Zip Watcher

I love the identity crisis cheer used by PSU and others .. are they afraid to forget where they parked or something?Go Zips! B)

Lately it seems, half the Nation!

Because you were on the committee? A fact? B) Go Zips!

So our scheduling method doesn't even get us in the NIT? Even when 2 of 3 years prior to the NCAA year of '09, the same scheduling method did put the Zips in the NIT .. and the 3rd year something odd happened and they were omitted?I disagree with your logic.

The conference has had 4 at large bids in the last 30 years, maybe longer or ever.Scheduling for at-large consideration in the current conference is not going to guarantee anything. The schedule should prepare the team to do what it did last year: Win the MAC Tournament and move on to the NCAA. It should also help the team peak at the right time to compete at a high level once there.Last year Miami put a scare into UCLA @ Pawlie Pavilion & played 4 or 5 other top 30 teams. What did it get them exactly? I'm not sure, but I do remember seeing them get pounded in the second half of the MAC Quarters @ the Q and sent home by Your 2009 MAC Tournament Champion Akron Zips.In 2001-02 Ball State went out to Hawaii and played an incredible weekend, BEATING 2 top 10 (Kansas & UCLA) teams and playing close with a 3rd (Duke). The next week, they entered the rankings at 10 or 11 .. later on in March, were they in the NCAA tournament? By at-large? No. Automatic Birth, No. They went 7-9 in conference and ended up way under .500 for the year. They did get an NIT birth and add victories over St. Joes & LSU before getting waxed by South Carolina.My point? I think the schedule is ok. We get lots of home games, which means some $$$ for the program. We aren't going to take a complete pounding in multiple places without hope of a return game. We have some nice neutral court games against NCST & Drake, and a roadie to College Station. Projecting the RPI of these things now is a complete waste of time. A couple of years ago, Wyoming was supposed to compete in the MWC, came into the JAR, left with a 30+ point beatdown, and ended up in the cellar of the conference.KD needs to schedule to grow the program. The trend has been great so far. 5 seasons, 3 post-season births, a MAC Tourney Title, and 1 NCAA appearance. As a Zips Hoops fan above all other teams, I trust KD because I see the results. The Zips are defending MAC Champs, have all but one (albeit significant) player returning, and add a top-50 recruit & 7' center. I refuse to diminish how great March was by searching for something to complain about in July.Go Zips! B) B)

Put me down for UA signing a long term lease and operating agreement at a multipurpose downtown arena built by the city / county / port authority. The Don Dome? Plusquelic Pavilion?Continue the ongoing efforts to improve the (backend of the) JAR to make it a 1st class training facility for both men's & women's hoops. Remains the playing venue for Volleyball. Add gymnastics if needed to get to be fully title IX compliant. W/ fewer events in the JAR, the facility might be able to support that.

Saw it, but we were on our way back from the Brew Pub .. don't remember it's name at the moment, but great stout.Then there was some sort of street music fair one block east of Cherry, from 5th to 7th or so .. very cool. Had a $3 32oz PBR can & my kid got to sit in the pilots seat of a Huey.Also a big metal fest going on at a building near there .. and that brought with it loads of retro cars / 50's cars .. etc. I guess all the metal heads strive to be Jesse James these days. But nice folks .. and happy to show the cars.Spent a week at the beach .. but for me the highlight of the trip might have been Winston-Salem. I really had no idea going in.Go Zips!!

We had our beach vacation down near Myrtle last week, and happened to stop in Winston-Salem on Saturday night on the way down. What a great stop. Downtown hotel under $100/night with an indoor pool. Walkable to lots of good food and other amenities.So good, we did exactly the same thing on the way back. I'd love an excuse to visit W-S again. Maybe we can get WS State in a 3-1 and play one down there if the Demon Deacons won't sign up.Plus all you folks that hate our marketing / broadcasting situation, but perhaps don't understand the revenue it's generating, can visit ISP in person. I think it's right behind the Marriott on 5th St.Great town.

Ok .. you guys are done with this topic in Hoops. At this point, it's devolved into name calling and hair pulling .. and for that, it's off to the "Off topic / Smack Forum" for all of you. Keep it up and it'll be locked.Go Zips!!!

Without looking it up to be certain, I'd bet that the Zips have more post season appearances, more post season victories and exactly the same number of NCAA tournament wins than Drake has over the last 5 years.Go Zips!

Drake had a great mid-major season in 2007-08.I'd rather have a great mid-major program than one great mid-major season. B) Go Zips!