Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

Southern Miss has a proud history and fan support. They wouldn't close up shop.

USM has some pretty severe economic issues. But football is part of USM's DNA. If they shut down the program, it might hurt the school in ways that might not be immediately obvious on a financial statement, but would probably impact those numbers negatively in the long run. USM's endowment is kind of small at only 68M.

USM would beg borrow and steal to keep that program running. Right now, there are economic problems, but there's no real pressure on the program from a viability standpoint.

(12-03-2014 01:14 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Southern Miss has a proud history and fan support. They wouldn't close up shop.

Only one thing responsible for shutting down UAB and that's Alabama U. The president was hired what a year ago and him and a hole bear jr are tight from what I have read. Now he will get golden parachute and ride off into sunset and lil bear is happy

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

The UAB shut down was nothing more than ugly in-state higher education politics. UAB didn't close down football because of money or as a result of a report. The decision was in the making for several years (see the schedule and the coaches contract). This was a done deal before the report was ever ordered. If anything, the report was manufactured to provide cover for the administration (same way congress uses a "blue ribbon commission" to close air bases). If small budget schools in the MAC and Sunbelt can go on then S Miss will be just fine.

(12-03-2014 02:06 PM)goherd17 Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 01:14 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Southern Miss has a proud history and fan support. They wouldn't close up shop.

Only one thing responsible for shutting down UAB and that's Alabama U. The president was hired what a year ago and him and a hole bear jr are tight from what I have read. Now he will get golden parachute and ride off into sunset and lil bear is happy

Believe what you want.

Much of what gets posted, especially on this board, is entirely one-sided.

This is a apples vs. testicles situation. Guess which the UA Board of Trustees represents.

(12-03-2014 02:13 PM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  This is a apples vs. testicles situation. Guess which the UA Board of Trustees represents.

Don't you mean apples vs ********?

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

We're all in debt! I believe only 22 division 1 programs broke even or better last year. Check this out: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/s.../finances/

Also, in my opinion, USM is the most successful football program in that state. They have a long, rich history but are just in a down spot now.

(12-03-2014 02:10 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 02:06 PM)goherd17 Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 01:14 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Southern Miss has a proud history and fan support. They wouldn't close up shop.

Only one thing responsible for shutting down UAB and that's Alabama U. The president was hired what a year ago and him and a hole bear jr are tight from what I have read. Now he will get golden parachute and ride off into sunset and lil bear is happy

Believe what you want.

Much of what gets posted, especially on this board, is entirely one-sided.

Bama got what they wanted. They had a report printed to say what they wanted it to say so they could do what they were already going to do. Its politics. Its ugly---but Im sure much worse happens every day elsewhere. Theres a reason that nobody is on Bama's side. There is no "other" side. Its an old grudge gone super nova and its ugly gutter politics of the worst kind. Worse yet for UAB---its probably not over yet. The statement released yesterday makes no sense. Either they are adding more sports or they are cutting their budget. Per the statement---they are not keeping enough sports to stay D1 and I cant imagine they are keeping a 30 million dollar budget to play D2. My guess is the undergrad school is going to be scaled back over time and the sports are eventually headed to D2.

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Southern Miss is in danger.The oldest schools in every state have the legal right to terminate any NCAA Division 1 program.

This right goes back to the Magna Carta.

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

I think there will be other G5 schools that drop or drop down (FCS) in football. Idaho and NMSU might not stay FBS if the SBC doesn’t let both stay. UMASS is another school that might find life as an independent fatal to its football program.

(12-03-2014 03:35 PM)Kittonhead Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Southern Miss is in danger.The oldest schools in every state have the legal right to terminate any NCAA Division 1 program.

This right goes back to the Magna Carta.

This falls under the heading "Stuff Kittonhead Knows Nothing About."

Let it go Kitty.

The University of Alabama system is different in that one board governs all system campuses. That's not the case in other states like North Carolina - so Chapel Hill can't shut down Charlotte's football program.

(12-03-2014 02:10 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 02:06 PM)goherd17 Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 01:14 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  Southern Miss has a proud history and fan support. They wouldn't close up shop.

Only one thing responsible for shutting down UAB and that's Alabama U. The president was hired what a year ago and him and a hole bear jr are tight from what I have read. Now he will get golden parachute and ride off into sunset and lil bear is happy

Believe what you want.

Much of what gets posted, especially on this board, is entirely one-sided.

