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I agree that the MAC is a sh*t show. I'm not sure that I like the idea of going independent, but I'd like to see the MAC quit sponsoring Men's Soccer as the Sun Belt did in 2021. I'd prefer to see the Zips join Conference USA, the Horizon League, or other conference as an affiliate member as opposed to being in the ever-changing MAC. This constant churn of not having enough MAC teams is awful. However, I don't see our AD fixing this. I'll leave it at that as he has done well at putting me back in my place of apathy toward anything other than Zips Men's Soccer. I wish him well and hope his approach is successful. I think, as others, that he made a great hire with the FB coach and wish for our Alma Mater's sake that it plays out well. As far as the AD himself, hopefully, others appreciate the "smart AD"'s interactions with them better than I have. As for Zips Men's Soccer ... Thanks to our coaches and players, I've come to really love the game and continue to be passionate about it. Our men's soccer players are the greatest guys showing how grateful they are for all of us who support them. Supporting them at Akron (home and on the road) and beyond is my happy place. I just wish I could keep up with all of our former players, but there are too many of them in too many places for me to follow as much as my heart wishes I could. I wish them all the best on the soccer field or wherever life has taken them. Go Zips!!!

Let’s just be honest. He was a complete joke. Zero relationship with the players. All the best ones left and won elsewhere. It was cool to have a household name, but you can’t go home to Florida for months at a time and kill it in college sports. Kids today don’t have a damn clue who players from the 80s and 90s are. Go hire a college baseball coach. Not some “name”.

Top Drawer soccer(TDS) is reporting that the Zips have their first recruit from the class of 2023 https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/sima-recruiting-roundup:-may-16-22_aid50813 Class of 2023 D Joshua Hardin (Colorado Rapids) committed to Akron. From my limited research, this is an outstanding recruit for the Zips. Young Mr. Hardin is rated 4 stars by TDS...and Joshua is the 53rd ranked player in TDS's class of 2023. Welcome Joshua Hardin to Zips Nation.

Getting back to the 2022 schedule....Bowling Green announced their schedule today. The 5 MAC teams will play home and home against each other Akron plays at Bowling Green on October 6. BUGS comes to Akron on October 17 The top two teams in the MAC will meet in the league championship match on Saturday, Nov. 12. credit to BUGS for playing at Georgetown https://bgsufalcons.com/news/2022/6/6/mens-soccer-nichols-falcons-announce-2022-schedule.aspx

I'll be happy to see it when it happens. Btw, I didn't say he wasn't interested.

That crossed my mind more than once, but I was hoping it wasn't the case. Then not seeing any progress as time went on, in a weak MAC conference made me worry. The previous coach, Rick Rembielak, brought a moribund program into the conference tournament and put two players into the majors (and several others who got a good look in the minors. Some still banging around the indy leagues). The team was set to break .500 when the axe fell. I was a Zips baseball fan long before I attended Akron as a non-traditional student. A classmate at Doylestown high school, Ken Berenyi was an all conference pitcher for the Zips and later head coach. Anyway, if they're as successful at bringing in a new baseball coach as they were football and basketball, we're going to have some fun. Fingers crossed.

For how many decades have people awaited the #MACImplosion? Have faith, it's just around the corner. 😂

Soccer recruiting has changed greatly since the Porter years. Akron used to get a decent amount of top 25 to top 50 recruits from 2007 to 2010. Now, with MLS and MLS Next and foreign leagues. probably 30 out of the top 35 ranked recruits turn pro and do not go to college. Signing the 53th ranked player is an outstanding coup for zips recruiting. In the fall 2022 recruiting class, I believe that Stefan Dobrijevic and Levi Stephens are the 2 highest rated recruits. They are in the range of 89 to 92. For the fall 2021 recruiting class, I think that GK Mitchell Budler was the highest ranked recruit. Mitchell was ranked in the high 50's. I am sure that Joshua Hardin participates in many national soccer events. It would be tremendous if young Mr. Hardin could convince some other top 100 recruits to come to Akron.

Just finished watching this YouTube interview. Wow! Coach Joe has hired some fantastic staff. I defy anyone to watch this interview and not come away thinking our program is destined for excellence. I want to do everything I can to keep Joe and his staff here for as long as possible. I can't wait for the fall. we will not win 'em all, but this team will make us proud. In Joe We Trust!

Thanks. I wasn't aware of any of this. Would you say Sabo was eccentric and aloof?

The Spartans are coming. Michigan State at Akron on September 5 https://msuspartans.com/news/2022/6/2/spartan-mens-soccer-announces-2022-schedule.aspx

Five MAC teams went to NCAA last year. BGSU, NIU, WMU all have tasted the exposure this brings. And they want it again. Year in year out, at least one of those three will challenge Zips for MAC. Let’s return to always beating these teams every time before we complain about the quality of the MAC.