Captain Kangaroo

I'll try to be there.

You guys rip on Elton Alexander, but the guy is awesome. How many other reporters can go to a Halloween party and simply wear their everyday outfit?

Nice "find?" I wrote that! BTW - The 5th is from the Rybak scholarship.

The NCAA’s early signing period runs from November 14th through November 21st and the Zips now have four solid verbals expected to sign letters-of-intent. In addition to Anthony “Humpty” Hitchins, Nikola Cventinovic and Alex Sullivan, the Zips recenly added 6’ 8” 230 lb power forward/center Andrew Parrish out of Dayton’s Northmont HS to the 2008 Zips’ class. Parrish is reported to be a rock-solid inside player. He was 11th in the Great Western Ohio Conference in scoring at 13.7ppg, 3rd in FG% @ 60.1% and led the league with a Shaq-esque 4.6 blocks per game.In 2005 Hoopscoop had Parrish rated the #149 player player in the nation. Rick Bolus also rated Andrew as his "Top Ohio Underclassman Sleeper" in January 2007. Six months later in July '07, and no longer a "sleeper," Andrew moved into Bolus’ “Second 12”, and the coveted “Top Sleeper” for the 2008 Ohio HS class was awarded to fellow Zips recruit Alex Sullivan.In a bit of news that will break Akron Zips fans hearts…a few weeks ago MiamiHawktalk.com reported that Andrew was a guest at the recent Miami/Syracuse football game. I hate when the Zips edge Miami for a top-flight recruit. :DHe was also heavily recruited by Eastern Michigan.In other Zips-related recruiting news -- One of the major national recruiting sites has listed Maryland's Marquise Simmons as a Zips recruiting target. The Zips stopped recruiting him during mid-summer and he has recently verballed to St Bonaventure.More recruiting info to follow soon!

The NCAA’s early signing period runs from November 14th through November 21st and the Zips now have four solid verbals expected to sign letters-of-intent. In addition to Anthony “Humpty” Hitchins, Nikola Cventinovic and Alex Sullivan, the Zips recenly added 6’ 8” 230 lb power forward/center Andrew Parrish out of Dayton’s Northmont HS to the 2008 Zips’ class. Parrish is reported to be a rock-solid inside player. He was 11th in the Great Western Ohio Conference in scoring at 13.7ppg, 3rd in FG% @ 60.1% and led the league with a Shaq-esque 4.6 blocks per game.In 2005 Hoopscoop had Parrish rated the #149 player player in the nation. Rick Bolus also rated Andrew as his "Top Ohio Underclassman Sleeper" in January 2007. Six months later in July '07, and no longer a "sleeper," Andrew moved into Bolus’ “Second 12”, and the coveted “Top Sleeper” for the 2008 Ohio HS class was awarded to fellow Zips recruit Alex Sullivan.In a bit of news that will break Akron Zips fans hearts…a few weeks ago MiamiHawktalk.com reported that Andrew was a guest at the recent Miami/Syracuse football game. I hate when the Zips edge Miami for a top-flight recruit. :DHe was also heavily recruited by Eastern Michigan.In other Zips-related recruiting news -- One of the major national recruiting sites has listed Maryland's Marquise Simmons as a Zips recruiting target. The Zips stopped recruiting him during mid-summer and he has recently verballed to St Bonaventure.More recruiting info to follow soon!

