CSNbbs

It's a cliche, but it's apt here.

What has Mike Davis promised? Buzz in the community. Sold-out home games. A national spotlight. High-profile games against big-name opponents. A spot in the upper tier of college basketball. Overtaking Memphis as the best in CUSA. A #1 recruiting class. A Final Four.

What has he delivered in three years? Disappointing performance on the court. Postseason flame-outs. Lots of recruiting hype, with zero results. (The only top-level player he has gotten and retained is Vaden, a transfer from his previous job.) Pathetic scheduling, where we have to play a team like Troy twice to fill out the season. No buzz, no increased fan support, no (positive) national spotlight. Whenever UAB is talked about nationally, it's always Mike Davis first and UAB second. He's managed to maintain this pose of loyalty to UAB while also holding himself above it, as if he should be praised for choosing to condescend to our level. It's clear that he recruits players to commit to him personally instead of the school, so he can take them with him when he moves on to the bigger, better job. Should we be surprised, then, when players' roots in the school are so shallow, and so many leave?

And now this. This reflects terribly on our school and is a massive blow to its national (and, more importantly, local) reputation. The APR sanctions will be crippling. The cupboard for the future is now officially empty, and it will take years to return to competitiveness. The best we can hope for in the next couple of seasons is to load up on JUCOs to try to hold this thing together--not at all a foundation for long-term success.

I see the hierarchy of any coach's responsibilities as follows: 1) shape your student-athletes in a positive way, and be a vigilant mentor who keeps them on the right path; 2) make your program a source of pride for your school and community, and contribute positively to their image; 3) win games. Numbers 1 and 2 should be a given. I can support a coach who isn't the best at #3, as long as I can be proud of the program. I can't be proud of this program.

Mike Davis fooled us with charm, promises, and name recognition. We wanted to believe the hype because we love the school and want the basketball program to be great. Hiring him was a reasonable gamble. But we have to admit finally our mistake. He has failed at the most basic managerial requirements of the job. He has achieved nothing. He has sacrificed the program's future success.

Let's take our lumps and start correcting the problem now. Let's not have to suffer the ambivalence of supporting the team but not its coach.

Mike Davis must go. Immediately.

:ncaabbs:

Can't disagree with a word.

Well we are in the national spotlight today, thanks to him.

I completely agree with your assesment. I, like all of you, waited through his first season that brought expected and lackluster results. Then, we as a Blazer community got out and spread the word to watch out for UAB with Vaden and the crew to slash through the conference and make it to March Madness. Unfortunatley, March Madness was the emotion we all held after getting annihilated by VT in the NIT. Now this year, one that was supposed to be put up or shut has proven to be the latter, and after yesterdays player news I have finally discovered the truth, Davis can not and will not ever deliver the attainable goals we expect. So what if we get the all-mighty Cousins, he'll be here for one season and bolt, leaving UAB in the same position we are now. It is clear now that Davis has no vision for the future of UAB basketball and needs to be let go at the end of the year, if he doesn't make some suprising noise fast.

I do not think the future is quite as negative as many think. It's not going to be like football was for us by any means. We've got 2 solid signees for 2009. And granted, they may want to be released (particularly if Davis is fired), but as it stands now... we've got 2 solid incoming guards. AJ is a pretty good player. Howard and Moore both have some potential. No question, though, we've got some work to do.

We may indeed get hit with some more scholarship reductions, but we've definitely got some people we'll be needing to sign. Davis or no Davis next year... we sign nobody questionable. That means no Bledsoe, no Kreft, no Flowers, and most likely not even Cousins (though it would be hard to refuse the #2 recruit in the nation). We simply can't take any more risks. We need to sign solid players with a good academic profile.

No question, however, we have to figure things out soon. Either we go forward with Davis or we fire him. I know what the majority appears to want, but whatever the case, we need to make a decision soon and stick with it. Because there's some major recruiting work that needs to be done at this point. The sooner we figure it out, the sooner we can try to get some at least average-skill basketball players in here that can make the grades.

Hopefully we can talk Cameron Moore into accepting a scholarship (especially if he's decent on grades). I wouldn't mind us taking another walk-on and signing them to a scholarship if they can help pull up our grades on the team.

UAB pays Mike Davis more than XCMA supposed wanted to stay.

I have been watching this board for the last couple of days as things have unfolded concerning your basketball program. What I see happening with you is much like what happened when CMD was at IU. While there wasn't the academic problems or complaints about his recruiting his ability to coach on the floor, motivate his players, and adjust during a game left many IU fans baffled. We heard many of the same promises and the oft repeated cry of "help is on the way". It finally came to a point that we understood that while CMD is a good man, an excellent recruiter, and a great father figure to his team he is lacking when it comes to the position of head coach. This is does not make him a bad choice, just a choice that is mis-placed. In sports the goal is to be the main dude and anything short of that is viewed as failure. CMD just needs to understand where he fits into the process and then excel in that position.

I feel for what you are going through. Believe me I understand both your frustration, and to some of you, your shame. There are many in the IU camp that would (and may yet) cry out "we tried to tell you" but what is---is, and those comments don't help now. Hope your fan base can stay solid and positive as you walk through this. Even now, with your depleted squad I do not believe that IU could stand a chance against you. Support those that are left on the team and make sure they don't get chewed up in the upcoming process.

My ?s would be

1) could uab afford to fire him?

2) as for him leaving on his own? what school would hire him?

bluesox Wrote:My ?s would be

1) could uab afford to fire him?

2) as for him leaving on his own? what school would hire him?

Per an informed poster whom I am sure has read the contract, Yes UAB can cut him loose for failing to meet the APR guidlines.

Rex Brace Wrote:I have been watching this board for the last couple of days as things have unfolded concerning your basketball program. What I see happening with you is much like what happened when CMD was at IU. While there wasn't the academic problems or complaints about his recruiting his ability to coach on the floor, motivate his players, and adjust during a game left many IU fans baffled. We heard many of the same promises and the oft repeated cry of "help is on the way". It finally came to a point that we understood that while CMD is a good man, an excellent recruiter, and a great father figure to his team he is lacking when it comes to the position of head coach. This is does not make him a bad choice, just a choice that is mis-placed. In sports the goal is to be the main dude and anything short of that is viewed as failure. CMD just needs to understand where he fits into the process and then excel in that position.

I feel for what you are going through. Believe me I understand both your frustration, and to some of you, your shame. There are many in the IU camp that would (and may yet) cry out "we tried to tell you" but what is---is, and those comments don't help now. Hope your fan base can stay solid and positive as you walk through this. Even now, with your depleted squad I do not believe that IU could stand a chance against you. Support those that are left on the team and make sure they don't get chewed up in the upcoming process.

There have been many IU fans who posted on this board since we hired Mike Davis. A very few of them have been helpful and insightful and stayed around and contributed from time to time. Some have been a mixed bag, ok to good sometimes and poor and annoying others. Many to most of them have been Mike Davis haters who came here and spewed hatred and sometimes outright filth.

This just might be the best post I've ever seen here from an Indiana fan. Fair minded and even handed, critical with reason without sneering.

We don't know yet how things will shake out between UAB and Mike Davis. He may take responsibility and make the needed changes, or he may be gone very shortly. We'll see, I guess. In the meantime, thanks. Good post.

As to "we tried to tell you", well... the big problem with that is twofold - one, no one could say any such thing until we had signed him already, and two, the majority of the people who were trying to tell us were so hate filled that I wouldn't trust them if they told me the sky was blue.