Z.I.P.

You know, after a second thought, I do have to say The Tree is the best mascot anywhere. Ever seen him? He can turn the lamest costume into a reason for a party. And in the marginal mascot category, a runner-up vote for Harvard's mascot -- whatever his name is. It's just some dude in a cape and wizard's hat. But the cape has question marks all over it. This is a great costume only because Harvard practices reverse psychology.

We're not the ones who are planning it. The City of Akron is. If they want to build a brand-new arena for us, I'm certainly not going to complain regardless of whether we actually need one or not.UAK,Trust me my friend, the City of Akron is NOT planning any new arena. HOWEVER, if the University of Akron were interested in putting up the cost of a new arena downtown, His Honor El Don would be more than happy to piggyback on the project in order to take credit for future electoral considerations.My New year's resolution was to be less cynical this year. But damn, if I can't stop telling it the way it is! Which reminds me...

I will put the best spin I can on this news: As I recall, this is an improvement over a year ago, when we lost a couple more than this, and just one of these (Alphonse) is a potential starter -- though Jackson may have threatened at another position (RB in my opinion would be the best for him). Virtually every college football team loses players each year. It is good news if these players left voluntarily, rather than being told by academic authorities they were not welcome. Second, there are other players who are now looking around for greener pastures, and hopefully some will come and look at the fences going up on the beautiful Infocision Stadium complex. Wouldn't it be great to get a Big-Ten level quarterback transfer over here?I am confident the team is on the verge of turning things around. On the other hand, my fingers are crossed, so my cup is not running over with confidence. And like Lee Owens' brother, Lee Adams, I must say that another losing season must bring a coaching change. The worst case is that the powers that be will accept losing, an attitude we were supposed to have overcome already.Best wishes to the Zips for a championship renaissance in 2008.

Yeah, I would have liked a fuzzy Blue and Gold jacket, since that course was no Augusta National. Now allow me to let you in in on my prediction for the 2009 Mascot of the Year: Vili the Warrior from the University of Hawai'i. Watch the Sugar Bowl for a look at the second-best mascot in America -- or the Best in Polynesia, as it were.Meanwhile the champagne corks are popping among the Zips in Paradise. What a day it is here. Go Zippy! Go Warriors, beat dat Hairy Dawg again.

This truism would have very possibly gone by the wayside, had Miami been able to beat Cinci on Saturday. They lost 56-50, but their wins over Xavier and Illinois are the biggest by the MAC this year. However they also have losses to Louisville, Dayton and now UC. Yes, the MAC will probably get just one bid, but that is NOT written in stone. If MU were to go with one or 0 losses in the conference, and lose in the tourney final, they would definitely be considered I believe.The bottom line is, you can't get in if you don't play big-time opponents. And they have gotten Miami ready for conference play better than any MAC team.

:lol: :lol: Akron 79UIC 64Did UIC score the last nine points of the game? ESPN has 79-73 showing.

This news just in: Apparently the Dayton game has been cancelled by coach Dambrot. I guess he was watching ESPN2 today, and determined that playing a team of Dayton's caliber just didn't fit into his scheduling strategy of staying in the bottom-50 in SoS. I understand we will play Tiffin instead.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, BZ! N'olens is ALSO the home of the biggest bowl game of the season -- the Sugah Bowl showdown between the Dawn Dawgs of Gawga, and da Warriors of da University of HA-Waiah! Perhaps ZippyNeedsyourvote is just in town to meet up with the second best mascot in the states -- our very own Hawaiian Warrior, making his first visit to da "mainland" -- gawd, how I hate dat word, since da only main land is the one I'm standing on right here in the islands. :DHauoli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Years) to all my friends in Zippyland.

I don't know what changes have transpired in the past six months, but I got word before the season from the top that the stadium would be in-place for the start of the '08 season. It would be nice to know -- and to hear in advance who will be in the Westfield tournament, so I can make travel plans.

70s? I don't think the TV series made it out of the 60s did it? If I've forgotten, at least I have old age to blame, and not anything I smoked!

