Captain Kangaroo

Showers wasn't very good. I watched the LB's fairly close in the one spring practice I attended, and he was voted hands-down the "second least likely to make an impact." He looked like a converted QB. If he had to play any meaningful minutes at LB this year, we were in trouble. No big loss. If necessary, Tuzze could probably move to LB if the kid from Maryland is any good. Or, the kid that transferred from Colorado was listed as an LB. I always had a bad feeling about Balaam. I thought he was a pretty awesome signing, but the staff always seemed pretty reserved when discussing him. You could tell something was wrong. If he didn't want to be a Zip, oh well. We're better off without him. Benjamin (or is it Fuqua? It is one of "The Glenville Four") has been walking the academic tightrope since day one. JD had to take some chances in his 1st year class because he had so little time to recruit. Oh well. Got any "good" news to relay, 'Zone?

ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus Sold Out Space in new football pregame party area full for upcoming season. June 9, 2005 AKRON, Ohio - Space in the newly created ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus pregame party area has sold out for the 2005 football season. Reserved spots went on sale back in early May. However, a limited amount of reserved spaces remain available for corporate groups, and those interested should contact the UA Athletics Ticket Office at 1-888-99-AKRON for more information. ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus patrons will have the only numbered, reserved spaces at the Rubber Bowl and will be able to bring their own grills, food, party set-up and pregame activities. This area will be fully compliant with all State of Ohio Alcohol Open Container Laws, allowing patrons to bring their own alcoholic beverages and to purchase beer from one of the ice cold Coors Light trailers. As an added value, ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus patrons are exclusively eligible to win special prizes from TEAM AKRON corporate patrons, including product packages from Giant Eagle, Pepsi, and Coors Light. Some of the perks of ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus include... • 20 x 30 reserved VIP paved tailgating space • Special ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus sign (seasonal packages only) • Invitation to a preseason outing with the UA coaching staff • Public address recognition of your group during each game • Special VIP offers throughout the season from TEAM AKRON patrons • Private restrooms for ZIPSfest Tailgate Plus patrons only One tailgate site per game will be selected as the "TEAM AKRON Fans of the Game", with the lucky group being presented a special extra-large VIP tailgate space at the next home game. The winner will receive a prize package of UA merchandise and an autographed football from head coach J.D. Brookhart as well. The Zips' home opener comes against Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois on Sept. 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

Ok, Zip Watcher...I witnessed your "mad game" with that reverse windmill to secure the $100 Giant Eagle certificate at the MAC Tourney. If we can pull ZFF and his 39" vertical out of retirement, I think the trophy is all but ours! I'm also thinking of getting Zip Dude as our 4th to clog up the middle...toss a few elbows...you know, against those teams that get a little "chippy." Can we get some sweet silk-screened ZipsNation.org jersey's for the game? Can Z-P bankroll our entry fee?

