Captain Kangaroo

I did. I cancelled my subscription. That's the best I can do.I'm tired of bitching about the Beacon too. I realize it won't change. I have a Beacon sports section from 6 years ago. It was from Feb 2000's national signing day. HUGE story on some Charlie Frye kid. Huge story on Aaron Feller (OL). Big write up on the entire recruiting class, complete with nice photos. Also, the Zips played hoops that evening. Big picture of Marco Morgan ©. Very nice game write up. And, that was when the Zips weren't winning ANYTHING in hoops or football.Compare that to last month's atrocious signing day coverage. I'll never understand it...

Oh, I get it now. The Beacon can ignore The University of Akron Zips because they sell more papers covering Brady Quinn's sister's dates with AJ Hawk than who the starting Zips RB for 2006 is shaping up to be? It is funny that they can't do BOTH. The have to cover OSU's spring practices...but can't offer any insight regarding Akron's. Hey...as long as their making money hand-over-fist covering OSU, more power to them. I thought I heard something about the Beacon going broke a short while ago? I must have been mistaken...

High School Views: For Beaver Falls, Jeter was Mr. ClutchTuesday, March 28, 2006By Colin DunlapThe clock was winding down, the final few seconds were all that was left in the brilliant career of Beaver Falls senior guard Lance Jeter.For Jeter is a sort of paradox. He's nimble but bullishly strong. He's a great kid off the floor, but the kind of ferocious competitor on it that makes a person cringe at times. In fact, he finished his high school career as the 13th all-time leading scorer with 2,243 points.But most of all, he is unselfish, although when he needs to be, when his team calls for it, Jeter can be as selfish as a little bratty kid who hordes all the candy at Halloween.Against Quaker Valley in the PIAA Class AA semifinal last Wednesday, we saw all sides of Lance Jeter.And the constant that has been the calling card of this splendid young athlete shone through again.For it was Jeter who had the ball in his hands at the end of the game with the score knotted.It was Jeter -- the kid who has caused almost as much depression in Aliquippa as the closing of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation mills -- who seemingly has a homing device wherein the ball gravitates to him in waning moments of big games.But even I thought, sitting there on press row, that it was all coming to an end this time. Surely he couldn't do it again. Surely he's lived his nine lives and there was no way, no freaking way, he could do it again.As Jeter grabbed the ball, 90 feet from victory with the score tied at 70 with just under 10 seconds remaining, even I doubted him this time.I remember turning to the guy on my right and saying, "No way Jeter does it again."Just as the words finished leaving my lips, the echo of that whistle echoed through the building. Jeter was fouled; he would go to the line with 3.2 seconds left.As he launched the first one and it rimmed out, many in the gym -- particularly those Quaker Valley partisans -- had to be hoping for the second one to miss in much the same fashion.But anyone who has had even a passing interest in WPIAL basketball over the last few years knew this one was going to be true. Jeter doesn't come up short in big games, Jeter doesn't miss with the contest on the line.He could have airballed that first one and you just knew the second one was going to find the twine. This was Lance Jeter. He always comes through!Sure enough, the second attempt was pure and it was pure Jeter. It was the game-winner, the bail-out points for a team that, frankly, probably still shouldn't have even be playing.So often we look at size, we look at 40-yard dash times, we look at how much a kid can bench press .Those aren't the telling numbers .Time and again, Lance Jeter has proven that, no matter what happens throughout the course of a basketball game, it truly is what a player does at the end that makes the indelible mark.It is what he does, when faced with adversity and is asked to carry his team that is the litmus test for what kind of athlete he truly is.Unfortunately for him and Beaver Falls, a similar scenario didn't develop in the PIAA Class AA championship game Saturday against Philadelphia Prep Charter. Despite a heroic first-half effort in which Jeter scored 18 points and staked the Tigers to a 29-27 halftime lead, he couldn't prevent the inevitable.Using its superior size and athletic ability, Prep Charter routed Beaver Falls in the second half, outscoring Jeter and Company, 55-22, to win going away, 82-51. Prep Charter held Jeter to just five second-half points.But that doesn't matter. To me, Lance Jeter is, undeniably and unequivocally the greatest late-game player in WPIAL history.

