Zips Win!

Hope to be there at noon.........and I hope the rain goes away.........

Glad to see that you made it home safely, SoFlaZip. It was a pleasure meeting you and I hope to see you at the home opener.

He got my vote!

Typical GP1.....But here is a so-called fan that rooted against Frye and Owens. Was too busy watching Miami games!In my tenure, Frye was hands down the best, Mike Johnson was second and Butchie was third......BTW, Luke is not great in any sense of the word.....I witnessed the Ball State, Army and BG games.....But here is hoping that he breaks every record this year, especially wins in a season!

Someone needs to change this to:ON TO PUNT.

I also do not see the linbacker, Derron Smith from PA.

This may be a first. Someone that attended (or graduated?) from OSU is rooting for Akron to beat them. We can't get most UA alums to do this! Well, you can't be a "true" Akron fan and root for both. Even if it's every 5-6 years, we have to play them. Please explain how as a true UA fan, I am supposed to get excited every February when OSU signs blue chipper after blue chipper--many of which are from from NE Ohio-- then in 18 months I have to go and play these guys? This is like being a Cavs fan and hoping that Detroit, Chicago, Indy and Miami sign all the great free-agents! This depends how they are rooting. I can live with this if every UA fan gets his/her a_ _ to the Rubber Bowl and to the JAR for every game. In many ways the mere existence of OSU at least holds "back" the Zips. There are tens of thousands of UA alums who would prefer to go to Columbus or stay home and watch OSU rather than go to the RB. And these are our alumni! This is ridiculous. What I am unhappy about are the tens of thousands of UA alumni who have NO, ZERO, ZIP allegiance to OSU and still support them, many of which have never even set foot on campus. I chose to attend the U of A, why would I be unhappy with my allegiance? We all want to build a successful program at Akron and the base of that program needs to be it's alumni. Unfortunately, many of them do not know what allegiance, in this text, means.

There were several new rules changes for 2006 and below are two that seem to have many of the BCS coaches ticked. These are intended to shorten the game....the coaches say it will shorten the game by 10-15 plays and help the underdog.How will these changes affect the Zips?"According to Rule 3-2-5, the game clock will start as soon as the ball is kicked in a kickoff situation. Previously, the clock would only start once the receiving team touched the ball. In addition, Rule 3-2-5-e states that, after a team gets a first down, the clock will begin running again on the ready-for-play signal. Previously, the clock did not resume until the team snapped the ball."

I guess I wasn't to clear on my point. My intentions were in no way to downplay the BCS schools that the MAC has beaten.I thought the post was about scheduling and how much money we make from these opponents.Again, while I completely agree with scheduling the NC State's of college football, I generally disagree with playing the tradional power schools--PSU, Michigan, Florida etc., especially for the paltry sums of money that we receive when they make millions on the gate alone. Add in the fact that these schools then reap millions more in BCS bowl money at years' end which they share with their conference. In a perfect world, these funds need to be shared more fairly. In the current scheduling setup, the rich just get richer.

I don't think it's cynical at all, it's the truth. When free tickets were no longer given out, people no longer went to the games. Will the fans of NE Ohio support a winner or do they just support a team when they get free tickets? When I was in HS in 1986, I came up to an Akron game late in the year when they were playing for a spot in the I-AA playoffs and there were about 6,000 people at the game. Where were all the people supporting a winner in mass then? If people who want free tickets are insulted, let them be insulted. I could care less because they are doing nothing for the University by free loading off of it or Acme or any other business buying the tickets and giving them away for free. The businesses are doing much more for the University than the fans at that point and they should get the special perks associated with big giving. Giving away tickets has not created a paying fan base in Akron. It has only created a fan base that expects a free ticket and won't go to a game if they can't get a free ticket. I apologize to anyone who takes offense to this, but every bit of evidence points to the fact that it is the truth.The question is still out on the table....How much should it cost to go to an Akron game? How much should it cost to park in Lots 1,4 and 5? ------I am going to have to agree with GP1 on this one......Stop giving away free tickets..... As for the parking, I fail to see why the uproar over the University trying to make few extra bucks with the paved lots-- 1,4 and 5. Sure, I am dissappointed that they stopped the tailgate plus area (Lot 3 I believe) as they should have given this another year to try to improve on last year. Folks, the GA lots are a few yards away and they will cost you $25.....not $500. While unlikely, I will gladly walk an additional 50 yards to my vehicle IF the University can fill those spots for $500.As for ticket prices, $15 per game would be the minimum for a reserve seat. We tend to forget that those of us with kids get a steal of a deal with the Zippy Club for $20/kid a year. That's $20 for all sports, all year long. A great bargain.

