Captain Kangaroo

The Bracket Buster is f-ing awesome. Without it, we never play Nevada once...let alone twice. Creighton once...let alone twice. VCU four times. If we'd have sealed the deal against 2-of-3 w/CSU, VCU and West Virginia, it would truly be a bracket-busting game against someone like St Mary's or Murray State. Instead, it is simply a 2-game series versus an awesome 20-win (in January) mid-major opponent with national exposure on ESPN2. F-ing awesome. If the Bracket Buster doesn't exist, you'd watch the Zips play easily-schedulable dregs like North Carolina Upstate or St Francis. God Bless The Bracket Buster.

Two more vs. VCU wouldn't have hurt either. KD's past editions have struggled against "upper-tier" Bracketbuster opponents. ORU is much better than average, but a notch below the Nevada and VCU teams that we just couldn't beat. ORU would be a nice win for the Zips. Does Rex Humbard have a basketball team?

I spoke to a few former Owens/Brookhart players who came back to visit the University 2 years ago. Ianello kicked them out of the office (actually the weight room).

Wow...suckers are still falling for bogus stuff posted on Twitter?

Harding seems like a player. Hope the expectation turns-out to be true.

Sans the health issues, this made me think of our Bowden situation.

DA ZIPMAN - I miss that guy.

Two wins in the last 24 games...five wins in the last 36 games...trust me, it makes people a little skeptical. Coach Bowden has, in 1 month, generated more goodwill and excitement regarding the Zips football program than Ianello did in 2.5 years. If this were an 800meter race, Bowden would have lapped Ianello while simultaneously running backwards and signing autographs. Great times are ahead for Zips football. But expect Zips fans to need a little time to warm up to a winner and a pro. Chalk it up to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Ah...ZW and I were so young and ambitious in those early years...

I believe Nitro has had a difficult time transitioning from the McNees/Roberts half court game, to the fast break, high flying style of play the Zips have embraced in 2011-12. Even Dambrot has taken some time adjusting to coaching this mix of old+new players. That said, Nitro is an athlete, in the mold of Bobby Sura, sans the hops. He was all-state in 3 different sports. He has the skill set to play wide open, fast break, run-and-stun basketball. He bagged that part of his game for 3 years because it didn't fit those Zips' teams, but he can adjust. I see signs of Nitro loosening up. Having the green light to fire-away, I believe he'll be doing more shooting down the stretch, and less thinking. I look for a more relaxed, free-firing Nitro down the stretch now that it's his established role.

I liked your original Harney Badger post. I love any clever post, because the board can sometimes be overrun with epic, go-no-where 1,000 word oratories, typically containing a bold summary like - "Sometimes players are good, and sometimes they are bad...all we can do is watch the games, trust the coaches and hope for the best in March." As I've said many times, once the board is no longer fun, I'm out. Everyone should be. I only question the rush to official nicknames that seems to be so prevalent anymore. "Sparty's gotta love what's goin' down in C-bus with The Vest and blah blah blah..." Bogus?

Our turnovers kept the game close. Since the WVa game, Diggs has improved SO much at the point. If AA is struggling, like he was last night with turnovers, Diggs seamlessly steps in. If you can get see through the dense Harney-mania that abounds (not that there's anything wrong with it), Q's had a great series of games.

Jason "The Captain" Stargel? Sorry...I had a Berman Moment.

+1 Nik was horrific last night. A turnover machine. And he got away with a couple travels too. Wish he could reliably convert the 2-foot bank shot.

@ JZ84 I like nicknames too. Good ones. Do we really need to call Terry Bowden "T-Bow"? What's that? How long is "Honey Badger" going to be topical/relevant? Another two weeks? It just seems like some people are itching to tag a quicky nickname on any new player or coach now-a-days. Nicknames are earned. Was "The Steel Curtain" named before they ever made a sack? Was "Mr. Clutch" Bryan Hiphser named before he ever missed a free throw?

We're not in Kansas anymore...thank God Ianello is. Another small, positive step in repairing the category 5 damage of the Ianello regime. I'll take it.

Zeke's effectiveness is best measured by blocks, and wins. He never gets the numbers like the physical bigs he faces, but those physical bigs need to have huge numbers for their team to have a chance to win. Zeke needs his 4-5 blocks, plus 4-5 altered shots, and the Zips typically end up in the win column. Points, schmoints.

And it holds true for yet another game...

Marshall was a beatdown too.

Ah, "The B Hip17 Rule." I remember it well.

He's usually found on a couch, where he can deftly perform the "YMCA/O-H-I-O" motions horizontally. He has never been to a Zips sporting event, yet can tell you everything that is wrong with Zips athletics.

OMG...maybe the lecture was really really boring? LOL

Why do people feel compelled to give Akron players or coaches nicknames?

As I sit in the Charlotte airport, beneath the 25 foot high banner stating "Home of the Great GP1, " I will take a few minutes to clarify "The Harney 20 Rule." Harney 20 was based upon what it takes for the Zips to beat a difficult team, on the road. If Nick Harney gets 20 minutes, the odds of a Zips loss to ANY solid mid-major team is almost zero. Since the Zips NEVER win at Buffalo, the Buffalo Harney 20 factor was the full 20. Anything less was futile. The exact number of minutes Harney should/must receive MUST be a variable, changing with venue and strength-of-opponent, otherwise it's irrelevant. As previously stated, Harney could log 0 minutes against EMU or NIU, and the Zips would still win by 20+. As far as the K.e.n.t. game is concerned, KD realized the mistake he was making, only playing Harney 5 minutes in the first half (a 10mpg pace). He upped his minutes to 8.5 in the second half, the exact pace recommended in the CK Harney 20 pre-game calculation of 17+ for an entire game, and the Zips quickly turned a 10 point deficit into a 12 point win. Ball State Harney 20 Factor: 16+