Captain Kangaroo

BG had 9K for the Akron game a couple weeks ago. It was on a Saturday. Everyone was off work. 13K for a 10am Zips' game that's: 1.) On TV 2.) Against the worst team in the nation 3.) Held in late November 4.) Held on a Holiday when many people travel is pretty damn good. Especially when the best the Zips will be at that point is 5-5. It isn't "sad" to draw such crowds on Thanksgiving morning. In fact it will be very impressive.

It wasn't the fact that he was miffed that made the quote tomatoable, it was the fact that he considers OSU his "hometown" school. Go to Youngstown and ask a local what their hometown school is...after dodging a couple bullets and being assaulted with a blunt object and then being violated while you lay unconsious I guarantee the Younsgstowner says "YSU." And trust me, there are as many OSU fans in Youngstown as there are in Akron. IMO: Getting a brand-spankin' new football stadium and fielding a winning team will create a quantum leapforward in making Akronites think "Zips" when they talk about their hometown team. Even if they are OSU fans. I hope this faculty/pay thing gets settled soon so we can start the f-ing stadium!

I find it about as interesting/compelling as the Terrell Owens saga. *yawn* They make this Oddball clown out to be some sort of Che Guevara. It is a joke. That's all I will say regarding that topic.

Winters was good...until the game was on the line. How many games did we lose simply because we couldn't get a first down to run out the clock? Many. Punt...opponent drives down the field against our crappy defense...we lose the game. Do you really miss those 3rd-and-8 delayed draws out of the shotgun formation? People forget too soon that, while we has some great offensive players under Winters/Owens...late in the 4th quarter the offense predictably went south. Owens was fired for a reason. In general, he recruited mediocre players...recruiting well with his first 12 scholarships and failing miserably with his last 13. His player rentention the last several years was horrible. JD, in only his second season, is saddled with that legacy. Every year we should expect more from this staff. They've already made more positive strides on defense than Owens did in 9 years. I'm sure offense is next on the priority list. I'm expecting an equal improvement on offense in 2006 as we saw on defense in 2005. I'm down on the team's offensive execution this year more than I am the playcalling.

From the PD: "For someone to have all these accolades for four years, and you get passed up by the hometown college, it really doesn't make sense," Sutton said of Ohio State. "They had the opportunity for four years to try and pursue me." Here's one for you, Tyrell: That said...we need to get this damn stadium build so we can one day keep some of these "stud" Akron HS running backs (Pittman, Carter, Sutton, Wells, etc.) "home," playing for their real "hometown" school.

Click me - OU's Main Message Board

I think the Thanksgiving game is worth a shot. If it draws 10K is is a success. Any more and it is officially a "tradition." I'm guessing K-ent brings a couple thousand if the weather is ok. We're good for at least 8k. The national television is a great thing too. Recruits always want to know how often they'll be on TV. To have two ESPN games is a great selling point for the program. I know last season's Marshall game swayed a few out-of-state recruits to attend U of A. On the K-ent "rivalry": It goes both ways. We haven't been much of a hoops rival (to them) the past 8 years and they have sucked at football the past...ok, forever...but definitely the past 8 years. If Can't and Akron were ever simultaneously good in any major sport, it would be HUGE for the area. It could happen in basketball...it will never happen in football. Remember - K-ent is the school that arrests their own alumni at Homecoming tailgates for open container violations. K-ent has no interest in creating a winning football program...and if they had the interest, they have no clue how to go about doing it. Arresting alumni who actually how up to see their sorry-ass team...that's the most absurd thing I've ever heard of. The Annual Beating of Can't is a fun thing. I look forward to drubbing them again in a couple weeks. I hope one day we can get a rivalry going with another MAC school, like Toledo and Marshall had going on for a bit...but it will take the Zips competing for champiopnships before something like that could begin.

A young family...going to school for a Master's degree...and being AD of a Division 1 school is one hell of a workload. It is challenging enough having a family and being AD. I would hope the Masters Degree thing is overlooked and the work experience is valued.

I want DA ZIPMAN for AD! University of Phoenix Online has Masters Degrees for $1.98 this week, BTW.

