Captain Kangaroo

This isn't a shock to anyone. JD's 2005 and 2006 recruiting classes were terrible, retention-wise. Lee Owens' latter classes were not so hot either.JD's highly-rated 2007 class is pretty much in-tact, and the 2008 class was assembled with academics, character and eligibility equally as important as athletic ability. That wasn't the case in 2005 or 2006. WAY to heavy on athletic talent....If you want to look at it from a glass-half-full point of view, we're down to 80 scholarships. 1-AA schools have 63, and the better ones beat MAC schools with regularity. Losing 5 scholarships sucks, but it isn't a death sentence. We're going to need to take our lumps on this one, and move on. I also heard where we may get a scholarship or two back because we added women's golf? Anyone know if that's true?

Verbals can happen anytime. I think OSU has a verbal from a HS Soph? But, commitments can't happen until the fall.

I can't wait to see that all-purpose track!

The Zips take their shiny new stadium and move to C-USA. Problem solved. F Rick Chryst.

Once the stadium is on campus, the whole "commuter issue" is null and void.The new stadium will be "THE Place to Be" in Akron for years. No student is going to miss the party.Will they show up to watch terrible football? More so than they did during the Rubber Bowl years, that's for certain. But if the team wins, there will be no problems averaging 80+% of capacity.If the team doesn't win...some heads will roll. You can't build a 60million dollar stadium, combine it with a state-of-the-art training facility, and finish sub .500. Failure is not an option.

It loads slowly, but if you hang with it it eventually loads.Here's the text:Johnson's A.C. program sparks interest in danceGeorge Cameron, right, gives dance instruction to Charstean Nicholson at the Alliance YWCA. Cameron, who now resides in Akron, is a former running back for the Alliance Aviators. The dance class is a program of Johnson's A.C., which is also sponsoring a scholarship dinner-dance Saturday evening at American Legion Post 166 when an Alliance High School student will be honored.By Nancy WhitakerThe ReviewAn offshoot of Johnson's A.C. dance instruction at the Alliance YWCA is sparking interest among couples and singles who might otherwise be sitting home watching rehashes of the nightly news.The classes are held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 1 to 3 p.m. most Saturdays. The Y is located at 239 E. Market St. The cost is a minimal donation, so everyone can participate.Dance instructor Lloyd Grimes, of Akron, is being assisted by former Alliance resident George Cameron, a 1995 graduate of Alliance High School.Instruction in ballroom, line dancing and hand dancing is available. Grimes explained hand dancing as "the dance they do everywhere, consisting of 1-2-3, to the right, the left and back." If you are old enough to remember dances after football and basketball games at the former Alliance High School Hanger " that's hand dancing, a "slowed-down jitterbug."Renee Thomas, Olinda Hawkins and Sheila Cherry, daughters of Clarence Johnson of Alliance and the late Nellie "Sis" R. Johnson, and board members of Johnson's A.C., can be credited with getting the dance instruction program under way. Clarence Johnson has been the owner of Johnson's A.C. for 45 years.According to Thomas, she and her sisters saw Grimes dancing at an event. He was contacted about giving dance lessons and agreed. Thomas, who is in her 50s, said the dance classes are "offering another alternative as we progress through the senior years." "It is good exercise and you can go home and sleep good," she added.Most people attending are "40 and over," said Thomas. "Some have lost spouses and this gives them some incentive to get out," she added. Thomas emphasized, "These folks here are just learning; others in the group also help people," meaning there is no need to be embarrassed if you are out of step. Members of the dance instruction class have been given the name "The Aristocrats."Former Alliance resident Brenda Lilly, who now resides in Canton, said, "I love it. It's good exercise with good people. Every time I come it's something new." Instructor Grimes, who didn't miss a class traveling from Akron to Alliance during this past snowy winter, has been a dance instructor at Lawton Community Center in Akron for the last 20 years.Becoming interested in dancing as a teenager, Grimes, 69, said he learned to dance by watching other people dance. Also a choreographer, in that capacity, Grimes said, "I try not to be conventional; I make up my own moves."Cameron, 30, the second instructor, said, "Lloyd taught me a lot about dancing; he took me under his wing." A former Aviator and University of Akron Zips football player, Cameron said he once thought dancing was for sissies. It took Cameron "about a month to learn the basics." Now he and Grimes are putting on cabarets, which include dinner and dancing, at the Summit County Fairgrounds."Lloyd is bringing something different to our community," Cameron added.Referring to the dance classes, Cameron said, "We just want people to come out and enjoy themselves. Older people don't want to be in the house all the time." He added, "Tell them to come and learn something new." Jerry and Lynn Roach, of Alliance, have "always enjoyed dancing," but while raising their three sons, didn't have much time to dance. About six months ago, Jerry said they started taking the dance classes. "It's also a form of exercise," he pointed out.Alliance resident Margo King said the dance classes are "relaxing." She added, "It takes away the stress (after a day at work) and is good, clean fun." The classes began in November 2006 at the YWCA. Renee Thomas thanks the YWCA for the use of the facility.

