Quickzips

Please explain how a team that won twenty-one games last season and returns all five starters, and has a veteran, respected coach is 'overrated'. I seriously doubt that any MAC coach will take Western Michigan lightly. I don't know as I would underestimate Western, but best team in the conference? That is a pretty bold statement. Best team in the West division I would probably give them (although I expect Ball State to give them a run for their money on that one). But the power of the conference is still in the East. I don't know how you can put them ahead of all of Akron, Buffalo, Can't, Miami and Ohio. I don't think any MAC coach will take the Broncos too lightly, but I don't think they are the best team in the conference either.

These preseason rags are a joke and, frankly not worth the paper they are printed and/or the bandwidth they take up. Especially when it comes to conferences like the MAC. The writers take a look at last seasons record and how much each team lost to graduation. Nothing more, nothing less. That is why traditionally the conference and division champions end up being teams that were picked to finish 3rd or 4th by the preseason rags. As far as expectations. I do think we may have a few growing pains out of the block. That Miss. State game is going to be a tough one. 4 or 5 games in Canada against mostly overmatched competition is not exactly a great measuring stick for going against a team like Miss. State. If there are issues to work out though I don't expect it to take too long to work out. I would hope by the time we get to the Duquesne/Valpo. series we have a pretty well set rotation and most of the bugs worked out. People do have to remember though, that for all the talent we brought in, there is going to be quite a bit of inexperience in the Zips rotation this year. McNees, Roberts, Brett McKnight and Bardo may have all had their flaws, but they were a veteran bunch that had logged a LOT of minutes for the Zips over the years.

Which is pathetic. I still can't believe we don't have 5500 people in the Akron area that want to come to games at the JAR. There are very few things I enjoy more than Zips basketball. I go to the Can't game and go wherever they play Cleveland St but outside of that, I am not going to a piece of crap arena so I can struggle to see the game on a bench. The seating in that place is horrendous, bench seating at a DI college program? It's pathetic. And sad...there are better high school venues in the area. The quality of teams that come to the JAR isn't worth going to see. I can stream it or catch a couple games on TV. But I am excited to see VCU. I also will be making the trek to CSU to watch them play (where I finished grad school) and on the complete opposite of Akron, that is a pretty decent place to see a game. Good view from almost anywhere and access to chair back seats. So, bottom line is ... you are not a Zips fan. Ohh boy, here we go again.

Having "local talent" on their roster is probably not going to be a big enough incentive to overcome the high potential for an embarassing loss. Particularly when you have other programs in the area that are more of a surefire win (YSU comes to mind).

As long as the Zips are a good program, but not nationally recognized as a mid-major powerhouse (Gonzaga, Butler levels) the best you can hope for in terms of home game opponents is along the lines of a middle of the road A-10, Horizon or MVC program (think Duquesne, CSU, Valpo). Like others have said, the big programs have no incentive what so ever to play here. They aren't going to go for a buy game, as they generally don't need one. They gain nothing by coming to Akron for a home/home or even a 2/1 or 3/1 series. If they win, big whoop. It isn't going to grab a lot of headlines because we aren't that kind of a "name" program. On the other hand, if they lose, it is going to grab some significant headlines. Those headlines aren't going to be particularly flaterring for the big program that was SUPPOSED to come in and take an easy W from the relatively unknown Zips. Probably the best we could ever hope for would be to draw a name program into a "neutral" site game at the Q. Even that would be a relative long shot considering the Zips history of success in that building, but I think it may theoretically be possible. I could MAYBE see a program like Xavier, Pitt or even a Michigan State going for it some day. Again, big long shot, but if you are looking for the Zips to play a big name program in a more friendly environment it is certainly more realistic than getting some of those programs to travel to the JAR.

That is being AWFUL generous to Ianello.

If we lose to Hiram this board is going into nuclear meltdown mode.

Keely had a decent freshman year, but regressed as a sophomore. I will give you that they have some good backcourt players, and the looks of some decent depth in the backcourt, but they are going to get murdered inside unless they find someone else who can contribute meaningful minutes.

