Z.I.P.

Mate, are you referring to the VFL or the AFL? Fear the Roo, Baby!

I don't know if this has ever happened in any sport before. The MAC received four (4) bids to the NCAA women's volleyball tournament -- Ball State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois! (WOW!) However CMU was forced to play on the road @Illinois in the first round, and the other three lost on neutral courts. So now the MAC is out of the event. That was quick! Will Akron ever come close to qualifying? Will anyone notice? Too bad none were able to make it to the sub-region here in Honolulu. We had over 8000 for the two matches, er, uh, games as they now call 'em. A lot has changed since I coached HS (boys) volleyball in the mid-90s. Bring back the side-out!!!

They're returning to Cali for the first time since...1997? I was there, at the NIT tournament in Sunnyvale. That was the beginning of their slow fall to mediocrity and beyond. About time they started the rise from the dead.

Well, he has D-1 HC experience, unlike your favorite. Nothing personal.

Sounds like 'Z' is already taking nicely to his new home. I remember what a blast he had taking his ex-teammates to the Santa Monica pier in September. I hope he can convince Brian Ching to be so open-minded about the city. Can imagine the languages on the club, besides Anglaise and Francaise there could be Spanish, Bosnian and Hawaiian!

Damn man, you ARE an addict if you actually watch the A-League! That's the one hour each day when I turn off FSC and come on the ZN.o BTW -- to correct ZIP_ME87, my previous post was not meant to be facetious. Sarcastic would be a much better word. And to g-mann17, you need to get out more often dude! The USA is a small part of where you live -- but the only part for which Am football is king (even in Canada, possibly including Buffalo, hockey is #1!). Maybe the best thing about Akron U. being a soccer school is that we are so far ahead of the American curve. Consider the possibilities if Akron becomes a capital of US cosmopolitanism. Soccer/football's rise is globalization from below (despite the impact of AEG), which is what #OWS exists for. Whoa, hope I didn't belie my politics there...

Better than Mike Johnson? Played pro QB for several seasons. UA alum. NFL coach for many years. Kids want to hear that they can get to the pros. Even if they have no chance of doing so. Mike's NFL connections could be HUGE in getting a higher-caliber athlete to the UA campus. I agree. If I'm not mistaken, Johnson was Michael Vick's qb coach in Atlanta. Despite how most people feel about him, Vick is still very popular with the young football players. Connections like that could definitely impact recruiting here. I agree -- Mike would be a great OC at Akron. That is what you meant isn't it?

Here's about the only interesting thing from this column -- the comment: Hey EA, Did you happen to notice that CSU has a game today?! Oh wait...Urban Meyer just stopped at the local McDonald's...I guess you've got "more important" things to cover...my apologies (NOT). LOL! BTW -- I'm entirely with GoZips on the above...Tree's had his one-off. Now knock it off.

He doesn't -- but he's so much better than we are at diagnosing what's wrong with Akron: That it wants to escape Cleveland's shadow.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! How cute. Sounds like someone's still upset that they had their toy coach taken away from them! And I don't know where akzipper comes from, but on the planet where I live, football (or "soccer" as he terms it) is the biggest sporting and cultural event in the lives of most of our people. At one time religion held sway over the lives of common men, but we have now replaced that with football. Still, we seem to have maintained a certain magnanimous humility about our sporting/cultural lives, at least compared to those civilizations for which sport still is a proxy for warfare. We were surprised that when we eliminated our armies, our athletes actually began to exhibit less hostility to opposing teams, and sportsmanship has overflowed. Now our sporting clubs are exemplars of the cooperative attitude that underlies our international trade alliances. Sports has become a tool for maintaining peace and sharing in our planet's sustainable prosperity. Just kidding. Ahhhhhhhhh! How I would love to live on THAT planet. If you're referring to Tressel, I said from the day Ianello was fired that we had ZERO chance of getting him. Well then, I apologize! You have to excuse me, as I've been doing everything in my power to avoid the American football coaching discussion. Those minor sports can really get in the way of supporting the best and cleanest team in NCAA men's soccer. Have a nice day!

I think the story may be accurate, Cap'n. Those dancers look just like heads of Hartville cauliflower to me.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! How cute. Sounds like someone's still upset that they had their toy coach taken away from them! And I don't know where akzipper comes from, but on the planet where I live, football (or "soccer" as he terms it) is the biggest sporting and cultural event in the lives of most of our people. At one time religion held sway over the lives of common men, but we have now replaced that with football. Still, we seem to have maintained a certain magnanimous humility about our sporting/cultural lives, at least compared to those civilizations for which sport still is a proxy for warfare. We were surprised that when we eliminated our armies, our athletes actually began to exhibit less hostility to opposing teams, and sportsmanship has overflowed. Now our sporting clubs are exemplars of the cooperative attitude that underlies our international trade alliances. Sports has become a tool for maintaining peace and sharing in our planet's sustainable prosperity. Just kidding. Ahhhhhhhhh! How I would love to live on THAT planet.

