Big Zip

Two things about last nights game that stick in mind....the blue seats in the lower bowl are horrendous and I don't think they have every been replaced. I though the atmosphere was pretty great last night, but with so many students sitting upstairs it takes so much away that would help even more. In a new arena I would love to see the student section be the two sections in the middle lower level behind the announcers. If those two sections were full of students last night I think it would have been even better.

Cap'n I'm not feeling good about this team at all and I don't think we are going to see them win another game this year. I hope I'm wrong, but I think you can stick a fork in them they are done.

I do believe Zeke is coached to be outside. I can't imagine he would be out there as much as he is if he was coached to be out there. I said this earlier in the year....Porter plays Akron basketball and if you want to win you are going to have to adjust to us. I'm not sure KD is the same way. Akron basketball should be for Z to play around the rim the entire game and when he is out up top it doesn't help us. KD said after the game (and I paraphrase) Buffalo is better than us and there is nothing we can do to defend their big men. I think sometimes his attitude rubs off on the team. Going into the ORU game his attitude was this game doesn't really matter -- all that matters is conference games. We want to win but it won't be the end of the world. Now we need to win on game to clinch and there is no sense of urgency coming from the coach and the team reacts that way. Tonight he said if we win or lose at Can't we still have to win two games at the Q. His language comes across to me as defeatest. Finally, tell Terry to stay home the man is a jinx!

Cap'n I'm glad you aren't worried. I agree Hipsher lost the team regularly, but I felt like the first time it really happened was that year we lost to Can't in the tourney at home. If you are suggesting the OU loss was a just a loss I am going to need some of what you are smoking. Akron was dominated by OU and beaten worse than I can remember. They were completely out of the game. It will be interesting o see if they can bounce back tonight. I can't imagine if they lose anyone will have confidence in a win at Can't.

What team are we going to see tonight? Are we going to see the lackluster, disinterested bunch that played in Athens or are we going to see the team that was 12-1 in the conference. I worry because maybe it has simply taken this long to figure out the Zips this year and the ORU/OHIO games are actually models for how to beat the Zips? They didn't seem to be the same model as ORU let Akron shoot away from outside while OU just smothered them all over the court. After the two losses I have a real sinking feeling with this program. Could it be that KD has lost the team. There was a year where Hipsher was poised to win the MAC Tourney and at the end of the season he lost the team completely then I think we lost to Can't at home in the first round of the tourney. Was that the same year he pushed Andrick on the sidelines. I'm very interested to see what happens tonight and I think it will give us an idea of how this team is going to play in the tourney. The guys need to right the ship tonight or this may go down as one of the most disappointing seasons ever.

I actually had a friend who I'd been telling about the team all year call me last night to ask me if I wanted to come over to watch the game with him. I took him up on the offer and then was embarassed by their performance. He looked at me like -- really how is the team 12-1 in conference?

What will the attendance be like Wednesday with our fickle fans? After a complete collapse like last night I won't be surprised to see another 3k game.

Dr. Z I found that quite interesting as well. I think the interviewer missed a great follow-up question though that might have provided more information....have you met with any of the coaches? Have you met the QB coach or the offensive coordinator....have you been given a playbook.

I have tried to point out the prowess of our Development office many times in this forum. It has now been about 15 years (give or take) the University really got serious about development. Fifteen years of estate planning and meeting with potential donors is starting to snowball...it seems every year donations increase and the University sets a new record. I feel the University could raise enough money for an arena if they put their mind to it.

Brian Walsh injury is impacting his shot...I actually think Akron is a better team and playing like shit. How do you miss so many open shots.

I don't think this team will live up to their potential. So many open shots and defensive breakdowns....then unforced errors.

22 game home winning streak is impressive...if we are bringing our referees I am not sure that helps unfortunately.

The interview was split between Akron and Lebron. With Lebron in town tomorrow that was the bigger part of the story. They were very complimentary of Akron, but no talk of any particular players on the team. Nice opportunity at the end to promote Akron as a place to play. Keith said the best reason to come to Akron is he will be the coach and he is going nowhere. The link to the interview is here: http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2012/02/16/z...on-kiley-booms/

On the post game show he said he was going to strangle Nik if he kept it up. Steve said KD woudl have to be Joe to it. Nik taking three point shots is not Sr. Leadership and is a detriment to the team. I would start Tree in front of him on Saturday to try to send a message -- KD has told him (he said so on the post game show) and he is obviously not listening.

I see an ugly low scoring game with a 5 point Zips win.

I say what about Rocco Scotti...and the young folks have no idea what I am talking about,

You are welcome to consider Akron not part of NE Ohio the real world still does.

Getting Bilas to say something good about a Mid-Major is an accomplishment. He is consistently one of the voices for more teams from big conferences and less teams from Mid-Majors. I actually appreciate that he doesn't back down on this opinion and bases his opinion on the teams themselves versus the actual Mid-Major/Big School conversation. He takes it on a case by case basis and although I often feel he is wrong he is consistent. Not sure what you would expect from a Dukie though.

The Sunday ABJ was exactly what we've all been hoping to see. The hometown paper covering the hometown team in a manner fitting the hometown team. We know they can't cover us the way the Buckeyes get covered by the Dispatch (more writers assigned and not professional sports in town), but they can cover the Zips like a Division 1 college program deserves to be covered. I expect GT to be critical of Akron when it applies and I expect the accolades when it matters too. Gaffney's coverage of iCoach towards the end was great to read...critical and fair. Rasor was still reporting on iCoach like he hadn't lost the team and was quickly losing the fans. We need more of what Gaffney was doing. By the way loved the article on the baseball coach and happy to see something that goes beyond the major sports.

Meyer offers Trubisky. http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2012/0...s/nh5092677.txt

Not to mention iCoach never used all the scholarships right? What a dick.

I am wondering if the format change which could give the Zips a bye until Friday is good or bad. It seems a team that is rolling might want to play and a young team like ours would seem to benefit playing more.

Miami would be better for me as we will be out for the NIU game.

I would be very interested in being a part of that discussion. As stated above I was leary when he was named the beat writer and it was directly connected comments he's made in the past in other writing capacities. I' have been happy with his coverage of the Zips and look forward to listening and having a dialogue with him about Zips Athletics.

I will be interested in the consistent "lacking playmakers mantra" we have heard with an actual coach. My guess is this team is three wins better next year just because they have a coach who knows what he is doing. If the team proves to be better than what people have though because of their performance there is opportunity to be even better. I know we've heard time and time again that iCoach's recruiting classes were good, but have never seen it on the field. Is it possible we will see the talent that the scouting organizations saw when they rated these kids coming into college. Will Terry be able to get the greatness that supposedly existed in these kids to come out. I know it is still basketball season, but I miss football already and can't wait for the season to start. I have to imagine we'll even be welcome watching practice