Z.I.P.

Yeah, would you like her #? If you actually read my post, I think it would be hard for you to have missed the hints that she's not a SHE. Take another look at the pic.

Damn! How did I know there were two separate threads. I was writing on the other page! And if anyone wants to read, you can see I solved this little suspense novella a couple hours ago. Manti is a naive young man from a community where masculinity is everything to young men, but some men have gender ID difficulties. I don't know how exactly Ronaiah Tuiasosopo is related to Manti -- he may be a cousin, or just knows him through his family in La'ie. There are dozens of Tuiasosopos in La'ie. Anyway, as I showed, Ronaiah is a guy who likes dressing up -- or cross-dressing, if you will. He apparently, as I read in some posts on social media, has pulled the "crying game" trick before, and he may have tried it with Manti -- successfully. At least, that's the scenario IF you believe Manti didn't know from the beginning. It's possible that Manti didn't find out the real identity of Lennay until 2012 -- when exactly I haven't figured out. But in any case, I suspect the "leukemia" story was Manti's -- if his girlfriend is dead, she can't take away any of his mana, or his publicity. Yeah -- there is much more gossip still to drop on this, but I have a pretty good idea about who the real Lennay Kekua is! Google Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. It may well be that no one else has gotten to the bottom of this, because they couldn't spell his name properly. He was a HS QB in Palmdale, CA. Class of 2008-- which makes him the same age as Lennay.

Who's seen the Stroh Center? Could that be the model for us? Please, say NO!!!

Zippers, I solved this story about two hours after it broke, when ESPN released the name of the "hoaxer" as Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. Ladies and gentlemen, Meet Lennay Kekua! Does anyone know what we in Hawaii call a "mahu"? This story was described as similar to the doc "Catfish". Now I am wondering if you remember Forest Whitaker in "The Crying Game". As I wrote on Notre Dame's Facebook page, unless you have been to La'ie, you could not believe how a young Mormon boy could get caught up in a story like this. La'ie is Bizzaro World on Earth. Quick update: Look at what I found on Tuiasosopo's Myspace. Read the second post -- which shows the Te'o family apparently knew what was going on. Is there any way to find the date of the post from Leata Te'o? It was at least two years ago, rather incriminating. If other Te'os knew (2 yrs ago!) who Lennay was, how did Manti not find out? In case the site gets deleted, here's what the post says: Leata Te'o hey you:) hows you nd your sister doing?

Thank you Dave! This is a chance for the trainers to prove their mettle.

There's surely no surprise about this. And the only problem I have is, I'm now a Timbers fan! Come into Jeldwen, D.A., you better bring it -- an I'm not talkin'bout the 'hawk!

Ha ha ha! That's my buddy, NIURadioguy. I've known him since the MAC List Serve began in 1995. He's a real cool dude, and really knows his craft.

This is just the second time I've seen the F.lashes play. And the second time that I wondered how they managed to win 12 games with such a mediocre QB. Seemed like half his passes were off-target -- that's when he wasn't rushed. And (for all you fans of schaudenfreude): This just in. Can't product Ben Curtis completed two holes at Kapalua CC today. Total putts: 8 But, hey -- it was windy!

Hmmmmm...I happened across this thread, perhaps by happenstance, perhaps by fate, not sure. Anyway, frankly, I happen to share GP1's stance, which is framed by Akron's athletic history. Akron is quite fortunate to be a member of the MAC, rather than the OVC, or Horizon League. However, I was taken rather aback by GP1's last sentence. I have not read anything suggesting that the BCS Division schools will "secede", with all other conferences (MWC, CUSA, MAC, SB, etc. (maybe BE) left in "another division. Would like to see such conjecture, if it comes from serious reporters.

Folks, there are two things you can bet about Western Michigan mens hoops: When everyone thinks in the preseason that they will be a title contender, they will be awful; And when everyone thinks they will be awful...they will be the most improved team in the MAC. Look back over just about every year of Steve Hawkins' reign in Kalamazoo, and you will see how that's played out. I'm a bit surprised Steve has lasted this long -- BUT, I have to say, I think Hawkins is near the top of the MAC in coaching (I have one coach I prefer, guess which one). And I have to say, Steve's one of the classiest guys in the coaching profession -- he's the only coach who's ever come up (right after a game nonetheless) to thank me for rooting for our league teams. I'd put him character wise, right up there with my faves, Keith Dambrot and Coleman Crawford. One other thing you can win a bet on: Coach Hawkins' age. He's actually 40, not 60.

All I can say to that is anyone who hasn't heard of Fang Mitchell is NOT a college basketball fan. He may be the most iconic character in the game.

