'Strong indications' UAB will not reinstate football

Harry · May 22, 2015

State Rep. Jack Williams told AL.com Thursday morning he's received "strong indications" that UAB President Ray Watts has decided not to reinstate the school's football program and plans to announce that news Friday night.

"This could lead to irreparable damage at UAB in its relationship with the community," Williams said.

UAB released a statement later Thursday morning saying that no decision has been made yet on the possible return of football, rifle and bowling.

Williams said he believes Watts "is holding fast" to his original decision to eliminate the sports, which was announced Dec. 2 of last year, despite the positive nature of the College Sports Solutions report on bringing back those sports.

Read more: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/05/strong_indications_uab_will_no.html

Harry · May 22, 2015

Wow - University of Alabama is a mess... This is a pretty telling article about how they are trying to use UAB and UAH to offset the huge debt they have accumulated at the flagship...

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/05/uab_football_first_step_in_hid.html

KRAM1 · May 22, 2015

Looks like the announcement on UAB will be made June 1st. RV has said it looks 50/50 right now. But, there are growing indications that they will, indeed, drop football.

One reason...absolutely ZERO facilities for football with the cost to possibly develop those facilities extremely high.

Hard to believe, isn't it? Feel bad for those players, staff and admins and really the entire UAB family.

Ben Gooding · May 22, 2015

The real reason is likely not the cost of facilities. We know the real reason and it's a shame.

untbowler · May 22, 2015

Watts should be shown the door, but because he is ok being a suck-up tool for Bryant on the BOT, he will probably get a nice raise.

Sorry for the athletes but I hope UAB will be happy in the Sun Belt or Southern Conference or Atlantic Sun

greenminer · May 22, 2015

Trying to wrap my head around a football program that makes so much money, attached to a campus that is so much in debt. It really does go against any notion that football benefits the greater institution.

UNTFan23 · May 23, 2015

What's sad is that the facilities "debt" can partly be traced back to the ABOT.

TheWestie · May 23, 2015

I've felt this whole situation around the reinstatement of UAB football was a waste of time.

It wasn't UAB that decided it was too expensive to have football, it was the University of Alabama System BOR that DIRECTED UAB to drop football. No way they'd be able to restart football, no matter the cost, with the current crop of Regents in place.

GrayEagle · May 23, 2015

I've felt this whole situation around the reinstatement of UAB football was a waste of time.

It wasn't UAB that decided it was too expensive to have football, it was the University of Alabama System BOR that DIRECTED UAB to drop football. No way they'd be able to restart football, no matter the cost, with the current crop of Regents in place.

Absolutely. If UAB had it's own BOR there might have been some hope but it was a fait acompli that the flagship was running this show. Watts was just the 'fall guy' and shouldn't be blamed for this happening on his watch. He wasn't going to win so his announcement enabled him to keep his job.

The Birmingham campus does carry weight with medical decisions but apparently little else.

DallasGreen · May 23, 2015

Absolutely. If UAB had it's own BOR there might have been some hope but it was a fait acompli that the flagship was running this show. Watts was just the 'fall guy' and shouldn't be blamed for this happening on his watch. He wasn't going to win so his announcement enabled him to keep his job.

The Birmingham campus does carry weight with medical decisions but apparently little else.

Your closet SMU attitude is again showing-- no way University of Alabama should control UAB. It is like UT-Austin controlling UTEP!

MeanGreen13 · May 23, 2015

Your closet SMU attitude is again showing-- no way University of Alabama should control UAB. It is like UT-Austin controlling UTEP!

well... in a way, UT Austin kinda does control the other UT system schools, just to a far lesser degree than what we are seeing in Alabama. I remember when it was made mandatory that all the UT system schools adopt orange as one of their school colors. Happened not too long ago. Alabama's BOR is full of Tuscaloosa graduates so they are definitely biased. Other states tend to keep the BOR a little more mixed up as far as the schools that the members went to ideally to avoid such obvious biases from manifesting.

foutsrouts · May 24, 2015

well... in a way, UT Austin kinda does control the other UT system schools, just to a far lesser degree than what we are seeing in Alabama. I remember when it was made mandatory that all the UT system schools adopt orange as one of their school colors. Happened not too long ago. Alabama's BOR is full of Tuscaloosa graduates so they are definitely biased. Other states tend to keep the BOR a little more mixed up as far as the schools that the members went to ideally to avoid such obvious biases from manifesting.

Yep. Glad I didn't graduate from a step-child school. At least we've got a little independence going for us.

untjim1995 · May 27, 2015

I've felt this whole situation around the reinstatement of UAB football was a waste of time.

It wasn't UAB that decided it was too expensive to have football, it was the University of Alabama System BOR that DIRECTED UAB to drop football. No way they'd be able to restart football, no matter the cost, with the current crop of Regents in place.

I've felt like it was UAB's way of trying to string along CUSA to keep them in their league for a little while longer.

Louisiana-Lafayette, welcome to Conference USA!!!

Sam Houston State, welcome to the Sunbelt Conference!!

Harry · May 27, 2015

I've felt like it was UAB's way of trying to string along CUSA to keep them in their league for a little while longer.

Louisiana-Lafayette, welcome to Conference USA!!!

Sam Houston State, welcome to the Sunbelt Conference!!

I agree with you that ULL makes sense as an add.

I do worry about their impact on La. Tech and how the Techsters feel about it. It's a mixed bag for them as it gives them an instant in state rival which would be huge for attendance... it also gives them competition for recruiting. I think C-USA has to evaluate additions on what they bring and the impact they could have on the current situation.

Take Texas State for instance. I think they would make for a good addition but I also realize that it would allow them to become more of a recruiting issue for UTSA and probably us as well.

Army of Dad · May 27, 2015

I agree with you that ULL makes sense as an add.

I do worry about their impact on La. Tech and how the Techsters feel about it. It's a mixed bag for them as it gives them an instant in state rival which would be huge for attendance... it also gives them competition for recruiting. I think C-USA has to evaluate additions on what they bring and the impact they could have on the current situation.

Take Texas State for instance. I think they would make for a good addition but I also realize that it would allow them to become more of a recruiting issue for UTSA and probably us as well.

ULL should be a much more attractive member than Texas State. Way better all round program.