RE: Champlin: UAB basketball moving on from disappointing end to season
First let me thank all the seniors for giving so much to UAB. Like most people, I have known the feeling of suddenly losing something. Losing something you have lived, bled and suffer for is very difficult. You as seniors are taking with you many memories of defeats and accomplishments at very high levels.
For some this may be the end of playing the game you love but for others your journey to play continues, but whether you continue to play or not, you have completed a course of study earning a degree from UAB. You will do well in life, you have accomplished more than some. Good luck to you and thanks for all you have done for UAB.
To the returning team I will keep it short, continue to grow academically and athletically, you have left a lot on the court the last 2 years, so go and get it. I believe you will be a tougher and more discipline team next year.
To the coaching staff, it was a difficult year, a year that many including the staff had such high expectation for, but it is what it is. Next year will force the coaching staff to put together a team with even more talent than the team we are losing. A team with Ha Ha, Coke, Darling, Lavender, Williams and the return of Sullivan and Nick, a team whose nucleus is set.you have three good freshmen coming on board providing competition for playing time.
The bench will mean the bench, not interchangeable pieces, not anyone can start, the bench will mean the bench and that means you are only going 8-9 deep.
The team need 2 bigs badly but I expect you already know that, and get these guys in shape, I saw a tired team play La tech, every member of the team should be able to play 33 minutes if need be. So good off season, get them in shape, and recruit some bigs to play the 4-5.
To the fans, our future looks bright, but I am the glass half full , green and gold kool-aid drinking rabid UAB fan. I ALWAYS BELIEVE the future is going to be better. I have been there like most to see every game I could.
I have witness the what the heck moments of almost losing to A&M, I felt something was wrong when I saw our player react as if they had just played close to Kentucky or North Carolina.
But I am a fan, I saw our team lose at home on more occasions then I am use to, but I am a fan so I believed things would get better, and at times it appeared the NCAA or NIT was a possibility, we had the schedule and team,and being a fan...well you get it.
I have turned my attention to baseball and getting ready for the fall, ready too see our Blazers return to the field. I promise some former UAB grads and friends, I would post the return on Facebook,( meaning I need to get an account) I still have AOL, so I understand VP Pence.
So as fans, we have won and lost before, we have won big and lost big before, heck they KILLED OUR TEAM, but that team will be returning ...lets move on together. because we are preaching to the choir, WE ARE ALL BLAZERS.
GO BLAZERS, rebounder2u
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