Z.I.P.

I am still waiting for the ABJ, or UA Media relations to issue an official report that Steve Zakuani will leave school after his sophomore year to play for pay. It would also be nice to see where he plans to play, in MLS or Europe. "Planning to enter the MLS draft" doesn't limit his possibilities. I think he would be able to play in most European second divisions now, but I can't help thinking his real aspiration -- given his background with Gooners Youth (that's FC Arsenal for you non-aquainteds) is to play in the Premier League. What's the fastest route to that goal? Certainly not through Major League Soccer, not that I don't love the US league, but any player who can go the European circuit would be crazy to pass it up. Not many Clint Dempsey's who can jump from US to EPL.So, if you read between the lines here, I am not convinved that Steve will not be back next season in the Blue and Gold. Many college players make themselves "available" to MLS, but later pull their names out of the hopper.One thing is virtually a sure thing: The University of Akron will have a Hermann Trophy in its display case. That's incredible, and will be another test of this AD's ability to take advantage of what drops in their laps. I can do no more than cross my fingers, based on past and recent experience. Go Zips!

We just gotta get JD to write a book for Columbus State's website!

You're right in one sense GP1. It says what a chickensh__ idiot Hoke really is. I lived on the West Coast for many of the last 20 years, and yes the weather can be wonderful. Before I move on to Hoke though, for those of you who have never lived in a "one season" place, it can be great, but can also get tedious, boring, oppressive. I missed the seasons terribly while I lived out west, and other than February and March here, don't miss west coast weather at all.Now back to Hoke. There is no trading up in going to SDSU to be the head football coach. Of all of the college programs that came to mind for most football fans in that part of the country, SDSU is never mentioned, nobody cares about the program, it's a doormat, a running joke. Let's talk $$$ too. That 700K salary may not even buy him much of an increase in quality of life. It won't buy him much of an increase in exposure, it won't buy relevance to college football. Unless he's from California and just wanted to get closer to home, taking the "step up" (???) to SDSU is not a step up at all.Lastly, coaching is not a profession wherein the weather should dominate your decision-making. Many of the best coaching jobs in the country are in terrible places for weather. You tell me about a football coach who would run to a SDSU to take over the program because the weather is so beautiful, and I'll tell you about a complete d-bag. GO ZIPS!SeeTeeZip____________________________________________________Sorry, but I gotta side with GP1 on this one. SDSU may not come to mind among football powers to the residents of Akron. So, how about looking at it in reverse?!The city and SDSU are on the climb now, with excellent facilities (though still playing in the Chargers' stadium), with an excellent basketball program, and some football tradition. Does the name Marshall Faulk ring a bell?

And for you old-timers (though younger than me), I'm sure the name Arizona Western stirs memories. Ah, the Prisoners of Yuma! I wonder if Gerry Faust made any calls on this one. Tip o' the cap to my man Darren Johnson HC @ Kaimuki HS here on O'ahu, and his ol' thrower, Mike Johnson from AWJC.

Thanks Kid! My feelings exactly. That writer must be based in Boise.

I'm going to enjoy watching Reggie Witherspoon's team over here in the isles after X-mas in the Rainbow Classic. Reggie, I thought was on the proverbial "hot seat" coming into the season, but looks to have a real contender on his hands (they did lose to Niagara earlier). I still feel like the Sweaters are the most complete team this year though.

I remember when one of the Engineering Dept's elder professor's spoke to my Peace Studies class, and asked if there were any engineering majors in the room! I raised my hand and stated simply, "social". :lol:BA UA '81 SociologyMURP Port St/U HI 05

Nice that we have a villain to blame.Hopefully, Steve sees how close they came this year, and returns after his Hermann Trophy season. Please Steve, we need your leadership and abilities. With that, we could be where Wake has been all this season.

Evan makes a big save. Five minutes to play. Do it now, Akron!

Can you believe this? Second half, ten shots for Akron, one for Northwestern. One goal for NWU, none (yet) for UA. Twenty minutes + to go.

Well, there goes the one goal. Fallon from Hilgard. Let's hope we can even it up quick. 1-0 NWU. Go Zips!

So far NW has used nine subs, Akron just three. That's normal rate. Our guys are just tougher.

Play is in front of the Northwestern goal early in second half. Akron has four shots and about three equadros (corner kicks). Get one in the back of the net boys!

