GoZips

The players are in the best early season shape of the Dambrot era. Strength coach Tim Campbell has been busting their collective asses with a lot of running (both sprints and distance), frequent visits to the weight room. Steve French (the Zips radio voice) stopped by. He did not recognize Antino (Bull) Jackson. The little Bull has developed that much. The Freshmen are learning the college game. All are fighting to avoid the dreaded red shirt. At least two are likely to be red shirted. A case of needed development and saving their playing time for when they will be more productive. One true Freshman does not need to worry about being red shirted. St.V-St.M product Josh Williams already has shown he belongs in the rotation. Josh may even see some starts. Think of having three combo guards who can play the point, shoot and defend all in the line up. Not only intriguing, but extremely difficult to defend. A guest at a recent "open gym" was none other than prodigal son Nick Harney. Just have to love a former Zip who still wears a "for PETE's sake" wrist band. Nick has upcoming try outs with at least two NBA teams (Dallas and Milwaukee). Barring injuries or self inflicted stupid, the Zips will have a banner (NCAA) year.

How many times of repeating the TRUTH does it take for you and others to absorb the facts? The schedule is set up not so much to win twenty games, but to prepare the team for in conference play. High majors will not come to Akron. Period. End of argument. How many times have I asked you brain trusts to come visit the staff and put forth your plan? Practice is every weekday morning at eight AM. Come make your concerns known. Surprise; surprise the coaches all know what you will say. At least once a week there is a discussion about scheduling. The Coppin States of the world ask and get eighty thousand to play. A high major, if they would come, would ask at least double that amount. No need to worry, there are no high majors available. Try to understand than no fan is nearly as frustrated about scheduling as the coaching staff is. Ask yourself this: the high major says, "do we schedule Miami or Akron?" Miami is a better known program and a heck of a lot easier to beat than Akron. Coaches like their jobs. They rarely play "bet my job". A few years back Rick Stansbury, then the coach of top twenty-five Mississippi State brought Akron into Starkville, Miss for a tune up OOC game. He thought he was safe. Two years left on his contract so an unlikely loss at home would not hurt him. They lost. Stansbury lost his job. Coaches never talk to each other. Right? Like it or not; Akron is poison. Better to schedule teams you know you can beat. Not beating the Zips is an expensive proposition. Please, please, re-evaluate your thinking. The Zips staff is not stupid or living in a cave. Come to practice and tell them how to do their jobs. btw; buy them lunch; I'm always game for a free meal. As I am an unpaid volunteer.

cough, cough

I know this is futile and a waste of my time, so; why bother? The truth has been posted repeatedly on this blog. Playing Akron is risky. Why should any nearby high major (i.e. Ohio State and others) risk a loss when there is easy pickings playing most any MAC team other than Akron? High majors are willing to play the Zips in early OOC tournaments because their fans do not go off the deep end over a neutral site loss. Home or road loss and fans go ballistic How do you suppose Coach Dambrot fared over in Georgetown and College Park as his Zips clocked the locals in soccer? Really makes ADs blood boil and strongly desire revenge in basketball. Really? They aren't coming here. Quit belly aching and go visit coach and tell him his OOC home schedule sucks. Be sure to have a juicy $25K check in your hand when you do. Just maybe we can get a better OOC opponent.

Odd, the family was treated to a luncheon at the Diamond Grill. The mystery deepens.

Akron LOST to historically bad Northwestern. Remember?

Many people on ZipsNation continually bleat about Akron not playing quality opponents. They are wrong. Here are some of the quality opponents the Zips have defeated in men's basketball in recent years. South Carolina Gamecocks. Penn State Nittany Lions. Temple Owls. Creighton Blue Jays. Oregon State Beavers. Mississippi State Bulldogs. Florida State Seminoles. Southern California Trojans. A bit of digging and you can find some others. Go for it. If I had two dead rats, I would give you one. <humor>

Willie is now at least six-eight. He is taller than coach Charles Thomas and coach Rick McFadden. Approximately 200-220# and looks to be solid and ready to play. I would say he is now more of a "four" man, that is a power forward based on his size. Akron is close enough to his home for his family to attend most games. Akron's future scheduling will continue to be against power five schools where Willie can continue to improve his game. It is a win-win. Do the deal, son; we want you.

Noah is one hell of a recruit. "Better than that" is a slap at both Noah and the basketball staff. Not mentioned in the news article was the fact that Noah's final choice was between the Zips and Missouri. Akron won out because Missouri had point guards stacked up like cord wood. The Zips had none. Wise choice Noah.

