zipper

I gotta say, I am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. KD is going to take us to the promised land and we are complaining about his post-game comments? I think he does an excellent job post game - straight shooter and just the facts, ma'am. Much better than Hip. I didn't hear it the way you did, BZ, so maybe that's just your "really upset with the loss" take right after the game. I kind of can't believe anyone is criticizing the guy already. I guess no good deed will go unpunished.

Can't didn't bring their A game but neither did Akron, thus the close game and final score. Maybe we'll both bring our games in two weeks, but hopefully with a different outcome Actually, I hope your home streak IS sitting at 11 when we get there. It's hard to keep those streaks up, and everyone's hoping to be the one to end it. Be glad we couldn't make lay ups last night. Be very glad. If we had made half of our layups it would have been a different outcome. I'd like to be the first to inform you that, normally, in the Keith Dambrot tradition, this team doesn't miss easy shots. (Note to Zips: WHAT THE **** - MAKE YOUR LAYUPS!).

I wouldn't be too quick to throw in the towel on Coach Kennedy. You mention the former coach's (Allen) recruiting. Well, those kids are now seniors - in fact, I bet there are five or six scholarships open for next year, right?, and it will be interesting to see if there is talent coming in. There are a couple of very promising young kids currently in the lineup - they have to be given a couple of years to develop. There's a reason why coaches want five year contracts, and walking into this situation is one of them. I'm not suggesting no changes should be made. But to me making good adjustments from quarter to quarter, game to game, and season to season is part of being a very good coach. The verdict on Coach Kennedy's ability and willingness to make change is up for grabs right now. But I need a couple more years' worth of recruits, development, and experience under her belt before I pronounce her not the right coach for the job.

I almost feel for the kid. Biggest mistake of his life.

I've talked to Bubba several times and he has been nothing but respectful. I'd never call him hot headed or bratty, nor have I ever seen any inkling of bad behavior at the JAR. What happened at BG?

Not quite: http://www.seniorbowl.com/2005/gamescores.htm But here is the text from the game history (also from that site). Taylor is listed as a Top Player: 1997 NORTH 35, SOUTH 14 MVP: Pat Barnes, California NORTH COACH: Norv Turner, Redskins SOUTH COACH: Marty Schottenheimer, Chiefs TOP PLAYERS: Jake Plummer, Jason Taylor, Sam Madison, Derrick Mason California quarterback Pat Barnes stunned the South with three second quarter touchdown passes to win overall MVP honors and lead the North to a convincing 35-14 victory in the 1997 Senior Bowl played before another sellout crowd of 40,646. The South opened the scoring on a two-yard TD run by Tennessee's Jay Graham, but then Barnes hit on three TD passes to three different receivers for a 21-7 halftime lead. San Diego State's George Jones then added two second half TD's for the North, including a brilliant 52-yard scamper in the third quarter to finish off the South. South QB Jake Plummer of Arizona State closed out the scoring when he hit LSU's David LaFleur on a two-yard pass to make the final 35-14. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow. Excellent article, excellent family, excellent kid. It would appear we are damn lucky to get this one.

When is the football banquet? Will he be around for that?

Carlton Jackson, we Zips fans LOVE our QBs! The QB Road to Sunday is paved with the MAC. We offer great new facilities and the conference Coach of the Year (along with an outstanding staff). Come be a Zip - you'll never regret it.

I thought there was something on ESPN tonight on Charlie - or maybe just covering the whole Senior Bowl thing...??

Anyone else have the stations and times of the other programs?

Unless I am mistaken, tonight we have Zips Live, which I believe will have Dambrot on and I'd really like to hear him, the football recruiting radio program, and the ESPN show with Charlie?? Anyone know all the stations and times?

