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Disagree for a number of reasons (some listed below from GoZips.com), but I guess you're welcome to your own opinion. Zips have a lot of Freshman who have developed over this season & found a way to get into the NCAA Tournament. They deserved a home game, but the NCAA only talks about fairness and integrity; they don't actually follow their creed. When postseason play begins, the Zips will join an elite group of just six Division I programs that have qualified for the NCAA Championships in each of the past eight seasons. Only Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, UCLA, and Virginia can share that claim. Akron freshmen Richie Laryea and Bryce Cregan (Dallastown, Pa.) were recently recognized by TopDrawerSoccer.com as part of its national rankings of the top 100 freshmen in the country at the midpoint of the 2014 campaign. Laryea was tabbed at No. 26, while Cregan checked in at No. 72 in the rankings. Defending MAC champion Akron opened 2014 conference play at Bowling Green. Since 1998, the Zips have won 10 conference crowns [1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013], as well as 17 regular-season MAC titles. UA has made 28 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the College Cup three times [1986, 2009, 2010], and the national championship game twice [2009, 2010]. Akron won the 2010 national championship. Four Akron Zips were nominated for the 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.30 or better and be a starter or significant reserve. Representing the Zips are goalkeeper Jake Fenlason, midfielder Adam Najem, defender Brad Ruhaak (Akron, Ohio), and defender Andrew Sounders. ...

While I will be disappointed if the zips don't win, I strongly disagree with your point of view. The best team does not always win on a soccer field. I have watched too many games where one team dominates for 89 minutes but loses on one minute of good play by the other team. I am very proud of this young team for improving during the year and showing the mental toughness to come back from 1 goal down in 2 games this past weekend. Ohio State has wins this year over #3 overall seed Michigan State and also has a win over ACC tourney finalist Louisville. The Buckeyes have their best team in years and they will have the home crowd advantage. Ohio State has 2 wins this year over Michigan. Michigan defeated Notre Dame, the #1 overall seed in the tourney this year. Notre Dame also lost this year to Boston college. Is Notre Dame not an elite program because they have 2 losses to teams not even in the tourney? This team has dealt with challenges this year and they will have to play today without Victor Souto. This is not an all star squad like the 2010 zips but as long as they are fighting and playing smart, I am going to be very proud of Jared and this team.

Right on point Sir !!! .............. The rebuilding plan seems on track if you take the emotion out and view it objectively (not offense to anyone as I understand the frustration). Could/Should have been a much better season from a record perspective (which is what die hard's were excited for with the 4-2 start) I would aggressively argue with anyone who says the talent level in the Bowden's first two signing classes isn't at least one level up. ............. Next year will be the true measuring season (I know that's pretty easy to say now) ........ There is alot of talent that was red shirted (That would be the benefit of a bowl game .... A few more practices) Also please don't forget that the most under rated and overlooked part of the program is also in the "rebuilding" stage ............. The strength and conditioning program !!! Completely different philosophy and program than before ............... There is the "field" part of the program (practice and games), that yields all the attention (and is the bottom line), and the "off season" (and in season) weight room and S&A program and the "administrative/marketing" part of the program (which includes recruiting)................... All being changed So you have "Old program" players (not that that is necessarily bad) used to one training/practice discipline and the "New Program" philosophy that is totally different in ALL program aspects, and you have new recruits and transfers that you are introducing to the program and changing their habits from High School or other programs. Also you have administrative staff people from the old program that you are also changing philosophy with ....................... Tough task when it was THAT bad (as I understand it) It is a large ship not a speed boat ............. Unfortunately cannot change direction that fast. I look forward to maybe joining you all (or y'all in the dirty south) next season for some tailgating !!! That's my rah rah speech for the day !!

With so much youth having to play for both teams, what should we expect? Anybody know a great deal about the Trojans this year? Who do we think the winner will play next?

I got a chance to go see the Cavs play the defending World Champ Spurs last night, thought I would share some photography. Went to Butcher & Brewer on East Ninth before. Nice, but PACKED before a LeBron game. B&B site. ESPN did some SportsCenter live from East Fourth street in Cleveland. —©Photo by Dr Z Hulk Hogan was there promoting a WWE event at the Q in December. —©Photo by Dr Z Tim Duncan introduced to the Cleveland fans. —©Photo by Dr Z The new lighting show before introductions is done really well. —©Photo by Dr Z Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber was honored during the first time out. —©Photo by Dr Z Hulk thinks about using his signature leg drop on Ginobili, then remembers his age. —©Photo by Dr Z Hulk did not seem to impressed with LBJ's long range jumper. —©Photo by Dr Z

Right. Be glad you don't attend many games at the JAR, you think it's bad reading about the refs on ZN, you should hear the JAR sometimes. Embarrassing. I was convinced when they stopped the game and showed the refs going to security it was a Zips fan.

