Blue & Gold

ABJ article As Zip Watcher said, Bradley's a fine gig. But I still think this is embarrassing for the MAC.

Duh. Who would have ever guessed that's the way to win basketball games and championships? Well, yes. Very true. But I think GP1's central point was that in the MAC, you just have to be steady-as-she-goes and wait for the other team to beat themselves.

+1. Wouldn't it have been great to see a Butler -vs- VCU final?!?! Oh, well. I guess I can look at it in this way at least one mid-major is assured of playing for the championship.

I saw the post game interview this morning. Coach Stevens is just being nice. He was by far the better coach yesterday. Saying Donovan out coached comes out a lot better than saying, "I bitch slapped Donovan." Right. I think the 'Meister knows that. The only way Brad Stevens makes those comments is if he's an incredibly self-confident guy. He was giving a lot of praise to his team & assistants. He was also being nice to Donovan. Stevens' is truly a class act. The fist interview on the espn sight w/ Phelps, Bilas, Davis & Reese really breaks down just how badly Florida (Donovan) was out-coached by Butler (Stevens) throughout the game - especially after a couple of timeouts & in overtime. I also like how both Stevens & the espn analysts notice the improvement Butler has made as a team throughout the course of this season. We witnessed a transformation of our Zips' team this year. I think we're going to have to be equally as patient next season as well, with all the new blood coming in.

Wow. What a classy and humble guy. His comments show actually show tremendous self-confidence. I also watched the first video clip where Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis, Reese Davis & Jay Bilas (I think I'm getting those names right) broke the game down during the post-game and they must have mentioned Brad Stevens' name 10 times but didn't even mention Billy Donovan's name a single time.

This was my first thought as well. Geno to Bradley? Really? He knows the Zips are going to dominate over the next two years.

I don't think the Zips are seriously looking @ any players left in the playoffs. St.V/M has an excellent PG, DaVonte Beard, but we never offered him.

Only Youngstown is like Detroit. Maybe East Cleveland too... but anyway, back on topic, does anyone think it would be beneficial to change the upper side bleachers (or just a section or two) to chairbacks and make them reserved like the other side? It would seem to be less expensive to do, might cut down on capacity but if more people attend and you can charge more for those seats, maybe it pays back quickly. I wish they'd go chairbacks for the entire JAR. If it decreases capacity a bit, so be it. Do anything to make the JAR a more desireable destination. Right now only Zip diehards attend games. The JAR honestly discourages average fans from attending games. It's an embarrassing dump. Don't spend too much though; lipstick on a pig. What we eventually need is a new facility.

When I lived in the midwest, job traveling 100 nights per year. Grand Rapids was one of my favorite places to go. It is a great town. Seeing this post reminded me of one of my favorite places to eat. Bistro Bella Vita. It is right by the arena. If you are ever in Grand Rapids, this is one of the great restaurants in the midwest nobody has heard of. Great place! Thanks for the trip down memory lane Blue & Gold!!!! Grand Rapids is actually a fantastic city that most people know almost nothing of. Extremely underrated! I've eaten/chilled-out at The B.O.B. which is also directly across from the arena. I've never eaten at Bistro Bella Vita. I'll be sure to try it this year. I vacation in western Michigan almost every year. I stay in the Muskegon area & always frequent Grand Haven - my favorite little lakeside town. I often try to take one afternoon/evening to spend in Grand Rapids.

That'd be great! KD's already described Justice as a taller version of Nick Dials.

If I remember correctly, this issue was a sticking point between the city and the university. The city wants to build a 10,000 - 12,000-seat arena whereas the university wants an 8,000-seat arena. Also, the city wants a multi-purpose arena (NBA-style also suitable for hockey, indoor soccer & arena football) whereas the university wants a basketball-specific arena (basketball, volleyball). I'm with the UA on this one. Those NBA-style arenas are, ironically, pretty awful for watching basketball. An 8,000-seat basketball specific arena, where every seat in the house would be a good one, is, IMHO, much preferable. i beg to differ. if we can get hockey in akron, and a new arena, i would be ecstatic. plus, the Q has both, and is a nice setup. Consol Energy Center (new Penguins arena) conforms to basketball, as Pitt/Duquesne have a few games there, and also have NCAA tourney games next year. and imo, Consol and the Q are great venues for either sport. granted these both seat 18,000-20,000, so i can't comment on how a 10,000 seat duel-purpose barn would look like. Here are some images of Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It's a beautiful multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 10,834 for hockey and 13,184 for concerts. I couldn't find a listed capacity for basketball/volleyball. While on vacation a few years ago I snuck in & checked the place out. Beautiful facility.

