Z.I.P.

HuuuH? Say what?? That's the next department on campus that needs to have someone kick their Roo into the 21st Century!

As Z.I.P. has advised you all before: It makes no sense to do this project without doing it right.Zippy's Restaurant: www.Zippys.com Oh, yeah!!! Remember, I'm the guy who first suggested "Fear the Roo!" as a motto before that MD soccer game in '04. Z.I.P knows best.

LOL ITZ! If you consider our top-5 position in the world's NUMBER ONE sport, that places Akron in the NCAA top-10! IMHO! Yo quiero los futbolistos de Akron.

Oh, hey. Wait. I just read that we made the NIT? First postseason in 17 years? Most wins in school history? We WON a postseason game? ON THE ROAD? We beat the Temple Owls of the Atlantic-10? We beat them when they had the emotional edge of their coach stepping down? Well -- then I hope you will accept my deepest apologies for saying the things I wrote above I must have appeared like a world-class dipwad! How could I have said such things about the best team and coach our school has ever had? Please Keith, don't go to Cincinnati. We still want you in Akron! We can wait another year to be :macc: We've waited this long. Let's just be patient, and let our coaches do their jobs.

I cannot believe what I am reading! FIRE DAMBROT!!! HIRE WATERS!!! HIRE HIPSHER!!! HIRE OWENS!!! This guy couldn't outcoach his mother. And she at least was the best teacher on campus. And she knew psychology!

Sheesh! I think Fear the Roo spoke for most of the posters here by saying, "I don't know much about the NIT"!Of COURSE we all want to win the MAC tournament! That hardly needs to be stated, does it?? But this is a program that has only been in the postseason three times in its D-1 history -- and not at all in the past 17 years! The NIT is hardly some sort of booby prize. But there's another reality you need to realize -- the worst team in the NIT is better than about a third of the teams in the NCAA tourney -- i.e. the automatic qualifiers from low-level conferences. To get to the NIT final-four we would have to win either three or four games (probably 4). That would be a feat equal to or tougher than making the sweet-16 of the NCAA. Real college basketball fans do not disrespect the NIT -- it was once a bigger tournament than the NCAA -- teams turned down the NCAA to accept a bid to the NIT.Just win on Saturday, and this thread and poll are ancient history!

Ummm, excuse me, but it would be nice if this WERE a SEMI-final game. Unfortunately its just a QUARTERFINAL, the first of three required wins before Akron earns its appointment for The Big Dance. And no, we Can't look past the Broncos. They're the only team in the MAC whose coaching is as good as our own -- look out for this team next year, I think the MAC title in 2007 will come down to these two teams -- WMU has the top recruiting class in the league coming.Go BB Zips! We're #1. :macc: And of course:

If that's the case I think he will be out for the next game too. Can anyone confirm the rule?

Here's what I liked:"85 percent shooter from the line." He can make that 90% at Akron. There's always a place for players like that.

There are those, including the ESPN II guys who think he should be a candidate for POY. Considering how other favorites have fallen either as individuals or with weak teams, I have to think Romeo is a strong candidate still. If Akron wins it, he becomes favorite.

Got a "no longer available" message. What did the article say?BTW -- that NY Times piece was the best one I've seen on UA basketball yet. Hope it got national play.Z.I.P.

Gentlemen,Here's the bottom line: Seven wins! Without that magic number we're sitting home in December. You have to sacrifice early on if you want to achieve your goals overall. And, since they're having trouble finding a decent 1-AA team, it could be a Howard or Liberty type opponent. Sorry -- but this is the new reality in college football. Personally I think the 12-game schedule sucks and only helps the rich get richer, but I don't make the rules.

