Z-Pouch

Never take a game for granted…especially on the road in the MAC.Can't State schedule gets a little tougher NI@home and @Buffalo.Let’s go Zips, one game at a time.

Good point skhorbotly.But with 20 win seasons and tourney appearances that develop a winning tradition, I find it hard to believe that regular sellouts in a 6000 seat arena are that lofty of a goal, especially for a community the size of Akron. Cav’s ticket prices are outrageous not to mention all the out of pocket expenses besides the tickets. It’s a pretty good commitment to attend more then a handful of their games. Start a winning tradition, beat some bigger schools on the road and get some decent out of conference teams to the JAR and there won’t be any open seats. We have to win in March and at the Q tourney to get things moving.It’s very sad that after all these years of winning Can't has difficulty with attracting a fan base. There is no way with our marketing talent that we will make the same mistakes. We have already seen improvement this year and the two main college spectator sports – basketball and football – should feed on each other.

FYI - These were $14 and $19 for hooded.

Walmart now has several UA sweatshirts available. They are actually pretty nice looking - even got the gold color right (It's not yellow !!!!!!). I saw them at the Stow/Falls store and saw a few purchased. Since it's Walmart, it's not the heaviest sweatshirt but you can't beat the prices.

Also part of the article but not on Ohio.com was the attendence figures for everyone.Here they are.Ball State 5279Ohio 4724Buffalo 4425Miami 4000Toledo 3990Can't 3364 - Includes Akron Sellout Akron 3036WMU 3035NI 2291CMU 2091BG 1730 EMU 1538

Interesting article on MAC attendance in the Beacon this morning. Some of the Can't State Trolls that have been on the board lately don’t know their facts very well. I hope that everyone around here agrees, that as we develop a winning tradition in basketball with 20 win seasons and football with MAC championships, our attendance figures should NEVER be this low.Can’t readCan’t writeCan’t protect your own student sectionCan’t get fans to the gamesCan’t State…Note - This is written by the Can't shill at the paper. Of course, there was no mention of large contigency of Akron fans and the Stark County students sections pulling the "Switch a Roo" which helped attendance on Saturday. With the large number of Can't State students (800-1000 ?) that do go to their games, its shows how poor their support outside of the campus really is with these numbers. Why does the Beacon even cover them ? Can't State deserves better support on homefrontBall State sets pace in MAC attendance, uses different tactics to attract fansBy Gary EstwickBeacon Journal sportswriterKENT - This is my third season of covering Can't State basketball, and I've never easily spotted ticket ushers on the upper deck at the M.A.C. Center. Well, not until Saturday afternoon's showdown against the University of Akron.The announced attendance was 6,532 fans, the 14th-largest crowd to watch a game in Can't, and easily, the largest of the season.``It was everything that big-time college basketball has,'' coach Jim Christian said.All the seats were filled, unless fans were standing up to cheer the Golden flushes, or boo their opponents from 15 minutes away.Fans were energetic, especially as Can't State mounted a rally early in the second half and held on late.``Our performance was related to them being in it and staying excited,'' forward Kevin Warzynski said of fan support.``Every single one of our guys were into it. If we can have that kind of crowd on a nightly basis, we can't lose at home.''In preparation for the game, guard Armon Gates jammed three fingers on his right hand in practice.``In warmups, I was feeling it, but when that game started, you forget all about it because you don't want to come out,'' Gates said.It's no surprise that this game, which Can't State won 63-57, drew so many fans. Can't State is the second-largest university in Ohio. It's men's basketball team is one of 12 Division I teams in the nation to win at least 20 games over the past seven seasons, and the flushes are within reach of adding another year.What does come as a shock is that it's an anomaly.Can't State might lead the Mid-American Conference with a 10-1 record, but home attendance at men's basketball games ranks sixth in the Mid-American Conference (3,364 fans). This is from a team that has lost just one MAC home game this season, and overall, just two home games in Can't.Until Saturday's record crowd, Can't State's average attendance at home games this season ranked behind Akron (3,036 fans).[/B]Ball State leads the MAC in home attendance by averaging 5,279 fans at Worthen Arena.The Cardinals have struggled this season en route to a 7-12 record (3-8 in MAC), which has dropped their attendance statistics. Still, their approximately 3,200 season-ticket holders -- a high number for the MAC -- has kept the Cardinals better than the rest.Chris Taylor, a Ball State athletic department spokesman and director of GameDay Experience, also attributes the attendance numbers to the athletic department's ability to draw students and gameday promotions.Last season, the student section was named ``The Nest.'' Any student that sits in the section is given a T-shirt.``We've given our student section an identity,'' Taylor said. ``Over the last year now, you see students wearing those T-shirts around campus and wearing them back to games.''The athletic department has added pregame concerts and other promotions to liven up the atmosphere.``It's not the NBA, and we understand that,'' Taylor said. ``But some of the things we do surrounding the game, we've tried to look at what the NBA does to make it fan friendly and an atmosphere that's more than just the game.''

