Zip Watcher

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!

Uhhh .. yes they DID open the curtains on the side opposite the benches. The lower bowl only seats about 11k, and there were 2k+ upstairs.

Some Zips fans are attending their 9th consecutive MAC tournament, regarless of the shortcomings of previous teams.

Absolutely serious .. been watching Jimmy VERY closely. He rebounds well from the SF / SG position & he NEVER gets beat one on one. Not against Kemp from Nevada .. and not last night. Early in the year I think he struggled keeping up on the rotations & switches, but he's been in tune with the D for the past several games.Jimmy's not the guy who's rolling off picks in this offense on this team. He's the guy SETTING picks to get the bigs or Dials free. I can say I've not noticed him tripping on a guy through a screen .. He's the guy setting the down screens in the rotations.Jimmy will be key & will be clutch for us the next 3 seasons (he'll get one back if Scott Taylor does his job). I think him vs. Singletary for Can't State will be interesting to watch.

Good thoughts .. only a few to add:- Regarding SF, I thought last night was a good night for Conyers. He played most of the first half and by my count only gave up 1 bucket on defense. Singletary was not a factor against him & Jimmy provided good help D on several occasions. I thought it was a good sign that he could contribute on that end of the floor in that environtment with that much on the line.- Also with regard to Jimmy .. I think he must have played for Norman Dale in HS. There were 2 occasions where he put the ball on the floor beat his guy to the rack and then passed off to someone else, rather than taking the open, OPEN look at the basket. Both times he was told by KD as he came out later to "Shoot the Ball!" .. perhaps a confidence issue. Regardless, I thought he contributed solidly to the first half defensive effort.- Would sure like to see a little more McKnight early in games to keep Rome & Jeremiah fresh .. but I can't argue with the results.- Not sure how I feel about taking the risk in having Nate out there. He really pounded that hand on the end line play in the second half. Not sure the risk / reward was right .. but he came back out.- Good to see the Juniors sack up and get it done for the Zips last night. Makes me feel pretty good about next year already. Wood is our best player IMHO, hands down & he gets better each game.- You know that LBJ is rooting for the Zips .. anyone get a good look at him last night? Was the first guy out of his seat on the big plays by the Zips ... by all of the Zips, not just his boys. There's a lot of moaning about too many references, but I say BS to that. It's clear the guy is an Akron guy and and Akron fan .. and we should be damn glad he is .. cause our guys are playing with him in the summers & it will continue to benefit the program long after DJ & RT are graduated.- Great atmosphere & great win. To be the top dog in the conference, you have to go and beat the top dog .. championships aren't given to you .. you have to go out there and TAKE them. This win is another small step towards that goal. Nice effort & finish by the club.What a great way to start this week, the best week of the year, out on the right foot. Nice job KD & the boys .. now get some rest & be ready for some wars.Go Zips.Soon to be

Topper ... I'm going to the BG/OU game with my boy .. you going up? Would be good to sit by you if you are.

I'll post more on this later, but Marshall wasn't rooting for the flushes .. he was just sitting there since there were people in his seats .. by my observation from 4 rows back, he was pretty impartial tonight.

Ummmm ... which team has 20+ all time NCAA tournament wins? Look it up.Which team took 50 years to get to its first NCAA DI tournament?Which team got there in year 6?Look it up.Tradition runs deeper than 8 years.

No one's posted this yet and it's been on my mind for a few weeks.Props to Scott Taylor for a fine job on the radio this season. Over the past few weeks, he's really gotten his legs underneath him as a wingman for Frenchie. Early on, I think Scott was slow to point out the things the Zips were struggling with, but of late he's been concise & lucid with his commentary during both good and bad stretches of Zips hoops.As a guy who is close to the program in several regards, he may feel he's in a tough spot where it comes to critiquing the play of the Zips. I think he's found a nice sweet spot lately and has added to the road broadcasts (when they've been on the air).I think it's time that they play up the fact that the guy is a former player (letter winner) for the Zips and start working him in as the full time hoops radio color guy. As a former player he can (and does) bring perspective of experience in playing at this level .. traveling on buses .. dealing w/ crappy conference officials, etc. Consistency game to game will help Frenchy too.Nice work Scott .. keep it up!

The only opportunity for UA and Can't State to meet in the finals exists if UA and UT lose on the weekend. That would drop UA to the 3 and elevate Can't to the 1 by virtue of the first tiebreaker w/ Toledo (flushes won). UA and Can't State can not drop to the 4 seed. That will either be OU or Miami at this point. Not sure if WMU can sneak in there or not .. haven't seen the West scores from Thursday yet.

The face of the Zips in 2 years will be illuminated by the glare of at least 1 MAC championship ring and be toughened by the experience of multiple post season victories.

Not a brother. Emeka has one sister & if my memory serves, he was from somewhere in the south or southeast.

Any word yet on their participation in the NCAA championships?

How big is swiech when compared to Bardo? Bigger? Wider? Curious about exactly how big the guy looked.

Take his minutes and split them between Jimmy & Chris. Get them out there extended time against (solid) competition. Jimmy has shown he can defend .. he doesn't need to be the first option in the offense, but he needs a chance to get into and stay in the flow of a game .. he hasn't had that since the YTown game. A 6 man rotation is a sure way to end the season on March 8th or 9th.

Brown played 2 seasons, did he not? I think he transferred from WKU in his sophomore year & we had him for 2 full, or at a minimum 2 1/2.Regardless of how long he played, he was the best player in a Zips uniform since Huggins left. A healthy Andy Hipsher may have been better .. but we'll never know that.I agree entirely that you can't be raising banners for 2 years of service, a la Nate Thurmond .. which is why Boyce isn't up there.

I did a little digging to find an old post .. see this Thread from '04.It always did bug me it wasn't up there. Glad Mike & Mike got it done.It is interesting to read peoples posts 3 years out to see how KD is doing against our expectations. And what has gone well & what is still needing some improvement.

Cricket won something like 90+ games @ UA.UA won an OVC championship (reg. season & tournament) w/ CricketUA went to an NCAA & NIT (or 2?) with CricketThe man's number is where it belongs. Retired. He earned it. Well said, CK. These guys have a bunch of games to win to be even thrown in the same category as the Demetric Shaw led flushes. A whole bunch & not much margin for error.Now if DJ & RT go out there & sink free throws to take UA to new (DI) heights .. then perhaps they'll have earned it. As it stands now, I don't put them in the same category as the Cricket.