I didn't mention anything regarding Cubs fans. I only mentioned the irony of the team's "Three More Feet" motto and the goal line situation this past Saturday. Say what you want about any other facet of the team or the season, but if BG beats Miami and we win out, those three more feet would have taken us to the MAC Championship. Ironic...prophetic...a little of both?

...should BG beat Miami, and the Zips win-out, the failed 4th quarter first-and-goal at the Ball State 1 yard line would place us exactly three feet short of making the MAC Championship game. Three more stinkin' feet.

A friend told me Mike was named interim AD. A national search has begun for a permanent replacement for Mike Thomas. That's all I know. BTW: If anyone on the committee to interview potential candidates was on the committee that recommended Dennis Helsel, I'll explode.

If I'm him I say "Damn, I got the next 45 years of my life to work...or I can postpone that for one more semester and..." a.) Play football in front of 100,000+ in Happy Valley b.) Try to give the Zips their first ever win vs. an ACC team @ NC State c.) Try to win a MAC championship in a season where we have Miami and BG at home d.) Be a college student for 4 more months...for free The kid can work the rest of his life beginning December 2006. If I'm him I say "Screw the office cubicle, I want to play football." If he chooses otherwise, I wish him well. He's a good kid.

If we win the final 2, it is a decent year. It is frustrating...many opportunities lost...but I can deal with it. If we lose at home to OU it is crippling. Season turns to crap. If we lost to Can't at home this season I'm cancelling my season tickets. There is no excuse to lose to these clowns. They're the worst team in Division 1-A and our rival. I can't see a loss to K-ent happening. They are sooooo Goddamn bad.

It's Miller time: Senior standout keys Mooney defense The four-year starter will walk on at the University of Akron next season. By BILL SULLIVAN VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF YOUNGSTOWN — When Kevin Miller graduates from Cardinal Mooney High School in the spring, don't be surprised to see prep soccer coaches throughout Ohio attending the ceremony. They're all going to be glad to see him move on. Over Miller's soccer career at Mooney, the Cardinals have racked up a 77-8-3 record. Tuesday, Miller will play in his third state tournament. When Miller was a freshman, he played every minute in Mooney's 2-1 overtime win in the state championship game that gave the Mahoning Valley its only prep soccer title. As a sophomore, Miller helped the Cardinals advance to the regional championship game. Last year Mooney lost in the state championship game, 1-0. Miller says there's no shortcut to his soccer success; a lot of preparation goes into his team. "It's hard work, really," Miller said. "And, a great coaching staff; they always have us prepared for our games. They keep us working. "Our program is excellent. We have the indoor season. The club teams in the area and in the Cleveland area keep us around competition all year around. By the time we come back to play for Mooney, we're ready to go." Defense Miller (6-foot-1, 175 pounds) plays the non-glamorous position of central defender — he doesn't score goals; his duty is to prevent the opponents from scoring. Miller takes his field commands from senior goalie Andrew Loudon (13 shutouts in 21 games) and directs the rest of the stingy defense. "I'm thinking a zero," Miller said of his pre-game state of mind. "I'm thinking there's a [opposing] forward that's worked just as hard as I have. "He's done all the laps, all the sprints that we've done. They have to play in the same conditions that I do. There's no reason that he should beat me. I should be able to shut down every forward that's worked as hard as I have." Although Mooney has won 77 games with Miller on the team, one game stands out in his mind — the 2002 state title match at Columbus Crew Stadium. "The greatest game I've ever played was the state championship game my freshman year," Miller said. "I was the youngest player on the field for both teams. "I had nine seniors [starters] to back me up. I felt like I played unbelievable for my team to win like that." He played all 100 minutes in the 2-1 double overtime battle over Columbus DeSales. The future Recently, Miller decided he's going to walk-on at the University of Akron's soccer team next fall. The Zips are ranked first in the country. There Miller will again play with Zack Hernan, a Mooney senior who is a Zip recruit. Miller will study sports medicine, which may be an ironic choice. His father, Paul — "The biggest fan I have," Miller said. "He loves me; I love my dad." — last missed one of Kevin's game five years ago when he received a triple heart bypass. But for now Miller has to concentrate on Tuesday's assignment: Kidron Central Christian. Then perhaps it's another trip to Crew Stadium Friday afternoon.

