Leaderboard

Not that it is any big surprise but the Zips and Rockets have both clinched berths to Cleveland. And a few new schedule updates - as we guessed Feb 23rd is going to be used for some makeups. Sunday, February 21 Western Michigan at Ball State -- From Tuesday, January 5 to Sunday, February 21 at 7 PM (ET) Tuesday, February 23 Miami at Central Michigan – From Saturday, January 2 to Tuesday, February 23 at 5 PM (ET) Buffalo at Northern Illinois -- From Saturday, January 23 to Tuesday, February 23 at 7 PM (ET) Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan -- From Tuesday, February 2 to Tuesday, February 23 at 7 PM (ET) Akron at Ohio -- From Tuesday, February 9 to Tuesday, February 23 at TBD Wednesday, February 24 Kent State at Ball State – From Tuesday, January 26 to Wednesday, February 24 at 2 PM (ET) Thursday, February 25 Miami at Western Michigan – From Saturday, January 16 to Thursday, February 25 at Noon Central Michigan at Buffalo – From Tuesday, January 26 to Thursday, February 25 at 2 PM (ET) Eastern Michigan at Ohio – From Saturday, February 6 to Thursday, February 25 at TBD Friday, March 5 Ohio at Bowling Green – From Saturday, February 20 to Friday, March 5 at 7 PM (ET)

fify..

Interestingly Toledo is not included in the makeup games which I think means the Zips have a chance to have an even number of games with them. If the Zips win out (I know a tall order) I believe that would give them the #1 seed.

Yes. Freezing and streaming.

Considering how Toledo has no bench it's probably the only way he can get off the court for a water break

Never ever want to see any team sustain injuries!!!

on the spring schedule topic, Zip_ME87 posted that the game was showing on the ESPN+ schedule for Feb. 20 on the pitt schedule, it shows as ACC network extra However, on the right of the screen...it shows a link for live stats...and a tv screen link when I click on tv screen, it takes to an ESPN screen and asks me to log in I think if you pay monthly for ESPN+, you should be able to see the game. https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-soccer/schedule https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=725413e4-ebec-40a7-9c22-4bffda33afe4 the zip website has an article on the MAC conference voting https://gozips.com/news/2021/2/16/akron-mens-soccer-selected-to-capture-mac-title.aspx snippet from that article: Akron opens its campaign this week visiting third-rated Pittsburgh on Saturday, Feb. 20. The 3 p.m. contest with the Panthers will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

"if they think winning is going to be a deodorant..." ???? that's a good Groceism.

Let's get this topic started....for the first game of a new and exciting year What do we know about the opponent? Coached by former Wake Forest legendary coach Jay Vidovich Top Drawer soccer(TDS) has them rated pre-season as the #3 team in the country (TDS has the zips at 6) College soccer news has Pitt rated at #8 (our beloved zips are pre-season #26) Pittsburgh played soccer in the fall...and did quite well 3-1 win over Notre Dame on the road 3-2 double overtime win over Syracuse on the road 4-2 win over Va. Tech at home (10 goals in their first 3 games.....impressive high powered offense) 3-2 overtime win over Virginia on the road 4-1 win over the Louisville Cardinals on the road (17 goals in their 5 regular season games ....in ACC competition...wow ) ACC tournament 2-1 quarterfinal win over the Dukies....(game played in Raleigh) 3 days...later....3-1 semifinal win for Notre Dame (game played in Raleigh) 4 days later....2-1 loss in the ACC finals to Clemson (game played in Cary at Wake Med Soccer Park) https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2021/2/12/mens-soccer-pitt-welcomes-defending-national-champion-georgetown-for-exhibition.aspx the article above...has many good facts....on Pitt to highlight a few....and compare to the zips Top Drawer soccer(TDS) ....has put zip standout center back Carlo Ritaccio on their preseason 3rd team All America list TDS.....has one Pitt Player on their first team preseason All America team...and another player on their 2nd team All America list TDS....also does a preseason top 100 player list (Sophomores, juniors and seniors) Zips had Carlo at 24 and Colin Biros at 37 TDS...has 4 Pitt Players on their list ....#8 ; #15 ; #50 and #71 TDS...also put a Pitt Freshman on their 11 player preseason All Freshman TDS...did not select any zips to their All Freshman list this biased writer (yes, me...the always opinionated TennZip!!!)...says boo on TDS....Jason Shokalook....will be on TDS....all freshman list...after the season is over going to another source of info......The Hermann Trophy is presented after the season to the nation's best college soccer player....The group does a preseason Hermann Trophy watch list... I think that the list is normally about 45 players....No zips were included on the preseason watch list...2 Pitt Panthers...are on the Hermann Trophy Watch list both are sophomores.... 5'10 midfielder Valentin Noel from France...who has an active streak of 6 straight games with a goal scored https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/valentin-noel/10999 5'10 midfielder Veljko Petkovic (Serbia) scored 2 goals this year in one game against Notre Dame...had another game this year against Louisville ..where he had 2 assists https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/veljko-petkovic/11001 the zips did catch a break yesterday....Pitt was scheduled to play their one scheduled exhibition game yesterday against defending national champ Georgetown game had to be cancelled due to covid concerns in the Georgetown soccer program zips....getting to play 2 exhibition games...will help them against Pitt..... that is all I know.....can't wait for the game next Saturday....I am sure that Coach Embick will have the guys ready....Go, zips !!!

