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I don't think anyone is suggesting any players were offended. I think @VAZipis just pointing out a very real double-standard there is with religious expression. We all know and agree Coach Groce would never do something that would make any players feel not welcome.

That would make sense with Enrique's mom there. It's nice to see that the program we love engenders that kind of good feelings and sentimentality. I feel bad for Nate with K State's struggles. There are still people out there with hurt feelings over him leaving but the kid did what was best for himself and his family in the long term.

Someone told me at the game that is was a players parents reunion event. Don't know if that's true, but that's what I heard.

The NIL money at P4 programs has gotten so stupid that it forces players to choose getting a fat pay check and losing over staying with their teammates/friends, coaches, and winning championships. That's just the way it is now. No use lamenting it. Next man up.

Nate’s mom still comes to Zips games? That’s pretty cool & rather telling, unless there’s another angle to the story I’m not privy to?

The money was obviously a huge factor, but maybe Nate will come back around the Akron program and echo Ali’s message that the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere. And not every program or locker room has a great culture like Akron does. Cherish what you have.

That’s great….i have no doubt the team is cool with everyone’s beliefs. Personally I’m not a big fan of ‘performative religion’ and I’ll admit it turned me off a little. But they certainly have the right to wear whatever they want.

I'm watching K-state get demolished at home by Iowa St right now. Down by 30 at the half. Nate is probably the 3rd or 4th option on a really bad team. His mom and her husband were at the JAR Friday night. I asked how he was doing and she was pretty non-commital, just saying he was fine.

In case you forgot, we had a devout Muslim player on the team just 2 years ago. He didn't seem too offended by the culture of the team. In fact, he left and came back for more.

"Oh crap I didn't know he was Muslim" And then I'd move on with my life

I just saw some more pictures from the game and the shirts actually had the Akron logo on the sleeve. I hope they think better of that part of this.

I just wonder who is happier, Tavari who is having a break out season in the MAC and has an opportunity to go to the big dance or Nate who cashed a much bigger paycheck but is stuck on a losing team with no personal accolades such as MAC player of the year and no chance of an NCAA tourney. Money or fame? Difficult decision for 22 year old athletes.

I mean that's kind of the player he was here. Although I would say last year he was a + defender and + rebounder. MAC bigs last season also weren't as good as this year and certainly well behind anything the Big 12 has at the position. IMO him getting his bag really represents 2 things. 1) There is a very small pool of bigs, much smaller than guards, so anyone that shows any sort of promise can and will get paid. 2) These P4 NIL programs have more money than they know what to do with. I'm sure Okonkwo wasn't their first choice, but when they lost out on musical chairs on the guys they really wanted they were like we have all this money budgeted for this position so let's throw it at a guy like Okonkwo.

With my "Buddha Won" t-shirt. I'd then focus on the Eastern Michigan game.

I doubt the bylaws would allow such a thing. Even if it did it would almost certainly void the $2.5 million exit fee NIU is required to pay.

Just curious…how would you have responded to a Muslim Zip player wearing a “Allah Won” tee shirt. Be honest.

It was so bad I thought my ears simply weren't sophisticated enough to hear what they were doing. Did anyone from UA listen to them beforehand to give them the go-ahead? 😂 As soon as it was over one of the guys I brought to the game turned to me & said that was "terrible." I tried to defend/justify/rationalize it by saying they were trying to make the anthem "too complicated." Anyway... on to what's most important

A few years ago before Covid all the acapella groups were pretty popular on campus riding the high of the pitch perfect series. But it seems like it isn’t a cool thing to do anymore

Isn't nice to have a PCCC game where all we're left to b!+ch about are t-shirts, anthems and parking?

They had them in the Tommy Evans lounge pregame to sing the Alma Mater as well. It was embarrassingly putrid. It looks like somebody dropped the ball on this one.

Wearing religious shirts is very different than racial justice, but to keep this topic on our team, I don't recall them ever wearing anything like that? Seems like a red herring. The only time I can recall them wearing non-team gear was the "Colin's Crew" shirts last year in support of Tim Campbell's son battling cancer, which was an obvious special circumstance.

This is fantastic.

Only thing embarassing here is your understanding of Constitutional law.

Lucky they didn't get their butts kicked by more last night haha.