Zipsrifle

Well, compared to you old timers, I have nothing to bitch about. I just remember Peggy comming into Rob's and saying that they were working on getting the concrete steps infront of GSC fixed...they had been closed for over a year. As soon as I leave, Boom, they put 300 million into the place. My wife and I don't even feel like we know the place anymore. I heard the major reason for closing Buchtel Ave back in the day was because too many students were getting hit by cars! Is this true?

Actually, that article makes a lot of sense. I always wondered why Ohio had so many schools. I think there are some things that could be commonized between universities to save the state money. For example, my brother (a Miami grad) would tell me about Miami's great Enginnering program.... ........ ........it was PAPER Engineering. With the digital age upon us, does it not make sense to let each university utilize it's strength to lower the overall cost? For example, Akron could be the center of Polymers for the state. All classes dealing with polymers would be based in Akron, and broadcast to the rest of the state's universities. BG could specialize in farming, OU in drinking, Miami in fashion and shopping, OSU in hoarding resources and Can't in.......Can't in........But seriously, I think there are some things that could be done to lower costs quite a bit. As far as facilities, I think a lot could be done here also. I know I'll get banned for this one, but I always wondered why Akron and Can't couldn't share sports facilites? The schools are pretty close and neither makes money on sports. I understand that Akron is trying to get out of a situation where the stadium was so far from campus, but I'm just saying, this is something that could be done to save money.

I think we just got a damn good freshman. This is one thing that is so frustrating. These kids have a FREE EDUCATION handed to them, and they drop the ball!?!? :blink: There are lots of programs offered by UA to help these students in their studies. It frustrates me that these kids, with so much talent, just let it slide! Should UA think outside the box to help these kids? Requiring study table and having the coach ride them doesn't seem to be enough. Should we expose them early to the difference between a college degree and a HS diploma? Have them work at Robs for 2 weeks washing dishes, and then the next two weeks they help out kids at a local school or something like that!

I agree that MAC football seems to be sliding backwards. I don't know if this is the product of the schools taking more risks on players who never materialize or what? Seems that way here. I agree that if Temple can come in here, and does well, that just looks terrible for the rest of the MAC. Make no mistake, Temple sees the MAC as a stepping stone. If they can come in here, win the MAC in a couple of years, they'll be gone to another confrence because of that NY Market. We'll all be standing here saying "What about us?" Unfortunately, we don't have a stellar BB team or a "Former Big East" member by our names, so it is easy to pass us by. For fear of being a bad football school with great facilities, we NEED to be in Detroit this year, urgently!

Wow, that came up fast! Glad we're starting against Army this year....I'm not saying we'll pound on them, but at least these guys will be eased into the season. How do you guys feel about the potential of the O-line? Do we have the beginnings of a great MAC OL, or will we continue with mediocrity? For QB, seems to me that Jackson is #1 right now. Charlie could scramble, but he wasn't Smokin' Josh Cribbs. Which mold does Jackson fall into? Sounds like we'll have a solid running game again with Dennis and Alex, but we'll need somebody to step up a WR. I always hear great things about Jabari, but he is so inconsistent. I hope he steps up this year. I always hear how great an athlete this guy is, but never seems to dominate! I'm pumped...can't wait till Sept. 1st!

It looks as if UA might be able to build the stadium with The Odd Corner and the Sun still in place. Sure, this would put the skids on the front gate, but I'm sure the other gates can be used in place of the main gate. Does anyone know if this is the case? It seems to me to be a pretty big gamble to start building a stadium with the possability of not being acquire all the land.

Well put BZ. We need to focus on dominating our confrence and winning bowl games. Then the talent will take us seriously. If we lose, a spanking new stadium won't help us much (Take Buffalo as an example). I disagree that we always lose the games we shouldn't....we wouldn't win any games then. I would say we aren't as consistent as we should be.

We all know that being a Star at a MAC School could get you into the NFL. 17 year old kids don't think about being a star at a MAC school, they think about being a star at a Big 10 school and will take that shot. A lot of the end up getting a lot of time on the bench. I agree that we aren't going to draw many heavily recruited Big 10 recruits. Hopefully, we can start grabbing the heavily recruited CUSA and MAC talent.

Now this is something you don't hear in Akron much. I guess this means we must be an equally, "Big Time" program If not, seems like we're getting close.

By this, Z.I.P., I assume you mean the Spartans blowing that lead to UH, thus making the Zips the only bowl-eligible team NOT to go bowling in the 2004/5 seasonI wouldn't blame MSU entirely, I think the Officiating had something to do with it as well.

I was thinking the same thing! Well, I'm willing to sacrifice some tailgating time the first game for such an event. If the first game is at 1:00, I'll make it up after the game.

