Captain Kangaroo

Newsflush: Our women's team is pretty sad. Back to you, Bob.

That's a good analogy.

Click me for brackets, assuming the tourney were held today

Random, as per usual:If Terry Pluto writes some sappy drivel about how hard those scrappy Zippers played...well, you should expect it.The Zips are not in the class of Nevada. That is a rock-solid, inside and out, machine of a team.Nevada has an NBA 1st rounder on their team, plus players with scads of big post season wins under their belt. None of our guys will sniff the NBA, and we have no post-season experience. If that sounds like a recipe for a mismatch...it was.The Zips played hard. There are beatdowns that come from lack of effort, and there are ones the come from simply losing to a better team. We lost to a better team. Simple as that.When Nevada tossed the ball inside, their players scored at will. When the Zips tossed the ball inside, we threw up some really unorthodox-looking garbage. The lack of skill we have in the low post really showed tonight. Slow feet...fear of using the backboard...no confidence.Dru was abused tonight. Nevada's guards were 2 steps faster. They also baited him into some terrible turnovers. Let Dials or Middleton run things if Joyce can't compete.Preston was the one guy I can say brought his A game. If we play a team of that caliber in the future, Middleton will need to see more PT at Dru's expense. He has the speed to match up.Rybek hit a 3? Hope he is officially off the schnide?Where did Peterson go?Hitting 12-19 three's is easy when you're wide open. We do it all the time vs. crappy MAC cellar-dwellers.The sky isn't falling. That's the toughest team we'll face until the post season. We need to focus on Miami, OU, Buffalo and Can't. We need the #1 tourney seed, so 2-2, with a win over Can't, is the worst we can afford...and that is easily attainable.Hope the Zips are humbled by the beating and use it as fuel for their stretch run. In the big picture...while profoundly disappointing...it means little for our post season chances.I really look forward to seeing those bastards...and I mean that in a complimentary sense...next season in the JAR.

No one denies he carries weight in the area. Hell, so does Earnest Angsley. Thyere are many sheep in the area. As you can see by attendance, there are far too many people who witness games through Pluto's eyes than witness it for themselves. Thus what he says is gospel.What I personally can't stand isA.) His hypocrisy (refer to the Owens/Hipsher credit issue)B.) His "WWII Switzerland Approach" to writing Susie Sunshine columns while Owens, Crawford and Hipshers' teams grossly underperformed.The more positive stuff he writes about the Zips, the better. But I have a very hard time forgiving the sins of his past 6 years just because the Zips are now winning. He stuck his head in the sand for 6 years. No free passes for that.

I agree with your assessment. You've hit it out of the park. The only flaw is that Penn St. is in State College while College Station is where Texas A&M is located. K-ent lost to Penn State in the NIT a couple years ago...at State College.

We should play Walsh in football too, since Jim Dennison is now the coach. Pluto continues to perpetuate his own stereotype...

I also have an "I went around the world at Mike's Gold Bar" tee shirt. It doesn't fit as well as it used too....

I used to work-out there. I still have a satin "Mick's Gym" jacket. Man am I old....

Everything stated in UAM's post is dead-nuts on. That's the template for making the JAR a classy hell hole that no opponent wants to visit. Yes, a "classy hell hole!"I selected the quote above amongst the others because I think too many fans sit around waiting for the University to give them signs...give them cheers...give them handouts...essentially put the "fun" on an organized platter for them to participate. That has to change. The fans need to be more creative on their own...more vocal on their own...more entusiastic on their own. The stuff the University Marketing Group and the team have given Zips fans in 2005-6 has been awesome. Stunning. A level to which the University has never witnessed. However, if it is going to be take to "another level," it will likely come from the grass-roots level. The fans. It is up to all of us to pimp the Zips and rock the JAR. Not just UAM...or the cheerleaders...or the Beacon.Wear your Zips shirts to work on game daysWear your Zips gear when you travel out of statePimp the Zippy's kid's club at your kid's day care/school ($20.00 gets you free admission to all Zips sporting events for a full year + a tee shirt? How unbelieveable a deal is that?)Hell, there's a million ways to help out. I hope everyone on this board pisses off the blue hairs next to them when we play OU and Can't. Next season there will be a huge demand for tickets. If some old fogeys don't want to get with the program, there will be plenty of new blood to take their place.Beat Nevada!!!

Tonight's game vs. Nevada is the most meaningful Zips hoops game in 17 years (NIT vs. Ohio State).Also: If the Zips sell out their games with OU and Can't...which will happen...it will help our chances of landing a home game in the NIT should we stumble late in the MAC tourney.

Would it matter?

Hey, Matt Futch has a long-lost twin!!

Bulger 1302 (1 yr)132 Annadale (2 yrs)Sumner St (1 summer)519 Brown St (3 years)526 Gage St (1 yr, post graduation)Katheryn Place got a bad rap. It was a great, civil party for many years. I still maintain the tailgating area @ the Rubber Bowl should be named "Katheryn Place!"

Amen, brother.

To the cadence of "O-VER-RAY-TED":On Fears quitting: "WHERE'S YOUR POINT GUARD?" (clap, clap, clapclapclap)"JUST LIKE FOOT-BALL" (clap, clap, clapclapclap) - That one never gets old."EXTEND HIS CON-TRACT (clap, clap, clapclapclap) - Point to O'Shea when doing this cheer once we're up 20 points.Stuff like that would be sweet.

Sorry for the late reply. I was out of town.No, there are no Akron players following Lolla to Louisville.