Empire builders never concern themselves with human life or existing facilities. Their goal is always making their own name shine the brightest. The university needs many things; a new entrance is not on the list. Oddly, the new main entrance is on the back side of the campus. touche'

Dave, Apparently not. How many fans would come to watch the Zips play a Horizon League team? Most Akron fans can not even name Horizon League members. Do we really want to drive over to Youngstown or up to Cleveland? Or, further to Dayton (for a home and home with the Flyers yes; Wright State, not likely). Missouri Valley programs are striving to high major status and avoid Akron like the plague. Pretty much the same can be said for Atlantic Ten schools. Akron, too, wants to play high majors. Example, Ohio State; the Buckeyes might play at the "Q" in a two for one deal. Then the "Q" becomes a home game for them. Some years ago Ohio State played a game against Toledo at Savage Hall. The Buckeyes lost. Toledo had a huge home crowd verses the few Buckeye fans that could get tickets. Do not expect OSU to fall into that trap again. Some other Big Ten schools might venture into the JAR for three for one. A few years back YSU played Minnesota at the Bigley on a FOUR for one. Are we willing to pay such a price? There several quality opponents available for home and home if they would come. What is the incentive for them? A road loss at Akron is not appealing. A road loss at Kentucky or Duke is a lot easier to digest. Akron is stuck in a rut. Way to good to risk playing on the road and not well enough known to take a road loss. Chipping away at the bias by playing a lot of neutral sites helps. What would really help would be winning these mini tournaments on a regular basis. The recognition provides the incentive. Akron needs opponents fans clamoring for their team to face us. Perhaps the new AD has the influence and contacts to spring a few games. In the mean time keep pushing for an on campus ARENA (not another gym). The JAR is a pig in a poke and how much lipstick can you put on a pig?

How many years have you been a Zips fan? How many times have you been told that No one and I mean no one will come to the JAR. Time was Akron could buy home games for $35,000. That was then, Today it is upwards of $75,000. What part of this problem escapes you? Over the years a few high majors ventured to Akron and usually went home with a win. It is a money game. No one and I mean no one will come to the JAR. Let us see if the new whippy AD can change things. It will not be easy. In the mean time stop bad mouthing your team and the efforts constantly being made to improve. Cleveland State is going to play five home games at the Q. Why? To improve attendance. They have a 14,000 seat arena (as opposed to a gym) and they draw less than 2,700 average. Dave In Green can provide attendance figures. I think the Zips draw well over three thousand to a bandbox dump. Oh, btw, Cant Stat a recent Elite Eight team is just a few miles up or down the road if you really crave topflight opponents.

Good points, Cap'n. I was just reviewing the Buffalo fan board. Many of the Bulls fans sound like Cant State fans. Minor incident; give him more chances; slap his wrist, BUT, he did lead "us" to our first MAC Championship. etc. Bilge water. One Bulls fan put it in true perspective, this kid is a repeat offender who was kicked off another team and lost his scholarship. "If he were an accounting major from Albany, would you be saying this? UB did help this kid. He was thrown off a team and school for stealing. They gave him a second chance, a scholarship.......... I am all about helping kids, and second chances, but he has exhausted that. Again, the admin is going to wait to see what the student committee thinks about this? That is a joke. Essentially they are asking the committee to determine what are the standards of a UB student, evidently the athletic department doesn't have any. This kid is a thief, they knew he was a thief and brought him in anyway. What is it that UB owes him????" Anything less than expulsion shows that the University of Buffalo has no integrity; sad to say. BTW. We have some Zips fans "justifying" Moss by referencing former Akron players misdeeds. Misdeeds that cost them their scholarships. The hammer strikes hard.

Slap on the wrist time. If he were a Zips player he would already be gone. Read in the story that this was NOT Moss' first brush with the law regarding theft. This theft took place June 2nd. The players should have been involved with "individuals" meaning they were being supervised by the basketball coaching staff. I wonder what Bobby Hurley would do. Moss is obviously not the brightest bulb in the box.

Frankly, I was quite favorably impressed with the Zips. This was easily the best Zips team under Embick that I have watched. They out hustled, out played and controlled the match. Really good ball control, team work, communication, knowing where to be, and best of all they ran through attacks. None of that giving up on a play so characteristic of Embick's previous teams. I do not know good or bad Oakland was suppose to be. They were dominated. This promises to be a quality Zips team that will be fun to watch. Good job Zips.