OU isn't going anywhere until they find some resemblance of a frontcourt. Ivo Baltic is their only serviceable "big man". Beyond that they are D.J. Cooper and not much else. Don't get me wrong, Cooper is a heck of a PG, but he can't do it all himself.

Let's talk about the Steelers for a bit here, because to me they serve as something of an example.You talk of NE Ohio dying for a winner, and that is why you are starting to (sadly IMO) grasp on to Pittsburgh. Now I am still a relative youngin, but I don't ever remember hearing about a time when there were as many Pittsburgh fans in NEO as there are right now. Why? Because the Browns we're out of football for a number of years, and have been pretty terrible in the 12 seasons since they returned. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has won Superbowls and been a staple in the playoffs. People get tired of rooting for the team that consistently looses, so they decide to adopt the team that consistently wins. Classic bandwagon.Now lets revert back to OSU. The Buckeyes have consistently been a top-25 program for a number of years (if I read correctly this week is the first time in like 7 years that they aren't in the top-25). They have been regular national title contenders, and they regularly win big games. People in NE Ohio have already bandwagoned on to them as winners. It doesn't take a genius to see that. To the general population in NE Ohio college football begins and ends with the Buckeyes. Sad, but true. Now the only way that is going to change, and in turn the only way that the Zips are going to make in roads with those bandwagoner fans who are "dying for a winner" is if OSU goes through a sustained dry spell, while the Zips get hot. Let's just say, I'm not holding my breath on either of those things happening any time soon.I guess the point I am trying to make here is that while NE Ohioans are desperate for a winner, they have already found their winner when it comes to college football, and I just don't see a set of circumstances under which they are going to let go of that and meander over to the Zips. That being said, I do agree that the Zips can find their niche. I just feel that said niche is most likely as an FCS team where we can theoretically be more competitive.

It can always get worse. Remember, the guy who hired the coach would still be in place.Just a few points...1. For those of you who think Tressel would come to Akron, dream on. Let's pretend for a minute though. He wouldn't come to UofA unless he was made AD in addition to football coach. If you are interested in the overall health of the University, does that sound like a good idea to anyone? The guy is a cancer.2. For those of you who think we should discontinue the football program. You are shotsighted people and don't pay attention to what is going on in college athletics. Schools like UNCC are starting football programs because there is no way to survive without one. Please stop the stupidity by calling for the end of the football program.3. Turn the football stadium into a basketballl arena? My God is this a stupid idea. I won't even explain why. 4. Force the coach to hire new assistants? Why not just fire the coach? He wouldn't know what to do with the assistants.The answer to the current problem is for Dr. P to swallow his pride, or have the Board of Trustees jam it down his throat, and do what other schools do. Find someone to donate the money to buy out the AD and the coach. Until that happens, we are stuck with what we have.First off, how can it get worse than being down 49-0 at halftime? At a certain point you become so bad that even if you theoretically get "worse" it doesn't matter. Bad it just bad. IMO we've hit that point. To point 1., you are probably right, and in no way would I allow him to be AD. If that is the bargaining chip on his end then I am fine with walking away. But I think you at least have to open the checkbook up and try to bring him in. I know some may look at it as a quick fix at the expense of long term success, but at this point we aren't getting anything that looks like short term or long term success. You have to try something and it is time to go big or go home. To point 2., I don't think we can discontinue football, but like I stated earlier, it is time to stop kidding ourselves as a school and as a conference. This conference is basically an FCS conference that calls itself FBS. We are FBS in name only. Our stadiums are high-FCS caliber, we draw FCS caliber crowds and we get FCS caliber results. And with all of the other big schools in our footprint (OSU, Michigan, Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan State, etc., etc., etc.) that just isn't going to change any time soon. It is time to stop fighting it, drop the conference down to FCS and be done with it.To point 3., I have no hard evidence on this, but I suspect that the amount of money that it would cost to convert the Info into an indoor basketball arena would be comparable to what it would cost to just go ahead and build a brand new arena and be done with it. I agree, stupid idea.To point 4, I have no idea what new assistants are supposed to accomplish.

