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UAB and the rest of C-USA are meeting in Boca Raton this week for the regularly scheduled conference... ADs arrived on Monday, presidents arrive today, and the meetings conclude Wednesday.

Daily News Journal: UAB president to make case

Here's a link to the C-USAbbs conversation about everything being covered in Boca this week: http://csnbbs.com/thread-722316-page-4.html

We can post updates here as info rolls out of Florida...

The biggest hurdle with the meetings is, of course, Watts. His "I'm superior to you" shtick and that he still believes in the numbers from the Carr Report have me worried. I would like to think that C-USA will give us an extension/deadline to get everything sorted out, but will Watts' attitude force them to just boot us.

It wouldn't surprise me if someone told me Watts really doesn't want us in C-USA. C-USA is getting good money for G5 conference. Get us out of there to make half or third of what we are, he can start shutting down additional programs, because "we wouldn't be able to afford them". It will be interesting to see what comes out of the meetings this week. Does he honestly put forth the effort to keep us in C-USA or does he half-ass it in the hopes to get us out?

(01-27-2015 12:34 PM)Cole Wrote:  Does he honestly put forth the effort to keep us in C-USA or does he half-ass it in the hopes to get us out?

It's Ray Watts: even giving the entire ass, he's still an ass.

All 13 presidents have seen The Video (I'm sure of this, because I sent each of them the link). I think much depends on the presidents' assessment of how soon Watts will resign, be fired, or choke to death on his little blue water bottle.

He pulls out his don't dwell on the past, focus on the future speech.

(01-27-2015 12:38 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  He pulls out his don't dwell on the past, focus on the future speech.

And his little blue water bottle. Smithers won't dare forget the little blue water bottle.

(01-27-2015 12:38 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  He pulls out his don't dwell on the past, focus on the future speech.

Oh, dear Lord, we're gone for sure . . .

(01-27-2015 12:34 PM)Cole Wrote:  It wouldn't surprise me if someone told me Watts really doesn't want us in C-USA… Does he honestly put forth the effort to keep us in C-USA or does he half-ass it in the hopes to get us out?

I suspect that -- in and of itself -- the question of UAB's conference affiliation is one that Watts frankly doesn't care about all that much, one way or the other. *Except* for the fact that the issue affects his own political standing vis-à-vis different groups of UAB's stakeholders. If UAB were expelled from C-USA, that would further damage Watts' political standing, and further impair his ability (such as it is) to function in his present position. Therefore, he will try to prevent such an expulsion from taking place.

(01-27-2015 12:38 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  He pulls out his don't dwell on the past, focus on the future speech.

That has to be a worrying possibility. Watts seems from this distance to be a man almost utterly lacking (in addition to many other qualities) any sense of irony or self-awareness. So the idea that he would step in front of 13 university presidents and give the usual sunshine-and-bullsh*t routine that he gives to potential donors or new students, cannot be discounted. That would be a shame, for UAB's sake. Which is why I've suggested before the idea of someone who is pro-UAB "crashing the party" in Boca, and giving a brief talk followed up by Q&A about what the plan is to bring football back.

Maybe the other people at the meeting will boo him out of the room.

(01-27-2015 12:34 PM)Cole Wrote:  The biggest hurdle with the meetings is, of course, Watts. His "I'm superior to you" shtick and that he still believes in the numbers from the Carr Report have me worried. I would like to think that C-USA will give us an extension/deadline to get everything sorted out, but will Watts' attitude force them to just boot us.

It wouldn't surprise me if someone told me Watts really doesn't want us in C-USA. C-USA is getting good money for G5 conference. Get us out of there to make half or third of what we are, he can start shutting down additional programs, because "we wouldn't be able to afford them". It will be interesting to see what comes out of the meetings this week. Does he honestly put forth the effort to keep us in C-USA or does he half-ass it in the hopes to get us out?

I would doubt C-USA bylaws were part of Watt's briefings by his handlers on the BOT. They wouldn't tell him anything they didn't want him to know. What motivation would he have had to learn about them on his own? The bylaw issue likely caught him by surprise and now he is trying to minimize the effect of something he did to please his bosses, but whose effects on the whole athletic program may be his eternal legacy - "Think Watts - think Doom for all UAB sports".

At any rate, we will know this week what, if any, actions C-USA has chosen to take regarding UAB membership. They can wait until June 30 to make a final decision.

I wonder if Watts & Smithers brought the PR firm with them to the meeting ?

I doubt he brings the numbers because any dummy can look and see the discrepancies.

You're also talking about a group of presidents that probably care a great deal more about their athletic program than Watts... they will see through him.

I think he really doesn't care one way or another about being in the conference. If they allow us to remain then he gets smug and points out that he said as much right after the teams were cut, and, if we get the boot, his 'vision' for UAB is well on track. That said, to echo Native Georgian, he's going to make a point of being there fighting on our behalf just to keep from getting some more egg on his face.

The thing, though, is that he's going into a room to meet people that he can't big boy. The people there don't care about politics here. They're not there to buy into some cheap notions of burying the past and moving forward regardless of what happened. They won't care about the 'New Dr. Watts'. With his actions, he threatened the conference and, even more importantly, have people turning critical eyes to programs around the country for all the wrong reasons.

I do hope and believe they'll grant a stay with an appropriate window long enough to reinstate football. That's the best for all parties involved, and it's a decision that looks through the lies and arrogance of one man to recognize the plight and united voices of the people really invested in UAB.

Since this is such an important meeting for UAB, how many reporters did the local media send to cover it?

zero

Surely Scarbinsky, our defender in the media was there.

(01-27-2015 04:03 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Since this is such an important meeting for UAB, how many reporters did the local media send to cover it?

I was wondering the same thing. Thinking, surely as important a meeting as this is, someone from al.com/Bham News would have been there live tweeting or at least update us after.

Maybe they only care to a certain extent. Enough to fire off a click-bait column, but not enough to spend any money to cover the situation.

Maybe they have Wes' cell phone number.

(01-27-2015 04:08 PM)blazinrunner Wrote:  

(01-27-2015 04:03 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Since this is such an important meeting for UAB, how many reporters did the local media send to cover it?

I was wondering the same thing. Thinking, surely as important a meeting as this is, someone from al.com/Bham News would have been there live tweeting or at least update us after.

They might have to depend on local reporting for that... Don't know, just thinking out loud.