Z.I.P.

Bring back Pete Franklin!

Would you consider, T-Bod? Nahhhhhh, seriously.

Luke did not get good reviews from the combine, and is at best likely a late 2nd rounder. I guess the fact that he made himself available for the draft indicates he doesn't intend to go back to England to play. Mattocks will join Nannie in Vancouver.

Will have to wait for FSC Highlights tonight. Is Thierry running full speed -- unlike his time in RedBull Land?

"If his name is called by Commissioner Garber Mattocks will join a burgeoning Akron Alumni player pool at Saputo Stadium. One that's grown so large at some point in the upcoming season the club may have to schedule a Zips Homecoming Day." Good news, for now at least, is my Hawaiian homeboy Chingie has decided he will not be retiring after all! End of drama? No chance. BTW, I was going to post the MLS sked, but Crew8 beat me to it. Here's the dates you all want to mark: Saturday March 24 and Saturday, Sept 1 Montreal @ Columbus. And for me -- June 20 Impact @ Chivas USA, the only West Coast visit for Montreal this year.

Ever here the saying, "there's no such thing as bad publicity"? This article would not have mentioned Akron at all before the Bowden hire. Be glad for the mention.

Well, if the US National Program players are turned over to the academies -- and the academies are expected to be fully responsible for their overall development 24/7, then they would also have to take over responsibility for their education off the field. It seems that this added expense would cause an even greater consolidation of top-level management. Would any clubs other than MLS academies be able to afford to take over this total responsibility for the lives of young soccer proteges? We're headed more and more to a system where only those players who are identified at 14 or 15 and placed into academy settings will be able to get the grooming to set them on a pro career path. And it seems now, more than ever, players are popping onto the radar of scouts at age 16-18. Look at all the new names on the residency roster who were not previously in US age-group pools (mostly hispanic kids, many new immigrants). It's hard to believe that the US youth program leaders would be willing to turn over this responsibility to the academies -- regardless of the perceived success/failure of the residency program. I can't imagine the residency system could be worse than whatever they have in mind.

Top Drawer has the news that apparently was inevitable, given conflicting personalities in US Soccer. I'm disappointed that the US youth program has taken another stop on it's never ending development. It seems every time the kids start to look world class, they have to undergo a new transition. Why wait so long after the World Cup? I don't get it. Those of you (no names, please! ) who have first-hand experience with the US Youth program may be able to provide your input to this move. I also wonder if it will have any effect on Caleb's recruiting. His position on the staff of the overall youth "team" should mean he's about as close as any NCAA coach to the top players as they move up with the national program.

Pardon me for not being more descriptive when I posted this late last night. Hopefully you got my gist, which was that since the Bowdens helped Huggins' career advancement -- therefore Huggins might feel obligated to pay-back. After thinking it over, I'm convinced Bob Huggins likely couldn't give a rat's ass about them, or us. Hopefully T-Bow will feel more obliged to the UofA -- and if successful, will stay longer than Bob did. On the other hand, I suspect both of them see the Country Road as their final career path. Oh well.

I watched an interview over the weekend with Bobby Bowden on FoxSports West that apparently was made just after his retirement. Then, in researching something Bowden said, I happened upon this article which describes how Huggins became Cincinnati basketball coach. Did anyone know that Huggy Bear and T-Bow were WVa classmates?

Why didn't Ben get the G.A. offer? Doesn't seem to make sense. Did he originally say he wasn't leaving, then change his mind?

I'm a little uneducated about how the HGP rule plays out in practice. Can someone give a short list of current MLS players with HGP contracts, just for an example. My uneducated guess is there aren't many (yet at least -- it will likely increase soon). Thanks and hauoli makahiki hou from da isles.

Pastry chef?

Tank, do you think there are any UNA PLAYERS who could play at Akron? Might they be headed Noth, too?

Nice! Well, dagnabbit. It's contagious!

Zips were playing tough defense, then one of their guys beat us on a back door cut. Layup made with 2 seconds left, zips just passed it in and threw up some prayer. FRICK! They were up 10 with 9 minutes left?

What Happened? Come on, I gotta know!! Zeke put us ahead(?), then...?

Someone PLEASE update score?! Gametracker pooped out at end of regulation!!!

Halftime score 36-31 Akron. Nic has 10 pts, 4 rebs. Walsh 3 for 3 on treys! Maybe VCU wasn't sandbagging after all?

Just because the world works in a certain fashion doesn't mean we have to accept it that way. There is nothing natural about the dominance of political institutions or sporting bodies. We can create and reform the world in any way we see fit -- if we just have a democratic system of political power. Perhaps it's time for #OccupytheAD. Oh, and, yes, ahem...(belated)Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

At this point I would expect Tommy Dub to receive the vote of confidence every coach needs to convince recruits about the trajectory of the program. i.e., I expect him to receive a contract extension if his current deal is running out. What other Akron AD has won a national championship and solidified (even if belatedly) every major sport, especially soccer?

Thanks again Dave for your legwork in researching this issue -- I was wondering the exact same thing, as I'm sure were many others. Here's my take on Terry's career and his attitude. When I realized who he was (not his brother Tommy, pardon my confusion), I remembered that he was my favorite ESPN/ABC game analyst over the past decade+. He gave off a perception very quickly that he didn't take himself very seriously just because he had been a successful high-level college football coach, and the son of a legendary coach. And unlike nearly 99% of sportscasters, he didn't take the game that seriously either -- he knew it was just a game, and that student-athletes and college administrators shouldn't look at the game as more important than the institution or real life. Terry Bowden always came off on TV as a deeply humble and maybe just a little bit nonchalant. That probably upset some of those who consider football a life-or-death struggle, but impressed me at the same time. I have to think that after what happened to him at Auburn in 1998 (his last year, when he was hammered for starting 1-5), he probably considered himself lucky to put that episode in his past, and to create a new career in the broadcast booth. If the WVa job hadn't opened up in 2008, he might have never coached again. So perhaps some ADs have reason to question his passion for coaching, but there can be no question about his record. Terry Bowden is a coaching success story. Terry Bowden has succeeded in everything he's put his mind to, and I'm pretty confident he can even succeed in making Akron a winner in football. e Komo Mai coach, welcome aboard, coach.

Well, Gooo-ooo-ooo-lly Andy, we sure are gettin' thin-skinned arond here diss-cussin' Akron Football in the middle of the night! So, someone tell me again...How exactly did we kill Towson football? Is TW contagious?

Doggone it, this has made my mind up for me! I have to do my part to upgrade the Zips' sideline attire. I have a number of men's size large aloha shirts that I just don't have room for in my closet. I'm going to put in a call to Keith and let him know that a "goodwill package" is on the way -- Sorry, I don't think I can get it there before Xmas, but it should arrive in time for the start of MAC play. Or, if KD thinks he can't wait that long, or in case he fears one of his player's pants will fall down during the anthem, I believe Gozips can lend his circa 1974 Tory Richard collection. Hope the guys don't mind the stains from kalua pig and shoyu spills.

I found that Kendall McIntosh started all three games for the USA at the U17 World Cup in Mexico. So, perhaps there's some conflict over who's #1.