Anyone catch the nice article on Charlie in the USA today? Good pic, too. Frye next in line for MAC success story By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY Charlie Frye was not exactly a hot commodity when he was a senior at Willard High School in his hometown of Willard, Ohio. Charlie Frye is third in passing yards in MAC history (11,049), trailing Ben Roethlisberger and Chad Pennington. By Robert Caplin, AP Despite a record-setting career as a quarterback, only a handful of schools recruited him, and none would ever be mistaken as a national contender. How times have changed. After choosing to play for Akron of the suddenly prized Mid-American Conference, Frye is viewed by many NFL teams as the top passing prospect in the April 23-24 draft. He credits his rocketing fortunes to the way big-name programs once snubbed him. "I've had a little chip on my shoulder ever since then," he said in a phone interview from Mobile, Ala., where he is preparing for Saturday's Senior Bowl. Frye selected Akron over Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), and Can't State because he was convinced he would have an excellent opportunity to play after a redshirt year. He made that perception a reality and finished with 54 school records, including career marks for passing yards (11,049), total offense (11,478) and completion percentage (63.6). Mention that success to him, and he insists that it was driven, in part, by all of those college coaches who looked elsewhere for someone to lead their offense. "The way I looked at it, I would have to work harder and put in more time just to get my name brought up with guys from the Big Ten," he said. "To me, it was a motivational thing." The 6-4, 228-pounder ranks third in Mid-American Conference history in passing yards, behind Ben Roethlisberger of Miami (Ohio) and Chad Pennington (Marshall). Draft talent hopes to be seen What: The 56th annual Senior Bowl, a showcase of top senior NFL draft prospects. When: Saturday, 3 p.m. ET. Where: Mobile, Ala., Ladd-Peebles Stadium (40,646). TV: ESPN2. Also, ESPN will televise one-hour shows (2 p.m. ET) from Senior Bowl practices today and Thursday. Tickets: None available. Game is sold out for 11th consecutive year. Last year: North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers threw for 213 yards and two TD passes and was named MVP after leading the South to a 28-10 victory. Series: South leads North in all-time series 27-22, with three ties. Three games (1991-93) did not feature the North-South team format. He trails only Marshall's Byron Leftwich in total offense. The company that Frye keeps says plenty about him and the MAC. Roethlisberger emerged as the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC Championship Game. Pennington and Leftwich are well established with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively. There was a time when owners, general managers and scouts viewed MAC prospects with a high degree of skepticism because the level of competition was thought to be suspect. According to Eric Metz, Frye's agent, that is no longer the case. "That concern has never been voiced by anyone," Metz said. "It's like, 'Boy, we've got to get these guys.' " Frye does not think it is any coincidence that the MAC has become such fertile ground for quarterbacks. A number of programs have become pass-oriented, and top high school prospects are recruited with the promise of early playing opportunities, something big-name schools cannot typically offer. "You can't underestimate experience," Frye said. "You make your mistakes when you're young, so by the time you become a junior and senior everything is an easier process." He was so driven to excel at Akron that he played the final nine games of 2002 with a broken right thumb, endured a hip pointer for four games in 2003 and played the final eight games of last season with a dislocated pinkie on his throwing hand. He never missed a game, never missed a beat. "The thing about Charlie is he has a smile on his face all the time," Metz said. "He loves football and everything about it. You've got too many kids who are worried about what kind of car they can get or what loan they can get. He's not worried about ancillary things." Frye's mind is on following in the footsteps of Roethlisberger, Pennington and Leftwich. "It's very encouraging," Frye said of their success. "The bar has been set for future guys coming out."

I gotta admit, I don't get it. Why does he feel the apparently compulsory need to credit LO in every article? I can only guess that Pluto could never, ever fire anybody and feels so badly for LO that he can't bear to not mention his name. It's weird, for sure. I mean, is he going to say that about the next three years' leaders? Because Owens recruited next year's sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Do we have to expect three more years of this? Can Brookhart ever just get the credit for the turnaround? [Edit: This year may be a much tougher season than last. If we have a rebuilding year, will Pluto BLAME Owens for bad recruiting for three seasons??]

Our offense is balanced, but the fact is we are winning these games because our defense completely screws up the other team. For whatever reason, they have a very hard time getting anything going offensively. Then with our great passes on the offensive side, well, let's just say I like what this combination is doing for us. And we seem to have learned how to close and how to win when you're up, two very, very difficult concepts, even for pro teams (see the Cavs Is this team fun to watch or what? But the Captain is right, the games seem to be replays of each other time after time. And I'll take it.

Concussions are an excellent reason to stop playing college football. Wise decision-making on his part, although I'll bet it was hard. Best of luck to Diontre and his fiancee. Thanks for your contributions on the team, and I hope your UA degree takes you far!

WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW AT THE BEACON??? I remember the screwup in football season, and to have another major error just a couple of months later is unbelievable. Seriously, I hope UAM goes for the jugular on this one. I am blown away that the BJ can screw up this horribly. What is wrong with that place??? [Edit: Is it even worth it to give the BJ ANY advertising dollars? Wow. My guess is they cause more customer issues for Akron U than the ads are worth. UAM - maybe you should just use those little post-it stickies that other businessses use - they come attached to the front section sometimes. It could even be a coupon that didn't have to be clipped. Probably more expensive, but after this screw up they ought to throw one of those deals in for free. I'm still just shocked that they did this again.]

No kidding. If this year doesn't cover the Zips any more than last year, this will be the final year for me to spend all night listening to one radio program.

HOUSE. Do the right thing and make arrangements for the Captain to get a ball. Geesh.

cautious optimism building slowly...... We SHOULD beat CMU (knock on wood). Ball State will be a true test. The fact that we are playing better and better and without Wood is a real testament to these kids and the new coaching.

You know one thing I remember about Goodwin this year? Can't remember which game, just remember on a kickoff return, him running way over from his side to right in front of Dominick Hixon and receiving the ball. Anyone else remember that? Here's a guess that there's more to this than meets the eye.

You're right about the inconsistency. They've got to learn to go for the jugular. However, I don't think it's fair to say they only play well at home. For example, they were leading WMU at the mid point of the second half - by six I believe. WMU is proving a formidable opponent for everyone in the MAC, so my guess is we did play well on the road that game, but were simply outplayed. Anyway, time will tell. We'll see what happens at Marshall, which SHOULD be a win.

I don't know...lately I've seen Travis outrebounding guys who are MUCH bigger than him. And when Wood was in with him their rebounding was almost unstoppable. I keep having this height argument in my own head, so I understand your concern.

But a lot of kids get their proverbial acts together in college. Antwon, we want you as a Zip!

I hate the 50/50 too. Good riddance.