Captain Kangaroo

I thought the Zips played extremely well last night. The loss of Zeke to a couple ticky-tak fouls really hurt. The game really got away from us when Zeke left, and I don't know why KD stuck with Bardo...who seemed intent on passively watching Dayton players rebound, drive and dunk over him at-will. Dayton's big men moved way too fast for him. I agree with Dr. Z that this team is light years ahead of last season's edition. Abreu is a much more capable back up PG than Steward or Humpty. Nitro and Roberts seem to be confident, and ready to play this season. Euton can spell Zeke at C if necessary, but can also spot up and hit the three (my new "David Falknor" has arrived!!) Cventinovic still plays like a bull in a china shop. If he could just learn to finish confident and strong around the rim, he'd score 4 - 6 more points per game. He gets in good position, then throws it up, and hopes. That said, the kid must really have worked on his free throw shooting. I hope it holds up for the rest of the season. To help, I'm making a sign for him -- "Make Free Throws, Not Babies." Diggs was a step slow on D, and took bad shots. KD's job will be figuring out how to best utilize this kid. He's a player, no doubt. More Euton and Egner in the paint, less Bardo, and this team should be able to play with about anyone. Very fun team to watch. Great hustle, and great ball movement all night. Brett McKnight who?

When you are a Zips fan, the sources of ridicule are seemingly endless.

Dennis Helsel was one of the nicer people I've ever met.

Really? I remember that Waddell was friendly with Joe fan. Thomas, not so much. Great AD .. but not a great interacter w/ Joe Fan in my experience. I agree. Hardly said "boo" to Thomas in his 3-or-so years here. Waddell spearheaded "fan relations." And he did a good job of it. Maybe TW needs a "Waddell?"

Me too!

Look at Dambrot giving the "boot" to multiple hoops Zips last season.... maybe iCoach went to school off his exodus plan? On the surface the football house-cleaning looks bad, but we've got 3 years to see if it is the right move. I hate being the absolute worst college football team in the country as much as the next UA alumni. But if the solution to the problem was jettisoning a large chunk of the team, and that solution works, I'm all for it. Whether it is, or isn't, it's what we've got. Is iCoach Al Golden Jr., or Shane Montgomery Jr.? I don't see this "plan" yielding a 6-6 record. It's either insane, and we are going 4-32 over the next three seasons. Or the guy is a genius, and we're in a bowl in 2013. It's going to be one or the other.

Zips run out of $1 dogs...10 minutes prior to tip-off? ** The window remains staffed by 4 people who need a calculator to combine two $1 Pepsi's and two $1 hot dogs? Lines were 20...30 people deep? Who knew? Even when the Zips listen to my advice and run a decent college promotion...they find a way to blow it. Next time: Use this, fill it with water and hot dogs. Done. *** ** Note: Hot Dog warmer was re-filled, and after a lengthy delay, a 2nd batch was served. *** Note 2: How can we offer Doctorates in Polymer Science, but not run a concession stand for a 2,500 person crowd?

We lost to Austin Peay last year, and ended up having a phenomenal season...at least by some people's standards. To paraphrase Mark Twain -- "Reports of OU's death are greatly exaggerated." With hard work and dedication, the CBI is still within reach of the Bobcats.

OSU would be absolutely nuts. I hope that's the draw!!

I think the game could play-out in a number of ways...but the key for the Zips will be avoiding the epic, 10-minute scoring drought. I also think our perimeter defense needs to be dramatically improved from where it was the last 1/3rd of last season. Score consistently, and defend the 3-point line, and we have a good shot at the upset.

I heard it was to be joined in progress after the Cavs game... so maybe the second half.. It should be on Fox Sports Cincinnati (Direct TV CH 661) in it's entirety.

Agreed. An undefeated CSU team coming into the JAR next Wednesday, battling it out for NE Ohio bragging rights, makes for the best OOC game the Zips have had on-campus in some time. In the big picture, a CSU win gives us an edge in NIT consideration over the Vikings. Their K.e.n.t. win helps our RPI. If we beat CSU, K.e.n.t. begins to worry more about the Zips in 2011. And on and on and on... Congrats to Gary Waters for beating the F.lashes, and giving UA a marquee OOC match up in November. Love it. And for those of you who don't believe next Wednesday's game is anything special...wait til you see it. Then post back and tell me -- "You were right."

No dice. I will always give you money.

Pulled into the natatorium parking lot last night at 7pm, and my son began complaining of chest pains...he eventually threw up. Turned around and drove back up Route 8. Son is ok today, but we missed the game. Thanks to all for your observations.

