[RootforRoo44]

Akron was just as capable of making this run as Ohio. Don't kid yourself. Losing at the last second at Evanston doesn't change that.

And really, they should've had the chance. As a conference, we didn't get the job done in raising the MAC's profile when opportunities were there.

Exactly. The Zips might be even better built for it in some ways, having a 7 foot center and all.

[ZachTheZip]

It needs to be pounded into the players' heads that they could have made the tournament anyway, if they had just won their non-conference games. The schedule was set up for it, and they blew nearly every chance they had to get a marquee win. They lost to Duquesne and Valpo, couldn't get it done against VCU, CSU, and Oral Roberts, and embarrassed themselves against MTSU and WVU. The only good wins were against Mississippi State and Marshall. That's a 2-7 record in games where they had a chance to get a win that "looks good".

Somebody needs to tell them that these games matter. The coaches still have somewhat of a residual "win the MAC or stay home" mindset from previous years where that was true. The players don't have the self-confidence to see that they are good enough for an at-large bid.

[Dave in Green]

Zach, while I agree with you in general principle, I would also try to factor in some of the problems the team had in terms of new and inexperienced players, suspensions and injuries that had a bearing on some of those losses.

The history for all the games is there for anyone to look up. But one example would be the VCU game. At the time, Harney was the team's leading scorer. But he had just served a 5-game suspension, and this was his first game back. He played only 6 minutes and scored only 4 points. And many believe that Rico was the Zips most valuable player this season, and the one player they could least afford not to have at full strength. The VCU game was his first game back after knee surgery about 10 days earlier.

Without full use of their leading scorer and with their point guard and arguably most valuable player playing his first game after knee surgery, the Zips took VCU into OT before losing by 1 point.

On one level it was just a plain old loss. On another level, it was the Zips coming remarkably close to a win that many would have predicted they were unlikely to achieve under the circumstances.

[johnnyzip84]

I didn't really want to create a new thread for this, so since it is related to the sweet 16 I'll place it here.

This is a Cincinnati reporter's take on why the Queen City apparently takes little notice of tOSU (news to me). What is particularly troubling is his complete dismissal of local college sports in Akron, Toledo, Cleveland, etc. I really hope Dambrot, Bowden, Porter and company make this guy eat his words, the sooner the better!

[Keener'92]

I don't really know from first hand experience how Cincinnatans (is that a word?) feel about the Buckeyes, but if Mr. Daugherty is correct in describing their disdain for OSU, the city should be commended. My first inclination would be to call bullshit. I bet there are a lot of OSU honks in Cincinnati.

[skip-zip]

I didn't really want to create a new thread for this, so since it is related to the sweet 16 I'll place it here.

This is a Cincinnati reporter's take on why the Queen City apparently takes little notice of tOSU (news to me). What is particularly troubling is his complete dismissal of local college sports in Akron, Toledo, Cleveland, etc. I really hope Dambrot, Bowden, Porter and company make this guy eat his words, the sooner the better!

Thanks for posting that article.

I hope we make him eat his words too, but right now, I think he's right !!

I've been to UC for athletic events. Those folks wear shirts that say things like BUCKEYE STATE with the "UC" made larger. It's a complete mockery of OSWho, and a feeling that THEY represent Ohio. They treat OSWho as a competitor, and I don't see people running around at their games in Red and Silver shirts. And you should hear some of their radio ads that have mocked OSWho when their football team is ranked higher. They have pride in their city, and their LOCAL university, and couldn't care less about what's going on 2 hours down the road.

We don't do that in NE Ohio. We have only minimal support for our local universities, and CLING to Ohio State as the next closest major college with some level of prominence on a national level. Maybe if we supported our local schools like they do in Cincinnati, and show more pride, we couild actually get oursevles to the level where what is happening 150 miles down the road doesn't matter to the people around here too.

[johnnyzip84]

I hope we make him eat his words too, but right now, I think he's right !!

I can't disagree with you. Maybe THEY don't remember the 35-0 shellacking Gerry's kids put on UC back in the day, but I sure do

Here's to days like that in the not-too-distant future

[skip-zip]

I can't disagree with you. Maybe THEY don't remember the 35-0 shellacking Gerry's kids put on UC back in the day, but I sure do

Here's to days like that in the not-too-distant future

Cincy definitely had some really bad football years back then !! If we can beat them now, it would be a great accomplishment.

[Dr Z]

Anybody find those radio spots Cincy did poking fun of OSWho? I posted them years ago, but I can't seem to locate them. They were AWESOME!

[Keener'92]

I did not realize the Bearcats garnered that much respect with Joe Cincinnati. Or would that be Hans Zinzinnati? I guess I figured that a recently very successful BCS conference team in a metropolitan area that struggles to sell out a 35,000 seat stadium might be under the spell of the cult of the Buckeyes. Good for them.

[Big Zip]

I was watching Dan Patrick today and this topic came up with the local Cincy writer. He said the people in Cincy don't really think they are from Ohio they think they are from Cincy. He also said the rest of the state really sees them as from Kentucky.

[JSF]

Even Ohio State people acknowledge Cincinnati as the only part of the state not awash in Scarlet. Of course there is still a sizable contingent of Buckeye fans... they're all over the country. But there are fewer in Cincy than almost anywhere.

Of course, a lot of them are UK fans.

[Zipmeister]

Baltic 2 for 10,
Cooper 3 for 20,
and they take UNC to overtime!
Go figure.

Hope their coach gets a good job somewhere else for next year, cause all the rest of these guys are scheduled to return.

[Zipmeister]

Was hoping Nebraska would hire him away, but they hired Tim Miles from Colorado State. Danny Nee's performance after going to the Huskers from Ohio probably didn't do Groce any good.

[Zip_ME87]

Anybody find those radio spots Cincy did poking fun of OSWho? I posted them years ago, but I can't seem to locate them. They were AWESOME!

Here's one. This was my favorite. "What's that big sucking sound I hear coming from Columbus?..."