Z.I.P.

A big mahalo to GZ 19! All you Zips on O'ahu, turn out at East Side Grill for the 8 a.m. kickoff. Fried rice and a screwdriver! That's the official breakfast there.

I have sources that tell me, the Pitt Panthers looked at the kid closely a year ago, and came close to offering him, but finally asked him to walk-on, which he wasn't interested in. I guess there were grade and test score questions too. K-Fl ashes have another good one. That's good for them -- and us. The better the MAC gets, the higher our RPI goes.

So he's finally getting his first choice, and will play for Marshall, eh?

Well...Nice picture. But Sportsline before the season had Akron playing Pitt in the International Bowl. They've now spotted lowly NIU in that game (still vs Pitt), and -- this is on the order of Phil Steele's award of the MAC East to K.S.U. -- they put Ohio U in the GMAC Bowl (forget the opponent).Well, at least they're having fun with us -- we'll see how it plays out in diue time. But Akron staying home for the holidays isn't an idea I want to think about. Ahhhh, how times have changed!

I keep reading folks mention wrestling, and the need to move forward on Title IX. Well, duh, put the two together, and you have one of the fastest growing sports in the US -- women's wrestling! And, oh, Heaven forbid... I'm sure one of you guys will ask if they wrestle in the same singlets the men wear! Sorry.

Aaaaahhh! Coach Go Zips -- a renowned expert at managing expectations.Now for the truth (sorry KD): With the additions to this team, and the return of J Wood (possibly a MAC rebounding champ), anything below 25 wins is failure.Let's not return to the Lee Owens days of pre-season strategizing. Please!

RPI POINTS MATTER! And this will be about our only shot at a High Major this season. Hell -- I haven't seen the whole sched, it might be our ONLY shot.Frankly, beating Knight may be required to make the dance if we should lose in Cleveland. Just win Zips -- and get about a 8 or 9 seed with 27 wins.

Someone just tell me -- how can I get an AKRON hockey jersey???

Pal, if you think 4-6 is a "great start" for the volleyball team , you woulda loved Lee Owens. I think its time to stop not caring about the UA volleyball squad, and time to make a change if they don't dramatically turn things around (ala wahine soccer). I think they've only been competitive for a MAC East title once in this guy's forever tenure. We can do better! Are you listening Mack?

If you see Binghamton (ex-Chaminade)coach Al Walker, tell him everyone on The Hill sends their aloha!

This is about the third day in a row I have been unable to get anything but an unusable list of links on the University's athletic website. What the heck is the matter with that anyway? Is it just a time difference thing? -- I only log on late at night EST, maybe its down for repairs then?

How long till practice starts? Oct 1 this year? The leaves must be changin in the Midwest, cause I spied the first college basketball preview zine at Borders tonight. Athlon's is always the chronological leader (but very spotty on actual info) among both FB and BB previews.As expected they diss the MAC, giving their only dance bid to Akron, and just one NIT invite to Toledo. Well, at least a nice pic of Romeo on the MAC header.

He has come a long way from being a side kick to Matt Patrick on WKDD.Gimme Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton anyday! Next time you're in San Diego check him out. The former WHLO Voice of the Zips has called play-by-play for the San Diego Chargers, San Diego State and I think the LA Raiders. A long way from the Macon Whoopies.BTW -- I'm told the night the PA announcer at Memorial Hall announced Bob Wylie's retirement, it led to the biggest cheer of the evening.

I'm hoping NC State doesn't "run Chuck Amato out of town" anytime soon, because I know if they do, the administration will remember the coach who pulled off the most embarassing upset of his team, and will target (rightfully) JD Brookhart as a candidate. He's our coach, dammit. You can't have him! Of course I'm sure someone said that to Louisville about our (ex-) soccer coach Ken Lolla too.