Kentucky football, Reds in same boat WHY CAN'T THEY WIN? THEY DON'T KNOW HOW By John Clay HERALD-LEADER SPORTS COLUMNIST My father, wise sage that he is, made this observation over the weekend. "The Reds play like they expect to lose," he said. It's true, and they don't lack for company. As such, Cincinnati baseball and Kentucky football have much in common. If winning breeds winning, the opposite is true. Once losing begins, losing is hard to stop. Old habits are hard to break. Unless you find an agent of change. Howard Schnellenberger changed Louisville football. Bill Snyder changed Kansas State football. Travis Ford changed Eastern Kentucky basketball. Marvin Lewis is in the process of changing Cincinnati Bengals football. Some franchises reach a state of perpetual success. Names change, results don't. The New York Yankees won in the 1920s, '30s, '40s and so forth, just as they are winning today -- or were. Oklahoma football was good then and now. Consider that since the days of Adolph Rupp, every Kentucky basketball coach, save Eddie Sutton, has won an NCAA Tournament title. Did Rick Pitino make Kentucky basketball, or was it the other way around? Does it matter? But from Vanderbilt football to Los Angeles Clippers basketball, some forever seem stuck in reverse no matter who's behind the wheel. Nothing changes. And college football may be the toughest sport to change gears. Or should we say Southeastern Conference football? In the 13 years since the league split into two six-team divisions for football, only three schools have won East titles. Of the have nots, South Carolina tied for second -- once. Kentucky tied for third -- once. Vanderbilt never has finished higher than fifth. The Cats haven't posted a winning record in the SEC since 1977. So for UK football, losing has become destiny. It's inherited, passed on through generations. Along the way, the school has tried a new stadium, a training center, an indoor field house, stadium expansion, white helmets, blue helmets, differing logos and uniforms, smash-mouth football, Air Raid football, the wide-tackle-six, the three-four, the four-three, the Blue-White Fund, the K-Fund, and eight head coaches in 40 years. Strategic scheduling seems the next approach. Move Louisville off the opening weekend. Draw up home-and-homes (two at our place, one at theirs) with Akron and Temple. Say you'd like to help Division I-AA schools meet their budgets. If you can't beat the teams on your schedule, schedule teams you can beat (Sounds like "The Dan Hipsher Scheduling Theory?"). "We need to teach our team how to win," Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart says, and Barnhart was around when Oregon State turned the grid corner. But then the Pac-10 has been an easier safe to crack. In the past 10 years, eight schools at least have shared a part of the conference football title. One of the two that has not, California, went 7-1 last year. (An aside: The Pac-10 voted this week to expand its conference schedule from eight to nine games when the new 12-game season takes effect in 2006.) In baseball, 10 National League franchises have made the post-season since the Reds' last trip to the playoffs in 1995. There have been eight different NL teams in the post-season since 2000, the Reds' last winning season. Cincinnati's new bosses look no different than the old, penny-pinching regimes in one area while throwing money away in another. The current Reds seem far more worried about furniture than fundamentals. The Atlanta Braves suffered 11 losing seasons in the 16 years before Bobby Cox became general manager in 1985. Cox moved to field manager in 1990 when John Schuerholz took over the front office. With those two in place, the Braves have won 13 consecutive division titles. There's one sure way to cure a losing mentality. Hire a winner.

Lots of Akron "flavor" in the Gus Macker Tourney: Click Me

What an utterly stupid comment. Oh, wait...I just had a "King Zip Moment." Sorry about that. I digress... Playing against a Horizon League team IS important, even if it is a bottom feeder like YSU, because the selection committee views the MAC and Horizon and "equal." The MAC needs to prove that it is a better league then the Horizon, and the only way to accomplish that is head-to-head competition. To be honest, it is a very debateable topic regarding "who's the better conference - MAC or Horizon?" over the past couple years. I would put Butler up with the Can't teams of a few years ago. Wisc Milwaukee made the Sweet 16. Detroit is solid. Wright State is no pushover. CSU beat Hipsher like a red-headed stepchild on several occasions. Also, beating a D1 school is better than beating the D3 schools you list because it counts in Power Rankings. D3 games don't count. I'm glad we're playing YSU, and I hope we wax them. I also hope both their fans show up.

Horizon League is getting a decent rep with Butler, Detroit and Wisc-Milwaukee playing well in the NCAA Tourney. The MAC needs to beat the Horizon during the non-Conf season if they're going to have a shot at that elusive "at large" bid. Non-conference opponents include Marshall, Duquesne and Saint Bonaventure. YOUNGSTOWN - Jerry Slocum's first game as Youngstown State men's basketball coach will be Nov. 19, when the Penguins begin the 2005-06 season at Saint Francis (Pa.) The schedule was announced by the athletic department Friday. Youngstown State will play five of its first seven games away from Beeghly Center and overall have four non-conference home games and seven on the road, including an ESPN Bracket Buster game in February. The Penguins' home opener is Nov. 23 against Slippery Rock before renewing rivalries with Akron (Nov. 26) and Can't State (Nov. 30). YSU and Akron have played 73 times but not since 1994. The Penguins and Can't State will meet for the 39th time and this marks the first season that YSU will play both Akron and Can't State in the same campaign since 1959-60.

