Z.I.P.
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Posts posted by Z.I.P.
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Coach Lloyd was hired away to be an assistant at Minnesota.
Don't know about the players, though.
Well, I've tried giving this lady all the room she needs to provide a winner. She keeps giving away -- or throwing out, the resources she needs to win. Was Kyle Baumgartner not MAC Rookie of the Year? Akron would be MAC favorites in 2010-2011, if the team had all the players that she has shoved out the door.
I'd can't wait to read the Great GP One's "Get rid of all those troublemakers. Winning is all that matters" reply.
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In the meantime, LeBron is apparently still planning to participate in the 5th annual Bike-A-Thon in Akron.
Good for LeBron. We can only hope that he continues to do good things for his hometown.
Going back to Jason Whitlock's Fox Sports column expressing distaste for Jackson's remarks, here's why I agree with Whitlock:
Slavery happened. Slavery was bad. Slavery is distant history.
Prejudice happened. Prejudice was bad. Prejudice still happens. Prejudice is still bad.
But if a white man treats a black man the same way he would treat a white man (or vice versa), it ain't prejudice, and it's not remotely connected with slavery.
The only way Jesse Jackson is right is if Dan Gilbert would have reacted any differently if LeBron were white. Given identical circumstances, I personally don't believe that Gilbert would have reacted any differently if the player was Larry Bird, and if Larry Bird had been born in Akron, and if Larry Bird had done exactly the same things that LeBron did.
That's just my personal opinion based on all the data I've seen. Different people with different perspectives will see it differently.
I admit, it's difficult to use the term "slavery" in America without reference to race -- and yet harder for many to look beyond it when it comes from the mouth of a black civil rights activist, however, there is the use of "slavery" in sports solely referencing ownership of an athlete by a team owner. That sort of "slavery" supposedly was put to rest by Curt Flood 35 + years ago. However, it sure sounded like Dan Gilbert felt he somehow "owned" LeBron James, and should have been compensated for his "loss". Sorry, Dan. That's the way pro sports works. Maybe you should buy another franchise, like Tosu, if you want guys who can't be free agents.
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Like I said, Here's the whole story of the USL A League and NASL.
Mahalo! Austin Aztex. one of the best names in sports!
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Not to belittle our soccer program in any way, but please put all of this into perspective.
Think about how many people were at our soccer games last year because they wanted to see an undefeated, nationally-ranked Zips athletic squad on their way to possibly winning a national championship? I think you would be way off the mark to conclude that they were just "soccer fans waiting for a team to get behind".
What attendance record did the Cleveland Caps break? What was their attendance? I have to be honest. I have never heard of the Cleveland Caps.
There were a lot of bandwagon jumpers there, for sure. Just looking for a winner. But judging by what a lot of fans were wearing to the games, what they were talking about there, their demographic, I have to disagree. I was there (a common theme when we talk about soccer here, if you haven't figured out yet).
The Caps (short for Whitecaps) were owned by retired pro player Mike Sweeney. They played in 1997 and 98 in what was then "D3", now the USL's Second Division. In 1997 they played at Byers Field. The led D3 in attendance, breaking single game and season attendance records. They played an exhibition against the Columbus Crew and packed the place. I had season tickets. (See, there it is again).
In 1998 the league threw down a rule that teams could not play on artificial turf. Mike tried to find a natural turf stadium to play in, the team bounced around the county, and attendance plummeted. Unable to secure a suitable venue for 1999, Mike decided not to field a team.
This was the first D3 team in Cleveland the league screwed up.
Awful football beats "great" soccer any day of the weekSo if the soccer program wasn't limited in the number of tickets it sold last year, you don't think they could have gotten 10,000 people for the NCAA Tournament and outdrew the E Mich game? The Force use to draw 20,000 for INDOOR soccer. They drew that many to the RB for an EXHIBITION game.
Been there, saw that, still got the T-shirt. I've been watching soccer for 30 years, at the local level and world wide. You better bring more than chest pounding to get something like that past me...
You go Spin! I gotta admit, I never heard of the Cleveland Whitecaps either, but I know I would have been in the stands with you if I hadn't moved before ITZ & RFR were born. Where is Byers Field, and what is capacity? Hard to imagine the Force playing to over 20k at the RB -- who was the opponent? The only Cleveland team I remember playing outdoors was the Stars (or Comets?) in the 70s. Was that the American Soccer League? The big red-head English striker from Akron was the Rookie of the Year in the league -- then it went into oblivion and took the entire US pro soccer game with it.
I do know, because I followed a team in probably the same league (Hawaii Tsunami), that what you are calling "D3" was when minor league soccer was ruled by the United States System of Soccer Leagues (USSSL). The USL only came into existence sometime after 2000. And who knows what they call the minors today.
So, how many people do you think would show up to watch an American football game in Nottingham? That's a real lol!
