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

(09-03-2021 06:04 PM)BandGrad Wrote:  Hey- here’s something else: if UAB goes to the AAC that would open the door for an invite to the Birmingham Bowl. Lol

I'd take it in a heartbeat.

(09-03-2021 09:26 AM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  I've been posting on their board for the last two weeks going back and forth with realignment chatter. I have not been pimping UAB or been anti-AAC for most of my posting on their board (except I told AttackCoog after his continuous anti UAB comments that I hope we never step foot in the f'ing conference).

Most of the AAC posters are not interested in what UAB or any other CUSA team has to offer and blah blah blah. They're pissed that they're losing three of their best programs with no viable options to replace them with.

So if you're expecting them to have open arms for UAB possibly joining you ain't gonna get it. I would say tread lightly if you post on their board but...........well just sayin'.

First of all, not everyone on the AAC board is against UAB. I have seen many posters say that UAB should be #1 on the expansion list including me.

Second, you have been posting constantly on that board - and you have every right to do so - but remember that not everyone is in a good mood right now. If Cincinnati was not one of the teams getting an invite to the B12 I can understand how that would be crushing and the last thing I wanted to think about was other potential teams moving in. Give it some time and it would be easier to do so.

Third, and related to the second point, the AAC has been a positive work in progress over the years. We've had to fight hard and build our brand to try and keep up with the Jones's. It's been a really good league to be a part of and I will miss some of the teams and rivalries. I know the "P6" narrative has angered some but our commissioner has been very good overall. Shoot, I'd rather have him than Bowlsby because I believe Mike Aresco has done more with less. There's been a real camaraderie between the programs in the American and it is breaking up. Thus, some of the butt-hurt.

Finally, I think UAB is a no brainer add to the AAC. I appreciate the past history that Cincinnati has had with you guys going back to our days in hoops. You've come a long way in a short time and are building something really good. That new stadium is fantastic and I understand a new basketball arena is planned or will be starting soon. You have great coaches in place for your revenue sports, a great research institution and a good market size and following. You check all the boxes that conferences are looking for. I wish you guys the best of luck moving forward. Would be great if Cincinnati and UAB could work out a future schedule in either football or hoops. Who knows...

(09-04-2021 07:50 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(09-03-2021 09:26 AM)HiddenDragon Wrote:  I've been posting on their board for the last two weeks going back and forth with realignment chatter. I have not been pimping UAB or been anti-AAC for most of my posting on their board (except I told AttackCoog after his continuous anti UAB comments that I hope we never step foot in the f'ing conference).

Most of the AAC posters are not interested in what UAB or any other CUSA team has to offer and blah blah blah. They're pissed that they're losing three of their best programs with no viable options to replace them with.

So if you're expecting them to have open arms for UAB possibly joining you ain't gonna get it. I would say tread lightly if you post on their board but...........well just sayin'.

First of all, not everyone on the AAC board is against UAB. I have seen many posters say that UAB should be #1 on the expansion list including me.

Second, you have been posting constantly on that board - and you have every right to do so - but remember that not everyone is in a good mood right now. If Cincinnati was not one of the teams getting an invite to the B12 I can understand how that would be crushing and the last thing I wanted to think about was other potential teams moving in. Give it some time and it would be easier to do so.

Third, and related to the second point, the AAC has been a positive work in progress over the years. We've had to fight hard and build our brand to try and keep up with the Jones's. It's been a really good league to be a part of and I will miss some of the teams and rivalries. I know the "P6" narrative has angered some but our commissioner has been very good overall. Shoot, I'd rather have him than Bowlsby because I believe Mike Aresco has done more with less. There's been a real camaraderie between the programs in the American and it is breaking up. Thus, some of the butt-hurt.

Finally, I think UAB is a no brainer add to the AAC. I appreciate the past history that Cincinnati has had with you guys going back to our days in hoops. You've come a long way in a short time and are building something really good. That new stadium is fantastic and I understand a new basketball arena is planned or will be starting soon. You have great coaches in place for your revenue sports, a great research institution and a good market size and following. You check all the boxes that conferences are looking for. I wish you guys the best of luck moving forward. Would be great if Cincinnati and UAB could work out a future schedule in either football or hoops. Who knows...

