Z.I.P.

The Doubletree is a modern, I believe "suites" type establishment downtown (opened about 2000 I recall). Never stayed there. I think it was fairly pricey, but I think Days Inn is the best budget joint downtown. There's also a Value Inn in city center. These ran between $80-120/nt when I last visited, in 2005. I've also stayed in couple places just across the river on the East side, not far from the Rose Garden, very basic motel accomodations, not a very nice neighborhood (busy, but run-down commercial district), but acceptable for a short stay. If you want a delux stay, try the Benson Hotel downtown. Or even if staying nearby -- try the London Grill at the Benson, a great eatery with fantastic seafood and steaks.

Cap'n, as I said on another thread: The Days Inn downtown, City Center is my usual hangout when visiting. Another possibility (unlikely, but worth a try): Portland State (my graduate alma mater) often has extra room in its dorm/"hotel", and rents out to visitors. Look under "University Place Hotel" or something like that on the PSU website. If there is space there, it should be quite cheap (though the rooms are tiny). You may need to give some PSU-related reasoning, like "we're checking out the campus for the next generation". BTW -- you can get anywhere in PDX on the MAXX trains, which are among the nation's best. Hope all Zippers have a great trip, and none defect to America's most livable city. (A great place to train to be an urban planner)

The March issue of Soccer America has the college recruiting roundup article, and of course (like every other pub) places Akron at #1 in the national recruiting war. It features a great shot of Kofi Sarkodie and ex-USA teammate and incoming Zip frosh Scott Caldwell from Massachusetts embracing (after a Kofi goal I presume). Here's what SA had to say about Coach Porter's newest class (The first line of the review must have either been written in early January, or the author forgot that Steve Zakuani received the worst snub in NCAA soccer history) :1. Akron. The Zips lost Hermann Trophy winner Steve Zakuani, who turned pro after his sophomore year and is with MLS's Seattle Sounders FC, but they more than made up for that loss with the signing of five former residents at the U.S. U-17 national team program in Bradenton, Fla. -- goalie David Meves, defenders Zarek Valentin and Chad Barson and midfielders Ben Speas and Scott Caldwell -- and Yoram Mwila, who was the captain of the U-17 Zambian national team. They join former Bradenton residents Anthony Ampaipitakwong and Kofi Sarkodie, who will be a junior and sophomore in 2009 respectively.Akron's incoming class also included Matt Mason and Eric Stevenson, who are part of a stellar class of Ohio seniors. (The U-17 connection will continue next year, with the arrival of U-17 captain Perry Kitchen.)

I'm willing to bet the Zags will pick up the cost of the charter. You know, Akron could do that too. Why don't we hook up Zip fan #1 to put us on Air Zoom Lebron? We got his shrink, why not borrow his pilot too?

BTW -- My cell phone, which is tuned to ESPN mobile is still saying the game is at 11:59 PM EST. We will see.

pst4:25 PT which is 7:25 ET...We are battling Minn/Tx (7:10), Clem/Mich (7:10), and Nova/American (7:20) for TV timeAND ...Seattle Sounders (and Steve Zakuani) vs New York Red Bulls (and UbiParipovic) on ESPN2 at 9 PM EST, six o'clock at Qwest Stadium in Seattle. It's gonna be a full night for Zips fans (and Zips in the Pac NW)!

I cannot even remember where I saw the 11:59 EST start on the web, but was an obscure site, so I'm not sure. Anyway, after checking flights, the cheapest roundtrip is $800 HON-PDX, so it looks like I'm out. I'll probably be watching with about 100 Zags alums and three Zips at a bar.

Can anyone confirm that the Akron - Gonzaga game is at 11:59 PM EST on Thursday? I've seen only one source and I'm not sure. If true, I might be able to get into PDX on Thursday for the game and out on Sunday. Someone please respond!

Okay guys! Found me a spare computer finally! I am a Portland State University alum and know the town well. There are a lot of cheap motel rooms in Portland, on the East side of the river. But when I visit, I stay at the Days Inn downtown in Center City. It runs now I suspect (last time in town was three yrs ago) at close to $100/nite. You may be able to bargain with them.Unfortunately, not a lot of dining opportunities, unless things have changed, near the Garden/Coliseum complex. I'd plan on going downtown -- its only 5-10 minutes across the bridge, but parking downtown can cost an arm and a leg. I'm not sure if I can make it myself, work schedule being full. Go Zips! Its nice to see Akron is not just a soccer school anymore.

Excuse me, but are positions 2 through 8 all men? This is a great victory in many ways! I'm wiping away a tear for the University of Akron's newest NATIONAL CHAMPION. We luv ya Jen!!!!!