From the bio on Gozips.com "Williams was a two-time All-American football player and a 1985 graduate of the University of Notre Dame." Enough said. Strike three. When will we ever learn?

we don't deserve him? Sez who? There are a number of factors that come into play when evaluating a high school player. An often overlooked attribute is attitude. Baddley's family made it clear a year ago that they considered him to be a high major player. Do you want to spend resources trying to change someone's attitude toward your program? Attitude is a factor when offering a player. Butler is a darn good and tough choice for Baddley. Now it is up to him to excel with the Bulldogs. The Akron family wishes him well in this endeavor. Cap'n Kangaroo made an excellent observation. It ain't over till its over. The home court just might look a lot more inviting in a year or two. The Zips never made him an offer. Funny how a two star player suddenly gets elevated to three star status just by accepting an offer from a high major. btw: The Zips have several players that also possess "raw athleticism is literally breathtaking."

Biggest threat? ..... The Zips themselves. Players need to focus on their school work and working their asses off at practice. No honky tonks or other carousing. It is a team of brothers; not a team of others. Love one another and end the squabbling.

Sorry. Been busy. Had a conversation with Noah Robotham the other day. He is now five months into his re-hab. Noah says he will be ready to play at the season opener. He looks to be in pretty decent shape all things considered. He shot a few and was on target. With Noah, Antino and now Josh Williams the Zips have a trio of excellent point guards that play the two just as well. Add in six-eight Aaron Jackson as a two and the mix gets interesting. Jimond Ivey may well see plenty of playing time as the two, as well. This just might be the best season the Zips have had in years. Fingers crossed.

It is way too early to assign a position to any of the three. For the time being just pencil them in as 3-4 combo players. They range in height from six-six to six-eight and likely to grow at least an inch each. Due to having two great seniors in Reggie and Jake the freshman playing time is likely to be limited. Most likely one or two of them will be red-shirted. A year of physical growth and maturation will allow a much better assessment of their skills. Right now they are big, raw, athletes. And, fun to watch.

You misunderstand. A wing forward can just as easily be called a wing guard. I was referring to a three guard offense. The way "Bull" gets altitude I will give him the benefit of the doubt regarding him guarding small forwards. He has already shown that he can. Recall that Bull is extremely quick and agile.

First player I would to profile is the Little Bull. "Bull" as he desires to known by has made a huge jump in his skill set over the Summer. Antino "Ant" Jackson has grown from a twig like stick man into a solid, muscular young man. If you have not seen "Bull" since last season, you will not recognize him. Bull has done the work. His development is stunning. Bull looks like the BEST assist man in many a year. He sees the playing floor and makes excellent ball distribution decisions. Further more, Bull has extended his range to include NBA threes consistently. Bull also is working on driving to the basket. He is fearless often banging against the six-six and taller forwards. Conversely, Bull has improved his already excellent defensive skills. Overall confidence on either side of the ball is more like a senior than a true sophomore. Bull can comfortably play either guard and the wing forward. His best position is at the "two" guard. Playing the point is certainly within his range and may see considerable time on the point. Bull has three excellent seasons before him. Enjoy his performance.

The University of Akron invites any knowledgeable fan to generate home games for the Zips. They must be division one teams from any mid-major or high-major conference. They can be a straight "buy" game or a home-n-home. Not so easy is it? They wont come to Akron. The Zips have to buy games to get home games. The OOC schedule is complete and it is, as usual, chuck full of low-majors. Life is tough. Exposure to high-majors comes via playing in tournaments. Villanova and Arkansas are away games as is the Las Vegas tournament. Reportedly, but, not confirmed, Akron's opponents are likely to be Tulane and William & Mary. MAC schools are decent mid-major opponents. I doubt Detroit fans are clamoring for more MAC opponents. Note that all three of Detroit's MAC opponents are a stone's throw from Callahan Hall. And, one of them is on the road.

This is an excellent point. you can add at least one inch to the three Nigerian kids and two inches to one or two of them. Something seldom mentioned is a point that the coaches follow closely. That is, wingspan. All three of the Nigerian kids have a wingspan of at least SEVEN feet. This is harbanger of future vertical growth. Long arms and long bodies. The coaches are professionals. They know what to look for. BTW, Jordan Davis also has a wingspan greater than seven feet. Bet ya didn't know that. Observation from the other day: open gym, one sophomore point guard has an incredible vision of the floor. He can really dish the dimes. Another freebie: these kids are unselfish and know how to score in the paint and on the arc. It is going to be a fun couple of years.