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

(08-23-2015 12:50 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(08-23-2015 11:43 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(08-23-2015 10:50 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  Well hell, why don't each of us take turns being AD for a week? Quit your current job, tell your wife you may not be employed long at the new one because you are going to start a whole bunch of crap, and let me know how that works out. When it's your job and your family, you might feel differently about losing your job.

When he's attacked before he arrives, and constantly bashed by our fan base, over basically nothing so far, it's kind of hard to expect him to want to listen to any of us. He never stood a chance with many of our fans, so I don't know why he would want to hear anything some of you have to say.

I said at the time you'd have to be nuts to take this gig. I've given benefit of the doubt til now, and still do, but because I'm human my opinion of him solidifies with each new piece of the puzzle he gives me.

Like my daddy said, "Ignore what a man says. Watch him long enough and he'll SHOW you who he is."

At this point, I do think that he's not giving a lot of love to small donors is a legitimate criticism.

Can you give an example of your last statement? I don't mean to sound like a smartazz, I just need to see an example of what Ingram is not doing to appease the small donors.

I have personally emailed and called him more than once, and have not has so much as an acknowledgement that my message was received.

Hell, Mackin usually got back to me, even if it was to say "thank you for your concern, go Blazers!"

I would add that whoever answers Ingram's phone is a lot more grumpy than Ms. Kim in the president's office.

(08-23-2015 12:55 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(08-23-2015 12:50 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(08-23-2015 11:43 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(08-23-2015 10:50 AM)blazers9911 Wrote:  Well hell, why don't each of us take turns being AD for a week? Quit your current job, tell your wife you may not be employed long at the new one because you are going to start a whole bunch of crap, and let me know how that works out. When it's your job and your family, you might feel differently about losing your job.

When he's attacked before he arrives, and constantly bashed by our fan base, over basically nothing so far, it's kind of hard to expect him to want to listen to any of us. He never stood a chance with many of our fans, so I don't know why he would want to hear anything some of you have to say.

I said at the time you'd have to be nuts to take this gig. I've given benefit of the doubt til now, and still do, but because I'm human my opinion of him solidifies with each new piece of the puzzle he gives me.

Like my daddy said, "Ignore what a man says. Watch him long enough and he'll SHOW you who he is."

At this point, I do think that he's not giving a lot of love to small donors is a legitimate criticism.

Can you give an example of your last statement? I don't mean to sound like a smartazz, I just need to see an example of what Ingram is not doing to appease the small donors.

I have personally emailed and called him more than once, and have not has so much as an acknowledgement that my message was received.

Hell, Mackin usually got back to me, even if it was to say "thank you for your concern, go Blazers!"

Legitimate gripe against Ingram.

But face it, the response from Mackin is basically the same response from Ingram. Once Ingram has settled into the job and has time to take care of the little things, everyone will get a vague automated acknowledgement from him too, and he will be just as good as Mackin was in that matter.

Talking to the man can't hurt. I'm not talking about going into his office and bashing on head, but there are issues that need to be discussed with the small boosters and the fan base. I'm sure that he understood going in that being selected by the hated Dr. Watts was not going to be an asset and that in order to prove that he is trustworthy to the fans and small boosters he was going to have to walk a very fine line. Every AD we have had including Coach Bartow had to deal with that situation to some extent, whether they had the support of their president or not. Unfortunately so far Ingram has not done a very good job of in that regard.

Many expect for Watts to be gone before too long, but I think that we have face at least possibility that he will be part of the equation for some time to come. What better way for the BOT to get revenge and keep tight control of the situation than to leave Watts in charge. If that happens Ingram is going to be in the same situation for some time to come.

I for one want to hear from Ingram in an off the record conversation exactly where he stands on the issues that mean so much to us. If he is willing to tell us - hey, look this is where I want to go, but I am hamstrung right now, then our trust in him will increase. You really can't tell much about a guy when he is standing behind a podium giving a prepared speech, but you can tell a lot more when you look him in the eye during a small group conversation.

And please don't try to tell us that we don't have a right to know. We have been asked to contribute a relatively large share of our incomes to the Athletic Department and some have given or at least promised to give far more than they would have otherwise would have considered prudent. These contributions may look like drops in the bucket when compared to that given by big boosters, but they probably add up to bigger percentages of our incomes than those of the rich folks. We have no regrets, and we would probably do so again in the same situation, but given our sacrifices we have a right to understand where the man who is running the program is coming from.

We talked to him at the Blazer Boosters meeting. Caught him in another fib but for the most part received more answers than we ever have. I do believe his hands are tied but there are things he can do to ease people apprehensions that wont go against Watts. Little things. As I have stated many times I am willing to give him a chance. He finally did acknowledge some of us even exist. Biggest gripe. Instead of telling little white lies which you think are harmless keep your mouth shut and no address certain things.

BTW Mackin would not only respond via e-mail he would call or text and tell you a bunch as long as its off the record.

(08-24-2015 12:02 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  We talked to him at the Blazer Boosters meeting. Caught him in another fib but for the most part received more answers than we ever have. I do believe his hands are tied but there are things he can do to ease people apprehensions that wont go against Watts. Little things. As I have stated many times I am willing to give him a chance. He finally did acknowledge some of us even exist. Biggest gripe. Instead of telling little white lies which you think are harmless keep your mouth shut and no address certain things.

