Captain Kangaroo

In case some missed the ABJ stadium column reference in the other thread, I'll re-post my response here.I think in the column is it pretty apparent Mack did not show all his cards to the reporter. Too bad the reporter never dug any deeper.In general, I'm kind of down after reading the column:I don't like the fact we're "inching" towards a new stadium. I wish we were "full steam ahead" towards building a new stadium.I don't like the fact that it's "less than 5 years away." That means it is all of 5 years away, and that means no groundbreaking for 3 years, at best.I do like the location.I don't see a problem with parking...it is a 30,000 student University, so there should be quite a few spaces to be had on a Saturday. On a Thursday night? THAT could be a problem.I hope Plusquellic doesn't do anything stupid like try and get limited parking on-campus so people have to walk from/through downtown to get to the stadium.How will the Rubber Bowl last another 5 years? Can you imagine how trashed the seats will be in 5 years? They're trashed as we speak.I don't like that "Informally we've talked to people to gauge the interest (in building a new stadium)." We need to be balls to the walls in pimping this thing to everyone and their brother in Summit County!! I was really hoping we had passed the point of informally bouncing ideas off the wall.What's the deal with acquiring land to build more soccer fields and football fields? Intramurals? I don't get it?This is the first time I've heard the soccer team possibly playing in the new stadium. I wonder how the team would feel about playing on field turf?25,000 seats, expandable to 30,000? Jesus...just make it 30,000!! The expandability should be to something like 45,000. The article pretty much jibes with what Mack inferred at the golf outing. The funding is not where it needs to be at this time. The Zips need another highly successful football campaign to get a clamor for the stadium going in the community. If the Zips went 4-8 this year (and "no" I don't see that happening) I can't see many new, wealthy sponsors busting down the doors to be associated with the program. If we build off of the success we had in 2005 and show that 20,000 fans will show up for games, the solicitation of donations will be a lot simpler. Should this be the case? Hell no. We flat-out need a new stadium, and we need it NOW. It doesn't matter what the team's 2006 record is...this is a decision that will affect the next 50 years of Akron football. Unfortunately, the team was out-of-sight-out-of-mind for two full decades and people have trouble believing we're not a f.lash in the pan. It doesn't help when the local paper won't send a reporter to freaking Athens Ohio to cover your away games either.

In general, I'm kind of down after reading the column:I don't like the fact we're "inching" towards a new stadium. I wish we were "full steam ahead" towards building a new stadium.I don't like the fact that it's "less than 5 years away." That means it is all of 5 years away, and that means no groundbreaking for 3 years, at best.I do like the location.I don't see a problem with parking...it is a 30,000 student University, so there should be quite a few spaces to be had on a Saturday. On a Thursday night? THAT could be a problem.I hope Plusquellic doesn't do anything stupid like try and get limited parking on-campus so people have to walk from/through downtown to get to the stadium.How will the Rubber Bowl last another 5 years? Can you imagine how trashed the seats will be in 5 years? They're trashed as we speak.I don't like that "Informally we've talked to people to gauge the interest (in building a new stadium)." We need to be balls to the walls in pimping this thing to everyone and their brother in Summit County!! I was really hoping we had passed the point of informally bouncing ideas off the wall.What's the deal with acquiring land to build more soccer fields and football fields? Intramurals? I don't get it?This is the first time I've heard the soccer team possibly playing in the new stadium. I wonder how the team would feel about playing on field turf?25,000 seats, expandable to 30,000? Jesus...just make it 30,000!! The expandability should be to something like 45,000. The article pretty much jibes with what Mack inferred at the golf outing. The funding is not where it needs to be at this time. The Zips need another highly successful football campaign to get a clamor for the stadium going in the community. If the Zips went 4-8 this year (and "no" I don't see that happening) I can't see many new, wealthy sponsors busting down the doors to be associated with the program. If we build off of the success we had in 2005 and show that 20,000 fans will show up for games, the solicitation of donations will be a lot simpler. Should this be the case? Hell no. We flat-out need a new stadium, and we need it NOW. It doesn't matter what the team's 2006 record is...this is a decision that will affect the next 50 years of Akron football. Unfortunately, the team was out-of-sight-out-of-mind for two full decades and people have trouble believing we're not a f.lash in the pan. It doesn't help when the local paper won't send a reporter to freaking Athens Ohio to cover your away games either.

I saw Jarvis play in a HS all star game last season. He is an excellent back, even if he's only 5' 6".If he had his way, whe would have been a Zip. His mom did not want to pay for 1 semester at Akron (Akron wanted to Grayshirt him and give him a scholarship in the spring) and she made him take Can't's scholarship offer. Since he wasn't 18 at the time of signing day, he needed his mom's signature on his letter of intent, and she wouldn't do it. Sucks to be him. Akron will win more games this season than he'll win in his entire career at Can't. Hope his mom like watching losing, bad football in an empty stadium.

Very Tragic

How'd you get my wife's picture!!