High School Views: For Beaver Falls, Jeter was Mr. ClutchTuesday, March 28, 2006By Colin DunlapThe clock was winding down, the final few seconds were all that was left in the brilliant career of Beaver Falls senior guard Lance Jeter.For Jeter is a sort of paradox. He's nimble but bullishly strong. He's a great kid off the floor, but the kind of ferocious competitor on it that makes a person cringe at times. In fact, he finished his high school career as the 13th all-time leading scorer with 2,243 points.But most of all, he is unselfish, although when he needs to be, when his team calls for it, Jeter can be as selfish as a little bratty kid who hordes all the candy at Halloween.Against Quaker Valley in the PIAA Class AA semifinal last Wednesday, we saw all sides of Lance Jeter.And the constant that has been the calling card of this splendid young athlete shone through again.For it was Jeter who had the ball in his hands at the end of the game with the score knotted.It was Jeter -- the kid who has caused almost as much depression in Aliquippa as the closing of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation mills -- who seemingly has a homing device wherein the ball gravitates to him in waning moments of big games.But even I thought, sitting there on press row, that it was all coming to an end this time. Surely he couldn't do it again. Surely he's lived his nine lives and there was no way, no freaking way, he could do it again.As Jeter grabbed the ball, 90 feet from victory with the score tied at 70 with just under 10 seconds remaining, even I doubted him this time.I remember turning to the guy on my right and saying, "No way Jeter does it again."Just as the words finished leaving my lips, the echo of that whistle echoed through the building. Jeter was fouled; he would go to the line with 3.2 seconds left.As he launched the first one and it rimmed out, many in the gym -- particularly those Quaker Valley partisans -- had to be hoping for the second one to miss in much the same fashion.But anyone who has had even a passing interest in WPIAL basketball over the last few years knew this one was going to be true. Jeter doesn't come up short in big games, Jeter doesn't miss with the contest on the line.He could have airballed that first one and you just knew the second one was going to find the twine. This was Lance Jeter. He always comes through!Sure enough, the second attempt was pure and it was pure Jeter. It was the game-winner, the bail-out points for a team that, frankly, probably still shouldn't have even be playing.So often we look at size, we look at 40-yard dash times, we look at how much a kid can bench press .Those aren't the telling numbers .Time and again, Lance Jeter has proven that, no matter what happens throughout the course of a basketball game, it truly is what a player does at the end that makes the indelible mark.It is what he does, when faced with adversity and is asked to carry his team that is the litmus test for what kind of athlete he truly is.Unfortunately for him and Beaver Falls, a similar scenario didn't develop in the PIAA Class AA championship game Saturday against Philadelphia Prep Charter. Despite a heroic first-half effort in which Jeter scored 18 points and staked the Tigers to a 29-27 halftime lead, he couldn't prevent the inevitable.Using its superior size and athletic ability, Prep Charter routed Beaver Falls in the second half, outscoring Jeter and Company, 55-22, to win going away, 82-51. Prep Charter held Jeter to just five second-half points.But that doesn't matter. To me, Lance Jeter is, undeniably and unequivocally the greatest late-game player in WPIAL history.

Hand-in-hand By Bill Beckner Jr.VALLEY NEWS DISPATCHFriday, March 24, 2006Valley junior Toney Clemons already has four scholarship offers for football.Pitt, Mississippi, Akron and Connecticut have all courted Clemons, a wide receiver/defensive back, who has delicate hands and blazing speed.But Clemons doesn't think he'd be drawing nearly as much attention if it wasn't for track."Like coach (George) Webb says, track is a warm-up for football," said Clemons, who is the defending champion in the WPIAL Class AA long jump. "Track's always been my first sport, but football is my first love. But the two go hand-in-hand. You need one to be conditioned for the other."Track and field season opens today in the WPIAL, and Clemons heads a strong list of Alle-Kiski Valley athletes to watch. He is the only returning local athlete to win a WPIAL boys gold medal last season.Clemons, who said he may try to run track and play football in college, will compete in four events -- the long jump, 110-meter hurdles, 4x100-meter relay and either the 100- or 200-meter dashes -- "Wherever coach needs me to get us points," Clemons said.It could be another exciting ride for the Burrell boys team, which enters the season as the defending WPIAL Class AA champions.

