g-mann17

They have referred to it as a multi-purpose venue. I have not heard of any sured up concerts, but I do know they have major plans for using it for that purpose. (another reason the endzone facility was such a big deal and the reason they made the ramp deep enough for semi-trailers)

That's a solid on the 12 noon tipoff?

This has been discussed a bit over the last month or so.The truth is (and this coming from someone who used to be heavily involved with the local teams) coaches look at who their talent is and if it's real D1 talent, they are pushing them to go to any school but Akron. Why? Some of it is they assume that Akron is some horrible campus. Some of it is for the ego of the coach. And very little of it is to give the kid the best opportunity. Akron has made face to face offers to several real D1 talent players, Ringer, Wiley, Dawson, Torrence the list goes on. I fully believe that JD and Geno make every effort to go through Akron and Northeast Ohio for that matter looking for talent. Unfortunately Akron maybe produces 10 people a year that can play D-1 (including Hoban and St. V) and when these coaches are asked by the players they are told "forget about Akron". I actually got in a fight once with the coach I was under. He was mad that we wouldn't look at a couple of (at best Muskingham or Marietta caliber kids). I asked him, how many times have you pushed a top prospect towards Akron? And he said "I would never do that" and I simply said "and you wonder why they won't give your scrubs a little bit of a look?" Bottom line is that coaches in and around Akron don't see the University as a viable choice. Part of that can be fixed by Alumni talking up the school and through exposure to campus that playing friday nights in the new stadium will give. JD would be well served to do as many coaching clinics as possible with the area coaches, give them a tour through the facility and let them meet some of the coaches we have. That is how you gain support of the community and get players like Wells, Ringer, and Wiley to see that the path to the pros also runs through the University of Akron.

Well there are two possible answers to this. One, is that the staff of the Beacon has actually listened to what several modern media experts have said about how newspaper will survive. That is to focus on local news. Though information flow has increased because of the internet, truthfully the only news that easily filters through the internet are the huge global stories. If your paper focuses on huge global stories, and you can get that same information on the internet for free (and I mean exact same since most are AP stories) why would anyone bother to pay for a paper. But if you provide information that is not easily accessible (because it's not international news) and focus on the niche that is local news, what the Canton Mayor said about how the former steel yard will be utilized in the future, or what the hometown team is doing to prepare for the upcoming season, then that is worth paying for to people.However, I did say two possible answers. The second and more likely (because I doubt the intelligence of all newspaper leaders) is that last year the Rubber Bowl was closing and that is big news, so you cover the team that plays there, and this year Infocision Stadium opens (again big news) so you cover the team that plays there. If for some reason the team falters, and doesn't win a MAC championship or have a Ball State type year, we will again be thrown to complete obscurity in the eyes of the hometown rag. I subscribe to the Beacon for local coverage. Unfortunately they still seem to think that local means half a page on local High School Sports and then 3 pages of AP articles on the seasonal professional sport (stuff I can get by logging onto ESPN or CBS sportsline.)

no, but they are nice! I'd love to see that model in person tho...I am just wondering if they are 100% accurate. It's missing one of the buildings from the computer renderings. Also the score board is as high as the east stands and is only blue steel. I thought it was going to be bricked over in some way. It makes it look like a billboard.

anyone seen these pictures yet?Model of Stadium

That is pretty awesome. I think Coach Porter really appreciates everything he has here, and it's nice that he acknowledges the impact the Rowdies have on goalies

I only included Toledo because they are a similar university to us, metro (like us and Buffalo). I think we need to start new traditions, and adding rivalries are huge promotional opportunities.OSU has Michigan and Illinois (really close with Penn State)Can't has us and BGSUMiami has Cinci, OU, and MarshallMultiple rivalries means multiple big game promotion opportunities.The question is who do we "hate", and who is a major thorn in our side.To me it's quickly becoming Buffalo, but do they have the ability to sustain a program (does that matter?). And the last game in the Rubber Bowl is the stuff that rivalries are made from.

Is it totally offical?Rasor is pretty good about having the inside scoop on things. He would have at least had to have heard something first hand before he posted it that way. If he just heard chatter he would have been specific in saying "rumored".

Anyone know what kind of Defense that Illinois and Colorado ran under Okruch?

I would take either of those as a home game this year. To have Indiana and Colorado/Wyoming the first season at the Info (all beatable mind you) would be awesome and would surely get people motivated to get to some games. Plus it would get us some exposure in an area that Brookhart is looking to recruit (if we could have Colorado). Plus Montgomery would probably have been at Miami while the Colorado thing was set up, so he would have an inside track. Come on Rhoades you owe the fans after putting us threw your Rutgers interview. You can make this happen.(and doesn't CAK have cheap direct flights to/from Denver?)

Wow, what is happening with Akron football to where we can go and get so many high caliber coaches?

Pretty sure I just saw framing for the steps to the eastern upper deck being lowered in by the crane.

Well considering that is just under what Proenza makes, I would say maybe half that?

Better than OU, and 6 times better than OSU. We are also seventh in the entire nation, highest for universities without a medical school and 1st when based on revenue per dollars spent on research. Akron News Now copy of Press ReleasePretty big news, and proof positive that the University should be running NEOUCOM.

