Illini Zip

This is fair. Here’s another great idea that won’t get funded. Sorry, but seriously. I wonder if it would be beneficial to have a crowdfunding page on Fear the Roo where we could all see the basketball program’s wish list with their set priorities and goals. I think visualizing each line item might give perspective and motivation. I know a new stadium costs tens of millions, but I have no idea how much a Thanksgiving tournament costs. People feel their $50 - $100 is a drop in the bucket, but if they see a line item slowly progress towards 100% maybe there would be more involvement. Edit: I just want to add that I would like one of the line items to be a general fund specifically giving Bud Wentz permission to use his financial talents to invest and grow a nest egg for the long term.

I have just shared my frustrations with the state of the MAC and college basketball in general. But I too want to thank the guys for an entertaining and successful year. And even though we the fan base are dying to get this NCAA monkey off of our back, this year was another step in the right direction. And every player who contributes along the way is appreciated and deserves to be celebrated. So thank you to Seth, Isaiah and Evan. You all seem like great dudes and it’s been a pleasure watching from afar. And now, Tavari, back in the weight room with you. Marvin and Amani improve your driving and shooting and Okonkwo, free throws and finishing around the rim. Because we know Groce & Company with the help of Bud Wentz are not quitting. And I’m not going anywhere either. I have a scholarship chart that apparently needs a couple more spots added to it. Go Zips!!

I agree with that, but doing nothing is not an option either. The smaller conferences are losing badly in this arrangement and I sense no push back. If a university is going to be used as a farm system, that farm system needs to somehow be compensated. As an example, something should be in a players contract that if he leaves and accepts another deal, the original school is reimbursed for services rendered unless a player has been simply dismissed. I should make clear that I despise all of this. I don’t mind players having some mobility and getting some compensation, but college sports is off the rails.

This is above my pay grade. But I would consider contract language that limit a player’s mobility once they sign with a MAC school. It will definitely discourage some players at first, but retention will eventually lead to a much stronger league in the long run. And second, we are getting closer each year to a monopoly scenario with the Power 6 (Eventually we could be down to just the Big 10 and SEC) The Commissioners of the lesser conferences should be joining forces and considering legal action. It’s my opinion that Akron lost to Arizona in the board room long before we lost on the court. Everything from NIL, the portal, transfer rules and now increased roster size has increased the gap between the haves and have-nots. It sure would have been nice having Bandaogo out there rim protecting. You think we are demoralized after getting dominated? How do you think the MAC players we just beat this season felt watching us get crushed? That’s a problem leadership had better be addressing now before it gets any worse or the recent parity that has made March Madness special will be gone forever.

The MAC needs new leadership. This is ridiculous. Have some pride man. Or are you being compensated for letting the MAC become a farm system for the power conferences? Inquiring minds want to know.

I think we will have a good chance of being invited to a quality tournament next year. Granted we retain our core squad. But this year was a rebuilding year and the offers were probably not very exciting or beneficial.

You’re right the big schools will play us, but the when and where is what they leverage. The games are almost always road games for us. So say what you will, but in my mind that equates to about a ten point advantage. And a top level team in a P5 Conference might play us next year, but I bet Minnesota wouldn’t. Minnesota will welcome a struggling Buffalo to their campus instead. Kent State was good by the end of the year, but they were a rebuild and not a threat at all to an Auburn or Alabama. I guess the experience and the bump in strength of schedule has value. But beating a quality team in the OOC is as increasingly difficult as the postseason. I think the best bet is with Thanksgiving Tournaments on neutral courts. We need to keep improving our product so we get invited to some of the better tournaments.

The calm before the storm. Let’s have a day guys. Go Zips!!

Sophomore Ryan Prather Jr. with 7 points off the bench in Robert Morris’ loss to Alabama.

Zippy is a wonderful ambassador for Akron. Glad to see her getting some exposure. Even if this is a promotional piece.

I think this is a great advertisement for any recruit, but especially for potential transfers.

I think a 15 man roster will be great for our new system. I hope Wentz and the collective can handle a couple more guys. There has to be a limit to how many players can be regular contributors. So say 10 guys play most of the minutes. 2 or 3 guys get spot minutes or situational minutes for developmental purposes their Freshman year. And the last 2 or 3 are redshirted.

Or North Carolina Athletic Association.

9 of the 36 Ohio guys are at Akron. I’m sensing a trend.

I think someone doesn’t want to deal with the wrath of TJ next year.

I don’t know what to say. It’s chaos everywhere I guess. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44293002/south-alabama-nit-invite-rescinded-unacceptable

That’s a higher number than I thought was being spent at Akron. And maybe our roster isn’t set for next year.

Very good, thank you!!

who is TOS?

I love the respect, but I would much rather sneak up on people.

I believe Michigan is better than a 5 seed as well. But something to keep in mind is that the Big Ten loves having their championship game as the lead into Selection Sunday every year. It’s a marketing decision. But they also know that the committee has already made the hard decisions well before then and only minor tweaks are being made that day. Those late Big Ten tournament games are simply not factored in that much.

Duke had to be saying, “oh crap” when it was revealed that the Akron Yankees are in their region.

I want to personally thank Nate for not trying a tomahawk dunk at the end of the game. I love the tomahawk, but the decel, euro-step worked just fine. Wise decision.

Interesting, thanks guys. Thinking ahead to next year and what might be possible.

One more question. Say we swept this years OOC schedule including St. Mary’s are we an 11 or 12th seed?