Z.I.P.

Two cents from a guy who hasn't been to a baseball game in over a decade, but used to be a regular at the best college stadium in the Central Pacific (or America for that matter). College baseball has overgone a big transformation in the past 15-20 years. And the biggest facet of that transformation is geography. Top players are leaving Ohio -- and other snowbelt states more rapidly than ever, and sunbelt colleges have invested major $$ in their programs with beautiful facilities, while schools in the North, including I have to assume BCS level programs, have been left in the dingy grey dust of snowmelt. Akron needs to compete against MAC and similar mid-major conferences in baseball (no, not Wichita State or Creighton, major but declining teams from the MizzouValley), and that can be done for a smidgen of the cost of our soccer stadium upgrade. It seems the overall upgrade of Lee Jackson would help baseball, but yes, you have to have fan-friendly stands, even if Zach could bring a folding chair to keep his butt dry. Compare Akron with Can't State, Central Michigan or whoever is at the top of the MAC at a given time. It wouldn't seem a lot of money is needed to compete with ordinary mediocre programs. Wright State has become a respected program, how much better can their facilities be?

Losing to one team would override the Sweet Sixteen? I can't state that you're actually asking that! Here's my response.

I turned Hawai'i red!

Pretty sure Bisbee and I will be there. I will absolutely be there My first trip into the San Fernando Valley, but from looks, not much choice in Lodging. There's a HoJo Express about two miles south of campus. Cheap @ $70/nt, if I don't stay with relatives. I have to travel to Hawaii women's games in Irvine and Long Beach on Fri/Sunday.

That's amazing, as I attended both of those -- First game, I think was vs Philadelphia Textile, the second game in 1970 in Evansville, IN. The opponents were called the greatest small college basketball team ever, coming in, and left with one defeat. Amazingly, the NCAA Finals opponent, Roanoke lost their top scorer in the semis, for fighting, but used the emotion to play a great title game against a tired Akron team which played OT the night before. I have a great memory for having been a toddler at the time.

This is why I tell kids, it's really nice that you can kick the ball back to your teammate every time he kicks it to you. But can you trap the ball first? Because if you can trap those balls each time, and control possession, then you have control of both the ball, and your opponent. I'm trying to remember the other two great goals in MLS this year, on similar plays, where the player trapped, volleyed to himself, and let loose the ball into the net. I think the first was by DC United's Charlie Davies early in the season, and I think everyone's seen the goal two weeks ago by the Frenchman, Eric Hassli of Vancouver Whitecaps. One of the great all-timers in MLS, up there with Brian Ching's bicycle kick goal in 2007.

Soccer fans, here's the latest update on Z.I.P.'s plans for the 2011 season: University of Hawai'i announced their schedule this week, and as I am a benefactor I may be obligated to attend road games which happen to fall perfectly in between the Akron games vs the Cal State schools from Sept 1-4. Four games in four days! That may be too much to pass up. Unfortunately, there is no pro futbol at the Home Depot Center during this time unless I arrive several days earlier -- which I won't rule out. Is there anyone else on the board considering or planning to attend the Northridge tournament?

Wistercil has added to his resume by choosing his first new head baseball coach.Guess what? He's a former K-ent State coach. And has a LOOOONG resume of victories, before heading to the ACC. Sounds to this observer like they got the best coach available. But I don't follow the sport, so whatta I know. Let'er rip.

You be careful what you say now Cap'n. You keep spoutin' off that radical talk, some peoples on here gonna think you one o' those there Can't Staters!

At least you HAVE the NFL Network!

The party is over for the USA. Suffered a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of the Germans. What does the future hold for coach Wilmer Cabrera? Time will tell.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb... They play Germany who has looked like an absolute wrecking ball so far. The youth talent level in that country is scary. Just out of curiosity -- are DeAndre, Trapp and Gallego eligible for the U17 team? They would have had to turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 to be ineligible. They are too old. I thought the rule was (effectively), that if they did not turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 they were eligible for the 17s Age Group. That's the way the USYSA works, I'm almost positive. And all three of the guys have their 18th BD in 2011. Happy 18th to DeA in two weeks.

Three MAC non-con opponents. Are they becoming an affiliated member?

All of the new guys teams won. Have you heard if the Finals will be televised? Been a couple of years since they did that, but I enjoyed it.

