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It's a beautiful thing we all have different stories. Some fanbases all have one game, or worse none. Shows how spoiled we have been for great moments

Goodrich's positivity and vision are much welcomed. You can't do the improbable unless you can envision it and proclaim it can be done. When Andrew was at USF he tackled attendance at football games. No one believed he could make big improvements for the usual litany of excuses. He had near sellouts of three games when the local skeptics felt he couldn't do it for one. It's possible at UA. This team has potential and more talent than in the past. They can go 6-6. With W's over RMU, KSU, EMU, CMU and UMass all we have to do is take one from UNLV or OU. That is doable. I think there is reason to be excited about this season. I will do my best to help sellout homecoming. Why not? It's better than sitting around complaining.

My kids play NBA 2k and tell me that Freeman is on the roster and they can use him as a player so it makes sense he would get a check.

I do not believe that anyone has posted about a Belgium defender that will join the Zips in Fall 2026. Sam Bunch, welcome to the zips. Look forward to watching you on the field....starting on August 20th. https://www.instagram.com/p/DYjh4mfgXpY/

I'd love for the JAR to look like it does in that AI generated graphic 😅

I like his enthusiasm/optimism if nothing else.

2009 - Without this one, do the others happen? (yes) got Keith his 1st (I hate Doug Penno and banked shots) 3rd straight MAC Championship game 5th seed (knocked out Miami for some redemption) beat Toledo in OT in the 1st round (freshman Humpty Hitchens forced OT with a 3) Nate Linhart, McKnight brothers, Steve McNees 4th straight 20-win season

The only one I could easily not choose is 2009 because it was very ho-hum. Double digit win vs. Buffalo (meh) and even though it was our first, there were no other storylines. 2011 was one of the greatest championship games in college basketball history IMO. Major rivalry, OT, 2 blocks to win it, fight at the end - it had everything. 2013 was an unexpected beatdown - given the Abreu situation - against a team that was in the Sweet Sixteen the year prior (albeit a different coach). Semi rivalry and a packed house in Cleveland with one of the best teams in Akron basketball history cutting down the nets. 2022 was awesome because of the Diss Track storylines. Major rivalry and an absolute butt whooping of PCCC. 2024 was hilarious given how it ended. Major rivalry, incredible finish, and the start of an on-going 3Peat. 2025 was simply an incredible comeback capped off by a fantastic finish. Semi-rivalry, big bro/little bro storylines, and the beginning of one of the most unlikeable teams in Miami OH. 2026 was 2025 but with an even better finish. Shammah's shot will go down as one of the greatest shots in Akron basketball history. The view I had straight on from behind Shammah made it even better, tracking the ball all the way just praying the distance was right because it could not have been better aligned. Not to mention prevented Toledo from ending their 46+ year drought. I voted 2025 simply because it was the first championship game my daughters were in attendance for and my wife was pregnant with my son so technically he was there, too. That being said, we've been very blessed over the last 20 years with incredible March basketball at Akron. Go Zips!

2024. I was at the game for 2024, 2025 and 2026, all epic, but the sheer improbability of this win against a hated rival in 2024 was my favorite. All three of those games had endings that unleashed absolute euphoria in the Zips section I was in.

I agree. If I remove my Zips colored sunglasses I just don't see him making the NBA at the wing position. Making the NBA is already challenging enough. Only 450 players in the world (which the NBA is a true global game) are on NBA rosters. Now taking away what he does best by moving him away from the basket just further reduces his chances.

The MAC season? They should play the first week or two every year like they used to when 25,000 people would be at games.

I’ve been saying for ages that Akron Kent should kick off the mac season. Best weather, most hope (nobody is 1-8+) and won’t conflict with big buckeye games

I see we have three more 2027 football recruits! Owen and Luke and Samuel McGrath an OL from Roseville, Michigan 6-6 290; Ronnie Taylor an athlete running back from Cleveland Villa Angela -St. Joseph 6-0 200; Jaleone Carney a DL from Louisville Trinity High School 6-2 285! All three look to have good size and should help down the road!

Everything is impossible...until someone does it. No one has ever actually tried to fill a Zips football stadium since Mike Waddell back in the early 2000's. "Build it and they will come." It's that simple, huh? Who knew you'd actually need to exert an effort to bring people to Infocision in respectable, profit-bearing numbers? Guthrie prioritized his grammar school-level Graphic Designer skills over expending any effort to address it. Others were let off the hook the day Scarborough lazily claimed "I wouldn't have built that stadium" (so the empty seats aren't my fault). That's a really easy, one-size-fits-all excuse way to avoid tackling the issue. Valid for a lifetime. If Goodrich publicly states he's going to fill the stadium, that's infinitely better than anything I've seen in the past 2 decades. It takes guts...guts that the Rhodes, Helsel, Wistercill, Williams and Guthrie's never showed. I trust that he has a decent plan. If it doesn't sell out, the increased attendance over recent history will still be noteworthy.

6’ 8” guard?

TBH in this hypothetical Amani would instantly fill our biggest question mark as we lack a 5 with his proven skill set. I do see potential in Buddy Hammer, but it's no guarantee if we can fully unlock it in 1 season. It might sound weird to hear this but IMO Tahj makes Tavari a bit redundant. We really couldn't play them together. Even though Tavari might be better, I don't think there will be a big drop-off in production between the two. In my honest opinion I would guess at this stage we probably couldn't afford either financially. One would think our cash was mostly spent this offseason and that was before Bud dug deeper into his pockets to bring back Evan. I would think Tavari would command $500K+ and I wouldn't be surprised if a desperate team that lost out on musical chairs for a quality big offered Lyles something in the neighborhood of $800K or more.

if anyone is interested, the 2026 MAC Football Kickoff is live on ESPN right now (12:49 pm). They are doing the coach player interviews now and they have not done the Zips yet.