I've been looking over the renderings of the stadum more, and I continue to be impressed with what I see here are a few of the things I like.1) I think they've done a good idea integrating the stadium with the rest of campus and with the history of the city. The dorms continue the design seen on campus (Honors Dorms, Exchange Street Dorms). In addition, the Stadium Press Tower incorporates the "Tire Factory" look into the exterior design.Dorms:Factory Similarity--lower part of Press Tower:2) The second thing I'm impressed with, is that despite the fact the stadium won't be a bowl, it will still feel enclosed, IMO, giving an atmosphere similar to a bowl. Miami has partially achieved this by adding the mega scoreboard to the endzone, but you can still see the fields beyond the stadium. I like how the new stadium is enclosed on one end by the fieldhouse, the other end by the scoreboard, and has the dorms wrappnig around the visitors side. 3) I like the attention to details. The bridge to the fieldhouse ,the design of the entrance gates, the concourse under the home stands, the details on the concession stands, the abundance of flags and the banners. I expect to see all of these details in the finished stadium. 4) I like how imposing the Press Tower looks. Great job of designing in pleanty of vertical lines to draw your eye upward, making the stadium look taller than it is. I hope that the University routes the visiting fans round the front of the stadium to show how impressive it is. Again, great job, very impressive.

I saw that, great news. I was a little down on the soccer team after last season, but things are looking up. Good recruiting class, upgraded stadium. Lets get back in the Top 5 in the nation, and we'll be rolling! Didn't I see that they might be able to use the new stadium for NCAA Championships?

Yea, I thought about that, but is this one of those "I bought this giant SUV for my company and I just happen to have "Buisness" at the grocery store, and at the mall, and at the beach and...." Did he connect his buisness to the money in any way? I don't know if this opens up any tax opportunities or something like that.

Yea, I would qualify the "Alumni" thing though. How many Alumni would come out of the woodwork to get in on such an event. There are Alumni who support the University, and Alumni who haven't been to UA since graduation. Maybe a minimum donation would be required.....like the cost of season tickets?

I think the property owners better settle up quick. If they wait for eminent domain, they could lose out.Yea, I saw that too. I imagine that classrooms were added and retail space was eliminated to help facilitate eminent domain. I don't feel good about the whole eminent domain thing, but realize everyone has an agenda, and UA is doing what it needs to, no matter how questionable it is, to get what they want.

So, for the first game, is he saying that everyone will meet somewhere on campus and follow the band through campus to the stadium? That would be kinda cool! We could follow the band onto the field, there would be a short presentation, and then they would let everyone take their seats to watch the pregame! It would be restricted to current students, season ticket holders, and administration. It would be as if they were showing the new house to the owners.

So, does anyone know if the naming rights will be up for sale again in the future or will the InfoCision name be associated with the stadium forever? I never heard of InfoCision until now, and what happens if they get sold, who owns the naming rights Mr. Taylor or the comapny? I don't know anyone who likes telemarketers, but lets be frank, if it wasn't for Mr. & Mrs. Taylor, this stadium wouldn't be a reality. I'm very thankful they were so generous.....but.....I still don't' like telemarketers.

I think we've blown everyone away with this stadium. I didn't ever think I would see this day. Hold your heads up high Zip fans, hold your heads high!

WOW! Flat out amazing. Nobody in the MAC will touch this stadium for a LONG time! I can't say how happy I am with the design. Now, will any donation to the athletic Dept. work, or do you have to donate specifically to the stadium?

That sounds like the perfect spot. My Sister actually lives in the Warehouse district, but we can't get more than one car into her lot. That is probably the closest deck. I think The Zip Truck wil park there too.

I don't know when the plans were drawn up, but I give Dr. Pro a lot of credit for acting on the plan, that is the tough part. Peggy was Prez. when I started in '94, and at that time the Polymer Building and Buchtel Commons were in existance. She was a disaster. Before Proenza was Dr. Ruebel. I believe I saw him at either a BB or a Football game this past year.

I guess I didn't know there were multiple designs. Hopefully there are multiple designs that are just as good and that we didn't get the look at the $157 million option that there is no way would every happen.

The campus renovation is Proenza's work. The story I heard is that he developed the master plan, went to the Ohio Board of Regents and said something to the effect that the state of Ohio has been pumping money into the other Universities for decades while UA sat there and fell apart. He showed them his plan, and told them to give him all the money his was asking for ($300 million), or nothing at all. After they reviewed the plan they told him they didn't think $300 million was enough and gave him chunk extra. I don't know he truth to this story, but it sure sounds good. As for the stadium, I really don't know the plans. I would expect that they will be selling bricks or something like that for a good chunk of change. Probably some bonds in there too.

Huh?!, What? Oh, yea, wasn't there was a thread around here somewhere? Now I know why I didn't become a Lawyer.