Z.I.P.

I looked closely at the picture but I'm not sure what you were referring to. Was it something specific to the Zips? So get your lazy butt out of bed and answer my question. It is nearly 4 AM there, the day is already wasting away. Thanks for the wakeup call there MD, I'm most appreciative. Now that it's 0830 hrs here, while I wait for lunch, let me fill you in on what impressed me about that photo. Take a look at that little guy trying to stop Steve Zakuani, Soccer America's Hermann Trophy winner. Now how many goals would he have scored last year if all the defenders were about 5 ft 5 and 150 pounds, like that guy?And -- how many people would be drawn to Lee Jackson Field, if US college soccer attracted the world's best players to get an education in the states, as is now Steve-o's mission? Remember that Leo Messi is just a year older than Zaki. He would be a senior this year, if he hadn't "turned pro" (in his case moving from Cordova to Barca at age 12). We would have to put real grass in Infocision Stadium, as we might need a bigger facility than the American football team. Well, that might still be the case, but that's another story for another thread!

+1 Yeah!

Thank you! This makes such great satire. Thank heavens everyone knows you're talking in jest, as some might think you a complete fool if you weren't!

Thought our futbol faithful would like reading this column from Tacoma News Trib. Steve-o continuing to rep Akron out of sight. Oh, p.s.: Take a look at the photo. I don't know how I missed this one myself. BTW -- I never posted on my visit to Barcelona vs Seattle Sounders FC, but I was not the only one who afterwards thought Zakuani was the best looking player for Sounders in the 4-0 Blaugrana whitewashing (pinkwashing?). http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/sound...l#user_comments

Improvement!

His father is the manager of Beyer Leverkusen! Holy cow. Oh, hold on, it's not the Bundeslige football club, he coaches their basketball team. That's another animal altogether.

I would be thanking the lot of you, who think that because you have the right to drag down your school's student athlete's, that you therefore should, for proving my point in this thread. However, as I tried to point out, you are doing the athletes, coaches and teams a disservice. Not by merely being critical and letting out your frustration, but by taking out your anger on specific players without just cause. Apparently, none of you have ever been in the shoes of Matt Rodgers, OR Zeke Marshall. Well, that goes without saying. All I ask is that people think before posting. That's all. (folks)

I'd rather be satisfied with being "MAC forever", than being known as Marshall was, as "too good for the MAC". My greater fear is that we might have the limited success that Marshall had -- or that occurred 25 yrs ago at NIU -- and immediately put ourselves in those schools' place. I'd be very happy to have Akron as the dominant program in the MAC. In fact, that's my highest estimation.Now, before it goes any further, where's that new emoticon? Why can't you find a dead horse when you need one?

Cause if Zeke sees how Akron fans are treating their rookie quarterback, he might wonder if he's going to get the same treatment as soon as he throws some errant passes, or misses a layup. I'd be worried too, by the lack of loyalty to our student-athletes, and to our Akron athletic program. Zeke's a couple years younger than Matt, so I hope he's developed a hard shell at a young age!

If they can't beat Round-on-the-Ends U., on homecoming, then I have to think...weeks 5-12 Week 13

The Indiana Hoosiers are continuing the momentum gained at the Info, by putting a licking on the Wolverines at the Big House. They are playing much like last week, just being physical and quick enough to get first downs and continue drives, while being consistent and stopping any long balls by RichRod's BlueCrew.An interesting aside, regarding the wearing of home team's gear. On a time-out, ESPN2 showed the pregame tailgait at Ann Arbor, and a guy in a CMU T-shirt was in the frame. The Chippewa BB this week was commenting about the lack of support from their greater Detroit alumni. I guess this guy was displaying both his loyalty to Central, AND his preference for better football. Gotta head out to Varsity Grill now. Good luck Zippers! Hope you don't need it.

Varsity Grille at Puck's Alley. Oh, hey, sorry. That's for the Zips in Paradise! The game is on! 0930 hrs. ESPN Gameplan. Channel ZK611-4.

Oh, it's a joke alright! Running the same play when it ain't working from the start has become our offensive strategy. And, hey -- wasn't I a JD supporter last week? What the... If they continue to give Allen the type plays that he isn't capable of gaining yards on, and keep Torrence on the bench, it will be a sign that the coaches have thrown in the towel!When's the next soccer game?

The guys from ESPNU last Saturday didn't miss it. And they said the exact thing you wrote about the coverage (but then, so did I!). You don't have to be a rocket scientist...

Scuttlebutt now has it as a longstanding battle for popularity with the Jayhawk girls. Good thing that doesn't happen on the Akron campus. Everyone steps back when a soccer player is in the vicinity. At least in my day there was no question who the top jocks on campus were. Now if we can all just matriculate into the eighth grade.

Who to root for?? I thought it was a foregone conclusion they would be rooting for Akron. Aren't they all a bunch of front-runners? Too many sell outs. Gotta get that 72Roo Stadium built quick.BTW -- streaming thoughts out loud -- anyone notice who moved up to #9 in the rankings? Congratulations. That's the highest ever for Louisville, and as high as I would ever expect them to get, but the season's still young, and they should be near the top of the BigEast. BUT -- as much as I personally like their coach, I can't see them being consistently in the top-10. But, good luck to them. I don't see them as a rival, as we are unlikely to play each other.

+1West Point man gets the benefit of my doubt. Remember though, that sometimes people get in trouble because they care TOO much. Because they have too MUCH pride and that can get in the way of seeing the big picture. The man we really have to trust right now is the guy who's been on the job for about 15 days. Tom, I think you can put us back on the right path. Let's keep the faith! And Go Zips!

