UAB Players in Tears, Fans Curse at President After Football Program Eliminated Posted Dec 2, 2014 It's a rough day to be a UAB football player or a Blazers fan. On Tuesday, UAB President Ray L. Watts announced in a statement that the school would be eliminating its football program in order to put more funds toward other athletic programs. The news of the program being shut down left players and fans angered and upset. In fact, some players were brought to tears by the news. (Bleacher Report)