Captain Kangaroo

The main reason students do not attend games in droves is -- we aren't winning. Simple as that. Akron-area fans are no different than any other fans...they actively support a winner...and they, at best, passively support anything less.So why is men's basketball attendance so mediocre? They win? Note: Basketball attendance isn't terrible by any stretch...3k people showing up on a blizzard-like Tuesday night to see Buffalo is hardly cause to whine about lack of support.Basketball has won ZERO games that capture the imagination of Joe Akron. ZERO championships. Knocking off a Top 20 team gets butts in the stands...dancing underneath a sea of confetti at The Q gets people pumped to buy season tickets. Beating Florida State in the NIT and finishing second in the MAC is impressive to hard core hoops fans, but it will NEVER pack the house. If the Zips had beaten Pitt this season, and were sitting at 13-2 right now, you could easily tack on 1,500+ to whatever crowds presently exist. Maybe more.K.e.n.t. drew flies before they turned their program around a decade ago. The Akron / K.e.n.t. game @ K.e.n.t. would be lucky to draw 3k in 1998. And 2/3rds of those fans were from Akron! Now, even though their heyday has somewhat faded, they're still riding that attendance wave. Their student turn out for home basketball games dwarfs the AK-Rowdies. K.e.n.t alumni, who at the time loved the Buckeyes as much as any UA alumni, all the sudden grew some school pride and began buying K.e.n.t. t-shirts and ball caps. That’s what happens when you win championships and play in the NCAA tourney. NIT Fever doesn’t quite measure up.If UA hoops would have won a MAC championship...competed in the NCAA tourney...we would not be having any discussion. Students and alumni would be ga ga over the Zips. But we haven't. And while us hard-cores are ga ga, Joe Akron, Joe UA student and Joe UA alum sit at home and peck away on the internet. “Market” all you want…winning is the only way you’ll draw great crowds. 15k Zips fans showed up in Detroit to see a 7-5 Zips football team play Memphis in the MCB. Zips fans will show up if you win championships. If you don't win, they won't. Look at Miami in the Szerbiak years or Rothlisberger years. Compare their respective attendance then, to today. It is no different at any other mid-major college. Win and they will come. Come up short on the field/court, and your attendance will likewise come up short.

For coach Dambrot - "Cventinovic played decent minutes at the center position vs. Buffalo. Are you willing to give him a longer leash and try to develop him in the second half of 2009...living with some Freshman mistakes. Or will Nik continue to see single-digit minutes and spot duty?"For coach Kest: "Your team has as many wins 1/2 way through this season as most recent Zips women's teams have had at season's end. This, despite jettisoning your top players from the last 2 year's squads. Are the Lady Zips exceeding your expectations this season...meeting expectations...or should they be playing better?"

I saw Shane at last night's basketball game. Odd that he'd still be on campus in mid-January if he were transferring.I don't know about Cruz. He dropped some balls for sure. But so did Poindexter. I miss Mike Brake.

Big Game Upcoming for McKeesport

ZipsNation was approached by the producer of ZipsLive - the weekly UA Coach's Radio Show - to assist in generating "Ask the Coach" questions. In exchange for using our forum to generate some questions, the segment will be "Sponsored by ZipsNation.org," which is great! The User Name "ZipsLive" will post a weekly thread where your questions should be listed. Important - PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS WITHIN THE THREAD. The thread is strictly a list of questions for the coaches. ZipsLive will identify the guest coaches prior to their appearance each week.I think this is a great opportunity for fans to gain insight to the all UA athletics programs. I urge everyone to participate. You can be as "direct" in your questions as you like (you are not relegated to tossing the coaches "softballs") but please keep it classy. After question is read, you'd like the staff to think we're a bunch of passionate and knowledgeable fans (which we are). If you have any questions on this topic for the ZipsNation moderators, please send them my attention (PM Captain Kangaroo). Or you can list them here.I know this will be a great partnership once things get rolling. Represent, ZipsNation!Thanks,CK

Zips 79-Buffalo 75

Yes, we do. I checked.

There are a few reasons for my post - If you work and have kids, weekday games can be difficult. But obviously with a 30+ game schedule, weekday games are a necessity. I get it. That's not really my complaint.My point is Saturday afternoon and early Saturday evenings are optimal game times. And we have none in February or March. On Saturdays you can stop at BW-3's 2 hours prior to the game, eat some food, watch some sports, take in a little pre-game atmosphere and then watch the Zips. I realize there are many folks who hit the campus strictly for the game. Park the car, watch the Zips, then go home. And many Zips fans don't have to deal with work (student, retired, etc) or kids. That's all good. But for me, I can make a great Saturday scheduled around Zips athletics. I can't do that on a weekday, and Sunday is a similar buzzkill.As far as the comment that MAC football is only on the weekend, you must not have seen the Zips 2008 football schedule. Three of the Zips last 4 games were Wednesday/Thursday/Friday. Give me a Saturday football game where I can fire up a grill and enjoy the day, or make an away road trip, over a Wednesday night, school & work night game, where I also contend with the work/school thing the next morning, any day.

