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Dambrot Mentioned in SI Article on LeBron


UAZip0510

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And with all of his AAU tournaments and all of the tweets, we have yet to land any player that actually was above the Akron program in stature except for Zeke who came on his own merits.

Yeah, a lot of players get to play here via Lebron and he talks about the school, that's great. But it does nothing to help the program.

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“It has been a huge coup for Dambrot.”

“Dambrot has received unprecedented advertising for his program.”

"There's no question that this allows us to get with better players now that we're one of his main people [in gear] and that he plays open gym here and put his camp here and the AAU event here," Dambrot said.

“We've found that the LeBron connection helps us.”

“James said he recognizes that by putting the tournaments in Akron, he has given the city and the school a place on the college basketball recruiting map.”

"LeBron didn't make me see it, but when I did get here, I did realize that LeBron was an asset for the school," Marshall said.

Sounds like Dambrot and Zeke saying nice things about LeBron and his "UA impact" because they knew the writer was writing an article about LeBron.

It's interesting that the writer - who surely had full access to interview any Zips player - had zero quotes from current players saying he had any kind of impact on them signing with UA. I've never heard a recruit being quoted that LeBron's high school ties to Dambrot had anything to do with them signing with UA. Until one does, I just can't buy the argument that his impact is any more than minimal at best. It doesn't hurt, but his impact to this program is completely overblown.

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Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall anyone saying that LeBron has had a major, measurable impact on the Zips basketball program. If someone has actually made this claim, then I think all the rest of us would like to see some measurable proof. Otherwise, I think we're all mostly in agreement that associating LeBron with Zips basketball has the potential to do more good than harm, but we've yet to see evidence that the potential has been realized.

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Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall anyone saying that LeBron has had a major, measurable impact on the Zips basketball program. If someone has actually made this claim, then I think all the rest of us would like to see some measurable proof. Otherwise, I think we're all mostly in agreement that associating LeBron with Zips basketball has the potential to do more good than harm, but we've yet to see evidence that the potential has been realized.

CK made the claim that LeBron benefits our recruiting (which would certainly impact our program) , while some (like myself) respectfully disagree due to lack of evidence.

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CK made the claim that LeBron benefits our recruiting (which would certainly impact our program) , while some (like myself) respectfully disagree due to lack of evidence.

So, I'll ask again. You're saying that Akron basketball having an association with one of the biggest athlete/celebrities in the world is not a benefit? If so, where is YOUR evidence?

Maybe we should just tell him to stay away, since it can't possibly be helping our visibility that, among other things, he has millions of Twitter followers who see him talking about the U of A? :rolleyes:

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CK made the claim that LeBron benefits our recruiting (which would certainly impact our program) , while some (like myself) respectfully disagree due to lack of evidence.

If, say 8 years ago, Kobe Bryant decided to take a liking to the Zips...adopted them as "his" team (since he didn't attend college)...and Kobe attended some Zips games...tweeted about the Zips...held summer camps @ UA for national, elite HS players...talked up KD in national publications...bought the kids his insanely popular (with youth) gear etc. Would that be considered a plus for the program?

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If, say 8 years ago, Kobe Bryant decided to take a liking to the Zips...adopted them as "his" team (since he didn't attend college)...and Kobe attended some Zips games...tweeted about the Zips...held summer camps @ UA for national, elite HS players...talked up KD in national publications...bought the kids his insanely popular (with youth) gear etc. Would that be considered a plus for the program?

1. Bron has probably attended as many, if not more OSU games than Akron's. He tweets about OSU just as much. How are we "his team." His camp?? Yea, he's taking it to Las Vegas, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't bring it back. None of these "elite HS players" that he has brought to Akron have chosen to play here. How does that benefit us? He's talked up KD..these high school recruits don't sit on the internet all day and read SI articles. He didn't "buy" them anything. That would be illegal. He sponsors the team. If he didnt, we would be getting the same "free" gear from adidas, nike, or whatever.

Nobody him being associated isn't in anyway beneficial to the University, but him saying a nice sentence or two about his HS coach in an SI article doesn't benefit us in anyway, let alone be "invaluable" or "priceless" publicity. Nobody who read that article is going to change their opinion on Akron.

