From what I'm reading from you guys is that we have a size advantage. So the simple plan for CMU would be to triple Big Dog and hope we go cold from 3. And if we are hot from 3, then CMU prays Keene scores 40 points?
I see we are three point favorites. I'm skeptical of any Zip game on the road. If we can come out of this week 4-0 in the MAC, then we have something different going on this year. But we've all seen too many road disasters in recent years at places like DeKalb and Oxford to think any of these games is certain.
That was a life-sucking first half. With my usual caveat of not knowing the game that well, it seems like they want the game to come to them, that working hard is only necessary when they are forced to do so.
It sure is a fine line. Coaching is a cutthroat world. You are hero one moment and a big loser the next. One day you are getting couple million a year and you and your family are treated like royalty. Next day you are an assistant basketball coach at some SUNY school. If you don't build yourself up, who will? However, doesn't mean the WMU fans don't have a right to be bitter or feel used. But it's a tradition in MAC football programs that these guys leave. WMU knew the score.
Fleck, like basketball coaches Groce, Hurley, created a brand for himself. when I watched Fleck, I always thought he was preening for the cameras, making himself a BRAND and building himself up more than he was the school's program.
At some point BG deflected a ball off the referee right by the Akron bench. Coach was yelling it should be Akron's ball because red was standing on baseline? What is the call on that? From where I sit I couldn't see where exactly ref was standing?
Never doubted we would win, but the Zips let them catch up, tie, and take the lead, and that is something they usually avoid. Onward and upward. Always a grind.
I guess we will know in a few months if this really, really big win for Kent is a harbinger of great things to come for Sendy's team and a bad omen for our Zips.
Beating an average Texas team who played absolutely horribly is the win that we've been seeking for years and that would bring this mythical "Joe Akron" person into the JAR? Oh ok.
On dark winter nights in DeKalb, Oxford, or Mt Pleasant, bad things happen to Kangaroos especially injured ones. So I'm looking for how we survive on the road and if we make some real progress in those type of games.
I don't know about the rest of you, but, now that this is all done, I can't wait for our opening MAC beat down of BG. Nothing better than being in the JAR watching an eastern division MAC game on a cold, January night in Akron.
What I've noticed so far this year (from my limited basketball knowledge perspective), is the lack of real-bone headed mistakes and the missing of bunnies under the basket. I haven't looked at rebounding statistics, but the guys seem to be rebounding better this year. PF and his constant injuries last year also was really frustrating to watch. Kwan has really stepped up. He and Ivey really get after those rebounds.
From just following games on the computer, Buffalo seems like a "streaky" team that will run up 12 to 15 points really fast. CMU with that player who is scoring 40 per game appears to be the bigger threat.