Captain Kangaroo

I wonder if the Miami crowds during the Wally-era were any different?

Nice job. Better than I could have done. My favorite tidbit - Do I see an opponent for the Zips to add to their 2010-11 OOC schedule embedded in your column? Out with Malone...in with...

Congrats to Levon! What a great representative of The University of Akron!I look forward to all the ZN posters who bemoaned our "out of control" football program in September stepping forward and, with the same number of keystrokes, acknowledging what an outstanding representative of the UA Program this particular kid is.

Illinios Message Board

Roo-DEE....Roo-DEE...Roo-DEE?

What's this all aboot?

Allen Jones is a good "get" for YSU. I figured him to go to an MAC program.

Interesting to see another former Zips coach on the list - Jim Pry. Out at Illinois, I guess. He's a good guy.Who's going to be the YSU Recruiting Coordinator?

Congrats LeVon!Who do you guys think should play LeVon in the movie?You.

Ask the ADHe reads this site as much as than anyone. Why duplicate the effort?

I wanted to buy a Zips basketball jersey for my son for Christmas. I pulled out my wallet that the former "Porkey's Place," and was told - "Sorry, we don't sell basketball jersey's any longer."Way to capitalize on our NCAA appearance UA. Who wants little kids wearing "Akron" jerseys to school, and around town? I did see a sweet Zips/Golden F.l.a.s.h.e.s "Wagon Wheel Game" t-shirt up on the wall - $19.99. Bet that relic is a hot seller at December basketball games...especially as such a bargain price.

There is a small but quality group of Zips tailgaters that attends many road football games. Check back in at the end of the summer. Good luck finding a Zips canopy. The University Team Shop doesn't even offer basketball jerseys.

In an attempt to offer one semi-fresh take on this topic -In a post-game interview last year, Dambrot stated - "We get 4,800 people here on Credit Union Night," and that game is played against a lousy opponent. You can't tell me it's (low attendance) only about scheduling."His point being - Someone, years ago, went out and built a relationship with the Credit Union. That game is always one of the best-attended games of the season. 4,500+ butts-in-seats is a given. For basketball - Who is going out now-a-days and building corporate relationships under the model of the Credit Union game? If people are going to point a finger at the schedule, the game results, the MAC or whatever...working with corporations and community groups to get more "<Insert Group Here> Night's" needs to be a focus too. It isn't like Credit Union members are some rabid group of hoops fans. What is successful with them can be successful at many other institutions.

I would love to see Houston, Tulsa and SMU on the Zips schedule. And Marshall. People who don't know football think Marshall made a bad move leaving the MAC. While CUSA isn't at the Big East level, it is light years ahead of the MAC. Marshall made the right call.I totally think they made the right call. And I agree those teams would be great coming to the INFO. Lots of history with SMU and Houston. But their level of success seems to have diminished somewhat. I suggest you check out SMU and Houston's 2009 schedule and season's results.

I would love to see Houston, Tulsa and SMU on the Zips schedule. And Marshall. People who don't know football think Marshall made a bad move leaving the MAC. While CUSA isn't at the Big East level, it is light years ahead of the MAC. Marshall made the right call.

That'll happen once the "Akron's in Ohio" chants stop. The Canada stuff was started in response to that.I learned something today.

I...can...barely...summon..the..strength...to...lift...the...bat...

It was the photographic negative of the URI game. For BG, we started the first 12-or-so minutes horrifically (10 points? Was it Coleman Crawford "Turn Back the Clock" Night?), then poured it on thereafter. Asking for a perfect 40 minutes every night is going to lead you to a lot of let-downs. For no good reason. It is really tough to be critical of a game where you finish it outscoring your opponent 53-21! Especially when that opponent is the defending MAC East regular season champs.Great game by the Zips. On a pro-BG note - I was impressed by how far Jacobowski (sp?) has come. He played a nice game. Otis Polk? Anthony Stacey has to be embarrassed at what has become of the once proud center position on the BG squad.Is Louis Orr even 2 lbs over his NBA playing weight?

Knoch High School - My mom's alma mater!

How has Gonzaga done it in their conference? I see no reason why a MAC program cannot rise above the garbage if it so chooses. The lofty goal of becoming "The Gonzaga of the East" seems to be increasingly difficult for the Zips to attain. But becoming "The Gonzaga of the MAC" is pretty realistic. Hell...we're 90% of the way there already.

Column

If the PAC-10 wants to extend an offer, the Boise State would surely accept. But the PAC-10 has no interest in doing so. No BCS conference will invite them. So they schedule the best they can. Boise absolutely crushed Oregon. Oregon was an excellent team in 2009.Boise State has proven they can play with anyone in the country.

A buddy of mine played football for Austintown Fitch in the late 70's. Fitch apparently played a terrible 1st half. In the locker room @ halftime, the coach grabbed my buddy's face mask...pulled his head to the bench...and tore the team a new a-hole while sitting on my bud's head the entire intermission.A lot of these coaches played ball in the 70's & 80's. I'm sure some of the discipline they deal out is the same thing they got during their playing days. But kids today are a little different. And there are more lawyers, the Internet, cell phone cameras etc. Coaching is different now-a-days.

Before the game was played I agreed with you. Then both teams looked pretty crappy. Would you rather Boise State play Florida and TCU play any other BCS team and lose? Neither of those teams looked very good, which really diminishes the argument for Boise State's AP title hopes.When two great teams plat each other, they sometimes negate each other. I thought the TCU/Boise game was great. It showed that both teams actually had a solid defense to complement their offense.Florida, Texas and Alabama probably beat TCU or Boise. But by no more (margin) than they'd beat Ohio State, Pitt, Iowa, Auburn etc. Boise and TCU belonged in the BCS games.