ZippyTuba11

Just because somebody says something negative does not mean it is pessimistic. I for one try to be objective as possible. I really want the INFO to succeed and be sold out for every game. But in reality, it is very rare for a team in the Zips level of football to draw those dense football crowds. Not impossible, but rare.In my post I thought I outlined what it will take will take for the Zips to draw those crowds. By moving out of the basement of the MAC they can do that, but it has to happen more than one year. A winning tradition will get them that. Winning those close games that we currently give away and upsetting a few big teams here and there. Putting in the big named teams and competing well against them.But I think you are taking the few negative points I draw attention to and assuming that I am pessimistic about the team and the new stadium. I am extremely excited to be apart of the new Zips home and potentially a winning football team. I take that excitement in stride, however. Your assumption that downtown traffic should be able to handle game day traffic because it handles students and workers every day does not seem to meet logic; at least the way I see it. I am a commuter student and I have to leave a good 15-30 minutes earlier to make a class if it is during rush hour. If there is every an accident, forget it. It can be forever for traffic to move sometimes. So as it stand, the Akron downtown infrastructure barely handles the regular influx of traffic. From INFO, there are only about 4 main roads to get out of that area: Exchange, Route 8, Route 59, and Market. With all the lights on Exchange and Market, and the natural traffic problems on Route 8, I foresee major traffic jams with 20,000+ fans all leaving the new stadium at once. Those roads just were not built to handle that many people at one time, plus the normal amount of traffic that flows during those times. That combined with limited tailgating areas and extremely limited close parking lots are going to make for a headache getting to and leaving ICS.As it is right now, the University can not really hold any major events in EJ or the Student Union during the peak of the day (10-2) because there are no lots available. I always come in early because if I come in during those hours I can never find a spot in EJ, North Deck, East Deck, Exchange or even Polsky(yes even Polsky spots are hard to find some days). There are a few obscure lots that are always open, but I imagine those will be quickly filled on game day. So I have to wonder where all these swarms of fans are going to park. Downtown? In the ghetto? Do you think our older fan base is going to want to park down a back ally on Kling, Spicer, or Grant where theft is already a major issue? Or park downtown and walk up the hill? Our younger crowd probably won't mind it, but most of them will probably have a pass for campus.Now if you could actually explain how this flaw is going to be resolved with some evidence, I'm all ears, but telling me it makes no sense doesn't devalue my points. To this day I have not heard of any significant plans to expand parking or traffic congestion that goes on during a -normal- day.I hope that the quality of Akron football is good enough to draw as many fans to the new stadium as it can hold. I know downtown businesses are very excited for all the people that will be downtown during game day. I imagine weekends won't look like a ghost town during the day anymore, and I am will be very happy to see that. I have to wonder, SeeTeeZip, if you actually read my post and understood the points I was trying to get across.-INFO will be sold out for at least 3 games and draw well after that for the first season.-A winning tradition will keep the ICS packed-The MAC is a good home for us and if we could be more competitive, we could be where BSU, CMU and WMU are now-Starting from scratch in another conference isn't a good idea-The Aeros still draw small crowds, even on beautiful days. They also draw large crowds. Overall they are about 55% full-55% capacity for ICS is 16.5K-A weak, sub .500 team will eventually hurt our fan base after the 'opening effects' of the stadium wear off I'll put a good friendly bet on it. I say there is no way Akron draws 20k+ after 5 years IF they have been sub .500 for both the 4th and 5th years AND have not won the conference in that time. Loser buys a tall one from OBC?For a good counter point, If Akron wins the MAC 2/5 years and never does worse than 1 sub .500 year, we will definitely have 20k+ and possibly 25K average.