Found a little insight into coach Wilmer Cabrera's selection process, going back to the CONCACAF U17 tournament. Fehr is the only fullback getting any credit for the USA advancing. Souders made at least one poor clearance, resulting in a keeper save in the El Salvador game. Looking back at the 2009 U17 WC, Perry Kitchen made some very good passes from the back, but his one poor play in the first half of the first USA game led to his benching for the rest of the event. And in 2007, Kofi Sarkodie got a lot of blame for the USA's poor performance (0-3 in group as I recall). As I mentioned alreaady, the best thing that might come of this is to disqualify Drew from turning pro and leaving for Europe. The USA-Deutschland match is Thursday 4 PM EST on ESPNU. There are some really good players on the US, Guido, Acosta, Fehr, McIntosh, etc. but they have holes also. If they play the way they did vs Czech Republic, they have a chance against the Germans.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb... They play Germany who has looked like an absolute wrecking ball so far. The youth talent level in that country is scary. Just out of curiosity -- are DeAndre, Trapp and Gallego eligible for the U17 team? They would have had to turn 18 before 1 Jan 2011 to be ineligible.

Good recovery. Outside chance he could return by playoffs. He was in the booth for FSC game two wks ago and says he holds no grudge against Mullan. Great attitude.

Doogie is at New Mexico State. Since I have visited twice, and will much more, since the Futbol Zips were @ the Lobos Tourney in 2008, I can vouch for what GoZips had to say. There isn't even a sign on the freeway pointing towards Santa Fe when you need to turn -- I ended up halfway to Las Vegas (New Mexico!) I wanted to write a letter to the newspaper suggesting the state visitors' motto be "Come to New Mexico and Get Lost". But, once I arrived in "El Norte", I finally understood why they want El Gringo to keep out. BTW -- Dougie's team opens their schedule at home vs the BobKittens. They'll likely get wiped, regardless of the inside info. And, I got free donuts off that (1987?) UNM victory courtesy of my boss, a Lobo alum.

And the same in game three vs New Zealand. Perhaps the most unwatchable game I've ever struggled to watch. Both teams knew going in that a draw would advance them (though the US controlled much of the possession). So neither made much effort to score. Two teams packing it in like UNC in the 09 semifinal. Yikes. Not sure who USA plays next, but I'm not expecting to see Souders on the field. Mobi Fehr does a pretty good job, and takes free kicks on set pieces -- I guess that's his advantage. Go sign him Caleb. I really like McIntosh, the US keeper. Completely in charge. As I said before, Caleb...

Folks, there is life after football. Can we hook Matt up with Darryl Peterson? Huh?

I hate to be critical, as GoZips will jump all over me. On the other hand: Synopsis: After several years in the playing professional football, KYLE BISHOP is released from his fourth team in three years and returns to his home town, broke and at a complete loss about what he will do for a living... Man I hope they can keep the fans from stormin' the ticket windows.

I am confused. Nothing new there, but...Is this the same league that shows games on FSC -- where they call it the USL??? There is still a USL but it's been weakened somewhat. It's complicated, but the USL effectively split after the 2009 season when a number of clubs, Montreal among them, chose to form the "new" NASL due to differences in opinion between various league factions. This has resulted in a realignment of the entire American Soccer Pyramid.. So the games that Fox Soccer Channel is televising (I only watched about 5 minutes of the game last week, but I think the Charleston Battery were playing (???) vs Orlando??) are actually the "third tier" "USL Pro"? Sheesh!

Zeke Marshall. Think Larry Sanders (not the cable talk show guy, the ex-VCU center). That is a good approximation of his upside. Look up Sanders stats for years 1 & 2. Probably very similar, though I don't know.

The athletic department reported $19.8 million in revenues in 2009. Of that amount, $14.9 million came from direct institutional support and $1.6 million came from student fees. Boy. That's some creative accounting! Any moron can see they actually made only $3.3M, and gave themselves $16.5M to make it appear (or make themselves think, even if it's transparent to any moron) they are less pathetic than they actually are. The saddest part is, EMU is far from the only school in this plight. I imagine most MAC schools are very near this position. And I can't imagine how California public universities can keep playing the Big Time Athletic game. It could be finances that bring down the house of cards faster than cheating, turning college students into pro athletes, or any of the myriad of fundamental problems with collegiate athletics in America.

I am confused. Nothing new there, but...Is this the same league that shows games on FSC -- where they call it the USL???