Starting punter getting out of dodge after word of the new long snapper.

How huge is that makeup game Tuesday at OU? Obviously pending results from this coming Friday, both UT (@Canada) and UA (@Ball State) have tough games.

They couldn't find the Paul Pierce wheelchair?

I hear our 3rd string kick holder in going to enter the portal tomorrow. Expected to “move up” to either Otterbein of Maine or North Central Pennsylvania Tech. Both are Division 4 powerhouses. Stay tuned.

The walk on dropped about 6 other boards. It wasn't really his day

He went down like he was shot against the Zips and didn't miss anything.

I just googled ACC Network extra and this is what I found: What is ACC Network Extra? ACC Network Extra is a streaming-only option, offered exclusively through WatchESPN and the ESPN app, that airs many of the games not shown on the ACC Network.

Word.

I saw an article not too long ago that Akron is looking to sell or lease some of their building space as they no longer need all this square footage since enrollment is no longer pushing 30k. It seemed like a solid plan to get some of this debt off our books.

I'd be delighted to hear your rationale supporting that statement. BTW, I'm a Hell yeah on the black uniforms.

https://www.giveto.pitt.edu/s/1729/18/interior-giving.aspx?sid=1729&gid=2&pgid=4439&cid=10797&ecid=10797&crid=0&calpgid=2135&calcid=3585 I could not find a link to click in your post....I think this is what you wanted to attach

I found this on the Toledo Rocket message board (their words not mine): "With 3 weeks in the regular season left there is a big discrepancy in the number of games each of the top contenders have left due obviously to COVID postponements. In looking at the standings the top teams have the following number of games left on their schedule – Toledo (6) Akron (7), Kent (7) Ohio (9) and Buffalo (9). Now looking at the remaining schedule for the contenders, these are games still left to play with postponed games at the end . Toledo – Miami, @Buffalo, Open, WMU, @CMU, Ball St. – NIU (Postponed) Akron - NIU, @Ball St, Open, BG, @ Buffalo, Miami, -- Buffalo, @Ohio, (Postponed) Kent – @WMU, EMU, Open, @Miami, Ohio, @Buffalo, -- @EMU, @Ball St, (Postponed), Ohio – Postponed, Open, Buffalo, @Kent @BG, -- @Miami, CMU,@NIU, EMU, Akron, @WMU, Buffalo - @EMU, Toledo, Open, @Ohio, Akron, Kent, -- @NIU, CMU @Akron, @CMU, (Postponed) With no games currently scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 23rd, everyone will be able to make up a game on that night. But that still leaves Akron and Kent with 1 additional game to play, Buffalo with 3 and Ohio with 5. Of those remaining postponed games left, for Toledo’s sake I hope they make up the Buffalo at Akron and Akron at Ohio games. With all that said, it will be interesting to see how the MAC schedules these postponed games and then how they go about seeding for the tournament."

Still can't get over the 35 to 7 free throw disparity.