Captain Kangaroo

A new CSU football program would affect Zips' recruiting as much as Hiram or Muskingum.

Flemming is injured. He will play in 2009 assuming he recovers well.Why is he not on a roster? Ask DaVon Moore.

From sunny Tuscon...and yes I was at the game yesterday...If you truly win as a team and lose as a team, the BG game was a textbook example. A total team loss.Jacq's well known two left feet killed us. He's less of a threat to run than Wally Pendleton. Took ill-advised sacks...tossed a crippling late-game INT...he was at his worst when we needed a poised QB the most.WR's dropped a ridiculous amount of passes.And no, that doesn't excuse Jacq for the above-mentioned blunders.Defense both bent, and broke.Kick coverage was terrible!Bates' snaps continue to rival the t-shirt cannon in their elevation.2nd half playcalling was terrible. Again. We can't bank on a choking kicker to win it for us every week! Kennedy has 186 yards...but there's no confidence that he can get 2 yards on 3rd-and-goal from the 2??? BG bails us out by throwing a late pass that allows us to keep a time out...and we take that time out into the locker room after the game!!??This is the second home game in a row that the offensive playcalling went "Boise State." Which is fine if you're playing Oklahoma and it is your only chance to win. But we're playing mediocre mid-majors whom we are imminently capable of beating "straight up." Bad offensive playcalling has let our opponents off the hook so many times recently it boarders on absurd.They say it is good for an army to see a dead general every once in a while. I think Moorhead should run some stadium gassers on Monday. He was as much at fault as Jacq, the D, the WR's and the special teams.I think that's what is so frustrating about this team...we play terribly...and we're barely losing. If we could just execute a solid gameplan, we obviously have the talent to beat anyone in the MAC.But we don't execute...and we're losing.And a final note to the BG douches complaining about the Rubber Bowl. If you're a BG fan and you didn't think yesterday was as good as it gets for tailgating and college football...you should admit you know nothing about college football and kill yourself.

I'm guessing if his appeal had gone well, there would have been no use in making it public. Since the appeal was denied and he was officially out for the season, it was time.

Thanks for the complement. We try pretty hard to keep things on the up-and-up. Zips fans are generally pretty nice, knowledgeable people, so it works out good for us.

Here is an overview of the Ryan Bain situation, as best I can gather. I hope you can appreciate that I made phone calls and tried to assemble the most accurate answers possible. Q: "What is the illegal substance that the NCAA flagged Ryan Bain on?" A: Despite what some seem to want…there is no conspiracy theory here. The NCAA recently updated its "banned substances" list. It added a supplement readily available a GNC, and one which Ryan Bain had been using. Unfortunately it appears the NCAA doesn't do a great job of informing players about such updates. Ryan tested positive for it and was suspended.Q: "Seems like a raw deal? Couldn't he appeal the decision?" A: With the backing of the University (they didn't leave him hung out to dry) Ryan did appeal. As with appeals of most NCAA decisions, it was denied. His only chance to successfully appeal was if a trainer or coach had recommended the supplement. And that wasn't the case.Q: "Is Ryan Bain leaving the program?" A: No. He'll be playing for the Zips next season. But the kid is pretty devastated. It will be easy for people to lump this issue in with the problems in recruiting a few classes ago. But that's unfair. From everything I can gather…and I have talked to several different people in and around the University…Ryan Bain is a solid kid who caught a really bad break. People can believe what they want, but that's about all there is to it. Right now it sucks to be Ryan Bain.Q: "What's the deal with his 'injury'? Was that just a smoke screen?" A: There's a really good chance Ryan Bain would not play this season regardless of the NCAA's decision. He has a foot stress fracture in a bad location. It is healing well, but there is still a lot of pain. If the pain persists, surgery is likely.Q: "Why'd it take so long for this story to appear on ZipsNation, or anywhere else?" A: Several reasons. On the ZipsNation side the concern was strictly accuracy, and getting the story straight. If I had posted the rumors I heard a few weeks ago, I would have been wholly inaccurate. The UA Athletic Department would have killed me, and justifiably so. Unlike a lot of you on this board, I'm not a "faceless" guy. I know all the coaches, Mack and Hunter, and they know me. They all seem to trust me, and I'd like to think that trust is earned. If I go posting every rumor I hear…especially ones that put the University or it's employees in a bad light…then the ZipsNation doesn't get the inside scoops on recruiting, scheduling, etc that are most imortant to the vast majority of you. ZipsNation does not want to be a K.e.n.t.-esque whiney rumor mill. That's lame.If you look at my posts, I'm as critical as anyone on just about all issues. And I get my share of cold shoulders from administrators and ear-fulls from players parents because of it. But it's all good, I guess. In the end people still check out the board and help us out.Bain was a Top 50 player in the nation a few years ago. In his time he's been here he's practiced hard...and for 3 years at UA it appears all he's going to get out of it is 12 or 13 games of football. And his degree. I'm sure that wasn't what he planned.It is the popular thing to do to pile on the guy when he's down, and not give him the benefit of the doubt. Unless I hear otherwise, I'm going with what I have been told by several independent sources. He got screwed by a recently enacted rule. It sucks to be Ryan Bain. I hope he can get past it, heal, practice this spring and be the bad ass nose tackle we all hoped he would be in 2009. If Tom Gaffney finds out more, good for him. I'm open to any new information. Remember - I'm an Engineer. This is my hobby. A passion for sure, but my access is only what I can shoe-horn in. I hope you understand that.Beat BG.