Amazing!!! That's all I can call the Lady Zippers victory over the Houston Cougars, one of the premier teams in women's college basketball, and a favorite to win the Conference USA title this season. Whoohoo! And not one word about it on the Zips Nation??? What's up with you people?Thinking back, I think most of us experts would agree that the biggest previous victory was the win over Indiana (and victory in their tournament) back about 1999 -- the season Cheryl Bowles and Co. stumbled into the Women's NIT. So, I am convinced Sunday was one of the two biggest wins in the history of Akron women's hoops. So how many of you were there to witness it? I stated in my last post (See BB Recruiting) that the Lady Zips were two years away from being MAC title contenders. I may have been off by two years, because Houston is as good as any team Akron will face the remainder of the season -- including Bowling Green! If Coach Kest's charges (who clearly learned from their trip to Hawaii and humbling defeat by Nebraska) play the rest of the way the way they did on Sunday, they can beat anyone and everyone on the schedule!Go Lady Zips. ??

Can anyone comment on the recruiting class that Jody Kest has brought in for 2008-09? I see two of their names on Sporting News Honorable Mention all-America squad, including a 6-5 player from Sandusky Perkins HS. Yes -- you read right, 6-5! That means Riana can move to the '4', where she can contribute more with her athleticism.Two more years till Akron becomes a MAC WBB championship contender.

Coach O'Shea and the Bubbacats are beginning their journey to Honolulu for next week's Rainbow Classic. The Zips in Paradise will be locked and loaded and ready to welcome our favorite traitor to the Paradise of the Pacific next Wednesday nite as they take on the Redmen of St Johns. Anybody got any spare ZipsRowdy T-shirts? Let me know, please!

Wait till you see what Boo can do! My nephew is a former El Camino O-lineman. I'll have him put in a good word with coaches about our home town. El Camino is located near LAX Airport.

Well, it may or may not be a good thing for Ohio collegiate soccer, but those Columbus State futballers are headed to the College Cup, with a four-goal explosion early in the second half, they defeated Bradley 4-0 in the quarterfinals, and will play UMass in the semis. Wake and Virginia Tech meet in the other half of the bracket. This has been a tournament kinda like the college football (American football that is) season just ended. Wacky twists and turns all over the place, starting with #1 Boston College getting whipped out of the gate by UMass, and Indiana falling to UIC in the first round. Wake is a fairly heavy favorite, with the Bucks holding a 14-game unbeaten streak. I wouldn't bet on VPI -- but anything can, and could happen.Look forward to all-American teams announcement -- especially frosh all-Americans! We got a Zipload of candidates.

Someone who is concerned about this (unlike myself), and wants Goldie (Minniesota?) to win, should go to the Hawai'i bulletin board and tell them that this is Round One of the Sugar Bowl. Show them that a non-BCS school can beat them Ugla dawgs! Sorry -- Go Zippy!

Okay, I give. What the double H-e-c-k is the news???

I'm still laughing from that one! I've been shouting this for how many years? I doubt it will happen our lifetimes.

The univeristy was very fortunate to have such a gentleman as Coleman Crawford as its coach. We would be benefitted if we had his expertise back to coach our big men -- as an assistant coach now. He has been a #1 assistant in the Atlantic Coast Conference. That ain't chicken fat folks.

If you don't mind my returning to the subject at hand... Katherine did an extremely creditable job as Akron's first women's soccer coach. And for the record, does anyone think we could have gotten a better coach anywhere for the janitor's-level salary she was paid? The women's athletic salaries at Akron are embarassing, and that is the main thing holding back the teams from excelling. They are the lowest in the MAC, and indeed the nation. That has to change for Akron to excel in women's sports. But back to Katherine Byrne. She was a class act, always a gracious woman with everyone she interacted with representing the University of Akron. Thank you for your service coach, and I look forward to meeting you in the future as a head collegiate soccer coach.

Better broadcasting program? WHOA, Nellie! Take THAT Matt Lauer -- and about half the nation's anchormen and women.

Central Michigan better take care o' business against Miami first! If Miami wins, Ball St is out.

Say Racer,You're not a geography major are you? He's being recruited by the University of Hawai'i-Manoa (O'ahu), not the University of Hawai'i-Hilo (Big Island). They don't even have a football team, just some hot volleyball chics.

Does anyone know if Will is still going to be coming to Aloha Stadium this Friday for the Hawaii-Boise State game???If so, I will try and find him, and convince him that he should stay in Akron instead of enjoying the constant 70 and 80 degree days and lovely trade winds of O'ahu, OK? p.s.: Wish me luck!I was at the Hawaii-Boise State game. Before the game I went down to the first row and shouted to the group of several people who looked like they could be HS prospects, "Is Will Fleming there?" No one answered. I don't think he was at the game, which probably is good news for Akron.

Thanks for the very interesting news on John Rennie's retirement. Will watch to see if Lolla is considered to take over there. Would be nice to see an ex-Zip as an ACC HC.