Blue & Gold

Isn't Payne a senior this year? If not, 'Stone would be a stae title contender with Payne added to that team next year. And maybe Bowden can get those football players you mentioned to stay home & represent! Go Zips!

Terrell Buckley is now official. Courtesy of The ABJ.

I know! I posted the link in the hope that most of us here would click the link & give them a hit on their website. If they know people are reading the articles, they'll keep them coming! Disclaimer: this is just an Associated Press article, but, none-the-less, the Rep has it on their website.

Canton Repository article.

Sammy does appear to be in a considerable amount of pain.

Ah, perhaps my favorite Zips football memory outside, of course, of the MAC Championship game -vs- Northrn Illinois. I don't even remember the name of 14th-ranked Virginia Tech's All-American DE that JT completely out-classed. I also remember the crowd erupting when Willie Spencer threw a last-minute TD to bring the Zips to within 10 (IIRC). Even though the Zips still had no chance of actually winning the game, the pride & tangible sense of community in the Rubber Bowl that night was epic. That was a great football game. Has a Zip defense EVER played better? I believe the Va Tech DE was Cornell Brown. B&G, my memory is that we were down by around ten (more than one score) when Spencer hit the TD pass on the very last play of the game. I think we might have even went for two and converted (even though there was no time for any onside kick), making the final deficit 2 points? I seem to remember (with no time left) we scored on a ridiculous series of laterals to apparently win. Except there we a flag on us... I'm senile though. Anyone else remember that? I remember the play you're referring to. I don't remember precisely when, in the game, it occurred, but I'm fairly certain it wasn't the final play of the game. I think this was the blocked extra-point attempt someone referred to earlier. IIRC JT recovered the blocked kick, returned it about 90-yards down the VT sideline & lateralled it to George Cameron for the final 5-10 yards & the score. But it didn't count for some reason that I can't remember.

Ah, perhaps my favorite Zips football memory outside, of course, of the MAC Championship game -vs- Northrn Illinois. I don't even remember the name of 14th-ranked Virginia Tech's All-American DE that JT completely out-classed. I also remember the crowd erupting when Willie Spencer threw a last-minute TD to bring the Zips to within 10 (IIRC). Even though the Zips still had no chance of actually winning the game, the pride & tangible sense of community in the Rubber Bowl that night was epic.

+1.Probably my favorite Zip all time. He was the team stud when I first really started passionately identifying with UA football. I remember being so proud watching JT play (on Christmas Day, IIRC) & wear the Akron helmet in the Army All-American Bowl. Scouts were always concerned with his lack of bulk, but he was clearly the best player on the field that day.

Well this comes from a person who thinks U@B is a "scrub team" I just think they are a Canadian team. Seriously, though, they have arguably the best player in the league in Javon McCrea. McCrea will probably struggle against Zeke's length, much like Justin Greene of K-ent. I'm also very interested in seeing how Tree matches up with McCrea.

Whatever. It's West Virginia, afterall. When we have our full contingent of players, we'd beat them 7-out-of-10 times. Maybe 8. They don't have the athletes to run with us.

Here are three facilities I really covet. They are basketball/multi-purpose not hockey/multi-purpose. The hockey-style arena (or NBA arena) is definitely more flexible in being able to host hockey, indoor soccer, ice capades & motorcross as well as concerts. However, the seats for basketball are pretty far removed from the action. The basketball arena gets you right on top of the action on a basketball court, and can also host concerts. No hockey or motorcross though. So, you know, pick your poison. Pitt's Peterson Events Center Peterson Events Center #2 University of Rhode Island's Ryan Center URI's Ryan Center #2 University of Miami-FL's BankUnited Center Miami's BankUnited Center #2

Interesting that the playing areas in the two configurations go perpendicular to each other in this case. Looks like the ice config is less fan-friendle than the hoops. +1.With this configuration it appears the side seating for hockey is pushed back further than what is typical. Like I've said, anything is better than the JAR. But I'm hoping for a top-shelf basketball arena (which can still hold concerts). Check out Pitt's Peterson Events Center or either Miami Florida's or Rhode Island's basketball arenas.

Is there any archived audio online somewhere?

It can make a difference. A big difference. Personally, I'm open to either option as long as it means leaving the crappy JAR behind. However, KD really wants a basketball arena as opposed to a hockey arena. Even a crowd of 6,000 in a 10,000-seat hockey arena would look awfully small & you'd be able to hear a pin drop in there.

