g-mann17

Yes, a really nice basketball player. Stud? Not a chance. At best maybe a Nate Linhart clone.Why did Gillespie offer Linhart? Just curious where the similarity is.

I will go with a simple reason...Heisman Winners are 1-6 in National Championship games (Leinart and USC being the only win).Texas 31Alabama 28

Guilty.Does anyone watch Mad Men? There was a scene last season when the young red haired girl, Peggy, was trying to explain to Don an Aqua Net commercial she designed. She kept saying, "Then this happens...then this happens.....then this happens." Don looks at her and say, "Everytime you say 'then this happens' you lose me."Maybe the Zips problem is this simple, and I have been saying it for years. They play a defensive game. When you play an offensive game it is very simple. You focus on putting the little orange ball through the little orange ring. Outscore the other team and you win. When you play a defensive game, it sounds like Peggy..."You focus on double teams in the post, then the ball is thrown in, then you double team, then you hope the guy takes a bad shot, then you rebound, then you get the ball down court, then..." This logic assumes all of that is going to happen and then the guy with the ball on the offensive end is actually able to make a shot. In reality, they guy was brought here to focus on defense and not shooting.Defense can win a lot of regular season games when the competition ranges from very good to very bad. With defense, we should be able 100% of the games against the average to bad teams. Beat 50% of the good teams and the next thing you know you have 20 wins. We need teams that can outscore the good teams in critical situations. "But GP1, are you saying defense isn't important?" No, I'm just saying offense is critical in high profile games when things are close. In a close game, points become more important than defense. Points force the other team to match you shot for shot and it puts pressure on them.I disagree. Focusing entirely on offense is a bad way to try and go about winning championships.Please see the last paragraph in my post above.GP1 is saying, develop some scorers not just a stout defense. If you don't have shooters, then you shoot 31% in the second half and lose games.

Because they were able to execute their adjustments and we weren't. They have players that can play pressure defense and half court defense, they have players that make 80% of their free throws and they can turn 16 turnovers into 21 points while we have players that can make 61% of their free throws and we can turn 10 turnovers into 8 points.If we were able to average the same 1.3 points per turnover, we would have won. We hit 6 more free throws, we win. Making free throws is all about confidence and poise. Teams that are poised don't make stupid turnovers.We didn't lose because of lack of talent. We lost because our talent...well...it doesn't know what it takes to win these games.Per Cvetinovic - “We had them on the ropes. In the second half, we got anxious and didn't execute the plays.”Per the stats...FT% 1st Half 50%; 2nd Half 67%.Rhode Island Pts/TO 1st Half 13; 2nd Half 8Appears to me, the Zips handled the ball better and shot from the line better (and more often) in the second half.As far as "having them on the ropes". I believe Foreman once had Ali "on the ropes" how'd that work out for him?

Because they were able to execute their adjustments and we weren't. They have players that can play pressure defense and half court defense, they have players that make 80% of their free throws and they can turn 16 turnovers into 21 points while we have players that can make 61% of their free throws and we can turn 10 turnovers into 8 points.If we were able to average the same 1.3 points per turnover, we would have won. We hit 6 more free throws, we win. If the goal is post season tournament, then we will end up in the Crappy Team Invitational or whatever other dumb "Joe Akron doesn't care about doesn't even end up on TV tournament". Why? Because we will have 20+ wins and we were a Big Dance team last year, someone will invite us just for that.To me, and the only way to get the media to pay attention, is get in the Big Dance. No one cares about the NIT, CIT or whatever other tournament there is. Right now our ticket to the Big Dance is MAC Tournament Champs.You complain about attendance 3000 in a 5000 Arena. I believe I saw where OSU was only pulling in a 59% house for some games. We are above 60% and we do get a packed house for Can't. The attendance issue has more to do with selling the program (I received 9 post cards about Football (season ticket holder don't really need to know about it), I've gotten one about Basketball, and 2 e-mails). I see an ad in the Beacon and on the Digital Billboard on the way home, that's pretty much it.Why didn't I get a full schedule in the mail (I'm a Z-Fund contributor and Football Season Ticket Holder) why did I not receive a call from the Ticket office "Hey, we notice you are a big fan of Zips sports, can we interest you in season tickets for Men's or Women's basketball or a 3, 6, or 9 game package?" Leg work is what fills a stadium or arena. That and relentless winning and media exposure.