All I can say to comments about how much better Nevada is than Akron is: This reminds me of the comments about the football team after the Army game this year, or after the start in 04. Things can change in a hurry!Believe me, I've seen Nevada play plenty of times. I've seen Akron play. Nevada shot lights out last night, and took advantage of their home court, but on another night, with Akron being better prepared to play far from home and at altitude the result would likely be very different. Nevada -- and the rest of the WAC -- are very much a Mid-Major group of teams. I see them play over a dozen times a year in person and they shouldn't scare the MAC. When Nevada comes to the JAR next season -- provided they don't chicken out -- the Zips should be ready for PAYBACK, baby! This is a team that couldn't beat a mediocre Hawai'i team on the road this year. Geev'em, as we say in da islan's.Meanwhile, NU looks to have the inside track on an at-large. How many more are left for other mid-majors depends in part on whether they win their tournament on the Lawler Center floor. I don't see the WAC getting two teams in this year unless Nevada loses.See Ya

Since they're not showing any curling right now, I decided to surf the channel finder, and low and behold...Foz Sports Atlantic is showing the exciting matchup from Rhodes Arena between the Zips and flushes. This is my first chance to see a Kelly kennedy-coached team. And amazingly...Akron scores the first ten points of the game. But then Can't woke up and Akron has now scored just two points in the past ten minutes plus -- no FGs in over 11 mins now. Can't however has not played well either, and leads just 15-12.I am not impressed by Akron's offense at all. They are unable to get the ball to anyone in scoring position. Their passes are not crisp. They show the defense where the ball is going beforehand. Frankly, at this point in the season, this is an indication of a poorly coached team of players. Jessie Crooks looks like a good player to me (she's scored fourteen of Akron's first 16 pts!) and the freshmen are OK. After that I see little talent on the floor in white.FINALLY -- Akron scores their first basket after 16 straight misses! It's now 23-16 Kant State. (23-5 run) Now Akron has made one of their last 19 FG attempts. Senior DeMarco just went down with a rolled ankle -- as if Kant needed more help.I see they're going to interview JD at halftime. Anybody else out there in the hinterlands able to watch this game?Good luck ladies. I hope you create some of your own.

Hey Packer, Howzit? This is Zip in Paradise in honolulu. I've seen your team play the Bows (my #2 team) this year, and realize Akron is going to have no fun time trying to match up against your size across the court. When Mo Charlo (6-7) goes to the 2-guard or even the wing NU (UN?) is huge. Fazekus could be a lottery pick -- though the Hawaii media poo-poos -- pupus?? his abilities, and there's no way UA has anyone who can compete the way Millsapp does for LaTech (having led the country in rebounding for three years, no one does). The one possible hope for Akron will be if our big guy, Rob Preston is able to get free on the outside and hit a couple early threes (he was the leading scorer I think vs Cal), that could draw Nick Fazekus away from the basket, opening up some things inside for Romeo and possibly some drives to the basket. Nevada is a team that pops the three a lot (like UA), and when they shoot cold (as vs LaTech Monday) they can definitely be had. Not sure if that's what happened vs Utah St., but the Aggies are as wide as the pack is high inside. There's talk in HI that Nevada isn't all that athletic, but the guards certainly are.My early prediction: Nevada 76 Akron 71 We're something like #66 RPI and Nevada is 36? That wouldn't be a bad or unlikely outcome, even though we HAVE to win to have any at-large chance IMHO. Do you think there's any chance of a WAC team besides NU getting an at-large?? I can't see it -- I don't care if the Commish IS on the committee. Have a good one there in Snow Country, Wolf. Look forward to your FB team returning for a beating next year. You're WAC Champs? Well Akron's :macc: It's high time for a WAC-MAC Challenge!

Hey no problema (howzit goin' out on Hametown Road, pardner?) -- except that the soccer thread never seems to be on the board when I want to post to it! What's up with that?Not to become too Texascentric, but here are some more Texans' alumni soccer people are familiar with: Mr Mohawk himself, Clint Dempsey and fellow MLS players Nick Garcia and Jose Burciaga. And looking at 05 College Cup semi-finalists SMU, they reportedly have a total of fourteen (14!) members of the club on their roster -- including 11 2005 recruits. Holy smokes! Would be nice to see Roderick Scott back on campus. He was a legend in blue and gold.And regarding the 2005 recruiting class, I wouldn't be that concerned. We have enough returning to be contenders for the grand salame next year without a single one of them. That's not to put them down, as there are some good players there, but if they want to be part of The Big Time they know where to come. It's possible one or two might not be invited by Caleb anyhow though, as his sights are a little bigger in the recruiting world than were Ken Lolla's, with all due respect. Wait till soccer fans see the 2006-07 class. It will blow you away, I'm sure -- similar to the difference between Lee Owens and JD's recruits. Go Zip booters (BOTH squads)!