8 for 8? But the coach didn't trust him enough to let him win the (Eastern?) game? We coulda had TWO wins!

Thanks guys. We can dream, can't we?!

RESUME??? Anyone who was able to put aside that guy's character issues, if he were to become OUR problem, should cancel their membership in the Zips Nation! Let's just be glad that we already have the best coach in the nation -- and he has the highest character in his business. Whoops, sorry -- this isn't the soccer thread is it?

Dennison is important to UA because he is one of the winningest coaches in its history. He also was involved with the program for 20 years (including 7 as the AD). And why would Tressel be interested in Akron? Its home. You're absolutely right guys, that's exactly what The University of Akron needs -- more employees who put loyalty ahead of ethics! to the nth.

And are we to believe that works for or against Tressel?

Yes -- New England Revs Academy.

Guys, just in case Tressel hasn't gotten the Kiss of Death from the NCAA, this should be the final nail in his coffin. Courtesy of David Lee. With friends like that...

Yes, Dennison and Tressell are good friends. In fact, after Tressell left OSU, Dennison & Tressell met. Dennison tried to to get Tressell on his staff immediatley, but Tressell turned him down. Dennison alluded that he planned to step down in a year or two as head coach and would like to hand the whistle over to Tressell. Tressell has been thinking about it since then. And Frank Solich after he was canned at Nebraska took a year off and then started with OU. Solich was fired because he couldn't get it done at Nebraska with a new AD in place. I would prefer Tressell, however, whoever we get needs to have HC experience and be familiar with the MAC. Someone explain to me what Dennison's name even has to do with this conversation (Akron's next football coach). Jim Dennison is an historical footnote in the university's history. Nobody on the Hill cares about him any longer. Also, this morning on Honolulu sports radio (FWIW) a writer from the Columbus paper was interviewed and I called in and asked about the Tressel to Akron rumors. He said yes, it's a BIG RUMOR. He also said that Tressel would be/was being considered for the Arizona State job, so why would he even be interested in Akron?.

as much as they need...i have info that the bigwigs of business in the area are involved in this search. Search? Is that what you call it? How much of a tuition increase will it require, is what people should be asking!

The Elite Eight are here! Once again, Louisville and Akron's "second favorite coach, Ken Lolla" (fill-in comments here____________________) get the hard-luck UCLA Bruins at home, with coach Salcedo's future possibly on the line if he fails again to make the Final Four/College Cup. I think this is the third (or fourth?) straight NCAA Quarterfinal for UCLA, with nary a win. I'll pick them to prevail, unless there's another unpredicted snow storm in Kentucky. I like Creighton, UNC and UConn in the other games -- I hope I got those schools in the correct brackets.

IF indeed Ianello has been released (I've been out of circulation for the past four days and haven't seen anything official), and if in fact Akron has a shot at Luke Fickell, a.) I am thrilled! (especially about the first part); and b.) I give my permission for the team to go full blast for Luke. and c.) It will probably take a king's ranson (by Akron standards) to sign him, as he will get more to stay in the Capitol. Any other names? (never mind, I'll read the rest of the board!)

I was sitting at the Stan Sheriff Center, watching Virginia (which just beat Tennesee last weekend!) getting hammered by Texas (down by 24 with >4 to play in the FIRST half), when I get a call from a friend in Seattle, telling me he's watching Akron's BB team -- I called his bluff, as they didn't play till Sat. vs Detroit and there was NO WAY it would be televised on the West Coast. "NO, NO. WOMEN's BASKETBALL!" he shouted. "They're playing Loyola Chicago here in Seattle!" So, according to Ramon, Akron trailed at the half, but was starting to hit three pointers (can you say "Taylor Ruper"?) and was back within a point early in the second half. I don't know why he didn't didn't call me back to tell me Akron won the tournament -- maybe because he's a Seattle fan! It looks as if Jody Kest has her team playing HER style of basketball -- and that means they're hitting on all cylinders with the talent at hand. When Kest was hired, I talked to Gavin Peterson, a local Hawaii coach (then at Idaho, now at U. of Hawaii) who got his first coaching job with Jody at TA&MCC about a decade ago, and he told me to expect to see a team that would run the ball when they get the opportunity, but would be fun for the fans to watch, because they would shoot the first open shot they get, even if it's well behind the 3-point line. I hope the team has turned the corner after a couple losses to no-name teams. Hopefully same-old is gone for good!

Montreal is closer to Lancaster, PA than Los Angeles. I think Zarek liked LA, but I think this is good for him to get away from Chivas. I hope Continental/United continue their weekend specials from Cleveland next year. I'd love to see our 3 Zips in Montreal. And -- you save on air fare flying to LA to not see the ex-Zips in action! Sorry about that -- couldn't resist.