Captain Kangaroo

The word on the street is Diontre has had numerous concussions over the past 3 seasons. Concerns regarding his long-term health played a big part in his decision to walk away from football. He was a good Zip...I wish him well. I got to know his mom and dad because they sat near us at games. Super people. If anyone thinks losing a 5th year senior linebacker won't impact next year's defense, they're mistaken. Earl wasn't a 1st Team All MAC, but he was solid, and could put a good lick on ball carriers coming up the middle. Our LB's next season will be VERY short on experience. Competing for championships is tough to do when your linebacking 2-deep is full of True and RS Fr's. It will be very interesting to see the LB's this spring.

He was Ohio Division IV Player of the Year in 2004. 25ppg at the HS level. He would be eligible next season as a So., I believe? AP's Division III, IV All-Ohio teams The Associated Press COLUMBUS - A freshman and a senior are the top honorees on the 2003-2004 Associated Press Division III and IV boys All-Ohio high school basketball teams announced Tuesday. O.J. Mayo of Cincinnati North College Hill - already being touted as "The Next LeBron" - was the player of the year in Division III. Mansfield St. Peter's Marcus Butler grabbed the same honor in Division IV, based on the recommendations of a state panel of sports writers and broadcasters. Mayo transferred to North College Hill after starring on the varsity of his Kentucky high school team during seventh and eighth grade. He had an immediate impact at North College Hill, which went from 2-18 a year ago to 20-0 this season and a No. 1 ranking the final regular-season AP poll. The 6-foot-6 Mayo averaged 30.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 5.2 steals a game for North College Hill while shooting 60 percent from the field, 38 percent on 3-pointers and 80 percent at the line. The Division III coaches of the year are Joe Bline of Johnstown Monroe, who in his first year guided his team to a 20-0 record, its first league championship since 1981 and its first district win since 1985, along with veteran Norm Persin. Persin drew up the Xs and Os as Chesapeake made a long run in the tournament after yet another successful regular season. Joining Mayo on the Division III first team are Bellaire's Nate Davis (6-2, soph., 19.0); Ryan Gerber of Sugarcreek Garaway (6-1, sr., 19.5); Josh Smith of Johnstown Monroe (5-11, sr., 17.7); Piketon's Kyle Vulgamore (6-3, sr., 16.3); Shawn Shriver of Collins Western Reserve (6-0, sr., 19.8); Ricky Jackson of Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas (6-6, soph., 20.1); Lisbon David Anderson's Lucian Smith (6-0, sr., 21.9); Richard Semrau of Rocky River Lutheran West (6-9, soph., 23.2); David Lighty of Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph (6-5, soph., 19.4); and Kyle Gehle of Versailles (6-1, sr., 20.9). Gehle's Versailles team (26-0) takes on Davis' Bellaire squad (22-4) in the second Division III state semifinal on Thursday afternoon. Loudonville (23-2) plays St. Henry (20-5) in the tournament's first game, with the winners deciding the title Saturday. Butler, Division IV's top player, averaged 25.6 points, 10 rebounds and 6.8 assists for a team that climbed all the way to the regional finals. The 6-3 senior, who has signed to play at Evansville next season, was a co-player of the year a year ago in the small-school division. The coaches of the year are South Webster's Marc Kreischer, Steve Parquhar of Cincinnati Lockland and Arlington's Jason Vermillion. Kreischer guided the Jeeps (22-3) to the state semifinals against Holgate (18-7) on Friday afternoon. In the first semifinal of the day, Maria Stein Marion Local (17-9) plays Sebring McKinley (24-1). The title game is Saturday. Parquhar led Lockland to an 18-2 record - its first winning season in 14 years. Vermillion was at the helm as Arlington went 20-0 and won the AP poll crown. Butler is joined on the first team by Sebring McKinley's David Scarpitti (6-1, sr., 13.0); Dusty Smith of Centerburg (6-3, sr., 16.2); Fort Loramie's Jordan Pleiman (6-8, sr., 22.1); Shawn Hacker of Ironton St. Joseph (6-7, sr., 27.2); Samuel Rutherford of New Matamoras Frontier (5-11, sr., 22.8); Lorain Catholic's Brandon Neal (6-3, sr., 21.3); and Matt Hackenberg of Canton Heritage Christian (5-10, sr., 16.3).