This actually made me laugh out loud. Shhh. Don't tell Ball St. they are in the MAC.We are 5-5 and having our best season in 3 years. We won the conference at 7-5 in 2005 based on a THREE WAY tie-breaker and a last second catch. You people really think we would stand a chance at any other conference for -any- national ranking or national title? Ask Indiana football fans how well that works out for them. How about Duke or Baylor?I say F*** the other conferences. We are in the MAC. We have a team in the top 15 in the country. We have 3 teams in the top 35. More and more we are beating the BCS teams. It is not the conference that is keeping us down, it is AKRON FOOTBALL that is keeping us down. If we would have taken care of business against Cinci, BG, Buffalo, and beat OU and Temple, we would have finished 10-2 this year. But instead our team is looking at 7-5 at best.If Ball St. had played and beaten anybody with any real rank this year, they would have been the lock for the BCS game. It is hard to say how the polls will shift for them if they can beat Central/Western and the MACC. They have a lot tougher schedule ahead of them than Utah or Boise St. That makes you think doesn't it? A MAC school has a tougher schedule to close than the teams ranked ahead of them. huh?Maybe Ball St can finally give the MAC a face between this year and next. That has always been that biggest problem for the MAC. Nobody can pick who is going to win it from one year to the next. The talent is so close and no teams every actually go out there and just TAKE it. Marshall was close for a while, but then they would choke. Ever since Marshall left, who can really define the image of the conference? Think about it. B11 has OSWHO, Michigan St, and Penn St that are almost always in it. B12 has Texas, Tech, and A&M that are usually there. ACC has Florida St and Miami (Fl). Pac 10 has UCS, Cal, UCLA, Oregon. Who does the MAC have?I hope that Central/Western and Ball St can continue to be successful. The conference needs them to be there. From the East, SOMEBODY needs to step it up and actually win some games. Akron has a great chance at being that team and maybe Buffalo can keep going in the right direction. This is another good one. Comparing basketball crowds to football crowds. There are more students who go to the RUBBER BOWL on a regular basis than basketball games. Football just naturally draws a larger crowd. And you don't think 2,000 more students won't impact attendance? That could bring an 18k average to a 20k average. That's big. That's funny, because I went to a lot of Aeros games this year and a handful over a few years past, and more often than not, I can say with confidence that there were a few games that may not have cracked 1,000 in a 9,000 capacity stadium. They barely average a little more than half capacity. That's not to say that there are not big crowds there. I have seen several big crowds at Canal Park, only not nearly as often as small crowds. This is going to be a HUGE negative for the new stadium. Rt 8. is almost always packed for RUBBER BOWL games and rush hour is just unbearable some days. There is going to be no easy way in or out of areas surrounding the stadium. If you want a spot, you'll have to get there very early in the morning. And if you don't want to wait in traffic for 3hrs after the game...well... go to a bar or something.Now that is said, I do want to point out some positives.The INFO will draw a huge crowd for the first few games. I will not be surprised to see this place sold out for at least the first 3 games. What happens after that is solely dependent on how AKRON plays. Not the rest of the MAC, but AKRON. If the Zips can win consistently, the first season will be electrifying. If they perform poorly, there may still be a huge crowd, but it will not be sold out. However, if 2010 rolls around and they are playing like they are now, I fully expect to see RUBBER BOWL numbers.For Akron to see INFO packed regularly, it needs to develop a winning TRADITION. That doesn't mean win the conference one year and the fans will come (we have already seen that this is true). It means winning the conference 2 out of 3 years, 3-5 years, or BETTER. It means going to a bowl game every year which means no seasons worse than 7-5. It also means upsetting those Wisconsin/Indiana/PennSt/Cinci/NAVY type teams fairly often. Then fans will slowly start to turn to Akron football as a favorite. We will eventually see 25k and better averages. Playing in the Big East won't help us with a winning tradition or fan attendance. Cinci is a local Big East powerhouse and didn't do anything to spike our attendance. I really wish we would abandon this idea that somehow the MAC just makes us inferior. We have teams this year ranked higher than the ACC, Big East, and CUSA. If those teams up north beat Penn St. and OSwho then we will have a team ranked higher than the B11 too. Instead of moaning about how much we want to be in those conferences, why not focus our energy on competing with Ball St and Central/Western Michigan? If we did that, we would be in the top 35 too.There is a growing trend for MAC sports. 4 big wins over the B11 was hopefully just the beginning. Plus you add in all the wins of BCS teams this year. If we can build on this into next year, what conference powerhouse is going to want to play the MAC? Do you think OSWHO would have big enough marbles to play Ball St, Central, and Western in the same year? They know better.How about in Basketball? Who is dumb enough to schedule Akron, Can't, Western Michigan, or Miami? The big teams might knock one or two of those MAC schools, but not all of them. Akron's biggest opponent is itself. It won't change no matter what conference we're. Once we finally solve all those little stupid mistakes that cost us the football game, then we will be winners. If we can solidify good plays, then we will be winners consistently. If we are winners consistently, then we will draw big crowds. If we draw big crowds, then we go will to big bowl games and have big national rankings. And all of that can come from remaining in the MAC.

I still question the play calling in the clutch. Going for the pass on the 2pt conversion? Bring in the jumbo squad, let DK follow Tuzze in for a dive up a the middle. Game over.It always seems that whenever there is more than an inch to go for the big play they want to pass and when they have a lot of yards to make up, they want to run. I respect what Brookhart has been able to accomplish as the head coach here, but I wouldn't be all the sorry to see him gone next year. That said, the D had some big stops, but they also had some big blown plays. Same can be said for the offense. The dropped passes are infuriating. They need to run throwing/catching drills in practice until these guys catch 99.9% of every catchable ball. But then again I think they should do that with the basketball team and foul shots. What do I know?

