Zip Watcher

Thanks mollautt .. I assume you're referring to McKnight here. Any other conference recruits play in that game?

what about shooting them with rubber bullets from 20 paces and then smashing their heads against the wall ... don't you think you're omitting some possibilities?

How tall was Charles Barkley? 6-5? 6-4? He sure wasn't 6-7.

Your words .. not mine.

My dislike of Columbus State has to do with the fact that they represent everything that is wrong with college sports today.That is it .. plain and simple. Uhhh .. NO .. that's certainly not it .. not even close .. at least not for me.The LAST thing I want is for UA to emulate OSU's athletic programs / departments / boosters. I'd rather completely suck and be positive representatives of the university / community than sell our collective souls .. and have semi-pro teams that don't fit the school & community, and pick and choose which rules apply to UA. If I want to root for the Cavs & Browns .. I can do that. If I want to watch student athletes develop over 4 years .. I can do it at UA.I'm not a UA grad & I can't stand Ohio A&M .. has nothing to do with recruiting against the Zips. It has to do with either being amateur athletes or being pro athletes. If you're going to be a college team .. have students play. This is what KD & Mike Thomas & Mack Rhodes are talking about when they say "we're going to do things the right way."FYI, these topics are fair game as long as they reside where this one does ... I might change the forum topic to be "Off-Topic, Smack & Jokes" .. just so folks can stop worrying about it being the right place for this or not.

To answer some questions from above:The Scholi limit is 13 .. and with the 3 frosh coming in (mcknight, steward, swiech), we'll be full.Returning players (10) on scholarship are:Seniors (4): Wood, Dials, Middleton, MilumJuniors (3): Linhart, Rybak, ConyersSophomores (1): McKnightRS Frosh (2): McNees, BardoShould he continue his progress toward a degree at the required pace, Conyers will be able to get a year back, and then fall back to being a senior when Chris McKnight is .. so that could change things.I know that KD likes to have a smooth rotation of players .. doesn't want to have classes of 5 & 6 guys to recruit .. I think he likes to bring in 3,3,3, and 4 ... so the redshirts sort of screw that up. But the reality is that he's had a veteran club & minutes would have been non-existant for Steve & Mike this year.Oh, and there is NO limit imposed on NCAA on the total roster size (as far as google can find), so having 4 walkons carry over this year to next and adding another appears to be fine. I think there may be a 15 or 16 player travel restriction .. but I'm not even sure about that. The Russel kid from Toledo is an intriguing thing if in fact rumors end up being true.The preferred walk on may mean the Copley kid gets a ride as a sophomore if the staff doesn't fill the 4 spots for the 08 incoming class?

So what happens to OSU when Matta leaves for Kentucky?

I don't think I'd like to see DHip on an opposing bench anytime soon. It would be like playing Miami an extra 2 times. Say what you want about the roster / player problems while he was here, the guy could coach from the bench when he wanted to. In drawing up a play to get a good shot, he's an expert.Life's all about learning from the past & making your best of second chances, isn't it? We should all know that. And if DHip finds a way to better communicate w/ players and keeps his offensive-minded brain sharp .. he could become a pretty tough guy to beat. I don't see him as a threat to UA's ascension to NCAA elite status if he goes to BG, but I'd just as soon have BG continue to suck. Besides, I don't see them ditching Dakitch to just bring in a very similar style coach. I think they're going in a different direction altogether. There's a new AD there & he needs to put his stamp on something .. and it will be basketball. He's gonna have 2 searches going at once & it will be interesting to see what he does.My bet's on Cuonzo Martin or Jay Price for the BG job. Just a hunch. I think Martin would probably be ready for this step.

With all credit to Mike Rasor for finding this and linking to it, I think this is an article the Nation needs to read.Keith's thoughts & plans.You got 'em? Keep wearing them!

Dan Hipsher won't be unemployed very long. He's an asset to a high major program as an offensive coach / strategist. I'm sure he'll land somewhere soon. It's good that Arkansas pulled the trigger this week. Final Four is when most of the gigs .. both head and assistant coaches .. settle out.On a related note .. rumors swirling that Dakitch will end up at New Mexico as one of Alford's assisstants.

Not saying he wasn't a factor at all. I'm saying ANY 7' guy would have done the same thing on those teams. Anyone 6-10" or so on those teams in that spot would have provided those same things.

