GJGood

I still don't know why nobody drafted March in the late rounds. He always looked like more of an NFL player to me than two thirds of the linebackers playing in the Power 5 conferences. He just never got the publicity outside of the game in Ann Arbor.

I understand and believe that scheduling teams from perceived lesser leagues like the MEAC and SWAC is probably going to happen. I just would rather that the Zips schedule an 18-14 Maryland-Eastern Shore over an 8-23 Coppin State and a 19-10 Alabama State over a 12-20 UAPB. At least play teams in the top three or four in those conferences that are not as strong. I would think this would have to help RPI and SoS somewhat while still providing opponents in the JAR that Akron should be able to get victories over.

technically it was a MAC semifinal appearance this year and MAC Final appearance in 2014, not that it changes the point.

Is KD under some quantitative obligation to schedule a certain number of home games? If so, it may be that many other good mid-major teams want home-and-home series or two-for one deals but that adding more away games to future schedules would prohibit KD from meeting his quota of home games. Therefore, the only recourse would be scheduling the types of teams that would not require a return trip. I have no personal knowledge on this subject. It is all speculation on my part. I have just always thought there was pressure to get a certain number of home games because of how many people it effects. Not only do the hardcore fans want to attend a certain number of games but there are also all the people who work in and around the arena on game nights that need to be taken into consideration I could be way off base but I've always thought that a minimum number of home games was probably part of the scheduling equation and I do honestly believe no power conference schools want to come to the JAR even if it is a home-and-home deal. That was why I always had hoped they would keep an event like Bracketbusters around but tweak it so that bubble teams from power conferences played a game (sometimes on the road) against bubble teams from non-power conferences somehow. Of course that would never happen because the upside is not really there for the power conference school.

I am not against playing a few teams from some of the bottom conferences in D1 but I'd rather the teams we play from those conferences be teams that are at least sniffing .500 or above. I am fine with scheduling a few 'not very good' teams but hope we'd keep away from scheduling many RPI killing 'terrible' teams. I have also always been of the opinion that teams benefit by playing an early season true road game or two against teams they should clearly defeat. I think road wins go a long way in establishing confidence and team chemistry.

Former Zips pitcher Chris Bassitt is starting for the Oakland A's tonight against the Indians in Cleveland. Given the events of the last 24 to 36 hours and the fact that he knows the northest Ohio fans will be watching I think it would be cool if he makes some gesture or does something to pay homage to Zips baseball. Either way since he is starting I am rooting for Oakland to give Bassitt his first MLB win of the season tonight.

While I realize that Akron is not likely to be able to schedule Power 5 conference teams or teams with a major national brand at home, I do wish that the home schedule did get upgraded a little. I have no problem with playing a 300+ RPI team or two out of conference but I would hope that they'd try to avoid scheduling three to five teams like that. It does seem that the MAC and Horizon League get together quite a bit but why can't the Zips get some of the middle to top teams in leagues like the OVC, MAAC, Ivy League, or similar conferences to come to Akron for either one game or a home-and-home deal? I would think that would be beneficial for both programs. I know it wouldn't generate the same buzz that having a Big Ten or even an American Athletic Conference team come in but it would still be an upgrade from what we have seen recently. A few years ago I was at the Akron-Princeton game and thought that the crowd was great as well as the action on the floor. I'd love to see more games like that. You don't need to totally eliminate the UAPBs of the world from your schedule (sometimes those help team psyche more than many realize) but maybe minimize how many of those you play in any given year.

I don't have any statistics to support it but it certainly seems to me that college baseball is starting to grow in popularity even as the Major Leagues are experiencing a decline in popularity nationwide. Maybe I am out of touch on that subject because I am a big fan of the sport though.

I like 6:00pm games on Saturdays better than the lunchtime kickoffs. 6:00pm is just about the perfect time for me, of course I understand that we should probably do whatever we can to keep our kickoff times as far away from the Columbus school's game times as possible as well for attendance purposes.

I attended the Marshall game and it was on a beautiful sunny Saturday. I do know that the BG game was played in a monsoon on a weeknight on one of the ESPN networks though. I was traveling for work and remember catching some of it in my hotel room.

I love that they are trying to make a name for themselves here in Central Ohio. There is a lot of high school talent down here. The Zips aren't generally one of the first MAC programs I hear mentioned by top high school players in my part of the state despite the fact that both Chase Blackburn and Domenik Hixon are from Central Ohio.

With 12 teams it is certainly the format that makes the most sense. I think its a good move.

