Z.I.P.

Alright, I can anwer my own question. He's played in three major FIBA tournaments, the Tournament of the Americas twice. Averaged 18PPG in 09. He gets a lot of free throws -- 43 in five games in the 09 event. I would call him a major slasher! Also, the Montrose Christian site said that he had a 4.0 GPA. Why is he going to a prep school, again?

I think that's the same thing people said when comparing Kitchen to Kofi Sarkodie a year ago.

Check the date -- I think it's Saturday, not Friday. At least that's what I got from the index on my cable system.

I was looking at the TV schedule for ESPNU's U17 World Cup broadcasts (see the thread below, the replay of today's Uzbekistan battle is on Thursday), and found the following: Saturday afternoon at 5 PM EDT (11 AM HST) ESPNU is showing the replay at long last of the Dec 12th College Cup final. My money is on Akron -- anybody wanna bet? The game will be followed immediately by the U17 WC match between the USA and New Zealand/Aotearoa. Now, I can finally count how many times Z.I.P. gets his ugly mug on the national airwaves. I wish the cameras had gotten the scene at Fess Parker's Doubletree later that night -- exhausted Zips players gathered around their trophy proudly waiting for their transfers to LAX -- while in a conference room around the corner Louisville threw a bash for their team and fans that looked and sounded like a football pep rally. You had to wonder who were the national champs. Oh yeah! Akron

Souders is as good an on-ball defender in the box as you will find. He knocks down any balls near him. Great feet. He is not an attacking defender in the mode of Kofi. I can't really remark on his ball skills, but I can't recall him making any passing errors in the games I've seen. He's solid. If Mobi Fehr is better, then let's hope Caleb can lasso Mobi.

Actually...it is exactly the same as every other day of the year. You are obviously referring to the fact the sun stays up longer than any other day. Like you...I like this day but it is not my favorite. For the next 6 months each "day" will be shorter. I prefer it when things are improving and getting better. So...this day is the "best" and the "worst" for me. Now that sounds like a political comment if I've ever heard one! And BTW, I've always dreampt of visiting Ubud. I hear they have a great left wave there. No politics intended.

Sorry that I failed to mention this earlier, but the World Cup started over the weekend in Mexico, and the USA defeated the Czech Republic by 3-0 in Torreon, the best performance I can recall seeing by a US Youth team. It was almost as dominant, possession-wise as the Senior team's victory over Jamaica -- and they won by a goal more than Bradley's team. Unfortunately however, for the third Youth World Cup in-a-row, an Akron recruit has gone from wearing the captain's armband, to being benched. Amherst phenom Andrew Souders has been captaining the U17 team the past two years, but the play of new-American Mobi Fehr (born in Japan) displaced Drew on the verge of his international breakthrough. Souders was moved from the central defender position he's played consistently -- and exceptionally -- to the central midfield. Not sure if he will see the field in this tournament or not. And not sure how it will effect his confidence and future. He was simply the best young center back I have seen. Meanwhile, I also don't know if the game tomorrow, against Berzerkistan will be televised on ESPNU, as Sunday's game was (it starts at 4PM EST, I believe). Berzerkistan may not be recognized as one of the powers of world football, however, they DID deal the USA the final crushing defeat four years ago in the same tournament. That was the tournament where CB Kofie Sarkodie was criticized for his defensive play as the USA went 0 - 3 in the tournament. I hope Souders becomes somethnig of the sort of fullback Kofie was/is. I'm quite confident from seeing him at least three times on TV that he will be a star. And his benching likely ends the prospect of his going pro after the WC.

Alright!! Now I see where Betancourt played (at least his senior year of) high school ball -- at the legendary basketball academy/factory of Montrose Christian, under their legendary coach Stu Vetter. I would have seen Carmelo play last December (I actually may have seen him in 2009), but this was only about the third time in the past fifteen years that Vetter didn't bring a team to the I'olani Classic here. Here is a little write-up about Carmelo the Younger. My only problem with it is the line about his family "visiting America for the first time." Hello! Puerto Ricans are American citizens! Does anyone have his stats? All I could find was what seemed to say he only played in two games this season. Is that right?

I coudn't read the linked article. However, College of Southern Idaho is not a "prep school". It's a JC.

All I recall is that it had a pipeline FROM India! And it took a certain UA RB to complain to dept. officials that no one could understand one instructor. But that was about 1980.