Need to keep K-ent recruiting updates off this page. Only arrests and transfer information are permitted.

They used to say "The only man that could hold Michael Jordan under 20 points was Dean Smith." The only way to hold LeBron under 20 points would be to put Tarver on the floor with him! BTW: I hear Tarver and LeBron are friends. This tryout may be a "favor." And...could Tarver be any worse than Eric Snow...Ira Newble...Diop?

And they thought they had "Fourty Minutes of Hell" under Nolan Richardson? They ain't seen nuthin' yet!

Personally, I thought Lewis was "ok." He had huge stats coming out of high school, but he never did anything "special" at Akron. Good back...but not "great." Give me Mike Clark or James Black any day.

Seems like the rule of thumb is 9 months for the ACL. That would put his availability...at some capacity(50%...75%...?)...at February 2006. If that time frame were accurate, a decision/gamble would need to be made whether he'd be granted a 6th year for medical hardship, or if he'd be better off playing the final few games + tourney. I'd guess it would be better to apply for the medical hardship IF he wanted to be in school for 6 years. Sitting out a full year as a transfer, then coming off a torn ACL doesn't bode well for making an meaningfull impact upon his return in February. Hope for the best...maybe it is a 6-monther (best case)?

Dials out for the season: True or False. Can someone confirm/deny?

There's a hat store in the Chapel Hill Mall that has some nice Zips hats (Lidz?). I like them better than the designs sold directly via the University. In general, I get your point. But until there is a real "demand" you won't see much supply in Akron area stores.

You're probably right. He was the best 6'3" Division 1 center I ever saw!

Good for us!

#1 - Jukubik: Never saw him play, but if he led the nation in scoring, he's gotta be #1. #2 - Bill Turner: Only Zips player to play in the NBA. Again, never saw him play, but he had to be very good. #3 - Eric McLaughlin - Best Zips guard...probably the best player I've seen in the past 20 years. #4 - Marcel Boyce - Who would have thought that the #4 all time Zips hoops player would have the same first name as the #1256th all time Zips hoops intramural player? Uncanny coincidence! #5 - Jamie Bosley (years 2-3, but not 4): A scoring machine that played great D. Too bad Hipsher burnt him out...like so many others) #6 - Anthony Buford: Would have ranked higher if he wouldn't have transferred to Cinci for his senior year. He could do it all. #7 - Roy Coleman - Anyone that could score 20 points under Coleman Crawford's offensive tutilage MUST have been great. #8 - Pete Freeman - Huggins departure screwed him. He was a monster inside, much like Wood is now. #9 - Rashon Brown - Only played one year, but single-handedly won 4-5 games for us. #10 - Bryan Hipsher - Known as "The Glove" for his suffocating defense, he was always asked to guard the opponent's toughest player. Equally effective and guard, forward or center. His gravity-defying aerial show was awe-inspiring to behold. Honorable Mention: Nate Schindewolf, Mark Alberts, Shawn Roberts Don't Know What to do with Him: Jimal Ball Best Player to Play One Game then Quit: Neerim Gembolai Class Acts: George Phillips, Byron Thompson Overachiever: Mario Collins Best Walkon: Goddard Future Top 10-er's: Wood, Travis, Conyers Best Fans: Tie 1.) The students chanting "LOSE-SOME-WEIGHT LOSE-SOME-WEIGHT" every time MTSU's Kerry Hammond went to the foul line in the 1986 OVC Championship Game. 1-Tie) Any fan who could sit through the torture of Coleman Crawford's final 3 years. Best Fighter: Tie 1.) Ryan Andrick: Who could ever forget "The Spar at The JAR!?" The debate still rages over landed the best shot...I say "Thunder Dan Hipsher" should have been awarded the decision. I had him ahead 114-111 when the referee's stopped the bout. 2.) David Wood: The 27ppg scorer from Tennessee who gave the big beat-down to his team mate with a folding chair in the locker room. (has there ever been a more appropriate "smilie?") He would have been ranked #1, but the beat-down only resulted in a broken arm. Most Deceptive Zip: Falknor - 300 lbs, but deadly from 20 - 29 feet. Best Garbage Man: Doug Schutz (Wood should supplant him in a year). Best Football/Basketball Player: Tie 1.) Chris Kelley 1-tie) Jason Taylor Best Locker: Huggin's Liquor Cabinet.

