I know several
current and past UAB football players. My heart goes out of each of them.
Jerking a football program around like a bulldog does with a new toy isn’t
funny. Alabama should not gloat over the death of UAB football. I’m been
stunned at the number of posters who hate UAB and Gene Bartow. The only sin
that UAB committed was the dislike between Gene Bartow and certain people on
the Board of Trustees, and dare to try something new. Keep in mind this sin was committed in 1991.
That’s a long time to be mad at anyone. You’d think that grown men could set
aside personal differences and learn to live with the fact that UAB had
football team. Gene Bartow may not have been the most likeable man in America.
He isn’t the devil some make him out to be. Coach Bartow is dead. Let him rest
in peace and wait for history to make a final judgment on his accomplishments.
He was hired to do a job and he did that. He brought some competition to
Alabama and Auburn. It certainly wasn’t on the field competition, but college
football was a way help out the image of Birmingham. When Alabama left
Birmingham it left a hole in the image of that fine City.
The UAB program
never threatened Alabama football. Since the start of UAB football I believe
that Alabama has won 4 national championships, came close a couple seasons, and
may win another one this season. Can someone explain to me exactly how UAB
football was hurting Alabama. Alabama’s wins and income have soared to
historical records. Can anyone tell me a single football player who chose to
sign with UAB and not the Crimson Tide? Not a single one comes to my mind. UAB
has had several great players, and some who went on to play in the NFL. None of
those were 4 or 5 star recruits. Richard Nixon once said that no one could kick
him around any longer after he resigned the Presidency in wake of the Watergate
cover up. As far as I know, UAB committed no felonies in their program. What UAB
did was to dare to offer an alternative to Alabama football. It’s time to stop
the kicking now.
You know, Alabama basketball is rarely
mentioned in this decades old conversation. UAB did cause Alabama basketball a
lot of problems. The made it to the Elite Eight and 12 other trips including a
couple of 16 appearances. The played in 11 NIT tournaments. If anyone should
have a beef with UAB it was the Alabama coaches. But, it was, of course, only
basketball. That has never counted except to a few fans. UAB has been pretty
darn good in basketball. Along the way from Bartow to the present the Blazers
beat Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Louisville, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Virginia, Villanova, Cincinnati, Connecticut and Memphis. They beat Memphis 10 times. They were no push overs.
I remember the year that UAB beat LSU in football in Baton Rouge. Seems to
me there were some pretty happy Bama fans on that band wagon. The Blaxers
struggled most of the time, however. They made it to only one bowl game in
Hawaii. That’s not a bad place to spend the holidays. Here is what I want to
say to Alabama fans and UAB fans. First, to the UAB followers. Your football
program ultimately bite the astroturf because not enough of you cared. The last
UAB game I attended the announced crowd was 16,000+. Probably only 4,000-6,000
were actually in attendance. UAB owns that sad fact. That’s on you. Don’t even
try to forget that fact.
I know that there is conspiracy
theory that has been in place for years – The Alabama BOT wanted to get rid of
your program. That may or may not be the truth. The real truth is if UAB had been able to put 25,000 fans
in Legion Field on a regular basi,s we wouldn’t be here today. Perhaps some
Board members wanted UAB to fold. I have no idea if that is true or not. I do
know that know of the board members could make anyone stop buying tickets.
Let’s assume all the conspiracy theories are true. This is still America and
the last time I checked Alabama was still a part of the Union. Talking about
problems is not the same as addressing them. It is not the same as getting
people into seats.
Bama fans, inow is time to let this go. The loss of any football team in Alabama
doesn’t speak well about anyone in our fair State. UAB is part of the University of Alabama. That
means in some way they are family to all Tide fans. Really, some of us may be
stupid, but we don’t have to be hateful under any circumstance. We always talk
about class. It’s time to show some. Maybe one or two of those kids end up at
Alabama. You can never tell. In all seriousness, it is time to close this
verbal rivalry. Time to move on. And, it is also a time to help these players
find another place to compete if they desire. So many negative comments are
posted on boards about UAB survived on handouts. I hope those same people are
willing extend a hand up for those kids now. Hate builds nothing more than more
hate.
No comments:
Post a Comment