I've seen my share of bad coaching in Akron over the past 20 years. I don't see bad coaching with JD. I see some bad recruiting stratagies...ones that seemingly have been rectified...with the exception of recruiting a stud QB...but I don't see bad coaching. OK...the offense needs some creativity too...but I think that is due in large part to the lack of a stud QB and the aforementioned retention issues. The offense has gradually become more creative and effective as the season has progressed.If JD's 2007 #1 recruiting class was like the 2006 retention-wise, I'd be concerned. But it doesn't appear to be.I see Notre Dame fire Ty Willingham after 3 years. With all ND's resources, they hired a multi-million dollar bust that's probably not capable of beating the upper-tier MAC teams on a neutral field.I see Randy Edsall at UCONN who followed up his Motor City Bowl championship, 8-4, 2004 season with a 5-6 and 3-9 campaign. And those wins he had in those two seasons would make Lee Owens blush...Rhode Island...Liberty...Buffalo. Now UCONN is Top 25 and playing great. Should the guy have been fired because two years after the MCB he went 3-9?Changing coaches every 3-4 years is suicide. JD deserves 5-6 years to see what he can do. Not 9 years like Dan Hipsher or Lee Owens or Gerry Faust...but by 5-6 years you should have an accurate read on the guy's ability. After 3.6 years, I see sufficient hope that JD will be fine. It would be a big help if he can pull a Nate Davis-type impact QB out of this class, that's for sure.I predicted 9-3...8-4 worst case in August. I'm doing better than Phil Steele, at 100% less salary. And the Zips still have a shot at 7-5. That wouldn't be such a bad miss. Help a brutha' out, JD!

Since I've been wrong virtually every week, I'm going with reverse psychology:BG 35 Zips 10 (all 10 pts in the 1st half, of course)

That dirtbag son should give back the cash asap. Everyone and their brother knew that area was where the stadium was going to be located last year. Gotta love a trustee that tells his son - "Pssst...hey, I know a great area where you can purchase some land that will skyrocket in value within a year." Hope he got a nice Father's Day present from his son for that "tip." If the guy really added $40,000 worth of improvements to a 113 year old house in that area within the past 12 months, he's the biggest idiot in Summit County.

On the nose, Dr. Z.

You know the MAC officials would have...there HAD to be a block in the back somewhere!Better Call than Stams and Frenchy?

Howard Cosell used to have a show on am radio called "Speaking of Everything."I guess this is my version.Speaking of the Buffalo game....Who'da thunk in August that we'd take a methodical beating from Buffalo? Give Turner Gill credit...he's done in 1.5 years what we've been waiting to see from JD for four, right? We'll...maybe not. See, Gill is winning with the previous coach's players, not his own recruits. I guess we need to see what the guy can do in year #4 before we can call him a great coach. At least that seems to be the popular logic on the board?And Speaking of Lee Owens...I remember early in Owens' tenure he was saddled with some horrific QB play. Junko...who knows who the other guys were, but they were absolutely atrocious. Owens pulled Greg Gromek's redshirt and started him the final four games. I think we won all four? So with that, I say...Speaking of Carlton Jackson...What can it hurt to put the guy in? Unless he knocked off a liquor store, or has a GPA in the Bluto Blutarski-range, I think the guy has served his time and needs to get back on the field. He beat K.e.n.t. He moved the ball against Indiana. I'm tired of seeing mediocre QB play.And Speaking of CJ11...The guy's play is still lackluster. But he is improving from game-to-game. It just seems like, when we need a big play, he blows it. Wastes a throw downfield on 4th and 10. Plunges into the line on 3rd and 3. Throws the errant pass to wide open WR's when we need it most. But the Zips offensive struggles are far from all his fault.Speaking of Bryan Williams and Alex AllenBryan Williams drops a sure 33 yard TD pass. With the Zips small margin for error, you simply can't do that. Alex Allen drops a sweep toss at the 5 yard line that's a sure 6 points. That's not on CJ11. The Buffalo loss was a "team loss."And Speaking of Dennis KennedyWhere is this guy in goal line situations? That's where he's "money." Just ask NC State. If Allen is going to be dropping the ball in the red zone, my vote is to use DK. Unless he's injured.And Speaking of Red Zone ProblemsJesus...Can our offense have any less confidence the closer we get to the goal line. A couple weeks ago we were at the 5 yard line and we threw on four consecutive downs. This week, we have 1st and 5 from the 8 yard line and we run every down? Two diametrically opposed strategies...but the same result. It sucked to watch Buffalo methodically push the ball into the endzone whenever they got close. And we turn into Laurel and Hardy.And Speaking of the Defense...To me, it was another decent effort by the defense. Not great...the DB's surrendered 3 TD passes on only 14 attempts from the Buffalo QB...but at SOME point the offense has to give you a chance. Giving up 26 points should be sufficient to win a football game in 2007. Even against a vastly improved team like Buffalo.And Speaking of Buffalo...This was their 4th game of the year at home. Conversely, through November 6th, the Zips will have had a whopping two games at the Rubber Bowl. TWO! What an unfair schedule! What other team in the nation had the odds stacked against them like that? Pick on CJ11...the defense, the staff, the recruiting, whatever. The year the Lee Owens supporters gloat over his gaudy 7-5 record, the guy had SIX home games, and two were against bad 1-AA schools! Five of those six were held prior to October 18th!Speaking of JD and Staff...I am really shocked...baffled...astounded at the "Fire the Coach" talk going on. The guy hasn't finished his 4th season...he's won a championship...been to a bowl...and we need new blood? Come on. His initial recruiting classes had substandard player retention. No doubt. Any you can see it's effects this year. Someone posted that in the Temple game, Temple played 10 more players than Akron. That's because they were deeper. Most teams are. But the 2007 recruiting class, the vast majority of whom are being red shirted, is a stellar one. Not the fool's gold of the 2006 class, but legit stuff. If JD can back it up with another solid class in 2008, the depth issues we've seen manifest themselves in the 2nd half of most games, should disappear immediately. What do I want to see out of the staff from here on out? To be honest, our young offense has progressed tremendously over the past several weeks. But we aren't putting the ball in the endzone. And that is a 50/50 blame split amongst the players and coaches. That MUST change. We need a swagger in the red zone. That comes from the QB, IMO.BG is bad. OU is terrible. Those are two games we simply must suck-it-up and win. I also want to see a win vs. either Miami or CMU. Miami is a decent team, but certainly not the Rotlisberger-led juggernaut of the early 2000's. A motivated Zips team can win in Oxford. CMU? I saw how we ended the season against WMU last year. I don't want to see that again. CMU gave up 70 points to Clemson. We stop LeFever and we win. I want to see the staff and team finish the season strong. Despite the BS schedule, 6-6, with continued improvement, should be expected. And speaking of the end of the season...My lunch break has ended.