The city, the university, and... who? [edit]: Let me answer my own question. Summit County?

Before getting run off the floor by the Zippers tonight, Marshall had previously only lost to #1 Syracuse by 6, Belmont by 5 (in a little scheduling quirk they've also beaten Belmont this year) and, of course, the Bobkitties by 2. Very encouraging win tonight! Let's go to Millet (sp?) Hall and thoroughly pound some Redhawk @$$!

Very impressive win! So glad to see Chauncey get rolling. I think we're going to need a Chauncey who is playing with confidence and momentum to make it through the meat grinder of the MAC East. Nic with 14 (it's such a relief to have the Serb back), Gilliam with 12, 3 others w/ 10 (neither Diggs nor Harney being one). This team is stacked. Go Zips!

You don't take out a guy with hot hand... KD does. Always has. I've been perplexed by that and posting about it on ZNO for years. No one on ZNO gets it either. At least I've never received a decent explanation for why he does that. If you know Chauncey, do us all a favor and ask him why. I know I'd like to know.

+1 Why are we being so "cheap" with basketball. It's time to correct the mistake that was made in the 1980's and replace the JAR. I don't understand why anyone would be against going in with the city and getting an arena downtown if it could be done. Campus has already expanded into downtown and more student housing continues to be built there. The basketball Zips deserve a real arena, with all chair backs, that holds about 10k. Don't waste any more money on the JAR. The main problem, as I understand it, is that the city wants an ice arena whereas the U wants a basketball arena. Ice arenas are much more multi-purpose, but, I don't care what anyone says on this one, IMO leave much to be desired for viewing basketball. That's the pickle. Personally, I'd be happy with either scenario & can see the advantages/disadvantages of both. What I don't want to see is a renovated JAR as the permanent solution. Unless the architects think entirely outside of the box and blow us away with their creative vision, I think a renovated JAR is an almost complete waste of money. Even if they'd renovate the JAR so extensively that it'd be unrecognizable to even Zip Watcher, I don't like the JAR's location.

Well what do you know? Congrats!

Great hire! He's another rock star coach! We've now got a few coaches on staff (Coach Bowden, Chuck Amato & Terrell Buckley) that the area high school coaches will be thrilled to become acquainted with. They'll be heading home after a day at school, telling their wives, "Hey honey, guess who I got to meet today...!" (Of course thier wives won't have a clue who they're talking about. ) Welcome aboard, Mr. Amato!

I want to offer my apologies! This team is for real NOW! They beat a TOUGH team by 8 points! I'm surprised Kennishaw State isn't ranked yet with those 3 wins!!! Final Four match-up in March baby! Dude, didn't OU blast Akron twice last year? I had almost forgotten about that. We'll find out in a couple of weeks if that carried over to this year. I'm sure every Zips fan thanked our lucky stars when they got knocked out of the MAC tourney before we would have had to play them. For the first time in a long time we'll have no trouble matching up with OU's athleticism. Quite the contrary, actually. What I'm most anxious (in a good way) to see is Alex Abreu's maturation at PG in his matchup with the magnificent Mr. Cooper.

This post deserves it's own thread. I'm afraid it's going to get buried and lost in here. I'd LOVE for someone with ESPN Insider to recap this article for us!

Bad link. Could you post again? Or at least give us more info? (edit): nevermind. The link is fine. And yes, that is the guy. According to what I've read, it sounds as though he might be a tad lazy, and that his problem is keeping his weight down - quite the opposite of big Zeke. But he's got a ton of raw talent (no pun intended). And you can't coach size, you just thank God for it. (And work your tail off to develop it!)

I'm trying to figure out my new iPad here, so bengentlemifnthisnis screwed up. Akron Beacon Journal Three things I found of interest.1) It is essentially the same contract that iCoach received. That makes sense, I guess.2) This contract is actually not quite as sweet with incentives as that of iCoach. However...3) T-Bow's contract is easier to get out of if other universities recruit T-Bow away (the last thing I want to think about right now).4) Ianello was only the 4th or 5th highest paid coach in the MAC. Not that iCoach deserved a dime for what he did to this university's football program, but none-the-less, I'm surprised LP & the Board of Trustees weren't eager to make UA's coach a more lucrative position. I'm guessing the is a verbal understanding that if Coach Bowden takes the Zips to the top of the MAC, he'll quickly have his contract reworked to reflect his real value, e.g., Caleb Porter. But, long-story-short, it appears as though we were able to land Coach Bowden for a middling MAC football HC's salary.