Captain Kangaroo

I have no idea who he is, but he loves the Zips?Click for Mr Beane

Click for Stadium DiagramWhat is the Rubber Bowl seating capacity now?

I implied absolutely NOWHERE that the MAC and the Big 10 have across-the-board equivalent talent. In fact I specifically stated "The Big 10 is deeper. It has some better athletes." How much clearer can I make it? My point is exactly as I stated: If I watch a football competition between Northern Illinois and The University of Akron, that football game is as interesting, compelling, thrilling and competitive as anything the Big 10 has to offer. I stand by that statement. Big 10 football is no more competitive than the MAC.

I like the MAC. I actually prefer it over the Big 10. There is no such thing as a "mid-major" conference. That is simply a term coined by large $$ schools to try and separate themselves from other institutions. Competion in the MAC is excellent. I see no difference in the MAC and the Big 10 regarding competition. The Big 10 is deeper. They have some better athletes. But the gameday conference competition is not any better than the MAC. Unless it is Can't/Buffalo. I don't blame them, so long as they don't look down on the MAC while they're doing so. I liken them to the rich kid down the street that has a superiority complex. I don't see the family connection in the least. Did an act of God place the soccer team in the finals in 1986. Did it place them in the Top 10 this preseason? If the NCAA wouldn't have been screwed in seeding in last year's tournament, the Zips would likely have won the championship. They beat Maryland on a neutral field. I agree with that too...to an extent. I have a bunch of friends that are OSU fans. And Notre Dame fans. And Michigan fans. Etc. That's all good as long as you don't have some superiority complex that the Big 10 is God. And, talk-down the MAC as some second class conference because it isn't on ESPN every 30 seconds or properly covered in the local papers.

I can live with that sentiment, but I wish it were otherwise.BTW: At the Can't/Toledo hoops final at the Gund this year the Jumbotron showed a guy in a Michigan shirt. The crowd boooooo'd like he was a member of the Taliban. They then showed a clown in an OSU shirt and the entire MAC crowd went bananas. I thought that sucked. I wish the MAC crowd would have just ignored the "skit." Going bananas for an OSU clown in a retarded, staged skit at a MAC Championship event is pathetic. But...that's the mentality the MAC is up against.

Damn Akron education... Fixed.

The Plain Dealer reports former Ohio "Mr. Manslaughter"...or was it "Mr. Football?"...anyhow, Ray Williams needs a stellar summer session to become eligible to play football for Toledo in 2006. Scooter McDougal is also in the same boat.

It is highly probable he will be a Zip. 95% certainty. He will not be eligible this season.Click to Review Update, In Case You Missed It

Pretty much anything is ok in the parking lot aside from kegs. If I recall, the University's deal with Coors Light makes them frown on people bringing kegs into the lot. Be cool...have fun...drink alot...grill food...act responsibly (yes, all this can be done simultaneously) and enjoy the Akron game day.

There is a fine for drinking less than 2 beers per hour.

Put 5 of you in a car. It costs $1.00 per person to park. You have to have that in change in your car ashtray?If you want a tip:Say you can't afford $1.00 to park. You get to the game 4 hours early, before the parking company arrives. Park your vehicle. It's free.

I'll clarify one thing for a few - This $500.00 "donation" allows people to park in the paved lots. It has no effect on the grass area, which will still be $25.00 w/no donation.I was in the "Tailgate" paved lot last season. It cost $50.00. It was never more than half-full (8 of the 16 spaces utilized) at any given time. Those of us there made the best of it and had a good time. It was nice being out of the mud, close to restrooms and near the inflatable things the kids like to bounce around on. It was a good deal, and I would have done it again. I'd have done it again for $100.00. But $500.00...that's insane.If the University can get $500.00 for the spots, good for them. My guess is they will be stone-empty. Maybe there will be a few big donors...and a few University employees who don't need to pay the fee parking there..but that's it.Z-P is correct. The real party goes on in the $25.00 lot. I will be back there again this year, like I was for 19 of the last 20 seasons. To be very blunt: The people donating $500 to the University for parking are not a blast to party with. They're actually kind of boring. The few that will pay will arrive 15 minutes before game time and stroll in the bowl. I like to arrive 6 hours before game time and ramp things up until kick-off. Most of the others on this board do likewise.I really shook my head when I read that 3-page letter detailing the $500.00 parking cost. I can't imagine anyone reading that and saying "That makes TOTAL sense...I can't wait to write my check!!".I'm no "cheap" guy. I will up my donations to the University a bit this year because I like the coaches, the teams performance and I want the success to continue. But I ain't shelling out $500.00 to park at the Rubber Bowl. That's the most insane thing I've ever seen.I have some thoughts on how this could have been handled. Maybe I'll post them another day. It's too nice outside to be tapping on a computer keyboard.

You're joking right? Hopefully after this season that won't be so funny If rumors that the endzone seating will be closed are true, seating could be hard to come by. I don't predict a sellout by any stretch, but if we reduce the seating to 24,000, we will likely come close to a sellout.BTW: Our Marketing group is non-existant. I see the gay Can't billboards around Akron, but Z-E-R-O Zips stuff. This concerns me tremendously.

It is our home opener, so you can bank on a full parking lot of tailgaters. We'll have 17-20k in the bowl regardless of the outcome of the first three games.Welcome to all the North Texas fans. You'll have a great time in northeast Ohio.

He would not play this year. He would have 3 years eligibility remaining, beginning in 2007.

The NIT has dropped from 40 teams to 32 teams for this coming year. I guarantee one of those 8 slots went to a MAC school in the past.

