Looks like UAB is back

greenit · June 1, 2015

Several reports saying they will announce football is returning. Presser at 4pm.

ColoradoEagle · June 1, 2015

So can they pull a "just kidding" or do they have to start over from scratch in FCS?

Cerebus · June 1, 2015

This might just be a big weasel job by Watts. It seems he is going to set the return on the condition that UAB boosters raise $30,000,000 ($17M for operating expenses, $13M for facilities upgrades).

If they can't reach that in what ever time frame he sets, it gives him an easy out.

Ben Gooding · June 1, 2015

To be honest, unless a concrete plan is in place to have an on campus stadium I don't want them back. Otherwise, they will continue to be busch league.

ColoradoEagle · June 1, 2015

UAB is better than any of the alternatives being talked about, outside of the longshot NIU.

wardly · June 1, 2015

While not in a large market, ULL would bring a lot to CUSA in terms of its overall athletic program.

THOR · June 1, 2015

To be honest, unless a concrete plan is in place to have an on campus stadium I don't want them back. Otherwise, they will continue to be busch league.

i'm down with being in a beer league with them...

KRAM1 · June 1, 2015

This might just be a big weasel job by Watts. It seems he is going to set the return on the condition that UAB boosters raise $30,000,000 ($17M for operating expenses, $13M for facilities upgrades).
If they can't reach that in what ever time frame he sets, it gives him an easy out.

As mentioned earlier...facilities overall is the major hang up. Still do not see a return for football at UAB any sooner than one for UTA.

Harry · June 1, 2015

Do we get to keep the player we got that transferred from there or does he get to return to UAB?

JK

Congrats to the Blazers and welcome home! This is good news for C-USA.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Harry

untjim1995 · June 1, 2015

If this keeps UAB basketball in our league, then its a good deal. They are a program that has been able to make noise in the NCAA Tournament in years past, not just this past season.

oldguystudent · June 1, 2015

Looks like it's back on!

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/06/uab_football_live_stream_ray_watts.html

Edited June 1, 2015 by oldguystudent

UNTexas · June 1, 2015

Hopefully they come back this year with a roster in shambles so we can get at least one W.

VideoEagle · June 2, 2015

Wish I could have heard the press conference. From what I read on the CUSA board, Watts was visibly angry at the press conference and kept trying to walk away to avoid questions. The last question he completely ignored was

Would it have not been better a year ago publicly say unless we get support from the whole community we will have to eliminate football a year from now rather than trash the program and restart?

oldguystudent · June 2, 2015

Wish I could have heard the press conference. From what I read on the CUSA board, Watts was visibly angry at the press conference and kept trying to walk away to avoid questions. The last question he completely ignored was

I believe the link I posted above is the entire press conference.

Edit: Man, towards the end, he is visibly sweating bullets!

Edited June 2, 2015 by oldguystudent
add a sentence

VideoEagle · June 2, 2015

I believe the link I posted above is the entire press conference.

Edit: Man, towards the end, he is visibly sweating bullets!

Thanks! And wow, Watts does NOT come across well AT ALL! He blames the fans, the town, the school - everyone else for the problem. He actually sounds annoyed that the business people in the town are stepping up to support UAB. Does this guy last a year? Someone has got to take the fall for this and it won't be the Alabama regents.

BeliefBlazer · June 2, 2015

I can not believe Watts is a President at a major university. He proves that the Board of Trustees is incompetent.

Stadium will not happen unless the City builds one but new coaches' offices, training spaces, and practice facilities are part of the money Watts is demanding for football's return.

MeanGreenTexan · June 2, 2015

I can not believe Watts is a President at a major university. He proves that the Board of Trustees is incompetent.
Stadium will not happen unless the City builds one but new coaches' offices, training spaces, and practice facilities are part of the money Watts is demanding for football's return.

We complain a lot around here about how our athletic dept & University as a whole are run, but I really feel awful for y'all.

I also feel awful for all of the players who left just a few months ago, only to see their team attempt to reassemble. And they can't be a part of it unless they trash another year of eligibility to go back... That is, if their new school would even release them to UAB (it's pretty common for schools to block intra-conference transfers).

Terrible.

MeanGreen13 · June 2, 2015

these regents are a bunch of flunkies... at least have the balls to stick to your shady guns. now they pretty much destroyed the program for the forseeable future. it will be several years before they can get the same momentum that they had coming off this season.

untjim1995 · June 2, 2015

these regents are a bunch of flunkies... at least have the balls to stick to your shady guns. now they pretty much destroyed the program for the forseeable future. it will be several years before they can get the same momentum that they had coming off this season.

I don't really see how UAB will be able to recruit anyone worth a damn--this will get used against them for decades ahead. If Troy, South Alabama, Middle Tennessee, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, Southern Mississippi, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Western Kentucky, Florida International, or Florida Atlantic are recruiting against them, I cannot see how UAB can beat them for a recruit anytime soon.

UAB hasn't dropped down to FCS, but its gonna feel that way in terms of what the fans, media, recruits, and their parents/coaches are going to think for a long time. We here at UNT might be the only school in the country that can understand how difficult its gonna be to change that viewpoint.

But UAB has always been a basketball school in a football crazy state--if this keeps them in CUSA, they are still way better off to have a football team that allows their hoops program to stay in a decent conference.

DallasGreen · June 2, 2015

To be honest, unless a concrete plan is in place to have an on campus stadium I don't want them back. Otherwise, they will continue to be busch league.

They sure royally kicked our butts

untjim1995 · June 2, 2015

They sure royally kicked our butts

I'm reading your bio listed under your photo--interesting stuff. Just for the sake of posting something interesting on the board, I disagree with your saddest day in UNT FB history being Jerry Moore replacing Hayden Fry over Bill Brasher. Although a poor choice, nothing is worse than allowing our program to wallow down at the i-aa level from 1982-1994. The timing of doing it, coinciding with the SWC being a top conference in its day, with $MU buying all of its players and TCU quickly following along here in the Metroplex, as well as the fact that Arkansas, Texas, A&M, Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State had good to great teams during most of that time, just buried our program. If we ever fully recover from it, I will be shocked. The perception of this school when it comes to sports is still so sad in the eyes of Texas media and fans, which is why recruiting perpetually sucks here compared to the otehr schools in the state.

TheFranchise · June 3, 2015

To be honest, unless a concrete plan is in place to have an on campus stadium I don't want them back. Otherwise, they will continue to be busch league.

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