If we had a real newpaper in town everyone would know why CJ7...the QB that beat K.e.n.t...isn't on the field. But we don't, so we don't. Nice job, DL Morgan. Could you imagine being in Columbus...and Troy Smith beats Michigan in September (for argument's sake)...and sits on the bench the rest of the season...and no reporter ever asks "What gives?" to Tressel at any point through October?

Thanks for bringing home the win!

With the weather being as lousy as it is, I can't believe the Buffalo game is going to be an air show. But I would LOVE to see CJ11 play a solid game. No bonehead plays like letting the clock run out at the end of the 1st half at UConn. No defaulting to a scramble-run and gaining a yard on 3rd and 3...when buying time with a scramble and passing could net a 1st down (like vs. Temple). CJ11 shows signs of being a solid QB. Then he makes horrific decisions the likes of which Zips fans are wholly unfamiliar with from the QB position over the past 10+ years. At some point the faith and patience JD and Staff have shown in CJ11 needs to start paying off. This is the game where CJ11 wins my heart, or forever swings me to CJ7. No Zips QB has ever lost to Buffalo.CJ11 doesn't need to throw for 350 yards, but he needs to move the chains and make smart decisions. If he plays a solid game, our D will get the rest it needs to be successful, and we win the game handily. If CJ11 has a bad game, we can't overcome it. Even if Bryan Williams goes for 180 yards and 3 TDs...which he will.Zips 31-17

Great pic, Zip81!! Thanks!

Brett McKnight's Situation is Explained HereHe was ineligible when the semester began, thus he can't play for the 1st semester. Apparently 9,000 other HS kids who wanted to attend colleges across Ohio were also caught up in this State screw-up. For those who were athletes, or who were scheduled to get any State financial aid...they got screwed. The State has corrected the problem for 2008 HS seniors. Their standardized test scores are now assured to be submitted to their respective colleges prior to the beginning of the fall semester or quarter. A year too late for Brett.

