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Whitmire article on UAB hiding expenses

The Blazer related part:

"I’ve had some experience with Bakken. A few years ago, I gave him a request for emails between university officials and a consulting firm that had recommended axing UAB football. Bakken told me he had given me everything I asked for, but a few weeks later I got leaked a trove of emails he hadn’t turned over — including emails between the consultant and Bakken."

This is what still sickens me about the situation at UAB. All those **** heads that participated in the plot are still there, drawing big salaries for being toadies. Every administrator involved should have been fired.

I love this University and I love the Blazers but the rot is still there waiting to **** us if they get the chance.

Fire Ray Watts. This sort of thing is why we said all along that it wasn't about football. They gave us football back to keep us quiet. The obsessive secrecy Whitmire describes has Joe Espy's handprints all over it: it's not an uncommon practice, other universities do it, but our Trustees just reflexively have to conduct the public's business in private. Makes you wonder why.

Not sure we would have won TheReturn without Bakken the Bammer Baller. We were fortunate they didn't put someone mildly competent in that chair after they removed the previous law-abiding occupant.

(01-10-2020 10:59 PM)58-56 Wrote:  Fire Ray Watts. This sort of thing is why we said all along that it wasn't about football. They gave us football back to keep us quiet. The obsessive secrecy Whitmire describes has Joe Espy's handprints all over it: it's not an uncommon practice, other universities do it, but our Trustees just reflexively have to conduct the public's business in private. Makes you wonder why.

Not sure we would have won TheReturn without Bakken the Bammer Baller. We were fortunate they didn't put someone mildly competent in that chair after they removed the previous law-abiding occupant.

It wasn't? Then why did the Free UAB movement stop?

"THEY" did not "give us football back to keep us quiet". It may have been President Watts who realized that with C-USA making good on its threat to expel UAB after one year's grace period, that he might be blamed for destroying the entire UAB athletic program if the Blazers were not invited into a basketball only conference (I never heard of one being offered at that time). With no conference, UAB would face the reality of having to play as an independent which probably meant playing nearly all games after the New Year on the road. Imagine having practically no home games from Jan 1st through March Madness. (How many OOC away games does UAB have on its schedule this winter during the conference season?) .

The "Free UAB". movement stalled because our support was cancelled by the Montgomery strength of the UA System. If you don't realize how little "Local / home rule" is allowed under the state Constitution of 1901, then you are new to the state's history. Every change from trivial to important has to go through the state legislature and perhaps also a state wide constitutional amendment vote. That is why this state has the longest constitution in the world with well over 1,000 amendments so far (with more being on the ballot for Nov. 2020).

(01-13-2020 03:51 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  "THEY" did not "give us football back to keep us quiet". It may have been President Watts who realized that with C-USA making good on its threat to expel UAB after one year's grace period, that he might be blamed for destroying the entire UAB athletic program if the Blazers were not invited into a basketball only conference (I never heard of one being offered at that time). With no conference, UAB would face the reality of having to play as an independent which probably meant playing nearly all games after the New Year on the road. Imagine having practically no home games from Jan 1st through March Madness. (How many OOC away games does UAB have on its schedule this winter during the conference season?) .

The "Free UAB". movement stalled because our support was cancelled by the Montgomery strength of the UA System. If you don't realize how little "Local / home rule" is allowed under the state Constitution of 1901, then you are new to the state's history. Every change from trivial to important has to go through the state legislature and perhaps also a state wide constitutional amendment vote. That is why this state has the longest constitution in the world with well over 1,000 amendments so far (with more being on the ballot for Nov. 2020).

Where is Walt Madox when you need him, Yea, I really like the former flamers that went to UAB. and they cheer for Bama or the Tigers their alligience is frightening. Like I know people that played for the Blazers and their Bigs for Bama and Auburn. Its the worst thing like go their then.

Would love to see a big ethics investigation and send in the FBI to clean house.

Saying one wants to "send in the FBI to clean house" is similar to "Fire Ray Watts" in real effect. The FBI can only be sent in if a federal issue is involved, just like the only ones who can Fire Ray Watts are the ones who hired him -- and the same ones who would replace him with their next choice. UAB, like B'ham and Jeffco are ruled under the Alabama Constitution of 1901 which made the state legislature omnipotent within the state. Even the Alabama state Board of Education will probably be under the legislative thumb after the vote to end its election in Nov 2020 (see Amendment #1).