Latest on Jeter:Now that Lance Jeter has qualified for freshman eligibility, the Beaver Falls' two-sport star is receiving interest from Akron, Detroit, George Mason, Marquette and Purdue for basketball and Cincinnati for football.The 6-foot-3, 200-pound all-state receiver, who was selected for the Big 33 Football Classic and is gaining Division I football interest, said he is leaning toward playing basketball in college."If that's the best opportunity to come around, that's what I'm going to do," Jeter said Thursday. "A lot more schools have come to see me since I qualified. It feels good to have that off my shoulders. Now, I can relax and worry about leading my team to a championship."

Are you serious? Since when does the school newspaper's coverage have ANYTHING to do with the Beacon's?Off the top of my head I can come up with 10 questions to ask regarding Zips Spring football, the answers of which 98% of the people on this board would find highly interesting. There are a lot of stories out there is if anyone was smart enough to realize it.The Zips are the reigning MAC champs. They brought 15,000 fans to Detroit. They've had the #1 ranked recruiting class in the MAC for two consecutive seasons. They're 3 blocks away from campus. Yet the Beacon focuses on OSU. I could care less if Brady Quinn's sister has half her panties with the ND logo and the other half with OSU's. I care about AKRON football. The Beacon and I don't care about the same things.

Since we're on the topic of the Feminization of the American Male...anyone seen Joakim Noah? My son doesn't believe me when I tell him Noah's male. You make the callWhich is Noah, and which is Monica Seles?Everyone's talking about Noah leaving early for the NBA. I say he's a sock-stuffed B-cup away from being a member of the WNBA's Charlotte Sting next season. Give him this jersey and no one would be the wiser!

What a slap in the face to the PD! The Beacon is The Plain Dealer NA(No Akron)

Like Boise State?BG will get killed in the Wisconsin game, just as they did vs. Boise last season. Take it to the bank. Whatever Urban Meyer had going on there a few years back has effectively eroded.

From a dominant, legit Top 25 team to a mess. Omar Jacobs essentially quits in mid-year 2005 to protect himself for the 2006 NFL draft, costing his team a possible NCAA bowl bid (this is debatable, since BG's defense couldn't stop Mineral Ridge High School in 2005...but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt).Thin at QB for 2006, we learn today:"BG quarterback Anthony Turner was arrested early Saturday morning for possession of Marijuana. He appeared with his attorney on Monday and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 3rd. He has been charged with drug abuse. Along with Turner, was defensive back Ryan Patrick. He was also arrested and charged with drug abuse. He appeared with his attorney on Monday and is scheduled to appear again on April 5th."BG opens the season in Cleveland vs. Wisconsin. I'm sure when that game was scheduled they figured to have a top 25 team with an NFL 1st rounder at QB. Now they're going to have a big freaking mess on display for all of Ohio to see. Will anyone pay to watch that slaughter? Wisconsin can only travel 65 players, so there's no 4th string they can even put in once things get ugly. I'm guessing 49-0 at the half. BG will know on September 2nd what Temple, Buffalo and Can't feel like every week. And...only 2 seasons ago...BG was arguably the most promising program in the MAC.