The athletic Depatment. They are in panic mode down there right now. There have been numerous meetings with other department heads in the last 2 weeks trying to come up with some way to get the students to come to another home game. Free Beer. Anything else will not work. Which also brings to light the other way to get people to tolerate horrible football -- Sell beer on the patio overlooking the north end of InfoCision. There's nothing worse than a "dry" wedding reception. Or: Sell re-entry tickets for $3.00. People can go drink in the lot at halftime, then re-enter. UA gets $3.00...and doesn't have the liability of selling alcohol in the stadium. And they get another couple hundred butts added to the attendance. No go ahead and steal my ideas, UA employee. Pass them along to TW and act like they are your own.

I'm tired of telling UA what to do without getting credit for the idea. YouTube Tom can hug my freaking nut. He's paid big, 6-figure dollars to run UA Athletics, and he's looking for free help. Show me you have even the slightest clue what you're doing, and show appreciation for your fans, and I'll help you, Tom. Until then, as GP1 accurately stated, I'll just sit back and watch you step on your next land mine. What did you promise Proenza when you stepped on campus, Tom? What have you done to meet your promises? Basketball was secured when you arrived, as was track and soccer. You have awesome football training facilities and a fantastic stadium. And your hand-picked guy kicks field goals when he needs 5 TD's. Fix that, then you can ask for free advice on ticket strategies.

Better than being down 24 points to start every 2nd quarter, Enos my man.

Most likely it's Deji Ibitayo. Our two other 2011 recruits are already on campus as greyshirts. They are not grayshirts. They are non-qualifiers. Big difference. Gray shirts are usually academically qualified. They simply enroll a semester late because scholarships are maxed out (i.e. football scholarships are maxed out for the fall 2010, but a few open up in the spring due to winter graduations, so a Feb 2010 gray shirt signee would enroll at UA in January 2011, not August 2010). Gray shirts can play immediately assuming grades are good. Non-qualifiers cannot play for two semesters, assuming they are academically on-track after two semesters.

FYI - He still thinks Santa Claus is coming.

KD's direct quote is: ''He is deceptive. He looks like he's slow as molasses, but he's always getting by guys." He's not slow as molasses. He just looks that way. The deceptive part is that defensive players have a problem staying with him even though he doesn't appear to be moving that fast. I always marvel when I watch Chris Paul play the point because he doesn't look as fast as some other NBA guards, but he calmly dribbles right into the lane, weaving in and out of defensive players like they aren't even there. Now obviously I'm not saying that Alex Abreu is equivalent to Chris Paul. But my initial look at Abreu playing last week reminded me of the way Paul can keep defenders on their heels despite not appearing to move fast in a straight line. As I try to analyze it, I think it has to do with making many sudden, unpredictable changes in direction and speed instead of moving consistently fast in a single direction. This requires great peripheral vision to know where all the other players are on the court, and it requires being extremely comfortable dribbling the ball close to defenders without fear that it's going to be picked so that the total focus can be on finding the open player to hit with the pass. I was thinking as I watched Abreu weave around defenders as if they were statues that this is one of the most important qualities of a really good PG. I can't recall having seen a converted shooting guard or combo guard make those kinds of moves, and most PGs aren't really that good at doing it. Over the years we've complained that the Zips are a little too predictable, which makes them easier to defend against. Abreu appears to have that rare combination of being both unpredictable and in control. Keep your eyes on him every moment he's on the floor. He's fun to watch. Having never seen him play, I'm guessing he's a Pearl Washington/Mark Jackson sort-of-player? That would be cool.

I'll reveal what I know. I know that we're winless with only two games to go. I know that we have a coach who the players hate and who resents his players. I know that our coordinators don't know how to call plays. I know that our position coaches have made the players at their positions worse than they were last year. I know that the athletic director doesn't care about the few hardcore fans that remain. I know that Akron will not be able to sell any football tickets next year. And I know that absolutely none of this bothers the AD or head coach. You know you believe those things. Lots of people believe their own BS .. you're not the first, and won't be the last. He knew that Nicely broke his ankle...that Zeke was transferring...that you can't sit on the grass at InfoCision...

You can only shoot them againt the competition that's on your floor on a given night. I'm sure he would have rather shot them against Duke...but Duke's afraid of the JAR. Not Nitro's fault.

Being fair to Ianello -- If the Zips convert two extra points, we're sitting at 2-7, with Buffalo still remaining.

Well I won't be able to make the trip, but I will eagerly anticipate a 'Meister sighting on STO next Tuesday! This almost belongs in an episode of In Search Of..., featuring Leonard Nimoy. Will he be wearing D-real's kangaroo suit?

Playing colege football, with three kids, at age 22 Man, did this kid make life difficult for himself. But it seems like he pulled it together. Good for him.