Big Zip

Thanks for the Miami link the feed is great.

Who are you going to take time away from to give some of the guys on the bench time? My guess is solid Mid-American teams play 8 maybe 9 guys consistent minutes. With Cedrick, Nick, Quade and Jeremiah gone after next year it makes the visibility of a MAC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth that much more important. If this team can with the tournament and just go to the NCAA Tournament it should open doors for KD that haven't previously been open. Every successful year with KD provides more recruiting material. The ability to replace those four guys coming off the biggest year potentially in the history of the school bodes very very well. I'm extremely excited about Sweich, Steward and McKnight next year -- it has the potential to be one of the best recruiting classes we've seen. I'm not worried about KD's ability to recruit -- in fact I think it's possible for this team to win 20 games next year and beyond. Remember KD's first season this team won 19 games with Romeo and Dru as sophomores.

Great win by the Zips tonight. Now comes the real tough part of the schedule. A few things struck me as I was looking through the media guide tonight. This is Akron's 15th season of basketball in the MAC -- how nice would it be to cap off the season with a MAC Championship win and trip to the tournament. In 14 years in the MAC Akron is 2-12 at both Miami and at Can't and only one year have we beat both teams on the road 1997-98. A win at both schools on the road would really impress me! Akron has played at Can't for 16 consecutive years and is 2-14 at Can't over that time. Not an easy place for us to play. I also noticed after tonights game Dru Joyce (the former walk-on) has 471 career assists -- 5 assists shy of breaking Eric Mclaughlin's Akron record. Sure would be nice to show Dru some love for this record -- especially if it happens in the BG game. One other item to note -- tonight's win brings the Zips six games shy of last year's all-time win record of 26. Can the Zips run the table? Can the go 8-0 from here out? I'll be surprised if they do it -- I'm guessing one loss during the season and Akron's first MAC Championship at the Q.

Watcher -- I was at the game and had a blast tailgating with friends, but I'm guessing you're one of the few that thought it was awesome to have the game that day. I do think it would have be nice to have had better weather to get a better gauge on whether it was good for attendance. As for the Can't game I think it should kick the MAC schedule off every year attendance was great when they did that.

I think the RB is an absolute miserable place to watch a football game. The more games they can move out of that dump the better I say. I wouldn't care if they moved all home games to Fawcett Stadium until the new stadium is done. It's a far nicer place to watch a game the RB. Cleveland Browns stadium is actually going to a blast -- I agree with the Cap'n. Tailgating provides a lot of opportunities up there too. I recommend if we do play the the 'Nation needs to identify a place we should all meet to tailgate. The parking lot by the Courthouse -- across from the police department is perfect. I only hope you can buy club seats for the game.

Personally I can't understand why people would be mad because fans on this board were pissed off we lossed. Shouldn't fans be pissed off when their team loses? Isn't fan short for fanatic. We all realize they can't win every game, but this game was very winnable and they blew it -- that's a decent reason to be pissed. I hate to bring this up, but this is supposed to be our year. We've sat through endless years of crap and year's that were supposed to be, but never were. The teams that go above and beyond the expectations are the teams that win games like this. Look at the year Can't went far in the tournament -- I think they had 1 in conference loss. 1 loss. Why can't we expect a year like that once?

As much as we'd like to think this team has come a long way and is ready to take the next step -- they aren't and maybe never will be. How disappointing!

Where is the tire now?

Watched the game last night and saw the commercial with some other Akron alumni -- everyone thought the commercial was weak! God love Dr. Proenza but, you can't tell me high school seniors see him and say wow that's where I want to go to school.

my only problem with charlie and I get it from my dad all the time is the way he talks -- he mumbles and tends to speak english very clearly

Spikes is a common name in the Ville -- there has to be at least 100 who have graduated from Harvey in the past. Most always good athletes, basketball and track mostly and never this big.

The Fear the Roo campaign can have a long life -- the logo and how they use the campaign is what will need to change. I agree 100% using a zippy jingle about Fear the Roo is not the right use of the campaignHow long has Fear the Turtle been used by Maryland. Check out this site....it shows a University that is on the ball and embraces the campaign througout their school -- not just athletics. We'll make more commercials with Luis and never move to this realm.Fear the Turtle

Rarely if ever does the MAC get two teams into the NCAA tournament. This isn't like football where we can get four or five teams even though they have the same number of spots bowl wise as seats in the NCAA. There are only 34 at large teams in the NCAA B-Ball tournament. 30 spots are automatic. This is all the more reason to play a tough early schedule -- it doesn't hurt you come time for the tournament. You win some big time games early on and then win 20 games (not 25 or 26) they'd look closer at you. The big game will be the Bracket Buster -- I would be more inclined to go on the road to a higher ranked bracket buster team than stay home for a lower ranked one given the choice. A road win against a Butler, Gonzaga or other would look better than a home win against Hofstra or someone around our mid major ranking.

YOu can't be serious when you say you like those promotions.I'm not sure if anyone has had an opportunity to visit the Taylor Direct Marketing Institute in the Polsky Building -- it's really impressive. With the amount of students pursuing business degrees at Akron and marketing degrees in general -- what would it hurt to put them to work through an interactive class? Don't give them ideas or pointers either -- let them go at it with a clean slate. My best guess is the students in the CBA could come up with some ideas that would benefit this program immensly.

Yeah Igor came from Mentor too.Interestingly enough during last summer's golf outing for the football program -- one of the coaches mentioned both guys. He said Jacquemain was ahead of Carlton in the competition for back-up QB -- that didn't seem to hold up and he also said Igor was kicking 65 yard field goals indoors. I never mentioned being from Mentor -- this was just offered up.

Wrong Trivisono -- Coach Trivisono at Mentor. His HS coach.