Here is my opinion...1. If Rhoades didn't have his resume up to date for which a lot of you criticize him, I would (and everyone should be) be extremely disappointed. Being a profesional at any level, you had better have your resume up to date. You had better be doing things to improve that resume. He is a person that has chosen a career as an AD. It's his passion and when something is your passion you had better be putting everything into and marking down your accomplishments. 2. He probably won't get the Rutgers job, for which he was solicited. He was pursued, by a group hired to find quality young talent. He was one of a dozen selected, and one of 3 chosen out of that dozen to be interviewed. Why? Because he can raise funds. A lot of you seem to think that Thomas procured the donations for the stadium, he only recieved a tentative promise. Rhoades has increased the Z-fund donations, has improved the academic standards and has supported coaches in implementing new study table mandates. You accuse him of shopping himself around. Well the only reason his name came up, was because it's all over the place because of the accomplishments of our academic programs. (and people will say what accomplishments "we haven't won anything") Except we have to unprecedented growth in donations, increased public interest, MAC championships in Track, academic awards for our non revenue producing sports, and stable coaching in our core sports (soccer, basketball, and football). 3. If he leaves. This year, next year, or three years from now, he has accomplished a lot. He will accomplish a lot more, and he has had a chance to sit down with a Big East school. He has been able to see what they look for in an AD, what they want out of their programs, and how they find funding and support. That is valuable information to the program. It's things that he can bring back to our school, he has made ties at Rutgers no matter what else happens, and he has learned something in the long run.

Yes, that is much funnier

yes... this was something I noticed a while ago and have been pondering. I can't understand them spending $65million on this stadium only to use aluminum stands.If you want an idea of how the structure will end up, look at the underneath of of UCF's Brighthouse Stadium. It's the same construction technology they are using for our upper decks. UCF Brighthouse Stadium

Fixed, I did not realize that the University of South Dakota located in beautiful Vermillion, SD was officially called that. As you can see I edited it just for you.

So this poses an interesting question on how our Schedule will look. @ Penn State September 5Open September 12Indiana September 19Open September 26@ Syracuse October 3rd8 MAC opponentsand 1 as of yet unnamed Non-conference (THE University of South Dakota?)So we are either going to have a bye week following the Nittany Lions or we are playing a MAC away game the second week of the season after what will be a very physical game against Penn State. Also it looks like our follow up to a Big 10 opponent in our brand new stadium will be some crap 1-AA team.edited by special request of Zipmeister so as not to annoy him

I can hardly wait till he's hear.I here that he will arrive soon. I also here that he has a hereing aid... I here what everyone is saying about how great this is. I'm interested in hereing what Harris's take on the QB situation is. I know he's going to have a huge impact hear.

if AA can't go who is going to carry the mail consistently?...there ain't no 1,200 yd backs on this squad unless he can go..And everyone said Kennedy was going to be a waste last year. Running backs step up all the time. We didn't know what we would do when we found out Williams was moving to Safety. We will have a back that is efficient if not good. We have Martin highly touted but injuries kept him from taking over at Louisville and Torrence who would be OSU right now if not for getting caught up in some stuff. So I think we are ok at RB.

That's fixed now.

Exactly! When the game is on the line, the QB MUST perform.I'm sorry, but when you have a 2 score lead late in the third quarter early in the fourth, and you lose the game, that's not the on the QB it's on the Defense. BGSU 23 points given up in the 4th quarter.Ohio loss, no turnovers.Both those game lost because of poor defensive play. Buffalo game lost on a bad handoff in the 4th OT. The only reason the game went to OT? Solid play for Jacquemain. Because the defense sure never stopped Willy or Starks.But yeah we'll just keep blaming poor QB play on the losses like typical NEO sports fans.Did you see the Super Bowl this year? The best defense in the NFL had their pants pulled down with 2:30 to go in the game and the QB had to bail them out. Like it or not, it is always about the QB in football. He is the guy who touches the ball every play.Yes I did, and I saw one James Harrison (with his pants pulled down apparently) take an interception 100 yards to prevent a Huge momentum change at the end of second. Like or not, that game was one because the defense showed up. Not because Roethlisberger was able to get a couple of lame ducks to a WIDE OPEN Holmes to take the team down the field for a prayer pass. A lot like how our defense showed up in the second half of the Can't game so Jacq had a chance to win a game. Like or not, if your defense sucks, you will not win, a game, a championship, anything. Ask Dan Marino.

Exactly! When the game is on the line, the QB MUST perform.I'm sorry, but when you have a 2 score lead late in the third quarter early in the fourth, and you lose the game, that's not the on the QB it's on the Defense. BGSU 23 points given up in the 4th quarter.Ohio loss, no turnovers.Both those game lost because of poor defensive play. Buffalo game lost on a bad handoff in the 4th OT. The only reason the game went to OT? Solid play for Jacquemain. Because the defense sure never stopped Willy or Starks.But yeah we'll just keep blaming poor QB play on the losses like typical NEO sports fans.