BTW Mackin would not only respond via e-mail he would call or text and tell you a bunch as long as its off the record.

I have met Ingram in a small group meeting, and I agree with AB. He is probably very good at certain things, but he has not read this situation well. I'm still hopeful that he'll do well once he understands what this UAB-animal is like. and I'll give him a break because I know this situation is crazy compared to everywhere else.

However, one of the "little things" that he mis-judged in that meeting was this: He said, "Our top priority is a new track." You could have heard a pin drop. I think he meant it as a half joke, and he went on to explain that we needed a new track so we could pull up the crazy track we have so we can make more room for football practice. It makes sense, but his audience was not ready for a joke like that. For him, this is all new. For us, we have lived so many crazy jokes, that they aren't too funny anymore.

He would be well-advised to do these things:

1. Quote Gene Bartow and praise him at every opportunity.
2. Say less in public and let his coaches deliver positive messages.
3. Avoid statements that are vague and sound like the Watts company line. If he can't say the truth in a positive way, don't say it. If the truth is a problem, tell it in private to influential people and let those people solve it.
4. Check his ego, and understand that he is in a serving role. Serve the fans, students, alumni, coaches, and student-athletes. He can do this without slapping Watts in the face.

Mark has a chance to be a conquering hero here. He just needs to befriend the friends of UAB, and then let the Dragon awaken!

What he should have said about the track is this:

Our top priority is to giving football the best facilities possible to not only compete with our peers but to eclipse them. In order to do that we will have to relocate our current track in order to install two practice fields in its current location. This will not only enhance the football facilities but create a brand new facility to allow our track program to compete for conference and national titles.

Now how hard was that?

I'm sure others can be more eloquent that me.

(08-24-2015 01:45 PM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  What he should have said about the track is this:

Our top priority is to giving football the best facilities possible to not only compete with our peers but to eclipse them. In order to do that we will have to relocate our current track in order to install two practice fields in its current location. This will not only enhance the football facilities but create a brand new facility to allow our track program to compete for conference and national titles.

Now how hard was that?

I'm sure others can be more eloquent that me.

Bingo!

He can start by eliminating all the UAB Forward PR-speak. He can quit talking about how much courage Ray Watts has.

He's missed the bus so many times... I understood when he was not at the initial Fund Raising Committee meeting, when the $6.5m was announced. He had just been hired and had flown home. However, when the return of football was announced and we all gathered at Iron City, he was stupid as hell not to be there. He could have met many of our biggest dollar boosters as well as lot of the people who were the most active in fighting for athletics when everyone was in a great mood. Instead he was nowhere to be seen, and don't think that it wasn't noticed.

There are things that he can do that will help his reputation and standing with the core UAB base that do not undercut Watts or go against the stated position. I have not seen him do any of them yet.

As to e-mails, Mackin opened his own mail, and would reply. You might or might not get all the answers you wanted, but your mail did not disappear into a black hole, never acknowledged or answered. Ingram could write half a dozen boilerplate responses like "Thank you for your interest in blah blah, etc", and answer some actual mail once in a while when he is interested or wants the word out. This guy is a unicorn as far as the fans are concerned.

Look, I know he is in a tough spot, caught in the middle between Watts and the UAB fans, but he had to know that would be the case going in. Some in our ranks have said that Ingram needs to put primary emphasis on keeping his job and caring for his family, but let's remember if that was his primary motivation that he could have stayed in his nice secure job at Temple where where Assistant Vice President for Athletic Development.

Of course people started with the premise that he is Watts' boy - what else would they think when Watts chose the guy that was the 4th choice on the search committee's list to be the AD. However, if he continues to speak and act like Watts' boy, he had better have another job lined up when and if Watts leaves and his contract comes up for renewal.

If he gives a darn how he appears to the ordinary UAB fans and small contributors, one one thing he could do would be to read on this board and find out what people are saving about him and then take positive steps to address our concerns. Heck, it's free intel if believes that what we think is important. However, it appears that what we hink might not be on his priority list. If I were him I wouldn't underestimate any group of people that have already proven they can do the impossible.

(08-23-2015 01:19 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  But face it, the response from Mackin is basically the same response from Ingram. Once Ingram has settled into the job and has time to take care of the little things, everyone will get a vague automated acknowledgement from him too, and he will be just as good as Mackin was in that matter.

And you know this how?

(08-24-2015 05:46 PM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  ...
If I were him I wouldn't underestimate any group of people that have already proven they can do the impossible.

While I am glad that everyone's efforts have contributed to Watts & crew reversing their decision, I still believe that the main reason for overturning the decision is the fact that Watts & company had no alternative landing space for UAB in a conference & were on the verge of getting booted out of CUSA thereby releasing a whole new level of wrath by our supporters.

(all in 1 sentence)

(08-24-2015 09:43 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  

(08-24-2015 05:46 PM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  ...
If I were him I wouldn't underestimate any group of people that have already proven they can do the impossible.

While I am glad that everyone's efforts have contributed to Watts & crew reversing their decision, I still believe that the main reason for overturning the decision is the fact that Watts & company had no alternative landing space for UAB in a conference & were on the verge of getting booted out of CUSA thereby releasing a whole new level of wrath by our supporters.

(all in 1 sentence)

Now diagram it.