Captain Kangaroo

So you think this discussion is regarding Golf Outing attendance? Ghee whiz...why do I even try...

Then there is no reason to do it. A golf course has 18 holes. At most, you can get 20 foursomes off in an outing. Where I had math, 20 x 4 = 80 golfers. That's $12,000 (before expenses) @ $150 per person. I'm not impressed by the golf outing. On the other hand, 20,000 fans paying to see a Zips game at $10 per ticket is $200,000. I'm impressed by that. They need to get focused on selling tickets and not a silly golf outing. Focus, focus, focus. The termination of the football golf outing is second only the parking situation at the Rubber Bowl (it was a grass field for crying out loud) on the list of non-issues that have been made important in Zips history. "At most you can get 20 foursomes off?" They doubled up on the holes, so there upwards of 160 people at the Outing. Beyond that, there were raffle tickets that most people spent $20 on. That's $24,000. Plus $3,200. Oh, and several tables were sold to Corporations @ $2,500 each. People PAID $30,000+ to talk Zips football in June! And most of the prizes were donated. You make it seem physically impossible to sell 20,000 football tickets at $10 a pop while holding a 1-day fan appreciation event that nets $30k. I say somehow, some way, it could be done. Dude - stick to what you know. Or, keep an open mind. Now I know what ZipWatcher feels like when you expound on basketball.

Another name to add to this list is Jake Fenlason, a keeper from FC San Diego. He has committed according to ESPNRise. His coach is Aodhan Quinn's father. Coincidence? What are we going to do with another GK? Meves is probably never going be taken out unless we are way ahead or he gets hurt. Poni is our backup. Andrian McAdams will probably never play as it is, why a fourth keeper? I agree and don't understand why the kid would want to come to Akron and probably not play much or at all. Always amazes me when guys commit to programs that already have two or more experienced keepers. Especially one who is not a national level recruit. Could it be that Caleb isn't 100% sold on Meves, and is bringing in competition to either spark, or supplant him?

Can't wait to see Phil make is annual "K.e.n.t's going to a bowl game" "K.e.n.t.'s going to win the MAC East" predictions. He loses all credibility with me when he picks K.e.n.t. football anything.

The Michigan Bucks? Only slightly more improbable than The Akron Golden Flashes.

The only reason we've played VCU is due to the Bracketbuster event. Shaka has nothing to do with it. And the Bracketbuster is awesome. Otherwise we'd never get to see the likes of Nevada, or Creighton, or VCU at the JAR.

With the exception of only a few (the "pros/ringers" that attend these events with the expectations to shoot 18-under, and win something), everyone I know that attended the Outings was there to take a day off work, see old friends, get a little drunk, get to know the staff a bit on a personal level, and talk some Zips football in June. Golf is just something fun to do for a few hours while you're drinking and BS-ing.

Looks to be only for former players? Guess I'll just be me and ZipsWin having Pizzas on the Patio this summer? I disagree with the golf outing's cancellation/termination. At the company I am employed, we pay an enormous amount of money annually to get face-time with some top customers at a central, pre-organized event. It's always held at some resort out West each winter. Point being - We PAY a ton of money to get face time with potential customers. Conversely -- UA had an up-and-running event that gathered 150-or-so of it's better customers to talk Zips football in June. An event everyone liked. And UA's customers PAID UA $150+ per person to do it. The event was never a big money-maker. But it never lost money, and it was a great way to pimp UA and get people feeling good about their alma mater. An get them thinking about donating, or increasing their donation level. It was for me, 7 of my other buddies who otherwise would never spend a Summer second thinking about Zips football. Now 150+ people aren't thinking about Zips football in June, and their wallets and check books remain on the kitchen counter top. I'll spend my $$ on the Fall Zips hoops outing. But they've lost my June $$, and the opportunity to spread some goodwill to 150+ core football fans.

Story

The only thing I wonder is -- Would it have been better to break it down into "5 for $50" and something like "11 for $100?" 10 bucks a game is great, but some people just freak out at the $100 number. Nice idea....I just wonder if the $100 number itself will be a deterrent. Even "$99" makes a difference (hence why everything in the world is priced @ some increment of "99" rather than rounding up to the "00" integer).

Who was the RPI National Champ last year? How big was the trophy?

That can't be... we don't compete against them for recruits. Unless we decide to one-up them and, on top of giving them free ink, throw in some hookers and $500 handshakes, we don't.

What about the other 49? Reminds me of this story.

