UAB reinstates football for 2016

snake plissken said:

Never happened......stadium wasn't even half full.

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I've been to almost every home game for 30 years and never remember the stadium being half full. Even when Dubose and Shula were the coaches, the stadium was mostly full even when when we were losing. Apparently your thinking of the Auburn crowd for Utah State a few years ago. A game, BTW, that Auburn should have lost. Alabama has pretty much supported the team even when we were losing because they always knew it was just a matter of time before we started winning again.

You never answered my question, have you ever paid your money for a ticket to see UAB?

snake plissken said:

Bowl eligibility at 3-8?

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In 2001, BAMA was 5-5 after beating auburn 31-7 going in to the USM-UA game.

http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/alabama/2000-2004_yearly_results.php

jthomas666 said:

UAB Football may or may not be a viable commodity...but it will NEVER be viable so long as they're playing at Legion Field.

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But the primary purpose of creating the UAB football program in the first place was to keep Legion Field viable when the Tide stopped playing there. The secondary goal was to grow the program to a point where the Birmingham and Jeffco politicos could get a domed stadium off the ground. Of course, they never planned to actually build the stadium - they just planned to steal the money.

snake plissken said:

I am not arguing anymore with fellow Bama fans on a Bama message board about UAB. I am just glad I'm open minded enough to support 2 teams in my own state who are not rivals. Thankfully, I don't have this arrogant, self righteous attitude that seems to be prevalent among this fan base. And some people wonder why Bama is disliked by other fan bases throughout the country. Case in point, this hatred towards a sister school.

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I won't give you too hard a time about having no good retort, however on my part at least you seem to be missing my point.

I'm a libertarian, I hate taxpayer funds being wasted, period. However, I also love college football. I have complained for years, about football welfare programs, for years, not just UAB. I feel it degrades the product as a whole, and these are not self-sufficient programs, they are taxpayer leeches. I don't hate UAB, I hate what UAB footballs stands for, which is a taxpayer funded product with virtually no private support, that also happens to degrade the sport I'm fond of. I've openly complained about South Alabama football (I am getting the triple, well quadruple hit from that) as well and I grew up cheering for the Jags, so you can misrepresent what's going on all you want but I've been consistent on this subject for years.

KrAzY3 said:

I won't give you too hard a time about having no good retort, however on my part at least you seem to be missing my point.

I'm a libertarian, I hate taxpayer funds being wasted, period. However, I also love college football. I have complained for years, about football welfare programs, for years, not just UAB. I feel it degrades the product as a whole, and these are not self-sufficient programs, they are taxpayer leeches. I don't hate UAB, I hate what UAB footballs stands for, which is a taxpayer funded product with virtually no private support, that also happens to degrade the sport I'm fond of. I've openly complained about South Alabama football (I am getting the triple, well quadruple hit from that) as well and I grew up cheering for the Jags, so you can misrepresent what's going on all you want but I've been consistent on this subject for years.

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I think his retort was in general, and I agree with most of it. Many on here have UA number one in their hearts, and either a close or distant #2 is some other school. Folks that cheer for a 2nd or even 3rd school cringe at the elitism and superiority that comes off in many of the comments that have spewed on this and other sites over the years. And I'm not broad-brushing, only a few on here seem to do this. But it does come across as arrogance and self-righteousness. This is coming from Bama fan, since I could first say "Roll Tide".

Also, I get what you are saying about the money. You've definitely been consistent on this, and I certainly can appreciate the viewpoint. But I've never understood the hostilities being directed at the fans, players, or coaches. That makes absolutely no sense. It's my fault how the money flows? A player's? Coach Clark? You have every right to feel that way about the money, but for Pete's sake, direct your energies and venom to folks responsible for the horrible managing and administering the program. That would not fall at my feet, a player's foot, or Clark's feet (who by the way, did an EXCELLENT job, under the circumstances).

The revolt against shutting down UAB football was driven by three groups of people: those who have this image on of the BOT (media-fueled) as vengeful rubes with a narrow agenda, those who believe ending UAB fb counted as a blow to Birmingham civic pride/self-esteem (mostly well-intentioned people), and those who had some sort emotional investment in the program and didn't want to see it die (well-intentioned alums/former players/donors/etc).