Gametracker working at least. Under 4 minutes in first half remaining. Still 0-0. NWU has about 5 shots to 2 or 3 for Zips. But I feel something good coming on. Maybe frostbite off Lake Michigan.

There is no link I can find to a live video or even a crummy gamecast for the Akron home game @ Northwestern! The CBS College Sports link from Northwestern has links for other games, but the only D-1 game is YESTERDAY'S Indiana blowout of Meechigan.If anyone has ANYTHING please give the rest of us a hint. We gotta have our football fix.BTW -- Weather Channel an hour ago called for 3-6 inches of snow in Chicagoland over the next 2-3 hours. Yippee. It's a freakin' NCAA Wonderland.

Of the seven North American professional soccer franchises that are noted to use field turf, only two are not fields shared with American football teams. The Beautiful Game was not meant to be played on an artificial surface.

Balki my boy,Do you know for a fact that a UA official "told the NCAA" that the field would not be playable by Sunday? I would not put it past the glorifield athletic Gods to make the call by themselves. (With help from the Big Ten Commish)

There's no link for Akron (home team) @ Northwestern. Hope it shows up by morning!p.s.: Your only problem is, Thanksgiving was three days ago. Go Home Team, Beat Northwestern! And their partners, the NCAA!

Very nice confidence-builder from ESPN. However, few seem to realize that Northwestern is the Big-11's best 11 (hold on -- there are only about 7 men's soccer programs in the league!). I hope we can at least make it to penalty kicks. I have great confidence in our shooters, AND our keeper. We're still the home team, BTW.

You will notice from my question -- I suspect -- that I have no experience in bio-medical engineering, but here goes. Is there any actual academic or experiential connection between BME and the "engineering" that is taught in university engineering departments? I thought this was connected completely to natural science, medicine and possibly genetics. Or are we talking about engineering of medical devices? Help me out. There must be others wondering this too. Thanks.

Coach Faust is a great guy. I almost feel bad typing this. When I read this, I could hear the motivational talk..... "We beat the Swenson's Lions....and the Swenson's Lions beat the Strickland's Giants.....and the Strickland's Giants beat the JCC Seahawks......and the JCC Seahawks beat the Downtown YMCA Eagles....and the Downtown YMCA Eagles beat the Ido Cafe Chargers....and the Ido Cafe Chargers beat the West Point Market Packers.....That means we can beat the West Point Market Packers."Holy cow! I didn't know Ido Cafe was that good! Must be all those 80-something Firestone retirees who are so super tough. Tip o' the cap to my Dad for buying me my first Rolling Rock there.

It seems that no one has picked up on the most laughable part of this "decision". They are still calling it a "HOME GAME" for Akron. There aren't enough emoticons on this board to describe my feelings. I just can't believe that Coach Caleb, our "flying-under-the-radar" AD Mac Whatsisname, or President Louie Pro are sitting back and allowing something like this to happen. I'm going to wait and expect reasonable people to come to their senses. Stuff them with turducken (or tofurkey like in my house) and have Zippy ply them with mince meat. I think the NCAA will come over to our side in no time.Or maybe GoZips is right and this is payback for Ohio stealing the '04 election.

ah, that explains it. Allow me to take back my previous neutral site comment.Is there no University of Oakland in CA?No -- but there is an Oakland City University. In Indiana!

I have to rate this as "most pathetic thread of 2008 on ZN". I don't know ANYONE in Zips land concerned about bowl eligibility anymore.BUT -- for the sake of my local U (and most recent alma mater) let me correct you: Hawaii has won six games, and must win one of their final two (meaning 2-10 Wazzou on Saturday) to get to their token Hawai'i Bowl spot. Quite a comedown after the Sugar Bowl on New Years, but MAC fans may be interested, as WMU may be a potential fill-in for the Pac-10 sixth-place team that isn't eligible to bowl.

The real irony of this quote from the OSU site is the fact that is exactly the kind of language you'd see at our site after playing OSU in football like last year. We gave them a tough game. That is the kind of language that is used to give yourself some hope. Kind of cool to see it turned around our way.Here's what I loved in the box score: "Weather: Cold!"You don't see exclamation marks in box scores much.I know we have a sizeable pack of Zips futbol fans in the Columbus area, and that UA72 can round up many himself (!). How about packing the Bucknuts bus with Zips. lol! :DCongratulations to Sigi Schmidt's Crew for bringing the title back to Columbus, something the other pro teams in town have been unable to do -- meaning you Scarlet.