The Butler Did It

All great points. I'll comment a little on the above: Doug Penno is Jeff Penno's (former Zip walk on) brother, I believe. Doug was pretty highly touted out of HS, so it doesn't surprise me that he's putting up good #'s. I believe Jeff Penno is at Wright State now? Futch flat out clubbed that CMU player towards the end of the game. He should have gotten a technical. Then again, maybe it was payback for that BS "intentional foul" call against Joyce earlier? Speaking of street clothes...several people around me were wondering if Dambrot has ANY dress code for the guys on the end of the bench? I kind of agree. BTW: I have to assume the guy you saw is some mid-season transfer. I'm curious as to who he is? It appears Rob Preston has taken the spot in Joe Dunn's heart formerly occupied by Andy Hipsher? I would have given the Sub of the Game to Collins. We CMU tried to make a run at the beginning of the second half, it was Collins' aggressive D that snuffed their run out. How do we win by 39 without Wood? Just amazing.... How do you lead at the half by 23 when Travis has 2 points? Just amazing... Bubba just kills the opponent's "will." It seems like he gets his 3's in spurts. Boom, boom, boom...three 3's and the Zips get on a 9-0 run. And he hits the back-breaker 22 footers to boot. Dru had a great game. I like the fact that no Zip...aside from "Mr. 3-Pointer" Futch...catches flack for taking the 3-point shot. Peterson might miss 4 in a row, but he'll take the 5th on in a heart beat if he's open. Ditto Dru, Mc Fadden, Bubba, Preston, Collins, Middleton...I think the reason we're shooting so well from 3-point range is there's no pressure (of getting benched). That, plus our ball movement is so good we seem to get a lot of open looks. Goddard's play was phenomenal, a treat to behold. I would love to see him get more PT, but who's time does he take? I'm really looking forward to the Ball State game. It should be a war. By the way, I hear Can't is a "patsie?"

A couple years ago the Zips (hoops) rolled the dice on Hollingworth and Tarver...two guys with checkered backgrounds...and the results were terrible. Yes, they didn't do anything that landed them in the police blotter during their 2-year stay in Akron (at least that I know of). But the team chemistry with those guys was horrific. Look at this year's hoops squad. A bunch of "team" players who get along well. And we're rolling along great. Skip the Ray Williams' et al. It is possible to win with guys of character. And, it is very possible to lose with guys of suspect character but great stats (see analogy above).

ELLIOTT BATES, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON Bates was a standout lineman in football and has a scholarship to the University of Akron. He also is the Post-Gazette's No. 1-ranked 275-pound wrestler in WPIAL Class AA and has a 30-2 record this season with 19 pins. His career record is 102-33. When Bates graduates, he will have 12 varsity letters -- four each in football, wrestling and track and field. Q: Do you like wrestling or do you simply use it to stay in shape for football? A: I really just use it to keep in shape. I just started wrestling years ago kind of as a hobby. But I started developing and once I got to the varsity level, I started to get good at it. Q: What's the worst part about wrestling? A: It has to be just the training. In wrestling, you usually have only one match all week. But you get a lot of forfeits in wrestling. So you train all week and then get a forfeit because other teams don't have enough people to fill all the weights. Q: Do you like the WWE and all that kind of wrestling? A: I used to when I was little, but I kind of outgrew it. Now I'm just a [ESPN] SportsCenter guy. Q: Steelers or Patriots? A: Oooooh. That's a tough one. If Big Ben comes to play, I'd have to pick the Steelers. Q: Should Big Ben get rid of the gloves? A: I don't know, maybe on his throwing hand. Q: If you could be anyone in the world for a day, who would it be? A: Shaquille O'Neal. He's a character. Some people say I'm kind of like him. He just seems funny, but he's very truthful about things. Q: How many chicken wings can you eat? A: I've never tried real hard, but I could eat 50 easy. Q: Your father's name is Norman Bates. Do you hear much stuff about the movie "Psycho?" A: When football recruiting started, recruiters would ask the name of my dad. I'd tell them Norman. Some of them didn't believe it. But I have a brother named Norman and my grandfather also is Norman. Q: You don't own a motel, do you? A: Ahhhh, no (laugh). Q: You ever see the movie "Psyhco?" A: Yeah. I'd say the old one, the black and white one, is pretty corny. The newer one is dumb. The old one is better than the new. Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? A: In the NFL. Q: Is that realistic? A: It's realistic for me. Everyone who is going to play Division I football should be thinking about the NFL. I've got goals. That's one of them. Every goal I've ever set, I've achieved.