The city doesn't have the financial ability to buy the stadium. Not even close.

Football isn't going anywhere with a three and a half year old stadium sitting there. The more likely scenario (but still probably not that likely) has us, and the MAC in general dropping this delusional expectation that we are an FBS conference and dropping down to FCS. It is time to face some hard truths here. Anyone who expects the Zips, NIU, Toledo, Temple, CMU, etc., etc. to ever be in the national championship conversation is kidding themselves. We simply don't have the conditions in this area of hte country to duplicate the success that a program like Boise is having, and we likely never will. There are plenty of programs at the FCS level that play an exciting brand of football that attract fans, despite being in other hotbed for FBS/BCS programs. Quite frankly, a good number of those schools are exhibiting more success (success defined by winning and drawing fans to the stadium) than most of the MAC is right now. The MAC really is an FBS conference in name only, and it is time to stop kidding ourselves.As for the Zips. The conversation has to start and end with firing Rob Ianello. It is pretty rare that you can effectively evaluate a coaching staff after just over a year, but I think Ianello is the exception. This guy is in so far over his head it borders on comical. We aren't seeing progress in any facet of the game right now, and the blame for that has to fall squarely on his shoulders. About the only thing he could say to justify "progress" is that he at least hasn't screwed up the coin toss thus far this season. Personally, if I am LP I have to start swinging for the fences. Ianello's gone (if it was me I wouldn't have let him back out of the halftime locker room yesterday). If there is one move that could potentially energize "fans" in the region, and give us a bit of an edge in recruiting it would be to throw a blank check at Jim Tressel and cross your fingers that you can get him through a show cause hearing. It is a big risk, but with where the Zips are right now, I think it is the kind of risk that is worth it. Even if it doesn't work out, how much worse can things really get?

Fair enough, but my point stands either way.

From what I can see, best case scenario has us at 13-3, worst case scenario would be about 9-7. That is factoring in what we know of the 2K sports classic (Miss. State, Valpo., Duquesne and an opponent to be named later). I would break it down this way:As close to a sure thing victory as you can get:John CarrolHiramArkansas Pine BluffFlorida A&MYSUNC A&TUnnamed 2K sports opponent who will likely be a lower division schoolGames I expect to be competitive:DetroitMTSUCSUVCUMarshallValpoDuquesneGames we will be underdogs needing a significant effort to win:WVUMiss. StateTo me that is 7 games you should win, hands down. If we drop one or more of those 7 games you should expect to see this board go into meltdown. In an average season we ought to at least split the competitive games. That alone is another 3-4 W's putting us at 10 wins. If this team is as good as advertised, and hits the ground running, it should be more. Then you have WVU and Miss. State, which in most years you would be able to pencil in as two losses. However, again, if this team is as good as advertised...Needless to say, I think 7-9 is HIGHLY pessimistic. Quite frankly, if this team goes 7-9 in the OOC season it would be a significant disappointment, and you will likely see the KD detractors coming out of the woodwork.

If true, this schedule just got a whole lot better. Mississippi StateHiramDuquesneValpoNC StateDetroitWVUMTSUCSUPine BluffFlorida A&MYSUNC A&TVCUMarshallI could live with that. Be nice to have a couple of more marquee home games, but you have to be a little realistic in regards to who you can get to come to our place.

It was my understanding the JC was an exhibition and Hiram for real. That seems the norm for KD as he likes to get the season off to a good start ... get the jitters out of the way with a win. Other schools schedule sacrificial lambs on opening day.I understand that the Hiram game actually counts while the JC game is just an exhibition. What I'm saying is that we should pick one of these types of teams for an exhibition, and not schedule another one of them for a "real" game. These types of games add nothing in terms of RPI, don't really give us much of a chance to evaluate our own talent against another decent opponent, and draw peanuts for fans. I just don't see what the benefit in it is.