I'll drop this note here since "Pinky" diverted the other thread:I was able to contact someone at the University regarding existing "verballed" and committed soccer recruits.Our new coach (Caleb...I guess it is time we get used to the name) is meeting with the verballed soccer recruits this week. Last week was a dead period. Our committals have not signed elsewhere and wanted to meet their potential new coach. Hopefully they stay with the program. If they choose to go elsewhere the general feeling is we are as good if not better off due to the contacts Caleb has nationally and abroad. More will be known in a week or two.

Hot Pink Steve supplied me with a link to Miami players in the pros. Actually pretty interesting:Click for Red Hawk Hockey Pros

Pink Steve: Who have you beaten by 20? You guys barely put up 20 points in a half, let alone beat someone by 20. It typically takes Miami double overtime to hit 40 points! Enjoy another 18 win season in the post-Wally era. He's the Lee Owens of MAC hoops.

Hey, Pink Steve. What the hell are you talking about?

Two More CommitmentsJanuary 26, 2006 UConn football coach Randy Edsall added to his defensive and special teams this week when defensive end Lindsey Witten and kicker/punter Desi Cullen made oral commitments. Witten, 6 feet 5, 210 pounds, out of Glenville High School in Cleveland had committed to Toledo in early October but backed out to go with UConn. Witten joins Shawn Lemon of Waldorf, Md., as defensive ends to commit to UConn. *********************************************************************************************************************Update: Lemon rebuffed the Huskies in favor of the Zips on signing day!Hey Rockette....it is pretty obvious...Big East schools are stealing recruits from Toledo while Akron is stealing recruits from Big East schools. Sucks to be you...which I sure is the reason you hang around the Akron board so frequently. I would too if I were in your shoes.

I was able to contact someone at the University regarding existing "verballed" and committed soccer recruits.Our new coach (Caleb...I guess it is time we get used to the name) is meeting with the verballed soccer recruits this week. Last week was a dead period. Our committals have not signed elsewhere and wanted to meet their potential new coach. Hopefully they stay with the program. If they choose to go elsewhere the general feeling is we are as good if not better off due to the contacts Caleb has nationally and abroad. More will be known in a week or two.

Punting candidate: USC is recruiting former Arizona State punter Greg Woidneck as a walk-on to join the team next season. Woidneck transferred from Arizona State to Mt. San Antonio Community College before last season and averaged 39.5 yards per punt. He is also being recruited by Akron. USC would like Woidneck, who attended Brea-Olinda High School, to join current walk-on Taylor Odegard and compete for the starting job.

Another quiet, methodical beatdown by the Zips.Linhart returned to form. You could tell once he made that big steal in the first half his face lit up...it was like a light switch was turned on and his confidence returned.Preston was OUTSTANDING in Futch's absense. No qualms with Joe Dunn's accolades tonight. Big Country deserved everything he got.I liked Rob's postgame comment regarding the loss to K-ent: "We got over it on Monday...man, that Monday practice was brutal!"Whoa, has Rybek lost it or what? I wish he had gotten a little more PT at game's end to get his confidence up. His three's are barely drawing iron.The "airball" chant whenever Snider touched the ball seemed to work? He was uncharacteristically terrible from the field. AK-Rowdies continue to impress.Matt Newhouse has a career as a game show host in his future. Commentary is great during the promos!The AK-Rowdie won 52 cases of pop??!! Holy Hell...he'll have "Marshall teeth!" Every dentist in the audience cringed! BTW: Anyone remember the pop give-a-aways 6 or so years ago. You had to make something like 7 shots in a row to win a freaking 6-pack! I didn't think Romeo played all that great, but he filled up the stat sheet...so I'll shut up.Quade can be a frustrating guy to watch sometimes, but we need him to improve and contribute in the low post at some point. The 19 minutes he got tonight hopefully helps make him a bit more game-ready. He played some useful minutes this evening.I wish K-ent defended like WMU did tonight. We picked WMU apart. Again, it was methodical. We're up 6...then look up at the scoreboard and all of the sudden we're up 18??!!I was disappointed to hear KD's post game commentary regarding the attendance. Obviously he reads this board. I am sure everyone on this board is tired of my Beacon rants, but I feel compelled to say the following:1.) EVERYONE on this board realizes the importance of the Beacon Journal's support with regards to Zips attendance. Myself included. Many here are frustrated with the lack of quality coverage, but no one denies it's importance and potential.2.) NO ONE on this board puts the blame for the Zips poor attendance solely on The Beacon. But to deny is is a contributor is taking all of us for fools. 3.) EVERYONE on this board realizes the Zips are playing some unbelieveable basketball this season. Some are frustrated that we're 0-3 vs K-ent recently, but KD - you should be happy about that...it shows people care about the rivalry, dammit!4.) We will sell out the OU and Can't games. That means in two weeks this whole attendance issue will be nul and void. Bank on that. 5.) If we proceed to the MAC finals at The Q, like we expect, you will see at least 10,000 Akron fans packing the joint. The final nail in the coffin regarding attendance will be dealt.6.) Next season, with the new recruits, plus Wood and Conyers, we will be much improved. We should also have the backing of a great season with a post-season NCAA/NIT appearance to legitimize the program's arrival. Next year the expectations and the sellouts will come. Bank on it.KD - Keep plugging away. I know it is frustrating. You have 17 wins in early February and it appears no one cares. Ride it out two more weeks. You will be drawing fans like flies to Portage County. You are sooo close. Finish strong and there will be a Motor City Bowl-esque love affair with Zips basketball within a couple weeks. Bank on it.Tom Gaffney - There's your answer.