That was my understanding too?To me, the jury is out on Mack. The stadium project was 90% complete when he arrived. His three premier programs have coaches from the previous, or interim, administration. They're doing well, in varying degrees, and he has handled the contract situations well, but he hasn't made any "impact" coaching decisions. Lost the golf coach to K.e.n.t. Lost a softball coach (or two?). Marketing has been underwhelming. Odd policy decisions like the reserved/GA seating at the Rubber Bowl, the parking debacle, the Z-Fund changeover where you can't designate the program that gets your $$...etc.No hosannas from me at this time.

The local economy might affect season tickets a bit, but not game day sales.The main factor in selling out Zips games is the team quality. If the Zips are winning...really winning, not going 7-5 every 3 years...people will show up regardless of the overall economic situation. BTW -- There are plenty of people in the area that seem to be doing very well, financially. That doesn't make for all that great a news story, so you don't see that in the papers too often. The game day experience needs to be fun. That's where the crappy Rubber Bowl hurts. While the tailgating is great, getting people out to Ellet to see it for themselves is tough.Win + get the hell out of the Rubber Bowl asap. That's what will sell tickets.

No Buffalo Chips, But There Are Some Dips

Didn't he transfer to Slippery Rock?

Nope. I like the type of student-athlete the MAC typically attracts. If I really liked the "Oden/Durant-type" I wouldn't spend the time I do on this board supporting the Zips. Would the Zips staff take an "Oden/Durant-type?" I don't see that question ever being a realistic one. It will never happen at UA. If they want to recruit that type of player, then they'll prove it one day by leaving Akron and moving on to one of the NCAA/NBA developmental schools/programs. It would be a lot easier (to root for a "machine")...that's for sure. But it isn't what I personally prefer.

Personally, although you seem to know me better than myself, I would not have taken Oden. The one, one-and-done situation I liked was Larry Hughes. He could have jumped straight to the NBA, but he wanted to stay at home for a year and play in front of his family. And to help the Bilikins' program. That was classy.Say LeBron James wanted to help KD out, and wanted to play basketball in his home town with his high school friends for a year. I would have accepted that. Helping out a mentor from his youth, helping out his hometown program, turning down the NBA to do so (like Hughes, he had the option of turning pro or going to college)...that would have been borderline "noble." To me this is different than the OSU/Oden relationship, where Oden was specifically recruited from out-of-state to be a "student" for 1/2 a year. Getting into a recruiting war over 1-and-done players is a crime. It has nothing to do with collegiate athletics and all to do with money.OSU made millions of dollars from Oden and all it cost them was two quarters worth of out-of-state tuition scholarship money. It was a great business decision. But Oden was a sham student athlete. Given the choice...give me the Cedrick Middleton's of the world any day of the week.

If we spent 100million dollars on a football-exclusive practice facility, someone should be shot. Hell, our new football stadium only costs 55million. Keep in mind that the Stiles center is a full blown rec center for all students, that the building houses many athletic department staff, that the track, golf...basically all students and programs benefit from the facility. Too many for my liking. But the last class, sans Vince Hill, seems outstanding. Although no one really wants to mention it, there are also some excellent players from the first 3 classes. I said Oden was a sham of a student athlete. He was. If it makes the thin-skinned OSU fan happy, I'll say that Kevin Durant was a sham student athlete too. I'm sure Oden is a nice kid. I never saw anything in the morning news that he beat his girlfriend, robbed a team mate's dorm, fell asleep drunk at the wheel...nothing. By all accounts he is a very good kid. But he was a sham student athlete. He has less than 10 credit hours at OSU than me. And I never attended OSU. Dambrot has a commitment to getting college students degrees. As a fan of collegiate athletics, I like that. And there's noting better to me than when a bunch of traditional student athletes beat a bunch of guys who are simply playing out the string until NBA draft day arrives. That's what is so great about the NCAA tourney. At least it it used to be before the big schools began excluding programs that weren't NBA developmental teams disguised as college programs. No difference between OSU, Texas, Florida, etc and Akron? You got me there.

If they play McDonald in the 1st round it may be your only chance to see him in the playoffs. If there's anything better than Division 6 Ohio HS Football smack, I don't wanna know it.

Can you cite the source for the 1.5 GPA statistic? I'd like to see it.