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I have for many years advocated an open tournament.
Let ALL the division one teams in the NCAA tournament.
And did it in a unique manner. For the first couple of rounds the higher seed team plays at
the lower seed home court. Example: number one seed Kentucky plays at number three
hundred-thirty-three Prairie View A&M.
For the second round all the winners play at the remaining lower seed home courts.
This is repeated until sixty-four teams remain. Then the seeding by region occurs.
At this time the secondary tournaments can invite the losers of the first couple of rounds.
This levels the playing field just a bit. More importantly, it improves college basketball by
forcing the snobbish elites to play in venues they would never set foot in.
I'm sorry, but that might be one of the worst ideas I have ever heard. By letting every team in, you destroy the 4-month regular season in favor a couple week tournament. If the regular season wasn't meaningless enough, you want to reward bad teams with home court advantage? That certainly doesn't make any sense.
Actually, you could conduct the tournament the way overseas football (i.e., "soccer") leagues (e.g., England's Footy Association - F.A.) conduct their league cup competition. The F.A. Cup (or the US Open Cup in the US/Canada) is played throughout the season, with teams taking maybe one week a month off from regular season games to participate in cup competition. Their is a random draw to determine home-away, until later in the tournament. You could even do it with Div's 1 & II combined -- how about rather than George Mason being the dark horse, it's Findlay or Indiana PA (it's Sweich time!). And this way, the season can actually be shortened. Of course, the league championships would be determined by regular season records rather than playoffs, so Dan Gilbert won't get his check. Aaahhhhhhh!
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This affects the MAC greatly because we seemingly always end up seeded around the 12 seed. So we likely get a NCAA tournament game within the MAC footprint against a beatable team. The opportunity for a win to get us an NCAA credit is much easier than if we had to play a 3-,4-,5-,or 6-seed out of the gate.
It does hurt the very worst conferences who were in the play-in games in the past because now they are shut out of that opportunity to get an easy credit.
This isn't going to effect the MAC. I think you misread the article. The last four at-large teams will play each other for 11-12 seeds, while the last four automatic qualifiers will play each for 16 seeds. Neither of those will affect the MAC since we aren't getting at-large bids or 16-seeds.
Well... if the MAC ever DOES get an at-large team, they can be certain they'll be playing in the play-in game.
This not only sucks, but is completely irrational. The last four at-large selections are usually better teams than half the automatic-bid conference winners. Wait, Captain Stats taking off from Green, in 3,2,1... -
Akron is a football city. Akron has always been a football city since the days of the NFL champion Akron Pros and the days of the John Heisman-led Zips.
But if you field a soccer team that's good enough, people will come out to watch it enough to maybe break even or turn a slight profit. Even if we won three consecutive national titles and averaged 8k in attendance per game, which is more than what the best attendance is in NCAA soccer at UCSB, it's still only half of what the football team averages in a bad year.
If a MLS team wanted to have attendance enough to justify being in Akron, they would likely have to make the playoffs every year and challenge for the title. I think it could happen. Their stadium would have to be located downtown if they wanted press coverage.
Akron is a football city. Are there enough people who like football to fill a small stadium? Yes -- once a season...maybe.
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Pardon my ignorance...I haven't seen a "minor league" soccer game since the mid-90s, when it was called USSSL (The Tsunami here made it to the league semis with Billy Thompson and a couple of the Cameroons Indomitable Lions). I thought that "USL" had ceased to exist after the league folded last year. Do PDL teams make money? I guess since they don't pay their players, it makes it easier. lol. regarding the City Stars, I think they would have done better in USL-1 if they hadn't lost their manager and best players before the season.
USL folded, but I think MLS bought it up and has transformed it into some kind of farm system. I could be way off, but that's the vibe I get and the teams are still playing so they must be getting sponsored from somewhere.
My understanding is that because there weren't enough teams left to field a legit league after the USL split, that the USSF intervened and brought clubs together under their brand. BUT -- FSC is still running their "USL Live" highlight/PR show, so maybe there is still a second minor league still under that title? However, FSC has not televised a single USL or whatever minor league game this season, and likely isn't going to.
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It's really interesting to read what one African-American sports writer has to say about the mountain of e-mails he's getting from African-American sports fans in reaction to Jesse Jackson playing the slavery card:
Actually, it rings true -- to an extent.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blo...away-slave.html
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This one is pretty sobering. Over the entire country, the Zips did not appear in the most popular group even once (Can't appeared twice). The only other MAC teams not to appear were Buffalo, WMU and EMU. We have a loooooot of work to do.
Actually it was just UB, EMU and Akron. WMU was a might third in the Pacific! We love our Broncos out here.
Interesting info: Rutgers is the most watched Big East team?!? And Marshall is #1 in the CUSA?! Randy Moss lives!