Next Hint: He wore #7

Learn a little about the new Toledo coach in this column.

Baltimore decided to give it a go with another MAC product after Sunday's draft ended, signing 6-foot-7, 256-pound Western Michigan basketball forward Joe Reitz to a free agent contract.

Here's a feature on Reggie from BuffaloBills.com

Thanks for the info and update, Mrs. M. We all really appreciate it!

Everyone is so judgmental, yet no one has any clue what's gone on inside the women's locker room. Until now. I was sent this audio file of a Coach Kest halftime speech. It was obviously from a Zips/Purdue scrimmage. You judge for yourself if you cold play for her.

It is interesting to see the teams with incumbent Zips drafting Zips or signing them as free agents.KC signs Jabari, and they had given Kiki a good look last seasonGiants have Hixson and Blackburn, and are giving Robinson a look.Dolphins have Taylor, and are giving Kasparek a look.The Jets recently had Ryan Myers and Vic Greene, and have now signed both Tate AND Dwight Lowery.

Just to add a few notes and confirmations regarding the banquet:Yes, the food was pretty embarrassing. Cold wings, cold meat balls, tragic pizza, nice salad...but no salad dressing. Even considering the low, low $15.00 price of admission, it was really bad. I'll bring a roast beef sandwich in my pocket next year just in case the caterer somehow inexplicably gets their contract renewed.The event itself was very nice. Frenchy did an OUTSTANDING job as emcee. Very entertaining. Ced pretty much stole the show with his heartfelt overview of how he was recruited. He got a scholarship when Allen Hanson backed-out late. Ced didn't know anything about UA before stepping on campus shortly prior to his scholarship offer...but it was a free ride to play hoops, so he took a flier. 4 years and 1,000 points later, there he was on the podium saying his goodbyes. Very moving speech.My son couldn't make the event, but Ced was his favorite player, so after the event ended I asked Ced if he'd say "hi" to my son on the cell phone. He talked to him for probably 3-4 minutes. Just a 1st class guy.I don't want to short change the other guys. They all made nice speeches and all seemed to be extremely happy with what they'd accomplished at UA. It was good to see guys graduating, and taking pride in Akron. It wasn't all that long ago that players were begging for the season to end, and couldn't wait to get the hell out of Summit County.The fact that the Zips are the only team in the MAC with 2 post-season wins in the last 5 years was mentioned. I never thought about that, but it is pretty impressive.There will be a "marquee" game at The Q this upcoming season. And, the Zips will be playing in a Mississippi Stae-sponsored Tourney this winter. Mississippi State will be an interesting opponent. They made it to the 2nd round of the NCAA's this year, losing by 3 to Memphis. But, the seem to have a lot of turnover in their program. And, despite going 12-4 in the SEC, they lost to Miami OH and Southern Illinois last year. They lost to the Zips three years ago, so it is safe to say we should be competitive.KD mentioned his high expectations for next year. He seems pretty confident we'll be in the mix for a championship despite the heavy graduation losses.Jimmy Conyers was present, alto he spent most of the night wrestling with is young daughter (she must not have liked the wings either). Dambrot praised Conyers as the "best defender on our team." I saw no indicators that Conyers was transferring.Chris Mc Knight, Ronnie Steward and Rydell Brooks didn't attend. Steward is fully recovered from his injuries, and the coach spoke of how well Ronnie performed in the recent vertical leap evaluations.KD and Mack spoke of getting the Zips season ticket sales up from 1,000 to 2,000. I think that'll be tough, because there aren't 2,000 quality seats in the JAR. If Mack can devise a plan to pull that off, he's "The Man."The 2008-9 schedule, per KD, "will be the 2nd toughest in team history." Behind the Clemson/Cal/Louisville/Mississippi State schedule of 4 years ago. It will be very interesting to see who's the competition at The Q.The Rowdies gave the seniors some of their game-night signs (i.e. Ced got a framed "C-Note" sign). That was a nice touch!Overall Banquet Experience -- Bad food. Otherwise, great night.!