I have nothing against the good people who felt like UAB was important enough to their own lives or to the social or civic health of UAB and Birmingham as a city to step up financially or however they could. But those in media who spun the fictions of the "good" masses and multitudes of UAB supporters vs. the "evil" BOT and Ray Watts have been the worst. They refuse to acknowledge the abysmal attendance or support for this program from its inception until now. They refuse to acknowledge the woeful and ever-deteriorating state of Legion Field. They insinuate that UAB football would be a sold-out national power if the ogres on the BOT weren't holding it down. And I'm sure that the 60,000+ empty seats at Legion when UAB football resumes will be the fault of the BOT as well.

RobK said:

I have nothing against the good people who felt like UAB was important enough to their own lives or to the social or civic health of UAB and Birmingham as a city to step up financially or however they could. But those in media who spun the fictions of the "good" masses and multitudes of UAB supporters vs. the "evil" BOT and Ray Watts have been the worst. They refuse to acknowledge the abysmal attendance or support for this program from its inception until now. They refuse to acknowledge the woeful and ever-deteriorating state of Legion Field. They insinuate that UAB football would be a sold-out national power if the ogres on the BOT weren't holding it down. And I'm sure that the 60,000+ empty seats at Legion when UAB football resumes will be the fault of the BOT as well.

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Why was attendance abysmal? Bama basketball has had really low attendance lately. Why is that?

I've never refused to acknowledge the shape that Legion Field is in. What's the alternative?

And if someone ever insinuated that UAB would sell out, they are smoking the most powerful crack known to mankind. Who is telling you that?

Also, I don't see the BOT being the evil empire, but I'm not certain what their role was one way or the other. Could they have offered solutions? Assistance in how to manage funds properly? Other examples of leadership? Are we saying that they had absolutely no say in Watts' decision? I don't know, I'm just asking. Folks on here seem to have all the answers.

All I see is complainin'. And no solutions. So let's pee-pee on all the fans. (All five of us, I know). :wink:

I am happy for the kids who will now get a scholarship and opportunity to play D1 Football. Very few are lucky enough to get SEC opportunities and now it looks like there will be another 75 schollys to give out. While it will never be SEC caliber competition, for those that play in Conference USA it is just as important.

Legion Field is a dump! No question about it. These kids will be playing in front of 8 to 15 thousand fans. But remember most of them only want one thing, A CHANCE. Birmingham is a political cess pool, Legion Field is a dive, and there is no real fan support, but at least these kids get an opportunity to play.

Lost in TN said:

I am happy for the kids who will now get a scholarship and opportunity to play D1 Football. Very few are lucky enough to get SEC opportunities and now it looks like there will be another 75 schollys to give out. While it will never be SEC caliber competition, for those that play in Conference USA it is just as important.

Legion Field is a dump! No question about it. These kids will be playing in front of 8 to 15 thousand fans. But remember most of them only want one thing, A CHANCE. Birmingham is a political cess pool, Legion Field is a dive, and there is no real fan support, but at least these kids get an opportunity to play.

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Agreed.

More money down a rat hole, and Watts is a fool for caving like this. He allowed himself to be intimidated by a very small, albeit vocal, minority of people in Birmingham to be talked into walking back the shutdown, which was the prudent thing that needed to be done. Their horrible attendance figures were all anyone with a brain needed to see that was the case. College football programs at the D-1 level do not exist to provide employment for coaches, a hobby or something to follow for administrators/faculty members or alumni, or even for scholarships for players--those are all side benefits. They exist to provide entertainment for spectators/customers, and if you don't have any of those then your program has no justification to even exist--again, at the D-1 level.

I wonder if they will still print giveaway tickets in the Birmingham newspaper.

snake plissken said:

I am not arguing anymore with fellow Bama fans on a Bama message board about UAB. I am just glad I'm open minded enough to support 2 teams in my own state who are not rivals. Thankfully, I don't have this arrogant, self righteous attitude that seems to be prevalent among this fan base. And some people wonder why Bama is disliked by other fan bases throughout the country. Case in point, this hatred towards a sister school.

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Again. This is not about arrogance, self-righteousness, hatred, or fear. It's about reality.

For the life of me, I can't understand why adults can't grasp the concept. This sounds like children who want Mama and Daddy to buy them a toy every time they go in Wal-Mart.