I feel so guilty. I graduated from UA but didn't end up working there. I think I may form a support group...me and the other couple thousand people that do so every year. Matt Newhouse was the best. He was one of the original student posters on our board. He should get a ton of credit for generating student enthusiasm for athletics at a school where it was once thought impossible. He did more as a grad student than most of the paid "professionals" that preceeded him. Looking forward to our future games with FSU now that we have an "insider!"

I don't think Toledo needs to expain too much regarding their recruits. They've sustained a high level of success for longer than anyone in the MAC. Saban, Pinkel, Amstutz...they plug in a new coach and roll on. You can't do that without great athletes.I look forward to playing them this season. It's been too long.BTW: I was at the Rubber Bowl the last time we played Toledo. We scored a TD to bring us within 10 points late in the 4th quarter. Rather than go for two, Owens kicked the extra point, leaving it a 9-point, 2-possession game. I never thought I'd see a dumber coaching move in my life...until I saw Owens on-side kick vs. Liberty when we were up 41-14.

Someone help me here...The list of BCS shools MAC teams has recently beaten (in the 90's and beyond) is pretty extensive. Off the top of my head I can recall:Iowa, Minnesota, Pitt, Northwestern, Kansas State, Alabama, South Carolina, Maryland, Penn State, Indiana, Clemson and Iowa State. I'm intentionally leaving off the Rutgers', Kentucky's, Navy's, Army's, Cincinnati's and UConn's of the world, although these BCS schools have recently fallen to MAC teams too.There's probably at least 10 other very respectable BCS schools that MAC teams have recently beaten. Don't sell the MAC short just because you/we were stuck with Gerry Faust and Lee Owens for 18 years. The rest of the MAC has fared pretty well as of late.

I can't reveal a source, but it's very solid information.

It looks very good that Ryan Brinson will enroll at The University of Akron this fall. Brinson was highly recruited out of Canton McKinley and had verballed to West Virginia last season. He instead attended a Hargrave Academy. Brinson will have three years eligibility, beginning Fall 2007.Click and Watch Your Eyes Pop Out!

This is where we did our damage the past two PSU games. They sell Rolling Rock ponies by the case in the basement. Old wooden bench seats. Dark. Everything a college bar should be! There is a good mix of alumni and students here. PSU fans have treated us very well in the past. Wear your Akron gear and you'll have a great time. And if you drink the Rolling Rock - Bring your Tylenol.

• Zac Derr interrupted the Lord's work to try to earn a spot on the Atlanta Falcons roster.The former Akron kicker is in divinity school at Trinity Evangelical. The 27 year old was impressive in an April workout.He last kicked for the Dallas Cowboys, but was released in 2002 without playing a game."I don't know if I'll play in the NFL for five more minutes or the next 10 years,'' Derr told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "What is really in my heart is to serve the local church. If football is in the plans for me, then that's fantastic.''

I don't know of any other non-qualifiers. I do know Lemon is already on campus, working out.I hear Robinson's grades are ok. His weight is as good as it is going to get. The combination of Robinson, Reid and Gonzales will be as imposing a from three as there's been in the MAC in some time. From what I hear, Robinson's playing time will be proportional to how hard he works. He needs to bust his butt and keep his ego in check and he will be fine. Can he do that? Beats me. We'll see in September.

Zips Blips for July 2006Dry in JulyNot much going on football-wise for the Zips at this time. Things will begin to heat up when camp opens in early August. Here are the answers to a few questions several of us have posed over the past few weeks.Comings and GoingsOn the way out are Frank Berchie and Josh Kiner. Berchie, a Lee Owens recruit, wasn’t satisfied with his spot on the RB depth chart. Last I heard, Kiner is transferring to Villanova with designs on their Architecture program. I don’t know whether or not he’ll play football. On the way in are preferred walk-ons Demetrius Benjamin (LB) from Steubenville and AJ Harris (DB) from Columbus Brookhaven. Benjamin played in the Ohio North/South game.Also on the way in is Johnny Peyton, who will likely transfer from South Florida to Akron. It looks pretty much like a done deal.2006 HS Recruits On-campus in July Include:Aaris Reed (already taking classes), David Harvey, Dantley Kline, Mickey Baker, Delvin Davis, Igor Iveljic, Smith, Lemmon and AJ Harris. There may be others, but that’s who I know at this time.2006 OL recruit Mark Jackson will attend a prep school this fall. As stated elsewhere on ZipsNation, Jerrel Stoudemire is a non-qualifier. He is expected to be on campus in a couple weeks. Zips fans should cross their fingers regarding his commitment to the books, because the DL in 2007 will be pretty thin without him.2007 RecruitsNot to belabor the point, but Vincent Hill is a solid verbal for the 2007 class. He had offers from Maryland and UConn, amongst others.Three Zips are already confirmed for the 2007 recruiting class (Royal, Hill and Pride). The Zips expect one…maybe two additional recruit verbals by summer’s end. Injury FrontChevin Pace, Jemall Benjamin, Elliot Bates and Chris Brown’s injuries are all healing well and all are expected to be good-to-go in September.Bad News/Good NewsHulking Minnesota transfer Jason Sekinger (OL) was not granted eligibility for 2006. However, he will have 4 full years to play beginning in 2007.Wide Receiver SituationJabari is obviously the clear #1 WR. Johnny Long goes into summer camp as a leading candidate for #2. However, Jermaine Lindsay and David Harvey will push hard for playing time. Lindsay and Harvey are thought to be the two most talented freshman on the Zips roster, regardless of position. Look for an early, immediate impact from one or both of these guys.That’s all for today, Zips fans.