I am against eliminating the A-Roo. If the 'Z', which represents the nickname more than the school in my mind, is what people want as the primary logo then so be it. Who am I to challenge the masses on that topic? That being said I see no reason why the A-Roo should be totally eliminated. It can be a secondary logo, can't it? I keep hearing the "'Z' is unique" argument but Akron is one of only two schools in all of division 1 athletics that use a kangaroo as a mascot. Akron is certainly the only school that uses the letter 'A' and a kangaroo. That makes it every bit as unique as a letter 'Z'.

I love that we are playing both Villanova and Arkansas. If we win those it would certainly look good on our resume at the end of the season even if we have no chance of winning the preseason NIT championship. Hopefully we can pull off these upsets and at least make them consider alternate 'tournament' formats in the future. I do wish the Green Bay game was at home though. I could see that game being a letdown game playing it on the road after playing two good P5 squads just prior to that matchup.

When it comes to Akron baseball no lead in the 9th inning is safe, whether it be the Zips with the lead or their opponent. What a crazy two games. 8 runs in the bottom of 9 to win game one followed by giving up 4 or 5 in the bottom of nine in game two to lose in walk-off fashion. I've never seen, or even heard of, any team having a day quite as dramatic as that.

I like teams getting rewarded for playing good defense. Most of these rules seem to be geared to helping the offenses. I don't mind the change in the shot clock but I thought the restricted area was fine the way it already was. As far as timeouts go I think they were fine the way they were before. It seems like everyone is trying to make sporting events take less time. I mean they even have a pitch clock in minor league baseball now. Am I the only one who enjoys sporting events enough that I want them not to be over so quickly? I enjoy going to see games. I find them entertaining and have a good time. Why do so many want to decrease time for entertainment and fun? Are we as a society now so busy or rushed that we must spend less time relaxing and recreating?

I agree with this. I am glad that they didn't do anything ridiculous or obnoxious but I still would like to see color in the lanes and the official school colors being represented a little more. Maybe either blue or gold in the lanes and the other color behind the baskets. still simple and clean but also representative of the school. I have to admit I do like the Roo at either end of the court though.

The thing I don't like about the new floor is the lack of color in the lanes. I hate hearing announcers talk about points in the paint when there is no paint. I know a lot of people like the 'clean' look but I have always thought of it as being a great opportunity to display your colors with pride.

Big series. Go out and get some wins! I think they are legitimate contenders in Avon if they get there either way. I think this year's team is better than last year's and they were a win away from the title in 2014.

Understood and I agree but in the old format preseason NIT you could've pretty much bet on playing two pretty good, probably P5, teams as well even if you lost the first or second game. It, along with the Maui Invitational, has always been one of the premier early season tourneys with a pretty loaded field.

I think that format would be great. The odds would be stacked a little more against teams having to go solely on the road and neutral floors while others got a couple of home games but at least there is a way to earn advancement and the playing of top competition as well as some hardware attainment potential.

I agree that this event will be a great opportunity for the Zips. I just wish it was still like it was in 1994, namely you win and advance, you lose and you go to the consolation rounds. In the new format the semifinalists are already named and guaranteed before the event begins and no true mid-major is going to be one of those given a free pass. For what its worth... while I don't like them playing in tournaments with this type of discriminatory format if the Zips have to play in one this is probably the best one to be in given the level of competition you will play. Now if it could be on neutral floors that would be even better. I'm not knocking KD or anyone for getting Akron in this event. It should be a great experience for the team and fans. I am just knocking the event organizers for changing their format.

I agree that who you play has now become more important than what title you can or can't play for. I just don't like the trend and as long as top mid-majors continue to submit to the discrimination it will continue but I understand they can't afford to turn down the games either. I just don't get what is wrong with the idea of a mid-major EARNING the right to play for a title? The Zips played in one of these things a few years back and beat Mississippi State (if I recall the opponent correctly) in the first game, only to see MSU win that tournament championship. I remember thinking then how much better the Zips OOC schedule would have been had they advanced to play the teams that their defeated opponent was able to go on and play in the event. At least it sounds as if the Preseason NIT will provide a substantial schedule win or lose. I just don't like the precedent that is being set.

Plus, it could be that someone like McFadden may see his dream job as being the eventual heir apparent to his own former head coach at his alma mater. I don't know that for a fact but it is a thought that could be there.

Didn't the preseason NIT change their format last year? While I love the opponents the Zips could potentially play I would not be for them playing in a tournament where it is already predetermined that they cannot make the semifinals or finals. When you play in a tournament you should at least have a chance (no matter how remote) of winning that championship. Predetermined semifinalists in an 8 team "tournament" does not sit well with me. It feels too much like discriminatory bias. We get enough of that in football.