Great post. Thanks for the support. I'd love to get UC back on the schedule at some point. I have very fond memories of watching UC in Bartow in the 90s and 2000s.

I see plenty of interest in UAB. I'd also take the haters with a grain of salt. What I've observed is they fall into two groups. People who never liked UAB anyway and people who are hurting because they were left behind.

My rebuttal to the first group is this isn't the UAB you remember from 2010.

To the second group, there isn't much to say. They'll either come around or they won't.

I do hate we'll be missing out on Cincy, though. Always liked playing them.

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Like others have stated, I remember the feeling when Marquette, UC, Louisville, DePaul, St Louis, Charlotte etc left in 05 and we brought in UCF, Marshall, UTEP, Tulsa, etc. I was bummed because I absolutely loved CUSA basketball and now I'd have to settle for watching UCF or UTEP instead of UC or Louisville. I never really considered CUSA 2.0 a very good baseball league, probably because Memphis dominated it, but it was still a blow when all of the current AAC teams left and we brought in all of our current members. It's nothing against the teams we currently have but its a sucky feeling to be left behind so I totally understand how a lot of them are feeling right now.

Cincinnati was my favorite team to play in the old GMW/C-USA 1.0. There were some great games in football and basketball, as well as other sports. Cincinnati is a great city to road trip, too, and the campus is nice. Plus the friendship of Coach Bartow and Coach Huggins was real.

I have missed seeing UAB competing against the Bearcats, nothing but respect for how they have grown their program over the long haul. In a lot of ways, it is a good model for UAB, in that UC was a hoops-driven school that invested in and built football the right way, built to sustain through coaching changes and the inevitable down cycles. It was not that long ago that UC Football was down in the dumps. Their success is something every urban G5 would aspire to achieve. UAB is now doing the things it takes, and we’re seeing the results.

UCF fan here. Not that I have any real influence as just a random fan of one of the teams leaving the AAC, but UAB would definitely be at the top of my short list. The reason the AAC strategy thrived last time while CUSA flopped was because the market type schools the AAC went after also has some sort of established success. The CUSA targets were mostly potential based. UAB checks the boxes of being a cultural fit and has had success. I think FAU should get a strong look as well. After that, I'm wondering if it's better to look at App and Louisiana rather than schools that fit the AAC culture but are still largely unproven like ODU, Charlotte, and Georgia State.

Those tv market schools being left behind are really thriving!….

Cannot make decisions based on tv markets alone. That really only was true for a 3rd of the league that was put together. The other schools have been a flop. Looking at Tulane, Tulsa, ECU, even SMU(now that the Larry Brown circus moved on, what do they have now?), Temple(inconsistent).

AAC would be wrong to pick UAB based on market if we weren’t on our current run. I wouldn’t touch Georgia state, ODU, Rice, FAU, but the AAC will probably take them over Marshall, La Tech, and Liberty. Or do some more dumb stuff like having one sport schools.

They can get it right by adding two sport schools. That’d be us, Marshall, La Tech, Liberty, or Buffalo(who don’t fit geographically).

That’s what the AAC is losing is two sport schools and all I’m seeing considered and mentioned besides us is one sport schools which doesn’t look encouraging. Like App State, Coastal, Boise, Louisiana. None of those do anything for basketball. Basketball is the heart of UAB, while football is the horse carrying us out of CUSA. There’s no way Wichita state remains if you arent adding quality hoops programs. This realignment appears to be football focused only.

Why does it appear so hard to get moves like this, right?

I visited the AAC Board last night, and many of the posts list UAB as a potential replacement team. Many want to merge with or get the top MWC teams, but others point out if those teams didn’t want to join the AAC when they had Houston, Cincy, and UCF, why would they now. At any rate, as time goes on more are mentioning UAB.

(09-04-2021 08:57 AM)DuelingDragon Wrote:  Cincinnati was my favorite team to play in the old GMW/C-USA 1.0. There were some great games in football and basketball, as well as other sports. Cincinnati is a great city to road trip, too, and the campus is nice. Plus the friendship of Coach Bartow and Coach Huggins was real.

I have missed seeing UAB competing against the Bearcats, nothing but respect for how they have grown their program over the long haul. In a lot of ways, it is a good model for UAB, in that UC was a hoops-driven school that invested in and built football the right way, built to sustain through coaching changes and the inevitable down cycles. It was not that long ago that UC Football was down in the dumps. Their success is something every urban G5 would aspire to achieve. UAB is now doing the things it takes, and we’re seeing the results.

