Captain Kangaroo

If LeBron had made a basic layup against the Wizards, we'd have been cheated out of an outrageous, I-Can't-Believe-I-Just-Saw-That basketball game Monday night. If Big Dog made his FT's, what fun would last night have been? Just another ho hum drive back up Route 8 after a Zips home win...

Regarding the BSU players at game's end chirping at him while at the FT line, I liked where Dog said (in the post game interview) - "After missing the first one, that actually helped me focus."

I think too - some kids just want to go away to college. I grew up in the Youngstown area, and would have rather put a bullet in my head than attended YSU. Pitt, Cinci, Marshall, Kentucky, etc. are all an easy drive from Akron, so kids don't need to stay in Akron for their parents to see them play. Schools like that are tough for the Zips to compete with in 2017. People can poo-poo them as "lower tier P5," but they're still putting guys in the NFL on a regular basis. and play highly competitive P5 schedules. Pitt beat Clemson and plays @ Heinz Field. Not much "lower tier" about that. I was pretty happy with the local HS talent we kept this year. If we could do that year-in-year-out, we'd be in pretty good shape. Still hoping for a couple DL's to magically appear between now and August though...

Did we "miss" on Kyle Vantrease? I don't see where it's a slam dunk that he's better than Ramart. And I'd take Johns over him any day of the week.

If you ever have a question regarding a stupid start time or date, look to see if the game is televised.

19 references to "Big Dog" in one post. Gotta be some sort of record. He lost some composure yesterday and it cost us. You can't let a bench scrub bait you into a T. That said, the panicked, horrific shot selection once he returned to the game is what really killed us. Not the refs.

Too much stupid hero-ball. There's a reason you're unguarded when your 25 feet away from the hoop. The Zips lacked composure. Cost them the game.

Make a couple 3's and we're fine. The brick-fest has to stop.

Might be worth taking a few grad courses at Wilmington to see if you sprout-up?

Off we go...

I've seen our own "fans" call him worse.

I would note that Jerome Lane was a non-qualifier. And, Bowden's track record of keeping at-risk players (I'll define at-risk as either being transfers who had brushes with the law, or sub-par grades) is pretty good. I'll hopefully have some details later.

You're right. This team has earned the faith that they'll overcome adversity. Losing Big Dog or Kwan would be more than "adversity." So I'd be chugging Drano if that happened. But short of that, I'm with you. These guys know how to win. You are what your record says you are. 19-3 is pretty good.

Zach - my apologies for not including you in this list of outstanding contributors. I fixed it. Thanks so much for all your efforts and information.

Yes. It's a good use of a couple PTO hours.

Could it really be only 13? I can never figure out how the guys sitting out 2016 (Freddy Simmons) fit into the equation. I have a feeling the total number of "new faces" for 2017 will be 22+. I will try and find out more tomorrow.

As the 2017 class nears it's completion, I want to thank Zach, Blue & Gold, zzx and Zipsoutsider for their outstanding contributions to the recruiting thread. As an independent site with no paid writers or budget, ZipsNation is what you make it. And you guys made it an excellent resource through your effort, time and Zips Football passion. I've never met any of you...probably never will...but I've very grateful for your above-and-beyond efforts to make this site as good as it can be. Zips fans both far-and-wide appreciate it.

PD - Bubba Announcement

It's a miracle!

That blows. In fact, our schedule the remainder of the 2016-17 season blows. On of the best things about Zips hoops is having a few beers and some food on a Saturday afternoon at a campus bar and then watching the game afterwards. It's late-January and we now have absolutely zero Saturday home games for the remainder of the season.

Having attended roughly 20 Hudson games over the past 2 seasons I can say with 100% certainty - the Zips just received a major upgrade at the Punter position. If the Zip were pinned on their own 20 yard line on a 4th down last season, you knew Gasser was good for about 38 yards. Weiland is good for 48+. He's going to be a big help.

I'll give him "All Time Best Zips Center Under Six Foot Four"

Big Dog dominates his position on the offensive end. Defense - Meh. Zeke dominated on the defensive end. Offense - Meh. I voted for Big Dog because, night-in-night-out he's a man amongst boys. And, a superior passer to Zeke. If 'Dog can win an NCAA tourney game, that would close the polls in his favor. Both are/were great MAC centers. If we could consistently recruit bigs like either of them into our Program every 3-4 years, life would be pretty good.

Think of what someone like Michael Reghi can do with this stuff too! More opportunities for his "gems"... "Boy, Isaiah Thomas is really lightin' up the Bulls like a 200 Watt GE LED bulb tonight!" "It might be cold outside, but Al Horford is heatin' up like a GE GeoSpring hot water tank baby!"

No you won't. If you kept watching the Zips at the JAR, when after each of roughly 200 3-point shots the announcer said "That's another Zips 3-pointer, brought to you by Tim Miller Insurance Agency", you'll never stop watching anything.