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

My wife adn I are both alumnus and this is my account of UAB football that goes all the way back to 1987 - 1988 time frame. I was a Jonior and on the SGA. I remember when the 3rd floor of the Hill University Center was empty. We would make banners to hang up around campus about how we wanted UAB Football. We even help public town hall meetings, had petitions signed and even got Hibbitt's to donate Green and Gold unofotrms to the TKE fraternity to wear at UAB B'ball games at the BJCC as a statement of what we wanted UAB to have. Gene was supportive of it too. That dream became a reality in 1991. Needless to say, UAB has always held a sweet spot with me. As like many of you, I am deeply saddened and even hurt by the decsion that Watts made. Make no mistake, he had his marching orders from the BOT and PBJ.

Though the years, UAB football was never allowed to prosper. When we started, the board said, see that intramural field over there? That is now your practice field. See that 30 year old building next to it, that is your football facility. As we now, capital campaigns must be approved by the board. Never once in the 23-24 year that we had football was I or any of you ever allowed to contribite to a UAB football campaign. No one ever asked me to buy a few bricks to support the football program. Such a disgrace!

Fast forward to today. We know that a horrible decison that was made. For me personally, within the last 2.5 months, I have paid off my house, received a substantial raise and a modest size inheritance. I say this not to boast but to say I now have some disposable income that I would like to share with organizations that I believe in. To that end, I will not give UAB one red cent! That goes for athletics, the school I graduated from and also the school that my wife graduated from as well. The leaders of thsi institution have failed so many, mostly the alumni and current students. We can no longer encourage our boys (a junior and freshman in HS) to consider UAB as a choice for college. You see, we want them to have the complete package when it comes to their college experience. We will not allow them to attend UAT period.

I know football is gone for now, but I look forward to the day when it returns (hopefully sooner rather than later) and I can then begin supporting my alma mater again and the sport that has meant so much to all of us.

Agreed. I've said this a lot, but in the long run this may benefit us the most if we can do what needs to be done politically and gain equal representation. When football comes back, it needs to be on our terms. We should accept nothing less.

(12-14-2014 10:11 PM)FNblazer Wrote:  Agreed. I've said this a lot, but in the long run this may benefit us the most if we can do what needs to be done politically and gain equal representation. When football comes back, it needs to be on our terms. We should accept nothing less.

Great posts. Spot on.

(12-14-2014 09:56 PM)blzr4life Wrote:  My wife adn I are both alumnus and this is my account of UAB football that goes all the way back to 1987 - 1988 time frame. I was a Jonior and on the SGA. I remember when the 3rd floor of the Hill University Center was empty. We would make banners to hang up around campus about how we wanted UAB Football. We even help public town hall meetings, had petitions signed and even got Hibbitt's to donate Green and Gold unofotrms to the TKE fraternity to wear at UAB B'ball games at the BJCC as a statement of what we wanted UAB to have. Gene was supportive of it too. That dream became a reality in 1991. Needless to say, UAB has always held a sweet spot with me. As like many of you, I am deeply saddened and even hurt by the decsion that Watts made. Make no mistake, he had his marching orders from the BOT and PBJ.

Though the years, UAB football was never allowed to prosper. When we started, the board said, see that intramural field over there? That is now your practice field. See that 30 year old building next to it, that is your football facility. As we now, capital campaigns must be approved by the board. Never once in the 23-24 year that we had football was I or any of you ever allowed to contribite to a UAB football campaign. No one ever asked me to buy a few bricks to support the football program. Such a disgrace!

Fast forward to today. We know that a horrible decison that was made. For me personally, within the last 2.5 months, I have paid off my house, received a substantial raise and a modest size inheritance. I say this not to boast but to say I now have some disposable income that I would like to share with organizations that I believe in. To that end, I will not give UAB one red cent! That goes for athletics, the school I graduated from and also the school that my wife graduated from as well. The leaders of thsi institution have failed so many, mostly the alumni and current students. We can no longer encourage our boys (a junior and freshman in HS) to consider UAB as a choice for college. You see, we want them to have the complete package when it comes to their college experience. We will not allow them to attend UAT period.

I know football is gone for now, but I look forward to the day when it returns (hopefully sooner rather than later) and I can then begin supporting my alma mater again and the sport that has meant so much to all of us.

So many of us have similar stories. Hopefully the Blazers will return sooner rather than later.

I rember the work y'all did while I was in school during that time. I still have my "Right Here, Right Now UAB Football shirt.

Same thing goes for my wife (also a UAB Grad) and our two kids and my red cents.

Fire Ray Watts. #freeuab

I had some disposable income after I paid my car off in July of this year, and made an increased donation to Blazer Boosters in the process. After this incident with the football program and the lack of open support from its' own athletic department, to include this function, I terminated my membership and ceased any future donations until we get our football team back, which never should have been taken from us in the first place.