Not much difference in this schedule and the last couple of years.The Zips better be ready to come out of the gate strong in this 2k sports classic bit. Particularly if the first game is the Miss. St. game. There aren't a lot of opportunities for "marquee" wins on this schedule, but Miss. St. probably qualifies as one. Like others have stated, I HATE playing both John Carroll AND Hiram. Pick one or the other as your exhibition game and be done with the overmatched NAIA and D-III schools. You can't even say that Hiram comes as a break at the end of a long stretch of road games this year. Ridiculous. Love games at WVU, at CSU, at MTSU, home against VCU, home against Detroit and at Marshall. Hate home games against Pine Bluff, Florida A&M, NC A&T. I can live with the home game against YSU. At least most of the snooze fest home games are over Winter Break when students aren't going to be on campus anyways.Very interested to hear who the final opponent will be for the 2k sports deal. If we can land another high mid-major type program in there it would really go a long way towards making this schedule more pallatable.

Let's just face facts people. We are a pathetic football program in arguably the worst conference in the country. It would be nothing short of a miracle over the next five years for this program to get to the point where we can realistically say we are average. We are at rock bottom right now and have been for most of the last year and a half. The bigger problem, there is no tangible evidence that we are going to start clawing our way back up in the next few seasons. We are content to skim along the bottom hoping that nobody notices how ugly we are.

Schedule doesn't really seem like it will be much of a departure from the last two years. Take two good, but still reasonably beatable power-six conference teams on the road. Add in a neutral site tournament. Try to grab as many solid mid-majors as you can. Throw in enough cupcakes to make sure that the guys aren't getting to beat up. Finish it all off with an opponent from a much lower division that will be severely overmatched and virtually assure a lopsided home victory in front of an empty and apathetic JAR. The last few schedules have been better than what we used to have, but there is still room for improvement. I don't ever want to see us go to the Miami style guantlet schedule, but if we are going to get on the map in the last two years of the Zeke-era and with all the talent we seem to have, we need to give ourselves more than one or two chances to score some noticeable upsets in the OOC schedule.

Walsh and Gilliam have yet to play even a minute of basketball for the Zips, and you're already thinking about their replacements? That's hard-core. Hey, I'm just giving ya what our scholarship situation looks like. Don't shoot the messenger.

With the 2012 recruiting about wound up at this point it is time to turn our attention to 2013. The Zips will theoretically have four open scholarships to fill with the expected graduations of Zeke Marshall, Quincy Diggs, Chauncey Gilliam and Brian Walsh. Zips verbals: Transferring to the Zips: Offered by the Zips: Elijah Brown - 6'3" 185lb - PG - Mater Dei High School - Santa Ana California - Reports offers from the Zips, James Madison, Can't State, St. Mary's, San Diego and Toledo - Rivals.com three stars, Scout.com three stars, ESPN.com rating of 89. Son of former Cleveland Cavaliers and current Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Mike Brown. Jack Gibbs - 5'10" 170lb - PG - Westerville North High School - Westerville Ohio - Reports offers from the Zips, Bowling Green, Davidson, James Madison, Ohio, Toledo and William & Mary - Rivals.com three stars, Scout.com three stars, ESPN.com rating of 88. Austin Grimes - 6'3" 195lb - SG - Aiken High School - Cincinnati Ohio - Reports offers from the Zips, Ball State and Toledo - Rivals.com no stars, Scout.com two star, ESPN.com rating of 84. Steve Haney - 6'6" 185lb - SF - St. Thomas Aquinas High School - Ft. Lauderdale Florida - Reports offers from the Zips, Central Michigan, Cleveland State, Detroit, Drake, Eastern Michigan, Iowa State, Georgia Southern, South Florida, Toledo, Valparaiso and Western Michigan. Rivals.com three stars, Scout.com three stars, ESPN.com rating of 90. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8kYzb-MLeU Nigel Hayes - 6'7" 200lb - PF - Whitmer High School - Toledo Ohio - Reports offers from the Zips, Butler, Central Michigan and Toledo - Rivals.com three stars, Scout.com three stars, ESPN.com rating of 92. Aaron Jackson - 6'5" 185lb - SF - Lincoln High School - Gahanna Ohio - Reports offers from the Zips, Miami, Ohio and Toledo - Rivals.com no stars, Scout.com unlisted, ESPN.com no rating. Plays for the same high school team as former Zips standout Nate Linhart. Isaiah Johnson - 6'8" 275lb - C - Walnut Hills High School - Cincinnati Ohio - Reports the Zips as his only offer - Rivals.com no stars, Scout.com unlisted, ESPN.com rating of 80. Devin Wilson - 6'4" 175lb - PG - Montour High School - McKees Rocks Pennsylvania - Reports offers from the Zips, Duquesne and James Madison - Rivals.com unlisted, Scout.com no stars, ESPN.com no rating.