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I've been gone for so long i keep forgetting about the odd relationship between Akron and Cleveland. During the 10 or so years i spent in NCarolina i enjoyed watching the Dynamo play no less than 40 or so miles from the railhawks in Cary. I don't see the difference between Akron and Cleveland except for the old Cleveland should have it mentality left over from the Richfield Colliseum days. IMHO we're talking about pdl teams here. Rivalries produce competition and generate fan interest, and the USL has how many leagues?? If Cleveland can support multiple teams i certainly see room for something in Akron. We're not talking MLS or English premier here.... Then again how many teams are in Manchester? for that matter how many teams are in England?
New ? W/ the upgrades at Jackson could or would the U host a summer team?
Pardon my ignorance...I haven't seen a "minor league" soccer game since the mid-90s, when it was called USSSL (The Tsunami here made it to the league semis with Billy Thompson and a couple of the Cameroons Indomitable Lions). I thought that "USL" had ceased to exist after the league folded last year. Do PDL teams make money? I guess since they don't pay their players, it makes it easier. lol. regarding the City Stars, I think they would have done better in USL-1 if they hadn't lost their manager and best players before the season.
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The morning after and I still agree with everything he said.
Maybe it'll hurt us in getting free agents to come here. Who knows. It's not like Cleveland ever was a free agent destination anyway, especially for winter sports.
I'm glad we have an owner who shows his emotions. I'm glad he stood up for us. I'll be there when the ticket office opens.
Dan Gilbert called LeBron James "narcissistic".
Isn't that like PT Barnum calling his tightrope walker "light-footed". Dan, I'm sorry when you took over, they didn't tell you you're paying a teenager a hundred million dollars to entertain your clients. This ain't the opera here Dan, it's much closer to WWE. Thought you would have gotten used to it by now. When Cleveland hosts Miami next year, I expect as many heat jerseys in the house as Cavs'. -
As I'm sure you all know by now(the national news media has been all over it) Can't has been raking in the trophies this summer. From the illustrious "Excellence in Management Cup" to the 2009-2010 NCAA P.A. Announcer of the Year. And who could forget the 2009-2010 Division I Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Due to the surplus of trophies being shipped to Portage county, word has it that Can't's new AD has decided to simply make one trophy to represent all of the accomplishments of the athletics department. It will be dubbed the "No one gives a s***" award.
The new trophy will not only symbolize the meaningless awards that Can't's been (golden)showered with, but will also give their football team a chance at contributing something. Because let's face it, when you are selling season tickets for $30 it's fairly obvious that indeed no one gives a s***.
For further entertainment, feel free to visit their pathetic excuse for a fan forum. There you can find insider information posted at least once a month when a Can't fan's mother allows him to ride his bicycle to the Portage county library. Among the 10 members, there is on devout fan who claims to have sat down and had breakfast with former Can't State AD Laing Kennedy multiple times. Be sure to ask him about it. If you're lucky he might also tell you about the time he sat down and had a chat with Lebron about his free agency.
Cheers,
How much time did it take you to post this thread showing just how peeved you are at your rivals for accomplishing something you don't give a %#@* about?
Kind of reminds me of soccer haters going on ESPN's World Cup site, and declaring, "that isn't a sport, cause they don't score enough. And they have TIES! TIES!" I guess since it bothers people enough to write, they must care after all. Frankly a simple would have sufficed. Can we get a SOCCER SUCKS sign for ITZ & Co.? -
What is our scholarship situation, anyways? We only have three seniors leaving after this season.
Unfortunately, the "scholarship situation" in soccer cannot be determined by looking at the roster and finding how many seniors there are. With 9.5 schollies max, teams have to spread the wealth. Well, I guess that's another example of Obama's impact on sports!
You'd have to get inside info to find out who is on an athletic scholarship, versus academics, versus paying their own way. You can find my PM box, if you want to share. And you know I am discreet with your insider info. Soccerboy414, where are you?
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I think it should be live on WAKR, Channel 23, with Jerry Healey hosting. Has to be on Friday, though. Otherwise, KingKron is a total sellout!!!
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Funny story...at the first game I was in Lot 9 when an Akron cop drove straight up to me on a four-wheeler.
He was staring daggers not really at me, but at the glass bottle of Great Lakes I was flaunting in my hand. I finally realized my offense and said, "Oh, sorry" and coolly hid the bottle behind my back.
He gave me the "okay" sign, smiled and continued on his way.
There are absolutely no alcohol issues at InfoCision parking lots.The city and campus police are fine with it. It's the state liquor people that like to wander around that you have to keep an eye out for.
Yeah... if you are under 21.
There are absolutely no restrictions on drinking at InfoCision unless you have glass, or are under age.
Thought sure you were heading toward...Until I offered him one, then he radio'd to the rest of the force where the party was!
