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+------- Thread: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? (/thread-929698.html)
Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - HiddenDragon - 09-16-2021 05:12 AM
https://twitter.com/GSwaim/status/1437909416368615425
![[Image: 5n5vy4.jpg]](https://i.imgflip.com/5n5vy4.jpg)
RE: Greg Swaim tweeted this yesterday. - HiddenDragon - 09-16-2021 05:21 AM
This is interesting because the Fort Worth Telegram reported that the PAC 12 nearly invited Houston and TCU to the conference and that the option is still on the table.
Also stated that if the schools were offered Houston would immediately stop the process of entering the Big 12.
This is why you're still hearing talk of the Big 12 possibly going to 16 due to possibly losing a couple of more schools.
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - blazerjay - 09-16-2021 07:22 AM
You can listened to the archived show at https://www.gregswaim.com/Radio/
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - blazr - 09-16-2021 07:27 AM
It makes sense that they've put it out there if they're not done. Aresco moves quick and he moves publicly. The fact that a token press conference has been all we've heard from him tells me the AAC is having to wait on Big XII/PAC 12 moves to settle for now, then start reloading.
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - blazerjay - 09-16-2021 07:28 AM
A little background, his show is out of Stillwater, OK and has been on the air for 34 years at KPSI-AM.
You can listened to the archived show at https://www.gregswaim.com/Radio/
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - BlazerGreen - 09-16-2021 07:40 AM
I would be surprised if they went with more Mtn or Pacific time zone teams. The center of gravity for college football is definitely shifting further south. High school football is fading on the West Coast and in the NE. What's recruiting going to be like in those areas 20-30 years from now? I think there's a good chance at least San Diego State and Boise State end up in the Pac 12 anyway after they lose some teams to the Big 10. I think that's inevitable.
Viewership for sports is declining across the board in the US (except maybe for the MLS which is coming from a much lower base). I think conferences and networks are going to be looking at which areas of the country are more likely to retain a strong interest in college football. UAB could not be better situated for that analysis.
Got to avoid games like last Saturday. I will say that blown out by #2 is better than getting whipped at home by an FCS like Colorado State.
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - DuelingDragon - 09-16-2021 08:36 AM
Here are some factors favoring UAB in the future, for any conference moves, regardless of how the landscape shifts.
-- We're smack-dab in the middle of the fastest-growing region of the country. The winds of population shifts and economic growth are blowing southeast.
-- We're the No. 1 market for college football. Yeah, it's driven by Alabama and Auburn but the ratings are undeniable that Alabama loves college football of any kind (except losing football; we don't like that). If UAB puts a competitive product on the field, people will watch. Not only will people watch UAB -- they will watch games not involving UAB. To GG's point above; with viewership declining, conferences and networks are looking for strong bets to mitigate that erosion.
-- Planting a flag in SEC territory would be important for some groupings.
-- It's a virtual certainty there will be more movement in the major conferences and thus movement up.
-- We don't have a major pro team competing for attention and corporate support.
-- The next few years are incredibly important. I know we've been saying that for 20+ years, but this is an incremental process. Things can change quickly. Five years ago, was anyone mentioning Coastal Carolina for *anything*? Heck, in 2016 when we were sitting out, it was ludicrous to most people not wearing Green and Gold to think UAB would even be *good* much less being on the radar for a conference move of any kind.
-- UAB has got to do the following things:
1. Keep winning. We're doing a great job of winning the vast majority of games against comparable or weaker teams. Can't stop that. But yeah, it'd help to win some against *better* competition. Or at least make a respectable showing.
2. Return basketball to the Bartow Standard. I think we're on our way with that.
3. Continue the financial investment, growing both the overall donor base and expanding the number of larger individual and corporate contributors.
4. Fill those seats.
5. Show up strategically. We need to take crowds on the road and to our bowl games.
6. Improve in the other sports. UAB has some success but just being honest, the overall athletic program is not as competitive as it needs to be. I know that isn't necessarily the driving force, but if you want to move past the American to whatever the next tier of grouping is (with Cincinnati, UCF, etc.) in the future, UAB needs to start turning the facilities investments into Ws in sports like baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and especially soccer.
This is all an evolution. Needless to say, we weren't doing much of any of this from 2008-13 which is why we got left out. (Yeah, politics and all that but let's be honest, the mirror tells a story too). We've addressed almost every reason we were left out. Some great thing are happening and are about to happen, but we can't ever take the foot off the gas. There are even bigger places we can go!
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - UABGrad - 09-16-2021 09:40 AM
Pair them up and there we are. SMU and Tulane would be our competition for a “paired” spot. None of the 3 are perfect selections so why not us:)
BYU
Boise
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas St
OK St
TCU
TT
WVU
UC
Mem
UAB
Baylor
Houston
UCF
USF
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - DuelingDragon - 09-16-2021 09:53 AM
(09-16-2021 09:40 AM)UABGrad Wrote: Pair them up and there we are. SMU and Tulane would be our competition for a “paired” spot. None of the 3 are perfect selections so why not us:)
BYU
Boise
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas St
OK St
TCU
TT
WVU
UC
Mem
UAB
Baylor
Houston
UCF
USF
Good look. I think eventually some of the other original B12 members will depart and there will be room for UAB as well as SMU and Tulane.
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - HiddenDragon - 09-16-2021 02:57 PM
(09-16-2021 09:40 AM)UABGrad Wrote: Pair them up and there we are. SMU and Tulane would be our competition for a “paired” spot. None of the 3 are perfect selections so why not us:)
BYU
Boise
Iowa St
Kansas
Kansas St
OK St
TCU
TT
WVU
UC
Mem
UAB
Baylor
Houston
UCF
USF
That is what I say as well. Especially if the PAC 12 decides to reverse course and invite TCU and Houston as reported in the Fort Worth Telegram.
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - DuelingDragon - 09-16-2021 03:16 PM
Within a decade, Pac-12 goes from Texas and Oklahoma joining to having to fight for TCU and Houston. SMH
RE: Greg Swaim: UAB a candidate for Big XII??? - HiddenDragon - 09-16-2021 03:26 PM
DuelingDragon, I don't want you to take this the wrong way but I don't respond to your responses because I can't see them. I'm not sure if the feeling is mutual but I can't with you.