Lots of edits today. Sorry I haven't been keeping up on this as much, still getting settled in from moving a couple of weeks ago. Good luck to the newest Zips commits, Jake Kretzer and Reggie McAdams.

Not sure what to think about all of this. I guess we will have to just let this one play out a little bit. I like that the division champs don't both get an automatic top-2 seed anymore, because let's face it, there hasn't been a West division team that has deserved it in years. At the end of the day though I'm not really sure this is going to make that much of a difference. The fact of the matter is that the last 3 conference tournaments were won by teams that didn't have first round byes, including two by our Zips. Is an extra game for the lower seeds or an extra day off for the top two going to make a big difference? Maybe, maybe not. All that said, it would sure be nice if we could put together a good enough season where we don't have to rely on the conference tournament to punch our ticket to the big dance.

Dambrot agrees with you Quick. And he says the injury is "minor". Interesting. You completely missed Brett McClanahan who I have at the shooting guard as did Dambrot. I will stand by my line up with Nick Harney at the small forward; for several reasons. First, Nick is taller and a good bit more athletic than Quincy is. Nick is a better shooter and rebounder. Nick plays his game more under control. Also, Quincy is far and away the most versatile Zip player. Which makes him more valuable as a multi-position player. The sixth man will get the same minutes or more minutes than most of the so called starters. As for not having McClanahan as the starting shooting guard; only a serious injury would sit him down. He is a senior with a ton of playing experience. If you actually believe that Diggs is a better player than Brett, go tell that to Dambrot. Try to understand something. I have absolutely nothing against Quincy Diggs. I want him on the floor as much as possible. I also want him to play where he gives the most to the team. And, in my mind's eye that is playing a multi-position role where his talents and energy can best be used. Being the sixth man is not a punishment; it is a compliment. Prediction: CJ Oldham will play a fair amount of minutes. Far more than Kyle Petersen has any hope of. I never said you had anything against Q. I just don't think that the 6th man role is the right position for him. I have no doubt that he is going to get big minutes one way or another, but I don't see how he is going to be sitting on the bench to start the game. Like I said earlier, KD has shown a significant amount of trust in this young man through the last 1/3 of last season and especially in the post-season tournaments. If KD's history has taught us anything it is that he wants guys like that in the game early and often. I stick by the prediction. I don't think I am that far off base on Nitro, although from Dambrot's article I may well be. However, I am confused by your implication that Nitro is a better player than Q. More experienced, maybe, but lets not forget that Brett was intended to redshirt for about 2/3 of his freshman year and then saw pretty infrequent playing time until his Junior year. I will let Dave the stat guru step in here and correct me if I am way off on this, but I suspect that if you add up Q's playing time in his first two years (between N.Orleans and last year with the Zips) and Nitro's playing time his first two years, Q may actually be a bit ahead of the curve. Nitro is a key part for the Zips, you can't put a value on a guy who is willing to take and make big shots from long range, but let's not fool ourselves here. Brett is an average defender at best, and while he can hit some mid-range shots and finish on some drives to the rims, he doesn't have near the defensive potential or diversity to his game that Q does. I could be way off base on putting Gilliam over Brett starting at SG, but I think that is a lot more reasonable prediction than Harney starting at SF over Q. I guess we'll have to wait a couple months to see though.