Z.I.P.

Has anyone seen a complete draft list? If so, could you post a link? Not even on ESPN! And frankly, I never heard a single word about the Superdraft being this early. Was expecting it in early January like past years. No draft camp for players this year -- that's the weird part.

I'm just reading this thread for the first time, and remembering why I hate Hoosiers, and their "legendary" coach "Hoosier Daddy" Jerry Yeagley. I can't recall exactly but I believe my first personal experience with Akron Zips soccer may have been that 1975 Akron first victory over IU when I was a high school youth -- I know I saw one game in which the Nanchoff Brothers, Lou and George featured prominently and I think Indiana was the opponent. I've heard from youth soccer coaches at tournaments what a fine gentleman and leader Jerry Yeagley was, and perhaps later in his career he mellowed. However, as a younger coach in the 1970s he was a holy terror, throwing tantrums at every chance and I'm confident Bobby Knight learned a thing or two from his soccer counterpart. One of the things I recall in my Hoosier memory banks is that early in my Akron student era (either 1977 or '78) we once again played Indiana at Lee Jackson and Yeagley performed what I interpreted as the most arrogant act by a coach I had ever witnessed. He felt his depth was so strong he could win in Akron with his second team, and he subbed in and out of the game an entire group of ten field players at a time -- an entire new team! When that happened the Akron fans erupted -- including former players such as Louie and George Nanchoff who attended games regularly. I remember Yeagley looking back at the home bleachers and laughing smugly! Indiana had Angelo DiBernardo, still the best collegiate striker I have ever seen on a pitch -- he was short and stocky, an Italian-American version of Diego Maradona, so Indiana walked away with the W that late summer Sunday. It's very interesting to read the accounts of games from the 1980s -- when I was stationed overseas in the Air Force -- describing attendances of over 2000, because those first games I attended only featured at most a few hundred. The bleachers maybe seated a couple hundred max, and the far side of the bowl toward campus had a rise where people pitched lawn chairs -- but student attendance was at most negligible. I've posted earlier about the ice-bowl first-round tournament game vs UW-Green Bay. That game, where again there were golf tournament style nylon ropes around the field generated a couple thou of local fans, but was surely the exception to the rule. I remember when the team did have their run to the College Cup at the Tacoma Dome (the article left out any mention of the national semi-final -- I can't remember who we played, can anyone?) I had a running joke with a Lt Col I worked with who had been a USAFA star soccer player a while earlier about just how far my school could go, and we nearly won it all! The final was nationally televised so it was available in Hawai'i to watch. I hope there are other AK Oldies who have memories from this period. It was always a pleasure to participate in the home fan festivities, including Louie Nanchoff shouting for me to turn up my transistor radio with the Browns game. He really wanted to hear about the Bahr Brothers, who were former players at rival Penn State and sons of long-time legend Nittany Lion coach Walter Bahr who starred in the 1954 USMNT that historically defeated England in the Brazil World Cup. One of the Bahr Brothers was briefly with the Browns (before or after Don Cockroft??) while the other played for the hated Steelers!

Milwaukee 100. Akron 81. I'm guessing Antetokounmpo had a triple-double. 🤔

Were the 47 3-point attempts a school record? 🤯

There was one pub (wish I could remember, maybe from SoCal) said that he was offered the job. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Russell Turner. That's the coach's name. And had he not turned down the then UA Prez in 2017 he would be the Zips' coach, according to reports at the time. He's the best coach in the Big West, though all other coaches and fans hate him. He's belligerent and arrogant to refs and opposing coaches. Just not as bad I suppose as coach Pinky.

The last name on this post: Avery Book! He was in contention for Most Important Player in 2024, and in fact Punter was likely the Most Improved Position on the field. I wanted to share this interview with Avery about his "journey" from Ironton to Akron. Especially the story about how he was set to accept an offer from Ohio State -- to be their backup punter before the ST coach reneged. I was SHOCKED to hear him say the frigging BACKUP PUNTER in Columbus receives NIL Bucks!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvdlqEgjhG4

"While Messi dominates the conversation, players like the Crew’s Nagbe have helped grow MLS" https://apnews.com/article/darlington-nagbe-columbus-crew-c3dda42274cb1e8191d0b1039f0b19bf

Best senior class in @NCAA Soccer, quite possibly. Is there still a Senior Class Award to the nation's best senior (which Anthony Ampaipitokwong won in 2010 at the UC-Santa Barbara College Cup)? If so you would think it's on the foot of Emil Jääskeläinen!

! The broadcast cut out for a minute. When it returned it was OVER! AAARGGHH!

You know it's a good game when each sideline is calling their opponent a "dirty team"! 🤩😀

Announcers saying Akron foul on break away could have been a red card. 🤔

GOAL!

VAR for offsides!

Indiana chips it over Kaminsky for the goal!