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The bammers have found the article. Now we need to abolish the Birmingham City Council b/c it is racist. Some people really make me ashamed to be from this state.

(12-17-2014 11:43 PM)Ramblin Wreck Wrote:  

(12-17-2014 10:10 PM)kdblazer Wrote:  http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index....cart_river

You can go to the BBA website and send them an email. I don't have any affiliation with UAB, but grew up in Birmingham and hate to see things done that hurt the city. Here is what I sent -

I'm extremely disappointed in the appointment of Ray Watts as the new chairman for the BBA. I do not live in the state of Alabama, but do own investment property there. I have read nothing but negative articles on the way he has managed the recent controversy associated with UAB. The study he used to make his decision has been widely criticized by the media, not to mention that it appears he didn't allow anyone from his Business School to review it. Other articles I have read indicate that developers are now very concerned about growth opportunities in the downtown area due to Mr. Watts decisions. How can an organization (BBA) that is suppose to do what is best for the Birmingham area elect someone that has so much negative attention? The one positive thing that he has done is to unite the community. To quote the most recent Forbes magazine article on the subject, "The community is not divided, Mr. Watts. The community is united against you."

Out(bleeping)standing!

...Rev 6:8...Free UAB...

It's hard for me to even fathom the thought process of the BBA and the implications of those wayward firing neurons. If the BBA actually thought this was a good PR move for the BBA, then what the heck does that say about their collective business acumen? If the BBA thought this would move would improve public opinion of Ray Watts, then how stupid does the BBA actually think we are? The connection here is John John-John Johnny John Boy Two-Johns Johns. He's on a BOT, he was in the AL.com profile piece by Barnett Wright and Two-Johns is on the BBA. Two-Johns, Cub and Finis are axis of evil when it comes to the growth of UAB.

Don't forget Espy.

I was VERY disappointed to find that ALL FIVE Birmingham Breweries (yes, that includes Beer Engineers, who don't even have a public taproom yet) are members of the BBA.

I think it would be the strongest possible statement of any of them to pledge not to renew their membership in support of the UAB with vibrant, unfettered athletics we envision. Trim Tab probably has the most to lose, but most seem like they would rather not be associated with the "Good Ole Boys'" network.

If anyone on here owns a business in Birmingham that isn't part of the BBA, get in touch with Steve Medici of Iron City. It's up to y'all to build a coalition of businesses pro- a Free UAB and anti the Watts-led BBA.

But then again, since all the banks in Birmingham are on the BBA, that might be easier said than done. It will be interesting to see what happens to Iron City in the new year...

(12-20-2014 10:47 AM)EnviroBlazerD Wrote:  I was VERY disappointed to find that ALL FIVE Birmingham Breweries (yes, that includes Beer Engineers, who don't even have a public taproom yet) are members of the BBA.

I think it would be the strongest possible statement of any of them to pledge not to renew their membership in support of the UAB with vibrant, unfettered athletics we envision. Trim Tab probably has the most to lose, but most seem like they would rather not be associated with the "Good Ole Boys'" network.

If anyone on here owns a business in Birmingham that isn't part of the BBA, get in touch with Steve Medici of Iron City. It's up to y'all to build a coalition of businesses pro- a Free UAB and anti the Watts-led BBA.

But then again, since all the banks in Birmingham are on the BBA, that might be easier said than done. It will be interesting to see what happens to Iron City in the new year...

Businesses aren't going to blacklist other businesses who aren't members of the BBA, and I know at least a couple of the breweries are members of Birmingham for UAB, so I don't necessarily think they should ragequit the BBA. Sometimes the best place to work for change is from within.

So then boycotting all members of the BBA indiscriminately isn't the best strategy.

But I think we should all agree that we need to boycott Bryant Bank, am I right?

(12-20-2014 10:56 AM)EnviroBlazerD Wrote:  So then boycotting all members of the BBA indiscriminately isn't the best strategy.

But I think we should all agree that we need to boycott Bryant Bank, am I right?

Well for one you're not going to be able to boycott the entire BBA since companies like Alagasco and Alabama Power are members, and as much support as there is in the community I don't think you can organize enough people to boycott that these companies will ever notice. There are more effective places to put your energy.

I didn't even think about utilities being members. That doesn't surprise me.

Call for BBA members to publicly condemn the appointment of Watts in the BBA and support student and alumni efforts for change. It could be a big joint letter. The names not on that letter are the ones to boycott.

Until the BBA made Dr Ray Watts its President-elect, no one really knew much about their work unless they were in local business. It is Watts' role in diminishing UAB athletics that made this story. Many of the member companies probably don't follow local sports and are caught in the middle in this fight against their new leader. They are now seen as condoning the killing of UAB athletic teams since they have rewarded Watts by his election. Can they back out of the situation at this late date?

(12-20-2014 01:30 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Until the BBA made Dr Ray Watts its President-elect, no one really knew much about their work unless they were in local business. It is Watts' role in diminishing UAB athletics that made this story. Many of the member companies probably don't follow local sports and are caught in the middle in this fight against their new leader. They are now seen as condoning the killing of UAB athletic teams since they have rewarded Watts by his election. Can they back out of the situation at this late date?

If that is what it takes, yes! Any business affiliated with this group that didn't sign off on this needs to make themselves known. If I were a local entrepreneur in this regard, I would not align myself or my business with the BBA if they brought this pumpkin head in. If the city government can somehow "persuade" the BBA to un-elect this scoundrel, they have my okay to do whatever it takes.

Rev: 6:9...Free UAB...

(12-20-2014 03:33 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(12-20-2014 01:30 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Until the BBA made Dr Ray Watts its President-elect, no one really knew much about their work unless they were in local business. It is Watts' role in diminishing UAB athletics that made this story. Many of the member companies probably don't follow local sports and are caught in the middle in this fight against their new leader. They are now seen as condoning the killing of UAB athletic teams since they have rewarded Watts by his election. Can they back out of the situation at this late date?

If that is what it takes, yes! Any business affiliated with this group that didn't sign off on this needs to make themselves known. If I were a local entrepreneur in this regard, I would not align myself or my business with the BBA if they brought this pumpkin head in. If the city government can somehow "persuade" the BBA to un-elect this scoundrel, they have my okay to do whatever it takes.

Rev: 6:9...Free UAB...

This!

(12-20-2014 03:33 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(12-20-2014 01:30 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  Until the BBA made Dr Ray Watts its President-elect, no one really knew much about their work unless they were in local business. It is Watts' role in diminishing UAB athletics that made this story. Many of the member companies probably don't follow local sports and are caught in the middle in this fight against their new leader. They are now seen as condoning the killing of UAB athletic teams since they have rewarded Watts by his election. Can they back out of the situation at this late date?

If that is what it takes, yes! Any business affiliated with this group that didn't sign off on this needs to make themselves known. If I were a local entrepreneur in this regard, I would not align myself or my business with the BBA if they brought this pumpkin head in. If the city government can somehow "persuade" the BBA to un-elect this scoundrel, they have my okay to do whatever it takes.

Rev: 6:8...Free UAB...