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1. Bron has probably attended as many, if not more OSU games than Akron's. He tweets about OSU just as much. How are we "his team." His camp?? Yea, he's taking it to Las Vegas, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't bring it back. None of these "elite HS players" that he has brought to Akron have chosen to play here. How does that benefit us? He's talked up KD..these high school recruits don't sit on the internet all day and read SI articles. He didn't "buy" them anything. That would be illegal. He sponsors the team. If he didnt, we would be getting the same "free" gear from adidas, nike, or whatever.

Nobody him being associated isn't in anyway beneficial to the University, but him saying a nice sentence or two about his HS coach in an SI article doesn't benefit us in anyway, let alone be "invaluable" or "priceless" publicity. Nobody who read that article is going to change their opinion on Akron.

I was always under the assumption that the Zips didn't pay for their gear...that they had an equipment sponsor. And I thought their shoe sponsor was Nike, due to the LeBron connection? You say that isn't true. I'd be curious if anyone else had info on the topic.

If "he tweets about OSU just as much as Akron" that makes him a bigger Zips fan that 99.9999% of the people in the United States. I think it is cool that the NBA, multi-time MVP tweets about the Zips as much as he does Ohio State. B)

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I was always under the assumption that the Zips didn't pay for their gear...that they had an equipment sponsor. And I thought their shoe sponsor was Nike, due to the LeBron connection? You say that isn't true. I'd be curious if anyone else had info on the topic.

You are correct. They don't pay for their gear. They get their gear "free" but in return they must wear it (advertise). With or without Lebron we would be getting "free" gear.

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You are correct. They don't pay for their gear. They get their gear "free" but in return they must wear it (advertise). With or without Lebron we would be getting "free" gear.

But not LeBron gear...which doesn't mean much to you or I, but does to 17 year old kids.

To quote Will Smith - "I asked them for Adidas, and they bought me Zips."

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1. Bron has probably attended as many, if not more OSU games than Akron's. He tweets about OSU just as much. How are we "his team." His camp?? Yea, he's taking it to Las Vegas, and I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't bring it back. None of these "elite HS players" that he has brought to Akron have chosen to play here. How does that benefit us? He's talked up KD..these high school recruits don't sit on the internet all day and read SI articles. He didn't "buy" them anything. That would be illegal. He sponsors the team. If he didnt, we would be getting the same "free" gear from adidas, nike, or whatever.

Nobody him being associated isn't in anyway beneficial to the University, but him saying a nice sentence or two about his HS coach in an SI article doesn't benefit us in anyway, let alone be "invaluable" or "priceless" publicity. Nobody who read that article is going to change their opinion on Akron.

How much do you think it would cost to equal the exposure through paid advertising that the U of A gets from just one Tweet to millions of followers from a celebrity like LeBron ?

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So, I'll ask again. You're saying that Akron basketball having an association with one of the biggest athlete/celebrities in the world is not a benefit? If so, where is YOUR evidence?

Maybe we should just tell him to stay away, since it can't possibly be helping our visibility that, among other things, he has millions of Twitter followers who see him talking about the U of A? :rolleyes:

It's up to you to prove the benefit to recruiting. Name me one recruit who listed one of the reasons he came to UA as the connection to LeBron.

Again, I'm not saying it hurts...just that his minimal impact on this program is largely overblown.

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If, say 8 years ago, Kobe Bryant decided to take a liking to the Zips...adopted them as "his" team (since he didn't attend college)...and Kobe attended some Zips games...tweeted about the Zips...held summer camps @ UA for national, elite HS players...talked up KD in national publications...bought the kids his insanely popular (with youth) gear etc. Would that be considered a plus for the program?

It's odd, I just did a Google search...I found this:

lebronosu506.jpg

And this...

news_lebron-james-kentucky-deal.jpg

...for some reason though, I can't find any pictures of LeBron wearing the gear of "his adopted team"...maybe it's because he never wore any and hasn't attended a Zips game since Travis/Joyce graduated?

Also:

- Our team is sponsored by Nike, but we do not get the unique "LeBron line" gear that he has given to Ohio State, Miami, and Kentucky. He just lets us advertise his logo in our arena.

- His tournaments are no longer being held here

Again, nobody is saying it's a bad connection to have. There's just zero proof that the little that he has done has made any measurable impact on our recruiting efforts, which means his impact on our program has been minimal at best (which is obviously still better than nothing).