I'm a Mentor High School grad and was at a few playoff games this year including the state championship game -- I heard from a few people that coach Trivisonno was trying to help Jacquemain transfer to BW. I hope this was incorrect...but it was what I heard. He was a pretty good receiver in HS before he moved to QB and could easily play a solid WR for this team. I picture him as a slot receiver - he's faster than people give him credit for and has great hands.

I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed, but the Plain Dealer (as usual) is writing a series of articles regarding Ohio State and how they are going to rebound -- who is going to replace there big name stars. It sure would be nice if the ABJ did this for Akron. Nonetheless, the ABJ actually doesn't have the Zips knowledge of this board (no offense Rasor), but could those in the know on this board shed some light on who the expected replacements will be in 2007 for our seniors that have moved on? It would be interesting to have some insight into those student athletes and their abilities too. I'm assuming CJ 1, CJ 2 or Hakes is going to win the QB role -- what do we know about them. Who are the front runners across the o-line to replace those exiting. Who's going to replace Reid and Gonzalez on the DL.

When I looked at the documents posted here a few weeks ago I noticed a line that discussed a direct marketing company (Infocision would be my guess) had committed (loosely I'm sure) $10 million over 20 years for the stadium and a local energy company had committed $1 million. Are we looking at Infocision Stadium with something like the First Energy loge section. A few years back I attended a breakfast where Brett Reynolds (Marketing for the Browns former Akron soccer player) talked about the decison to name the gates at Cleveland Browns stadium. I think the cost was like $2 million a year for each gate or something ridiciulous -- nonetheless the $8 million was far and away more than what they could have got for one name on the stadium. The also made a conscious effort inside the stadium to limit the advertising possibiltiies -- for example we are only going to have 10 vendors signs in the stadium --- one bank, one investment firm, one hospital, one beer etc. Thus they were able to charge a lot more money than they would if they would have signed all the beer companies, all the soda companies etc. The folks at Akron would do well to put together an advisory board for athletics or even just the stadium and add to it some of the athletes that have gone on to success elsewhere -- Brett Reynolds. Gary Taylor of Infocision, John Costello former CEO of www.mvp.com (owned by Gretzky, Jordan and Elway) VP at Sears and Home Depot, Jack Lengyl (HC Marshall and AD Navy), Mary Hauser CEO of Summa, Tony Alexander CEO First Energy, there are many others -- escalate this thing and make it happen. Problem is all of these people are probably ear marked for some college and athletics can't touch them.

Whoever thought he'd have an opportunity to impress at the combine is sorely mistaken -- he won't get invited to the combine. Also, this is not the NBA if you declare and you go past the point of no return day your done -- whether you hire an agent or not.

Anyone here remember the Cleveland Thunderbolts -- they played Arena Football at the Coliseum. They failed....why isn't Browns football failing. To me that is the argument using to say because the Force and the Crunch/Force failed a MLS team would fail.The first article I read had Wolstein putting up half the funds for this stadium. I think that's a pretty significant investment on his part. From what I understand NE Ohio is has one of the largest youth soccer playing groups of children in the country -- I don't think it woudl be difficult to fill the stadium. Macedonia has become the crossroad of NE Ohio and is the ideal location for such a stadium.I hate to say it because I'm a Browns season ticket holder, but the biggest waste of money is Browns stadium. It's used for 10 events a year. An indoor domed stadium is a far better decision than an open air stadium. That said a football stadium on campus with a lid would be the right thing to do if they do ever really announce a stadium. Finally, tax the smokers until they're paying $10 a pack I don't care.....build three stadiums if you can. I find it ironic we tax smokers and then don't let them smoke in the buildings there tax dollars pay for. For years my tax dollars have been paying for people on wellfare and many forms of government assistance -- it's about time someone else's tax dollars built me a stadium or two.

"The" is capitalized in The University of Akron.

I love Bison burgers -- great thing about them -- they're leaner than chicken.

I was at the game this week -- as I am every home game of the Browns -- the only think I've seen from Charlie that gives me some concern is his throws are a little late. A receive comes out of his break and the ball isn't there -- it's about second later. This I'm hoping is something that comes with more time with the receivers and more experience in the NFL. To say the Browns O-line is the worst in the NFL is a stretch. I truly think it's line coaching and players knowing what they are doing and there responsibilities on each play. When Charlie was mauled in the first half and fumbled that guy was untouched -- it had to be a blown assignment. Not all of the sacks are Charlie's fault and not all are the lines fault. A few concerns for Charlie and the Browns -- we all know Charlie is a great red zone QB. This team has giant receivers and they aren't throwing jump balls to them ala Randy Moss -- I can't figure it out Jurevicious is 6'5 Winslow is 6'4 and Edwards is 6'3 that's a lot of height to deal with. Most DBs are shorter guys. Droughns is hurt more than he's leading on -- Sunday with the RB hitting the holes a lot quicker yards were available -- no dancing around run straight. Charlie is going to be fine -- Cincy gave up almost 600 yards of offense last week -- I'm looking for Charlie to have a big game. Brees threw for over 500 -- the three picks is why they lost the game.

Top it off Fox Sports has Can't going to the MPC Bowl. What an incredible disappointment. Years past when we were really hoping they'd win we were the only ones. This year we had media and even non-UA fans on our side and they choke. My question is this -- is this a bigger choke job than the Owens era? No Owens team was ever favored by this much to do something good and then fall flat on their face. Where does the blame go -- all we read about are the spectacular kids JD is recruiting yet on the field is where the rubber meets the road and this year was a big dud. With a new QB and O-line next year how can we expect this team to be any better next year? I think this year was the beginning of at least a two-year slide and that really bums me out. OSU returns most of their defense -- can a new o-line help CJ enough -- will we get to see a Frye like intro to the college football ala the OSU game?