Leaderboard

Had lunch today in a nice little Mexican restaurant in Hartville (Mi Casa) which has the best Cuban sandwich I've had in Ohio. I was reminded that most Mexican restaurants have soccer on the tube even when World Cup is not being played. Soccer is obviously the favorite sport of Hispanics, who represent the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. It's taken me awhile but I'm finally starting to develop an appreciation for soccer. I just had to learn that soccer has to be accepted on its own terms rather than on the terms of fans of other sports who want to impose their preconceived terms on soccer. The lack of scoring had an initial negative effect on my thinking as I enjoy watching wide-open offenses in basketball and football. When it comes to scoring, soccer is more like hockey, where defense is more dominant and scoring less common compared with other sports. Once you get beyond the scarcity of goals in soccer, there's a lot to appreciate about the athleticism and teamwork on display. Soccer does feature a lot of offense in terms of yards gained, passes completed, etc. It's only actual scoring that's lacking. The more soccer I watch the more I come around to the point of view that more points scored wouldn't necessarily add to the sport's excitement. I appreciate having a variety of sports -- including soccer -- to watch in moderation instead of all football, all basketball or all any one sport all the time.

My appreciation of soccer has risen to the point where it's my favorite spectator sport. I love all of the action and especially the no times out. Keeps the game moving with no "circus" entertainment needed like that in NBA arenas at every break.

.@ZipsMSoc junior Andrew Souders spoke with @SaraShookman about former UA teammate @yedlinny today. #WKYC pic.twitter.com/LCDbJdtsha — Paul Warner (@ZipsPaul) June 25, 2014 The full story will air twice today on @wkyc at 6 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. — Paul Warner (@ZipsPaul) June 25, 2014

The new incentive program includes nine prize drawings for Zips fans that renew or purchase new men's basketball season tickets for the upcoming 2014-15 season. View the full article at www.GoZips.com

Of course you don't understand. College sports is marketing, period. Every dollar you spend on OSU gear is a dollar not spent promoting the University of Akron, where you got your degree. It devalues the product because even you, a graduate, aren't proud enough of your alma mater to wear it. The value of a degree is equal parts public awareness (marketing), job placement, and education. The reason sports exist is to push the marketing of the school. Not just for student attraction, but to make people aware of what the school offers in terms of quality graduates.