Watched Chivas get beat late by FC Dallas on Saturday. Zemanski was benched, but Zarek started, played 90 at Left Back. None of the other three ex-Zips got in as far as I could see (though I may have missed a late sub, haven't seen the box score). 'Z' played an excellent game, with just one poor clearance that hung up and was received 20-30 yds out by FCD player, but couldn't do anything with it. Again, the Fox announcers referred to Akron, as "The football factory at Akron." Too bad that Chivas again played only a so-so contest, and I recall gave up an own goal that was the difference. They're falling further behind with their poor play at home.

New New Mexico coordinator Doug Martin, who had been coach at Can't State, has a lot of work to do. The Aggies have been abysmal on offense of late and haven't really been effective throwing the ball since Hal Mumme was fired as coach. Read more: http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/...0#ixzz1PqLXKhfa New Mexico Aggies! I'm sure that one will make the Lobos happy. Like calling them the Akron Flashes.

What sport does he play? He's listed as a guard haha Also, that says "Freshman", but he has played in college for 3 years?! I thought that meant goalkeeper. Did we have a BB teammate of his a few yrs ago (Wauwatosa East HS)? Or was that West?

As long as you aren't one of the people making the calls, it is a great place to work. The real sad part is, 30 years ago people would have laughed at the idea of a telemarketing company being a top employer in NE Ohio. It's really a statement of what has happened to NE Ohio and less of a statement about InfoCision. + (and )

That's why Pearl Harbor Shipyard is the biggest employer in Hawaii.

Whatever it was, it sure worked in Dallas (4-1 victory for second win of season)! I wouldn't mess with it if Iwere coach.

Ends up, BronBron's been hangin' with another playah who has trouble finishin'. Could this be the week, he finally overcomes his inability to win the big one? “If people keep talking about having a bad last quarter all the time, it’s going to sort of get to you,”

I'm glad to have seen this (belatedly). I don't know who did the research to come up with the "$15B per year" figure, but without seeing the research, I'd have to be a skeptic. On the other hand, we (those of us who work for the DoD in engineering) have a total capacity of military equipment that's probably valued in all over a $Trillion, so perhaps it's not unlikely that annual natural loss of assets is that high. I also support the intent and value of what Rep Sutton is working toward. Sure, buying pork is one of the goals most legislators aspire to. That's why schools like So Miss., and the U. of Hawaii are piggy-backing on the corrosion control bandwagon. Sen Inouye was flabbergasted at the end of earmarks. Looks like he's found a new pen to slop around in. I'm looking forward to possibly meeting our Corrosion Control Program chief. She's due in the islands next month from what I hear. The local assets I work with are C-17 cargo aircraft likely valued at least a couple hundred million a piece, and F-22 fighters worth probably a few times that. We're putting up the maintenance hangars for the new F-22s now, and if we don't get too many more endangered species camping out, they should be mostly done this year. Which reminds me. I gotta do some work before the day's done. Aloha.

I'm ready to get on the bus with GoZips. I just hope our driver is more skilled than those who aren't steering toward the Sweet Sixteen. I'm also sorry that the fans in the JAR Arena won't have a chance to see the Bulldogs @ home. They put on a real fine show here last year!

!La nacion de Akron esta' en la casa! I'm thinking of bringing that banner to HDC for the CD Chivas USA game on Oct 2. (and @UCSB 10/5) Who's with me?

Is it Cob Cadet, or Corn Cob Cadet? Hey -- that makes me think...UCSB throws tortillas. We could...

You guys are in a fantasy alright! It is one thing to play in the same division as the teams that play in the bowl games, and play for the highest national title, but it is something completely different to actually compete seriously against those teams. No MAC school will be competing for a football national title in our lifetimes. Period.

It lasted a LOT longer than I would have ever guessed! One of my first jobs, as my brother was maintenance manager/Chief Jerry Rigger.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizar...LFKH_story.html [“We’re a different place,” says Keith Dambrot, an Akron native who won two high school state titles at St. Vincent-St. Mary High with James and is now the head coach at the University of Akron. “It’s not like Akron is a suburb. It’s separate, and I think it is different in a lot of ways. I don’t think anyone from Akron says, ‘I’m from outside of Cleveland.’ We’re from Akron.”] I couldn't agree more, Coach. Absolutely true. We aren't Bedford or North Royalton. We are Akron. Aaaahhhhh -- Bedford is Bedford! North Royalton I'm not so sure about.

Interesting but no way do the vast majority of kids get these sorts of opportunities Part V. The grass is always greener where they throw the sauerkraut. Mom, it's hardly as if the US has never considered foreign coaching strategies. In fact, sometimes it seems we've explored everything so much, we've failed to develop our own system.