Yes, you won the game and protected your home court but you couldn't protect your court from our fans. A much bigger victory in the big picture. Watch and we will show you what a little marketing, creative thinking and MAC championships can achieve -- something you can't even grasp after all of your 20 win seasons. "Fear this" - I'd be embarrassed to wear the knock off.........UAM AK Rowdies An instant classic. I have never seen anything like it and doubt it can be repeated or beaten. Although you never know with UAM and the AK Rowdies, You announced us before the game.You appreciated our pregame Can't State cheers.You were horrified when we changed shirts.We were louder then your fans. We owned your own arena.We embarrassed your studentsAND We will get payback on March 4th at the JAR and if your unlucky enough at the Q.-------------------------------If you haven't heard the entire "Stark County Kents Students" story, I'll let others fill in the blanks. But we should all be very proud, an absolutely incredible coup to pull off.My hat is off to everyone involved. Years from now, I'll remember this more then any score or play on 2/4/06.Can't Akron :macc:

Hey smallville -- A couple thousand really isn't that many to make a 30 minute trip.I seem to remember 10,000 (some say upwards of 15,000) people making the 3 hr trip for a football game. Envious

After 7 years of 20 win seasons, you are bragging about attendence of 4300 !?!?!? (Just so you know 4300 does not equal 5000 and there WERE a lot of Buffalo fans). Pathetic. Can't's attendence has been right down with Akron this year for the most part. I guess you have really developed a strong "tradition". When the Zips have their run in football or basketball, I'd expect nothing less then sellouts every game. Go back to smallville.

Actually...........Akron had 2800 and Can't had 4300 (Of which, I heard was a large contingency of Buffalo fans for a Sun game). Nice rounding.....Don't kid yourself, you have attendance problems too. At least we play in a gym where the main scoreboard works and can be seen.On the store idea, I think you'd make some money. The problem would be finding a lot of different Akron gear and novelties to offer.

This is not true -- They are still selling tickets by phone. Keep buying up the tickets !!!

Along with playing the wrong team, they really screwed up the picture caption - "Nate Linhart of the Zips going up for a shot over Buffalo's John Rybak". Well, Linhart's not even in the picture and it's the Zips John Rybak "attempting" what I think was supposed to be a lay up.Is it really that hard to proof everything?The paper was crap this morning -- You have important Akron and Can't BB games and football Signing Day and it looks like the Beacon staff took the day off or all went to the Cavs game.Today's Beacon

If I'm walking around with a "Screw the Roo" shirt with the picture of the backside of a Kangaroo, what exactly does that say about the person ? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't walk around with the backside of a sheep and the word screw on anything....

Dambrot made a comment on the Bracket Buster that I can't find right now to post but basically it said he wanted to play the best available home team, beating the best on the road will be great argument to get into the big tourney. Playing and beating a good team/low RPI/or at home will get you the typical MAC snub.This could be our statement game as the Captain indicated. It's a good draw and if the Zips win the next two, it will be one of the featured TV games announced on Feb 7th.

FYI - Rumor has Can't students making "Screw the Roo" shirts. Not very original, BG students had them on Sunday. Akron fans need to show up at the MAC center in numbers. Get your tickets now.

There is no indication that the TV schedule is set against us. The Neveda (RPI 53) matchup would a good one - They have some recent tourney success which should carry over on the TV schedule. Probably the worst thing is a trip out west during the league schedule.I can’t find any confirmation of the pairings. It's all speculation on the TV schedule and features games. I'd be surprised that one of the features would be Butler (RPI 112) out of the Horizon and Can't State (RPI 123). There are better teams and potential matchups out there.

Just a follow up after actually seeing these in person.They were pretty nice - I like the gold color a lot and wouldn't consider them "retro" at all. The script "A" on the pants was different. Best of all -- no yellow anywhere. I cannot wait until that awful yellow is eliminated from the university completely.I'd say 100000000000000000000000 times better then last years attempt at retros...

Bracket Buster Pairing based on RPI by Home/Road teamsInteresting site that has been looking at potential Bracket Buster matchups based on current RPI's and scheduled home/away teams. I do not believe that the matchups are set strictly off of RPIs as this site indicates but it does give you an idea of potential Akron Matchups. Tough game on the road.The site was updated early this week so some things may have changed. Creighton, Wichita State, Southern Illinois ??? If Zips win on Sunday, they chould get the top game for the MAC and be one of the highlighted games on ESPN. Must beat BG first.......

No - Wood's injury did occur in the Ohio game in early January. I'm not sure if an Ohio player had anything to do with it - It happened on a rebound. It was an unfortunate and costly bad landing.

Expect the Zips to bounce back on Thursday against Miami. Zips just didn't have their game tonight but kept it close with a lot of hard effort. Too bad, we almost stole it at the end if Dru's runners would have went in as they usually do. How many missed easy layups, fumbled good passes for layups, missed wide open three's ? Just wasn't our game. I'm not at all impressed with the kittens, they are very average and will be beaten more then a few times before the year is over. I was expecting quite a bit more from them after last year. Oddly enough, it seems that Can't is the team to worry about. The kittens and their undisciplined play and poor free throw shooting will be their downfall in the end.

They look like St-Vs unis back in LBJ's days or maybe it's just the two guys wearing them.Simple. Better then last year's retros which still can't get a bid on ebay.

On this, we agree. Can't has benefited from a very favorable schedule. It continues this week with 2 consecutive home games versus lower MAC East clubs. I'd expect them to easily hang around the top thru this week. Next week, a different story.

Should be a great one. Lucky for all of us in Akron unable make it down to Athens that it is on ONN. If the Zips can avoid a bad start and getting in the hole, look out.

Poll LinkIt's only 3 but you have to start somewhere. Big game down in Athens to lay claim to MAC frontrunner and additional poll votes.

The Credit Union game always has pretty good attendence. If the weather holds out, is 4500 possible ? I'd guess 3500-4000 and it will look like a lot more.Nice article in the paper about Linhart today.