Yep, it'd the media's fault alright. If it hadn't been for those nosy former players and the media, Watts could have cut the football team before anyone knew what was happening using the Carr report as an excuse after due internal processing That way it wouldn't have be evident that he lied to anyone in the past and he wouldn't have had to lie to everyone else until he could get the dastardly deed done. Yep, it's media's fault for sure.
The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
(12-15-2014 12:36 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
Mackin got out of the way. He protected himself and will walk off a chunk of money for his lack of effort. Don't thank him for anything. He failed us all, especially Gene Bartow.
Understood.
Not sure what would have happened if the info didn't get leaked though.
(12-15-2014 12:51 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]Understood.
Not sure what would have happened if the info didn't get leaked though.
He didn't leak it. Coach Clark, some donors, and former players were the ones that caught on. So, when they asked the questions, they got weird, vague answers which led to only one conclusion - program shut down. Unfortunately, they were right.
Bentley was probably not in the loop either since he initially made the goof in his public statement about it being up to the system BOT to end UAB football. They got to him quickly to toe the "party line" (thereby averting a possible SACS probation) that it was the UAB President Watts who ended the program so he "got it right" in later statements.
Since I believe the BOT feels it OWNS the university and the state has only "naming rights" to its teams, I don't think they feel the need to consult with ANYONE about what they want to do. They just issue edicts/fiats/whatever and it gets done as they desire.
(12-15-2014 01:03 PM)the Dragon Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:51 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]Understood.
Not sure what would have happened if the info didn't get leaked though.
He didn't leak it. Coach Clark, some donors, and former players were the ones that caught on. So, when they asked the questions, they got weird, vague answers which led to only one conclusion - program shut down. Unfortunately, they were right.
Maybe. I think we all expect that Mackin's hand got greased in the process.
(12-15-2014 12:47 PM)the Dragon Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:36 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
Mackin got out of the way. He protected himself and will walk off a chunk of money for his lack of effort. Don't thank him for anything. He failed us all, especially Gene Bartow.
I agree completely.
(12-15-2014 01:48 PM)Matrix Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:47 PM)the Dragon Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:36 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
Mackin got out of the way. He protected himself and will walk off a chunk of money for his lack of effort. Don't thank him for anything. He failed us all, especially Gene Bartow.
I agree completely.
Mackin probably is complicent only because he sat by and did nothing and said nothing to save his ass. I'm sure it was clear from the beginning that he would be take care of as long as he didn't say anything. The guy is a coward just like Watts.
The love of money is the root of evil.
Something makes me think that Mackin was bound by an NDA early in the Carr process. Please don't crucify me.
(12-15-2014 01:48 PM)Matrix Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:47 PM)the Dragon Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:36 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
Mackin got out of the way. He protected himself and will walk off a chunk of money for his lack of effort. Don't thank him for anything. He failed us all, especially Gene Bartow.
I agree completely.
Can any of you share any of the info you have on what Mackin did or didn't do?
He did say we were all Blazers.
(12-15-2014 12:51 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]Understood.
Not sure what would have happened if the info didn't get leaked though.
I am not sure that the info was leaked or dug out. Remember that the Foundation/former players sensed something was wrong when they met with Watts to tell him their plans for future football infrastructure improvements and were surprised by his complete lack of enthusiasm. Then they found out about only three years of Coach Clark's contract and games not scheduled later than 2016 and the cat was out of the bag. Since I believe those things were public record, I don't know if they were leaked or dug out.
Either way, Watts was forced to lie continually because he knew he was going to cut football as soon as he received the Carr report to hide behind.
I don't think any of us know what Mackin did. That's a big part of the problem.
I think that he fought back from within as he could without getting fired. I think he got a fat settlement to go away and keep his mouth shut.
What we didn't see, so far as I know, and anyone I've talked to for that matter - he didn't get the word out quietly to people who would have fought it. He knows as well or better than we do who has the smarts, the connections, and the money to lead a campaign to save football. He could have leaked some of what he knows quietly on the condition that the source be protected, and there's nothing I know of that fits that profile.
