Captain Kangaroo

I here Kiel Fleming is trying to get your season ticket converted to a student ticket as we speak! Watch your back, Z-P!!

How could it not benefit Toledo if true? More national exposure, stronger conference, better opponents, better recruits, more money. As I suspected all along, I think it is you that is smoking something. And it must be some good sh*t. I guess if you're going to win 20 games in the MAC and not even get an NIT bid, you might as well win 2 games in the Big East and stay at home just-the-same?

do any of you akron oldies have an opinion on this? I do find it funny that students...who, for the past 20 years until the advent of the AK-Rowdies organization, were essentially invisible now feel they should take over the lower seats. That amazes me.Her point does have some validity. Kicking the old farts in the lower seats out is unfortunately not the solution. The JAR needs to be reconfigured to allow more students in the lower section while maintaining the $$ AK-Oldie fan base that's already there. The general fees the student pay for entrance are nice, but the $800 per center court seat license and $250.00 per seat reserved ticket cost make booting the elderly impossible.Until there is a major JAR renovation, the JAR is what it is. Hopefully the student support of 2005-6 isn't a one hit wonder. If it continues and grows, it certainly could accelerate the JAR's future renovation.Since I'm almost 40, how long can I continue to rag on the AK-Oldies before I'm one of them? Is it already too late?

The Big East is B-R-U-T-A-L in hoops. Cincinnati goes .500 in the conference and sits in the NIT with Akron and Miami. Ditto Louisville. I wonder if there are any regrets at those schools regarding the move from CUSA? Had either school stayed, they likely would have had a 5-9 seed in the NCAA's rather than an NIT bid.I also wonder if the folks in Toledo are smoking crack to think that leaving the MAC for the Big East...if that were even possible...would benefit them?I have to believe the Super-sized Big East is going to have a shakedown in the next season or two. Making the NCAA hoops tourney is simply going to be too difficult for some schools to swallow. Will such a shakedown affect the MAC? That will be interesting to see.

I'm sorry but this is the most obsene statement yet. On what grounds would they want him fired? Because he has a loss to Toledo? Let's just castrate the guy. Akron basketball has not looked this good in 20 years! We have 22 wins and have only one loss at home in 2 years. Absoutely pitiful..... In general, I think most coaches would give their left nut for a 95% approval rating. KD needs to focus on Temple, and I'm sure he's doing so. A Temple win wouldn't totally erase the Toledo collapse, but it would sure come close. I'm really curious to see how the team responds.

