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

The Colonial Athletic Association is an option for FCS football IF we go that route. But we can almost guarantee there won't be the political will-power for football if we go to the MVC or A10... But frankly I'd be surprised if we get there. Sorry, I don't think university presidents and athletic directors would trust our long-term commitment.

I'm not sure how I feel about that. Its better than other options. A few people, probably administrators who genuinely think this could work, underestimate how long the alumni anger can last over the football tragedy.

Missouri Valley soccer would be major step down for UAB.

(03-21-2015 06:08 PM)uab278 Wrote:  I agree with MB. If the MVC is interested then this may be a good move. Not saying drop football but watts decision set us back at least four years. Build back up in D2 then join a FBS conference with better basketball.

The BOT / President Watts decision set UAB back to the period before 1990, not 4 or 5 years. If you want to see an example of what UAB may be facing, look at what happened to the teams at BSC when they dropped from D1 sports so they could start D3 football. UAB got baseball Coach Shoop out of that deal. If UAB drops to D2 or D3 level, you may be my age before it ever sees D1 again - if then.

I have grave doubts about whether any important conference will want a school whose programs are at the mercy of a hostile BOT loyal primarily to another school and willing to do anything to keep it saying its name is "Toby". There may not have been the obvious evidence SACS demands, but I think there is a lot of behind the scenes knowledge circulating informally in academic circles as to what actually transpired. (The jury found "O.J." not guilty. How many have agreed they were right?)

(03-21-2015 06:14 PM)BlazintheATL Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 05:58 PM)JeffUAB Wrote:  Might be the best of our limited options. I wouldn't really see it as much of an upgrade in basketball, and it looks like it would be a pretty big hit to our other sports.

If you don't see this as an upgrade for basketball then you're not well informed about college basketball. This isn't a popular opinion I know but I've said it for years: if killing a football program that was never going to be adequately supported benefits basketball I'm 100 percent for it. To me (and probably to not many others) this would make me OK with the decision to end football (even though I will never be OK with the way it was handled and Watts' callousness.)

It's clearly a better basketball conference than CUSA right now, but it's not even a surefire multi-bid league. I certainly hope we get an invite from them if we can't get football back and stay in CUSA.

(03-21-2015 06:37 PM)BlazerGreen Wrote:  Missouri Valley soccer would be major step down for UAB.

Baseball and softball, too...

I'm not sure baseball would be a huge step down. They are currently way ahead in RPI with Dallas Baptist #1 overall.

KenPom.com ranks C-USA as the 17th best basketball conference right now. Who is 18th? The Sun Belt.

They rank the MVC as the 9th best basketball conference. Who is 10th? Our old friends in the AAC.

(03-21-2015 06:37 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 06:08 PM)uab278 Wrote:  I agree with MB. If the MVC is interested then this may be a good move. Not saying drop football but watts decision set us back at least four years. Build back up in D2 then join a FBS conference with better basketball.

The BOT / President Watts decision set UAB back to the period before 1990, not 4 or 5 years. If you want to see an example of what UAB may be facing, look at what happened to the teams at BSC when they dropped from D1 sports so they could start D3 football. UAB got baseball Coach Shoop out of that deal. If UAB drops to D2 or D3 level, you may be my age before it ever sees D1 again - if then.

I have grave doubts about whether any important conference will want a school whose programs are at the mercy of a hostile BOT loyal primarily to another school and willing to do anything to keep it saying its name is "Toby". There may not have been the obvious evidence SACS demands, but I think there is a lot of behind the scenes knowledge circulating informally in academic circles as to what actually transpired. (The jury found "O.J." not guilty. How many have agreed they were right?)

My thoughts, too. Why get involved in a situation where the students-administrators-BOT relationship is so bad with no signs that it will improve?

MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

Who is our rival now?
And it does not mean no football. Football isn't coming back within the next few years even if Watts leaves tomorrow, but it will come back. In the meantime, we have to continue to do what's best with what's left.

If all you care about is football, then I guess you drop your support then.

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

What basketball rival do we have now? MVC means being in a conference that actually cares about basketball. It also means being in a conference that is a nationally respected. If we did get in the MVC then that would mean that were actually serious about becoming a basketball school....not just a school without football.

