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I respect coach Groce for sticking to his vision for the team and making it happen over three seasons. The players have all bought in and they trust the coach. Groce seems to be genuinely happy he is at Akron and he has said in a presser that he was attracted to UA because of the success KD had here. That's a classy way to credit KD and still believe the ceiling is higher than KD experienced. This team deserves our support and they can put the excitement back in Zip's sports culture. The Groce haters are silent now. I welcome them back into the fold. If they don't come too bad. They are missing a hell of a ride.

If this season continues to go as it appears it is, I hope the community really gets behind this team. While I have loved and been proud of all of the good teams we've had the last 15 years, I really feel like this is a special and different group. It's not the most talented team Akron's had, but they looks as cohesive an Akron team I've seen and they play hard and well on both ends of the floor. On top of that, they're old guys that lost a lot of games last year. You can see their hard work and dedication to the TEAM and PROGRAM play out, as things that they were bad at last year have been reversed. I know there are still plenty of Akron fans pouting over the coaching change and there are probably some that are even upset to see Groce doing well. If that's keeping them from supporting these guys, do us all a favor and don't associate yourselves with Akron. Go cheer for Kent or something. Keep it rolling, boys!

Cursory examination of your statement gives the impression you would really give a lot for an arena like that; however when one realizes that you have three testicles the statement losses some of its strength.

Comeback Bowl Congratulations Akron (0-12) and UMass (1-11)! You’ve been invited to play in the fourth annual TheComeback.com Bowl. It’s college football’s premiere showcase event to determine the worst team in the FBS. The schools will meet this Saturday at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

And congrats to LCJ for being named the MAC East Player of the Week. ?

I like how Xeryious is the silent assassin. He's quietly getting all those rebounds and then throws in some 3s. Until Groce, I never understood the concept of a coach needing "his guys" on the team, and he's not afraid to cut the dead weight or cut a good player for the sake of the team.

Every 50 year old recruit in American knows the Bowden name.

Glad we get a crack at them on a neutral field vs the hornets nest we went into this year!

I came a crossed the below chart on reddit and figured I'd share. Someone who has a lot more free time than I do went through every single MAC signee and counted up how many other MAC offers they had. Akron signed 22 players and those 22 players had a combined 4 other MAC offers. 21 players we offered signed with other MAC schools. In and of itself I don't think it means the world as a lot of our best recruits came from areas that other MAC schools aren't actively recruiting (JUCO & Georgia), however, I do think it's telling that we're missing out on a lot of the best talent in our home area. If you look at the below chart, you'll see the teams that have the highest MAC offers per commit are typically the teams that consistently perform the best. Toledo and WMU both seemed to have killed it on the recruiting trail by each of their signings having an average of 3.6 & 4 MAC offers.

Same Patton that was just named Horizon League player of the week?

I get the feeling that this will be one of those games where the outcome is never much in doubt yet not one in which the Zips ever get a huge lead like against EMU. Comfortable, but never completely put them away. Zips 71-59.

Excitement is building!

I'll take It's All Relative for 500, Alex. You can simply tell watching this team this season that they will be competing in the upper echelon of the MAC this year. They have the talent and depth to overcome their road-game shortcomings of years past, which has single handily torpedoed their seasons. The MAC is wide open for the first time in I don't know how many years, and we'll be right in the thick of things come March. _____________________________________________________________________ Since this is a catch-all thread, here are the opening weekend matchups for the MAC. FRIDAY Toledo @ Balls 61-57 PCCC @ BUGS 79-61 SATURDAY Akron @ EMU 69-45 NIU @ Canada 73-72 Sweaters (OH) @ CMU 93-82 Bobkittens @ Inebriated Horses 77-65

Interesting. I just read a story that said the HL player of the week Patton played two years ago for Akron. Akron must have been trying to corner the Patton market.