Z.I.P.

haha yep btw the WVU students were chanting "bring on akron" at the end. Guess they dont know what they are getting into. And hopefully they don't stay there waiting for Akron to show up in Morgantown.

No. The Mike from the buchtelite is actually writing for a smaller newspaper in the Carolinas. Calling Root4Roo...Earth to Root4Roo, ovah.

Well, my rock is falling into place. Hawaii will be joining the Mountain West. But, for football only. (???) Big West for all other sports. Go figgah.

Yo Cap'n Kitchen Did you see your boy Juan Agudelo score for Bradley's team? Which of the US Youth National Team players that you played with do you think will eventually make the biggest impact for the USA? Is McInerny going to play in Europe soon?

Xavier is probably the better team here -- not sure how they were put on the road. They have the frosh player from Jackson HS, and of course, it's Korb's original school, so some local interest -- assuming they're our first opponent on the Tour de Five. Just remember, one team, one goal

The match should have been held in Boca. Nice. "You're not keepin' me outta Del Boca Ba...Vista!"

Just to mention, since no one else has, that the US goal scorer, Juan Agudelo of NY Red Bulls was a teammate of the three Zips players on the US U20 team at this summer's Milk Cup tournament in Northern Ireland. Teal looked OK. Good to get those first game butterflies out of the way.

Word on the street was - Hall was suspended. Also - I heard the no-huddle was suspended for the first 10 games. Dari Nowkhah, the ESPNU play voice (believe, me, I HAD to look up that spelling!) said that ten Akron players from last year had left the team -- either by the coaches decisions, or they did not want to be part of the new regime - that I assume doesn't include Giorgio B. I believe he mentioned Richard Hall as being suspended for the well known "violation of team rules", and I think he said it would last the rest of the season. Did anyone else catch that? I wonder if the number of TV viewers for this one outnumbered those in the stands, who looked like an average ladies volleyball fanbase. Didn't catch the box att #, but from the blimp view prior to the game, the "visitors" side of the stands was totally vacant, and the other side was about the same as that 9:30 PM CMU vs Montana St. basketball game I attended in Hawaii last Saturday.

This team will be in the islands this weekend, and I'm looking for a proper chant to describe their plight.

And, The Akron bracket. No one need say it. Akron is The Team to Beat. Anyone who wants to be the best, must beat the best. Good luck.

Yes, but will Gozips be there with a celebratory bottle of Central Coast bubbly?

“The game will air in its entirety in the Cincinnati/Dayton and Northern Kentucky Markets. In the Cleveland, Akron, Toledo, and Columbus areas, Fox Sports Ohio will join the game, in progress, following the Cavaliers game.” Yup, any time you are scheduled to be joined in progress you know you have hit the big time. Question: if you moved the game to 9 p.m. just so it could be on basic cable, wouldn’t it behoove you to push it to 9:30? I mean, what’s the difference? Wouldn’t it be nice to ensure that people who want to view the UD game outside of the Cincinnati/Dayton area could watch it in its entirety? Earth to Blackburn Review: People in NEO are not tuning in to see the Flyers. The Zips? Maybe. And when has a college ever scheduled around a pro team 200 miles away?

Latest line is Dayton by 8.5. Least that's what you get in the isles.

Really? I remember that Waddell was friendly with Joe fan. Thomas, not so much. Great AD .. but not a great interacter w/ Joe Fan in my experience. I agree. Hardly said "boo" to Thomas in his 3-or-so years here. Waddell spearheaded "fan relations." And he did a good job of it. Maybe TW needs a "Waddell?" From 5000 miles away, I can offer a comeback. Mike Thomas answered every question about Zips athletics I asked him over (what was it, five?) years, and took five minutes to chat with me at the MAC bb tournament. And he even took it on his shoulders to apologize for the football coach who cancelled a trip to Hawaii so he could play a beatable schedule (and still couldn't). He and Waddell will always be the top team I remember in UA history.

At last the NCAA has posted the complete bracket. Here's the .pdf version. I see us beating Xavier (Chris Korb will enjoy), Tulsa (second lickins), and Cal (UCSB would be fun too!) on the way to the Central Coast.

Okay, I give up. Who are we talking about, Palin or Pelosi?

Well...I'm just glad to hear coach Dambrot doesn't send a manager to eject observers from the upper seats of the JAR during practice, like his predecessor did.