I think the UA women's soccer program is only a couple years old. That's a tough position to put a coach in. You honestly can't expect to win much for at least 5-6 years. Akron's name/reputation as a solid soccer school, and the promise of immediate playing time should have helped to recruit and build a competitive program by that time.

If things don't work out, maybe he returns to Akron one day a la Marcus Sanders (but with better results) ***************************************************************** Ohio running back not concerned with his celebrity status By Abe Rakov May 24, 2005 If you walk down the streets of Akron, Ohio, with Tyrell Sutton, you might get a glimpse of life in the spotlight. Sutton, an incoming freshman running back who has achieved near-celebrity status after playing for Archbishop Hoban High School for four years, comes to Northwestern next year as one of the most decorated running backs in the country. "I guess to be able to represent our school in a positive way is good," Sutton said. "And it's nice to be able to walk around somewhere and have someone recognize me and know who I am." Sutton is Ohio's all-time leading rusher, and he became the 17th Ohio's Mr. Football in history, following players like Robert Smith, Charles Woodson and Maurice Clarett. Tyrell Sutton's father, Anthony Sutton Sr., said Tyrell Sutton hasn't let the fame go to his head. "The big thing was that he wasn't trying to get these awards and recognitions," Anthony Sutton Sr. said. "Some of the awards he didn't even know about." Tyrell Sutton also has used his fame to benefit others. He became the face of the school's Anthony M. Grimaldi Scholarship Fund when he allowed the school to use his name and face on a Tyrell Sutton T-shirt with proceeds going to the scholarship. Tyrell Sutton said Grimaldi, who died last year in a car accident, was one of his good friends and teammates, and this was a way Sutton could give back. "(Tyrell Sutton) is not a person who's overly impressed to see his name somewhere," said Ralph Orsini, Sutton's high school coach. "But because the money from the shirts was raised for one of his better friends, I think he's OK with it." In his high school career, Sutton amassed a state record 9,438 yards, including 38 consecutive 100-yard games -- another Ohio record. He rushed for a career-best 3,241 yards in his senior season, averaging 270 yards per game. For his break-out senior year, he was named Ohio's Mr. Football. "It's something that you really never think can happen to you," Sutton said. "You see it happen to other people, but you can never see it happening to you." His mother, Connie Sutton, said although she is proud of her son, she tries not to get too swept up in the hype. "He has a record that hopefully will stand for many years to come," Connie Sutton said. "He worked so hard for it, and we couldn't be more proud of him. "But it doesn't overwhelm me or anything. We really try not to get involved in all of that. I just think of him as my son." The Wildcats have two of the last five Ohio Mr. Football players on their roster, as Tyrell Sutton follows senior cornerback Jeff Backes, who won the award in 2000, to NU. Backes came to NU as a running back as well. Orsini also said it took a visit to NU to seal Sutton's committment to the school. "His dream was to always play in the Big Ten," Orsini said. "Probably coming from Ohio, Ohio State would have to be a choice. But once he met with the NU coaches and visited the campus, there was no doubt it was the place for him." Tyrell Sutton said he chose NU over Illinois, Akron, Ball State and Miami (Ohio). Throughout the spring, coach Randy Walker said Tyrell Sutton will get the chance to earn playing time this upcoming season. But he will have to beat out senior Terrell Jordan, NU's backup running back last season, and sophomore Brandon Roberson, who became the favorite to start at running back after the spring. "(The NU coaches) told me I have as good a chance as anyone to play," Sutton said. "They said I'll start from the bottom like everyone has and work myself up."