Last year Trevick averaged 18.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.1 steals, and 2.4 blocked shots

Hey now, even a poverty program like Toledo has some moments. You just need a 8mm film projector to see them.

Love it. Size, size, athleticism, size, and more athleticism.

Thanks to @Sergeant Zip for finding our first commit of 2027! This kid looks good! 6'8" & apparently often runs the point for his high school team Lima Shawnee. He had 39 points in his first 2 games of the season last year & had 27 vs. Lima Senior. He's a lefty who can hit the three. Welcome Trevick!

2024 felt like redemption to me. I was a freshman for the 21-22 season and got very down on the team cause of the mess with Trimble and losing to weak teams at the end of the regular season, so I worked during the MAC tournament final and regretted it for 2 years because I should've trusted the core more. I was fully locked in. Then we lost in 22-23 and just made me feel like I really missed out on something special. During the 23-24 season I watched all 35 games beginning to end and attended every home game and the MAC championship and the stress and highs and lows of that game were unmatched. I loved the 25 and 26 comebacks but those I felt like we were cold (while Miami was white hot) or underperforming (refusing to go into the paint against toledo) which cause more frustration than stress. 23-24 just felt like the perfect story, Ali coming back, Tribble with the free throws, and Freeman with the craziest rebound I've ever seen live to cap off the best season in modern Akron history. Plus, the Rollins foul and the best Kent meme ever with Sendy. I bawled my eyes out after that 23-24 title win because of how much that team meant to me especially after meeting them all. Idk if I'll ever be as connected with a team than I was with that core. Cinema

Great Poll!!! I am going with Shammah Scott for three because it was the most recent and symobolizes a player who just hit some great buzzer beaters the entire season. He had several amazing shots at the end of the half during the season and if I had to rank them for difficulty they would be a 10. Each year we ask outselves who should get the ball with the game on the line. Last year we had the answer, Shammah Scott.

With the amount of roster turnover every year, I'm not sure how to predict any outcomes.

Along with their history of losing and/or caving.

The NCAA made their bed with the handling of COVID. This should absolutely stick and we'll have Evan Mahaffey for the 4Peat attempt.

I watched some of the Freeman's game today when the World Cup was not on and Freeman looked good scoring 14 points and 11 rebounds including 6 offensive rebounds. At the end of the game he was a beast on the offensive boards givning Minn multiple offensive possessions.

Looks like it's alumni week on the socials. Super cool to see all these guys back in town. They built something pretty special

Last year the non-conference schedule was released on August 15th and the year before August 12th. It will be here before we know it. I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been more leaks on what games are on the schedule. I feel we knew a handful or so by this time last year, including what MTE we would be playing in.

Another clip of Joe. Interesting when he discusses their plan for building the roster and replacing players lost in the portal

The optimism is desperately needed with those budget slashings and such. Can make up for some of it. Even if they can get 20,000 people, that would be a big step forward.

I think there's a bit of that, but it comes from an aspirational mindset. I don't think he's necessarily bullshitting anyone (or "playing politics" if we're trying to be nice), even if he knows it's a bit pie-in-the-sky. If they can get even 20,000 for the EMU game, that should triple the resolve to get rid of the garbage Tuesday games on the next TV deal. "Even Akron can get a full house for a Saturday game." Yeah, you're giving up TV money that probably exceeds net ticket sales gain. But you're also doing a lot to build longer-term fanbase relationships. Of course, thinking long-term has never been the MAC's forte.

Never saw this on Amani. Does he have a shot at making a roster? https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/five-interesting-prospects-on-the-4e9

Colin Lyons

Here’s Joe:

Found this - certainly not any earth shattering insight: https://youtu.be/jpv5YkEFwcw?feature=shared

Per Google AI, two-ways are part of the NBAPA and receive the same licensing checks.

The Zips can't afford (and shouldn't waste the money) on a firing. JoeMo only leaves after 2026 if he wants to go back to being a P4 OC or similar.

I hate seeing that we don't play 9th, 11th, or 12th

I personally see him as a 4.

Flint City Bucks 2-0 Buffalo FC in the USL 2 playoffs round of 32. Remi Agunbiade with the 1st (game-winning) goal. Replay - Remi's goal at ~42:13 Next game is Sunday, July 19th at 7 pm v Steel City FC.

No. It waters down a football rivalry.

What if we'd kick off the season v KSUcks... as a non-conference game? Then the conference game (2nd meeting) would be worth all the marbles as the official Wagon Wheel game? Play the game twice/year... one home & one away; one to kick off the season & the other (hopefully early) in the conference season.

You know what, that's a great idea. I'd go as far as yo kick off the whole season with that game.

Mahaffey-Akron Fantasy Camp was 2025-26. At UC, Eric is likely pulling in a minimum of $400,000 more than the Zips best offer. Eric and his fat wallet can hook up with big bro' at mom and dad's at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Yes, this. Most of my worries with Groce leaving, and Evan and Sharron was not having that link to the previous groups. Like I feel it's been passed down from LCJ to Ali Ali, X, Enrique etc to Tavari and Sharron and then.. who's the "leader" this year? I think Evan playing this year answers that question. Not so worried about talent in and out in the portal day and age but leadership and culture is very important, imo.

Evan would be pretty huge to have for his leadership in transitioning from Groce to Ford. I think MMK and Halligan will be, too, but Evan seems like he'd be in a better position to lead. His defense and energy on the court would set the tone for the rest of the team. I really hope this happens.

Makes me more surprised & disappointed by Eric's departure.