Z.I.P.

How can I force myself to take the NCAA seriously? They also have a policy that to remain eligible for Football Bowl Series, you must average 15,000 fans per home game. These rules are only as good as the jello they're written on!

Dave, I've followed Akron athletics for the past forty years. There is actually LESS community interest today than there was in 1975 (largely because the city has lost 1/3 of its population). The attendance absolute ceiling for basketball is 5-6000 (ave.) even if you brought Madison Square Garden to S Main. For football it is 20k, regardless of how many games they win. GP-1 and I agree on one thing, Akron is not a good place to build a retail base of consumers. More generally, I must say, I've done everything in my power to avoid reading news about changes in college athletics. It is all constructed on the strength of BCS audience capacity and future growth. Those of us with no dog in the race (e.g., the entire MAC), have nothing to gain from it. Even if the blow-up occured tomorrow, it is unlikely any MAC schools would be seen as Big East caliber -- and frankly Akron would have to stand in line behind at least Ohio, Toledo and Miami. Conference USA is barely more than a parallel move, with significant increased costs. As I've said time and again, the Akron Zips are a typical MAC athletic program -- and there ain't nuthin wrong with that! Let's wait till we're "too big" for our current surroundings before even thinking about moving anywhere.

Cincinnati has an opening!!!

Oh Canada! I thought that UVic was the UCLA of the GWN, but ends up I haven't been keeping up with my Canuck hoops! They DID win seven straight from 1980-86. I know the first game new Hawaii coach Riley Wallace coached -- in 1986(!) was against Victoria (the Thunderbirds, I'm pretty sure) and they took a thumping -- the Thunderbirds flew over the Rainbows! Last exhibition they played against Canadians. Now in VOLLEYBALL (men's), it's a totally different story -- Canadian schools can MORE than hold their own against the US, especially the Dinosaurs of Alberta, who have played in Hawaii's pre-season tourney several times. Once about 15-20 yrs ago, I saw them take apart a UCLA team that won the NCAA title!

JA-RED! JA-RED! JA-RED!

Thanks for the view Doc. Who's in the travel party -- the whole returning squad? Is Zeke with the team? --edit -- Nevah mind! Got d'utha thread!

Is this another Porter surprise? Is this the reason Walls left? Medellin, Colombia!?! Z.I.P., where you at on this? FC Independiente de Medellin has two Arboledas on the roster. El tercero hermano?

Where did you hear that?? BTW -- the idea that David Mayer is a very good player should not come as any surprise, if you know he started for Wigan's Academy team (U19 I guess). As someone over at BigSoccer boards shouted out -- get him a Green Card fast, the USA needs a left back BAD.

Consider this: It's all gone!!! Bahhhhhhhh!

Pardon my lack of knowledge, but what happened to Dale Martin? Can we add him to the Cap'n's list of Great Zips who never were?

Everyone? Isn't that a bit overstated? There's been a pretty wide diversity of opinion here, ranging from Sweet 16 to lucky to break the Top 100, and everything in between. And, not sorry to say, a lot can be learned by watching practice and scrimmage if you know what to look for. For example, a fair number of the players practicing and scrimmaging against each other are known quantities. We've seen them play lots of games against other teams. We know how well they run, jump, handle the ball, rebound, play D, etc., etc. Now we're watching newcomers match up against them. When we see that some of the newcomers in their very first practices and scrimmages demonstrate talents and abilities as good as or better than the know quantities, it does mean something. So please feel free to push the envelope of pessimism. But please don't misrepresent the opinions of those who've seen with their own eyes what only exists in your imagination. Damn Dave, I think you're turning ME into a wild-eyed optimist! This could be the year Green wins the state?

Sheesh! UCLA, #21? They bring in the best new goalkeeper in the country (Earl Edwards), the star of the U17 team (Kelyn Rowe) plus all-everything Victor Chavez and Munoz (sorry for the lack of a tilda), the Real Madrid youth, and they're #21, because they had "limited needs"?? If Jorge Salcedo can't take this team to the Final Four, he can't coach. But he can definitely recruit. Eder Arreola, pre-season Hermann favorite. Maybe they're downgraded (word of the week!) because they failed to get any Akron transfers! Not sure what you mean Z.I.P. Every kid you named except for the transfer was part of last year's recruiting class. They only brought in 3 kids total this year. Credit where it's due -- apparently UCLA hasn't put up THIS year's roster yet! My bad. Still, that roster is the reason why the Bruins are the best team in America on paper. Salcedo will be tested to show his coaching ability.

If what I'm reading is correct, this team may not have to wait till the end of the season to make the Top-50. We may even exceed I Speak Truth's estimate of 20 wins!