I sincerely hope you are right. You're one of the more knowledgeable guys on the board...if you see that much hope for some sort of 2005 championship run, I'm heartened.

Heard on the radio this morning that another OSU player was arrested last night. A lineman? Shocking. But hey, "Kids will be kids."

Backup QB looking to transfer By Rob Biertempfel TRIBUNE-REVIEW Tuesday, May 17, 2005 Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt is making an all-out effort to keep backup quarterback Joe Flacco on the roster. Flacco, who will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, asked to be released from his scholarship a few days after spring practice ended. Monday, Wannstedt spoke with Flacco twice on the phone to attempt to persuade him to stay. "Nothing is definite yet," offensive coordinaor Matt Cavanaugh said. "We're still talking with Joe to try to get him to change his mind." Wannstedt was out of town and not available for comment. However, a Pitt spokesman said Wannstedt is confident Flacco will remain in the fold. Cavanaugh said Pitt has not set a deadline for Flacco's final decision. Rather than stay in town to train after Pitt's spring semester ended, Flacco returned to his home in Audubon, N.J. He did not return phone calls yesterday from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. His mother, Karen, declined to comment. If Flacco leaves, this would be the second year in a row that a backup quarterback has bolted from Pitt. In August, Luke Getsy transferred to Akron after losing the battle for the starting job to Tyler Palko. Cavanaugh admitted he was caught off guard when Flacco asked for permission to transfer. "Joe had a good spring," Cavanaugh said. "He played well and made a lot of improvements." Last season, Flacco played in three games, but did not attempt a pass in two of them. Against South Florida, he completed 1-of-4 passes for 11 yards. Cavanaugh said Flacco did not give a specific reason for wanting to leave. "Sometimes, a young guy sees who's playing in front of him and figures he's not going to get any playing time, so he has second thoughts" Cavanaugh said. Unless he is injured or leaves a year early for the pros, Palko will be the Panthers' quarterback through 2006. As a sophomore last season, Palko threw for 3,067 yards and 24 touchdowns. If Flacco goes, Wannstedt might be forced to move Darrell Strong back to quarterback. Strong moved to wideout in 2004 and practiced as a tight end this spring. The only other options as Palko's backup would be incoming freshmen Bill Stull (Seton-La Salle) and Shane Murray (Central Catholic) or walk-on Matt Flauss (Thomas Jefferson). "I heard some rumors this spring about Joe, but I didn't believe it until I heard it from the coaches," Stull said yesterday. "Coach Cavanaugh and I talked. He told me I have to really knuckle down and make sure I learn everything and I'm ready just in case something happens (to Palko). "There definitely will be some pressure on me in camp, but I'm real anxious to get started. I can't wait to get out there." Stull has said he wants to enroll at Pitt this June. Murray plans to take the summer off before checking into Pitt in August. "I know Tyler is the man," Murray said. "The way he trains, with his intensity, it's not likely that he'll get hurt."

