Good afternoon, Sun Belt. Congratulations to all of the conference representatives that made it to a bowl game this season. I'm sure many of you are aware of what happened to our UAB Blazers Football program in the last week or two. I just want to encourage you all to support your respective programs with all you got in the future, because what happened to UAB could be the beginning of a trend, due in part to the culture of separation that exists between so-called "Power" conferences, and those that are not a part of this clique.

Be diligent, passionate and very territorial about your favorite sports teams in your conference, be it football, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, whatever inspires you, because I personally, don't want to see happen to any of you, that happened to us here in Birmingham, it's been nothing short of catastrophic...Take nothing for granted, season ticket holders, boosters, cheerleaders, etc., keep a very , very close eye on your beloved teams and don't allow what happened to us...to happen to you...Keeping a good thought for the Sun Belt...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/...cart_river

(12-10-2014 02:51 PM)Matrix Wrote:  Good afternoon, Sun Belt. Congratulations to all of the conference representatives that made it to a bowl game this season. I'm sure many of you are aware of what happened to our UAB Blazers Football program in the last week or two. I just want to encourage you all to support your respective programs with all you got in the future, because what happened to UAB could be the beginning of a trend, due in part to the culture of separation that exists between so-called "Power" conferences, and those that are not a part of this clique.

Be diligent, passionate and very territorial about your favorite sports teams in your conference, be it football, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, whatever inspires you, because I personally, don't want to see happen to any of you, that happened to us here in Birmingham, it's been nothing short of catastrophic...Take nothing for granted, season ticket holders, boosters, cheerleaders, etc., keep a very , very close eye on your beloved teams and don't allow what happened to us...to happen to you...Keeping a good thought for the Sun Belt...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/...cart_river

Classy post, Matrix. My heart hurts for those kids that have invested so much into the UAB program. Godspeed, friend.

If you guys need a place for your other sports, the welcome mat is out for y'all.

Keep fighting no matter how long it takes UAB.

Just read the faculty and staff issued a vote of no confidence on Watts today-what would be the next step taken? Another vote to remove him as president?

Have not been a fan of the nomenclature "Power 5". I think "Privileged 5" is more fitting for the silver spoons. The rest of us are not "privileged" enough to even grace the same playoff.

(12-10-2014 03:23 PM)moonshine Wrote:  Have not been a fan of the nomenclature "Power 5". I think "Privileged 5" is more fitting for the silver spoons. The rest of us are not "privileged" enough to even grace the same playoff.

I'm going to use that in the future. Good one.

(12-10-2014 02:57 PM)NashvilleEagle Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 02:51 PM)Matrix Wrote:  Good afternoon, Sun Belt. Congratulations to all of the conference representatives that made it to a bowl game this season. I'm sure many of you are aware of what happened to our UAB Blazers Football program in the last week or two. I just want to encourage you all to support your respective programs with all you got in the future, because what happened to UAB could be the beginning of a trend, due in part to the culture of separation that exists between so-called "Power" conferences, and those that are not a part of this clique.

Be diligent, passionate and very territorial about your favorite sports teams in your conference, be it football, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, whatever inspires you, because I personally, don't want to see happen to any of you, that happened to us here in Birmingham, it's been nothing short of catastrophic...Take nothing for granted, season ticket holders, boosters, cheerleaders, etc., keep a very , very close eye on your beloved teams and don't allow what happened to us...to happen to you...Keeping a good thought for the Sun Belt...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/...cart_river

Classy post, Matrix. My heart hurts for those kids that have invested so much into the UAB program. Godspeed, friend.

Thank you, Sir.

(12-10-2014 03:16 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Just read the faculty and staff issued a vote of no confidence on Watts today-what would be the next step taken? Another vote to remove him as president?

Yes. He's proven beyond all doubt that he's not fit to run this or anyone else's university. Hopefully the Faculty won' t buy his damage control song and dance & get him the hell out! But that alone won't solve our plight, the toughest endeavor will be to get the state to pass into law a bill allowing UAB to have a separate but equal representation/board of trustees. Keep a good thought for us, please and thank you all for the dialogue here.

(12-10-2014 03:05 PM)CAJUNNATION Wrote:  If you guys need a place for your other sports, the welcome mat is out for y'all.

Thank you, "Nation"...Best bowl I enjoyed watching last year was the New Orleans Bowl with the Ragin Cajuns and the Green Wave. Best of fortune this year as well. I will be watching and enjoying.

(12-10-2014 03:11 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  Keep fighting no matter how long it takes UAB.

We shall...Thank you...We have to...This is one battle UAB and the city of Birmingham cannot afford to lose.

(12-10-2014 03:23 PM)moonshine Wrote:  Have not been a fan of the nomenclature "Power 5". I think "Privileged 5" is more fitting for the silver spoons. The rest of us are not "privileged" enough to even grace the same playoff.

For what it's worth, I hate it, too..."Priveleged 5" sounds more appropriate, and I'm embracing it from now on as well.

