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

Just got off the phone of a good friend who is on the NAS board and met with Dr. Watts this evening. This is what was shared with me.

1. As stated from beginning, UAB contributes $20 million annually to athletics. Will not increase any more from institutional funds,so we must raise money.
2. Money is almost there to cover the donut hole of $15 mil.
3. Additional money is required for some facility needs (Turf and coaches /football complex). We need to come up with more before university will commit to a bond issue. We need to do our part is what I understand.
3. Total number has moved. Donut hole plus facilities needs to be @ $25 million.
4. OCS is not on table currently. Fillers commitment is contingent on OCS,so his commitment needs to be re-assessed to help us out.
5. Watts met with ATF this morning.
6. Decision by Monday. If money is not there...no returning of sports.

** Big bummer... Observation was that Ingram acted like a Watts puppet.

We can do this. Keep asking for pledges! We need corporate and small business donors to pledge.

A lot to do in 5 days!!! Go Blazers!!

I wouldn't be too bummed about Ingram. Watts signs his check. If we give him money and Watts gives the go ahead we'll be ok.

Having said that I expect the goalposts to be moved or a penalty (i.e. not counting some pledges) before Monday. If Filler would change his pledge to facility improvements OR stadium it would be a big deal. As long as we're breaking ground on the physical plant that is a HUGE deal.

If that's true, and $25 million is what we need, I feel certain that we can get it.

If they will only count our contributions, and we can get Mr. Filler to reach a compromise. I feel like if football comes back, then it's only a matter of time before a stadium is in the picture anyway.

Finally, I wish Watts would be more transparent. If he wants us to do our part, all he needs to do is communicate and let us know what that part is. People are ready, willing and able to do whatever needs to be done, they just need their "leader" to step up and lead.

Will he commit to returning the sports if we fill the donut hole without the extra for facilities immediately ( i.e., can we work on getting the $ together for the facilities upgrade after reinstating the teams? ) ?

(05-27-2015 09:05 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  Will he commit to returning the sports if we fill the donut hole without the extra for facilities immediately ( i.e., can we work on getting the $ together for the facilities upgrade after reinstating the teams? ) ?

Probably not, he's stringing us along and telling the ATF/NAS this information less than a week from his decision. He's intentionally trying to make it difficult.

Ingram is spineless

He's bending though. There's a target now. There's hope.

The only way to reach that is for Filler to change his donation to be for general facilities and to raise a few more million...all in about 4 days. All of this and every donation has to be on the proper form and counted.

I like how they wait until 4 days before the announcement to say what the proper number is.

(05-27-2015 09:05 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  Will he commit to returning the sports if we fill the donut hole without the extra for facilities immediately ( i.e., can we work on getting the $ together for the facilities upgrade after reinstating the teams? ) ?

My contact told me that he felt like Watts wanted the city to build an OCS for us.

I've expected moving goal posts all along. I bet Justin has as well.

(05-27-2015 09:09 PM)TMcCarty Wrote:  He's bending though. There's a target now. There's hope.

Lets just hope that the target stays put long enough for us to hit the bullseye with our pledges/commitments, etc.

(05-27-2015 09:09 PM)Shrack Wrote:  The only way to reach that is for Filler to change his donation to be for general facilities and to raise a few more million...all in about 4 days. All of this and every donation has to be on the proper form and counted.

I like how they wait until 4 days before the announcement to say what the proper number is.

What I would love is if Craft, Filler and Hire have been low-balling intentionally to see if Watts would give them a higher number and then announce tomorrow that we've blown Watts' number out of the water.

Please God, let that be the case.

(05-27-2015 09:11 PM)blzr4life Wrote:  My contact told me that he felt like Watts wanted the city to build an OCS for us.

I bet the city would pitch in. They are not going to do it for us. UAB and/or the BoT is going to have to participate for that to happen.

Another question,, what do we need bonds for?? Those remodels/ practice turf shouldnt require a bond to finance if we have enough from pledges to pay the tab or is it a situation where the 5 years that the pledges were originally set for might not generate enough money in yr 1 to pay the tab for those items as well as front the funds to cover the 'donut hole' in expected costs in that year??

(05-27-2015 09:07 PM)TNBLAZERS Wrote:  Ingram is spineless

STFU dude. Seriously, the man has been on the job for two weeks. Give it a damn rest and focus your pisstivity at Watts and the BOT.

(05-27-2015 09:13 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  

(05-27-2015 09:11 PM)blzr4life Wrote:  My contact told me that he felt like Watts wanted the city to build an OCS for us.

I bet the city would pitch in. They are not going to do it for us. UAB and/or the BoT is going to have to participate for that to happen.

Sounds to me like Watts is just trying his best to make impossible requests so that he has some sort of justification for his decision.

Why on earth would any leader worth his salt ask someone else to build a revenue maker? The city might build a multi-purpose facility close to the baseball stadium and railroad park and let us be tenants, but they'd be crazy to give us any revenue off of it. College Football done well is big business and Watts is an idiot not to try and plant that money tree.

(05-27-2015 09:07 PM)TNBLAZERS Wrote:  Ingram is spineless

Is that summary judgement based on local knowledge from his past in TN?? or some other basis???

(05-27-2015 09:15 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  Another question,, what do we need bonds for?? Those remodels/ practice turf shouldnt require a bond to finance if we have enough from pledges to pay the tab or is it a situation where the 5 years that the pledges were originally set for might not generate enough money in yr 1 to pay the tab for those items as well as front the funds to cover the 'donut hole' in expected costs in that year??

Only potential items that would need/benefit from bonds would be stadium and indoor practice facility.

(05-27-2015 09:13 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  

(05-27-2015 09:11 PM)blzr4life Wrote:  My contact told me that he felt like Watts wanted the city to build an OCS for us.

I bet the city would pitch in. They are not going to do it for us. UAB and/or the BoT is going to have to participate for that to happen.

Watts knows an OCS would ignite growth and that is what the BOT doesn't want. Fact is UAB needs an OCS period and for me there is no exception.

(05-27-2015 08:57 PM)blzr4life Wrote:  Just got off the phone of a good friend who is on the NAS board and met with Dr. Watts this evening. This is what was shared with me.

1. As stated from beginning, UAB contributes $20 million annually to athletics. Will not increase any more from institutional funds,so we must raise money.
2. Money is almost there to cover the donut hole of $15 mil.
3. Additional money is required for some facility needs (Turf and coaches /football complex). We need to come up with more before university will commit to a bond issue. We need to do our part is what I understand.
3. Total number has moved. Donut hole plus facilities needs to be @ $25 million.
4. OCS is not on table currently. Fillers commitment is contingent on OCS,so his commitment needs to be re-assessed to help us out.
5. Watts met with ATF this morning.
6. Decision by Monday. If money is not there...no returning of sports.

** Big bummer... Observation was that Ingram acted like a Watts puppet.

We can do this. Keep asking for pledges! We need corporate and small business donors to pledge.

A lot to do in 5 days!!! Go Blazers!!

I think Fillers commitment was based on distrust of Watts and the BOT. He doesn't want to give $7.5 million only to have them cancel football in five years with him having given away his money for nothing...