(03-21-2015 07:09 PM)BlazintheATL Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

What basketball rival do we have now? MVC means being in a conference that actually cares about basketball. It also means being in a conference that is a nationally respected. If we did get in the MVC then that would mean that were actually serious about becoming a basketball school....not just a school without football.

It's becoming pretty obvious that to some, basketball isn't important. Dropping to the A-Sun is what some of the football first fans want. If basketball lands on its feet, they lose one of the biggest talking points. You can't scream doom and gloom to the rest of athletics, when it doesn't happen.

Quote:It's clearly a better basketball conference than CUSA right now, but it's not even a surefire multi-bid league. I certainly hope we get an invite from them if we can't get football back and stay in CUSA.

The MVC has received multi bids to the Dance for several years now.

(03-21-2015 07:08 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

Who is our rival now?
And it does not mean no football. Football isn't coming back within the next few years even if Watts leaves tomorrow, but it will come back. In the meantime, we have to continue to do what's best with what's left.

If all you care about is football, then I guess you drop your support then.

Southern Miss, MT... We have history with ODU & Charlotte. I am a supporter... Fan. If I only cared about football I wouldn't be on this bus traveling back from Louisville for the 2nd time in 3 days. I am just hearing all the lets take care of basketball... Seems to me that is WATTS Company Line you are towing.

And many thought no decent conference would want UAB Basketball. I'll let MB preach on this.

We can make the move back to d1 in four years. Look at WKU, ODU, and Charlotte. Football will have some growing pains when we start back up.

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

Ha, no one is going to call you anything. I think those are legitimate concerns.

I think that the MVC and A10 are cool and all, but, in the long run, it seems like a step back to me. Sure, it's good for basketball right now, but that's basketball and right now. I think C-USA is going to make strides in basketball and ultimately end up being a multiple bid conference even if the bottom half of the league don't really care about basketball for real.

While I'd like it, I can't see the attendance for those schools carrying over. Another thing is that I feel like FBS football is a must, and it's not a possibility in those conferences.

Only way I'm cool with getting the boot from C-USA is if we fall up into AAC or something and are allowed to time to reinstate football.

(03-21-2015 05:56 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  You're probably right because Birmingham don't know crap about basketball. The MVC would be the best conference UAB has ever been in, other than the Great Midwest.

Anyone who knows anything about basketball would rather watch southern Illinois, Wichita State, and even Bradley, than Rice, FIU and North Texas.

For some UAB fans, it would be horrible if UAB ended up in a better conference because it ruins all the doom and gloom scenarios they have created. In that sense, they are hoping for failure.

God forbid something good comes out of this.

I agree with this. If we can't keep football that is definitely our best reasonable bet. The AAC as a non football member is also very interesting if that's possible.

The last time the MVC has been worst than CUSA in RPI was 2010-2011. Every year since then, it has been at least two spots better. It was lowest at 11th. CUSA's lowest is this year at 16th.

But I realize that the strength of conference is not what everyone's objection is. It's actually landing in better conference.

(03-21-2015 07:15 PM)ICB Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 07:08 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(03-21-2015 07:03 PM)ICB Wrote:  MVC... Means no rival... No away game travel... No Football... Call me what you will... But anything less than restoring UAB football, with facility commitments... Will force to me rethink my support.

Who is our rival now?
And it does not mean no football. Football isn't coming back within the next few years even if Watts leaves tomorrow, but it will come back. In the meantime, we have to continue to do what's best with what's left.

If all you care about is football, then I guess you drop your support then.

Southern Miss, MT... We have history with ODU & Charlotte. I am a supporter... Fan. If I only cared about football I wouldn't be on this bus traveling back from Louisville for the 2nd time in 3 days. I am just hearing all the lets take care of basketball... Seems to me that is WATTS Company Line you are towing.

So because my objective is what is best for our remaining sports, then I must be towing Watts company line. I want what best. This is what would be best.

Football is not coming back anytime soon. Time to recognize that and save the sinking ship. Or let it sink so you can say you were right.