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The scarves are going out this time to season ticket holders for both sides - men's and women's. Last year, I believe they only went for the men's tickets. I think that's a nice marketing point, or else Coach Pfau sticking up for his team and fans.
Has anyone seen the other side? And, I got a letter from Coach saying I'd be called by a team rep seeking my reenlistment of support. If you need my number, its -- edit --.
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The Lost City of Z is the best book I have read in a long time. Buy it and you won't be sorry. As good as if not better than Undaunted Courage.
The book is so good it received a glowing review from Michiko Kakutani of The NY Times. Kakutani almost always gives books poor reviews so when a good review is issued, it is a must read.
Good books are hard to come by these days because our society is becoming so stupid that we can't handle difficult reading or anything that is slightly interesting. Bookstore visits have recently become almost depressing for the Great GP1, but I am feeling better after reading this book.
Read it quick, before Brad Pitt ruins it!
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According to TopDrawerSoccer.com, Akron has received verbals from a trio of defenders from Las Vegas.
Meghan Brascia, Lexa Green, and Hailey Kirkwood have all verbaled to Akron. They are all defenders on the same club, Neusport.
To anyone more familiar with women's college soccer (Z.I.P.? Anyone?), is this common? Getting three players from the same club at the same position all at once? I have to imagine that coach Pfau will make sure they don't get seperated via redshirting some but not others. Great chemistry along the back line is not something to take for granted.
Alright, I'll let the rest of the gang in on the story. But what happens in Vegas, is supposed to ... Well, anyway, the three 2011 grads will join their clubmate -- Alex Luevano-Hardin who arrives in August as frosh goalkeeper. The Vegas-Akron route is a result of a trip in the opposite direction. Former Akron women's team goalkeeping coach Mike Hamilton joined former Akron men's assistant Mario Sanchez on the staff at UNLV when Sanchez took the UNLV men's HC job after Ken Lolla's departure in 2005. While, I believe Hamilton is no longer coaching at UnLuv -- Sanchez having rejoined his former mentor in Louisville -- he IS the Club GK Director for the Neusport FC in the LV Valley. And that's more of the story, though with the connection being begun -- and with UA playing in the rebels' tourney in September (vs UC-Davis and LBSU), there is the potential for more story to unfold. What happens in Vegas ends up in Akron? I'm not talking about the swingers' convention, BTW.
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Has anyone seen Darius Carter of Firestone HS? JJHuddle is talking about him, as if he's the top ranked Power Forward in the state for 2011. Is the position that weak, or is he being overlooked?
--edit-- Now I see it says "No particular order". I saw him listed at top of list.
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Brumbaugh, eh? Think this kid's father may have been in my class -- way back in the olden goldy days. Nice to see they still play good football in Bulldog Country. Check it out Dave -- is the family from the Uniontown side of town, by the gravel pits?
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Here's my BIGGEST HOPE: Zips on Fox Soccer Channel in 2010!
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http://www.mlsnet.com/news/article/what-wi...-team-look-2014
In the paragraph about midfielders. I would love to see him get the opportunity. I love the World Cup, and having a UA alum on the roster would make it that much more interesting.
I've placed the bait. Now, Z.I.P. sighting in...3, 2...
Touchdown!
Forwards? Stephan Jerome? Maybe he'll develop (he's set to debut at UCF this fall), and he looked good with the U17 in 09, but how do you leave a kid with the pure skill atheticism of McInerney off? They're the same age and I would look for the Philadelphia Union to be a better development ground than the CUSA. But that's just me... If he stays injury free, I really think Ampaipitakwong will have as good a chance as any Zip to play for USA pre-2014. U20 World Cup, 2012 Olympics will also provide venues to display skills. Zach and z00t probably know where the U20 is being played. U17 next year in Mexico.
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They laid down about 2/3 of the turf.
A little bird told me, new stands will be constructed prior to this season. What that entails, I'm not sure. Little bird may have more to share. Will keep my head covered.
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Nevah mind!!!
Is Akron a soccer city?
in Akron Zips NCAA Championship Soccer
Posted
Skip-Zip, I've been reading your comments, and trying hard not to get drawn into what to me sounds like trolling, but I would really like to understand your logic. I don't personally think Ohio is a very good market for sports in general --with obvious exceptions like Bucknutz FB and BB, which gets tons of free publicity and the belief that failing to support it is "unpatriotic". However the statement about how many attendees at a game are "soccer fans" mystifies me. Are you trying to say that the sport can only draw if it is successful? Well, duh! Maybe UA could average around 20,000 in their new football stadium, if they were MAC champions or contenders. Does that mean most of those wouldn't be "real football fans", just bandwagon joiners? I'll try to keep as objective a perspective on this discussion as I can, considering I have pretty much given up on any football game that isn't The Beautiful Game. Sorry about that. Maybe if alma mater becomes a force worth paying attention to, I'll come back.