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(11-10-2014 06:08 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 04:37 PM)blazr Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 04:21 PM)BamaScorpio69 Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 04:04 PM)blazr Wrote:  The NCAA requires a minimum number of men's and women's sports, and specifically men's and women's basketball, to stay at the D-1 level. In addition, each conference typically requires member schools to sponsor specific sports (e.g., football for the SEC - just to abstract it a bit). I have no idea what the A-10 mandates but it's a moot point in any case: UAB is not getting invited to the A-10 after getting booted from CUSA.

If you don't know what the A-10 mandates then how do you know UAB isn't getting an invite? Are you speculating or do you have facts? And you can't have facts if you don't know what the A-10, Big South. or any other non-football conference mandates. UAB and VCU played in the same conferences for years.

Without checking the sports VCU sponsors, I am pretty sure it's near to what UAB sponsors. And if VCU is in the A-10, then why wouldn't UAB qualify for the A-10, Big South, MVC, etc. You're not giving valid reasons as to why UAB wouldn't be considered for that conference.

The reasons UAB won't get invited to the A-10 has nothing to do with how many, or which, sports UAB sponsors. Don't be deliberately obtuse and confuse the two issues. One question is what UAB cuts to save money if they cut football (A: they can only cut so much because there is an NCAA minimum). Second question is will UAB get invited to the A-10 (A: No, unless Mackin and someone on his behalf has changed a lot of minds in the past, oh, 9 months AND the A-10 plans on losing at least one school. That's not speculation, it's based on direct conversations. If Mackin has been lobbying the A-10, he's an even bigger lying, backstabbing ******** than many of us are beginning to think.)

The POINT, YET AGAIN, IS: even if Mackin's (apparently) wet dream of being in the A-10 materializes, UAB athletics is STILL going to nosedive. Just because UAB doesn't have football doesn't mean it doesn't need donors and fans...and those will be long gone in droves. Say what you want, stick around if you want, donate money if you want...doesn't change the fact that you will be among the 1 in 10 (or 20, 30, +) who does. Have fun.

First, you're taking stuff way too personal. Second, don't answer a question with a question. Third, you know people, I know people. I don't know the people you know, but I know people who support UAB Athletics like it was their own child. Here's a newflash, as much as they would like to see UAB Football succeed, they believe in their heart UAB Football has hurt basketball. It's their opinion and they're entitled to it right or wrong as it be. I also know UAB supporters that fully believe UAB Football has helped basketball. They are entitled to their opinions as well right or wrong as it may be..

No doubt whatever happens, losing UAB Football cannot happen and I think you would agree it goes deeper than Athletics. Gene Bartow would be fighting until his last breath to save UAB Football. But even if Gene lost the battle and would still tell us to continue supporting UAB Athletics.

So since this is a very sensitive subject for most of you, I will let it be. I will do whatever is ask of me to help keep UAB Football alive. But I will never stop supporting Gene's true love which was his basketball program.

I am one of those people "who supports UAB Athletics like it was their own child". Ask anyone who knows me. I have been a basketball season ticket holder since the Arena opened and a member of what was then know as the Golden 100 ever since. I was a basketball fan long before I became a football fan. I was a UAB basketball fan long before I was a UAB football fan and I know a lot of boosters just like me. I don't know anyone who believes that UAB’s football program has hurt its basketball program. And if there are those that do, they are fools. Without football we could not have stayed in C-USA, and if there had been any institutional support for the football we could have moved on to a better conference by now along with other former C-USA members.

Go look at the teams in the A-10 – not a bad basketball conference – but not a step up, but to those of us who really bleed green and gold, that is of little consequence. For those of us who have contributed our time and hard earned money, who have fought every battle, what is important is whether we have an administration at UAB which will defend the entire athletic program. Until now we have had a succession of AD’s and UAB presidents who took risks to start the program, to expand the program, and then to defend it against all incursions. Now, that support appears to be gone. If the football program is cancelled, we will know there we will have no one who will defend the program against the BOT.

The only thing these people understand is money. So I have made clear to the UAB athletic administration that I will no longer support the program with my money if they cut football. I have talked to enough people who contribute far more than I who have done the exact same thing. Trust when I tell you that if only the people I have talked to withdraw their financial support, basketball and every other remaining UAB will be in deep and serious trouble. No one likes making those threats and, for many like myself it will tear out a living part of us if we have to make good on those threats, but trust me we will walk and not come back. We have made this an all or nothing proposition because unless the President and the AD totally support the program, it is not worth our support.