GoZips

Thus far, all four young men are looking great. A lot of talent plus they are all athletes. It seemed all to often in the past that we recruited either an athlete or a baller. These kids, all four are both athlete and player. So far they are absorbing what they are being taught. Fun to watch them get their first taste of real team defense. High schools do not really teach team defense. They are learning to think and function like a team. Defensive assignments are far more intense and complicated (but, still simple) than what they saw in high school. They all handle the ball decently and all can shoot. They like being able to go to the rim which is encouraged at Akron. A competition will develop over time for the two available spots in the rotation. Deji has no intention of yielding his place. All four freshmen are impressing favorably. Be patient.

Big Dog is coming.

December 28th, a Saturday.

Nyles is not yet on campus. He should be in Akron for summer session II.

I think that the Middle Tennessee game is away this year. At least one more "buy" game remains to be added.

Fasten your seat belt. UNC did almost come to the JAR. The above mentioned game was originally scheduled to be played in the JAR by UNC. The 'Heels changed head coach after the game was scheduled. The new coach, Roy Williams nixed playing Akron and opted to play a much weaker Cleveland State. Some of you may remember the excitement of the prospect of UNC playing at Akron, It was quite the buzz at the time.

I thank you for your interest. This past week the boss (KD) cleared a number of items for passing on. I presented most of them in the long post in this thread. Pending contracts and on going discussions I can not mention. Some of them I am NOT privvy to. A sad aspect that is creeping into Akron scheduling is the now all too common "Thanks, but, no thanks" high major programs tell Akron. You would think that Akron's recent success on the court would entice high majors to play the Zips. Not so. They often shun playing Akron. Definitely one aspect is the long time scheduling favorite of "home-n-home". Seems that high majors will not come play at the JAR. Most coaches love their job and want to keep them. Thus, "thanks, but no thanks". Case in point. Rick Stansbury, the then head coach at Mississippi State, scheduled a home a game with Akron. The Bulldogs were being tauted as a potential top twenty-five program in the pre-season magazines. A ten point home loss to highly regarded mid-major Akron ended all that speculation. The loss set a tome for the under achieving pups and may have contributed to Stansbury's firing at the end of the season. Conversely, the Zips can not simply go play road games against high majors and buy home games against low major programs. Akron fans moan about the weak home scheduling. In the ten or so out of conference games each season there has to be a balance that includes home games. Television exposure is critical to recruiting, strength of schedule, fan interest and revenues. Akron has been fortunate to stay in ESPN's good graces, This garners the Zips multiple games on ESPN each season. The Puerto Rico trip last season provided national exposure, fan interest, etc. This was followed up with the Diamond Head Classic this season which is also an ESPN sponsored event that gains extra games, TV exposure, etc,. Dambrot's style of having a deep rotation means that even though last year's starter has departed, this year's starter has plenty of game experience. Not much fall off because of the change in player. Most programs tend toward a six or seven man rotation while the Zips tend toward a nine or ten man rotation. This makes for more experienced players on the floor and fresher bodies in the game. This likely to continue. A tidbit: this year's incoming class is looking stellar.

The Zips travel to Fargo, N.D. as part of the 2014-15 schedule.

In all fairness to Zeke and several other quality players that did not get drafted there is a mechanism in the NBA that allows teams to "select" European players that will never play in the NBA. This is done for several valid reasons. Some teams do not need more players, or they are at their salary cap, etc. Better to take a European player than give opponents more ammo. Good second rounders get thrown under the bus, sort of. As now they can negotiate with a team likely to give the player a free agent contract. It is not all bad for Zeke.

Zeke is not best off going to the D League. Purgatory is a nicer place.

From comments I over heard today, you may be closer to the truth than you know.

The OOC schedule is nearly complete. It will be announced the day after ESPN announces their 24 Hour Tip Off schedule. The Zips are playing in ESPN's 24 Hour Tip Off nationally televised games. Good news and bad news here. The good news, the Zips are playing St. Mary's of the West Coast Conference. You know these folks; they regularly compete and beat Gonzaga for the conference championship. St. Mary's is a tough customer. They defeated Cant in this tournament last year. Now the bad news. The game will be played at midnight Pacific time. Which translates into a 3 AM start time here in Ohio. But, its on national TV as is the Diamond Head Classic in December. Other games of note include a trip to South Carolina to play the Gamecocks. Also, both St. Mary's and South Carolina are also playing in the Diamond Head Classic. They will be two of four teams in the other bracket. There is a slight possibility of playing one or the other twice. Time will tell. It also appears that Akron will play Iowa State as the first game in Hawai'i. Akron opens the season at home against Coastal Carolina. Oral Roberts comes to Akron to conclude the Bracket Buster pairing from two years ago. Middle Tennessee and Cleveland State are on the schedule. Interesting side note, the OOC for 2014-2015 is basically complete as well. Some tuning of dates and a couple of "buy" games is all that remains. UMASS comes to Akron and the Zips travel to Amherst the following year.

