Captain Kangaroo

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.

Love the observation.

While eating a Stromboli in the Student Union this afternoon, I turned around and saw Zippy standing right behind me. She was handing out flyers for the Milikin game, mentioning this promotion. So yes, they are marketing it. To students, even! I love seeing Zippy out and about among the students. Zippy was in an "Outback" type hat, right?

I've waited too long to give up on McClanahan. Big season for Nitro in 2010-11. I take him over Egner.

The guy has great WR's and one of the best offensive lines we've had in years. If he can't produce this season, he'll never produce. Man...if only we had Dylan Potts at QB.

"We're just re-arranging chairs on the Titanic." -- ZipsWin! October 2010

My favorite part of the Ball State game was Andy Alleman boldly proclaiming on 4th and 9, in the 1st OT, that the game was in the bag and he was "going do drive home to his fiancee's house, put his feet up on the table and enjoy the win." OH, ANDY!

I knew I came to the right place!

Except Punter.

Man, I was close on this one.

My Pick of the Year - Zips Beat Ball State. Alex Allen rushes for 100+. PN7 throws TD's to two of his own WR's. Zips 22 Ball State 19

+1. I don't see us being very good next year either. But we must simply be more competitive. The third year will be the telling season. Then, if iCoach fields a consistent contender, we'll all love him and tell people we knew he'd be a winner from the get-go. Explain to me how we could be less competitive than 2010? We lost to a bad 1-AA team, at home. We regularly get drilled by 30+. We lost the wagon wheel.

I noticed in another thread when KD went from 100% to 50% better on Zeke, so it's good to see that he's back to 100% better. Other Thread So how can it be that if Steve McNees shoots 3's instead of 2's, he scores 50% more points...but if he shoots 2's instead of 3's, his ppg drops by 33%?

3-point shots are worth 50% more than 2-point shots. Keep shooting, Steve.

Smart ass. Did they use my poster idea too? You're welcome, Tom.

I would hate to see Nik leave after this year, but I can certainly understand why he would do it. Basketball was a tool for him to get stateside and receive a quality education. Unless he is looking to go to grad school, it sounds like that goal will have been complete. Heading back home where there will be opportunities for him to play professionally would make some sense. I hope it doesn't happen, but if it does I can certainly understand why. Luckily for the Zips we are incredibly deep at the forward spots heading into next year with Euton, Egner, Treadwell, Harney, Diggs, Gilliam and Green. I think he needs to become a better player, if he wants to complete professionally. I don't care what the level of play is in Luxembourg, it's higher than what he's played at @ UA.

Sometimes you are so close to your team that you lose some objectivity on the other teams in the MAC. Like Buffalo, Ball State is as bad as the Zips. It s simply a matter of whether or not Ianello can rally the troops, and whether Latina can figure out some way to score a point. Our defense will be fine against Ball State. If Ianello can coach, we beat Ball State and Buffalo.