Again, just back from vacation and I missed a great blog. While I agree with CK assessment of why we all hate the Beacon and it's horrible coverage of UA athletics, this time I have to agree with Pluto's slant on the schedule.Well, the schedule SUCKS.Having to wait until the 4th game to play a home game is atrocious while having all those November home games does nothing to build momentum to get people to the stadium early and often.Sure, the schedule is such that we do have a shot to win 9 or 10 games, but it's also set up that we could only win 5. Reality will be somewhere in the middle.While I do can see where Pluto is coming from on the money front, his point of grouping all the money together is misleading.This has been my gripe for years when it comes to finances. Make what you can from NC state and Cincinnati.........but making $400K from PSU is truly a disaster beacause it can be a stepping stone to a BCS bowl bid.Last year for example, PSU made the medium ten conference over 14 million dollars by playing in a BCS bowl game. My take has always been that these funds (after expenses) should be split evenly between all of their opponents...not just their conference. The MAC should be in a position to make additional funds at seasons' end for playing top rated schools, but we aren't. Therefore, I, too would not schedule schools like this who pay out paltry sums, only to reap huge rewards from the BCS.Finally, yes, MU, BG, NI and Toledo all want and do play top BCS schools. But where does this really get them? Other then UT beating a bad PSU team several years ago, who has the conference really beaten? Share revenue fairly, play BCS schools with a realistic chance to beat.....And play more home games in Septemeber and October.

I've been away on vacation and just read the post. Go away Steeler fans, especially GP1 when it comes to posting on this topic. I've been to games in Pittsburgh.........they are a bunch of a-holes and sore losers when their team is losing. Cheering when opponents get hurt......... and they leave the stadium as well when their team doesn't cross their opponents 40 yard line. I've seen it.So you choose to root for a team with a winning tradition......no problem. Stop bashing a bunch of die hards who root for the home town team, even though they do not have the same winning tradition.

I'll be there.Where will everyone be spending the night(s) at?

I agree.I continue to be curious as to why the discussion of Akron moving from the MAC comes up. Do we really belong in the Big East or even CUSA? Hell no. And if you think so, please explain why. We have one championship in football and haven't been to the big dance in 21 years. Under the current D1 set up, the MAC is the perfect place for us. If and when the lansdscape of college football changes, i.e. how "national" revenue is shared, (via the bowl system)then we may want to talk about change.....This discussion can come back in 15 years..or maybe never.We need to continue to take care of business in the MAC. We need to continue our 2005 winning ways, which we hopefully lead to better overall attendance, more alumni involvement, and more tv coverage which will hopefully result in better streams of revenue. This, of course, will will allow for bigger and better faculities to attract better and better players and coaches. Unfortunately, this takes time....even decades, perhaps.

Go and get Gary Waters.

Completely agree. This one is on Dambrot. I say fire his ass and bring in Gary Waters. All year long I witnessed DP sitting on the bench and for months I said it would come back and bite KD. Last night it did. To think that his idiotic substituting led to us blowing the first-half 13 point lead, he makes some of the same mistakes and blows a second half lead as well. He played his boys Linhart and Dials--now he has to pay the price.

I agree on all points, except the Travis beat down. I don't care how he dresses or what his haircut looks like. And I certainly don't agree that he is waiting for LeBron to make an appearance. He is, however in need of some help down low. The offense looked so smooth with the ball going down low, kicking it out, moving it around--with Peterson in the game. When he went out, Toledo sent an extra guy to help on Travis and we had horrible flow and movement. 99% of the time Travis plays within himself and is a great team player. Preston gets my vote for team MVP.....Romeo is our Most Important Player.

This is nonsense. Ist team all freshman or not, this guy wouldn't get 10 minutes in a Can't uniform-ever.

I didn't get a chance to hear KD's comments as I was enroute back to Summit County from Buffalo. Wednesday's game was pretty ugly and I too am comcerned over our "lack of momemtum" heading into the tourney. There is no shame in losing 4 MAC regular season games...atleast we battled in the Can't, OU and Miami games. However we were beat up pretty good last night. UB out hussled us and out muscled us all evening.The offense was stagnant, to say the least...The 3 pointers kept us in the game in the first half and we had difficulty getting off shots all day. (I understand it's nearly impossible for us win at UB...I'm 0-3 in trips to Buffalo. The games seem to be getting uglier.) Early on we got off some nice mid-range shots, we just didn't hit them. Then, Rome picked up two early fouls and he seemed to give up for the half. The ball movement was horrible...Dru dribbling and 4 guys standing around....The final shot of the first half proved once again that Dru will be the go to guy on a last second shot. He dribbled for 33 seconds and heaved up a horrible shot at the buzzer. There was absolutely no player movement on that play.Rome seemed a little more into the game at the start of the second half.....soon the defenses collapsed on him and the 6-point deficit went to 13. Also, way too much complaining towards the officials, especially by Dials. If you get knocked down, get up and elbow back......For a game that we dearly needed scoring, Peterson sitting on the bench continues to be puzzling. Why he doesn't play the 3 and Rome the 4 at the same time may come back to bite us.