81% of the "crowd" was in the upper deck. Lower PSL section was 50% empty, as usual. Tough to be "boisterous" when you're up by 20-30 most of the game. Zips KILLED CMU tonght. And CMU isn't too bad a team. More later. I'm tired.

I say we can win without him. Let him go to Marshall.

Any balls remaining? I'll trade you a blue ticket for one. I didn't hear either announcement (hard to believe, since the JAR acoustics are so good)...maybe I just wasn't expecting it since it was specified to be at game's end. I don't check out the team shop every game and don't have much use for the info desk. Oh well...the event was very nice and my son had a good time.

I still have my blue raffle ticket from last Saturday's game. Got it at the Coach's Clinic held before the game (great event, BTW). They were supposed to raffle off some Giant Eagle stuff after the EMU game? Must have missed it?

Stats Thru Jan 15th 3.7 ppg. He wouldn't have fit to well with this year's group, that's for sure. There is an seemingly large article regarding his transfer in the Pueblo newpaper...but you have to register to read it...and I didn't feel like doing it. You'll find it if you do a simple "Brian Wood Pueblo" google search. For free, you get: "He claims he's no savior. And he may not be. But Brian Wood is expected to fill a big void when the Colorado State University-Pueblo men's basketball takes to the hardwood for the 2004-2005 season. Wood comes to Pueblo via Akron University where "It wasn't going the way I wanted it to go," he said. The former Buena Vista High School all-stater enters the ThunderWolves' program with lofty credentials, namely as the top scorer in Colorado high school ba ..."

Click for a litle Cruz info

I guess I shouldn't write Fife off already, but I haven't heard much about him so I just took that to mean he isn't what they expected. Maybe he is going to contribute. Also, add another TE to the mix....Eric Lively is enrolled in Akron for the spring semester and will be in Spring ball. I read (on this board) that Lively was on the squad through summer practices, then disappeared? What's the story?

Did Stacy Little leave too soon?!

Wide receiver and kick returner Jamie Goodwin of Akron has also enrolled for the second semester. Goodwin played in all 23 games his first two seasons and established himself as one of the best kick returners in Akron and Mid-America Conference history. I must have missed something in his kick-returning abilities. I thought he was "ok," but "one of the best in MAC history?"...that's pretty ambitious, to say the least? Maybe he included Matt Cherry's stat sheet instead of his own when submitting his transfer paperwork? I wish him the best. I met him a couple times. He seemed like a good kid.

I don't like the looks of this "Jose Cruz" guy. I think we should pass on him. Based upon his jersey, he's only a one-star recruit anyhow...

Stop it with the condecending opening statements, GoZips. It is becoming a pattern, and it will stop. If you want to "talk down" to other Zips fans, you can take it to a different board.

Talked to a buddy of mine at the hoops game last night. He follows Stark County football pretty hard, and says "STAY AWAY FROM HIGHT." Guess the kid is bad news...many problems.

