Why UAB’s Football Team Couldn’t Even Last 20 Years

[Harry]

But even if the Blazers hadnt been undercut by their own trustees, they still would have had a tremendous hill to climb, one thats getting steeper every year as the gap between the haves and the have-nots of football continues to grow. UAB was in the vanguard of a recent trend of universities starting football programs from scratch with the plan to get to Division I as soon as possible, and reap the PR and financial benefits that come with a major football program. Nine other universities that are in or are about to join the Football Bowl Subdivision have started football programs since UAB did, and they share several commonalities.

All of them are based in the South, and all of them felt they had a chance to succeed because of the prestige of the game and the fertile recruiting grounds in the region. But theyve found it incredibly expensive to field a competitive FBS program. They all have losing records against fellow FBS schools, and they all receive substantial subsidies in order to keep their athletic departments afloat. Theyve had trouble attracting supporters, perhaps because most football fans in the region are already loyal to other teams. And as the Big 5 power conferences start to crank up the financial pressure both with lavish spending on facilities and upcoming allowances for players its possible that some of these programs could join UAB on the sidelines.

Read more: http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-uabs-football-team-couldnt-even-last-20-years/

[Andrew]

College football is going down the drain. Unless UNT plays a power Confrence I'm not watching the garbage ut or Bama or anyone else puts on the field. It's becoming a joke and a mess.

[oldguystudent]

it’s also the only school that’s made it out of the C-USA and Sun Belt Conference dregs

So it really is SBC 2.0

[Arkstfan]

Any school getting up around 65% or more of their revenue in fees and school money will be in danger if things go south with the school

[Arkstfan]

For all the weeping about how much TV money the power schools get most of them self-generate 50% - 70% of their revenue.

Any school building its model on school and/or student support is always at risk.

[UNT90]

For all the weeping about how much TV money the power schools get most of them self-generate 50% - 70% of their revenue.

Any school building its model on school and/or student support is always at risk.

We build ours on whore games. We play 2 next year.

So... No problems?

[NM Green]

Such a defeatist. I don't like two money games in the same year but I sure hope the team enters the games thinking differently than many in this board do. Something like, let's go givem he.. And introduce them to the Mean Green. Seems like some think "why bother fielding a team." What's really sad is the optimist upbeat person who turns sour. I know we want better but geez this board has turned into a whip. No Bueno. Throw on a occupy mask already.

Excited for the off season. GMG

[UNT90]

Such a defeatist. I don't like two money games in the same year but I sure hope the team enters the games thinking differently than many in this board do. Something like, let's go givem he.. And introduce them to the Mean Green. Seems like some think "why bother fielding a team." What's really sad is the optimist upbeat person who turns sour. I know we want better but geez this board has turned into a whip. No Bueno. Throw on a occupy mask already.

Excited for the off season. GMG

Funny thing is, I used to be fairly optimistic. Then I started paying attention to some things and realized people weren't doing their jobs and weren't being held accountable.

Losing is one thing. Not caring about losing is something very different.

[VideoEagle]

Such a defeatist. I don't like two money games in the same year but I sure hope the team enters the games thinking differently than many in this board do. Something like, let's go givem he.. And introduce them to the Mean Green. Seems like some think "why bother fielding a team." What's really sad is the optimist upbeat person who turns sour. I know we want better but geez this board has turned into a whip. No Bueno. Throw on a occupy mask already.

Excited for the off season. GMG

Very true!

[NM Green]

I understand the goal is to draw attention to the athletic department by being as negative as some can be on this board. It like the hands up demonstration at the end of the Christmas parade today. Gotta love their spirit. I am an optimistic glad half full person and when I was complaining moaning and groaning I will never forget someone special turning to me saying "never lose that positive spirit." It's been challenged for sure but I refuse to become Debbie downer. RV the Bor coach Mac or that ref at Texas in '88 will ever define my belief in the Mean Green. Rather I'm ready to get to work as a fan. Do what I can do. Demand the best. But complain. Nah. No time for that. GMG

[FirefightnRick]

Losing is one thing. Not caring about losing is something very different.

