Z.I.P.

Hallalujah! Goal Patrol? Oh, yeah! Now we're talkin' futbol.For the members of the GP Crew, I will provide your opening night instructions for the New Mexico game in a follow-up addendum on the soccer board. Bring your leis and pineapples, it's Gualdarrama night in Akron!

I've heard this from self-described CFB "experts" Oooooh, too many times! Army is not a very good team, but to say they're worse than Fla Int, Utah St., Idaho, or half the Sun Belt is absolutely ridiculous. In fact, I'd say Army is better than half the MAC -- that's why Akron canNOT afford to take a break against the Knights.

we got Beckham? Steve Zakuani! Remember that name -- though I expect it to be repeated quite often by public address announcers over the coming years.

The camp you speak of would probably be the US Youth Soccer Residency Program in Bradenton, where two of our recruits were resident last year -- along with gaining U-17 international experience. It may be better that he was left off the roster for Korea -- as the team has gotten crushed by Tunisia and Berzerkistan its first two matches. Yes -- Berzerkistan -- as in Doonesbury.

Can you say "libero"? Typing this while watching Hawai'i vs Michigan on live TV before about 7000 in town tonight. Could you imagine that number watching all UA's games this year?As for the Zips VB squad, they had massive injuries last year and never recovered. But nonetheless, it should be "bubble time" for our coach. He hasn't been in the postseason in a looooong time, and never contended for a title. Never.

I jusdongetit. If this kid runs a 4.13 -- or anything near it, he's wasting his time in football. He could be the next Carl Lewis for godsakes. (Didn't Bob Hayes run 4.17?)How many track offers does he have???

I will be looking for the name "Sean Hakes" to pop up on the radar at a WAC or MWC school in a year or two. Orange Coast is a good place to prep for that level of program. If he has the skill we all thought, he could still be a starter at a mid-major. And when he does, we can all say, "Well, he wasn't good enuf for us!"

I was surprised to find this kid was somehow left off the roster for the U.S. Under-17 World Cup team, which the US started on Monday in Korea. He had played on the team in a tournament in France in April, scoring a goal and providing two assists. Is he injured?Hopefully, he will be a Zip in '08. Any Akron futbol fans who can provide there review of his talents? He's a member of Everest SC in Akron.

Soccer America named the top-10 teams in their Top-25 coaches poll in the new edition of the magazine out this week. Voila, it has the usual (can you say "Atlantic Coast", Boobie?) suspects, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke and Maryland congregated at the top, along with UCLA, SMU, St John's and defending champs UCSB. Interestingly, SMU is the only top-10 team remotely in the "Midwest". Nary a Big Tenner to be found.The rest of the top-20 will be on their website later, but like most everything there anymore, you'll have to pay to read it. I expect UA to make the top-20, maybe around #15, but that will be the poorest ranking they'll have all season. Look for a minimum 15 wins friends.

Hey! Since I haven't been able to acquire a ZipsRowdies shirt at this point, I want to at least have a fall-back, when December comes and the Zips in Paradise (UA Aloha Section Alumni) welcome our Boy Bubba to town for the Rainbow Classic. BTW -- I guess it's not too early to ask folks back in A-Town for ideas on signs to bring to the arena for the Ohio ScatCats. Rumor has it, some "experts" are going to predict that group to win the MAC this year. The Zips in Paradise want to be sure to let Bubba & Co know they can run -- they can even fly -- but they can't hide from the Roo!

Well, you beat me to the (luau) punch. Unfortunately, the chances of a June Jones team playing a road game vs the MAC is about the same as a snowstorm on Kalaukaua Avenue. That's Waikiki folks.Now, a one-and-one (or even 2-2) vs UNLV?!?! Just say the date, and I'll meet you on the Seventh Island! Zip in Paradise

Okay! Here come my memories from the late sixties to early 80s.When the starting post referred to the night the lights went out, I assumed he was referring to the Eastern Kentucky game about 1980. What a fan-TAZ-tic performance that night.I'll never forget Canton McKinley's state championship victory over heavily-favored Gerry Faust's Cincinnati Moeller team. That was sweet! 1976 or 77 I think.And I'll remember walking thru the end zone to get to the far sideline when I was about 14 before the Browns' - Giants' game. I was the same height as Giant's DB Spider Lockhart. (5-5).Thankfully, memories are all that will be left of the Bowl. I do wonder what the plans are for redevelopment. Any clues?

