Z.I.P.

Seattle Sounders (2): Blair Gavin (2007-09) Sorry, but I thought Blair retired -- ??

Aha! That is precisely why I included the . (should we include KDs years at CMU?? )

YES! WE'RE #1!!! WE'RE #1!!!

Are you referring specifically to ZN.o, or just the first two rounds of the MLS draft?

I had to look it up (duh!) but found that Steve Hawkins started at WMU a year earlier -- or should we include KDs years at CMU??

Is this the first time you noticed that?? Seriously!

Thanks for the link TZ! I was wondering about this: Yedlin was not made available to reporters during the first week of training at StubHub Center, nor were a handful of the green, uncapped youngsters in camp. What the heck's up with that, anyway??

Now THAT guy LOOKS like an Offensive Line Coach -- at least his head!

I found this interesting piece from last August on the Crew website. Does anyone else find it suspicious that the training camp was held in Portland -- a site not normally used for national team camps? I wonder if the Timbers just happened to be in town at the same time?! Also, came across this, From the Dispatch, indicating that Ben is already 16, and has been playing way ahead of his age for awhile. And, ahem... he plans to attend college (for hopefully more than a year!)

Well... Speaking of Columbus Crew Academy: The US U-18 Team is holding a training camp in Florida this week, and a very interesting player there is 15 year old midfielder Benjamin Swanson of Columbus Crew Academy and Grove City, Ohio, the #2 ranked player in his class. By the time he makes his college decision, he should have made quite a name for himself, if his progress continues at the current pace. Wonder if anyone on the board is familiar with him at the club or high school level. Did he play for Grove City HS, by any chance? He's a sophomore now by grade. Of course we know that in the past, this type prospect would most likely see Akron as the most desirable college destination. His recruitment will be an interesting test of the durability of the relationship with Crew Academy which we are so in need of preserving.

We're now up by just 8 votes. Beat back the Whoosiers!

The Beavers have two players, Devon Collier and Roberto Nelson who average 25 and 23 points per game (not sure at this moment whom gets the 25, but they're both big threats). However, Roberto Nelson received a red card ejection in the first half of last night's Towson St. game. Does anyone know if he has to sit out his next game, or is that just under FIFA rules? Sorry, as I will tell kd and his group when they arrive in 5 hours, I'm still operating in futbol mode.

I'm thinking that about now, Quincy's hometown Wichita State WheatShockers truly wish they had some of Q's tools on their side! Quincy is a fine representative of Zips Nation.

As some unruly fans are known to chant at futbol games -- though surely no AK-Rowdies -- "There's two 'R's, Four 'E's, and one 'F' in referee!" BTW -- are you the same guy who referred to our PG, Carmelo Bentacourt?

Okay, well within the bounds of logical argument! How about, "Their greatness so far is a bit of an illusion."?

What the heck happened here? We went from ~ 30% to 56% in one day. Why do I suspect Gozips has been involved in the vote? Or did they wait a week to tally up all our count? I dunno.

What he meant was: Nobody transferring out hasn't happened in a few years. IOW, SOMEONE always transfers out. Get it?

It has become de rigueur in the world of sports reporting, and I think it is in part because so many of us hang out at sites like this one! Sites where we do not dare question the wisdom of our coach, or the play of our boys on the gridiron, pitch, floor, canvas, etc., etc. Unless we're Quickzip, that is!

Just for the record, I bet the Oregon State fans are saying the very same things about their team's recent games versus powerhouses Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Maryland Eastern Shore, against both of whom they played about 15 minutes of basketball worthy of blowing away their opponents, then cruised to closer victories than they wished. We will find out Sunday around 1630 HST which team has the capacity to play closer to 40 minutes of sustained power basketball. Hopefully the Beavs get starstruck by their coaches' brother-in-law and fall on their faces, but I wouldn't count on it! They have two players as good as anyone in the MAC, then a bunch of junk.

Please, if you're interested, i.e., vote today. We're falling behind both Maryland AND the Whated Whossiers now!

Way back in 1977, the Titans beat Akron 107-58 in game 15 our the team's 21 game winning streak. Now how come I don't remember that? Where were you sitting, Hilltopper?

LOL. I like the p.s.: We're looking into the Sheriff Center policy on giant heads. (Christmas) tree, kd, bo, and sc (santa claus, whoelse?) Not necessarily in that order

Yet greater justification for our meister to not visit the Kingdom of Ka Pa'e 'aina 'o Hawai'i Nei for the holidays: Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports on Friday the 13th of December (what a propitious date!) that plans are going Full Speed Ahead for a visit by President Barack Obama to the Stan Sheriff Center, almost certainly for the 2:30 PM game between our Zips and the Oregon State Beavducks, or whatever. The news is raising the possibility that the game could be transformed from a neutral game contest before 2000-3000 fans, to potentially the first sellout of 10,100 seat Sheriff Center in many years. Good thing meister doesn't need tix, but if he did, well, maybe I could make arrangements through my Hawaii Democratic Party channels.

WOW! How did I ever miss the expert disgnosis of DiG on this engaging topic? My doubt originated from what are clearly unDiGestedly wrong local experts here in the 50th state, who even on the airwaves have stated that University of Hawaii players who have seen game action this season could still be eligible for a red-shirt season. I will refer them directly to Dave.

Since they decided to put the Zips' title celebration as their preferred image, it would appear TDW already knows what the correct answer is!