Sergeant Zip

Pat Forde: The MAC currently is rated the No. 18 league in the land by Jeff Sagarin's computer (and 21st in the RPI). That's a fairly precipitous fall from even the modest position the Midwestern collection of colleges once held. From 2000 to '05, the MAC average was No. 11 in Sagarin's ratings. From 2006 to the present, that rank is No. 16. And this season, it's all the way down to 18 -- just behind the Summit League and just ahead of the Big West (not to be confused in the slightest with the Big East). Sagarin does not rank a single MAC school in his top 100 -- there simply isn't a single entity in the 12-team league to get overly excited about. As recently as 2007-08, the MAC had five in the Sagarin top 100. In 2002, Can't State reached the Elite Eight with Antonio Gates playing power forward. In 1999, Miami (Ohio) made the Sweet 16 behind Wally Szczerbiak. In 1990, Ball State advanced to the Sweet 16, where the Cardinals nearly upset eventual national champion UNLV. The next season, Eastern Michigan made it to that round. So this is a league with some history. But it now has become a mystery. Maybe the general population decline in the industrial centers of the upper Midwest has had an impact on recruiting. Maybe schools have felt the budgetary crunch of playing football at the highest classification and it has affected the basketball bottom line. Maybe there are too many aging facilities, mismanaged athletic departments and uninspiring coaches. Whatever the root cause, MAC basketball is floundering. And there's no reason to believe that will change anytime soon. Wow, do I have rose colored glasses on or is this over the top? Uninspring coaches? Floudering? Does Forde think Can't State spends too much cash on football? Think Forde will be in Cleveland watching any games because he probably hasn't seen a game this year? It seems to me he looked at some computer's numbers and put down a bunch of words to fill an article?

And get clean and sober or get naked in a restaurant and start screaming the obscenities?

+1 I think there was a lot of excitement during the early KD/Romeo/Dru years that we were laying a foundation & building a program that would be recognized on a national level. However, since Rome & Dru graduated we've pretty much been treading water. We really haven't taken the program to the "next level," however one may define that. We are a constantly winning, more students living on campus, and have increasing enrollment but attendance has stayed the same? That is disappointing.

Stephen Curry was born in Akron. Dell Curry was playing for the Cavaliers when Stephen was born (March 14, 1988).

80 to 40, awesome!

And thinking about some of RI's personnel decisions last year, and ability (or lack thereof) to extract the most from the talent he has as shown by last season, this gives you hope why?? It doesn't but we still have a couple of years to find out if he can or can't.

To look at these recruits now is nothing but fun discussion. Aaron Rodgers went to JUCO because he did not receive any scholarship offers from Division I football teams. Miami of Ohio was the only college that wanted Ben Roethlisberger to be a quarterback. How these recruits are coached up and put in positions to succeed matter more than the rivals.com rankings.

From "Parents Just Don't Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince... "I asked her for Adidas and she bought me Zips!"

Other MAC Power Rankings... Akron #4 and considered the "sleeper."

Link to magazine It also can be accessed at the bottom of here. It is a pop-up.

Click here to listen LIVE...if you can stand listening to him talk..."Hines Ward strip club, Hines Ward strip club, Hines Ward strip club....." OMG! I can't take it. Somebody post if something interesting was said. Yeah. I am hoping this is just filler until the coach shows up. Edit: Yes, Ianello up after the commercials. It's safe to tune in now. Ianello sounded upbeat, showed some personality. I think he ripped Rush Limbaugh too. Explained the 12th man thing.

Dozens? It was actually hundreds and hundreds. Total = 771

I haven't listened much lately and when I can (holidays) for an extended period of time, he is out on vacation anyway. Interesting... maybe KNR is onto something. His following is cult like, so I guess I assumed it was still strong. Although he has stopped the tour stops. Maybe he has "jumped the shark." Is there a better sports option during that time slot? Colin Cowherd? Scott van Pelt? Mad Dog? What are some ZNO's national favorites? When they were locally broadcast, I used to like Mark Patrick on Sports and then Steve Czaben. I like Tony Bruno.

Sportsradio 1350 is making a big move for more of the Cleveland and Akron market because WKNR is messing with their lineup. In particular, moving the Jim Rome show. I hope the Zips run some good ads during this timeframe while people are flipping through the stations trying to find Rome. I always have enjoyed the congrats to the National Champs ad run. I still can't believe KNR thinks it is a good move to mess with Rome.

Mark Cuban's blog lays out how "cupcakes" are used to make it to the BCS Bowl Games. He recommended eliminating the cupcakes with a mid-season playoff system. One thought is to have the Conference USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West Conference, Sun Belt Conference and Western Athletic Conference hold a playoff. I guess that essentially means the MAC is a I-AA if there are no BCS conferences involved with the playoff.

About to streak Caleb's hair!

I wish they would update the alumni website.

...and he doesn't have ONE free throw attempt. Draw some fouls Zeke, initiate some contact. It will make him a better scorer and it's a great way to get the refs' attention. Once he garners their attention, he'll start getting some of the calls on glancing blows as he catches the ball inside.

I don't see anything on the bid list or RFPs.

2011 will mark the 20th anniversary of Tecmo Super Bowl

I with you. The only thing I can hang my hat of hope on now is the fact that the Miamioh coach won one game last year and may very well go to a bowl this season. Patience... "please let these people realize how foolish this impatient mindset is, and convince them to give Ianello a fighting chance to succeed."

This season Jermaine Reid had 4 sacks (3 in 1 game) for the 15x Grey Cup Champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats...

Chaseblackburn.com has been pretty quiet. Nothing on his blog.