I agree. That pretty much sums up what most of us feel at this point in the season. At the beginning of the season, 6-wins seemed like a great campaign. In hindsight, we could easily be 7-2 going into this week's game. Even 8-1 is reasonable to believe, if you discount the worst 60 seconds in the 100 years of Division 1-A football @ Miami. The progress of this defense is unreal. Many of the fans posting on this board have sat in the Rubber Bowl for 15+ years. This young defensive group, with only a handful of games under their collective belt, is the best defense we've seen wearing Blue and Gold in memory. How good can they be next season? The only impact guy we lose is Rohr. Elie and White, while capable, should more than adequately be replaced by the new generation. Offensively, Zips Win hit the nail on the head. While the O-line is inexperienced and hasn't been dominating, they have given Getsy numerous opportunities to sit in the pocket and pick out his WR's. The frequency at which Luke either zings the ball over their heads or at their feet is maddening. They say Vince Carter is "Half Man Half Amazing." Getsy is "Half Average Half Horrible." He runs the gamut in every game, teasing you with a couple decent drives, only to have the accuracy of a lawn sprinkler for the next 2 quarters. We have two games remaining this season. Both are at home and both are against bad teams. Yes, compared to K-ent, OU is awesome, but in the big picture they're a bad football team. A two game win streak to finish the season would be a nice way for the seniors to go out. The staff can sell the 4-consecutive winning seasons to recruits...maybe they can even sell the "co-MAC East champs" thing if we end up in a 3-way tie? Note: If there is a 3-way tie, does the MAC office hand out co-champ rings to all the teams involved? They gave us rings a few years ago even though we lost to Miami straight up. Man, it is really tough to buy into the "wait until next year" mentality again, when you've been doing that for 21+ years. The specter of Getsy at the helm for the 2006 season makes it all the more depressing. But, it isn't fair to the staff to hold them responsible for Owens' sorry recruiting and retention. We held back a lot of quality Fr.'s this season in order to build for the future. I wonder if, in hindsight, the staff would do the same thing knowing that the MAC East was there for the taking this year? What will it take for us to take that step forward next year to believe and compete? We need leadership on offense. We need a dependable QB. Can Jabari (injury-prone?) and Long replace Hixson and Montgomery? Who replaces Biggs? Kennedy hasn't wowed me in his limited opportunities and Alex Allen has seen a snap in the backfield this year. Can we get a fullback that can clear a hole for an RB? Lots of questions on offense next season. Not too many on defense. Special teams? I think Swiger and Sullivan will be adequately replaced. BG and Miami are at home next year. I know the staff had a 4 year plan to compete for a MAC championship. Based upon the performance of the rest of the MAC teams this year, if we can muster a decent offense, there's no reason we can't accellerate the plan by one year. Beat OU. Beat Can't. Recruit like hell. Win the MAC East in 2006. It's there for the taking.

Why would we thank OU? They aren't our competition for a bowl slot. Toledo is. To win the East we have to beat OU anyhow. If we do make it to the MACC game and lose, it is a very real possibility that Toledo will be picked to go to a bowl game over the Zips. We need Toledo to lose every remaining game on their schedule. Thanks OU....thanks for nuthin'.

We had our best running game of the season last week. I hope something "clicked" with our OL and we start having more days like that. If Biggs goes for 100+ this week, we win.