After the Zips January 31st game vs. CMU, the Zips have Z-E-R-O home Saturday games for the remainder of the 2008-9 season.The three February home games are Feb 8th (Sunday), Feb 11th (Wed) and Feb 18th (Wed).March gives us BG on Sunday March 1st and OU on Thursday March 5th.I'm sure the Sunday games are being held to accommodate TV (seems like anytime the Zips are on TV, it is a home game).Maybe I'll take a road trip to Buffalo on February 26th just to remember what a Saturday game it like. I guarantee that if I attend...it'll be placed on TV.

Seems like the basketball team has it's own Alex Allen?He's 1.5 years into his career, and has missed 1.4 years due to injury. Even if he comes back next week, he's going to need all of February to get back into game shape. Maybe longer. I can't figure our if we missed him more last season, or this season. We can't catch a break at the PG position.

We held Miami to 19 points in the first 20 minutes...then gave up 16 in the 5-minute OT. I wish Brett McClanahan wouldn't have redshirted. We need someone who can score B-A-D.Both McKnights need to step it up if we're going to compete in the MAC this season. I swear they have the ability...but at game's end, their stat lines fall well short what the should be. I'd hoped Roberts would have filled Ced or Dials' shoes as the guy that sticks the "dagger" 3, but Darrel has been very quiet this season. Take away Brett McKnight's performance in the second half vs. Pitt, and maybe one game from Humpty, there's really been no Zips player who's said "I'm taking this game over...try to stop me!" Everyone seems to be waiting on someone else to carry them. Maybe that's just what you get with a bunch of youngsters, but I wish someone would develop an offensive mean-streak. We're too soft - inside and outside.I like Humpty. It'll be fun watching him for four years. Having seen Jimmal Ball expolode on the scene as a freshman, then finish with only a "nice" career...I'll hold back on anointing Humpty "The Next Eric McLaughlin." At least for another year. With 2 minutes to go in OT Miami scores to stretch their lead to 8 points. Steve French *sigh* "Well, that pretty much does it for the Zips." McKnight hit a 3 to cut the lead to five about 10 seconds later. Come on Steve, an 8-point lead with 2 minutes remaining isn't such a monster obstacle to overcome.

Does a Royal "!@#$%" beat "????"?

12, or 13 overtime periods?

Wayne and plane! Where's that jumping banana emoticon when you need it?

There's two hidden in this picture, kids. Can you find them?

If you want to participate on our board, you are welcome. There's one simple rule to follow - don't be a douche.I appreciate your insights on recruiting, but if you're going to slight UA's programs, academics...whatever...here, or on other MAC boards...your welcome wears out.

Uncle Conrad?

Vintage Charlie ColesMiami 39 Akron 36Double Overtime.

I'm sure the Zips had no relationship with these players prior to seeing their respective "verbaled" schools lose their coach. Robinson is the real deal. I'd be pissed if I were a Toledo fan too.

Until such a point that fair rankings are possible, I reserve to right to unfairly rank everyone. Fair enough. I hope you realize that wasn't a cheap shot at you.Fully realized! I put up the "rankings" to get people up to speed on the other MAC teams and to get some MAC hoops discussion going. I feel they're moderately accurate...but am not placing any large bets in Vegas to back them up.

Until such a point that fair rankings are possible, I reserve to right to unfairly rank everyone.

I always enjoyed the bi-annual "Painting-o-the-Trough." The Rubber Bowl is the only place in the world where someone would try to paint porcelain. It looked great...for the home opener, but it didn't hold up too well after that. Wonder what Glidden would have said if the Facilities Manager would have tried to make a warranty claim on the obviously defective, peeled paint?

Where?

Has Nate Davis announced he's turning pro yet? :lol: Man did he close-out the season like a sack of crap.

Hey, it is progress. 5 wins is a season's worth for women's Zips basketball teams of the past decade. To have 5 after 13 games is nearly cause for a ticker-tape parade on Buchtel ave.It will be interesting to see how they do in conference play. If Kest can hit double-digit wins this season, it would be monumental (on the scale of Zips women's basketball).