USC was as advertised, young and sloppy. I agree with you though, the Zips had a built in excuse to lose. Instead, it looked like an energized team with something to prove. If they can play with a chip on their shoulder, they might continue to be fun to watch. How do we solve our continued offensive dry spells?

I think USC is probably not a very good team but I did like the way the team played today. I particularly thought Forsythe looked as good as I've seen him in a Zips uniform.

LOL ........ I was kidding Coaches: My son loved the Coaches first of all .......... Of all of the Coaching staffs he has met and spoken with during the recruiting process, he has built the strongest relationship with Coach Stroud........... Great guy with a ton of coaching experience (and playing),.............. All of the Coaches he spent time with (Bowden, Amatto) were great and all seemed to share the same vision of the program and laid out the rebuilding plan the same (which is on track as they laid it out) Facilities: I have to be honest that on the ride up on the first visit, I was thinking to myself (Akron? really) ......... But when we got up there and toured the facilities, my reluctance disappeared. Excellent facilities ... Comparable to the SEC facilities in the niceness (if that's the word) .......... Only much smaller scaled. Playing time: My son is about 3" short for the SEC (obviously I'm bias) ...........He has talked to and visited most of the ACC, AAC and Sun Belt schools and feels that Akron is a perfect fit for him. He has been in a high school program that is run like a college program (going for third straight state championship and got second when he was a freshman). The defense Coach Amotto runs is the exact defense he has been in since 8th grade so the transition to the program should be smooth. I can see the probability of him being red shirted to add weight, but he is very solid technically. Coach Stroud and Bowden both said that he reminds them of Cody Grice (which is a nice comparison). Coach Bowden told him he would like to use him in goal line situations like Cody as he is a pretty punishing FB ............... He is 6'1 245 LBS now and would like to come in June at 260 lbs............... Probably will be a 290 lb guy as a RS Sophmore Education : Akron has his degree program (Exercise Science) No family in the area He is also excited about the potential of being a part of building the program .......... Again I'm a bit bias, but he fits the mold of what Coach Bowden talks about when he says they want to recruit "good character" kids that know what it takes to win. .......................... He should be a solid player and contributor to the program (he better be !!!)

This just became typical KD-hater - find something to complain about in a 20 point win

A star is gone, a team is born.

Nice half. We drew a perfect opponent.

Buffalo area is expected to get another 2-3 feet of snow today on top of 5-6 feet already there. How likely is it they'll be ready to host a game this Saturday?

This tourney will tell us a lot of what to expect from the Treeless team. I'm no expert, but it looked like we have a lot of talented newcomers in the opening win. With the loss of the main cog, I think we will see added effort to take that place. We may see a different player emerge on either end of the court. That may evolve over the next month or more, but I think we will find over the next few games that all is NOT lost for this season. Keep the faith.

Sounds like the Half Buck side of the mouth talking.

The Zips "best ball" with Tree would be much better than its best ball without Tree. We don't have anyone to replace his projected 17ppg / 8 rpg. And his physical presence in the post. I'll support this Zips team as much as I ever have, but there's no sugar-coating what Tree's loss would me to our chances of winning the MAC.

For better or for worse, I don't think Tyler Hansbrough would have averaged 15 for KD

Was at the game with maybe a couple hundred others. Hard to figure what to take away from this game. UMass had no QB. They didn't really seem interested. Apparently they were like most Akron 'fans' who didn't bother to show up. Akron beat a bad team. They should. Bowden finally got the ball to Dorazio, far and away the best receiver on the team. Could have been by design,could have just been bad D by UMass. The TD to Hundley was beautiful. The wheel counter to the flow. Nobody within 20 yards. We will get a much better read against Can't. They are bad,but its at their place and they could spoil a possible extra game for Akron. A win over Can't and 6-6 is respectable for this point with this program. A bowl this year for this 6-6 team seems a bit of a stretch. Next season is the key for Bowden.

When I saw that Blake Frohnapfel was not going to play, I figured UMass was in trouble. He's the guy who makes their offense go. He has a strong and accurate arm and they are clearly not the same team without him. Akron caught them at the perfect time to blow them out of the stadium.

Just another poll where Akron is ahead of OSU...but the game is in Columbus? Ok....