I for one do not hate UAB. I hate that state allocated funds that go to the University of Alabama system will be hijacked in order to keep a football program alive at a level where they clearly do NOT belong and only a few politicians want to keep. UAB is a fine school that serves the its purpose very well. The school has a world class hospital and medical school so UAB does NOT need football team to be a viable institution that fulfills its mission to educate students in the Birmingham area. I only have a problem with them playing FBS football at a budget level they can not afford.

I still do not have an answer, how many times have you been to a UAB game on your own dime?

UAB cannot remain in FBS if the attendance rule is followed. Now. Call me a bigot or a hater. Face the FACTS. I wish the rule was followed and then we would lose the several teams who DO NOT belong in FBS. If you think UAB is the only one, dream on.

bamahippie said:

Why was attendance abysmal? Bama basketball has had really low attendance lately. Why is that?

I've never refused to acknowledge the shape that Legion Field is in. What's the alternative?

And if someone ever insinuated that UAB would sell out, they are smoking the most powerful crack known to mankind. Who is telling you that?

Also, I don't see the BOT being the evil empire, but I'm not certain what their role was one way or the other. Could they have offered solutions? Assistance in how to manage funds properly? Other examples of leadership? Are we saying that they had absolutely no say in Watts' decision? I don't know, I'm just asking. Folks on here seem to have all the answers.

All I see is complainin'. And no solutions. So let's pee-pee on all the fans. (All five of us, I know). :wink:

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Here is an irony. The Alabama basketball team in a down year had more fans who bought tickets than UAB in football did all year.

I dont get the argument of season tickets and comparing against UofA.... I mean... its a moot point. UAB is back, either we support or we don't support... we 'll see... meanwhile I'm glad to see it back.

I am a Bama fan who wishes UAB the best. The only thing that ever bothers me about them is that some of their fans blame Bama for their problems and expect Bama to play them just to bail them out. But otherwise, I'm for them. I'm glad 85 football players will get the opportunity to play football and go to college. (I guess I am also glad that some girls will get to go bowling and go to college. )

sabanball said:

In 2001, BAMA was 5-5 after beating auburn 31-7 going in to the USM-UA game.

http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/alabama/2000-2004_yearly_results.php

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My bad, I had it mixed up with the 2000 season. I was thinking about Dubose's last year.

GP for Bama said:

I am a Bama fan who wishes UAB the best. The only thing that ever bothers me about them is that some of their fans blame Bama for their problems and expect Bama to play them just to bail them out. But otherwise, I'm for them. I'm glad 85 football players will get the opportunity to play football and go to college. (I guess I am also glad that some girls will get to go bowling and go to college. )

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Aside from UCLA what other satelitte campuses play their parent schools in sports other than Baseball and basketball?

KrAzY3 said:

I won't give you too hard a time about having no good retort, however on my part at least you seem to be missing my point.

I'm a libertarian, I hate taxpayer funds being wasted, period. However, I also love college football. I have complained for years, about football welfare programs, for years, not just UAB. I feel it degrades the product as a whole, and these are not self-sufficient programs, they are taxpayer leeches. I don't hate UAB, I hate what UAB footballs stands for, which is a taxpayer funded product with virtually no private support, that also happens to degrade the sport I'm fond of. I've openly complained about South Alabama football (I am getting the triple, well quadruple hit from that) as well and I grew up cheering for the Jags, so you can misrepresent what's going on all you want but I've been consistent on this subject for years.

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First of all, alot of tax dollars are devoted to education. You could argue football is part of an education as it teaches many life lessons. Secondly, I saw a report somewhere that most D1 football programs lose money so UAB is not alone in this aspect. Lastly, whether UAB has a football team or not, you are going to pay the same amount of money for taxes. If the money is not "wasted" on UAB football, its going to be "wasted" somewhere else, trust me. How many times have you felt good about how your tax dollars are being spent? Please don't make UAB football your scape goat for wasted tax dollars.

rolltide7854 said:

why doesn't AUM have a football team? Just wondering since aubies are so determined that UAB should have one.

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What oughta happen, economically speaking, is spawning of a new ACC - The Alabama Consolidated Conference: charter members YouAb, Troy, Jax, USA, AUM, Samford, Alabama A&M, Ala. State, possibly UNA and maybe even lift the likes of Miles, West Alabama and BrumSouthern into the ranks to get to 10 teams. Play nine league games against each other at the FCS level and the other two or three money-makers on the road as sacrificial lambs. Of course the YouAbbers are far too haughty (not to mention delusional) for such a practical solution.