Here, here! [or Hear, hear! LOL]

(09-04-2021 09:37 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  I visited the AAC Board last night, and many of the posts list UAB as a potential replacement team. Many want to merge with or get the top MWC teams, but others point out if those teams didn’t want to join the AAC when they had Houston, Cincy, and UCF, why would they now. At any rate, as time goes on more are mentioning UAB.

I can see adding Boise State, but SDSU? That would be tough travel for USF and Temple, and actually anyone else in the conference. I don't see it feasible for those MWC teams to join.

(09-04-2021 10:01 AM)blazerblazer Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 09:37 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  I visited the AAC Board last night, and many of the posts list UAB as a potential replacement team. Many want to merge with or get the top MWC teams, but others point out if those teams didn’t want to join the AAC when they had Houston, Cincy, and UCF, why would they now. At any rate, as time goes on more are mentioning UAB.

I can see adding Boise State, but SDSU? That would be tough travel for USF and Temple, and actually anyone else in the conference. I don't see it feasible for those MWC teams to join.

It isn’t feasible. Folks just fantasy booking the best of the rest in G5, to the AAC. Many times not making sense from a fan support, travel, rivalry, history, success, geographical standpoint, etc.

Too bad we can’t use a facepalm emoji on here.

Who wouldn’t want SDSU in the same basketball league? However, who wants to travel coast to coast?

(09-04-2021 10:01 AM)blazerblazer Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 09:37 AM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  I visited the AAC Board last night, and many of the posts list UAB as a potential replacement team. Many want to merge with or get the top MWC teams, but others point out if those teams didn’t want to join the AAC when they had Houston, Cincy, and UCF, why would they now. At any rate, as time goes on more are mentioning UAB.

I can see adding Boise State, but SDSU? That would be tough travel for USF and Temple, and actually anyone else in the conference. I don't see it feasible for those MWC teams to join.

No you can't see the AAC adding Boise. Especially an AAC without UC, UH, and UCF. Boise will make more money staying in the MWC than coming to the AAC. And Boise will probably be invited to the Big 12 if they expand to 14 like reports say they will eventually.

The aac teams left behind will explore every option to avoid their current fate, and if UaB were already there, UaB folks would all feel the same way memphis folks do. We’ve been there, done that from all sides. It sucks to feel as if you have no control over these things and to see peers advance when you have been competitive and have a lot to offer too. We’ve also been the one leaving for greener pasture before, too.

They’ll twist and turn but will eventually come around through the stages of grief and UAB will be a clear choice and strong partner. Just like the Big 12 folks did on their way to the impending moves.

I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

(09-04-2021 11:12 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yeah, that took a pretty strange turn.

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(09-04-2021 11:14 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:12 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yeah, that took a pretty strange turn.

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Yeah, You didn't deserve that. Some people have miserable lives

(09-04-2021 11:17 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:14 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:12 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yeah, that took a pretty strange turn.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Yeah, You didn't deserve that. Some people have miserable lives

It's all good. I don't take things I get called by message board yahoos personally.

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(09-04-2021 11:20 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:17 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:14 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:12 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yeah, that took a pretty strange turn.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Yeah, You didn't deserve that. Some people have miserable lives

It's all good. I don't take things I get called by message board yahoos personally.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Smaug, you are too kind. You outwitted them to the point their hatred got the best of them. You are a pro.

(09-04-2021 11:26 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:20 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:17 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:14 PM)Smaug Wrote:  

(09-04-2021 11:12 PM)cvilletiger Wrote:  I realize we've had our differences, but I have always had respect for UAB.
I think most Memphis fans do. Would have no problem with you in AAC. We remember where we came from. There are some real idiots on that
AAC board. Some that offer the least are the loudest(and rudest). I'll not mention the schools but if you go there, you'll figure it out.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yeah, that took a pretty strange turn.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Yeah, You didn't deserve that. Some people have miserable lives

It's all good. I don't take things I get called by message board yahoos personally.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Smaug, you are too kind. You outwitted them to the point their hatred got the best of them. You are a pro.

Nah, ICB was more classy than I was. I do think it was obvious who the nut was.

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