I think everyone did a solid job of covering Mike Waddell and his impact on the University. Since I was out of town when the news broke I will also add my very late two cents:When Mike arrived here, the Sports Marketing department was pretty pathetic. I can’t imagine what went through the guy’s mind when he first walked into the JAR doors and witnessed the tragedy. I vividly recall those dark days…it was frustrating and it sucked.Corporate sponsors in 1999? HAH! Unheard-of. At that time there was one “real” commercial played during Zips radio broadcasts (Ohio Edison), and a “filler” one about “Ketchup Soup”…a public service commercial discussing hungry people who made soup from Ketchup packets. That was our corporate base!!! And… University officials during that time seemed satisfied with it!!! The season opening Acme Zip game? It had been reduced to a footnote. Acme’s clout in the area, and it’s financial support for the Zips had eroded to a pittance. Yet no one at the University had the guts to say, “This sucks…we can do better.”Marketing circa 1999? Hey, place buy one get one free game coupons in the Beacon, or on Acme grocery bags and call it a day.Zips clothing and logos 6 years ago. There were a hand full of outdated, butt ugly shirts and caps. The yellow “sunflower” University seal was being used as a logo for….well, just about everything except being placed on the football helmets.Remember when out school colors were identical to Can't? I do. Who decided that was a good idea?General student involvement in Zips athletics circa 1999? Virtually non-existent. We’re talking 10 to 20 students at games….football or hoops!Yes, six or seven years ago, things were in a pathetic state. And, cared anything about it…. “Hey, we’re a commuter school, there’s a limit as to how good we can ever expect to be.” That was the common belief. Hell, it was a mantra! It is a lot simpler to make excuses than to roll up your sleeves and do something I guess? The Zips commitment to Athletic MAC success was lip service in 1999, compared to today. Sure they wanted success…as long as it was on-the-cheap and no one really had to work too hard to achieve it.Mike came in and assessed the situation. He acknowledged the tragedy. He began asking questions to anyone and everyone that would give him 5 minutes of time. Based upon the feedback of those who truly cared about Zips athletics and his own background in “big time” athletics he tailored an Akron Plan, a plan to yank The University of Akron’s Athletic image by the scruff of its neck into the 21st century. To build value in the Zips name. To foster pride amongst the Akron community, students and alumni. How improbable was it back in 1999 to foresee 15,000 Zips fans traveling to Detroit to support the football team? I’ll tell you…it was impossible to fathom. Absolutely impossible. How about selling out the JAR for consecutive games? Forget it. We were lucky to draw 2k people when tickets were practically given away.It is profoundly frustrating to me to see people in 2006 complaining about Zips game attendance and student support. Anyone who bitches has no freaking clue how far we’ve come over the past several years. Yes, the pace seems glacial, but you can’t go from ground zero devastation to sellouts in a single season…or two or three. It doesn’t turn around at the flick of a switch.Mike’s legacy seems to be tied to the “Fear the Roo” campaign. That’s ok I guess, as long as no one forgets the body of his work. He did a hell of a lot more than create a catch phrase. He changed deeply embedded attitudes and stereotypes. He embraced the Akron community from day one and worked tirelessly to make The University of Akron Athletics the absolute best they could be. Job well done, Mike. Thank you.

I fully disagree. Of course this board DOES represent what the Akron Community is thinking...at least those in the Akron Community that actually care about Zips athletics. Based upon the feedback from this page we can safely assume (with +/- 2% accuracy):5% of Zips fans want Dambrot fired5% of Zips fans think Dambrot walks on water.The 90% in the middle think we had a very nice season considering our marginal talent. They remember the Crawford and Hipsher years very clearly and have no desire to endure a coaching change now that we have a guy that can win 20 games...20 games in a single season too, not cumulative over 2 or 3 seasons like our previous two staffs.They also seem to think we absolutely choked in Cleveland this past weekend, losing to an inferior team in a crucial tournament game on a neutral court. They also seem to want to see what Dambrot does in 2006-7 to bring athleticism, speed and poise to our backcourt, which was proven to be our Achilles’ heel in every major game of 2005-6 (we ate the "patsies" alive).Will Dials come back strong in 2006-7? Could Joyce play 20mpg in a support role if another point guard proved more effective? Does Middleton practice at the point position over the summer? Can Travis develop some sort of money move over the offseason and get his 2006-7 scoring average into the upper teens...where it belongs? Woods' academics in order? So many questions in the Akron community...

If those of you on this board who want harsh reality as to why people don't go to Akron basketball games, this is the reason. Could this be a reason why Rydell Brooks from Buchtel is not on the Zips recruiting radar? Maybe the experiment of taking in local kids with debateable D-1 talent is over?Brookhart stopped the recruiting of any local kids that weren't BCS-level talent. I have to believe it's the same with KD.

How tough a job is it to recruit when you're telling kids they're going to play for Mt St Hipsher? You bring them to a game for their recruiting trip and they see Bryan Hipsher logging 22 mpg while the home crowd boos incessently. That's a tough sell...I can't hold KD accountable for that.22 wins is 22 wins, even in a watered-down MAC. However, if these new guards (recruits) are as quick as advertised, I want to see them on the court next season. No more Dials and Joyce for 34 minutes.