I vote that Akron wins by 10 or more. Why?BG is a mentally weak team. You don't lose 65-7 in a bowl game unless you are mentally weak.You don't go on the road and beat Pitt....then lose at home to Eastern Michigan...unless you are mentally weak.You don't lose half of your 2007 defense to arrests...unless you are undisciplined and weak.The only Dr Z "if" I will place is - IF we jump on them, they'll fold. People don't give K.e.n.t.'s defense much credit. Those guys played a tough game last week. K.e.n.t. lost to Ball State by the same score as Akron. K.e.n.t.'s better than their record indicates...they just have a choker kicker, and 30 years of losing to overcome every time they step on the field.K.e.n.t.'s defense gave us fits...but they have the best defense of any team we'll play the remainder of the season. We will romp on BG offensively. Even Dennis Kennedy should be good for 80+ yards rushing. Defensively - We'll be fine. BG doesn't have a big-play offense. And the Zips create a lot of turnovers. Our offense will give the D some time to rest this week. The D will do enough to win.Zips 52 BG 31

Thanks for the updates, Ms. Bozeman! We all really appreciate them! Any truth to the rumor the McKeesport football asked Zeke to temporarily trade in his crown for a football helmet and block a late-game field goal? Keep in touch!

The Next Rick Upchurch?

Nick Davis and John Fink are...Spanky and PorkyJosh Dodge & Al "Tool Time" BorlandTyler Donahue & Dracula

Nice start! Their Link

There is only one real tailgate lot at The Rubber Bowl -- The parking area adjacent to the airport runway. Great atmosphere, and it will be jumpin' BIGTIME Saturday night. Below is a Rubber Bowl Parking map link:Rubber Bowl Parking MapTailgating is in the "General Parking" area. The closer you get to the mapped section marked "Tailgate Area," close to the stadium, the better. But be aware that "tailgate area" is a paved lot reserved for donors and is off-limits to the general public. It is usually empty until 2 minutes before kick off too.Directions? Take I-77 south to the 224 exit. Drive about 1-mile (on Rt 224) until you hit a stop light. Go left at the light.About 300 feet up the road you can take a left. Do it. DO NOT GO STRAIGHT. You'll shortly end up at the top of a hill facing the massive air dock. Go right (Derby Downs Rd?), down the hill and you're "there." Get there early if you want a good tailgate spot!Bars? There's a BW-3's on campus (keep in mind the Rubber Bowl is 7 miles off campus, and there are no real bars nearby). After that, there are several decent bars downtown. Ohio Brewing Co. and The Barley House are decent places and seem to support the Zips. Both are a stone's throw from Canal Park, on Main Street.

You're really reaching when you complain about your QB's late 4th-quarter touchdown pass that essentially won the game. You throw the ball where your WR can catch it and let him do his job. Daunte Culpepper made a career out of tossing balls "in the general vicinity" of Randy Moss. When a guy is covered like Bowser was, one-on-one, you toss it up high and let him make a play. I like Bowsers' chances to out-jump and out-fight ANY MAC cornerback.

Your "beer" quips are really cute. And, they are a great way to avoid substance. Stating it is OK to play OSU, but Penn State is TOTALLY different? That's great too. Especially if you qualify it with a "Duh."There's a reason GP1 has the tag line:"...you want it to be one way. But it's the other way." It's for you.

After you post something...you always thing of a couple things you should have mentioned...he're my three final notes --1.) Like many mentioned, Jalil Carter rules! Fast, aggressive. Man, where's he been? You gotta love Tyler Campbell's tenacity...but Carter plays at a whole different speed.2.) I don't think anyone mentioned Martin's decision to run out the clock in the 1st half with 1 minute to go and all three time outs remaining? K.e.n.t. was moving the ball with relative ease. If he just let Edelmann run it out of the shotgun a couple times they had a great chance of getting into scoring position. VERY conservative call. Playing not-to-lose...and they lost.3.) Of Akron's three wins thus far, all were on the road. I don't care who you're playing...winning 3-out-of-4 road games to begin the season is really impressive.OK, on to BG.