That's what some folks in Denton are hoping for I'm afraid. If that wasn't the case the lie/comment by the SGA president wouldn't have been said in public, it wouldn't have been quoted by the school paper(Thanks again Journalism Dept),.........and it wouldnt have been re-tweeted by the athletic department's SID several days after it ran in the NT Daily.

Rick

[forevereagle]

We build ours on whore games. We play 2 next year.

So... No problems?

Do you need to mention this in every thread?

[Coffee and TV]

Do you need to mention this in every thread?

Unless it's the Political Forum, then he's got an obsession with me.

[FirefightnRick]

Unless it's the Political Forum, then he's got an obsession with me.

I've been meaning to ask, why are you posting here on a non-Eaglenest non-political board with that avatar?

Rick

[Rudy]

We build ours on whore games. We play 2 next year.

So... No problems?

The Craig James Model

[Coffee and TV]

I've been meaning to ask, why are you posting here on a non-Eaglenest non-political board with that avatar?

Rick

The avatar is the same no matter what forum you're in....I thought it was a funny picture, especially considering some of the garbage guys like you throw at the president in the political forum.

[UNTLifer]

Funny thing is, I used to be fairly optimistic. Then I started paying attention to some things and realized people weren't doing their jobs and weren't being held accountable.

Losing is one thing. Not caring about losing is something very different.

Then take it up with the BOR. Try to make change for the positive instead of beating us over the head with it on a daily basis. That is what becomes tiresome. I will join in the effort with the BOR. I would prefer to see Jackson ousted for his ineptitude and lack of institutional oversight that has caused a budget issue resulting in taking money from athletics when they had nothing to do with the problem from the beginning. Then let's see if an athletics friendly Chancellor would make a difference with the AD. If so, great. If not, move on to the next person, RV, and so on.

[FirefightnRick]

The avatar is the same no matter what forum you're in....I thought it was a funny picture, especially considering some of the garbage guys like you throw at the president in the political forum.

I've never thrown anything at the president. Anyhow, I thought rules were rules, and that they applied to us all here? I guess not.

Rick

[Christopher Walker]

I've never thrown anything at the president. Anyhow, I thought rules were rules, and that they applied to us all here? I guess not.

Rick

If there's a rule against having the President as your avatar in a non-political forum... that would be nuts.

[oldguystudent]

If there's a rule against having the President as your avatar in a non-political forum... that would be nuts.

I believe I do recall Tasty stating that it is against forum rules.

[Christopher Walker]

I believe I do recall Tasty stating that it is against forum rules.

Dumb.

[UNT90]

Then take it up with the BOR. Try to make change for the positive instead of beating us over the head with it on a daily basis. That is what becomes tiresome. I will join in the effort with the BOR. I would prefer to see Jackson ousted for his ineptitude and lack of institutional oversight that has caused a budget issue resulting in taking money from athletics when they had nothing to do with the problem from the beginning. Then let's see if an athletics friendly Chancellor would make a difference with the AD. If so, great. If not, move on to the next person, RV, and so on.

The problem is you and I don't have/give enough money to get any audience with the BOR. An email might get read by an assistant with a cursory "thank you for your interest/opinion" return email from that assistant, but it won't be read by a BOR member.

Only people like Fly get access because they pay for that access. And that is exactly the way it should be. I have no problem with that at all. But that leaves the working many few options to be heard. One way is on this forum. I think partly because of the questions I have raised and information I have provided regarding scheduling, RV was asked about it at an athletic department function (coaches show, possibly) and asked twice about it by Harry on Podcasts. There is now a recording if his responses, or non-responses, as they were. We heard him say it is the athletic department's goal to have 6 home games every season, so we can now legitimately ask if meeting your goals 60% of the time in a new stadium is what we want to accept from our AD.

It's the only avenue the common man has to be legitimately heard, and also publicly heard, by the AD. Don't underestimate the public part. Complaining in private allows for manipulation.

Edited December 10, 2014 by UNT90