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

(12-15-2014 02:03 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 01:50 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  Speaking of friends of our enemies...certain OTHER things have been written negatively about us this week by those who would oppose our progress will come back around to strengthening our cause in the near future.

Which item was most noticeable and "toxic" in nature to you?

I don't want to say b/c I want him to keep writing and I now believe what everyone says on here--that this forum is monitored by lackeys and spies.

(12-15-2014 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:34 AM)Hopeful Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 09:50 AM)ThankUBasedQuad Wrote:  It has always REALLY bothered me that people hate UAB Football so much. I don't quite understand it, they yell that we're losers and worthless, and get so worked up that people actually support that program.

Really must suck to walk around that angry all the doggone time.

The undercurrent was always there.

It's just something about Birmingham being successful in anything that generates animosity in people around here. It's stupid considering that the city doing well means good things for the whole state. I believe there are a variety of reasons, but it's highly nuanced and really uncomfortable to talk about.

Birminghamsters are not real Alabamians.

This. I moved here from Memphis and previously grew up in Atlanta. While Tennesseeans have some animosity towards Memphis, I do not believe it was as intense as it is here. At least for TN's sake they have fallback options if something goes wrong with Memphis financially: Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, etc. Either way, the theme is common here - Memphis and Bham, two cities that are almost quite parallel, both have black leaders quite often, and both feel the brunt of their state's respective criticisms.

If Birmingham fails, Alabama doesn't have anything to fall back, yet these people want to see Bham fail and blame it on the leadership. This tanks their state, which has always been scary to me. They seriously wouldn't mind cutting off their nose to spite their face if their nose has a dark enough skin color.

The people aren't backwards here (for the most part) but the politics sure as hell are.

(12-15-2014 03:04 PM)ThankUBasedQuad Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:36 AM)Smaug Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:34 AM)Hopeful Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 09:50 AM)ThankUBasedQuad Wrote:  It has always REALLY bothered me that people hate UAB Football so much. I don't quite understand it, they yell that we're losers and worthless, and get so worked up that people actually support that program.

Really must suck to walk around that angry all the doggone time.

The undercurrent was always there.

It's just something about Birmingham being successful in anything that generates animosity in people around here. It's stupid considering that the city doing well means good things for the whole state. I believe there are a variety of reasons, but it's highly nuanced and really uncomfortable to talk about.

Birminghamsters are not real Alabamians.

This. I moved here from Memphis and previously grew up in Atlanta. While Tennesseeans have some animosity towards Memphis, I do not believe it was as intense as it is here. At least for TN's sake they have fallback options if something goes wrong with Memphis financially: Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, etc. Either way, the theme is common here - Memphis and Bham, two cities that are almost quite parallel, both have black leaders quite often, and both feel the brunt of their state's respective criticisms.

If Birmingham fails, Alabama doesn't have anything to fall back, yet these people want to see Bham fail and blame it on the leadership. This tanks their state, which has always been scary to me. They seriously wouldn't mind cutting off their nose to spite their face if their nose has a dark enough skin color.

The people aren't backwards here (for the most part) but the politics sure as hell are.

This.

Having lived in Birmingham for half my life and Memphis for half my life, I can say without a doubt that the rest of Alabama is much more accepting of Birmingham than the rest of Tennessee is of Memphis. It isn't even close.

I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

(12-15-2014 04:36 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Having lived in Birmingham for half my life and Memphis for half my life, I can say without a doubt that the rest of Alabama is much more accepting of Birmingham than the rest of Tennessee is of Memphis. It isn't even close.

Then pity poor Memphis because the Birmingham hate is real and palpable.

(12-15-2014 04:39 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

Memphis's nickname in the rest of Tennessee is Memfrica.

Memfrica Blazer?

(12-15-2014 05:27 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 04:39 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

Memphis's nickname in the rest of Tennessee is Memfrica.

The big difference here probably is that the rest of Alabama isn't clever enough to come up with an offensive play on "Birmingham".

I guess Bombingham will have to do.

(12-15-2014 10:41 AM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:34 AM)Hopeful Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 09:50 AM)ThankUBasedQuad Wrote:  It has always REALLY bothered me that people hate UAB Football so much. I don't quite understand it, they yell that we're losers and worthless, and get so worked up that people actually support that program.

Really must suck to walk around that angry all the doggone time.

The undercurrent was always there.

It's just something about Birmingham being successful in anything that generates animosity in people around here. It's stupid considering that the city doing well means good things for the whole state. I believe there are a variety of reasons, but it's highly nuanced and really uncomfortable to talk about.

It's not highly nuanced. It's just blatant discrimination and the undercurrents are racism and fear.

Ding, ding, ding... Winner.

(12-15-2014 04:39 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

And simple jealousy because Birmingham is awesome.

(12-15-2014 06:38 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 04:39 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

And simple jealousy because Birmingham is awesome.

Given that Birmingham was booming when the rest of the state was still reeling from the Civil War, and was young and rich when the rest of Alabama was old and poor, I don't know if your comment was flippant or not, but it was dead on.

(12-15-2014 06:42 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 06:38 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 04:39 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I can't speak to that, but the rest of Alabama certainly has no problem with crapping on Birmingham. Much as I hate to say it, a large part of that animosity is race based.

And simple jealousy because Birmingham is awesome.

Given that Birmingham was booming when the rest of the state was still reeling from the Civil War, and was young and rich when the rest of Alabama was old and poor, I don't know if your comment was flippant or not, but it was dead on.

+1 The twin industries of the state, for a time, represented dualing political interests. In some ways, the state still hasn't reconciled the interests of the industrial versus the agrarian.

That, and others in the state have never forgiven Birmingham as being the state that "lost" their side of the Civil Rights Movement.

Perhaps this issue will help to unify Birmingham, galvanize the entire (or at least a large part of) community, and bring about an ultimate change in Alabama culture, politics, etc.