BGSU 31 - Troy 14CMU 24 - BGSU 10Troy ammassed 45% of BG's total and BG ammased 41% of CMU's total. Indicating that the Troy offense is weaker than the CMU defense and the CMU offense is vastly superior to the Troy defense. I will say...CMU 35 - Troy 10

Yes there are other examples...Dayton, VCU, Nevada, hell...go back to Xavier if you're an old-timer. Look at the recent MAC Tourney losses to Western Michigan, Toledo, Miami and K.e.n.t.. Look at the pattern of those losses, in addition to the Winthrop loss...or even Austin Peay. The Zips always seem to find a way to pull off the "come-from-ahead loss" in these crucial games. Many held at home, or 40 minutes from campus. Like Lakers HC Pat Riley trademarked "Three-peat," Dambrot should trademark "Crapped Down Our Leg." Every time we play these games, it's "Groundhog Day."If you have no worries, you really aren't a huge Zips hoops fan. Your heart isn't in it. Your bar is low.Leaving the JAR after yet another leg-crapping flat-out sucked.Quick question...If we beat Rhode Island, do we get in the Dance if we don't win the MAC tournament?Just curious, because the last time we had an outstanding record (26-7) we didn't get an invite to anything.The season has been and will continue to be "Win the MAC Tournament". Until we get a couple other "high talent stars" around Zeke and can compete with the 10 - 25's is it really "season lost" or "program not improving" because we lost to a team that has 1 loss and more talent?

Am I the only one that hears Beavis and Butthead laughing?NO. There are plenty of other metaphors that could have been used here other than salads."Pushed around like a nerd in a school yard" comes to mind.But I would also say that Zeke "getting pushed around" is part of his development. Someone is able to out muscle you, then you out speed them. If they got you on both, then you out think them. If they have you on all three? Out "effort" them.I think you missed the point. Juggle some words around and there is some humor there.No, I caught the humor.

Am I the only one that hears Beavis and Butthead laughing?NO. There are plenty of other metaphors that could have been used here other than salads."Pushed around like a nerd in a school yard" comes to mind.But I would also say that Zeke "getting pushed around" is part of his development. Someone is able to out muscle you, then you out speed them. If they got you on both, then you out think them. If they have you on all three? Out "effort" them.

Well did you hear anything yet from the Endzone Berm Lawn Gnome? Not anymore... rumor is he died in an industrial accident.Nice find.

That would have been a pretty good post if you had stopped there.You proved me right by not providing a solution. Complaining about the current situation is easy. Finding a solution is the tough part Fine solution for the RPI.1. Each of the 300+ teams rolls a 20 sided die 6 times. Each roll represents you Strength, Charisma, Intelligence... oh wait I've seen this some where before...Ok, Ok scratch that. Though slightly less fantasy world then the RPI I'm sure the bigger schools could buy better dice and besides who would make sure they didn't just write six beneficial numbers down.

Well did you hear anything yet from the Endzone Berm Lawn Gnome?

Greatness is not required in the MAC. It may take us some time to improve our program to being great, but winning the MAC East should not be out of the question next year. The talent is there....the league is horrible.How long did it take Turner Gill to "build" Buffalo?So Gill "backs in" to a MAC Championship and he "built" Buffalo?

The Wildcat is a gimmick. There isn't a team out there that could win with it running it every play.Florida won two national championships running it every play. What do you think it was that Tebow was running? The Wildcat for other teams is just getting the best runner directly behind the center. For Florida their best runner was Tebow. I would also argue that Utah went undefeated using it. CMU just won the MAC using it.And that was the only thing worth commenting on because the rest of it is normal GP1 nonsense.