Sheesh! UCLA, #21? They bring in the best new goalkeeper in the country (Earl Edwards), the star of the U17 team (Kelyn Rowe) plus all-everything Victor Chavez and Munoz (sorry for the lack of a tilda), the Real Madrid youth, and they're #21, because they had "limited needs"?? If Jorge Salcedo can't take this team to the Final Four, he can't coach. But he can definitely recruit. Eder Arreola, pre-season Hermann favorite. Maybe they're downgraded (word of the week!) because they failed to get any Akron transfers!

Coach GZ is quite the taskmaster! The CSU story quoted their coach as saying their ball possession game left a lot wanting. Here's what our side is saying. Sounds like the new ladies are already contributing quite a bit. BTW -- WTF happened to GoZips.com?? I waited ten minutes, and all that downloaded was a list of articles on the left half of the screen, and the right side had nothing but a twitter feed for Zippy! No links to teams or anything else! Is it undergoing another 6-month "rebuilding" season? Apologies to you-know who!

Sounds like coach McFadden ought to be able to work with this kid, having come from similar circumstances. Toledo board says that Michigan, Purdue and Cinci were interested in his QB talents, but no indication they offerred, possibly because they saw him leaning toward bb -- where he was coached by his father. There was also talk that Dayton was pursuing him for basketball. Looks like another tall sharp-shooting guard to add to the new stable of up-scale athletes for Dambrot. He put away 66 treys last season for Elida.

You always wonder how a "West Virginia HS Defensive POTY" ends up with the Zips. Now you know...he has "baggage." Add him to the long list of too-good-too-be-true Zip recruits. Marcus Sanders...EJ Lilley...Nate Robinson...David Harvey...Derrick Tarver... My favorite name for the list of "never-played-a-game" superstars in blue and gold: Mike Tracy. Halfback from Eastern PA, circa 1981-82. Runner who broke Tony Dorsett's HS rushing records (may have been at Upper Darby HS, too). Akron was in play because the kid was listed as 5-4. Couple weeks before school, word come down, he joined the Army. Now, let me tell ya bout Derrick Tarver... He played, excelled, but played for the wrong coach at the wrong time! More on Mike Tracy. It was Marian, Pennsylvania 1980, according to this "History of the Big-33 Game" article. Would have put him in 1981 freshman class, if he had arrived.

You always wonder how a "West Virginia HS Defensive POTY" ends up with the Zips. Now you know...he has "baggage." Add him to the long list of too-good-too-be-true Zip recruits. Marcus Sanders...EJ Lilley...Nate Robinson...David Harvey...Derrick Tarver... My favorite name for the list of "never-played-a-game" superstars in blue and gold: Mike Tracy. Halfback from Eastern PA, circa 1981-82. Runner who broke Tony Dorsett's HS rushing records (may have been at Upper Darby HS, too). Akron was in play because the kid was listed as 5-4. Couple weeks before school, word come down, he joined the Army. Now, let me tell ya bout Derrick Tarver... He played, excelled, but played for the wrong coach at the wrong time!

At Marshall is a D-I opponent and we likely get a home-away with them. They are a familiar name with Akron fans from before they jumped from the MAC to C-USA. I like this addition. So, we have back-to-back games versus the Fighting Irish? And, I hope Zeke doesn't take GoZips' comments personally. No offense intended, I hope.

I think the only unfortunate thing is that the Bill Buckner bobblehead was unavailable to play Omar Bravo, on the "through-the-legs" dummy play. But the Ryne Sandberg bobblehead did a credible job as a stand-in. I mean the Bill "Nutmeg" Buckner bobblehead.

That HAS to win some sort of Youtube award! AND, Credits Starring in order of appearance: The Kansas Jayhawk mascot, as Birahim Diop White guy in black suit, as Roger Espinoza Ryne Sandberg (1984 MVP), as Omar Bravo Emeka Okafor New Orleans Hornets #50, as C.J. Sapong and playing both Teal Bunbury and the Teal Bunbury bobblehead...Himself!

All I can say is, if those are close to the MLS' rankings...Someone's going to get a HUGE pick-up in Barson! Hard to imagine him being outside the top-5.

I think everyone had a case of the Mondays yesterday. The market was down 513 and it doesn't look any better today. Sending my sympathy to all members of the investor class, from those of us in the working class. And one other thing that should be made clear. Akron Zips:

You just did. And, you're right...perfect speed and direction. Actually, it was a very nice series of passes between Darlington and Chabala to set up Chabala's score. Also, you had to love, or at least I did, Portland crushing the Galaxy 3-0 in front of their awesome home crowd (2nd only to the Sounders faithful)...Galaxy's first loss since May 1, I believe. I just gotta love ANY time the Galaxy lose! Yeah, baby. Go FCDallas tomorrow -- two-in-a-row??

You clearly don't watch many cable TV news programs. Damn, I was going to mention something about Colin Cowpaddy, but when you mention cable TV...