It is my opinion that Marshall fans ought to cut UAB a little slack. These guys are apparently under the delusion that this is somehow UAB's fault and that the previous lack of support somehow means you don't deserve a chance, now. I am firmly against that line of thought. I believe that this might be the event that springboards UAB into something great. And that sometimes it takes something like this to make people appreciate what they had.

http://www.herdfans.com/12thman/index.php?topic=86919.0

(06-02-2015 09:16 PM)MUther Wrote:  It is my opinion that Marshall fans ought to cut UAB a little slack. These guys are apparently under the delusion that this is somehow UAB's fault and that the previous lack of support somehow means you don't deserve a chance, now. I am firmly against that line of thought. I believe that this might be the event that springboards UAB into something great. And that sometimes it takes something like this to make people appreciate what they had.

http://www.herdfans.com/12thman/index.php?topic=86919.0

I normally read, but don't comment on HerdFans.com, mostly because i don't want to argue with "sturt". But...darn it all...he is making the most sense in that thread (with support from a few others.) I do agree with your sentiments.

Man, reading other message boards sometimes makes me really appreciate the formatting here at csnbbs. herdfans certainly wasn't the worse I've seen but it's not good.

People can have whatever opinions they want. I'm glad UAB is staying they have some great programs and are an asset to our league, there will probably be some rough years in football but long-term I think they'll come back stronger than they were and with better support both from fans and once there's a change in leadership institutionally.

I am glad UAB is back and also think this could vault them into a successful football program. Clark has proven it can be done.

One thing I can't help but think is - would all this been an elaborate ploy by Watts to get donors and fans to pony up more money? Obviously they did but were his actions planned with this being the result - more money but none taken from the academic side to prop up the program? I know, it's a nutty thought.

Good Luck Blazers!

Its a valid point that if the fan support was there, then this whole situation wouldn't have happened. There is nothing wrong with saying that. Hopefully the locals realize that now and come support a program that was finally turning the corner and now has to take a step back.

Marshall's attendance in the late 1960s was around 6,500 a game (in a 10,000 seat field).
When they put in new seats, AstroTurf and locker rooms in 1970, it jumped to 8,100 for a now 16,000-seat facility. That jumped to 12,700 for 1971, the year after the crash, when 13,800 showed for the Xavier game (first home game after crash) and 14,100 for Homecoming win over BGSU.
But attendance, like winning, stayed away mostly, around 10-12,000 at most games as Herd staggered through losing season after losing season, until MU was dropped to I-AA in 1983 along with Southern Conference.
It saved MU, as they dropped the MAC schools, the Louisville Cards (beat Herd 56-0 in designated SoCon game in 1977), Miss. State (1979 beat down) and added WV Tech and WV State to Morehead State, EKU, Youngstown State and other similar sized schools. Attendance jumps as Herd began to win in mid-1980s under Parrish and Chaump, then really took off with new stadium and national championship runs in the 1990s.
But unlike UAB, no one in power at MU ever considered dropping football in the late 1970s (although media outside Huntington certainly did, stating "you're good in basketball, just do that" from Charleston and National writers). While Marshall suffered a loss I hope no school ever comes close to (even losing many fewer people hurt Ok. State basketball for a long time and Wichita State dropped football after a few years of trying after also crashing in 1970), UAB got the ultimate knife in the back from a President who still talks about UAB like it only should have a medical school, as his cronies on the UA BOT would like to see.
Hard to bounce back from a complete do over no matter what. The Blazers have a 30-40 man group still on campus, and Marshall in 1971 had three returning starters, a bunch of true sophomores and true freshman and walkons and it took 13 years to start to win for the Herd. I hope UAB can rally back faster but it will be tough no matter what to try and restart.