To me, this game presents an absolute no risk scenario for the Sucks. Now if they go up there in 3 years when Waters has the CSU thing turned around .. different story. But for now, they'll go there well before they go to the JAR.

zipboy & I will be called nuts for the next 6 months for this ..I agree that Jimmy can become that guy. He showed glimpses .. on a few occasions .. of being that guy. I think it was the Can't game at the MACC where he dusted by Singletary 2 times to get to the rim and both times passed the ball out for a worse shot than the one he had created for himself. Two times he came out of that game in the second half to have KD tell him "Shoot the Ball!!" Most everyone will agree that he's got the physical athleticism needed .. his man defense demonstrated that clearly in the last 2 weeks of the season. I think he was just a bunch too tentative on the offensive side of the ball. The summertime will do wonders for Jimmy.Cedrick can get to the rack when he wants to. He's not Rashon by any stretch .. but at least in conference, he can get to the rim pretty consistently.I think Jeremiah will be generally unguardable in the league next year. One on one, there's no one that can check him at this point. The big kid at BG may grow into the guy that do it .. but maybe not until 08-09. My only hope is that the Zips don't fall in love too much with the one on one in the block. Good to have it and use it to beat people down .. but the all around thing works best if you can keep it going. Those of you who have the Can't game @ the Q still on your DVR, check out the pass that J Wood makes out of the TRIPLE team to hit Joyce for a wide open 3 during the big run in the 2nd half. Awesome stuff ... really should be amazing to see the inside out next year with Wood.And by the way, SGM .. Edwards was a stiff. Always was. If you want to talk about a big guy being key in the conference, at least pick a guy from the list of really good big guys (for example: Hunter, Stacey, Kaman, Gates, Stempin, VanHoose ... heck, even John Whorton was better). Edwards was never anything more than the weak side guy in Jimmy C's rotations, cleaning up the misses and feasting on open shots because teams would double Gates or Gerwig .. drop Bruce Weinken or Nick Meyers in the same role & the results would have been similar. Edwards did improve from the start to his senior year .. but he was far from a "HUGE" factor. He was tall and played on some damn good teams.I'll take my chances with Swiech or Bardo. I think Swiech probably had more points in the month of January this year than Edwards had in his HS career. Just a hunch.Keep those shades handy Zips fans ...

I disagree. High step and swing can sound good: watch this1990 pregame video Man! I got goosebumps just watching that on my little computer screen!!! Too cool! If that doesn't give you pumped up nothing will! Holy Big Crowd Batman!

All in good time. The Top of the World is one which will get us one or 2 good RPI games and yet also be a completely winnable tournament for the Zips. Let's go after the Shootout when Ronnie & Jimmy & Steve have more games under their belts.

There's another of those exempted pre-season tourneys in Alaska.Go HERE.

SGM,Went to the link yesterday .. but when I tried to go back today to read further .. it doesn't load.Can you check it out?Thanks.ZW

Coach Dambrot, Akron Zips players & coaches:Just over 3 years ago, on March 10, 2004 a new era in the men's basketball program began as you were named Head Coach of the Zips. On that day, you promised us a few things and gave us an idea of your plans for the program: -You promised the Zips would play harder than their opponents -You promised the Zips would play together as a team -You promised the Zips would play an entertaining brand of basketball -You promised that you, your staff & team would do it the right wayRegarding your goals for the program, you indicated it is your intent to make the Akron Zips one of the best teams in Ohio, able to to compete with anyone on the national level.You'd like the program to outgrow the JAR.You want to take this program where it belongs, and where coach Webb took the Zips: national prominence & success.In three seasons, you & the Zips players have now: - Won 19, 23 and now 26 games (building from 13 in 2003-04 - Tied the all-time UA mark for wins (any level) at 26 - Advanced further each year in the conference tournament - Notched UA's first ever DI national postseason tournament win - Established consistency and growth on the court and in the classroomThe events of the past week have put the entire ZipsNation through a rollercoaster of pride, excitment, anticipation, shock, anger, frustation, disappointment, and among other things, depression. We've seen your interviews, read your quotes and we KNOW you've felt the same thing. You're as much a Zips fan as all of us.We, the undersigned members of ZipsNation.Org would like to make a few things perfectly clear to you, the team and all: - We as individuals and as a group are extremely proud of the results this season - We too are disappointed for Dru & Romeo not getting to play more games - Doug Penno's clutch shot on Saturday does not diminish your season in any way - We all clearly see the progress made toward your goals for the program - We eagerly await the next season, and climbing a rung or two further upUltimately: We know that you are being true to your words of 10 March 2004. We see it, we know it, our community & university have benefited from it.We also understand that you are frustrated with the lack of a postseason invitation this season. We are ALL frustrated and disappointed for the team (in no way BY the team). But as fans, we must not let these emotions reduce our passion & dedication to the Zips hoops program. And we will NOT.We hope and pray that this recent frustration does not diminish your desire or deter your will to accomplish the goals you established for the program. You are exceeding expectations. The team is raising the bar each night out. The community is behind all of you. We respectfully hope that these recent events serve to steele the resolve of the Zips to put distance between themselves and the rest of the conference and the rest of the teams in the state. Now is the time for all of us, team and supporters alike to look away from the disbelief of Sunday night and toward the success and accomplishments that await the team in 2007-08 and beyond.What can Zips fans do to help the cause? While the Nation will certainly do its best to be receptive of any and all requests the team / coaches may (and are free to) make, we the members of ZipsNation.Org and boosters of the Zips Hoops programs do herby pledge:1. We will bring more people. To fill the seats. To increase your advantage in the JAR. To restrict the number of visitor's fans at key games by putting Zips in the seats first. We will bring more fans to the Q next March. We will work to set conference tournament attendence records for all sesssions in which the Zips participate. Let it be known that this sleeping giant is awake .. and not going away quietly.2. We will grow Operation AK-Roadies whenever and wherever possible to make the road games feel more like the JAR.3. When at games, we will work harder to bring energy to the environment. High energy, not "NBA fan - last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter energy." Not "just while on a 10-0 run energy." Energy, enthusiasm, support.4. We will continue to support the program & team in other, indirect ways. Prepare yourselves for a full room @ the team banquet next month. We will work to gather more golfers and support for the next Zips Hoops golf outing.5. What else? You tell us. Please.Finally,If nothing else from this letter stays with you, let it be this:The fans are not going anywhere. Our resolve is strengthened. Our numbers are growing. We will continue to be here.And it is our sincere hope that you will be here too.May good fortune & health shine upon all associated w/ Zips Basketball.So say we all!! .. the undersigned, members of ZipsNation.Org ..

