ways to have 4-6 teams play a tournament and have teams avoid each other. That could work.

The depressing part of it all is that UAB had a golden opportunity to be the dominant basketball program in the state by far during the Davis era. Imagine where the BB team would be if Davis had lived up to UAB's high expectations.

Similar circumstances were in place during the Callaway era when Alabama football was having problems. While we would not have usurped UA's status we could have attained a more positive, respected profile.

The baseball team took advantage of the opportunity last year when the Alabama baseball team was down and won the conference tournament and went to the College World Series.

Down times at Alabama and Auburn are golden opportunities for UAB athletics; opportunities to step out of their shadows, if only a little bit, by winning and getting positive publicity. Predictably, with dominant seasons by the Alabama football team and our recent basketball status we are again deeply in their shadows. Unless we are winning consistently we will continue to consistently be the third story, even when UA and AU are mediocre.

Most of the population of the state of Alabama will read that article and think "so. Nothing is wrong here as long as football is king.". And that is where the problem is.

One way state collegiate BB can reach the level of state FB is for the BB programs to be able to bring in the out of state top players for BB like the same schools do for FB. Alabama refuses to fund its schools with lottery, alcohol, casino or other "tainted money" but its Post Secondary schools pursue the top athletes from the high schools in those states who DO. The number of scholarships given to the increasingly "bench strength" instate athletes continues to shrink at our BCS level programs. In 2012, Bama brags of the 4 NCs won by their teams. How many of the "starting lineups" of those 4 teams were Alabama raised public school athletes?

We have to be able to attract this same quality of "mercenary athlete" for BB (into a state that only values FB) who normally prefer to go to BB-valued programs in other states. BB players look at Duke, Kansas, Louisville, Syracuse, et al the way FB players look at Bama, Notre Dame, Southern Cal, etc. and they line up to go to such schools.

NCAA 2013 Tournament - based on latest projections
If you look across the SEC footprint(there are many other smaller schools within the footprint who are not listed):
FLORIDA:
...Florida - in
...Miami - in
...Florida State - out
SOUTH CAROLINA:
...South Carolina - out
...Clemson - out
GEORGIA:
...Georgia - out
...Georgia Tech - out
ALABAMA:
...Auburn - out
...Alabama - out
...UAB - out
...USA -out
...Troy - out
...A&M - out
...AL State - out
MISSISSIPPI:
...Ole Miss - in
...Miss St - out
...SMiss - out
LOUISIANA:
...LSU - out
...Tulane - out
...LaTech - out
...ULM - out
...ULL - out
TENNESSEE:
...Tenn - in
...Memphis - in
...Vandy - out
...MTSU - out
...Belmont - out
...Murray St - out
KENTUCKY
...Kentucky - out
...Louisville - in
...WKU - out
TEXAS
...Texas - out
...Texas A&M - out
...SMU - out
...Texas Tech - out
...Houston - out
...Rice - out
MISSOURI
...Missouri - in
...St Louis - in

(03-17-2013 10:32 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Most of the population of the state of Alabama will read that article and think "so. Nothing is wrong here as long as football is king.". And that is where the problem is.

True. Most SEC fans outside of Kentucky, Florida , and Missou don't even k now basketball season is going on until February. As a matter of fact fans follow college football recruiting more than college basketball, and once that's over then the focus will transition over to basketball.

I bet UAB is dancing a lot sooner than Tuscaloosa or API.

(03-17-2013 11:16 AM)Smaug Wrote:  I bet UAB is dancing a lot sooner than Tuscaloosa or API.

Auburn definitely. I'm not sure about Bama. They are very close. Maybe as early as this afternoon.

I meant in coming years, but yeah.

(03-17-2013 11:25 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 11:16 AM)Smaug Wrote:  I bet UAB is dancing a lot sooner than Tuscaloosa or API.

Auburn definitely. I'm not sure about Bama. They are very close. Maybe as early as this afternoon.

Ole miss took that at large bid yesterday

(03-17-2013 11:36 AM)Dracorex Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 11:25 AM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 11:16 AM)Smaug Wrote:  I bet UAB is dancing a lot sooner than Tuscaloosa or API.

Auburn definitely. I'm not sure about Bama. They are very close. Maybe as early as this afternoon.

Ole miss took that at large bid yesterday

I agree, but that is just opinion until the bids come out.

Well, they damn sure took it today. Florida's going to get an at large for sure. One less for the little guys.

(03-17-2013 02:19 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  Well, they damn sure took it today. Florida's going to get an at large for sure. One less for the little guys.

I don't think todays game affected anything. The Committee probably already had Ole Miss in the bracket before the game. By Sunday, the bracket is pretty much set. By making the championship game, Ole Miss made the NCAA tournament regardless of the outcome.

(03-17-2013 02:22 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(03-17-2013 02:19 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  Well, they damn sure took it today. Florida's going to get an at large for sure. One less for the little guys.

I don't think todays game affected anything. The Committee probably already had Ole Miss in the bracket before the game. By Sunday, the bracket is pretty much set. By making the championship game, Ole Miss made the NCAA tournament regardless of the outcome.

How do you think WINNING the SEC will affect the seeding of Ole Miss? Florida had a lot of national respect.

Might move them up one or two, might not affect it at all.

Alabama should play UAB. It's so shortsighted for the longterm health of basketball in this state, including Alabama's program. Playing a game the public is interested in would help both schools.- Jon Solomon on a reply to my post

Only to be responded by "we built auburn's football program. now we must build uab's basketball program too? we would prefer you just said 'thank you'"