g-mann17

It's called an "outdoor living room" for a reason.

Well until we see how the team looks with the new recruits, and how CJ or Rodgers deals with handling the football, can you really expect a better ranking?On that note, we were picked to be 3-5 in the MAC the year we one the MAC Championship, so don't sweat the respect thing until we start the season.

Good point, the only coverage of that I saw was on GoZips.com.Congratulations again to both the Men and Women's Track teams. 2008 MAC Champions!!!!!Here's a marketing idea for track & cross country "Run with the Roo" or switch out "with" with "like" or drop that all together and do fundraising 10k "Run the Roo"

I've like the whole new image that we have tried to create over the past 5 years. The "Fear the Roo" program has sold a lot of shirts. The "Roo Town: This is your team" concept is actually good. Town and City are interchangeable, sorry they just are. Roo City sounds too much like Brew City.Let's face it, marketing is one liners. "Just do it" "Is it in you" "Intel Inside" "Don't Tread on Me" "Liberty and Justice for all" No one remembers "The University of Akron is Northeast Ohio's research university...etc, etc" you remember "Fiat Lux"; you don't remember "The goal of the University of Akron's athletic department is to provide academic and athletic excellence...etc, etc." But "Fear the Roo" works, "Roo Town" sticks with you. But honestly, I would love an Ohio.com buy in. Or a Beacon buy in at all. But for some reason that doesn't happen. Whether that is a lack of winning (despite, rifle, soccer, and basketball and men and women's track (thanks akronad)) or if it's the lack of real local leadership with the paper I really can't say.But this brings up a question I had earlier. How has the new stadium affected season ticket sales for this season. I had no real point, just wanted to ramble.

I purchased Reserved tickets, and was told that prior to the start of the 2009 season we would get to tour the stadium and choose our seats.What I'm curious about is to see if they have met or passed previous season ticket sales.

Nice Shots zen!!!

Public teachers with a BA in education start at 32 with their masters 35Private is about 2-4 less than that.

Why would you say that? Because you are still on your soap box?I actually said in one of my earlier posts that you can't create artificial equity. There are always going to be some places that are better than others.... and which ever way the chips fall, there are always going to be some people complaining. I disagree wholeheartedly. There are public schools that spend more money per student and still fail to educate. The real issue is how you run your institution. In most private schools parents know they are spending their own dollars on their child's education (on top of the fact that they also pay property taxes for local schools) and the parents expect more. The students also have a different attitude. They don't see the school that they attend as a place that has to take them because the government provides it as a right. They know that they could get kicked out. This makes all the difference in the world.Who's on a soap box zen? Oh yeah, the anti-government person.

Classy!... and I just realized that whatever you typed after that must be right simply because you made that declaration. Are you just reacting emotionally, or did you read some of the posts you are replying to?IF we privatize public schools, you would likely be giving Buchtel and Kenmore the ability to toss out the bad apples (invariably forcing some of the bad apples to reform their ways or end up on the streets and likely in a correctional institution rather than the education system ruining other kid's educations).In some ways, you are actually ranting for the same thing as the people you just called ignorant. wow.Try to get past the buzzwords that set you off and think about what is being said.Except you can't "privatize" schools if you are funding it through state money. Equal opportunity and all that. So no matter what you do, there are always going to be schools that look "academically superior" but again, none of you are able to see that perspective can you?I'm not anti-private school. I feel it serves a important need in communities. Smaller class sizes, higher profile learning experiences. Does it mean the kids that attend private schools are better? No it doesn't. It means they have more resources. A lot of the teaching styles are tested in private schools because they have the ability to spend the money on new equipment. What works is picked up by inner city schools, or lower funded public schools when it becomes cheaper.My argument was on the perceived superiority of the education from a private school. And the bottom line is private schools get to be selective, with their athletes and students. Public schools don't. Plain and simple. Why? Because you have to educate everyone. It's not a choice. This idea that charter schools and privatization of schools are a better idea, is absolutely obsurd. Bottom line is, you can go to jewelry store and buy gems, or you can go and dig amungst a bunch of stupid rocks; when everything is said and done, you are still going to have something of value. Sometimes you just have to look harder.

privatize schools?reduce taxes??give people choices???take bureaucrats out of the education system????TO the GULAG with you! Comrade ZippyRulz, you are an enemy of the people's republic of the U.S.Everyone of you are completely ignorant. Let's see how St. V and Hoban and Walsh perform when they have to, and I mean have to, keep every single Buchtel, Kenmore, or East Student in school. Find a way to teach kids that don't want to be there or whose parents could care less if they are there or not. Let's see how well they perform over all when they have 1000 students and only 30% of them want to be there and have parents that give a rat's ass about what goes on.Let's see how Kenmore, Buchtel, and East perform when they are allowed to kick out students who fail, or are trouble makers or don't even bother to show up. Yeah let's see how well the schools compare when we swap rules.Oh but that's right, that means you can't continue to look at everything from your suck ass perspective. Where the world sucks, and unions suck, Northeast Ohio sucks, and it will never be good, and public school and government anything is just a "horrible drain on society and communist, socialist thinking".

