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Just had lunch with Matt, Jacob and a few other Zips fans here in Omaha. I can tell you he is totally committed to do whatever he can to make sure our athletic programs prosper. Great guy.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Characterizing MAC teams seems like a fun thing for fans. But, too often, this is such an unpredictable league.

Ouch. It hurts to read this. Guess I'll add that I've never been content with UA's efforts during MAC Madness at the Q. Anyhow, maybe we can bring in the Black Keys for some Zip fan love. I saw them play a free show at Case.

With Navy getting blown out by Temple and WMU holding off Ohio, they're going to the Cotton Bowl. Nice job and $$ for the MAC and Akron.

Zips are a 14 point underdog. Creighton has covered 4 of 5 ATS. The moneyline is about 10 to 1 if you think the Zips can win the game outright. Zips are ranked 77th, Creighton ranked 13th in this power ranking. Fox Sports 2 Nationally on DirecTV channel 618 and Dish Network channel 397‏ Online: For those with Fox Sports 2, on select systems (Cox, Time Warner, DirecTV, Xfinity, AT&T Uverse, Suddenlink, WOW, Midcontinent, Bright House, and Optimum among others) you can login and watch online on your computer. You can also download the Fox Sports Go app for your Android, Apple, Kindle Fire, or Windows Mobile device and stream the game. Separate services like Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox and Roku has the FSGo channel. For the Cord Cutters there are several options to get FS1 non-traditionally through these services: Sling TV, Playstation Vue, and DirecTV Now.

It was TRIPLE overtime. This was the first round game at home during the our first MAC tournament win in 2009 that I referenced above. Brett's basket was actually a catch-and-shoot in the paint, all in one motion. It was a pretty unbelievable play. The audio of Steve French's call on those two plays is classic.

Actually it had to do nothing with his character but continue to assume.

Jerome Lane managed to attain respectable stats this year, 62 receptions for 1018 total yards (30th in nation) and 6 TD's, even though the Zips QB situation was less than consistent during the season and some individual QB game performances were shoddy at times. Last year, his first season at WR, Lane was 12th in the nation with an average of (782 yards)/(39 receptions) = 20.05 yards per catch. Here are some interesting twitter comments on Lane's NFL decision: https://twitter.com/andysimms/status/804403411894542336 https://twitter.com/lifesyourcup/status/804437693740388352

The University of Akron Men's Basketball team comes back from a 12-point deficit to win their first round game in the MAC Tournament against Toledo in overtime. Humpty Hitchens nails a three at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime. After a miracle shot by Toledo, Brett McKnight tips the ball in from an inbounds pass by Hitchens. An amazing game that I was sure we had lost at least 3 times.

This is an easy one for me: Jimmal Ball in his freshman year dropping in shots from everywhere on the court versus Xavier at the JAR. The back and forth big shots in that OT game defined college sports excitement. That was the day this guy became a Zips fan for life.

Not to mention there are some new guys in there. Unfair to judge them based on prior administrations. I've said it on here before, but I really came away impressed with Larry Williams when I had the chance to talk to him. I am also liking how active our new President is.

We didn't have Natson last year, and we went to a bowl game. We had him this year, and we're watching bowl games. I don't get fretting over losses of seniors. Maybe next season Warren Ball is healthy, and he picks up the offensive slack? Maybe one or two of the incoming LB's is an impact player and our defense picks up the slack? Maybe one of the new WR's is really good? Maybe Lane would have blown his ACL in game #1 with the Zips next season, and we'd have need to figure out a Plan B on-the-fly, instead of having 10 months to identify and groom his heir? It's college football. Players leave. Next man up.

We will miss Natson more than Lane. Natson was a gamer and always gave 100%. I just wish he would have hauled in that last pass against Ohio.

Yep, it's been brought up several times in the past. As was G5 playing in the spring. The bottom line is the G5 pays for a significant number of scholarships with those away games at OSU, Mich, MSU, ND, etc. And coaching salaries. Lose those games, and you lose schollys, staff, and you're Youngstown State. Best case scenario IMO is if the NCAA expands the playoffs to eight teams, puts the P5 conference winners in, two at-large programs, and the top ranked G5 program. Get the top G5 schools to play each other in non-conference games (late in the season?). That's going to be hard to predict because whenever a G5 school gets ranked, a P5 school poaches their HC.

Coming out of retirement for this one. I have run into k92 a couple of times at games, on road trips and around Akron. He has always been a good time and ready to invite people to be zips fans. @balesy, I believe we had season tickets a few years back right next to you. Tressell sat a couple of rows behind us. You really care to the max about the zips. Always an active and loud fan in a good way. Enjoyed sitting near you two. I honestly don't see a big difference between zips fans beyond what they write on here about the same topics year in and out. The first college basketball game I attended was with my now deceased grandpa 25 years ago. I was a drunk student at the games a decade ago. I was a less drunk fan sitting in lower bowl for 5 years. Now I take my 3 year old daughter and sometimes my 1 year old son to the game. You can see me doing laps with them throughout the second half of nearly every home game. We chase zippy but don't get too close for fear she may actually get touched by zippy. Scared outta her mind but the thrill of the chase is everything. Getting to the point. To me part of the fun of the games is how much the same it is from year to year. I have shared years of boring early home wins with my friends, wife, children, and the same old salt zips fans I give the head nod to in passing. I remember going to the Mac tourney with my girlfriend in college who years later is my wife. I remember taking he bus to Detroit to see the zips in the macc. So many memories from the years. At Mac tourney time we go to Cleveland like it is mecca. We sit down have a bunch of beer and relive the years we have been coming down and what was going on in our lives when x happened. So in closing. I get what I need from the zips. I am not advocating for keeping the status quo or anything. But to me the experience of being a zips fan is in the memories. It will change some day but a new marketing scheme, jersey color, or whatever will have no impact on me or most of you. I go to games because in a world of travel, tv, kids, and so on...sometimes taking the time sit at a game is worth a sore ass and geriatric park like atmosphere. Also I sneak in popcorn and water so Aramark be damned. We bring 20 to 30 people in a year for our alumni tailgate and Conference basketball games. People ask why we are zips fans and all I can answer is that we just are. And after all of these years. Kent sucks worse than ever.