Harrison was recruited to Wyoming by a Hoban HS alum who was then on Wyoming's staff. The coach then left for a year at Southern Illinois (where he brought the two Wyo players (Jackson and Harrison) who were redshirts last season and was again part of the coaching merry-go-round. If I have time (and no one else beats me to it) I will try and find out the guy's name. I have a feeling he's in Athens now. Anyhow, Harrison was able to transfer from SIU to EMU without losing a year. edit: Here is the Coach, Anthony Stewart, a Mount Union grad from Hoban, who's had a fine coaching career already. I spoke with him last year at the Diamond Head Classic -- knowing he would likely be looking for a new stop as Lowery was on his way out after helping SIU turn the corner, but stalling. If we had had an opening after last season, he might have come home.

I have long (3 years?) seen the similarities between the games of Zeke and the Milwaukee Buck's emerging center from VCU, Larry Sanders (Fernwood 2 Night, anyone?). Like Sanders, Zeke still has much room -- and time, for improvement. But I'd love to see him build his game up to the level Sanders did to make himself a lottery pick. I think Sanders left after his junior year, and is a couple inches shorter -- but his length and defensive/shot blocking ability was very much like Marshall. I wonder if DistrictBaller sees this, if he might comment.

"Of the three Home Grown signings the Crew are likely to lock down this season, Barson is the one most ready to step in to MLS. He reads the game well, is good on the ball, and overcomes his lack of physical presence (under 6-feet tall) to clean things up well." Couldn't agree more!

Not sure if I can buy your analysis, Dave. Egner, if I'm not mistaken, did not play a single minutia in any game this season (thereby keeping his sophomore season alive in NCAA eyes). Therefore, I guess he's been "benched" all season?

Hope everyone in the ZN.o has awakened on X-mas morn with presents under the tree and not too much eggnog in their pantries. There's a long story behind this, but to make it short I was researching our newest FB QB recruit, who earlier had his scholly offer pulled by Tuscon's own RichRod, and then discovered this link, with your very own Z.I.P. (yours truly) featured photographically (Even Santa Prefers Rainbow Warriors) in the Arizona Daily Star's Wildcat basketball blog. I guess it was smart of Z.I.P. to wear his ZIPS cap at the Diamond Head Classic on Saturday when this shot was taken, behind my good friend Santa Claus -- who CK might recognize as our mutual friend Eugene Oregon from the Portland regional in 2011. That of course is Z.I.P. in the upper right. Can you make out my cap? I think all four games will be televised today, so look for the jolly fellow, and his agent (I get 10% of all the presents).

++ I'm going to take my Christmas tree back. In a week, maybe.

Tell the truth, Skip! Didn't you just go back and use any of about a dozen of your old posts from the Zips Soccer forum as the template for writing this? I now look forward to Bobbyake producing a scintillating statistical analysis to prove that women's basketball is on the verge of taking over the sporting world! A quick note before leaving to watch the Rainbow Wahine. I probably watch more basketball games than anyone I know, and about 2/3 are women's games. They are just more interesting and entertaining to me. Now, if they wore one-piece suits like women's volleyball used to, there would be even more (male) viewers.

Scott won this, correct? Did ESPN show the award at the College Cup? I don't remember seeing it -- I DO remember Ampai getting (well, his family picking up) his trophy in Santa Barbara two years ago.

"Oh you don't understand...Detroit and Coastal Carolina are really good!!" One outta two ain't bad (based on our current record). Give us another shot at the Chanticleers! My vote: Creighton.

Warzycha: Asked what Horton needs to do to play more next season, Warzycha painted with broad strokes. “He needs to start to be a professional player,” Warzycha said. “He needs to find out how to be a professional player because he’s not. His development is going to stop when he’s not a professional player, and that’s where it starts. You get on the field when you do the right things, and when you don’t do the right things, you don’t get on the field. He needs to be a professional." Thanks coach! Nothing like running your player into the ground. Who would want to play for someone like that?

I saw Princeton play ten years ago. They were the same. It's called The Princeton Offense for a reason.

Amazing! Akron defeats (blows out!) Cincinnati! And no mention on Zn.o??? King and Tecca fantastic game. Now: Beat #16 Dayton and get some REAL attention.

I just read the editorial... Wow! That was great. And I have to ask...what kind of contribution could it make to American soccer if writers with the knowledge of Mr. Douglas were focused predominantly on that game (is there anything more important, after all?). IOW, I know it would be a demotion but the Beacon NEEDS qualitative and quantitative improvement on its coverage of the sport. I don't know if he's a Hoya or a Hooser, but Michael could really contribute to the game we all love, if he would contribute more... Just saying.

I don't know what the purpose of BrackerBusters was, but I know it was an end in itself in dedicating a couple days of ESPN college basketball coverage to Mid-Major schools. That was just too much for the Powers That Be, and thus it has met it's demise.