Click Me

Gateway's Williams adds to video resumé By Kevin Gorman TRIBUNE-REVIEW Thursday, November 3, 2005 Gateway coach Terry Smith had just finished making a "Justin-like" highlight tape of David Williams -- a nod to Penn State's Justin King -- when the Gators' star turned in another highlight video-worthy performance. The 5-foot-9, 168-pound senior all-purpose back rushed for 180 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-16 victory over Bethel Park. It should help jumpstart Williams' recruiting. He is already receiving Mid-American Conference attention, visiting Toledo two weeks ago, and could continue to open eyes. # Baldwin cornerback Cart Kelly has been talking to major-college programs like Georgia Tech, Illinois, Michigan State, Northwestern, Pitt and Stanford about taking official visits. The 6-foot, 180-pounder has offers from Akron, Eastern Michigan, Can't, New Mexico State and Temple, and is hearing from Miami (Ohio) and Toledo. Kelly has a 4.0 grade-point average and 1,290 SAT and is looking for a school that is strong academically. # Perry senior Gary Nolen should benefit from a sterling performance in a 28-0 win over Peabody in FSN Pittsburgh's High School Football Thursday season finale. Nolen had four catches for 90 yards, including a sparkling 63-yard touchdown, a fumble recovery and an interception. Akron and Towson (Md.) State are showing the most interest in the 6-foot, 180-pound receiver-free safety. # Beaver Falls receiver Lance Jeter, who finished second in the WPIAL with 50 catches for 810 yards and 11 touchdowns, is hearing from Pitt and North Carolina State. Jeter said he also is receiving interest from the Illinois basketball program. He hasn't decided whether to play football or basketball in college. "I still have no idea," Jeter said. "The only offer I have for basketball is Can't State. And nobody has offered me for football. I'm still looking for the best opportunity." # Penn Hills linebacker Archie Donald took the ACT test two weeks ago and knows that his results could determine whether major-college programs extend a scholarship offer. Toledo and West Virginia want Donald the most, although Akron, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Can't State, Pitt and Rutgers also are showing interest. # Duquesne receiver-safety Elijah Fields has scholarship offers from Pitt -- where he is scheduled to make an official visit Dec. 2 -- Akron, Connecticut, Can't State, Marshall, Toledo and West Virginia. Also in the mix are Ohio State and Penn State, which have yet to offer.

I see Ross McKenzie is out for tonight's match up. That sucks.

I'm cheering for OU. If OU can beat Toledo, and we beat OU, it helps our cause to get the 2nd MAC bowl bid. Say Toledo beats OU but doesn't make it to the MACC. The Zips make it to the MACC game, and lose it. I guarantee the Mobile Bowl or Motor City Bowl will take Toledo over the Zips even though Toledo didn't win their division. We need Toledo to lose to OU and we need to beat OU. If we lose to OU at home, I don't want to go to the MACC game anyhow. A team that loses 3 at home doesn't deserve a bowl bid.

Click for New Soccer Zip

Since you said "please":

* I wonder how Ball State beat NIU this past week? Are they for real? I have to believe NIU went into the game a bit full of themselves, like they did vs the Zips, and paid for it with another "L." * Two consecutive seasons where football games in November have championship implications. That's awesome. * We gotta beat Ball State this week, or the BG win means nothing. How do we avoid the letdown? * OU and K-ent games on national TV with championships on the line. Are we in Akron? * How we finish probably has a big effect on recruiting. We go head-to-head vs. BG for a lot of kids, so that win was pretty big. OU also has similar recruiting interests as the Zips. I'm not worried about K-ent. * Speaking of K-ent....how stupid does Eugene Jarvis feel sitting on the bench at K-ent? K-ent may not win a Division 1 football game this season. I saw a quote from their coach in the paper that read (in response to the question "Why don't you run the ball?": "We are a passing team. That is what we are." I wonder if he told that to Eugene when he recruited him? * If there is any justice in the world, Jay Rohr will be a first team all-MAC LB this year. There's no way 3 more LB's are playing better than him. Gonzales, Biggs, Hixson, Reid and Stokes should also all get strong consideration for post-season honors. * Brian White has played well the past couple weeks. * Is Jabari ok for this week? If not, Long seems to be coming on. * Merce Poindexter's TD has to be a big confidence booster for him! * Is our OL coming around, or is BG that bad? * Speaking of BG...the thing that scares me about the BG Miami game is BG wasn't all that impressive with Omar behind center. Boise State absolutly humiliated them. Their defense is really bad. Our best shot for Miami to fall might be their game vs. OU @ Athens. * Great goal line stands by the defense this past week, and great stops to seal the game in the 4th quarter! How many times in the past have we seen our D get pushed down the field at game's end and lose games like we won last week? A lot. * OU put up 38 on Buffalo this week. That's a big number to post on Buffalo's defense. The fact that they surrendered 20 to Buffalo's offense heartens me a bit. * Who plays at safety this week? Do we have anyone left? Can McNeal step it up? Fear the Brew!!