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I wonder if BBF has been paying attention sometimes.

(09-25-2013 09:57 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  It's a catch 22.

Can't win without top recruits. Can't recruit without facilities, including an OCS. Can't get an OCS without better attendance. Can't increase attendance without winning.

It's a win-win for the UA BOT.

This. You should create a signature for the above statement.

(09-25-2013 12:20 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 08:29 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 07:35 AM)TheGORILLA Wrote:  Watts and Mackin and McGee are afraid of job security and, too, are afraid that the BOT will pull the plug on football if they raise a stink.

Lily livered - Weak and timid. Yellow bellied - Easily frightened.

You are awfully courageous with other people's careers.

And way off base too. If the BOT wanted to pull the plug on UAB Football they would have already.

Mackin is not lily-livered. I believe he's fighting the best fight he can under the circumstances. And if I understand correctly, he's got plenty of money as he comes from an old Mtn Brook family. It's not as if he's desperate for a job, any job. He loves UAB and is doing all he can. He's as good at pulling the levers of money and power in this state as we are ever likely to find.

(09-25-2013 12:23 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I wonder if BBF has been paying attention sometimes.

Are you and Scorpio suggesting that the UAB FB program is fully equipped as is except for the OCS? I would disagree.

(09-25-2013 12:05 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The OCS project seems to be delayed due to circumstances beyond UAB's control. So the question remains, What program improvements in other facilities can UAB construct that would be helpful to the program's growth in the meantime?

Remember the fundraising campaign that was announced? It included a field house and I hope it's more of a football complex complete with amenities such as a player's lounge and gaming area.

(09-25-2013 12:29 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 12:23 PM)the_blazerman Wrote:  I wonder if BBF has been paying attention sometimes.

Are you and Scorpio suggesting that the UAB FB program is fully equipped as is except for the OCS? I would disagree.

What he and I are saying is that the questions you are asking as been talked about at nauseum on this board.

(09-25-2013 11:29 AM)the Dragon Wrote:  I'm glad Gary said this, and I agree.

However, our best option is for those who love UAB to keep showing up and encouraging people to come. I know it is futile if we don't win, but I believe a winning season is upon us. If we don't get it this year, surely, it will come next year when we are loaded with quality veteran players. We need attendance to improve dramatically as the wins come.

Then we can rattle the cage and make our case again.

This

(09-25-2013 12:29 PM)UAB?IAB Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 12:05 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  The OCS project seems to be delayed due to circumstances beyond UAB's control. So the question remains, What program improvements in other facilities can UAB construct that would be helpful to the program's growth in the meantime?

Remember the fundraising campaign that was announced? It included a field house and I hope it's more of a football complex complete with amenities such as a player's lounge and gaming area.

It is, complete with meeting rooms coaches offices, etc. The original design has a tunnel under the street that comes up mysteriously in the proposed stadium location. Well the location of that thing on the master schedule that resembles an open end horse shoe stadium. I'm sure it's a coincidence.

Getting rid of the academic restrictions would go a long way

(09-25-2013 01:40 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  Getting rid of the academic restrictions would go a long way

I haven't always felt this way, but I don't think our academic restrictions hold us back athletically at all. Is there a recruit that we recently lost to another D1 school because they didn't qualify for UAB? I know there are a couple that had to go JuCo, but doesn't that mean they wouldn't have gotten in anywhere?

(09-25-2013 01:40 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  Getting rid of the academic restrictions would go a long way

According to McGee, our academic restrictions are a plus.

Yep, he embraces our academic requirements.

(09-25-2013 02:06 PM)Dracarys Wrote:  

(09-25-2013 01:40 PM)bladhmadh Wrote:  Getting rid of the academic restrictions would go a long way

I haven't always felt this way, but I don't think our academic restrictions hold us back athletically at all. Is there a recruit that we recently lost to another D1 school because they didn't qualify for UAB? I know there are a couple that had to go JuCo, but doesn't that mean they wouldn't have gotten in anywhere?

Yes... It's not that cut in dry though. We recruit guys that are close to meeting our standards knowing they have the possibility of getting there. Some of those guys commit to us. Once their fall semester is done we know whether they are going to make it or not. If they do, they (hopefully) stay committed; if they don't, we quit recruiting them and they decommit and go to Troy or Southern Miss or wherever. Every year since we put the standards in place we lose commits just after christmas break is over when they have their first semester grades and we know where they stand. Many of those players are guys we have had to say "Sorry, we can't get you in school" to.

He is smart. He is turning what Callaway and Davis was calling a negative into a positive. There is no question that we would be in better shape if we were on a level playing field with our peers. There are several former Blazers (I won't name names) that would not get into UAB today.

When you add everything up he has two hands tied behind his back. I think he is about to turn it around though.

Matt is dead spot on.

Stanford is currently #5 in the AP poll. I don't know their academic standards for the football program, but what is the academic reputation of that university?

Point is, we don't have to use comic books as textbooks in the sociology department to do well.

Our pool of athletes to choose from is much much smaller. There is a laundry list of kids we simply could not get in school. many we have to face in C-USA or when we play a belt school in both basketball and football. There are kids we simply do not recruit because we simply cannot waste the time and effort on a kid we know we will never get in school on our limited budget.

Some folks are fine with that and that's fine. Just don't get pissed when we don't recruit Johnny Doe and he goes to Southern Miss and throws 5 TD passes on our defense.

(09-25-2013 02:29 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Stanford is currently #5 in the AP poll. I don't know their academic standards for the football program, but what is the academic reputation of that university?

Point is, we don't have to use comic books as textbooks in the sociology department to do well.

Apples, meet oranges. Stanford gets the pick of the great student/athletes produced by state education systems far superior to Alabama's. The pool of quality players that are also good students is much smaller in UAB's recruiting area. We get beat out for the best of those guys by schools with better academic reputations like Vandy and Ga Tech. The pool you have left that might be interested in UAB aren't as good academically or aren't the same level athletically. So UAB is ending up with better students who have a hard time competing on the FBS level.

It's going to take a really good coach to overcome it.

I liked where Gary also mentioned UAH's problem too as there're 3 universities in the system not 1

(09-25-2013 02:29 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Stanford is currently #5 in the AP poll. I don't know their academic standards for the football program, but what is the academic reputation of that university?

Point is, we don't have to use comic books as textbooks in the sociology department to do well.

I'm pretty sure Stanford lowered its academic standards for athletes a few years back. And presto, they are a national power. Vandy did it too, and wow, they went to three straight bowl games!

If we can turn the corner we appear to be turning AND lower the athletic requirements to where everyone else is, then we will see a positive result...quickly.

Sanders is just as sick and tired, as we all are, of being "hoodwinked" by the Board of Trustees for them not putting the on campus stadium on the "agenda".

What makes me just as sick is hearing some of you say "Lets put more bodies in the stands, and win more games. That'll show them". Oh my gosh, how lame. Makes me want to barf.