I think the Zips will be extremely motivated from the start. Brookhart has a lot of fuel he can feed the 'good speech fire.' If the Zips come playing like they did against Toledo and keep the intensity up before a huge crowd, Buffalo won't stand a chance.That said, looking at the numbers I think which ever team's defense can come up with the first stop of these two offenses will win the game.Akron 51Buffalo 41

heh, how many Ohio St shirts you think we'll see tonight?

Charlie Frye on the new stadium:''Coach Brookhart has always been a great recruiter. This will be just another tool in his toolbox. This will be like a sledgehammer for him,'' Frye said.''I don't think the Big Ten is going to be happy. Akron is going to be stealing some of their guys. It's going to be big time.''

We could just do what they do out west with pot smoker's day. Out there, they have 10,000+ smoking pot. Cops don't do crap unless they get out of hand. No way they can arrest 10,000+Here we just have to get in mass people with open containers.

In that case it would be tragic if the zipcard readers became disfunctional... lol ya know that reminds me, they had those for the first time in a while at a football game last wednesday. That's a good excuse for the rumor.I believe those were only for the Residence Hall challenge.

i've been inspecting them the past few games, though ive been extremely intoxicated while doing so, it seems that they would be a pretty tough job to get out. Id rather take a few section signs in the aisles and maybe a roo zoo sign if there is still one upGiven how 'easy' they were to take apart in the last couple years I don't think this would be much of an issue. Get a bunch of fat people and have them jump. Hell, zipseuph might be able to handle the job himself.

Just use some propaganda kin to our political officials. No matter how many students actually show up only 4,999 were 'actually' in attendance.

With Ball St. now being ranked 14 in the BCS, a move to 12 or higher doesn't seem all that far-fetched with a few big games left. Big wins over Central/Western might be enough to catapult them higher, especially with Central/Western receiving votes in a few polls (5 and 6 respectively). And if any team falls that is currently ahead of them, Ball St could easily make the big payday game. I really wish Ball St. luck. If they can actually make the BCS game, we will benefit from the payday as the conference will share the wealth. However, if we actually make the MACC, may no team stand between us and the championship!EDIT: The sad truth of this is if the rankings finish as they are now, only Utah will get to go to a BCS game out of the three non-BCS teams in the top 14 even though those three teams are currently ahead in the polls of THREE of the BCS conference leaders (ACC, Big 11, Big East). If Michigan St best Penn St, OSWHO and Penn St are irrelevant as to where they end up ranked.In some sad way, I hope that Ball St cracks the top 12 and the other non-BCS teams (Utah and Boise) stay there too. While it likely won't have any effect this year, it may be enough to get people to call for a change in the system as 6 non-BCS teams are currently ranked. Ball St still has a great shot at this because Missouri still has to play one of those teams from Texas in the Big 12 championship, Penn St still has to play Michigan St, Oklahoma St still has to play Texas Tech, and OSWHO can still lay and egg against Michigan (wouldn't that just take the cake?).

The bottom half of the MAC right now is a combined 13-43 (.232)The top half is a combined 44-21 (.676)Overall winning percent: .459We're still a sub .500 conference. We need to get those 5 teams with two wins to either be competitive or drop them to D-II (Can't and EMU specifically)

As an Army soldier I can tell you that the broadcasters were correct.

Half time and the Broncos are up 20-7 over the Illini. Big game here for the MAC and it's even on chn 5

Wednesday's game only drew 10k fans on a great, warm, sunny November day. Thursday night is supposed to be chilly with a chance of rain. Can we get 'fair weather' fans to come out for another weeknight game in bad weather?The bus situation caused a lot of students to spurn the game and ruined it for some. A few students promised they won't come out for Thursday's game because they were so upset over being left behind. Are the students going to come out?Buffalo is about 4 hrs away. Will they bring a big crowd on a weeknight when they have to be back friday for class?I know Capt'n predicts a huge sell out, but I don't see it. If this were are on a saturday and on a bigger carrier than ESPNU, then maybe but for a Thursday game in the cold and rain? I think we might be lucky for 15k. With Toledo out of the way, how many do you think are going to come out to the game?