(12-10-2014 02:51 PM)Matrix Wrote:  Good afternoon, Sun Belt. Congratulations to all of the conference representatives that made it to a bowl game this season. I'm sure many of you are aware of what happened to our UAB Blazers Football program in the last week or two. I just want to encourage you all to support your respective programs with all you got in the future, because what happened to UAB could be the beginning of a trend, due in part to the culture of separation that exists between so-called "Power" conferences, and those that are not a part of this clique.

Be diligent, passionate and very territorial about your favorite sports teams in your conference, be it football, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, whatever inspires you, because I personally, don't want to see happen to any of you, that happened to us here in Birmingham, it's been nothing short of catastrophic...Take nothing for granted, season ticket holders, boosters, cheerleaders, etc., keep a very , very close eye on your beloved teams and don't allow what happened to us...to happen to you...Keeping a good thought for the Sun Belt...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/...cart_river

Very sobering.... Best of luck in which ever direction you guys choose to go.

(12-10-2014 03:16 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Just read the faculty and staff issued a vote of no confidence on Watts today-what would be the next step taken? Another vote to remove him as president?

The UAB president answers to the Board of Trustees and is hired and fired by them. Watts is a convenient target for the UAB wrath but it is his bosses that made the decision and told him to deliver the message and blame it on some financial study rather than them. Some presidents might have told them "No" knowing they would be fired but not many.

(12-10-2014 04:51 PM)Fark Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 03:16 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Just read the faculty and staff issued a vote of no confidence on Watts today-what would be the next step taken? Another vote to remove him as president?

The UAB president answers to the Board of Trustees and is hired and fired by them. Watts is a convenient target for the UAB wrath but it is his bosses that made the decision and told him to deliver the message and blame it on some financial study rather than them. Some presidents might have told them "No" knowing they would be fired but not many.

Watts was the BOT's hand picked coward and potential sacrficial lamb for their agenda/vendetta against UAB Football. Don't see how Watts gets out of this without giving his lord and master up or falling on the sword for them, which means career suicide. Who in the hell in their right mind is going to appoint him to run their university after this? President of the Football Foundation offered Watts a chance to fix this, the support is there, the money is there, the coward, I'll bet, will not budge, even though he claims to "love" UAB, and that mistakes were made, he loses either way. We don't want or need his kind of "love."

(12-10-2014 06:30 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 04:51 PM)Fark Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 03:16 PM)RamblinRedWolf44 Wrote:  Just read the faculty and staff issued a vote of no confidence on Watts today-what would be the next step taken? Another vote to remove him as president?

The UAB president answers to the Board of Trustees and is hired and fired by them. Watts is a convenient target for the UAB wrath but it is his bosses that made the decision and told him to deliver the message and blame it on some financial study rather than them. Some presidents might have told them "No" knowing they would be fired but not many.

Watts was the BOT's hand picked coward and potential sacrficial lamb for their agenda/vendetta against UAB Football. Don't see how Watts gets out of this without giving his lord and master up or falling on the sword for them, which means career suicide. Who in the hell in their right mind is going to appoint him to run their university after this? President of the Football Foundation offered Watts a chance to fix this, the support is there, the money is there, the coward, I'll bet, will not budge, even though he claims to "love" UAB, and that mistakes were made, he loses either way. We don't want or need his kind of "love."

We had a president who wasn't a fan of athletics and made sure it didn't grow above the level he was comfortable with, but I do have to say he never actually shut down the program. Best of luck to all the coaches and players on your team, and I hope there is some way to recover from this.

(12-10-2014 02:51 PM)Matrix Wrote:  Good afternoon, Sun Belt. Congratulations to all of the conference representatives that made it to a bowl game this season. I'm sure many of you are aware of what happened to our UAB Blazers Football program in the last week or two. I just want to encourage you all to support your respective programs with all you got in the future, because what happened to UAB could be the beginning of a trend, due in part to the culture of separation that exists between so-called "Power" conferences, and those that are not a part of this clique.

Be diligent, passionate and very territorial about your favorite sports teams in your conference, be it football, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, whatever inspires you, because I personally, don't want to see happen to any of you, that happened to us here in Birmingham, it's been nothing short of catastrophic...Take nothing for granted, season ticket holders, boosters, cheerleaders, etc., keep a very , very close eye on your beloved teams and don't allow what happened to us...to happen to you...Keeping a good thought for the Sun Belt...

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/...cart_river

I appreciate your sentiment, and feel for all of you that support UAB.

I have no doubt however there is zero chance this happens at App. We have been playing football in the mountains of North Carolina since 1928. We are a football school through and through. And we have the best winning tradition than any other school in the state.

We have slated upgrades for the football program over the next 5-7 years that will exceed $70 million dollars. Alumni giving has never been higher. There may be some programs that could have issues in the sunbelt, but I feel we have more committed football playing schools in the SBC than in CUSA. I feel very good about the future of my school, and most of the schools in the SBC.