A whole lot of rant about crying, and it sounds more like you are the whiner.In the south, Parochial schools are seperated into their own conference. Because the playing field isn't necessary level. Check it out. Secondly, parochial schools do recruit. I was asked to run track at St. V. Several of my friends who wrestled were approached by Walsh Jesuit. The top running back at my school had Hoban calling his mom and dad every day. "You don't want your son at a 'public school' do you?"The only, and yes it is the only, reason that parochial schools have superior athletic programs recruiting. The only reason they have superior (ha,ha) Academic programs (I laugh because the top students in the Akron Public schools always seem to have higher SAT schores) is because they recruit.If you get to be selective about your level of talent, which public schools are not allowed to do, then you are going to be able to appear to have stronger programs.But don't let the article fool you, public schools recruit too. Ask Zwick if you don't believe me.

I whole heartedly agree with this. We already have huge ties to the Big East to begin with. Beside hosting events, we take part in the Big East/MAC golf challenge, the majority of our shooting, swimming/diving, and soccer events include the Big East. We are desirable television market and school willing to invest in athletics. Also not only isn't it a sell us vs Memphis situation, it doesn't even have to be a sell us vs. ECU situation. I believe that all of the BCS conferences (including the Big 10) are looking at moving toward a 12 team conference for Conference Championship Game reasons (which is mostly for increased television revenue). So the Big East is likely to need 4 teams in the near future. They also know we have natural regional rivalries with Pitt and Cinci. So Mack just has to sell us as 1 team for 4 potential openings (Memphis, UCF, ECU, Akron)

I'm not sure if this arena is realistic at all. Akron-Nike-LeBron Arena???? I doubt it. I think the university is more focused on getting a med school more than anything else. It would be the best thing to happen if it happens.I'm not throwing out the med school initiative. But we already know about the steps the city, county, University and Summa are taking to procure at least 2 major complexes to generate about $250 million in investments. It coincides with Akron's bio-medical corridor.I just think the $150 million investment is likely to be something outside the scope of the med school initiatives. Whether that is a hotel, shopping and arena, or that University has managed to bring in outside business partners to Akron is yet to be seen.

Well considering the proposal that exists (arena, plus multipurpose commercial property) and considering that the Mayflower would probably be acquired in the process. $150 million isn't that big of a stretch. The Wolstein Center cost 55 million, and I'm pretty sure that Akron (the city) wants something similar in size.I would like to hear what your other "things" would be though.

At least we were thinking the same thing as soon we saw that quote.

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/18884859.html"Proenza promised more. ''Expect a major announcement later this year,'' he said, referring to a project that could be a $150 million investment."I can think of something I would like to spend $150 million on.http://www.osborn-eng.com/sports_akron_arena.html

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/18859579.htmlWorkers reported experiencing a "contact buzz" as smoke rolled out of the building.

http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/18802529.htmlWoo HOO!!!!!Big Dance here we come!!!!

It is an issue, and does need to be addressed. However, looking over the rest of the MAC, Can't, Toledo, Central, Eastern, Buffalo, Temple are all in penalty. And I bet a reference of C-USA and Sun Belt teams will show similar if not worse APR's then Akron. It's because of these teams have to take chances to be competetive. It is also obvious that this program is designed to hurt Mid-Majors who lack the same resources as the BCS schools.However, there should be no excuse, the University needs to focus the football players a little more on academics and provide the needed support to keep these kids in school. We have to prove we are better then the rest of these schools. Miami, NIU and BGSU don't seem to have problems, and they are typically pretty solid programs to boot.

Here is the most accurate prediction you will ever see...Akron will lose a game and somewhere and 51% of this board will call for JD's head, and say "insert starting QB" is the worst thing to ever touch a football.thenAkron will win, and somewhere around 51% of this board will say JD is a miracle worker, and that "insert starting QB" is just warming up.thenThe season will be over, and 50% of the board will blame the offense and the other 50% will blame the defense.

That is freaking classic.

First, the logo change and apparrel sales happened two years prior to the MAC Championship, there was definitely and increase because of the Championship, and the Fear the Roo program has had a major impact on apparrel sales. I don't see this as a necessity, it's already starting to become identifiable as The University of Akron. Many schools simply have solid uniforms (OSU, Michigan, Penn State even lower tier teams go without the name of the school, because that is really kind of second rate in my opinionm it's very highschool) What we do need to do is go after CSU for infringing on the latest apparel logo.

I have to say that I do prefer that ending better. As History goes, the kangaroo was chosen over other potential animal mascots because a kangaroo is "fast, strong, and agile all the traits a great athlete needs". Fortunately for us we didn't end up with a chicken hawk ala Can't or Turtle like Maryland. And if you take the time, look up kangaroo fights and see grown men taking on kangaroos (and getting their arses handed to them) back in the early 1900's before there ever was a PETA to protect the poor innocent creatures. Considering that merchandise sales took off with the change to "true" gold and blue, and the stylized logo change I would have to say a huge no on that. Would it be cool to have an "old school" option available with the Dennison "A" yes.

don't forget psychology too And Sociology

And that is my point, if we average 2500 in attendance now, and we can get 50-60% of the on campus population to show up, then you are talking 4250. And that at an average game, is impressive, and is achievable.