UAB officially announced the termination of its football program Tuesday, ending a long battle between the Blazers and the Alabama Board of Trustees. A number of current and former athletes who went to school in Alabama tweeted their support for the program, to no avail.
Watch UAB players react to news that their football program is shut down
A heartbreaking scene from Birmingham.
UAB president Ray Watts announced the decision to the football team Tuesday afternoon. Blazers player Timothy Alexander live-tweeted the announcement from the room.
PRESIDENT WATTS IS HERE pic.twitter.com/qBCZstICkC
— Timothy Alexander (@1stN2ndTimothy) December 2, 2014 PRESIDENT WATTS JUST SAID WE DONT KNOW WHAT WE DONT KNOW!
— Timothy Alexander (@1stN2ndTimothy) December 2, 2014 Watts cited financial concerns as the reason for the shut down, despite reports of $10 million raised by donors.
WATTS SAID IT WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET!
— Timothy Alexander (@1stN2ndTimothy) December 2, 2014 @Jcraft24 said that donors gave 10 million$ WATTS SAID NUMBER STILL WAS BAD AND HE CAN SHOW US NUMBERS
— Timothy Alexander (@1stN2ndTimothy) December 2, 2014 WATTS JUST SAID NOBODY CARES ABOUT THIS SCHOOL THAN HIM
— Timothy Alexander (@1stN2ndTimothy) December 2, 2014 Some members of the team raised their issues with the decision in what was a very emotional room.
The scene on campus after the announcement was equal parts sad and chaotic.
UAB football players leave in tears after meeting with president. pic.twitter.com/FSQXI99db5
— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) December 2, 2014 Students mob Ray Watts car., punch it, flip him off, and chant "F*** Ray Watts!" as he tries to leave #FreeUAB pic.twitter.com/LfLpVScOKF
— Madison Underwood (@MadisonU) December 2, 2014 Alexander, paralyzed from the waist down in a 2006 car accident, has been an integral part of the program.
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