Z.I.P.

You know what sickens me? People who Can't give the Golden F lashes their due. They are now easily the best team in the MAC, and with the exception of VPI, should run the table. And for the record, Phil Steele also picked K.S.U. last year, as did the MAC Report guy -- isn't that right buddy? BTW -- I looked at the I-A standings, and only 59 teams (of 119 of course) have 4 wins so far. Some bowl game may end up without any teams with 6 wins. Aren't there 31 bowl this year? On the other hand, if UA can get to the magic number, they have a good chance of bowling. Somewhere.

Okay, is "corn hole" a noun or a verb?

Having seen LMU get put away by the weak team WMU put on the floor for last year's Rainbow Classic, I can tell you -- they may be the slowest team to visit the JAR this season (well, I haven't seen Tiffin!). If UA gets any 'bounds, they run LMU into the ground, win by 20.

Domo arigato gozaimashite.

Thanks, fan.Now my reply is something bearcat fans should all be familiar with:When does basketball start?

I asked the BJ's reporter why their paper doesn't cover college football recruiting. He responded that they do a great report on local schools' recruits just after the national letter of intent day. "No", I said to him -- "Why can't you report on players BEFORE the signing date". "BEFORE the signing date?", he remarked. "What're we supposed to have, a crystal ball?"

Nice report ZW. Mahalo for that. Let KD know the Aloha Section Alumni are ready to do next year's event at Turtle Bay. Palmer Course OK?.

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.