An actual game at Dix Stadium vs Can't Senior Camp:

The Football golf outing this past Monday was a blast. Very well run. If you missed it, you missed a lot. I would expect it will only grow next season, so be prepared to get your reservations in early in 2006. Highlights included:* The entire staff could not have been more friendly or accessible. Anyone in a blue coach's shirt went out of their way to ensure everyone in attendance had a good time. Hats off to them. This, in contrast to the last event run by the Varsity A where Keith Dambrot was wisked around the course in Mike Thomas' golf cart and gave everyone little more than a token wave.* Asked Mack Roades about the stadium timeline. He spoke for about 4-5 minutes...but avoided directly addressing the issue...so someone else basically asked the same question after he was done...and the dance began again. Essentially I'm left to read between the lines in what he said, and my guess is as follows: The stadium will happen, but it seems like this season's success will have a direct bearing on how soon it happens. If the Zips have another great season and the fans show up in large numbers, the stadium process will be expedited. If we were to have a bad season and draw flies, the stadium's fund raising efforts would be hurt considerably. Somehow, whether or not we can prove last season wasn't a fluke appears to have an effect on the stadium timeline. I wish we could have gotten a straight answer, but I'll have to assume there are valid reasons why he can't say anything. * After Mack was done speaking he asked "Are there any more questions?" JD quickly raised his hand and (jokingly) asked "CanIhavesomemoremoney?" There weren't too many people that heard him, but those who did got a good chuckle.* JD set the absolute minimum bar for a successful 2006 campaign at 8 wins and a Championship berth. He also said the staff expects to win at least 2 of the 3 vs. PSU, NC State and Cinci. It's good to hear the bar is set high. I met Lee Owens at an outing when we had 2 1-AA games and he was praying for 7 wins.* Finished 4 under, 11 strokes off the lead. Won a golf towel, a nice golf shirt, and everyone in attendance got a sweet Adidas mock-turtle neck w/the football logo. Played 18 at a nice country club...got lunch and a steak dinner...what more could you ask for? * Charlie Frye spoke for a few minutes. To be honest...he needs to take some public speaking courses. He's not all that comfortable behind the mike. That said, he wasn't doing any endo's though windshields either, and it was great to see such a marquee representative of the program in attendance. He mentioned how important it was to have successful events such as the golf outing, since a lot of the players count on the revenue generated to fund their 5th year at school so they can graduate. He also stated JD was the best coach he's ever had. I thought that was pretty high praise.* Met Mike Waddell's successor. Hunter is much more reserved than Mike. A pretty low-key guy from what I could tell.* I spoke to Mack Roades for a 5 minutes. That's 5 minutes more than I ever spoke to Mike Thomas in 5 years.* Season ticket applications are allegedly being sent out this week.* The assistant coaches were pounding their Blackberries all day long text messaging back and forth with recruits. I wonder if they ever get a minute's rest?* Saw old friends Brian Hilk and John Buddenberg, in addition to a host of other former Zips. There definitely is room for more ex-player involvement, however.If you get the chance to attend next season, I highly recommend it. If you're a fan of Zips football, you are cheating yourself if you don't attend. Ditto if you're an ex-player. It was a fantastic day and a great way to support the program.

Ohioelementary.com is reporting Can't has a verbal from #23, but as of yet there's no confirmation.

FYI: I saw Charlie Frye yesterday at the golf outing. He looked great. Might have a paper cut on his non-throwing pinky, but other than that he seemed fine. He drove away with his father afterwards in a car.

I spoke to someone at yesterday's golf outing.

Jerome Royal, a 6' 2" 175 lb WR from Cleveland is the first verbal of the Zips 2007 recruiting class. More details will follow.Hot off the press....the Zips also received a verbal from Vincent Hill, a very highly touted WR from Virginia.Click for Hill Info

See here:Click for Toledo / OSU Thread

That's pretty cool. Thanks.

The campus bar scene the night before a Penn State game is one of the best I've seen...and I've been to a TON of "major" college Friday nights. It is worth the hotel cost for the experience of walking around in your Zips gear and talking some smack and have some nice people buy you beer all night.If you go to Penn State on Friday night....beware the cases of Rolling Rock. That's the best advice I can give.

If the story was centered around the Zips recruitment of this kid, then I stand corrected. If it was centered around the high school student himself, and as a tangent he just happens to be a Zips recruiting target, then I stand by my statement. The story is gone, so we'll never know....

If CUSA lost all those schools, there's no way any of the MAC schools would join it. What a piece-of-crap conference that would be. The remaining CUSA table scraps would likely disband and join other conferences.Navy join a conference like a dilapidated CUSA? No chance. The writer loses any credibility he had after writing that one.

FTPCAFPSOI Tee shirts are already on their way.

Click for Raleigh Hotels

One of these hotels:Click Me for Penn State Hotel ListingThere are a million. I don't have a clue where we'll stay. With rare exception, they mandate a 2-nite stay.

I know the previous administration was approched about playing games in Cleveland and declined. They didn't want to give up the home field advantage in any game. Wrong or right, that was their point of view. I would rather play a few "marquee" games in Canton @ Fawcett. That would make more sense than Cleveland. It is true that the Rubber Bowl is such a dump it gives us a nice home field advantage. Opposing teams HATE playing there.

Okay, I'll bite, what's a jambulance?My guess is, those gas station attendants painted some old ambulance blue and yellow??? I found those Toledo clowns that wear the gas station attendant uniforms. There must never be enough time to change clothes from the time Sunoco closes until game time? I give them credit for supporting their team.

If Bowling Green getting waxed 65-13 in Cleveland in front of 17,000 people is "exposure" I'd rather not have it. Most of those tickets will be give-aways. The only revenue generated by a team in this game will be what Wisconsin takes home as their guarantee cash. Probably around $400,000?Toledo will be playing OSU in front of 80,000 OSU fans. Good for them. I'd rather play Syracuse on our home field.

This was mentioned in Rasor's blog. It merit some additional press. Makes you realize how much the Beacon sucks...as if you needed a reminder:Click For Zips Assistant Recruiting Story

Just bringing this one to the top for some added visibility. Apparently there was a good response to seeing it on our site.

Looks like we'll have 10-14 making the trip.