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He goes to OSU and Kentucky to be seen and to self-promote. He goes to Akron games to support his former coach and, previously, his former teammates.

yeah, because he doesn't have a relationship with guys like Jared Sullinger and John Calipari.

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It's odd, I just did a Google search...I found this:

lebronosu506.jpg

And this...

news_lebron-james-kentucky-deal.jpg

...for some reason though, I can't find any pictures of LeBron wearing the gear of "his adopted team"...maybe it's because he never wore any and hasn't attended a Zips game since Travis/Joyce graduated?

Also:

- Our team is sponsored by Nike, but we do not get the unique "LeBron line" gear that he has given to Ohio State, Miami, and Kentucky. He just lets us advertise his logo in our arena.

- His tournaments are no longer being held here

Again, nobody is saying it's a bad connection to have. There's just zero proof that the little that he has done has made any measurable impact on our recruiting efforts, which means his impact on our program has been minimal at best (which is obviously still better than nothing).

Perrfectly said! Lebron is Dambrot's friend. Period. Love those shoes...

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The only downside to LeBron is that both times they have made the NCAA Tournament, the CBS announcers spent almost as much time talking about Keith Dambrot being his former coach than the Zips players that worked so hard to get to The Dance. I wanted to scream when they played Notre Dame - I feel like it was all they talked about the first 5-6 minutes. Our players deserve that spotlight and attention.

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The only downside to LeBron is that both times they have made the NCAA Tournament, the CBS announcers spent almost as much time talking about Keith Dambrot being his former coach than the Zips players that worked so hard to get to The Dance. I wanted to scream when they played Notre Dame - I feel like it was all they talked about the first 5-6 minutes. Our players deserve that spotlight and attention.

Hello !! Are you understanding the level of publicity that the LeBron connection produces now? More than even the accomplishments of the team itself, in your own words? Maybe it's not right, I agree. But, it is what it is. That's the benefits you get when you are connected to someone with celebrity status.

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The only downside to LeBron is that both times they have made the NCAA Tournament, the CBS announcers spent almost as much time talking about Keith Dambrot being his former coach than the Zips players that worked so hard to get to The Dance. I wanted to scream when they played Notre Dame - I feel like it was all they talked about the first 5-6 minutes. Our players deserve that spotlight and attention.

Great topic. Ditto for local coverage come MAC tournament time.

All the local hacks can talk about when UA comes up is Dambrot and Lebron. Screw that!

Let's talk Zips..not about Dambrot's buddy.

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The only downside to LeBron is that both times they have made the NCAA Tournament, the CBS announcers spent almost as much time talking about Keith Dambrot being his former coach than the Zips players that worked so hard to get to The Dance. I wanted to scream when they played Notre Dame - I feel like it was all they talked about the first 5-6 minutes. Our players deserve that spotlight and attention.

If you watched more NCAA tournament games, you would realize that if they didn't spend that time talking about LeBron, they would just use it to talk about the matchup between the .500 record BCS conference also-rans that's coming up later that day.

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I guess you can find something to support whatever argument you want to make. I entered the following search terms into Google -- lebron james university of akron zips -- and the first hit at the top of the list is a Washington Post story with the following headline and lead:

University of Akron Basketball Program Has Big Supporter in LeBron James

PORTLAND, Ore., March 18 -- Chris McKnight joined in a pickup basketball game the first time he stepped on the University of Akron campus as a student and incoming scholarship basketball player.

One by one, his teammates decided whom they would guard, when one of them said, "Chris, you got LeBron."

Guarding LeBron James is both a benefit and challenge of being a men's basketball player for the Zips. Mostly due to a relationship with Akron Coach Keith Dambrot, who tutored a 13-year-old James and later coached him for two years at Akron's St. Vincent/St. Mary High School, James is one of the Zips' most avid and important supporters.

I wonder if Chris McKnight would have ever made the lead in a Washington Post story if not for LeBron's relationship with KD and UA?

Washington Post Story

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Hello !! Are you understanding the level of publicity that the LeBron connection produces now? More than even the accomplishments of the team itself, in your own words? Maybe it's not right, I agree. But, it is what it is. That's the benefits you get when you are connected to someone with celebrity status.

So when we get to the "big stage" and they talk about Dambrot coaching LeBron in high school instead of our program's accomplishments, that's a good thing...?

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