A Division II school in my town (a private institution) has found an effective way to entice students to games: They give away partial scholarships or tuition credits to members of the student "Booster Team". Any student can receive credit for a part of tuition if they attend a certain number of games throughout the school year.Would that be legal in D-1 -- and would it be financially feasible at Akron? It may be worth some consideration.

Thank you Wooster Red Steve! I read in Sports Illustrated that the Hawkskins have reached the pinnacle of collegiate hockey. That duplicates what the Zips were able to do earlier this year in the world's most popular sport. Ohhhh -- you probably forgot that real men play SOCCER -- that's one of those sports Miami had to cut out because of BUDGET difficulties! I realize that budgets are getting squeazed in the Old School parts of the MAC, like Toledo and Oxford. Meanwhile, in Akron we have spent over $200M for a little campus "sprucing up", and in what should be just a few more months, we'll be discussing the start of construction for our new on-campus football stadium -- allowing us to blow away the rest of the MAC in facilities. Steve, things are looking so bright in Akron, I hear they're wearing in the JAR.BTW Roos -- think VOLLEYBALL -- as in MEN's VOLLEYBALL. If we start a team next fall we could still enjoy the play of Capt Kangaroo's favorite ex-Zip [AGAIN!]. Of course I'm referring to the former Hoban HS all-stater, who once played for his very popular father on the hardwood. And maybe we could scare up his girlfriend again. What ever happened to her, anyway? Is she hogging the Stetson Hatters' board? Question:When Miami had a golf team, were they called the ForeSkins?

I'm not a skier! I wouldn't go near The Biggest Little City in the World between October and April. The 50 degree weather in Oakland was too Brrrr!-ee for me.BTW -- Do you know if there's any UA Alumni group in S Cal.? If you're interested, you may be able to get a printout of alumni for the area -- they sent me one for the 58 Zips in Paradise back in 1990 (pre-Coleman Crawford bb trip). I don't know though -- they seem even less reactive now than back then. And I didn't think that was possible.

The Akron Alumni Ofice arrange something??? Pardon me, but LAZ, where were you when the dozen or so of us were in Berkeley last month? I sent an invite to all alumni. Hopefully with a new Western-oriented AD, we wil see more UA games West of the Rockies.Zp in Paradise,Honolulu

Don't lose any sleep over the future of the Zip soccer program Rifler. If this were a program on the decline, Porter and Agoos wouldn't have put their hats in the ring. We're the Gonzaga of soccer, only better then that basketball team.

That's a very interesting prospect, as it looks like the MAC and WAC are both destined to be one-berth leagues. Perhaps Nevada would have a 50-50 shot if they loose the WAC tourney @home.Stu Morrill's Aggies are a big, tough, but not real athletic squad. You can watch them beat up on my Rainbows on Big Monday tonight. I think our defense might be able to cause them problems. Would be a long, hard road trip for any team outside the West region. Logan is no one's idea of a holiday spot.If ESPN wants to provide a real tight contest, they can send the Zips direct to the Stan Sheriff Center Arena in Manoa (Honolulu). Please God! . UW-Milwaukee was fortunate to eak out a win here, and help themselves out last year. I think they (UW-M) won their tourney, but had a shot at an at-large.

I think Chichester is considered a bigger recruit for basketball than he is in football. Perhaps Matta's mammoth class mitigated against him as much as anything. Yes -- he can play for Pitino -- but he'll ride the pine a while most likely. On the other hand, had he signed with JD & KD, Wood's future status may have become irrelevant. This thread may belong in another category!

No great surprise when the name was finally released -- which might say more than anything I ever could about just how high the program has risen these last couple years. Any school in the country would have coveted Caleb had they had an opening. Yes -- even the turtles. I look for Akron to be a top-5 team and College Cup contender into the forseeable future.I do wonder about what type of contract he got. It must be very similar to what Keith Dambrot gets in a much more visible sport. And I know Keith doesn't mind sharing the university's largesse.Go get 'em (meaning national team members), Coach Porter

Hmmmmm! I'm hearing there's a chance we could play @Northern Iowa. That would be quite a challenge, but a win would give us a chance of an at-large berth. Think positive, and