You have to love Rick Robey's comment in that second article: "People have freedom of speech," Robey said. "And you have to remember, it's a very small percentage of any schools' fans on these (message) boards. It's like most people say, the people on there don't have anything else to do with their lives."Who you talkin' 'bout Willis?

Watching the 63rd Rosetta Stone commercial as I type! It's truly nice of ESPNU to replay these games in prime time. Well, at least in Hawai'i. Here's the post-post-game analysis:Akron isn't as bad as the score. Take heart. Indiana is now (late 3rs or early 4th Qtr) 8 of 12 on third down conversions. They can get 3 or 4 yards up the middle almost at will. On the other hand, Akron's unimaginative, and SLOW TO DEVELOP running game can't get off the ol' schnide. One thing that's clear: Akron's O-line canNOT sustain their blocks. They might make the initial hit, but the defense is able to shuck them off or allude the blockers before the runner can get much beyond the line of scrimmage. I've said it before: blocking is about 80-90% technique and only 10-20% strength. Coaching has to take part of the blame. But, at least Akron isn't giving up big plays defensively. Also, Akron's DBs are playing altogether TOO FAR off the IU receivers. It's just TOO easy for IU receivers on the short routes. That fellow from Central Michigan will eat them UP if they give that much space this week.BUT: Akron was in this game with Indiana until the very end of the third quarter, and Indiana is a bowl-quality football team. I think they would be a very strong contender to beat anyone or everyone in the MAC (for what that's worth).

the guy had an espnu mic. maybe it's something they are doing for today's game?That's my guess.Sorry, I missed this last week. Indeed, this was just one of the schticks that the ESPNU broadcast team did in pumping up Akron and the new stadium. The guy tried to show how soccer savvy he was by heading the ball. Then the scoreboard break-in guy (whataya call him anyway?) criticized him for using the 'top' of his head, rather than the forehead. All-in-all, ESPNU's team did a fantastic job of promoting Akron, and complimenting the staff on how they were treated during the trip. I suspect they were as disappointed as us at the team falling flat on its face. It should have been a close and exciting game -- and I don't mean just he first half, folks.

Nice editing work by ESPN. So was that "a" or "no" before timetable? I'm going to guess "no".+1

Wasn't his salesmanship the component that put Brookhart "over the top" in selling himself to Thomas, Proenza and the committee? Now, he's gone inside his shell. Or more accurately, considering such things as his closed-door practices, he's revealed his true 'fearful of disclosure' side. Let's hope the coaching rumors are nothing more than that. At least that's what I'M saying. I'm sure some on here would like to see the hammer drop on JD now, rather than delay what they see as the inevitable. Like " JD" remarks.

My friend there are no "minor recruiting violations"My friend there are no "minor recruiting violations" TO THE NCAA.Is this related at all to Jacquemain?

Have you seen the estimates on the needed maintenance and refurb to the Rubber Bowl? Not to mention the sponsorships?I happen to agree with your qualification. The new place was needed just to keep the program running in place. But this reality in itself disproves the concept that it was built "for bigger things than the MAC". It was built to help Akron excel in the MAC. Nothing more. Nothing less. But to acccomplish that, it requires a football version of the full-court press. I'm not sure (never have been) that the people on the ground are capable of pulling off what it takes to fill the stadium on a consistent basis. That's why our new man, Wisty has to crack the whip. I'd love to be a fly on his wall this week!

Yes unfortunately there are only 2 good teams in the three conferences you mentioned.Florida and Texas.The rest of the schools in both those conferences suck. And their bottom is damn near worse then the MAC bottom (Colorado anyone?)...and the PAC 10, their stud team just lost to Washington, really Washington? They've choked in conference for the last 4 years, but the "PAC 10 is a great conference"If the Big 10 would man up and get some coaches with some real aggression it would not even be close. Rich Rod is going to end up owning the conference for the next 10 years after another recruiting cycle.*edit - but this is all off topicOff topic....sorry.Name one Big Ten team that could win the PAC 10. The best Big Ten team lost at home to a PAC 10 team that lost at Washington last week and will not win that conference.Name one Big Ten team that could win a DIVISION of the Big 12 or SEC. Maybe the Big 12 north is as bad as the Big Ten, but I'd like to see it.Can every coach in the Big Ten be that bad? I forgot, this board is full of Browns fans.The rest of the teams suck? Cal seems to be a good team, beat Minnesota at MN. USC just beat the jok........ darling of the Big Ten in Columbus. Texas Tech seems to be a good team. Alabama seems to be a good team. Oklahoma seems to be a good team. OK State seems to be a good team. Mississippi seems to be a good team. LSU seems to be a good team. Are you sure you want to say they all suck?Sorry, but I can't buy all this "Big-Ten sucks" nonsense. you just wrote that California -- probably the best team in the apparently non-sucky Pac-10 -- did well to win at Minnie, a Big-Ten bottom dweller. The Pac-10 will struggle to get more than five teams bowl eligible -- AGAIN (like every year, the reason the Hawaii Bowl gave up on having the Pac-10 #6 and went with C-USA #2). The Big Ten will likely have as many as eight or more teams bowl eligible. Just because the league doesn't have a serious national title contender doesn't mean it isn't one of the premier leagues from top-to-bottom. The #s 8-10/11 teams are as good as any conference. Don't think about comparing it to the B-12 North. That's a