Beaver Falls guard does it again By John GruppTRIBUNE-REVIEWThursday, March 23, 2006As far as game-winning shots by Lance Jeter go, this one was fairly ho-hum.Jeter hit a free throw with 3.2 seconds to play to give defending state champion Beaver Falls a 71-70 victory over Quaker Valley in the PIAA Class AA semifinals at Palumbo Center on Wednesday night."That," he said, "was the easiest one."The foul shot, which capped an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback, added to Jeter's growing legacy of huge playoff baskets, including two in wins over Aliquippa on the way to last year's PIAA Class AA title.So, when Quaker Valley senior forward Ryann Bradford made one of two free throws to tie the score at 70 with 8.6 seconds to play, everyone in the nearly packed Palumbo Center knew who was going to try to win it for Beaver Falls (27-4).But before Jeter could even get to mid-court, Quaker Valley senior guard Amir Johnson was called for a foul while going for a steal against the Beaver Falls star."He tried to make a play for his team because he's the captain," Jeter said. "You can't blame him for that."With coaches from Akron -- one of the schools recruiting Jeter -- looking on, Jeter missed the first free throw. But he stepped back, got a few words of encouragement from his teammates and calmly swished the next one for a one-point lead with 3.2 seconds to play.The game ended when Johnson missed a desperation half-court shot at the buzzer.The exuberant Beaver Falls cheering section celebrated the return trip to the PIAA Class AA final by launching a cascade of Hershey's Kisses, chocolate bars and even a half-eaten Milky Way onto the Palumbo Center floor. Beaver Falls scooped up the goodies, as the players were showered with the treats."When the game is on the line, the ball seems to find its way into his hands, and every time the kid comes through," Beaver Falls coach Doug Biega said. "There was no doubt in my mind that Lance was going to make that shot."Jeter finished with a game-high 31 points. Senior guard Jack Anderson scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 16.2 seconds to play, as Beaver Falls overcame a 61-50 fourth-quarter deficit."Jeter wants the ball at the end of the game," Quaker Valley coach Tom Demko said. "Great players want the ball at the end of the game, and they make plays."Johnson scored 20 points for the Quakers (23-8). Ryan Courneen added 19, and Ryann Bradford 14.Beaver Falls will try to become the first team to win back-to-back PIAA Class AA titles since 1979 when the Tigers play Penn Charter (27-5) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Giant Center. Penn Charter, the third-place team from the Philadelphia public school league, defeated York Catholic, 56-53, in the Eastern final.Quaker Valley, trying to reach the state finals for the first time since 1999, showed more desire and energy in the first half and led, 16-9, after one quarter. By the time a 16-0 run was finished with 5:50 to play in the second quarter, Quaker Valley (23-8) led, 24-9. Beaver Falls cut the deficit to 37-27 at halftime, and then opened the second half on a 14-4 run to tie the score at 41. Quaker Valley answered with a 20-9 run and led, 61-50, after Courneen's 3-pointer with 7:01 to play.Beaver Falls trailed, 68-63, with 1:45 left, but Jeter scored a bucket and freshman Todd Thomas scored his first basket of the game to make it 68-67. With Quaker Valley leading, 69-67, Anderson hit a 3-pointer to make it 70-69. Bradford's free throw with 8.6 seconds to play set the stage for another Jeter game-winner."Sometimes it goes their way; Sometimes it doesn't," Jeter said. "Fortunately, it goes my way most every time I get the chance."

Unlike Jimmy Stewart in "It's a Wonderful Life," we'll never have the opportunity to know what effect that loss to Toledo, and the subsequent absence for the MAC finals in Cleveland, had on the Hoops program. Maybe when I die I'll ask God that one? Hey...Did I just have a "Pluto Moment?" One thing for certain...we'll never truely know until we reach a title game.In a broad sense...the effect will be minimal, as long as KD keeps the program rolling in the positive direction...and I have every reason to believe he'll do that. But that game...a championship...Akron vs. Can't...big venue...national TV...was a huge opportunity lost for the program. I'll leave it at that. We still only have one MAC Tourney win in Cleveland to show for 8 years of toil. That's an amazing/alarming stat, and it's one "monkey" we still need to shake from our back. I also am concerned with how our team competed vs. Toledo. The simply out-hustled us the latter half of that game. I wouldn't trade our roster for theirs. Not a chance. But Toledo showed a killer instinct....a fight-for-your-life desperation in that game that made me envious. Coming back to beat Temple was very impressive. The thread above mentioned mental toughness. To blow the Toledo game as we did, and to come back and beat Temple on the road, is one thing that heartens me when looking towards next season.I see where Wichita State...George Mason...Wisconsin-Milwaukee...Bradley...Northwestern State..etc. are I believe the Zips aren't very far away from competing at that level. Conversely, I see how Can't State got waxed by Pitt...a Can't State team that was slightly better than Akron's this season... and I see how far we need to go to reach that level.Lunch break's over. I contradicted myself several times above. I'm still scratching my head to figure out where we stand at this time. Yes, we're standing "good." But how good, I still don't know.