"Keep posting Big Zip! It's nice to see someone on this board do something other than just agree with eveyone else. That's the stuff that good boards are made out of. If you were the first to call for the firing of Owens, you were ahead of the curve. If you were the first to call for firing The Hip, you were ahead of the curve. Most still haven't forgiven me for pointing out that Charlie Frye doesn't win games. I would bet that most of them deep down inside are pissed to no end that the Zips won the MACC without Frye. Life goes on.... Keep posting."Here we go, yet again. We get a legitimate basketball question and GP1 finds a way to rip LO and CF. Hasn't the statue of limitations run out on bashing LO and CF? How far back do we have to go? There's never a comment about the damage done to the program with Faust....and how so many of his players didn't "win games"!And nobody is pissed off that we won the MACC--without Frye. Actually, my hunch is that GP1's biggest thrill related to the MACC was that it was done without CF-so he could continue to bash him. --Not that it was a wonderful experience for the University of Akron--Players graduate and/or use up their eligibility all the time. The goal is to keep getting better and better players and to find ways to win championships-even if you can do it by winning fewer conference regular season games than the year before.As for Who get's the ball? Peterson should be the guy. But he won't be. You have to play more than 8 minutes a game and play without the fear of getting pulled after one mistake. As I have said, Peterson is not a KD player-will continue to give the PT to Ced and Nate. Anyone who saw the BG game on the road saw how well DP can play--he was down low most of the second half and was very effective with the ball in the paint. He opened up several opportunities for Rome as well. Both players were either fouled or got off a 6 foot shot.. Yet DP came out.....and as the clock wound down in regulation-BG allowed Nate to get the ball and his final shot was awful.Dru will be the guy.....and this makes me very uneasy if we are in close games down the stretch.

Paul and Jim announce basketball ?Again, I stand by my post....And even talked to Steve about leaving the Akron area.....

Frenchie would be accepted to do radio play-by play in hoops for any program in the country. I think he is outstanding...He paints a very nice picture of the game. Sure he gets on the officials, as mentioned above, but if you went to enough away games and witnessed how bad the calls can get, I am glad he brings it up. He brings great energy, enthusiasm and a love for the Zips that is unmatched....The change of inflection in his voice when a great play is happening is unique....on the flip side, sometimes we lose a game 25 times before it's over......which again shows how much he truly cares. Football, on the other hand--I find him to be pretty lousy...As mentioned, I think a little has to do with how far from the field he sits in football versus sitting courtside in basketball, and a little of his problems stem from a lack of or poor spotter....but at some point he has to take the blame. He seems to inform us incorrectly on the ball carrier, receiver, whether the ball was caught or not, did the player get a first down, as well as who made the tackle every third play. So many times if he would just look at the official, he would know the answer. Furthermore, I am very certain that he is not up to date on the rules of the game, which adds to the confusion. As for his booth mates......Stams is outstanding....He will go big time as an analyst some day, something that Frenchie did not want to do....JJ belongs on the sideline in football.....and is OK. He says so little during hoop broadcasts that he doesn't really add to or subtract from the game...

I plan to go. There will be at least 4 Zip fans in the crowd.

Hmmmm. I fail to see where he's made much of an impact so far, but KD sure likes him. He plays a lot of minutes, has a few assists, a couple of points and gets a few rebounds. Actually, he reminds me a lot of A. Hip his freshman year, without the scoring ability. Speaking of impact, how much of his playing time is attributed to KD wanting at least one of his high school recruits over the last two years to pan out--so he gets alot of time with a veteran team? Milum, Walther (gone), Nate and Rybek haven't exactly lit up the league.

No, don't kill this thread just yet......I can't wait for GP1's reply.....Still trying to find ITZ's great points....There are two distinct issues here....Owens getting fired and J.D. success/failure as the head coach--two years into his tenure. Where is the hypocrisy in wanting Owens canned after nine years and 40 wins and a lot of complaining after Brookhart's team played horrible at Ball State and versus Army. Now, 3, 4 or 5 years into his coaching tenure and his winning percentage drops to .444 and we continue to back JD, then you can call me a hypocrite....However, neither is going to happen. BTW, I wanted Owens fired after the 1999 season where we went 6-5. That should have been an 8-3 team.