Enough of the crap, er, baloney about what has Jim Tressel ever done for Akron. This kid is one of many to feel JT's positive influence. Just give Coach Tressel and Coach Bowden a little time. Good things are happening at Akron.

Mz. Johnson really does not have much of a grip on Zips talent. At six-six Quincy is far too short to be playing the post or power forward. The front court consists of six-eight Demetrius Treadwell at power forward. His back up is six-seven, college game experienced, true sophomore Jake Kretzer. Akron's post players are likely to be six-eleven, sophomore Pat Forsythe backed up by incoming Freshman, six-nine Isiah Johnson or six-ten Freshman Kwan Cheatham. All of these players are taller and bulkier than Quincy. Diggs looks to be the starting shooting guard. He has quicks, skills, experience, drive to basket, ball handling skills, leadership and athleticism to command the two guard position. He is most ably backed up by experienced, true sophomore, Reggie McAdams; who like Diggs is six-six, athletic and a skilled shooter. The Zips are most definitely "thinking bigger".

Today, Wednesday, June 26, practice was a bit hobbled by a plethora of walking wounded. Still, those that practice were treated to a butt busting, grueling forty minutes of pain. Conditioning and ball handling are high on KD's meat grinder list. Two surprise visitors observed today's workout. A treat for the kids and especially the Freshmen to meet former Zips legends Dru Joyce and Romeo Travis. Dru owes Rome thirty bucks and he tried to repay the debt with Euros. Rome was not biting. Been me, I would have taken thirty Euros over thirty bucks because of the exchange rate. Rome's reasoning: they are going to be state side all summer. Thus, unable to spend the Euros until they return to Europe. "Ein bisshen Deutsche" is all Dru could muster for me when I asked him (in German) if he spoke German. The "new" practice facility is a tad on the warm side because the A/C is not turned on. Next scheduled practice at Central - Hower is 9 AM, Monday, July 8th.

Sorry, the Dukes have a gawd awful RPI. No help for the Zips. Now, Dayton would be a nice home-n-home.

UGLY ... !!!!

The men's basketball team had a workout today at Central-Hower high school. It was the first time the Zips used the old C-H school gymnasium as a practice facility. The entire complex of C-H buildings gets formally turned over to the University as of July first. Today's practice was held there because the JAR was being used for a women's basketball summer camp. In the past, the men's practice would have been held in the old, now torn down, Memorial Hall or at the Student sports complex. Plans are being discussed on what upgrades the former high school gymnasium will get to make it player friendly. First order of business should be the addition of college three point arc at both ends of the court. Currently the floor has only high school three point arcs. The facility provides floor space for a possible weight room, offices, storage, and other amenities. The gym is currently painted in C-H colors. The facility while a bit shop worn certainly is brighter and smaller than Memorial Hall was. The limited seating (bleachers on both sides) folds into the walls giving a limited, but clear floor space. The court is several feet shorter than the standard ninety-four feet used for college courts. I would estimate the floor length at eighty-eight to ninety feet. Unfortunately there is limited over run space in the end zones. The walls are actually load bearing walls and probably not moveable at reasonable cost. Both ends are concrete block. All in all, it is a nice addition to the growing basketball facilities at Akron.

GameChngr44, you are NOT alone in your thoughts that multiple workouts scheduled so close together between multiple airplane flights is extremely demanding. Zeke will be just fine. Personally, I want to see Zeke in a Celtics uniform.

Boy, was that ever a bubble gum report.

Well, the Zips tried to schedule Ohio State for a year end game at home. Thad Matta begged off as he felt his Buckys legs would be like jello after a two hour bus ride up I-71. Coming home; traveling across five time zones and about six thousand miles, fourteen hours of travel in coach class, the Zips will be groggy enough for any opponent. Coppin state is a reasonable opponent to get the travel kinks out. Some folks just are not real good at planning ahead. The objective is twenty-plus wins, win the MAC, get the ticket to the dance; not get one's brains beat out playing macho man. Think like a coach for a change. Thad Matta did.

Sorry, Zip In Paradise, the only way Akron plays the Bows is in the Diamond Head Classic. The Zippys will rush home to play mighty Coppin State around New Years Eve. Date not set yet.

Don't. You will be called a hater. signed: the official cadavers hater.

How many "bunnies" are there? And, who are they?

Sure, ask Zipmeister.