UAB-Memphis meet as C-USA rivalry winds down

[Harry]

First, accept the premise that something is wrong; that a Conference USA minus its marquee basketball program is second-rate; that a step back and down to a Sun Belt that isn't close in caliber to the one UAB left for the Great Midwest in 1991 is even worse; and that a merged Mountain West/C-USA is a better alternative only because those two other alternatives are so weak.

If you're still on board, let's talk.

Could UAB have been in position to join the Big East?

It may seem incredulous to some of you, but it could have happened.

It might seem pointless to rehash what didn't happen, but understanding history is key to not repeating mistakes.

And since never is a really long time, it's not inconceivable UAB gets a chance to move into a better conference someday. I've no doubt this seems unrealistic and ridiculous, especially to late-comers to the history of UAB.

But is it any more ridiculous than including UAB in the Great Midwest with Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis, Marquette and the like? Than UAB joining the Sun Belt right out of the box with league member UNCC fresh off a Final Four? To have begun football at all, much less a D-I program that gets to a bowl game and produces NFL Pro Bowl players? Or start up a basketball program from scratch and hire a coach who has been to two Final Fours?

That's ridiculous, but it happened. Having a big dream and bigger vision -- the type that Jerry Young, Dick Hill and others had -- that's how you get from nowhere to somewhere.

Nowhere to somewhere and back to nowhere? That's a sad, sad trip. Not one UAB should settle for

Read more: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/02/david_knox_on_tv_uab-memphis_m.html