There's been a lot of this kind of smoke the past 2 years w/ Jimmy C. Never any fire .... yet.Whatever happens, the guy is a hell of a coach .. the job he's done the past 2 seasons is nothing short of remarkable.I wouldn't trade our coach for Jimmy C, or anyone else for that matter .. but Jimmy's doing a bang up job over there.

I'd like to see script: "Screw the MAC office and the NIT selection committee"

NORM!!!!!Sorry .. couldn't resist. Welcome to the nation Swiech family!

My son who's 2 years old & loves Zippy more than Pooh or Curious George thanks you.

Maybe it should be done with Hoppy (the aggressive roo) rather than our kids' favorite mascot, Zippy.Not sure we need to abuse our image this way.

I think this was a great post, w00t .. my thoughts mirror yours quite closely.Great season .. tough loss .. learn & get stronger.More later.

Just a couple of thoughts about Friday & Saturday:- KD continues to build this program, and the results each year have now been better than the last. Some work left to get done this season still .. but we all have to like the trend this thing is on.- Nice to see them pound it in .. over & over in the second half. I'm sure that's what all of us were thinking the first half .. good to see the team go out and execute in the 2nd.- Defense wins championships & ours is good when they guys really get after it.- Can't still very athletic at several positions .. I don't expect them to go anywhere. JC may be taking some roster risks with as many JUCO as he has, but so far he's demonstrated the ability to bring it together. Great coaching job by him this season if you think back to what Can't State was like when we first beat them.- The sophomore class is finding its legs & place in the rotation. Rybak & Conyers both playing meaningful minutes in an important game. Great to see them out there. Some rough patches, but they're better than I can remember ever having in our 8th & 9th guy. Future is extremely bright - Wood's the man. Plain and simple. Gets after it .. I think him vs. Pollitz should be a war Saturday night ..- I think it's cool that we are watching the Juniors take this club high when RT & DJ have off nights. The seniors were a bit rattled tongiht & the juniors combined to keep things going. Same as Sunday night.- Miami will bring a bunch of people on Saturday .. we need this to be a Zips house again. How many people are you bringing? There will be 22 people in seats purchased in my name on Saturday. Looking to get a few more if I have time on Saturday afternoon. Whiny MAC fans might shut up a little about UA fans if we set the all time attendance record.- Joe Jakubick is a nice guy .. always willing to chat with pestering Zips fans. Fun to see him there. Probably the only guy in the building that ever averaged 30 ppg in DI or won a scoring title.The giant is awakening .. now. And it needs to get it's A$$ to the Q on Saturday to will these guys to a win against Miami. I'm talking about the same kind of showing for the bowlgame & MACC in football. 10k Zips fans should be a cinch. How many are you bringing?Go Zips!