Back in the good ol'days, before Charlie Frye and Luke Getsy, Akron still had some pretty exciting quarterbacks. One of them was Marty Bezbatchenko of Firestone HS, who guided Akron to the NCAA College Division (the predecessor of Div I-AA) championship game, the Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, TX vs Montana State in 1976.Steve Rushin (IMHO the best sportswriter in America today) features Marty and his son David's exploits at Congress Lakes GC, and spins a great tale for SI readers.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/full/siex...?aid=272&from=o

Okay folks, here comes another unforgettable memory of my days (which lasted 6 years) at Akron U (and please don't correct my localism ).As a sheepish 18 y.o. freshman in 1977 I walked into my first class -- a PE course in Tennis/Volleyball in late Sept, 1977 (we were still on quarters then) in Memorial Hall. The instructor was a young second-year running backs coach named Jim Tressel. I was more interested in putting the moves on the co-eds than in learning an overhead smash. "Coach" Tressel (the mandated title) on the other hand demanded complete attention to his instruction at all times. Not quite the drill instructor, but a clear disciplinarian in class, I got to know him out of class, and we played tennis a couple times at lunchtime -- he was more athletic than me, but couldn't run down my Guillermo Vilas-inspired topspin lob. You've seen the commercial of Roddick vs Pong? to me!Another thing I recall -- Jim was a guest on the football pre-game shows on WZIP, and predicted the results of small-college games each week. I got to correct him on one occasion though, when he had to ask the reporter -- "Where is Webber State, anyway?" He thought it (Weber State in Utah) was the home of the Webber grill. :lol:I don't root for his team, but I admire their coach. Jim's a cool dude.

This is either the sixth or seventh year of the program -- and those who are in the know, know that coach Byrne is on the hot seat. We were picked last in the MAC this year by the coaches, not surprisingly. NOW, however, we are clearly the most improved team in the league. The New Mexico squad the Zips beat in the Westfield Cup final was on the verge of breaking into the top-25. I watched the girls -- oh, OK, ladies (don't want to have my membership in NOW revoked!) from K-ent State play here in Hawaii twice this weekend -- they were picked fifth, after I believe making the MAC championship game last season. If it's any indication, MAC women's soccer is really poor. I've watched every Hawaii game for 12 seasons, and can only recall one or maybe two teams weaker than Can't State playing here before -- both first-year programs. If Akron can't beat K-ent comfortably, then they have a long way to go to be anywhere near the level of the men. Of course that's no easy job (to compete against Akron's men being a young program), but its a reasonable goal in my opinion. My congratulations to Coach Kate and the lasses for the great start. I'm expecting to be back there for the Westfield next August, prior to the FB game in Cowlumbus. Lets go from "worst" to first.

I tried not to be to "ridiculous" about this story -- and I know I may have missed or exaggerated things -- e.g., it's possible the defenders never got as close as I described to tackling him. Twenty + years plays havoc with the mind. Is there anyone else reading who was there that day? I always wanted to talk to Dennison about that, but never met him. Bowling Green fans have their own "Stupid punter story", which I read on the MAC listserve years ago. It doesn't match the epic of Kevin Kendall, however. This one should be brought out along with the pumpkin pie and or eggnog during the holidays each year.

If Akron holds NC State to the same rushing yards they did PennState, there is no doubt in my mind, Akron wins. Bet the farm. Bet the duplex, kid!