Domenik Hixon - Awesome. Love him. Chevin Pace - Seems like a real "find". Reggie Corner - Potential. Not much on the field yet. Dion Elie - A senior with few eye-popping stats thusfar. Kiki Gonzales - Glimpses of brilliance...but only glimpses. Jabari Arthur - Lost the QB job. No real "numbers" at WR thusfar. Great athlete...I like him a lot. But, he's done little on the field to-date. Jay Rohr - Tough as nails. Has been a #3 or #4 lb to-date, however. Jason Montgomery - I'll be forever grateful for the catch in the Marshall game, but he ain't no Cherry, Schifino, Bailey, etc. Brian Howe - Has he done anything on the field? Kris Kasparek - Loads of potential. Expect a breakout year. Brian White - Good player, but not dominant by any stretch. Jermaine Reid - Has he done anything on the field? John Mackey- Has he done anything on the field? Of all those listed, only Hixson as any All-MAC accolades. I like all of the "Owens guys." But I see what it takes to win MAC championships and I don't think I can expect one with what we have coming back. I hope I'm proven wrong, but there's a reason Owens was fired, and it wasn't because he was recruiting too many blue chippers. Keep in mind many of the complaints regarding Owens' latter recruiting classes aren't regarding the players that stayed, they're regarding the players that are no longer with the program. I posted some of his player retention rates in the past. A couple were absolutely crippling.

I think it is wrong to look at this game as a "payday game." Does Miami look at games like this as a "payday game"? Northern Illinois? Marshall? Bowling Green? Toledo? The day Zips fans cease to look at games against BCS schools as strictly "payday games" and come in expecting to compete and win, that's when we officially have "made it." I sincerely hope that, if JD is the coach we all think he is, that we go into Knoxville with a legit expectation to compete. Miami, Toledo, Marshall, NIU and BG fans would. Hell, throw in Boise State, Fresno State or UNLV for that matter. Yeah, Tennessee is going to toss the program $500,000 to show up, but the game is much more than that if we want to legitimize our program. Our days of showing up for just a payday better be over by 2007, or I'll be very disappointed.

Puerto Rico trip to give Tigers three extra games By JON SOLOMON Staff Writer CLEMSON — The Clemson men’s basketball team will play at the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico in December, the tournament’s organizer said Friday. Sport Tours International, Inc. president Lee Frederick said Clemson, Akron, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Mount St. Mary’s, Liberty and Puerto Rico-Mayaguez are confirmed for the eight-team field. Mississippi State, Denver, Tennessee Tech and Fresno State are reportedly candidates for the other two spots. Each team is guaranteed three games at the Dec. 19-21 tournament, and the games do not count toward the 27-game limit for regular-season schedules. Winners’ and losers’ brackets will be set up after the first round. First-round matchups have not been determined. Southern Conference champion Tennessee-Chattanooga went 20-11 and lost to Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Akron (19-10), Liberty (13-15) and Mount St. Mary’s (7-20) did not reach the postseason, and Puerto Rico-Mayaguez is a Division II independent. Clemson made the NIT with a 16-16 record. “We don’t have a major, major field,” Frederick said. “(Clemson coach Oliver Purnell) is liable to win three games there if he’s got it going like he did last season. We’ve worked with Oliver before and always try to get him when we can.” Purnell coached in the San Juan tournament while at Dayton. Under former coach Larry Shyatt, Clemson was 1-2 at the San Juan Shootout in 2000. The tournament returns to eight teams after using four in 2004 due to NCAA restrictions on how often teams are allowed to play exempt games. Toledo won last year’s round-robin tournament by a tiebreaker based on average margin of victory. The “two-in-four” rule limits a school to playing in an exempt tournament two years out of any four-year period. Because Clemson played last season at the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii, the San Juan trip will mark the Tigers’ last exempt games until 2008-09, unless the rule changes. This month the NCAA turned down a proposal that would allow teams to play in exempt tournaments every year — a measure some coaches expected would pass. The National Invitation Tournament goes to trial July 5 in an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA over postseason participation. The NCAA informed schools there likely would be an appeal regardless of who wins the case, meaning the “two-in-four” rule will remain in place during that time. The NCAA won an antitrust decision last year, allowing it to limit the number of times teams can play in exempt tournaments. Frederick was one of three promoters who filed the lawsuit, which won in district court before being overturned. “The Supreme Court is considering whether they’ll hear it,” Frederick said.