So you're saying the O-Line coach at San Diego, who has the benefit of having LT behind his line .. would agree that running the football with a RB isn't a relevant part of football anymore?Where do I say the RB is not relevant? You guys overreact to everything I write. It's amazing.....Over the past couple of years, LT has become less productive and the team has gotten better. If Turner doesn't go Bill Cowher (years 1-14), San Diego has their best shot yet at winning the SB this season. Rivers is ready to be turned loose in the playoffs. Does anyone out there really think LT is the answer to beating Indy in the playoffs? SD will need to score points in bunches in order to beat them. Ben Roethlisberger was the key to beating Indy three years ago, not Bettis and Parker.Miami scored points in bunches against the Colts and lost. Oh wait they didn't pass, they needed to score quicker and through the air, that's the ticket right? Also the times that SD has beaten the Colts, it was because LT had a superb game. And you forget that Sproles plays a big part of that offense too.And I would say the only over-anything anybody is doing is you, with your over-simplification of every aspect of everything (football, life, taxes, Amish etc).

I would say that PhD program was lacking quite a bit.

It's already a QB/WR game. Have you been watching bowl games?A lot of teams are using their QB as a runner and they get positive yards doing so. These teams usually have one back and a good running QB. That's two RBs.When I dismissed you guys for New Years holiday, I asked all of you to come back with a different paradigm about football. Football has changed. 20 years ago it was hard to find a good passing HS QB....today, high schools QBs are much better at passing and more sophisticated in their understanding of defenses out of more complicated offenses. The days of I-Formation are over for almost every team (except on short yardage). A spread formation with one RB and a QB that can both run and pass is deadly. It gives a good QB many options to throw to. It can eliminate a certain number of players "in the box" which helps the O-Line better evaluate who they are going to block. Fewer defenders in the box also helps the single RB better gain yardage because there are fewer defenders at the line. It neutralizes blitzing because the QB can get the ball out faster to a hot receiver from the shotgun quickly. It can create huge mismatches (ie: LB covering fast RB in a pass pattern) for the QB to exploit. If everyone is covered, the QB can run from the pocket and gain yardage more easily because the defense is spread all over the field.A fullback offers almost zero threat to a defense. It has become such an insignificant position that NFL teams usually only dress one. If that guy gets hurt, they just pick up some other schlub off of the free agent list or the practice team to plough into the line.Going into bowl season, I didn't think Texas had a chance against Alabama after the Big 12 Championship. Nebraska turned out to have a really good team after all. Texas can move the ball and score points. They have a good shot of winning.Tonight, if Iowa can stop the GA Tech option early, they will blow them out with a good passing game. If you can't stop the option early, it only gets worse as the game progresses. Talk about spread offenses, everyone thinks the GA Tech offense is the old style option. It's a spread offense that runs a lot and can exploit a defense when they put too many guys in the box with some passes.Welcome to the 21st Century.You need to read a book or two about football.Or play the game one of the two. They have run "pass" first offenses since the mid 80's (real 21st century) it's called the run and shoot. Meyer changed a couple of things when he found athletes that were intelligent enough to remember plays and they think it's a new offense. It's not. Additionally the more a QB runs, the "older school" the style is. Tech is as old school as you can get, the flex-bone offense (your idea of a spread) has been used since they started playing "conventional" football. Every Academy school has run, we ran it in high school. It looks different because Johnson can make it work. Which is another testament to the "have to have the right players for the right system".I agree more people throw the ball, and they do it sooner (mostly because of the over emphasis of the QB position) but bottom line is, you run the ball or you lose. (technically you have to do both run and pass) but we are talking about the "new era of passing teams" that started in the 70's.

That would be a first.Also, how many yards rushing does Alabama's QB have? Just curious.I'll save you the trouble 110. You need a running game, some teams use their QB for it, some use multiple backs. It's not a WR/QB game and it never will be. Teams that can't hand the ball off and run effectively and gain yards lose, bottom line.