Speaking of freshmen punters...does anyone out there remember, or have heard the story told by your Dad (!).. the story of the Stupidest Freshman Punter Story of Them All??? The name Kevin Kendall is burned into history for all those who saw him commit what must have been (one of?) the stupidest serious of blunders in the history of college football one fateful day versus -- I'm almost certain it was -- Morehead State in 1983.Here's the Readers Digest version: About :20 to play in the first half, Akron's ball, fourth and very long on MSU's 40 YL. Coach Dennison calls his freshman punter from Green (we Bulldog alums have an even bigger hole in our stomachs from this one) to his side -- and no doubt from the ensuing debacle -- tells the kid "Don't kick the ball. Just run around until the clock runs out." What Dennison forgot to note was the age and inexperience of his young special teamer, and that he may not know what to do AFTER the clock runs out. The ball is snapped and Kendall handles it perfectly. He stands there, so far, so good. The clock runs -- :15; :10; :05. But then, he remembers he's never been in this position before, and the coach didn't tell him what to do AFTER the clock runs out -- and he panics! The defense, till this point went along with Akron's plans perfectly -- no rush, just standing, waiting for the whistle and the run into the locker room. The clock runs to :00. Kendall continues to stand there with the ball, wondering what to do next. Finally, a couple Morehead linemen trot throught the line, expecting the punter to fall down, or at worst be tackled to end the half.But young Mr Kendall has something more interesting to offer the few thousand spectators at the bowl. He turns and runs away from the line of scrimmage, slowly at first, as no one is following him. Ten or fifteen seconds after the clock runs to zero, a couple Morehead State players run after him -- finally -- from his own 40, he's now being semi-furiously chased down as he continues running toward his own end zone! The rushers finally get near him as he passes his 20, then the 10. Hundreds in the stands are screaming, "Fall down! Fall down" (yes there must have been a few YOU IDIOTs thrown in, but exact words are lost in time). A Morehead defender comes oh so close to tackling Kendall inside the five yard line. Amazingly, this would have been the best possible scenario at this point! Kid gets a good talking to about poise in the locker room, and he doesn't quite have a story to tell his grandkids.I believe Kendall may have played QB at Green, or some other position besides punter, so he has SOME athletic ability -- too bad! He manages to just miss the shoestring tackle by one defender near his own goal line. But there's one more Morehead defender bearing down on him now, and just as Kendall runs into his end zone, he panics one more time -- the worst time for him -- and as he's about to go down in the end zone, he tosses the ball into the air -- ala Garo Yepremian in the Super Bowl!!!Well, at least the good thing is no Morehead State defender was there to pick the ball off and score a half-ending TD before the ball flutters to the Astro Turf. And so both teams trot off the field, and everyone gets a good laugh before the bands march onto the field. But -- after the halftime entertainment that couldn't match what preceded it -- just before the teams run back onto the field, the public address speaker announces: "Ladies and gentlemen, on the final play of the first half, the referee has determined that intentional grounding occured in the end zone, resulting in a safety for Morehead State." I think Akron still lead, maybe 17-16 or something like that, and went on to win by more than a touchdown I think. But imagine, if they had lost by two points or less! Kevin Kendall went on to be one of the better punters in UA history -- four letter-winning seasons. His story is one I haven't heard, or been able to tell for years now. It's part of Akron football lore. Are you out there Kevin?

Say what you may folks, but please realize Terry Pluto is proxy for 90% of football fans in NE Ohio. Another 5% just couldn't care less about Akron. That's the reality we are challenged to overcome. We have already reduced that 5% from about 50%.

Okay, folks. Who's interested in joining me at Eastside Grill on Varsity Avenue near the University of Hawaii? I'll be there for Breakfast with the Zips. Two years ago it was me and half-a-dozen Nittany Lion alums. Have you heard, Pam Ward is calling play-by-play for ESPN2. Goodie!

UCSB is just two years removed from being the top team in the nation, but losing the national championship match in multiple OTs to IU in coach Yeagley's finale. They're a notoriously physical team, some would say dirty, and they knocked two of our guys out of the match with hits. That must have contributed to Caleb getting the red boot.I remember watching Lolla's squad taking it in the chops in a 4-0 defeat against Washington a few years ago, and being down 2-0 against a very good Portland team at the half the next day. They dominated the final half to gain a draw @ UP. I'd be very worried if I were Davidson.

You might be able to pull this off half-way classy -- or even sensibly -- if it came on CBS following a drive by an Aussie. Unfortunately, Adam Scott and Robert Allenby are the only ones who appear near the lead, and too far back to get on TV. Too bad -- I do like the idea, I'm sure it would get noticed by the announcers.And give the Stow kid a break. He's such a nice guy, I can hardly believe he went to

They have television there?? I thought they still used Indian smoke signals to communicate.