Hey Van Delay,INTEGRITY OF THE GAME!!!!So quoth Mr McKnight.

Oh Yeah. That's what I meant!!!!

Here's where I'm at: At Work. And I just tuned in to ESPN gametracker with about ten minutes remaining in reg. I swear, at that point, Akron was shooting 14 for 48 from the field. The final numbers were 28 for 75. Did they really take half their FG attempts in the final 15 mins.? Doesn't seem possible, but that is 1/3 of the game, so I suppose they could have.

I'll be this really pissed-off a lot of people in K-ent. Let me express my sympathy. NOT!

Will someone please explicate (expand) on what happened with one second to go in OT? Please?!? :blink:

Akron club hockey teamIs that Akron in the gold jerseys? Nice -- it's real gold, not beige.

As far as the #1 seed goes, and I'm sure ZW or another will correct me, but, I believe if BeeGee wins at home over Ohio, they are the #1, and get the automatic NIT bid. Correct?

So I gotta get up at 6 a.m. you're sayin' Cap'n? Good morning Can't! :blink:

It brings a tear to my eye to see real, educated football fans posting here on Zipsnation. Keep it up -- and I AM looking forward to seeing Evan AND Cameron on FSC this season. When does USL play begin?

Unless I missed something (which is altogether likely when speaking of the most media-hated sport in America), only Philadelphia has been officially rewarded an expansion franchise. The next round is supposedly between various competitors including St Looie, Montreal, Vancouver, Portland, and the Miami-Barcelona Axis of Nou Camp. While I'm a Barca fan, I can't agree with putting another non-US name and identity on an MLS team without CONSIDERABLE tie-in, in the form of Los Muchos Dineros.With regard to Don Garber, I met him in an ill-positioned moment with his kids in the upper section of Aloha Stadium a year ago, and he reminded me of none other than Dan Hipsher. Grumpy, just for the sake of being grumpy. Maybe that's why the Pan Pacific Cup moved: like Dan Hipsher, Don Garber got poor service in Waikiki and swore never to return!

Check out this great shot of Evan alongside USMNT legend Casey Kellerhttp://www.soundersfc.com/media-library/Im...MG-9108jpg.aspxFrom what I read on the Sounders board, Evan is fighting a numbers game in Seattle, which is unlikely to sign a third GK. He may end up in what is being called a MLS "Goalkeeper Pool". Since the league cut roster sizes back to 24 (from like 32), there is no room for three keepers on rosters. But the pool will serve like the NFL's Taxi Squad (tip o' the cap to Paul Brown) or whatever they call that these days. Any team with injury or roster changes will I guess be required to take a keeper out of the GK pool. Also, Seattle is a good spot for a young keeper to be placed, as starter Keller is now 39 y.o. However, rumors persist that ex-USMNT GK Marcus Hahnemann is interested in playing in Seattle when Keller stops -- which is no more than a couple years away. I any case, Evan had better get himself a day job, as MLS minimum is reportedly $12,500.

Personally, I think Cowlumbus State is more than enough of a rival -- for the entire state of Ohio public university system!

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/.../902260355/1142I remember when I started at Akron U. in 1977, the student fee (I wish I could remember the correct term) which went to help run the athletic dept was $60 per quarter (yes -- we were on the quarter system back then). I suspect its probably at least a couple hundred per term now -- but it has always been near the bottom of MAC schools. Now my local university, the University of Hawai'i is trying to force through their first ever athletic student fee, and not having a good time of it. Interestingly, the story in the paper showed showed WAC schools fees, and all were in the $100 - $500 dollar range, quite low by national standards.

Compared with GP1, my analysis of Mike Waddell has gone in the opposite direction since his departure. I used to think he was just a PR flack with more schemes than Barnum and Bailey. Now I appreciate just how far we came under the Mikes, Thomas and Waddell -- and I don't think MT could have done a lot of what he did with another Assoc AD.Badmouthing the university is not what I would call Wadd's criticism of the administration that has taken over since his and MT's departure. He has honestly told those who've asked, that in his perception, fundraising has dried up, marketing is going nowhere and indeed momentum has stopped from what it was in 2004-5. That isn't entirely the fault of Mack Rhoades (what if the UA had an effective Alumni Dept.?), but the more I examine and explore the status of the UA athletic department, the more I come to agree with what Mike W says. He may not be the most diplomatic or least ego-driven of managers, but I can't think of anyone who's done more with less than him. He sounds like the man for these times. But, you can only have one AD at a time. So good luck to Mack.

That's pretty much my reaction too. But with an :blink: Will MH be in Spring Camp to teach the haka?