The sinister roo in the Fear the Roo logo was provided by the same company that provided the new logo. As I understand it, this was the look that appealed to the athletic department, but others in the University (outside athletics) wouldn't buy into it. The "sinister" roo sat on ice for a couple years until the Fear the Roo campaign allowed the Athletic Marketing group to "sneak" it in.Where's my beer?

TESTIFY!

Click Me for Blue Jay Board

Are you f*cking kidding me? First off, Mount Union is D3, not 1-AA. Any D3 school would get absolutely ass raped by any D1, 1-AA, or D2 school. If Akron played Mount Union, first of all, it would be unsafe for the Mount Union players because it's an entirely different kind of player and skill level. Secondly, it'd be 56-0 or worse by halftime. 1-AA schools can sometimes compete with a 1-A school. But Mount Union would not come close to Ashland, much less Akron. Wow...this tone from the guy admonished me for being too harsh on someone claiming "Can't has a better recruiting class than Akron (football) and the 2005 MAC championship won't help Akron in recruiting?"

That's a great offer, but I have bowling tomorrow. I'll have to listen to Steve French and the new guy between frames. Is Joe Dunn gone to Cincinnati too?

Passing Should be better, since Luke will have fully shaken off the rust from his 3 year layoff. I think the competition for the #2 QB slot will only help. As far as losing Hixson and Montgomery goes, I don't think it will be a factor. Jabari came on like gangbusters late last season. I think he seamlessly replaces Hixson. Long is every bit as good as Montgomery. I also have to believe one of the heralded incoming Fr's will give us a pretty formidable 3 wr set. With Kasparek, Poindexter and Cruz at TE, we're also in great shape.Rushing: The OL is more experienced and deeper than last season. I think that will be HUGE. Last season we pretty much went "Biggs middle/Biggs left/Biggs right" because we had no real depth. Between Alex Allen, Dennis Kennedy and the incoming Fr. we'll be a lot fresher and deeper than last year. Tuzze at FB will also be a big help.With the upperclassmen having two full seasons + three summer/springs under this staff I think everyone will be on the same page. That will be a big help. No QB controversey either.Plus...they say a boxer gets 30% better once he beats the champ. The Zips got 30% better than last season solely by beating NIU. They KNOW they can win a championship. That is invaluable.

I guess they feel that, since they got a bowl bid when they couldn't even win their own division of the MAC, they are entitled to an NIT bid when they finish 7th in MAC hoops. It actually makes sense.

I had to look up "crepe hanger" myself. A pretty good metaphor tossed out by Zip37!! Click to Read About Crepe Hanging

The Rowdies ain't Duke. They've shown up for one season. I love it...they have to start somewhere...but to dedicate half the section to them is nuts. Truth be told, there were a couple games this season where even the end "Rowdy" seats weren't filled.Duke is a convenient reference for college fans since their student section is on ESPN more often than Terrel Owens and Barry Bonds combined, but what goes on there doesn't apply in Akron. Take Maryland as a different example. Seat licenses near the court run $10K+ per season. They don't have students all over the prime seating. Few others do either.The JAR needs to be gutted and reconfigured to accomodate more alumni AND students. It was fine for 20 years while the Zips sucked. Now that the University has finally committed itself to putting a quality product on the court the heat will be on to get the thing done right...like they should have back in the early 80's.