Bucknell??? You haven't been following Air Force basketball lately, have you? Even with a new coach, look for them to be the best of the group for a while. Bucknell? Where is trimmy from, Kansas?

Well, if you want to hear a divergent (don't call it deviant) opinion, I feel IU may be one of the most underrated teams in the nation. Definitely better than the NCSU team we surprised a year ago. I see them beating out Illinois, Minniesota, and possibly MSU to get to 6 or possibly 7 wins, and MAYBE, the Motor City Bowl -- where the MAC would have a real showcase to show if they can beat a "Big-10 bottom dweller".Go MAC!

I don't care, I just wanna know when my residuals will start rolling in.I was the one who first suggested the motto, before the Maryland football (soccer for you Yanks) game, about three years ago. Gotta have my people call Mack's people. Tell them to Cease and Desist!

Amen to that bruddah! I think, if the basketball team wins 20-straight MAC titles, and plays in 20 straight NCAA tournaments, that in 21 years, 69-year old coach Keith Dambrot will be working like a fiend to get attendance over the 5000 average mark.

I predict in another couple years people will wish Temple were still in the Big East, because they will be a contender in the MAC East. They're one of the better recruiting teams in the MAC already. Time will make them very competitive. Their history is sure better than Buffalo's, or frankly Akron's! No offense fellow Zipheads.

Sounds to me like the kid's future is in another sport. How many have offered him for Track and Field? I assume many more than for football.

For the record, the NCAA Men's College Cup was held at Columbus Crew Stadium just two or three years ago. Mid December. What a GREAT home field advantage it would be for Caleb's crew!Re: The recruiting class. Zakuani will emerge as the Beast of the Class -- if he lasts long enough to show his stuff. He could be an international star in short term. AND: watch out for the frosh GK from Alabama, the future of the spot between the pipes for UA. Apparently his HS coach was brought aboard by Caleb for a mission. He was a star for the Tennessee team in Premier Development League (usually for college soph's and Jrs) right out of HS. And we beat out a Big Time program, South Carolina, which thought they had him wrapped up. This could be our year. But look out for NEXT year!

Well, GoZips, I missed out on that UH-ND game. I was at the Stan Sheriff Center watching UH Wahine basketball. But at the end of the game, we all ran into my friend, the FB video coordinator's office to watch the finish. Fun.With the Hawai'i Bowl having a future commitment for the seventh and eighth pick from the PacTen, there should be some open spots (how often does the Pac Ten get 8 bowl eligible teams?) for schools not otherwise covered. A possible make-up for that Michigan State fiasco.

Okay. But what exactly WAS this??? (7-on-7 football -- who was playing? I assume this was not a "camp"?)

So what you are saying is: We should be circumspect about Infocision Stadium? Perhaps for short we can call it "CircumCision Stadium"?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What is all this talk about young Mr Fleming (not you Kiel), being a Big-Ten level recruit? He has two scholarship offers -- neither from a BCS program, and Akron has outrecruited the Hawai'i football Warriors the last three years of JD Brookhart's efforts.The facts are -- for those who aren't familiar (don't you wish!) The University of Hawai'i football program, while having multiple newspaper articles written about it each and every day of the year, has practice facilities about as good as Akron's were thirty years ago, when I started school there (remember my story -- my first instructor was Jim Tressel). Their home stadium, while seating fifty thousand (but averaging just 30k), is rapidly deteriorating to the state of the Rubber Bowl (again the bowl of thirty years ago --pretty crummy).I'll be sitting in Aloha Stadium the day after Thanksgiving, when Fleming gets his Hawai'i vacation on the sideline -- and UH and Boise St. play off quite possibly for a BCS bowl bid. I can't lose -- I'd love to see an Akron kid play within walking distance from my house. But if JD moves UP, his father could very well be the next head coach of Zip football. That possibility may come into play -- but I'm not sure how it factors in.Aloha means goodbye!

There's a link on Ohio.com saying someone named "Campbell" will be a new member of the UA FB team -- but the link, like many or most on the New and Improved website is broke.Any info? Razor?

Here's the bottom line on ED (er, uh, eminent domain, that is). The university can take the property in short time, and let the courts or negotiation determine what constitutes just compensation down the road. If the property owners want to delay the inevitable, that is.Build it, and they will go.