Captain Kangaroo

Any chance we can re-activate that old InfoCision web cam and watch the scoreboard sway 24/7?

It seemed like the scoreboard segment responsible for displaying the Zips offensive point total was broken for the entire 2010 season?

Fair response. But there was no inference that an undefeated record is required to pack the house. The Zips have had a very good run in hoops the past 5 years. But no one can deny the fact that it hasn't been "magical" to Joe Akron. Magical to the Zips diehards, and the ZN.O faithful, but not to the average Joe. This season we were 9-7 in the MAC regular season. Losing 7 games in the MAC regular season isn't magical. It doesn't get any bandwagon rolling. And it doesn't get a student out of his dorm room, away from his X-Box, off Facebook, and removing his red Ohio State Foam Finger to stroll across the campus in late-January and watch the Zips play Eastern Michigan. The Zips have had nice regular seasons, followed by excellent tourney runs. They haven't had a GREAT regular season, followed by a GREAT post-season. *Note* :Before Basketball Guy blows his top, I will make it clear, again, that everyone on this board has been thrilled with our tourney performance. But Joe Akron isn't wowed by MAC Championships. At least not sufficiently so to make the JAR SRO vs Milliken the following season. As an old-timer, I can tell you K.e.n.t. State drew flies before Gary Waters. The Zips had more fans at the Ke.n.t. gym during the Bosley/Ball era. Hell, I sat in the K.e.n.t. student section, right next to the floor, because there were no K.e.n.t. students at the games. K.e.n.t. had their magic run with Gates and Co., and it still pays dividends today. 12 years later? And to your final point, if Zips Football went 7-5 for 4-of-5 consecutive years, and played in 4 lower-tier bowls, and beat no major BCS competition, we'd average 15k. No more. Only a 9-3...10-2..."90's Marshall-type Years" would get the locals to show up in droves. It is absolutely no different than Zips basketball.

Ask the basketball team, its not that simple. I disagree. The basketball team fills a crappy arena to roughly 60-65% capacity by "winning." "Winning" being defined by a 64% winning percentage, where the team was 12-10 through 2/3 of the reason. If the football team won 7 games in a given season (58% winning percentage) @ InfoCision, it is pretty much a given that attendance would be around 15k. Virtually identical to the basketball team. No one should be able to point to the basketball team and say "LOOK...WE WON TONS OF GAMES AND ONLY DREW TO 60% CAPACITY...AKRON FANS WILL NEVER SHOW UP!!" That's plain stupid. The basketball team fills the arena to the appropriate level for it's performance, and facility. That's plain simple. You want to increase attendance? With something that's within the Program's control? Build off 2010-11. Don't take a step back, record-wise. Beat marquee opponents. Win an NCAA tourney game. Market Zeke. Long-term, and outside the Program's immediate control: Improve the facility.

I wonder if David will major in Computer Programmeing?

I think their best chance at a draft will be in Lot 9 this fall.

IMO - Diggs it the guy I'm most looking forward to seeing next October. His progression from Day #1 through the season's final game, and Dambrot's incrementally progressive Q-factor confidence was a great story to watch unfold. People forget Diggs was a happy camper at New Orleans until their program dropped to D-III. The kid goes from eating gumbo & muffaletta ... playing hoops and tossing beads...to Akron Ohio, Skyway and some guy named Dambrot whom he's essentially never heard of tearing him a new a-hole in practice every day. And don't forget Q's from Kansas. Kansas-to-New Orleans-to-Akron within one school year is pretty tough on a 19-year old. Still, as time progressed he worked hard and became a key contributor @ year's end. He's Quade (another "Q"), but with skills. Raw skills, but real, high-level skills none-the-less. He needs to work on his man defense. But his gambling style and long length made him an an excellent zone defender last season. He's the best ball-hawk we've seen since Jimmal Ball. If he gets his "man" footwork down, he'll be the #1 lock-down defender in the MAC. And, he'll give our upcoming BCS-level opponents fits too. These guys will know all about Zeke... Q is going to be a shock. His 3-point shot is sweet. He has great rotation. And he seems to pick his spots well too...he doesn't hoist the ball recklessly. He is our best one-on-one baller. I agree he needs to improve his handling skills, but towards the end of year #1 with the Zips, he got to the hole against just about anyone, at any time. The kid's got an on-court, nasty demeanor. He will get his share of technicals before his career is over. But the Zips need a bad-ass. If Q can keep his temper on the edge, without going over it, I'll be ecstatic. Is Q a 6th Man? I don't think so. B McKnight accepted that role because he was such a one-dimensional player. Q has the potential to do it all. You want him on the court from the opening tip. I like McClanahan in the #6 spot in 2011-12. Rebounding? He needs to work on it a bit. His athleticism will allow him to out-leap a lot of guys. But his gambling defensive nature doesn't put him in the best rebounding position some times. With improved defensive footwork will come better rebounding position. The nearest old-school Zips with Q's skill set was Marcel Boyce. And Boyce was at his best soaring over the likes of Michigan's Roy Tarpley and Pitt's Charles Smith. I think Q can can be that type of guy. Q's whirlwind tour is now over. He knows his teammates. He knows his coaches. He can finally settle down in Akron, unpack his bags and focus on school and hoops. I think his best attribute is he's a great competitor. Guys like that work hard. Big things await him this upcoming season. And remember - I'm the guy that told everyone McClanahan was going to bust out in 2010-11.

