Captain Kangaroo

Prices can rise a little for 2010. I'm ok with that. As long as the home OOC schedule is upgraded. It will be interesting to see which direction the Zips OOC schedule goes in 2010 -Cup Cake City - Play a bunch of sorry teams and begin the season 12-1. Huggins did this in 1986-7.Saint Mary's - Play a bunch of high-mid-majors (like MVC's) and low majors (like BCS schools presently in the NIT, or low seed NCAA's) and begin the season 7-5, but with a couple marquee wins.

Hard to believe, as well as he played in his final two games? He looks to be "The Next Omar Jacobs."

I picked this off my DVR. Was it really as crazy in Baghdad after the Zips win as was reported by FOX?

If you got a flight to Portland for $89.00 you have missed your calling as a travel agent.

I bet a guy $20.00 that the Zips' JAR attendance will go from 2.9k to 3.7k next season. KD has done his part on the court. Boals and staff have set the table with great recruits. To get to 3.7k Mack and McFadden now need to get an attention-grabbing schedule. The Zips also need to get off to a good start in 2009-10 and capitalize on the excitement that will surround the program this fall.KD and Company have made progress every season. We need to keep progressing. We need to knock off a Top 25 team. We need to win an NCAA tourney game. Expectations will be justifiably high for 2009-10. We need to meet them!Joe Akron is ready to erupt.

Humpty's shot is looking good, but he's limping. I'm guessing he's good for 8-10 minutes max tomorrow. Sweich is deadly from the baseline, but he looks like he's shooting pop-a-shot. The team is loose...the practice is 100 percent shooting. No scrimmaging. Gonzaga pretty much used the practice time to have dunking competitions and half court trick shots. Illinois scrimmaged and ran a pretty serious 50 minute session.Steward just dunked with 2 hands from a standstill. Compartment Syndrome seems to have some positive side effects.

I got out of class at noon. It was a rare 70 degree March day in Akron. I stopped at an on-campus convenient store on the way home (I think it is now a nasty frat house with a gorilla on the sign outside?) and bought me a 6-pack of the cheapest stuff they had - Hudepohl Gold. Went home to 132 Annadale and watched the game on my couch. Dick Vitale predicted a blow out and was eating his words at halftime when the Zips led.Hudepohl Gold...Huggins left us for Cincinnati...coincidence? I think not.

Sitting on the plane waiting to depart for Chicago...then Portland...I was wondering if any old-timer would want to post some recollections of the Zips 1986 tourney appearance? I'll add some later...the stewardess is telling me to shut it down!

Or, it could further my point since we all know K.e.n.t. fans aren't the smartest hippies in the bong shop.

Worked great! Thank you!

I disagree that Elton has "moved on." Otherwise he wouldn't have pussy-footed around with Singletary, detailing his sucker punch as follows:"Replays showed a half-extended right hand by Singletary to Linhart's sternum as he jumped to make a pass on the baseline." He followed that with text attempting to disprove Dambrot's allegations that Singletary is a dirty player. Singletary has 4 arrests in 2 years at K.e.n.t, yet Alexander jumps to his defense? Inferrs Dambrot is a crybaby? Read into that what you will....Regarding Livingston - The guy was assigned to a tournament that he obviously knew nothing about. He loves dissing Dru and Travis because the were "Lebron's buddies," ignoring their contributions in building the Zips program. The guy wrote that "Kyrem Massey didn't even throw a punch at Jamie Bosley (separate article from last week)." Yeah, no punch...he threw a cheap-shot elbow to his face. All livingstone knows is Dambrot coached LeBron...and he coached CMU. If he can't write a column with a fresher take than that, I'll call him out.If Alexander wants to be critical of the Zips program, and it is legit...like when he recently ripped on the Zips weak non-conference schedule...I say "good for him!" When he drifts back into his BS agendas...he gets tagged with "Ellen." His agenda is very transparent. And it is negative towards the Zips program. I'll continue to call him out when it rears its ugly head. Just like I praise him if he does a good job. That's fair. I can't pretend his agenda is gone...because it obviously isn't.

It isn't a "reach," it is a part of college basketball history.Unlike Elton Alexander, who brings up topics for the sole purpose of making KD or the Zips look bad, this guy did some research and came up with an interesting, historic, tourney-relevant story. You are correct - He had an opportunity to "dig" at KD's CMU stint, but took the high road. Unlike Livingston and Alexander.Zips fans just aren't used to seeing unbiased, high-level journalism 'round these parts. I'm sure more interesting stories will come from the national media over the course of the next few days.

At great expense...I will be there.

Any help here? If anyone knows of a hotel within walking distance of the arena...one that might have a shuttle service from the airport...your insight would be appreciated. Hotel price and rental car costs will factor heavily into my decision.I can justify the $1,000 *gulp* for the flight...but hotel + rental car might raise me into the $2k realm...man, that's tough.Thanks!

The MAC does not allow it. They put all the security guards in the building in front of the main group of Akron fans.I don't get it. Every other conference lets it happen, even if they technically "forbid" it. Hell, they wouldn't even let Nate's parents out on the floor to give him a hug.Since when does the MAC not allow it...since last night? It sucked. Nice job Rick Chryst.

You'll enjoy the Ranch. See you there.

That's a stereotype, and it is untrue. Plenty of us have groused over absolutely horrid officiating at the JAR in games that the Zips have won. Most MAC officials are absolutely terrible. They assume the fans want to watch a 3 hour free throw shooting contest rather than a basketball game.The officiating for the last two games has been fine. I'd say that whether we won or lost. The one thing I hate regarding the tourney officiating thus far - the hair-trigger, anticipatory whistle on every possible action that might, maybe, somehow be a jump ball. Jesus...let the guys clear a rebound.Hopefully we get a solid crew tonight and I can enjot the game.

Cow Pies Deposited Here

Livingston rambles on about Dambrot at CMU, and the LeBron stuff. "Fresh" take, Bill.

Zippy-Zoomba or something like that...

I KNEW it was coming! Zips 68-67. Humpty goes "Willis Reed" on BG. Only 3 points, but inspires the team.

Kara Murphy. After only 2 seasons, she's the all-time scoring leader. Seems like she's unstoppable? Nice season Coach Kest and the ladies! Looks like high expectations for them in '09 - 10? Could Z.I.P eat some crow and get back into the fold? Hey...if I can admit the ABJ is doing a good job covering the Zips, anything is possible.

Former Zips forward Sean Roberts' alma mater.

I will be there all day. 10th year for me too. Praise Humpty & Co. for allowing me to enjoy Thursday! I don't know what Toledo did to deserve such a brutal loss...but it must have been pretty bad. And for it, I am grateful.