NCAA.com has a bracket challenge page -- but the bracket won't download! Just like dem buggahs! Anyways, the Akron Rule is in effect. Any way to skrew over the Zips can and will be done at any expense. If they reach the final, they must train on top of Mt Angeles National Forest in the snow!

Here's the projection from Turtle Country.

Mahalo R4R. Could someone post the link soon as it is on the NCAA or UA line?

Thanks Zach! Absolutely hilarious! I will be back at the Stan Sheriff Center for tonight's 4 a.m. EST (11 pm HST) game between CMU and Hawaii -- and will ask da buggah why he no put my piksha on da page! I saw him taking pix of the CMU fans -- Zeigler's wife was making more noise than me -- but eh, thanks for the shout out to the Indominatle Z.I.P. They should have told me they were taking a visit to my workplace, I would have given a personal tour of the bullet holes from 1941. Ya'll MAC homies want a scouting report, don'tcha? The Chipps are an athletic team with about four big bodies they can play inside, and a couple good guards. The Columbus-schooled center, Thomas is only about 6-7, but takes up lotsa space with his 240 lb body. They are able to sub liberally at the 4 and 5 spots, with Coimbra a 6-7/6-8 four who gives a strong 20-25 minutes, but he's somewhat inconsistent. I don't have my program with me, so I can't remember the other two big men's names, but I think they have four guys all above 220 pounds who while not long (Zeke should have a field day) are somewhat athletic and rebound extremely well. Young Trey Zeigler (6'6 SG), the coach's baby had his breakout night vs Montana State Saturday, with something like 24 pts in an OT loss. The CMU article says that Thomas made the 25 foot buzzer beater to defeat Cal St-Fullerton -- I thought it was the 5-8 point guard Rashid. I better get my eyes checked out. In general, Central Mich looks and plays great when behind, with slashing guard play, and an inside-out passing game which got lots of open Js. However, as soon as they get the lead, they seem to change their game entirely, waiting for the final 8 seconds to get off a play. Coach Zeigler should consult with the guy in the Akron jersey tonight. He will receive my advice to get down on his young players for being too lazy for large portions of games to have a killer instinct. They outplayed their opponents for half of the last two games, but got a miracle victory and an OT loss. They're really capable of much more -- they should be much better than the MAC West -- with possible exception of BSU. Tonight will be a very tough gambit for the Chipps, as the home Rainbow Warriors (or whatever they decide to call themselves this year) are possibly the most improved team in D-1. Very athletic, physical and great in transition. I actually look for them to make the post-season (there are like eight post-season tournaments now, I believe). Prediction: Hawaii 79 Central Michigan 66. Look for Z.I.P. on Chippewa Live Tuesday. Quick update: Game is on ESPNU tonight. Or should I say, tomorrow morning, for you East Coasters? I know you'll all be hanging on your seats at 4 A.M. to see this one! Well, watch for Z.I.P. in his Zips futbol duds! Can't wait for the Diamond Head Classic, where I intend (knock on wood) to be wearing an shirt.

Story on the US U17 team on Ussoccer.com details UA 2012 recruit Andrew Souders wearing the captain's armband in training and two games vs Spain U17 in Madrid. Viva Souders! TO answer my previous questions, it looks like Drew is an Amherst native, AND he's in his third semester of residency at the YNT IMG Academy home in Bradenton. Treat him well, Wilmer! We get him next.

Hope you're not talking about the WAC. Lots of talk from Hawaii football season ticket holders that they are bailing if UH football doesn't move. I expect a move to independent in football and Big West for all other sports. Probably announced sometime next year -- while they beg the Mountain West to take them aboard.

At the national level, England is not much better than we are, if at all. They just happen to have big name, EPL stars. I expect that Zakuani is being loaned to a big club in Europe during the MLS off-season, which benefits his career tremendously and potentially brings big dollars to the Sounders and MLS. Win-win all around unless he gets injured. Z.I.P. sighting in 3, 2, ... Slow download. I did hear a TV announcer say that EPL clubs were keeping a closer look on Steve. I suspect he could catch on with a Championship (second division) club right now, and it would help his career in the long term. But ZIP_ME87 may put a spanner in the works if it costs him on StubHub. BTW -- the Sounders do keep a couple of thousand seats for individual game sales. The fan club manages to get first dibs -- that's how I got Barca tix last year, by signing up and getting their e-mail.

My Balogna has a first name. It's K-O-F-I. My Balogna has a second name it's S-A-R-K-O-D-I-E. My Balogna don't rhyme.