CSNbbs

The home opener on Dec. 3rd is the 20th anniversary of the inaugural game in the Arena when the Blazers beat Vandy 76-69 on Dec. 3, 1988. Anyone know if there are any special plans to commemorate the anniversary?

If they didn't know yet, they do now since someone there reads the board.

From BLAZER Top 30, Issue 29.

Quote:The new arena cost $11 million to build and was one of the things that Gene Bartow wanted most of all...a true home court. The new arena was an improvement over the aging Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center, where UAB had played all home games previously. Attendance had lagged in previous years and the Blazers had all but lost their home court advantage, playing in front of six to seven thousand people in a 17,000 seat coliseum. Moving on campus also was an economic plus as UAB would not have to pay rent and be able to keep all concessions revenue. It also provided a new home for the athletic department offices. By keeping fans close to the action, the arena can become very intimidating to opponents when it is full of loud and enthusiastic fans. The Arena was originally approved to be a mult-purpose convocation center and meant to serve as a practice facility for the basketball team. However, as construction continued, Bartow decided to play all but the biggest games on campus at the Arena. Eventually, all games were played at the Arena.

The Commodores were coached by former Alabama coach, C.M. Newton . Vanderbilt came into the game riding a high, as they had beaten 13th ranked Louisville earlier in the week. The game started out badly for the Blazers as the Commodores jumped out to a 9-0 start. However, UAB tied the game at 11. The game went back and forth, but the Blazers took the lead for good with seven minutes to go in the game on an Andy Kennedy three pointer. An opening game crowd of 8307 watched the Blazers win the game 76-69. Kennedy led the Blazers with 26 points, despite missing his first five three pointers.

The Arena proved to be to have a great home court advantage as UAB went 12-1 at home that year. UAB would be formidable in the Arena for the first couple of years. They only lost five games at home in their first four years in the Arena.

Quote:The new arena cost $11 million to build and was one of the things that Gene Bartow wanted most of all...a true home court. The new arena was an improvement over the aging Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center, where UAB had played all home games previously. Attendance had lagged in previous years and the Blazers had all but lost their home court advantage, playing in front of six to seven thousand people in a 17,000 seat coliseum. Moving on campus also was an economic plus as UAB would not have to pay rent and be able to keep all concessions revenue. It also provided a new home for the athletic department offices. By keeping fans close to the action, the arena can become very intimidating to opponents when it is full of loud and enthusiastic fans. The Arena was originally approved to be a mult-purpose convocation center and meant to serve as a practice facility for the basketball team. However, as construction continued, Bartow decided to play all but the biggest games on campus at the Arena. Eventually, all games were played at the Arena.

The Commodores were coached by former Alabama coach, C.M. Newton . Vanderbilt came into the game riding a high, as they had beaten 13th ranked Louisville earlier in the week. The game started out badly for the Blazers as the Commodores jumped out to a 9-0 start. However, UAB tied the game at 11. The game went back and forth, but the Blazers took the lead for good with seven minutes to go in the game on an Andy Kennedy three pointer. An opening game crowd of 8307 watched the Blazers win the game 76-69. Kennedy led the Blazers with 26 points, despite missing his first five three pointers.

The Arena proved to be to have a great home court advantage as UAB went 12-1 at home that year. UAB would be formidable in the Arena for the first couple of years. They only lost five games at home in their first four years in the Arena.

Hopefully the same can be said about an on-campus football stadium in a couple years.

Uab91Eng Wrote:

Quote:The new arena cost $11 million to build and was one of the things that Gene Bartow wanted most of all...a true home court. The new arena was an improvement over the aging Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center, where UAB had played all home games previously. Attendance had lagged in previous years and the Blazers had all but lost their home court advantage, playing in front of six to seven thousand people in a 17,000 seat coliseum. Moving on campus also was an economic plus as UAB would not have to pay rent and be able to keep all concessions revenue. It also provided a new home for the athletic department offices. By keeping fans close to the action, the arena can become very intimidating to opponents when it is full of loud and enthusiastic fans. The Arena was originally approved to be a mult-purpose convocation center and meant to serve as a practice facility for the basketball team. However, as construction continued, Bartow decided to play all but the biggest games on campus at the Arena. Eventually, all games were played at the Arena.