Tip of the Day -- Read posts prior to responding. It will save you valuable typing time. Previously explained -- Next -- Previously explained -- Saving you the math: 1/12 = 8.3%. You gotta explain to me how 8.3% is substantial. If it is indeed substantial, what is, oh say...50%? SUPER DUPER BIGGIE substantial? And also explain what percentage is considered not substantial (please remember you cannot play a fractional game...whole numbers only).BTW - If you want to give the Athletics Department the $500,000+ net it would lose by playing a CUSA team in lieu of a Penn State...I GUARANTEE you they'll take your money and schedule Middle Tennessee.

You're forgetting the real money-maker that was designed into the stadium plans: luxury suites. There of 15 of them, all sold out for at least the next three years, at $20,000 a piece. That's $300,000 a year, plus the hundreds of open-air loges that are available for inflated prices.I was surprised to see that people payed what they did for those seats, but if people are willing to pay then why not take advantage of that?They sold really quick. Hence I think they were sold too cheaply.

How does one loss cripple a football program? It doesn't. If any MAC program is worthy of a bowl game, it wins 6 or 7 of it's remaining 11 games. If you can't win 6 with a MAC East + average OOC schedule, you should be visiting family on Christmas, not preparing for a bowl.What value is placed on media exposure. How much national air-time did OU get as they crept closer and closer to an upset at Ohio State a few weeks ago? A TON. After our two competitive visits to Wisconsin, quite a few people gained respect and recognition for Akron Football who otherwise would be oblivious.If OU doesn't make a bowl game this year, it won't be because they lost to Ohio State, it will be because they lost to K.e.n.t. State. Or Akron. Or Buffalo. And when an OU grad interviews for a job in Pennsylvania this winter, and the interviewer sees "Ohio University" on his re'sume', he stands a good chance of a conversation-starter like "Hey, you guys gave Ohio State a good run this fall, didn't you?" arising.Play one game a year against an upper-tier BCS school. It's a no-brainer.

Just out of curiosity...how did Northern Illinois do against Tennessee this past weekend? How did the Zips do vs Ohio State last season, or against Wisconsin this season? How did OU do vs. Ohio State this season? How did Miami fare against Michigan? Etc, etc, etc.Truth is the MAC teams can compete very well against these teams. Even "down" MAC teams fare well (the Zips, OU, NIU and Miami in 2007-8 are hardly MAC juggernauts). And, no one gets injured any more than in any other game. And, we now get $800,000 per game which is a HELL of a lot of money for a MAC program. Money that the entire UA athletic department desperately needs.If we stand a 9-out-of-10 chance of losing a game to an upper-tier BCS school, who cares. The benefits FAR outweigh the negatives. Do we play more than one? No. But that's a moot point since Mack is already on record saying or future scheduling model will only consist of one upper-tier, BCS "money game."

Back in my day *insert old man voice here* I'd see all the players at The Townhouse after the game. The all got drunk. So did I. It was fun.If he's 21 he should have every right to get drunk on a Saturday night. And wake up at 1pm on Sunday and eat a box of Mac-n-Cheese. That's college.That said...don't announce it on the radio, you big dummy!

I'm as guilty and any fan in sometimes getting caught up in the little things and overlooking the big picture. I want to thank the Zips players and staff for beating K.e.n.t. State this past Saturday. I know this is a game you focused on for the past 370-or-so days and to come out on top is awesome! Congratulations to the AK-Rowdies, who had a MAJOR impact on the game, making noise and wreaking havoc from start to finish (no one left early)!Congrats to the UA fans who accounted for about 9,000 of whatever stadium attendance was announced!The Zips not only beat K.e.n.t., they demoralized them. On their home field. In front of a regional TV viewing audience. In front of about 9,000 Zips fans, and probably a good number of local recruits. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! :bow:Now go out and beat BG and get to 4-3, 1st place in the MAC East going into our "bye-month!"

When the McKeesport fans saw this parked outside the stadium prior to the game, they knew it was a pretty safe bet Zeke was going to be crowned Homecoming King!

I'm guessing the number is closer to $800,000. It is a bus trip (low expenses)...we need the money (we have a $61million stadium to pay off)...and we can be competitive with Penn State (35-16 to Penn State is no worse than 42-21 to Ball State). It is a no-brainer to play that game. I am just tired of how they rape you if you want to stay near campus.