Hey...we have Ron Powlus on-campus. We should ask him about the accuracy of Beano's prognostications? Tom Gaffney, make the call!

Did they increase the draft to 18 rounds this year? If not, then no Zips will be drafted. Maybe someone pulls a Dejoeve Platt or Dwight Lowery, and mistakenly is associated with the Zips? We can only hope.

Hipsher had (most seasons) a lot of individual talent (Bosley, Ball, Andrick, Phillips, Hollingsworth, Tarver etc.). But he couldn't win. Managing egos, keeping kids out of jail, motivating... it takes a lot more than 3-4 good basketball players to build a winning program. To improve EMU to "mediocre" isn't too difficult. Simply get some coachable, semi-talented kids who will stick with the program for the duration. If this coach is any good, and he uses that plan, he'll have them winning 15-17 games within 3 years. The tough part is surpassing "mediocre." Winning 20+. That's coaching.

I wish we'd play that Columbus Crew squad again. That was a fun exhibition back at the old Lee Jackson Field.

Nik spends a portion of his summers in Serbia (goes home to see the girlfriend). He did the same thing the last 2 years. Does this mean he's dropped his Spring semester classes? Will he be at the celebration next Friday?

A coach coming off a 1-11 season isn't going to play favorites. The best QB will be under center for the Zips on September 3rd. And unlike last season, we will have a Plan B if Plan A doesn't work out. It will be interesting to see if D'Orazio redshirts.

Not nearly the fun you imagine. New England has a ton of awesome microbreweries. Tailgating will be a blast, guaranteed. And like roadies to West Point or MTSU, we'll have a realistic shot at a game-day win. I imagine the fun might ever be better than I imagined.

Wish in one hand...

If serious questions are asked, TW will put on his serious face, I guarantee it.

Temple played our home opener in 07. Son of a b!tch...you're right. I missed that game. Once @ the JAR since 2005 is still not too much to get excited about.

How long has it taken Temple to play @ the JAR? They joined in 2005, and I don't recall ever seeing them grace our hallowed court? Thus the "UMass must play 2 MAC schools per year on the road" stipulation doesn't excite me all too much. Zeke will be in his 4th season with the Celtics before we ever see an AirTran flight dropping UMass players off on the CAK tarmac.

Next time Z-guins stops by our board, it will be interesting to see how he spins this one. Yet another 1-AA program steps up to the 1-A plate, while YSU football is content to try and achieve "tallest midget" status with whomever remains at the kiddie level. But, they complain MAC programs won't come to YSU to play them? UMass just showed them how it's done...on the field, not whining on a message board. Fall trips to New England will be fun. I look forward to it. Is UMass football any good? Probably middle-of-the-pack-MAC if they began playing today. It will be sad to see them surpass the Zips after 2 seasons at the 1-A level (2012), when we've been at it for 25 years. Don't let it happen, iCoach.

Once the spring semester is done, assuming they have sufficient credits and a serviceable GPA, they'll all be eligible. Great news on the pre-season tourney. The iron is hot for the next 2 seasons...it's time to strike, and play some marquee opponents.

He played as much for the Zips as you.

The Hoops Board is D-E-A-D?!

Who the hell is DeJoeve Platt?

Seriously...why rip on our QB about a play that happened 7 months ago? Are you a K.e.n.t. fan? I didn't find anything "hilarious" about that play, or the season. No Zips fan would.