Captain Kangaroo

I can't see where you're coming from?Toledo's football recruiting classes were ranked a lot closer to Buffalo than Akron's was to K-ent? Buffalo and Toledo's hoops programs seem to suck equally as bad now-a-days. I thereby contend you are more athletically aligned with Buffalo.Now go watch the Zips game tape and learn how to beat NIU in football (Note: We did it twice, so you have a lot of tape to view).

I think you are on the right track with this observation. Bubba leaving hurt a bit. It has given Middleton a chance to shine, but it cost a some depth.Bubba's departure would hardly have been felt if Peterson were healthy. He's not.Wood's loss really has hurt our interior toughness.Conyers was banked upon to be the guy to open up some spacing and create. Wood, Bubba, Conyers and Peterson are three guys we banked on to get serious minutes this year. Instead we're getting about 10 minutes combined....all from DP...and that's on a "good" day.That said, we have 16 wins, and 20 looks like a mortal lock. We play hard and smart every night and have some great weapons. I love our chances at home, and I love our chances on a neutral court. Thus I think we stand as good a chance as anyone to win the MACC in Cleveland.If we are to stand a chance of winning an NCAA/NIT tourney game, Linhart is going to have to get out of his "funk" and get his confidence back. And, Romeo is going to have to bang underneath and not hang out at the 3-point line.

The Zips have about as much in common with Can't as Toledo does with Buffalo. Can you make a relevant point?

AK-Rowdies are Gods. That was legendary. I'm in awe...simply in awe.

As of a few days ago it was up in the air whether or not the Zips would send him a letter of intent to sign. His grades are terrible. Looks like we may have passed on him.

BTW: I like names on the jersey too. Several players switched numbers this season and it was difficult to figure out who's who for quite a while.

One thing I do know about the rifle team: Members of the rifle team seem to be very regular contributors to our ZipsNation board. Number-wise they're small, but for some reason they seem to have more school spirit than about any other Zips athletic program.

We will be sitting upper-middle.BTW: I hope the AK's get to Can't early and sit behind the hoops like they did at the Maryland soccer game. Those seats are general admission...anyone can sit there.

Signed a whopping 14 kids? Wow...that'll turn around a program that went 0-10 vs D 1A competition last season! Their "stud" QB recruit threw from....sit down....you won't believe it....400 yards in his senior season!! He's projected to compete for their starting job in 2006 Their coach took a truely hilarious swipe at Akron saying he'd wants to forge relationships locally rather than go to the "quick fix" of recruiting Florida. Good luck getting those 4.4 40 LB's out of Mogadore and Brimfield, pal!! If we don't beat those clowns buy 40 next year I'll be embarrassed. What a pathetic pile of crap.

I am ashamed to admit it, but...on my way to the airport Thursday morning I bought a Beacon Journal. ("Stupid" being me). The tiny recruiting column buried inside the sports section was absolutely pathetic. Z-E-R-O insight. Dr.Z's review of the press conference blew Morgan's GoZips.com cut-n-paste garbage away. Morgan could not have watched any of those tapes. I guarantee he simply read the press release from his Main Street cubicle and wrote his gratuitous little piece. Best recruiting class in the MAC 2 consecutive years....MAC champs...and we're on page 5 with a cut-n-paste column. Sad.Morgan also managed to screw up Jabari's eligibility too. He'll be a Junior next year, not a Senior. I know, I know...and editor's job is the hardest one in the world.... I haven't even gotten to the photo of "Buffalo's Rybek"...or was it Linhart? What a cluster f*ck. 16-4 and their putting us on page 5 and screwing up names left and right. I know, I know...and editor's job is the hardest one in the world.... :rolleyes:I kept hearing about the great job the Beacon was doing covering the Zips and figured I'd give it another shot. The Beacon still sucks. They still take Akron fans for fools. I will never spend another dime on their rag again. What the F was I thinking?

