Captain Kangaroo

"Hello, Lee Owens? Tom Wistercill here. Got a second? I have a question for you...."

We look like a bunch of clowns for failing to lure a D-II coach and alum to our D-1 coaching job. On the theory - What if Winters called his bluff and took the job? Would Wistercill risk losing his #1 choice? No chance. Dumb internet theory. Dumber AD.

Twitter Tom botches up yet another one. Wow. He couldn't sell a Akron alum, D-II coach to lead the Zips. How many weeks did he have to prepare for this?

Please direct any complaints to ZipWatcher. The spelling changeover function is his. Thanks, CK

I would feel really good because I would know I had all the power at that point. I'm being called by this buffoon because someone is telling him to call me, not because he chose to call me. I know he is just a figure head for the process. If Caleb Porter, Dennis Mitchell and Keith Dambrot have figured out a way to work under this administration, Winters should be able to figure it out too.

Well said. Having to pay a guy a high salary is one thing. Locking that in for half a decade before you know what you have is just, well, really dumb. Having fired the last coach after only 2 seasons, and having a HUGE rebuilding project to undertake where the first 2 seasons are going to be absolutely abysmal, probably means some out-of-the-ordinary guarantees are going to be included in the new coach's contract. I know I'd demand them.

Whomever coaches the Zips for the next 4 seasons will not have a +.500 overall winning percentage after those 4 seasons conclude. If that coach goes 8-4 in year #4, yet has an overall winning percentage of .445, does that mean he sucks?

Cap, that example is 45 bad decisions. Ok. Jim shot one kid.

Sure it's a concern. This job will require 3+ years to see real results. Years #1 and #2 will be ug-LEE. Twitter Tom has a reputation for firing football coaches after 2 seasons. Jesus could coach the Zips next year, and the whole water-into-wine trick he pulled would pale in comparison to winning 3 games in 2012. Don't you think, after Jesus goes 2-10 next season, that the other MAC coaches are going to tell 2013 Akron recruits "You know, Jesus probably isn't even going to be at Akron by the time your redshirt is done. He'll get canned." Only in Akron can a $70million dollar stadium and a $10million training facility be negligible.

"Hey, Jim walked into a school and shot 45 kids. But he's really a good guy...never even had so much as a speeding ticket before the shooting. One bad decision shouldn't define him." No one is saying anything about Proenza, so you're plea to have the Zips faithful cut him some slack is really puzzling. TW f'd up his first, and only major hire. Big time. He hired arguably the worst-prepared head coach in the history of Division 1 football. He took a stadium that was packed on his first football game day, and grew that to a friends-and-family crowd of about 700 on his last home game. TW got a mulligan. Some how, some way he got the blessing to axe his hand-picked coach after two seasons and try again. As I read Winters comments, it deeply concerns me that Winters had "serious concerns" about his potential new boss. If Winters does turn down his alma mater...with the best facilities in the MAC...a brand new $70million dollar stadium...a $400k/yr contract...who would be to blame? I saw Twitter Tom's 1st hire. What was seen cannot be unseen. The only way he should get any slack is to hit this drive 285 down the middle. Another shank essentially kills our football program.

I would relinquish my season tickets immediately upon his hiring.

This would be a surprise to me. There weren't enough people at the basketball game tonight to rotate any rumor mills.

Or, he still hasen't met the obligations necessary to lift his suspension. Or, the University, not KD, still will not let him play. Or, nobody really knows.

And that is your and his belief (or at least yours). I have no idea if he was giving "token" interviews. If that is the case, then others above TW need to be questioned as well (and yes, that includes Proenza). If you can change the past, please do it. The past sucked. If you can't change the past, then please move forward. There's hope for the future.

Twitter Tom passed on every available coach in the nation when he selected Iannello. By your logic, we shouldn't consider any of those 100+ coaches because...well...we didn't select them 2 years ago. Obviously, TT had no clue what he was doing 2 years ago and shanked his first tee shot deep into the woods. Just thank the Lord that that drive was so egregious that he was given a mulligan. Trying to get back on topic - Nice read, WNN.

Very happy for him. Fordham site

I will miss watching Brian tremendously. He was one of the only bright spots for the Zips over the past three horrific seasons. The NFL visibility excuses (as the reason for departing) are a bunch of garbage. You get one shot to play college ball. He has 5 total wins in the three years he's played at UA. Next year will be ugly again, regardless of the messiah we hire. There was room on the Titanic life boat for one more, and it appears he's taking the seat. I hope Brian lands somewhere where his new University gives him a chance to walk off the field a winner. He deserves it. Anyone remember when pre-season MAC Defensive MVP Nate Boyd (linebacker) left the Zips after Faust was fired? He was quoted as "wanting to walk with God." He then dropped out and worked at a bicycle factory in the East Liverpool area. Ultimately, he returned. That's my only precedent for hoping Wagner returns. The two situations are eerily similar. If Soccer Guy can be happy for Ben Speas, I can certainly be happy for Wagner, wherever he ends up. Hopefully he'll announce his college as "The University of Akron" on Monday Night Football in a couple years.

I am. I certainly could be wrong, but the 440V line dropping in the bathtub describes the level of shock I'd receive if it's anyone else.

Can't say I blame him. I just don't know what school would take him. Are you serious? I'll give you a hint -- any program that is alphabetically at, or beneath YSU.

Per Elton @ the PD, Harney will not play tonight. He has obligations related to his suspension that he has yet to meet. Sounds like the "Workshop" scenario that David Falknor encountered over break several years ago?

I'll agree with that assessment. With our team in flux from game to game, the playing field against any D1 opponent is leveled. We need a couple home wins, and a consistent roster for several consecutive games, to begin finding a groove.

You also think that former position coaches under contract through February will destroy our football budget. I will stick with my theory.

Lets see...Johnson...Stoops...Narduzzi...all three could have signed on the dotted line a week ago. Yet they haven't. Winters needs to wait until after the D2 playoffs to make any public comment. Gee...who could be our next coach? Boy is Twitter Tom angry that footballscoop.com and ZN.o both announced, and thoroughly discussed Iannello's firing days before he officially announced it.