I miss the days when NBA-caliber players regularly appeared at the JAR. Even if they were always on the opposing team's roster. I could care less about RPI's...the CBI... Sagarin points and whatever other ancillary crap is bandied about. Make the MAC a better basketball conference. If it makes the MAC a stronger overall basketball conference, I'm all for it. At least the Commish seems to have recognized a problem and implemented a plan to correct it. Will it work? Only Zach knows for certain.

To be honest, I wish we'd have received more media coverage last season. Knowing the media would question UA decision-makers would put pressure on those people to do better. With no media coverage in bad times, there's no accountability. Example: Coleman Crawford languished at UA WAY too long because the media has traditionally ignored the Zips program in dire times. Terry Pluto LOVED clamoring for terrible/marginal coaches to stay.

I can't recall the last time I clicked on GoZips.com. Other than for a schedule or a peek at a roster. I haven't clicked on the Bucthelite's web site in years. The ABJ is miles ahead of the David Lee Morgan years. Gaffney does a very nice job. I think Alexander gives the Zips a fair shake in Cleveland. #1: Z.N.o - Best combination of local and national stories, plus fan insight. 100% objective. #2: ABJ - Best access to local stories. Good amount of coverage. #3: PD - Elton seems to get mad when the MAC sucks, because it makes his job less fun. I like that about him. #4 - "Others." Irrelevant

It looks like they have a good precedent to argue for getting paid. Bradley has sent no check yet. And there appears precedent that K.e.n.t. is due at least $400k. With the full 1.2 million a distinct possibility due to the contract's remaining years. If you poo poo $400k, ask YouTube Tom how easy it is to find a $400k donor. Or if $400k makes an impact on his budget. $400k pays for a couple golf coaches, a tennis coach, the track coach, and maybe a baseball and softball coach too.

$1.2 million dollars. That makes an impact in a MAC Athletic Department budget. Just to clarify, Can't State is highly, HIGHLY unlikely to see a $1.2 million dollar payout on this. Even if the case eventually does go to court, which in all likelihood it will be settled for a much smaller dollar amount well before it ever sniffs a jury, these types of liquidated damages clauses are just not favored much in the courts. The courts will likely look at that big, $1.2 million dollar figure and say you are essentially trying to put a barrier in front of the guy ever leaving his position. They will likely look at it as a loose form of indentured servitude (we've got a big problem with that in this country) and would be very hesitant to issue a judgment anywhere close to that amount. It really is puzzling to me why Can't State is continuing to push this. They are unlikely to receive a payout that is going to cover their costs, it is going to have a deterrent effect on future coaching hires, it isn't going to bring Geno Ford back. It just seems like leftover bitterness and animocity is clouding their judgment to the point where they are making a bad decision just to try and screw with Ford and Bradley. He signed a contract. @ $300k/year. He knew he'd be on the hook for 1.2 million if he departed with 4 years remaining. 300k/yr in Portage County is a ton of money. And now he's at 700k/yr, plus perks. We should all be so burdened with indentured servitude.

From the article: Seems pretty cut-and-dry? Ford should cough up the cash. I don't see it being a deterrent to hiring future coaches. K.e.n.t. is a nice mid-major gig, and any up-and-comer-ladder-climber would take it, regardless of the law suit outcome. They may not sign a stupid contract like Ford, but they'll sign one regardless.

$1.2 million dollars. That makes an impact in a MAC Athletic Department budget.

Andre in happier times

+1 Louisville would be a great rival too, if Lolla had the guts to sign on the dotted line.

I hear next week Lunardi is going to post his 2013 bracket predictions? Man, will that be interesting to read. Hope Zach posts the link. I expect to be clipping my toenails when the story goes to press, and may miss it.

Agreed. Akron and Indiana are bona fide, Top 10 heavyweights.

True. If the other team isn't winning anything, it ain't much of a "rivalry." It's a ton of fun to beating Ohio State, don't get me wrong. But they haven't stepped up to the plate and made it a "rivalry." I think next year's CSU match could be equally as intriguing/heated/crazy as Ohio State. Only because CSU manned-up and beat the Zips. Ohio State wants to be our rival. But they aren't. They're Robin. We're Batman. Yes, CSU beat us, but I wouldn't say they "manned-up". More like they played better than normal and we over looked the game and played down to them. It was a total fluke. A single game does not justify a rivalry. CSU is not our strongest rival, OSU is! I think OSU may be our strongest in-state opponent. But with an all time series record of something like 6-24-3 (off the top of my head, but I believe that's close) they just don't seem like a rival to me. It's giving their program too much credit. I think Penn State/UA is a better rivalry. But that's just me. I enjoy whipping both.