I can't say I agree with your take. I think the Zips have played fine at game's end, and their conditioning is not an issue. All players are visibly less flabby than last year and they play hard the entire game. My take: We played passive the final 10 minutes. We stopped pushing the ball...stopped shooting...and began hanging out near center court throwing cross-court passes. We were like the dog that caught the car...we got the 25 point lead...and had no idea what to do with it. The first 30-or-so minutes of that game was the best basketball I've witness at the JAR in some time...at least by the home team. Even the first 5 minutes, when our shooting was horrid, the D was relentless. The last 10 minutes was like a Hipsher team. Reminded me of Hip's squad's annual meltdowns against Buffalo. The difference was we won the game...and there were no F-bombs raining down on Joe Dunn and Steve French during the post game show. It's a win. I'll take it. we're 7-0 at home. Credit EMU with playing tough and not quitting. Let's beat the Turd's in Huntington and get back on track.

Click for your Dream Zips DL

GREAT defense tonight. Start to finish! Preston played well in Wood's absence. Futch didn't play so well in the same situation. Middleton had another solid game. 10 assists for Dru! Well-managed game by him tonight. Turner Battle was hardly noticable. Credit the "D" Travis is turning into one hell of a player! Staying out of foul trouble while outrebounding guys several inches taller...scoring going up up up...runs the floor at full speed the entire game...rarely takes a bad shot. 4 blocks. He's doing it all...and then some. Bubba en fuego! In games where he's "on" from three point land, we can really put the opponents in a hole quickly. Buffalo never recovered from his 3's. McFadden's passing is maddening, as is his shot. I've never seen a person's shot be so arc-critical. Every shot of his is dead-on...it either clangs out if the arc is too low, or hits nothing but net if he gets just a little air under it. I saw Hipsher's Zips have similar leads like the Zips had vs. Buffalo at the half. Hipsher's Zips blew a lot of those leads. I never got the feeling this one was in jeopardy. Kudos to the guys for holding such a large lead for essentially 30 minutes. 6-0 @ home is awesome. Mario closed out the game nicely. I like him on the court at games-end. Good D, ball handling, and he hits his free throws. Speaking of free throws...Travis must have busted his ass working on them. What was with Buffalo fouling with 45 seconds left in a 17 point blowout? And again at 25 seconds...and again... Hey Reggie Witherspoon: I got a kid that needs to get to school early tomorrow! Let's kick Z.I.P.'s MAC West Favorite EMU's ass Saturday!

I think that's a valid point. The team is playing as it should, given the schedule and talent. I can't complain about much that I've witnessed on the sidelines or the floor. We just need to continue improving, growing and recruiting better. That doesn't happen in a year. Unfortunately, after the last 16 years of virtually "nothing," it is tough to endure another season without realistic championship aspirations.

I've posted a few times on this board that our schedule sucks, and the general consensus has been "Let's get the W's versus lesser teams rather than risk a loss versus a "name" opponent. Look at Bucknell last week, knocking off #10 Pitt. What an unbelievable shot in the arm for their fans and program. Look at Marshall 2 nights ago beating Top 25 West Virginia. All of the sudden 3-10 Marshall is abuzz with optimism. I hear all the talk that Dambrot wants the Zips to compete on a national level. I give him the "pass' for this season's schedule too. But next season I want to see something besides Sister's of the Poor in November and December. I heard the Fresno State football coach say, before the UVA Humanitarian Bowl game last month: "We will play any team, any time, anywhere." FSU then went out and beat UVA. I would like it if our coaches said that....and then backed it up.

1.) Everything I've heard is Shoemaker looks to be the #2 guy going into this season? 2.) Dennis Basch moving to FB? Makes sense, since JD likes throwing to the FB. Dennis is a big kid too. it would be nice for Getsey to have Basch and Kasparek on the field at the same time. 3.) Everything I hear is that Drew Higgins is not in the mix at WR. Look for Long to have a break out year in 2005. 4.) Now that Zach Anderson's in the fold, pencil him in at #2 OL somewhere. Maybe #1. 5.) Based off last season's PT, I'd expect Stokes to start over Grant? Is Butler that highly thought of? I've never seen him play, so I don't know. 6.) Parris McNeal going to get another shot at Safety? 7.) Kicker: Swiger. Word is the transfer kicker from Wisconsin is no threat to Swiger's job.

You may add your own reasons if you'd like.