I think the Motor City Bowl game showed that Akron fans will show up for big games. The Zips have yet to truely take that "leap" where a home game is...in the minds of the Akron public...a "Big Game."The games vs. Can't and OU will be sellouts.If we win a game at the "Q," every successive game will be teeming with Akron fans.If we lose, the bandwagon stops.Assuming we continue our winning ways, sweep the MAC tourney, and return a bunch of stars for 2006-7, we will have the sellout crowds next season. Wait until you see the football crowds this year, they will blow you away.Fair or not, this season's Zips hoops squad really needs to perform some magic to get the fans in gear. Winning this weekend is the first of 5 big steps:1.) Beat K-ent2.) Beat OU on ESPN3.) Beat Nevada4.) Beat K-ent at home5.) Win the MAC tourneyThat's what we need to do. You can't turn around 16 years of losing/mediocrity with one season of 16 regular season wins. It is a great start, but see above to see what starts the bandwagon.

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I think it hurts us a bit that we don't have a go-to, clutch "stud" we can ride at game's end. In tight games it seems like Joyce is our man? Dribble...dribble...dribble...toss up a 29 footer, or an off-balance layup? Joyce is ok, but he ain't no Keith McCloud/Gary Trent/Anthony Stacy/Wally Sczerbiak/Huffman/Ben Reed...hell, even Bosley or Rashon Brown. Romeo still struggles with his inside game and is not a sure thing at the FT line either. Tough to give him the ball with 4 seconds remaining and behind by 1.Peterson's the wild card. If his back hold up, he can be "The Man." He, and Cedric are the two guys that look for their shot, and can create a shot. Conyers should be that person in 2006-7.It is testamony to KD and the hard work of the team that we're doing so well this season. We certainly don't have and "airport team" (the kind of team that, when you see them walking in the airport you immediately think "that's a basketball team!"). In fact, we probably have the anti-airport team...and STILL may be the best in the MAC! This team amazes me every night.

He could go to Pitt and play for a crappy coach like Wannstadt, losing to MAC doormats year in year out and going 3-8. Or, play for the MAC champs and train in a facility that second to none. And, get a great education to boot.There will be a lot more like him in the future. This is the tip of the iceberg.

FYI: I don't post "1-percenters." (Not trying to be a dick here, I just couldn't figure out a more tactful way to phrase it)Take it to the bank that the possibility is very real. "Guaranteed?" No, I can't say that. But the odds are very realistic.

I'll be there.

The only thing I will add is: I stand by my record. This isn't Joe Schmoe posting. If there weren't a realistic chance it would happen, I wouldn't post it.

Not Chris Webber, but "Chris Wells proportion." (See thread above).

A friend of mine from the Pittsburgh area is telling me LeSean McCoy, RB from Bishop McDevitt HS, is considering skipping prep school and committing to Akron. McCoy is 4-star. Top 10 RB in the nation...even ranked ahead of Chris Wells by some. He broke his ankle after game 4 of his senior season. He was on his way to becoming the #1 rusher in WPIAL history. Click, if You Hate the Beacon JournalStay tuned...

Not from FL....not from IL., that's all I can say. Sworn to secrecy!

There remains one "monster" unannounced verbal (not Jackson) Stay tuned...

I think is is a fantastic draw. I couldn't ne happier! Nevada is a great team. We have 4 days rest/practice. It will be a marquee game with national TV.If we deserve to be in the NCAA tourney, we go out there and we win. 22 wins, one being against Nevada, and we're in the big dance. Let's first beat Buffalo and Can't this week.

I don't know the details, but it may be that he doesn't meet Ohio States academic requirements but could very well meet Akron's. Maybe he wouldn't need to sit out a year. If I'm not mistaken, that's how Dennis Kennedy's OSU/Akron story went.I am awaiting news from Derrell Johnson and Elijah Fields. I know they're longshots, but either of those kids would really put an already impressive class over the top.

I personally found it very interesting. I thought it was great to get such candid quotes from Dials and Dambrot. The fact that Dambrot went down to Cinci to speak to Bubba this past summer regarding the situation...and that Bubba somehow twisted that into distrust...is bizarre. How bad would Bubba have been pissed if he was on the team 4 years ago....and Bryan Hipsher was getting minutes ahead of him instead of a solid guy like Dials?

My only comment regarding the cheerleading squad is: "Our girls are a bonnet away from being Mennonite." Every other school's cheerleaders have sleeveless outfits that show a little belly. Our girls wear long sleeve turtlenecks...in the 98 degree indoor JAR? What gives? Is Knute Larsen involved in the outfit selection?I saw this pic of the Zips cheerleaders taken at a Zips baseball game on Jackson Field. I think their outfits for baseball are actually a little more "racey" than their hoops unis? At least you can see their elbows.