(12-15-2014 07:44 AM)Matrix Wrote:  I had some disposable income after I paid my car off in July of this year, and made an increased donation to Blazer Boosters in the process. After this incident with the football program and the lack of open support from its' own athletic department, to include this function, I terminated my membership and ceased any future donations until we get our football team back, which never should have been taken from us in the first place.

Amen Matrix! The only language these fools understand is $$$$$. I am choosing to speak with my pocket book. Withholding funds, the legislative process along with the court of public opinion are the only real course of action that we as alums and boosters have. Can also hope that big business is doing the same thing (thank you Iron City).

A vote of "No Confidence" by the Faculty/Senate will also help!

Besides the shattering of our undergraduate programs, another reason for dissolving football was to preempt undergraduate alumni, who are now achieving wealth and/or disposable income, from supporting the University (non-medical), and in particular Athletics. For two decades, UAB has become more than a "commuter" school, and its graduates' bonds were real and tangible. That was becoming dangerous. For example, 23 years after starting football, several former letter-winners were willing to invest considerably into the Foundation. That number was going to grow exponentially over time.

In the end, this was a cold and calculated business decision to accelerate the transfer of our major undergraduate programs to UA. The execution of UAB Football was just another step in the process. A billion dollars in debt is not going to pay itself. Besides, and as you have heard several times, UAB should know its "mission."

With UAB Football gone, the slow suffocation of UAB Athletics and UAB undergraduate programs has begun in earnest. In my opinion, we have lost another opportunity for Birmingham, and for UAB.

(12-15-2014 07:44 AM)Matrix Wrote:  I had some disposable income after I paid my car off in July of this year, and made an increased donation to Blazer Boosters in the process. After this incident with the football program and the lack of open support from its' own athletic department, to include this function, I terminated my membership and ceased any future donations until we get our football team back, which never should have been taken from us in the first place.

You talking Mackin or others in the department?

Totally agree on future donations, no football, no $. Sucks for the other UAB sports I love, basketball and soccer, but sometimes to kill a parasite you gotta almost kill the host.

(12-15-2014 09:13 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 07:44 AM)Matrix Wrote:  I had some disposable income after I paid my car off in July of this year, and made an increased donation to Blazer Boosters in the process. After this incident with the football program and the lack of open support from its' own athletic department, to include this function, I terminated my membership and ceased any future donations until we get our football team back, which never should have been taken from us in the first place.

You talking Mackin or others in the department?

Totally agree on future donations, no football, no $. Sucks for the other UAB sports I love, basketball and soccer, but sometimes to kill a parasite you gotta almost kill the host.

The unfortunate fact is that we have no effective way to "get at" the system BOT since their loyalties are all in Tuscaloosa. Even removing President Watts has limited impact since the BOT can just name another of their "friends" (sycophantical toadies) to that position, and there is probably a lot of them around. Now if one could reduce contributions to the Crimson Tide, you might just get their attention, but if we could deal with that kind of money we would not now be in this fix. The only point of attack for us is our own university's programs. Basketball is the "hostage" in this standoff.

(12-15-2014 11:43 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The unfortunate fact is that we have no effective way to "get at" the system BOT since their loyalties are all in Tuscaloosa.

You might be surprised.

(12-15-2014 12:00 PM)58-56 Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 11:43 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The unfortunate fact is that we have no effective way to "get at" the system BOT since their loyalties are all in Tuscaloosa.

You might be surprised.

I definitely would be. Keep us posted.

I keep hearing the claim that football "interfered with UAB's MISSION". Is that why nothing in Tuscaloosa is allowed to interfere with funding for their football team? They continue to raise tuition and fees rather than ask the well endowed athletic department (able since 2008 to spend $200,000 per athlete ANNUALLY) for more money for academics. Is that THEIR "MISSION"?

(12-15-2014 09:13 AM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 07:44 AM)Matrix Wrote:  I had some disposable income after I paid my car off in July of this year, and made an increased donation to Blazer Boosters in the process. After this incident with the football program and the lack of open support from its' own athletic department, to include this function, I terminated my membership and ceased any future donations until we get our football team back, which never should have been taken from us in the first place.

You talking Mackin or others in the department?

Totally agree on future donations, no football, no $. Sucks for the other UAB sports I love, basketball and soccer, but sometimes to kill a parasite you gotta almost kill the host.

It was a couple of Blazer Booster representatives primarily, by phone and email, talked with Mackin in person by happenstance once over a year ago about this, all he said to me in so many words was "these things take time." His (Mackin) emails read the same, "appreciate your passion for UAB athletics."

...Rev 6:8...#FreeUAB