Zippy87

They just showed Red Panda on TNT performing at All-Star Weekend!

The life of a student-athlete is very busy and the "student" part of that equation should come before anything. Forcing them to stay til the end of a game they are not a part of doesn't make much sense to me. And what are you going to do, block the doors? Athletics, Groce, and the players are doing a good job of connecting with students to try to draw more to games. Hopefully we'll draw a few more each game.

I'll update this post as we continue forward to the tournament. Final Bracket: 1-Akron 8-Bowling Green 4-Toledo 5-Ohio 3-Kent State 6-Western Michigan 2-Miami 7-Eastern Michigan

I've heard there will be a cool giveaway to fans that night.

Kent has 7 seniors and returned the large majority of their team that was a few plays away from a MAC Championship last season. Sendy blaming NIL for this is WEAK.

Ftom UA: "Enrique Freeman Night at James A. Rhodes Arena ceremony will be held prior to the game. All fans will receive 25% off tickets for Enrique Freeman Night." Promo Link: https://tinyurl.com/26hptqj2

Will he actually play for them or is this more of a PR thing?

Is it a summer league? Or is this more of a PR thing? I don't know why he'd play with them.

Anyone understand this?

What was the context here?

https://x.com/T3Bracketology/status/1882631583775195339?t=LL-mOD3HWQpxtT1lxrK_Gg&s=19

Sure it is. Shannon Evans left Buffalo for Arizona State when Bobby Hurley left. He led the 14-15 Bulls in MPG and was 2nd in PPG. It happens fairly often with recruits, too. Buffalo has had to "roll around in the ashes" longer because neither Hurley or Oats stayed long enough to build a longstanding winning culture and tradition that would make the job attractive to an outsider. That's what happened in Akron and why the situations aren't the same.

I'm not sure why he would be blindsided. He knew Big Dog and Cheatham were graduating. It was the worst kept secret that Robotham was headed home. The only players who followed KD were Dunn-Martin and Hughes. What happened is not at all uncommon when a coach leaves, and wasn't nearly as bad as what sometimes happens. "Pulling Akron basketball out of the ashes" is a bit hyperbolic IMO.

Absolutely. And I'd argue that if KD had jumped ship after 2009, we'd probably be Buffalo right now. His staying so long and building a consistent winner set this program up for the long haul and made it attractive to a successful coach like Groce when the time came for him to move on. Hopefully Groce is here just as long, if not longer.

Also fortunate for both giving us so many years, 13 for KD, 8 for Groce so far. Hurley gave them 2, Oats 4.

Is there a marketplace of any kind where STH can sell their tickets to other fans for games they can't attend?

I love Sharron Young. Probably my favorite current Zip and has become my son's as well. Really hope he stays here. I wonder why Akron doesn't print a few of these to sell at games? I bet people would be more likely to buy them there than online.

This is true. We played them in the MAC Championship Game 3 out of 4 years from 2010-2013, so that built a pretty organic rivalry.

I think part of the disconnect is the portal. It was much easier to invest in players and teams knowing they'd be Zips for 4 or 5 years. Now, we just don't know. And yes - I know we had Enrique and Tribble the whole time, but I don't anticipate that being the norm. I'm already fearing the NIL offers Sharron Young will get this Spring.

Eastern Michigan under scrutiny https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/43457643/emu-basketball-games-scrutiny-suspicious-betting

For the first time in years, they seem to be trying. I am going to support that and hope they keep doing more.