As I said, that is what it would look like if it all works out for the best. After Buffalo, OU and Temple are very beatable (which I guess doesn't really mean anything with how the Zips play). Now as for your '7 wins means a bowl,' that is not a lock. In my mind, Akron has to beat Buffalo to have any chance. After Akron, the bulls have BG at BG and Can't, which means that Buffalo is likely to win out after Thursday as the BUGS don't play well in BG and Can't just sucks. If Buffalo wins Thursday then they will likely be MAC East Champs and will be guaranteed a bowl. With a loss, Akron can only hope for 7-5 to finish and they could find themselves sitting at home this winter. There is no way Akron is going to go at 7-5 when Central/Western Michigan are at 7 wins or better. The same goes for NIU. BSU and UB would be the bowl locks for being MAC champs.If Akron beats Buffalo and still drops a final game and UB wins out, it will be a tie at 7-5 with Buffalo going instead of us because they will have beaten BG, OU, and Temple. Akron has lost to BG and a loss to OU or Temple splits the decision and would mean we lost to two teams UB beat (as I understand the tie-breaker system this gives Buffalo the advantage, please correct me if I am wrong). Buffalo then still goes to the MACC.Akron needs to finish 8-4 to have a bowl game unless the Zips get help from BG or Can't. If this is the case, I think it would be better to plan on Canada than the South. CMU seems to have their hopes set on Mobile and I still believe that a division champion will get one of the MAC tie-in bowls.Of course the MAC is still a wacky conference and Bowling Green, OU, Can't, and Temple still have the chance to pull of some major upsets.

There is no way BG is going over us to a bowl unless Buffalo goes over us too. BG needs to win out to be 7-5 and I really do not see them getting past Buffalo. IF we beat Buffalo then it shouldn't matter. If we lose, we will need some serious help.Also, 6 MAC teams in a bowl this year seams like a good possibility. BSU, Central, and Western are now a lock for a bowl. Akron or Buffalo should get one from the MAC East. NIU has a good shot as they should beat Can't and probably NAVY. If both Akron and Buffalo win out after Thursday's game they will be 8-4 and 7-5 respectively. BG could make 6-6 but I really don't expect to see even that.If everything works out for the best as the way I see it the MAC should finish like this:West:Ball St (12-0)Central Michigan (8-4)Western Michigan (8-4)Northern Illinois (7-5)East:Akron (8-4)Buffalo (7-5)Bowling Green (6-6)

I've actually spoken to current and past band directors about the script zips as there are pictures of it in the music building. In short it was abandoned because it was not often done very well. Script ZIPS is a lot harder to do than OHIO, particularly the 'Z'. The block ZIPS works a lot better and I do not expect that to change.

now why did you have to bring zippytubas mother into this? Hey she's standing up. It was a good night for her.

wow...just... wow

You have that the wrong way around. Navy is nearly an auto-bid at 5-3 right now. We are competing directly with the ACC for the Eagle Bank Bowl. The 9th ACC team is slotted for that game, but the ACC has never had 9 eligible teams.Root against Clemson, Duke, Miami (fl), and Wake Forest. They make up the bottom of the ACC right now(NCST being so far out of it they don't count). Looks like C-USA will fall short of their 6 tie-ins so we could pick up a game from them too. The MAC potentially could send 6 teams this year. Akron, Buffalo, and NIU can still make it, and Central, Western and Ball st are almost a lock.

These are last year's totals.Rank/ Name / Accum Attendance / Accum Percent Capacity / Avg Attendance /Games93 / Central Mich. / 93853 / 62.16 / 18771 / 5108 / Akron / 63910 / 45.39 / 15978 / 4Doesn't sound to me like they are drawing too much more even with their success.

Go on any Sucks website and start talking about Michigan, USC, Florida, Texas, LSU, Michigan St., Penn St, Miami (fl), etc etc etc and see how class fairs.Again, tOSU fans are only respectful to us because we do not beat them. They do not consider us to be of any threat or anywhere near their level. I have numerous friends and co-workers who are tOSU fans and all day they trash talk with each other how bad the 'other' team* is.So get off your white horse about Akron fans putting down the Suckeyes. I commend your respect for UA, but I will attest that the rest of their fan base hardly shares your insight. If the day comes that Akron beats them, god knows what little respect for us they have will be gone.*Whereas the 'other' team is any team tOSU happens to be playing that day or has ever played in the past.

tOSU and their fans are respectful to us as we are to teams like Malone and Mt. Union. I guarantee that if we were competing with the Big Eleven on the same level and beating them with regularity they would hate us as much as any other team 'from up north.'I honestly do not believe that a down year(s) for the Suckeyes does anything for us. Their recruits are instead going to look at teams like PSU, West Virginia, Mich, and Mich St. The only way for us to get to their level is to win consistently with the talent level we have. When we can beat these teams and get to bowl games every year, then we will benefit from tOSU losing.

BSU going to a BCS game does as much for Akron as what LSU winning the national title does for Mississippi St. Big Picture you say? Think of it this way. Nobody from Akron 10 years from now will remember losing to Ball St and going to (insert chance in hell named bowl here) or more likely sitting at home. We WILL remember upsetting Ball St, winning the MACC, and rightfully playing in the Motor City Bowl.