Captain Kangaroo

A breath of fresh air on an otherwise dreary post-K.e.n.t. loss day! Thanks!

Hey...Ellen Alexander said it was "a half extended arm to the sternum?" It was no big deal?"Throwing a punch to the gut" seems like incredible hyperbole to me. McManamon should be ashamed. Ellen would never have an agenda.

Since we're on the verge of the MAC Tourney, why not throw in the 2006 loss to WMU when we ran out the clock for the final 29 seconds of regulation, allowing Dru Joyce to launch his "best available" option....a 29 foot three pointer. We subsequently lost in OT.The 2007 loss to Toledo, where we blew a 13(?) point lead late in the 2nd half.The 2008 loss to Miami, where we blew a 7-point lead with about 2 minutes remaining.At least in 2009 (K.e.n.t.) we were blown out from the get-go, so it wasn't as crippling.And it isn't just the end-of-game situations. Our performance at the end of the first half is terrible too. Once the clock hits "3 minutes," the Zips offense typically stops.That's what happens when you don't have a "star" on your team. When it comes down to crunch time, which Zip do you want with the ball? Which Zip wants the ball? Who can create their own good look? Who can penetrate, suck-in the defense, and make the dish?The Zips have no Al Fischer. We haven't had one for a decade. Maybe longer. It kills us in tight games.

"They're plastic bottles...they don't pack that much of a whallop."

Somewhere, Kyrem Massey is laughing.

It is now officially a Zips basketball season as the "crap down their leg" reference has appeared! Can it appear again?If people could distance themselves from the Singletary cheap shot for a second...we blew that game. K.e.n.t. kicked our asses in the paint. K.e.n.t. hit the big shots. K.e.n.t. had guys step up when they needed to.The Zips choked the game away with a terrible final 5 minutes. Again.Chris McKnight - 1 point? Where was Linhart in the 2nd half? Brett McKnight - 6 shots? Steve Nees? To quote John Wooden - "Activity doesn't necessarily mean achievement" - Get a purpose to all that crazy dribbling!Why did we redshirt "poise" in 2008-9? We needed it.

Ellen's Column What....only a half-extended right hand? To the sternum? Could you be any more of a wuss in describing such a dirty play?He could have written - "Singletary sucker-punched Linhart in the gut." He chose otherwise. If it was Linhart who had a history of doing this...and Linhart who sucker-punched Singletary...I wonder how Ellen would have chosen his words? My guess is his column would have read more like a GP1 post.

Butchie was working with Ashland's QB's for a while. But it appears he's no longer there.I know Nick Sparks is doing well out in Arizona...he and his wife recently had a baby girl. Duane LeFall also lives in Az. Matt Cherry is working in Hollywood. He works on the show "Heroes" (in production, not acting).Brandon Payne was finishing up his degree last Spring.Marques Hayes lives in Wadsworth. I believe he's teaching? He also has a semi-new baby.A lot of great guys from that era, both as players and as people. Too bad they could never get a decent defense. They definitely had a championship-level offense.

I thought the same thing!

When the Zips played Penn State in 1999 there was a great article in PSU Student newspaper on Butchie Washington (Akron's QB at the time). This was back in the day when the ABJ's "coverage" was a joke. Can you imagine a starting Division 1 QB with a story like this and it took playing at Penn State, in the guy's 4th year at UA, for me to learn about it? Overall, the column is unreal, coming from a student newspaper covering a seemingly "meaningless" nonconference game. In fairness to the ABJ - In Butchie's 5th season, Terry Pluto basically re-wrote this column for Akron fans.

A 'Dude sighting?! It's been years...can a post from DAZIPMAN be far behind? :blink: Paul Winters is still at Wayne State, but I couldn't find anything on Coach Uecker? He was with Winters for a while, but the Wayne State site now lists another guy as OL coach.

One thing that stood out to me regarding last night's game was the fact that, for once, a Zips-related story had a happy ending.The usual blue print for a game like Nate's finale is a heart-breaking loss. Whether it's to K.e.n.t., OU, BG, Central Michigan...how many seasons have the Zips closed out the JAR with a gut wrenching loss? Too many.Despite the overall team playing poorly, Guest of Honor Nate Linhart wouldn't let the team lose. He hit the big floater...snatched the big rebound...hit the clutch free throw...he grabbed the team by the scruff of their neck and willed them to the 9-point win.There are a lot of games in Nate's career where he "did the things that didn't show up in the box score." Last night he did it all...the "box score stuff" and those things not statistically defined. After the game he was hopping around with the Rowdies having a blast. I couldn't be happier for him. And if you heard his post game interview, you'd wish he had another four years. If he weren't a player, he'd have been an AK-Rowdie. Sweep K.e.n.t, then get a ring Zips!

Steve French told Dambrot that in the post game interview. Dambrot's reply - "Why don't you tell the guys that on the bus ride to K.e.n.t. Sunday?"

Looking for a final like this -

He blew his knee out as a Freshman, and it took a while to come back. Hopefully he's 100% this season. I'll try to catch up with him in the spring and see how he's doing.

OK I give. Which is the interesting part?The "Troy" part. "Eison" isn't all that compelling.

Cventinovic is going pro?

OwensMoorheadTresey

OU hasn't won a road game in almost 2 months, and the Zips play well every other game.Zips 72 OU 63

Interesting name of the day - Troy Eison

He's keeping busy in the off-season.

Thanks so much for checking in. Message boards can be tough for player's parents. If you've enjoyed the passion that Zips fans have for the Program, that's awesome. Nate's a great kid. As far as "leaving it all on the court" goes, I don't think he cheated himself out of 1 second of his playing time @ UA. No fan could ever say he gave less than 100%...most would say more.Hope he gets a ring next week. He deserves it!

Buffalo is the only possibility I can think of. We lost @ OU and Miami, where we were underdogs. We were favored in every crossover game.I think BirdZip is correct.

This kid is AWESOME. It would be nice if Coach Ferri's Mooney Alum status carried some weight in recruiting him. I'm not getting my hopes up, but I can always dream.