Let'sGoZips94

We most likely should have been anticipating our seed and matchup for the NCAA Tournament today. Instead, the sports world shut down and the world in general is shutting down. I caught myself realizing this team didn't get the proper recognition from the fans at the end of the season. Not because the fans didn't show up, but because a special season like this is usually capped off with a community celebration at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on a Saturday night in March, maybe followed by a NCAA Tourney watch party at the JAR for our seed/matchup. I wanted to let Coach Groce know how much Zips Nation (not this site but the fans) appreciated this group of guys and the season. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Groce, I am not an Akron alum. I was born in 1994, and I'm pretty sure I learned the Akron Blue & Gold fight song before I learned to even breathe. My dad and grandma are both Akron alumni, and I bleed Blue & Gold because of them. Two quick stories before I continue. My parents tell this story where after an Akron basketball game in the mid-late 90s, I fell asleep in the back seat instantly. My dad would whistle the fight song, though, and apparently I woke up just in time to say, "Go Zips," at the end before passing back out. One year, my mom asked me who I wanted to be for Halloween, fully expecting me to say Batman or a firefighter like every other kid in the world. I said I wanted to be Bruce Weinkein, a former Akron 7' Center from the 90s. She made me a custom #00 Weinkein jersey that I would wear to every game, and it eventually got me on the news and got Bruce's attention. One Christmas, he had us meet him after the game and gave me a game-worn Weinkein jersey (I still have it), while also inviting me into the locker room for the next couple of years on Senior Night to get the autographs of the seniors on a basketball (I still have that as well). My roots are Akron, which is why I had mixed feelings when Akron hired you - not because you aren't a great coach, but because we had to get the bad taste out of our mouths from all the butt-whoopings you gave us and the success you had at our rival Ohio U. I remember the first game of your tenure against Cleveland State. We had some raw skill, but I was already impressed with the style of play you preach and practice. It's very fun basketball, and not just because of the faster pace with fluid motion on offense. It's fun basketball because it's fundamentally sound. Thank you for bringing that back to Akron. I love the emphasis on defense, effort, rebounding, and FREE THROWS. The Kent game to end the year was the PERFECT example, with that game being won because of our clutch free throw shooting and effort on BOTH ends of the floor. The 2019-2020 Zips Men's Basketball team was an easy group of guys to get behind. They put the effort in during the off-season to take the program back to a level we're accustomed to at Akron. LCJ was incredibly special, and everyone around him was fun to watch. Most importantly, though, the character on this team was incredible. These are good people, first and foremost, and I want to thank you for recruiting them to Akron. On top of that, thank YOU for being a good man as well. I have heard nothing but great things about you and am proud to say you're the Head Coach of the Akron Zips Men's Basketball program. Thank you for choosing to come to Akron. Team 119 will always be remembered not because of how the season ended, but because of how much joy it gave us as fans. This team won a lot of people over, and we all appreciate the effort from the program to deliver that joy. Who knows what the future has in store, when basketball/sports will resume, etc. I'm excited for the future of the program with you at the helm, and thank you & the team again for such a special season. Go Zips.

I'm not crying, you're crying...

Thanks @1981 grad. I don't know if I expected as great of a season as we had (certainly did not predict LCJ's play), but I was excited for the year. As you said, it just ended too soon, and not in the usually fashion...

Unlike the toilet paper aisle, it's a ghost town. I was just thinking this time last week we were a day removed from beating PCCC, and we were prepping to root for CMU. Now, the sports world is shut down, and I'm not sure what to do with my life...

It's gotta be a slap in the face to the players for the NCAA to be talking about still playing the tourney next week just a day after cancelling everything.

Suckeyes coach Chris Holtmann was on 92.3 The Fan this afternoon with Bull & Fox. The hope is potentially revisiting re-opening the NCAA Tournament later this year. Matt Norlander is saying there are talks of still revealing a 68-team bracket. He also mentioned a 16-team tournament starting next Thursday. This would be incredibly stupid and contradictory in my opinion.

Possibly some good news and confirmation? From LCJ's Instagram (accompanied by a pic of him cutting down the nets)... little_loren3 After hearing the news yesterday I was devastated. My brothers and I worked so hard to get to where we are at and our goals still being able to be accomplished. I’m hurting for my brothers @chanlo_loc @ty4cheese @xwilliams20 @dengriak @quelleee_ you guys are true definitions of warriors and I’m grateful to have played alongside you guys. The Akron fans that have watched us grow throughout the season and supported us thank you. We will be back to carry on the legacy that those 5 seniors have paved for us and accomplish the goals we set out that were cut short. I love y’all boys you guys have done more for me then you even know. Forever my Family. #1Akron #TTP

I'm going to direct you to Mr. Steinbrecher, as he makes more than me and may know more.

According to Lunardi, we would have been 8 pt. underdogs to Maryland.

Steinbrecher is on 92.3 The Fan with Baskin & Phelps right now. He said that conversations are being teed up about granting an extra year of eligibility. He said spring sport athletes will be an easier argument for that, while winter sport athletes will be a more difficult discussion due to them playing a full season and only missing the postseason. All MAC recruiting activities have been suspended (he's hoping the NCAA puts a blanket ban on recruiting activities). Formal practices of any kind are not allowed, while voluntary activities are. Also mentioned that alterations would have had to been made to MAC Tourney if it would have been played. They were allowing 120 people per institution, but Dewine banned gatherings of 100+.

Ohio cancelled its state playoffs. Good luck to Luke Brown and Blackford!

Considering China started the cover up in December, there's a good chance it has been here since then.

Finishing off the season with a win over PCCC. The celebration of the team at the end showed how special this group is/was. This team deserved a shot to make noise in the postseason.

You're telling me we could have this roster back next year, plus all the transfers/redshirts? Count me in!

Advantage X. ?

Seems like just yesterday we were allowed to be elbow-to-elbow in a gym watching basketball...

Amazing. What a time to be alive... Meanwhile it's safe to send kids to school tomorrow, but not on Monday. Tomorrow is Friday the 13th by the way.

There's still hope!

RIP March Madness 2020. Unbelievable.

The only thing immune to COVID-19.

WE'RE GOING DANCING!

Why? Gobert went around touching the mics and messing around with teammates' stuff. There was direct contact there between Mitchell and Gobert. The NCAA has time to move these games out of the NBA arenas and into smaller arenas if it's that big of a concern.

Revisiting this after the NCAA decision to have a fan-less March Madness (or even cancelling potentially) - you're looking like a genius.

Don't shoot the messenger. ?

Apparently MAC officials are meeting this morning to discuss the tournament because the Jazz played there recently.