UAB Football is back...but at what cost?

Today University of Alabama-Birmingham President Ray Watts made the decision to reinstate the UAB football, bowling, and rifle programs. Citing a lack of financial solvency back in December as his reasons for disbanding the programs, he stated that the change of course came as a result of the private support of businesses and the community. While there is no exact timeframe as to when the programs will actually begin playing, it could be as soon as 2016, with the football program not being eligible for a bowl game until 2017.

Let's place the focus there, on the football program, since that was the story that created the biggest protests (no disrespect to bowling or rifle programs, but I didn't exactly see an ESPN "Outside the Lines" special on those teams). Did he really count the costs before making the decision just a few months ago to disband the program after what was its best season since 2004? It's not just about the modest success, but did he not realize after seeing the tears of those student-athletes who were forced to transfer, or the players who wore their football helmets to graduation that there was more to this than just the dollars? That it was about the players who now had to finish out their collegiate careers elsewhere. What President Watts failed to realize was that sometimes the best decisions are the ones we don't make. We sometimes make decisions without realizing that it impacts people that we never meet. 

David made a decision without counting the costs in 2 Samuel 24 when he took a census of Israel. The problem with taking a census was that it was done with the preparation of drafting an army. David did this anyway and focused more on the physical numbers instead of realizing that this was the wrong choice to make. As a result, the Lord's anger rose up against him, and gave David the choice of which punishment the people would incur due to his pride. Over 70,000 people died over a three day span during the plague.

The connection? In both cases a number of people, innocent ones, were affected by the foolish choices made by leadership. We often make decisions based on the current costs but have to understand that with every choice there is a consequence, even if we are not the ones who suffer those consequences.