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Remember you asked for this… Nine years ago I came onto this forum and expressed to you all just how good of a coach you were getting in John Groce. And an even better person in my opinion. At that time you were dealing with the departure of KD and I couldn’t say goodbye to a guy I grew fond of as the coach of the Fighting Illini. I really thought he would get Akron that first NCAAT win. I know the landscape of the game completely changed during his tenure, but I sure wish he could have achieved that ultimate goal. UCLA was the game, damn we were so close. As a guy who grew up in Illinois within a couple of hours of Chicago I support my local pro teams. I support U of Illinois. My alma mater is Illinois State and they stick their head up every once in a great while. Pretty basic regional loyalty stuff. Here is the great twist as I have gotten older. I have adopted teams into my fandom that are based on affinity. I don’t know Groce personally. I just connected with him on some level and that led me to Akron. And I will probably check in on him at Charleston too. It might be harder because I can’t find a legitimate fan forum for the College of Charleston cougars. It’s still so hard for me to believe he’s gone. Anyway, I have also adopted Ole Miss due to a road trip from Illinois to Florida. They are now my SEC team. The sleepy little town of Oxford fits my personality so well and I enjoyed talking to the people during my short visit. I need to get back down there. All of this is to say people and relationships is what matters most to me. Zips Nation, you all matter to me. I have spent so much time on this forum and have never met any of you in person. Is that silly, pathetic? Perhaps. But you are still my friends. We have experienced so many highs and lows together. So I’m not looking to go anywhere. Now my positive feelings towards the new head coach are a plus. I met both Groce and Ford years ago when the Zips played at NIU. Ford was very personable and gave generously of his time. I think his hire while not a sure thing is a wise decision and I will be pulling for his success just the same. I will still be putting together the scholarship chart and if I win it big one day I will still build Joe and Jane Akron a new basketball arena with the best concessions. Thanks for the good times. And here’s to many more to come!! Go Zips!!

Gather in friends, we secured our first commit of the Ford era.

BANG!

I'm not privy to any inside knowledge, but I saw this post by Sam Amico on 330togo facebook page. I'm thinking Utah was maybe Utah State as that Utah job was never open.

Mahaffey and Young have a chance to develop into two of the best Zips ever if they stay. Hopefully part of the reason we kept Ford was to make sure that happened.

I like it. From the few brief conversations I've had with our new coach and the former. I like the new coach more. I hope we are able to retain 3 players in particular. Let's make the climb. Go Zips. Fear the Roo.

I thought the same thing of Embick for men's soccer. I thought they should've hired UA alum and highly successful Coastal Carolina coach, Shaun Docking. In any case, it played out the way it did, and Embick has done an amazing job. I hope Dustin Ford is the right assistant in the same way Embick was.

If they had a board with a higher reaction limit, that might be able to sway him.

I'm going to go make a contribution to FTR to show my support for this move. I encourage others as well.

I like the quick decision to beat the portal opening date. I like to believe that the "Akron culture" is a thing. Also, great message from the AD 👏

Looks like Coach Ford will continue the UA Hoops dynasty, as the HC. I'm happy for him and his family.

Kehres! or that guy from Hoban.

I wish JG well in his new endeavor. We survived Dambrots departure. We will survive this one too.

Been trying to figure out what I am more upset about. Losing Coach Groce or losing him to College of Charleston. It's the latter. This is an insult.

3 straight championships, 4 out of the last 5. Best conference record in MAC history over 2 seasons. I didn’t think there was a “level” between what KD did and winning a NCAA tourney game, but Groce showed there apparently was.