Congrats to Dwight!! I never once saw him get burnt at UA!!

Thanks to all who've posted on the tourney! I couldn't make it last night, and 14 yards of mulch later...well...today wasn't happenin' either. If there is a Zeke/Storm game tomorrow, it would be appreciated if someone could post the time and place.

Everyone in college sports steals from everyone else. Fear the Roo? Ripped off from Maryland. But depending upon who you listen to, Maryland ripped "Fear the Turtle" off from Disney's "Fear the Mouse" campaign from a few years earlier.Marshall fans have their "WE ARE....MARSHALL"...which is absolutely NOTHING like "WE ARE...PENN STATE"...or WE ARE...*insert any school here* Some people say "Z-I....P-S" is a rip off of OSU's O-H...I-O. Big fat hairy deal...there's 546 other four-letter schools that did did the same thing before OSU.Which leads me to -Wisconsin does a super cool version of House of Pain's that would be great for UA. It fits perfectly with the Kangaroo. It would be a slam-dunk success if the Zips leased this tradition from the Badgers.It's either that, or glom on to the old standby, "Hang on Zippy." IMO - OSU ruined that one when they stole it from the Zips back in the early 70's. Go with "Jump Around."

I don't think that's entirely accurate. Acme was a force in the area from the early 1900's through the late 80's. Then competition rolled into town (Giant Eagle, Finast, etc) and Acme struggled. They're at least half the overall size they were 2 decades ago...probably a lot less.Acme cut their game sponsorship dollars heavily because they were watching their bottom line at the time. Giant Eagle out-bid them for the game sponsorship (which didn't take a whole heck of a lot).Other contributing factors (to the once-festive day's decay):Lazy UA promotions people who figured putting a schedule on a grocery bag was enough to sell out the Rubber Bowl Many bad teamsNo doors on the Rubber Bowl stalls

I called UA a few minutes ago and there is still time to reserve a seat at the Basketball Awards Banquet being held tomorrow (Friday) night at 6pm. If there's just one of you, you can even pay at the door.$15.00 for a buffet dinner and chat with the players and coaches is a pretty sweet deal.

First OSU...then Michigan...then Akron....then Orange Valley CC...then ???

Clyde Ohio product no gangsta.

The MAC needs to get a 4th place team that merits a bowl game before accepting a bowl.2008:WMU played competitive vs. Purdue, but lost.Ball State was thoroughly outclassed by RutgersBG was flat-out embarrassed by TulsaMiami was the MAC East champ and didn't have a .500 recordIt is a shame that all those great MAC teams of 5 years ago got the shaft in our, then, 1-bid conference. While today, comparatively weak MAC schools are "bowling."All MAC schools, including the Zips, need to start pulling their weight if we want the MAC to gain any national respect. Sending BG to the Congressional Bowl just to get waxed by Navy 65-21 ain't no good.

Mixed messages in her departure comments

They should be even more careful with the dust from the Odd Corner's demolition. I hear it could go for as much as $245/oz on the street?

If Florida Atlantic is looking for a little "April Madness," they've come to the right place. My advice -- Just be prepared for the accompanying anger management courses when formulating any contracts.