The Commodores were coached by former Alabama coach, C.M. Newton . Vanderbilt came into the game riding a high, as they had beaten 13th ranked Louisville earlier in the week. The game started out badly for the Blazers as the Commodores jumped out to a 9-0 start. However, UAB tied the game at 11. The game went back and forth, but the Blazers took the lead for good with seven minutes to go in the game on an Andy Kennedy three pointer. An opening game crowd of 8307 watched the Blazers win the game 76-69. Kennedy led the Blazers with 26 points, despite missing his first five three pointers.

The Arena proved to be to have a great home court advantage as UAB went 12-1 at home that year. UAB would be formidable in the Arena for the first couple of years. They only lost five games at home in their first four years in the Arena.

Hopefully the same can be said about an on-campus football stadium in a couple years.

I but lotto tickets every week with that hope in mind. UAB playing at BlazerPhil Stadium. Of course BlazerPhil Stadium is home to "Up Yours Bammer" Field.

Funny story about that date:

There was a dedication ceremony prior to the game, at midcourt, featuring the school president (Dr. McCallum), the mayor (Richard Arrington) and a former athletic department official who prayed the invocation.

When the time came for the prayer, he was introduced and the building got somewhat quiet. Except for his little girl, barely a year old, sitting courtside, who spotted her father at midcourt, and screamed in her already very loud voice, "Daddy!" Everyone chuckled.

Some 19 years later, when the roles were reversed, and the father was in the stands at a game at Bartow Arena watching his still-loud little girl get introduced to sing the national anthem, he overcame the temptation to yell out her name.

20 years sure flies by, when you're having fun.

Nice story.

I look forward to reading about it on uabsports.com when they write their article about the anniversary.

bftb Wrote:Funny story about that date:

There was a dedication ceremony prior to the game, at midcourt, featuring the school president (Dr. McCallum), the mayor (Richard Arrington) and a former athletic department official who prayed the invocation.

When the time came for the prayer, he was introduced and the building got somewhat quiet. Except for his little girl, barely a year old, sitting courtside, who spotted her father at midcourt, and screamed in her already very loud voice, "Daddy!" Everyone chuckled.

Some 19 years later, when the roles were reversed, and the father was in the stands at a game at Bartow Arena watching his still-loud little girl get introduced to sing the national anthem, he overcame the temptation to yell out her name.

20 years sure flies by, when you're having fun.

What a great story! :-)

blazerfrombirth Wrote:

bftb Wrote:Funny story about that date:

There was a dedication ceremony prior to the game, at midcourt, featuring the school president (Dr. McCallum), the mayor (Richard Arrington) and a former athletic department official who prayed the invocation.

When the time came for the prayer, he was introduced and the building got somewhat quiet. Except for his little girl, barely a year old, sitting courtside, who spotted her father at midcourt, and screamed in her already very loud voice, "Daddy!" Everyone chuckled.

Some 19 years later, when the roles were reversed, and the father was in the stands at a game at Bartow Arena watching his still-loud little girl get introduced to sing the national anthem, he overcame the temptation to yell out her name.

20 years sure flies by, when you're having fun.

What a great story! :-)

I wonder....on that 20th anniversary of the dedication of the new arena, when she sings the national anthem again.....will he be able to resist the temptation this time?

Does anyone know if they are doing anything special for the anniversary, other than the open house.

YES SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL WILL BE HELD I'D SAY NEAR THE END OF THE SECOND HALF. WHEN PD3 GOES FOR 35 POINTS, 2 HIGH CLASS INDIVIDUALS WILL BE HONORED BY BEING INDUCTED IN THE 1,000 POINT CLUB. CONGRATS LAWRENCE KINNARD AND PAUL DELANEY III

That would be great, but have nothing to do with the building's 20th anniversary.

Game notes don't even mention tomorrow night being the anniversary, so I doubt they even realize it. Unless they just don't care.

lets make them realize it, lets send some emails and make some calls tomorrow!

Uab91Eng Wrote:Attendance had lagged in previous years and the Blazers had all but lost their home court advantage, playing in front of six to seven thousand people in a 17,000 seat coliseum. Moving on campus also was an economic plus as UAB would not have to pay rent and be able to keep all concessions revenue. It also provided a new home for the athletic department offices. By keeping fans close to the action, the arena can become very intimidating to opponents when it is full of loud and enthusiastic fans.

What's sad is that the AD still does have to pay rent (though I'm not sure about the concessons). Bartow is actually owned by UAB Student Life and is staffed by the HUC. It was done by Bartow as a measure of keeping costs of the AD down, at the time.