That was really something to witness. 10 minutes to go in the game and Joyce starts tossing the ball around like a lawn sprinkler. Someone tell me why Peterson gets a quick 7 points and gets benched, while Dials lays brick after brick...gets toasted on D...throws balls away...and rarely sees the pine. It was nice to see Nick yuk it up after his lone 2 points of the game...as Toledo blew past him for a layup 3 seconds later.Down two at game's end, it was nice to see Dru lazily go after the inbounds pass...get it stolen...and give up two more.Yes it was a nice season. Hell...it was a great, overacheiving season by anyone's standards. But that has ZERO to do with tonight's game. This was KD's chance...the Zip basketball team's chance...to make a statement. To get 17k in Cleveland in front of a national TV audience. To meet Can't in the finals. To ensure an NIT bid, at worst. We crapped our pants. KD rode his horses too long. The team lost it's poise. We played exactly like a team that's never been to the 2nd round in Cleveland. If KD wonders why there's no sell outs at the JAR early next season, he needs to look in the mirror. He had his chance to break through in 2006. It was laid out flat as a mackeral for the taking...and we blew it. Maybe more later after I sleep on it...maybe not. I have to believe this puts Toledo past us in the NIT race. PLEASE, no one EVEN ask if we stand a chance of an NCAA bid. We're begging for an NIT.The only thing positive to come out of this game is we probably saved Joplin's job.

Unless this guy (below) takes Dambrot hostage then takes over reins of the team, there is no way we lose to a team like Toledo. They are S-O-F-T on the inside. Travis goes for 22.Zips by 8.

It would warm my heart to hear the Rowdies chant:HAUL MY GAR-BAGEOR PUMP MY GASto those retarded Toledo fans in the gas station attendant's outfits. You know the clowns with the yellow hair and masks?If you don't, I will!!Banking on the Rowdies to show up strong tonight!!

Got their chicken mascot too!

That can't be right. You can get to DT cleveland significantly faster from DT akron than you can from DT k ent, traffic phenomenon aside.LOL, I'm not trying to go OT or start an argument. Just wondering how that could be 3 minutes difference. You can complain to mapquest buddy ! RT 43 to I-480W to downtown CLE is about 49 miles on the nose.

The AK-Oldies out-dueling the AK-Rowdies?

Generally speaking, Akron, Can't and Miami are equal. Can't and Miami might have a slight edge over the Zips because they've actually played in the championship before. OU has a puncher's chance to win it all...and everyone else's participation is just a formality.

Every recruit wants to compete in the NCAA tourney during their college career. You are at a distince disadvantage when recruiting against a team that's been there recently if your school has not.If you are a recruit, what sounds better:A.) "You want to play in the NCAA tourney? Come play for us, we've been there the past 2 seasons. We need a guy like YOU to go deeper in the tourney next season!"orB.) "We won games in the NIT last season. We need YOU so we can make the NCAA tourney next year."For the great players, "A" wins every time. NIT wins only help you in recruiting against lower-tier teams.

Jason used to play baseball in HS. Until recently he still had a lot of photos on his HS web site. I wish I still had the one where he was on his knees, and the other players surrounding him were still about eye-to-eye with him!Here's the last survivor as far as I can tell:

I will be there between sessions, after the Zips victory.

The topic of "How can we generate more basketball attendance?" truely baffles me. Our attendance is on a dramatic upswing. We sold out the JAR for our final two home games of 2006. Student attendance was outstanding this season, and has major "upside."Next season we will be the favorites to win the MAC hoops title. We will have Nevada at home. Average attendance next season will easily be 4,400. That, from the "bandwagon factor" alone.The University doesn't need to do ANYTHING special to raise home hoops attendance in 2006. The team simply needs to achieve to it's capabilities and the Marketing crew needs to put forth the same effort they did in 2005-6. It is as simple as that.

They will not be able to practice until summer camp, assuming they're eligible. If eligible, Robinson and Terry will both see major PT.

Add this guy...a steel cage...and we're set!

Not as rare as getting 85 scholarship-eligible Toledo football players to the Glass Bowl.

It would have fit better w/Marshall a few years ago...but since they're gone, it fits Can't pretty well.

OH YEAH!!!Keep on drinkin'...