On the other hand, he was the A.D. Negotiating future OOC games was his job. None after 2016 was a *huge* red flag. There is no way he didn't know they were not scheduled, and there is no way that he didn't ask why or get told not to agree to any beyond then. He's not stupid. Then there's the lease on Legion Field being signed for only one year - again, he had to know that, and I cannot imagine that anyone who supports football and has two brain cells to rub together couldn't see the obvious threat.
I keep trying to give Brian the benefit of a doubt, but I keep running up against things that he just had to know and the fact that at no point did he speak out about the danger or show leadership when the threat was exposed.
(12-15-2014 04:36 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think any of us know what Mackin did. That's a big part of the problem.
I think that he fought back from within as he could without getting fired. I think he got a fat settlement to go away and keep his mouth shut.
What we didn't see, so far as I know, and anyone I've talked to for that matter - he didn't get the word out quietly to people who would have fought it. He knows as well or better than we do who has the smarts, the connections, and the money to lead a campaign to save football. He could have leaked some of what he knows quietly on the condition that the source be protected, and there's nothing I know of that fits that profile.
On the other hand, he was the A.D. Negotiating future OOC games was his job. None after 2016 was a *huge* red flag. There is no way he didn't know they were not scheduled, and there is no way that he didn't ask why or get told not to agree to any beyond then. He's not stupid. Then there's the lease on Legion Field being signed for only one year - again, he had to know that, and I cannot imagine that anyone who supports football and has two brain cells to rub together couldn't see the obvious threat.
I keep trying to give Brian the benefit of a doubt, but I keep running up against things that he just had to know and the fact that at no point did he speak out about the danger or show leadership when the threat was exposed.
Without knowing insiders like some of you old timers (I say that lovingly and with respect), I assumed when Taylor Blazer came on here a month or so ago, that perhaps that was a leak from Mackin or a related source. Guess that's not true.
From what it seems, since Mackin was compliant, he gets a giant
(12-15-2014 12:47 PM)the Dragon Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 12:36 PM)the_blazerman Wrote: [ -> ]The whole thing was planned by the BOT, Watts, Witt, & Bentley.
Due to it being leaked early, their timing of things was skewed.
Also they never imagined that the team would have done as well as it did this past year.
The players & coaches should be thanked & possibly Mackin as well for leaking the information.
Still not exactly sure what all Mackin did or did not do in this so I'm withholding final judgement until a later time.
Mackin got out of the way. He protected himself and will walk off a chunk of money for his lack of effort. Don't thank him for anything. He failed us all, especially Gene Bartow.
exactly, even though he was deep throat 2.0,he walked off without fighting like a man and took his gold coins and slithered away. When the resurrection takes place, I hope he realizes that chump change wasn't worth it.
(12-15-2014 06:20 PM)USAFBlazerFan Wrote: [ -> ] (12-15-2014 04:36 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think any of us know what Mackin did. That's a big part of the problem.
I think that he fought back from within as he could without getting fired. I think he got a fat settlement to go away and keep his mouth shut.
What we didn't see, so far as I know, and anyone I've talked to for that matter - he didn't get the word out quietly to people who would have fought it. He knows as well or better than we do who has the smarts, the connections, and the money to lead a campaign to save football. He could have leaked some of what he knows quietly on the condition that the source be protected, and there's nothing I know of that fits that profile.
On the other hand, he was the A.D. Negotiating future OOC games was his job. None after 2016 was a *huge* red flag. There is no way he didn't know they were not scheduled, and there is no way that he didn't ask why or get told not to agree to any beyond then. He's not stupid. Then there's the lease on Legion Field being signed for only one year - again, he had to know that, and I cannot imagine that anyone who supports football and has two brain cells to rub together couldn't see the obvious threat.
I keep trying to give Brian the benefit of a doubt, but I keep running up against things that he just had to know and the fact that at no point did he speak out about the danger or show leadership when the threat was exposed.
Without knowing insiders like some of you old timers (I say that lovingly and with respect), I assumed when Taylor Blazer came on here a month or so ago, that perhaps that was a leak from Mackin or a related source. Guess that's not true.
I'm pretty sure Taylor Blazer's sources do not include Mackin. Mackin sat quietly in some meetings and never to my knowledge delivered a shred of helpful information.
He has to have known for a LONG time about this, and if he ever stood up for football he was quickly told to sit down. He did.