In the era of Division 1 Zips basketball, that is the biggest win in school history. It is a undescribeable credit to the coaching staff and team that they could collect themselves after Friday's despair to knock off a team the caliber of Temple on the road. It is no secret that I'm not the biggest Dru Joyce fan. But it is tough to argue with him being the leader of a team that's won a school record 23 games, with wins over Mississippi State and Temple. Dru Hitting the shot to force overtime is akin to Getsy hitting Hixson last December. That was one of the biggest basketball shots in school history.Wrong and Right: Early this season I was one of the guys that said Peterson didn't merit PT due to his poor defense. Several others said I was nuts. While Linhart played well I looked pretty good with my call. As Linhart struggled from mid-season on, it was obvious that Peterson should get the lion's share of the small forward PT. Darryl played great the past 3 games. I'll forever wonder why Dambrot seemed to try and develop Linhart at Darryl's expense, but DP has been a trooper and whenever we've needed him down the stretch he's been rock solid. I hope his back is OK for 25 minutes at Creighton. I was wrong regarding DP...he's solid and a leader.Right: People said I was nuts when I lauded Milum after the Nevada game. I thought he was one Zip that really competed against the Wolfpack on an otherwise very forgettable night. I never saw a night like tonight coming for Quade, but you could see something click in Nevada. If he can get some consistency to his game, he can really make us forget Preston and Futch's absense in a hurry next season. He's a great help defender a la Preston, and his offense is coming along. Even though some columnist's opinion of Dial's game Friday changed more positive by the hour, mine didn't. I thought he played his worst game of the season vs. Toledo. I still believe it, because I saw it with my own two eyes. But, that's history and Nick seemed to play a rock solid game tonight. I'm glad for him. I don't dislike the guy at all...hell, he quit OSU to be a Zip...how much better does it get than that for a Zips fan? I hope he carries the same aggressive attitude he had tonight into Thursday's game.Didn't K-ent's 20 game win/tourney run begin with a nice run in the NIT. Tonight's win was a great stepping stone for 2006-7, and very nice for the MAC too (seeing as Miami lost to Butler tonight). Akron and Can't - The only MAC teams left playing hoops.KD mentioned Huggins' teams winning 18 home games during their 22 win season. I like a coach that knows his history. That Huggins team was terrible on the road because, to many of the players, the road trip was always a big party (that was my "era" at Akron, so trust me on that one). It is a credit to KD and the players that they have such a business-like approach on the road. That doesn't come naturally. That's dedication. Hope the kid from Temple is ok. He must have taken one hell of a spill to be down that long.Temple thought their basketball team was too good for the MAC. The declined being an All-Sports member and only joined for football. Nice to give their ego a little bitch-slap. Wonder if, now that Chaney's gone, they reconsider all-sports? Probably not, but I still wonder.In summary: Really a great win. Does it replace "what could have been" last Saturday vs. Can't? No. But that's history and you can't change it. This team has 23 wins, a D1 post season win vs. Temple + one vs and SEC team, and they finished the regular season next to Can't atop the MAC. That's without Wood, Bubba and Conyers. That's pretty damn impressive. Beat the Blue Jays!

I disagree that the Men's basketball team not winning a MAC championship this season will hurt attendance next year. I think losing in the semi finals is what hurt. And, how we lost.If we beat Toledo, there would have been one monster freaking party in C-town for the Saturday night game at The Q. If the Toledo game drew 12k, it isn't too far fetched to believe the Akron/Can't matchup could have drawn 18k+. Even if we lost to Can't it wouldn't have mattered too much. Kinda like when we lost the Motor City Bowl. Everyone would have been feeling pretty good.But...we lost to Toledo in gut-wrenching fashion. That will have some carryover for the bandwagoners.Will an NIT run make a difference? Sure it would. Beating Temple would be HUGE. But it won't top what we fell short of last week.