What about Uruguay?

I'm saying everyone's point is moot.The fact is, Texas, Nebraska, Alabama, FSU, Miami, LSU, Clemson, Arkansas have always been the "winners" SEC, Big12, and PAC 10Big 10 never had a "network" except in the region their schools existed. Yes that region includes Chicago but for the most part it ended in Philly.The point I was making is that the "Big 10 world" and "superiority comlex" has been shattered by the availability of seeing other teams play when ever you want, have access to more sports news then ever. My point was, the arguing back and forth on why the "south is all of sudden better" is stupid, because that has never changed. We had a 15 year period from 1955-1970 where the northern and midwest schools had something a little different then the south.But the southern "dominance" has nothing to do with warm weather, or population migration and everything to do, with substandard educational practices, and a more open high school sports rules that allow for more sports education. And more money pumped into athletics at every level.My friend works in a little county in South Carolina as a teacher. They are getting new schools built. 45% of the money went to their sports facilities. This is a public school. The Sports facilities were built and completed first and the football stadium is a small scale Infocision. Now don't go thinking this is a sports mecca. The last D-1 prospect the school had was a Baseball player that went to Charleston Southern. They are still working on the school. (athletics first, education last is the southern mentality). The schools that put education first, are rarely winners.

LOL, college baseball has always been in the south or warm weather states, Alabama has more titles than any other team in football (and titles in general favor the south). What has happened is exposure and that people have become aware outside of the main populace (Michigan to the East Coast) that there are other teams besides the Big 10. Now there is a demand for these teams to play the SEC and "winners" more often. The other thing is the ESPN/SEC contract and the push by Disney to market the heck out of these schools so it can make it's $2 billion dollar investment pay off in ad revenue. Remember for 30 years FSU has been "Florida's school" that isn't good business for the SEC.The south has a different sporting season, you get to play baseball longer, football get's to have spring games in high school more development practices and most importantly soccer is in the spring. That means dual sports players get to stay in shape with soccer or track and football becomes the only show in town in the fall.

If only we could.

I understand that at one point he considered naming it Obama Stadium, but the architects concluded that the stadium would end up tilted so far to the left that everyone would fall out of their seats. Good point. I had heard they were going to name it Republican Party Stadium in honor of a lot of the fundraising InfoCision does, but then they realized the stadium would still lean to the left. Just not as much as if they named it Obama Stadium.See I heard they were originally going to name it honor of Cheney, but they felt that Palpatine Stadium didn't roll of the tongue like Infocision.Yes, they could have named the superdome in new orleans after the evil emperor's power to steer hurricane katrina too. You say evil emperor, I say "Uniter of the Republic" got rid of almost all those bleeding heart Jedi too.

I understand that at one point he considered naming it Obama Stadium, but the architects concluded that the stadium would end up tilted so far to the left that everyone would fall out of their seats. Good point. I had heard they were going to name it Republican Party Stadium in honor of a lot of the fundraising InfoCision does, but then they realized the stadium would still lean to the left. Just not as much as if they named it Obama Stadium.See I heard they were originally going to name it honor of Cheney, but they felt that Palpatine Stadium didn't roll of the tongue like Infocision.

To be perfectly honest, I am not nearly the fan of pro football that I used to be. The process has been gradual over the years, but I can remember a time in my life when watching an NFL game was a fun event for me. What it has turned into now is a struggle for me to watch a commercial-fest with sporadic periods of football sprinkled in between.Do you guys realize the name Zips was from a sponsorship of a local rubber producer? We should all be careful to think that sports has not always been about money. It has.Packers were formally a "project" of the Indian Packing company and the team name was derived from that.It has always been about money, and sports (which generates a great captive audience) is a good place to market so money is pumped into it. I think if Zen is having trouble with the NFL, he must be having trouble with NCAA, and all other sports as well. And you probably mistake what happened in your youth because during commercials you were running around like any kid would be.