Heart, while I certainly don't agree with your stance on this, do we have to have the ugly argument draft to a second thread?

Thanks guys! Lot of responses

I do recall UAB not being allowed to hire a coach they wanted to hire because of the Alabama BOT. I didn't quite see the connection between the UAB President and the Alabama BOT. But I guess that makes the most sense. It did seem like a pretty radical move.

UCF has Jackie Williams on our team currently. He transfered from UAB to UCF for his senior season. He seems pretty upset and is constantly on Twitter reaching out to his Blazer ex-teammates. Hopefully the players and coaches all find new homes.

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet?

Most FBS programs run a deficit ... except for the biggest money schools selling out 80,000 to 100,000 seat stadiums seven games a year and raking in big media money, FBS football is about paying a subsidy to market the university that the team represents, and the schools playing FBS football have made a strategic decision that the subsidy required is worth the money.

UAB is a case of being a regional university that is actually under the control of the Board of Trustees of the state flagship / land grant. That opens the door to the strategy being pursued being more about the strategic interests of the flagship and/or land grant than about the strategic interests of the regional university.

In most cases, the regional universities are under their own board of directors, or a state board of directors that is independent of the state flagship / land grant.

(12-03-2014 05:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  The University of Alabama system is different in that one board governs all system campuses. That's not the case in other states like North Carolina - so Chapel Hill can't shut down Charlotte's football program.

actually there is a single BOR for all the public universities in North Carolina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_...h_Carolina

it is pretty much the norm to have a single BOR in most states or to have two BORs at most with one for the "U of" schools and the other for the "state" schools

Texas and Louisiana are one of the major exceptions to this with multiple university systems and even independent state universities

California is the extreme of a state with only two systems and how they are limited for degree offerings by systems

(12-03-2014 02:57 PM)bullitt_60 Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

We're all in debt! I believe only 22 division 1 programs broke even or better last year. Check this out: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/s.../finances/

Also, in my opinion, USM is the most successful football program in that state. They have a long, rich history but are just in a down spot now.

Actually more than 22 programs...the Private Schools aren't on the list. Notre Dame, USC, Syracuse, Stanford, etc...all are in the black.

(12-03-2014 01:12 PM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote:  Sorry, I haven't really been following much of this UAB story. When I saw it on the news last night, I couldn't believe they actually did it.

I had assumed that a lot of teams wouldn't be able to keep up with the new financial investments. Just didn't think UAB would be the first to go. My assumption was always like Hawaii or some MAC/Sunbelt team. That's probably a result of my own homerism since UCF isn't that far removed from CUSA.

If I recall correctly, Southern Miss was running a deficit on its Athletic Budget. Has that issue been solved yet? The 4-32 record the last 3 years probably hasn't helped much. Is USM in danger of falling into the same ordeal? UAB stuck firmly to its "numbers" argument.

Again, I'm just curious and a bit ignorant on the current landscape of CUSA.

This piece might be helpful.
http://arkansasstate.scout.com/story/148...mean?s=334

Will someone drop football soon? I sort of doubt it.

My opinion and that's all it is, is that if you were picking who of the 127 remaining FBS might drop football, I'd put my money on Idaho and I don't think they are in real danger today, they just have some tough circumstances. They are nearly 6% of the earth's circumference from the nearest Sun Belt football member.

Assuming they don't air ship their gear (few schools do), that means if they are playing a conference game on the road at AState (one of their closer trips) and it is a noon (Pacific) kickoff their truck stopping for nothing but gas with multiple drivers has to leave Moscow at 2am on Friday to be at the stadium four hours before kickoff. In reality they are going to leave on Thursday. If they get the truck loaded by 5pm Pacific after the game and hit the road, they will arrive back at 11pm on Sunday and that's fuel and driver change stops only.

Having multiple CDL holders on payroll for that isn't cheap and not a lot of folks willing to log those sorts of miles with a CDL will do it for what a school pays.

It's a logistical mess and they have to do it at least four times and in return they get home games against schools their fans and potential recruits aren't familiar with.

Even if Idaho is willing to do it indefinitely there is no guarantee the Sun Belt will also be willing.

Now outside of that down the road possibility. What I think is more likely is a school hits real financial trouble. A school that is hyper dependent on fees and school funding sees enrollment dip along with state funding dropping and doesn't have a good cushion built into the academic side's budget and has to divert money used for athletics for general operating costs. That's who is really at risk.