Brett McNight clone? Could you clarify to whom you're referring? And any word on Treadwell's game? Is he more of a power forward or a small forward?

If I remember correctly, this issue was a sticking point between the city and the university. The city wants to build a 10,000 - 12,000-seat arena whereas the university wants an 8,000-seat arena. Also, the city wants a multi-purpose arena (NBA-style also suitable for hockey, indoor soccer & arena football) whereas the university wants a basketball-specific arena (basketball, volleyball). I'm with the UA on this one. Those NBA-style arenas are, ironically, pretty awful for watching basketball. An 8,000-seat basketball specific arena, where every seat in the house would be a good one, is, IMHO, much preferable.

Hey now, we weren't that bad!

Sounds like a more athletic Cameron Black.

I agree. It will be interesting to see where he transfers, that will speak volumes. I wish him luck and hope he had a good time at Akron. I thought there was a photo in the pd or bj of him riding around laughing on somebody's back after we won the mac championship. I can't find it though. Exaclty. I really hope he had a lot of fun while here at Akron, made some good, lasting friendships, still (like Swiech) considers himself a Zip, enjoys flashing that bling he gets from being on a MAC Championship team, doesn't have any regrets or hard feelings at all, and finds a program where he can get significant playing time.

Just look at WMU's Stainbrook. Euton can play D-I ball. He can transfer and still have three years to play. Stainbrook? Really? That is your example? A guy who doesn't have the physical endurance to stay on the floor, who Zeke pretty much abused in the semi-finals from a program that we have owned for the last half dozen years or so? Excuse me if I sound a bit elitist here, but this program can and should aspire to a lot more than Matt Stainbrook. I think Zach was illustrating that Euton could find another D-1 program to play for and not necessarily have to move down to D-2. Between us on ZN, and by implication, the entire wired universe, I'm pretty excited about where KD is taking the program if less athletic players see the writing on the wall that they won't be getting any PT. It was just last season (after two decisive beatings from the school to the east) that I was lamenting our lack of athleticism. Talk about a quick 180!

I don't think NCAA D-1 basketball programs are permitted to split schollies.

Like Cap'n said. The Zips have no grey shirts (at least none in basketball). Two thoughts come to my mind. First is does Dakota have the will to do the required work? Second, no matter how much work he does he can not vastly improve his foot speed. D-I ball may be just to fast for Dakota. All the best to him. I thought Harney and Tree were gray shirts? They're non-qualifiers. I don't know how a gray shirt works, but Treadwell & Harney had to simply enroll like any other student, pay for school, attend class & get decent enough grades to make themselves eligible. From everything we've heard it sounds like they've stepped up to the plate and have done it!

Thanks for posting this. I wanted to make today's practice but was unable.

Dambrot said today on the radio that he thinks Nik is leaning toward staying. where is that scholarship coming from then? Are one of our other players leaving? Maybe Egner? 1 - Rico 2 - McClanahan 3 - Diggs 4 - Cvetinovic 5 - Zeke 6 - Walsh 7 - Gilliam 8 - Harney 9 - Treadwell 10 - Egner 11 - Justice 12 - Ibitayo 13 - Green You're right. If Nik plays one more year, that would put us over our 13 scholly limit. Maybe KD's going to require one of the non-qualifiers to pay for school for one more season, much like the Darryl Roberts situation? Hmm, GoZips is MUCH closer to the program than I and recently posted that he had heard Green was really coming along in practice. But still, I think my shot in the dark would be that Green is considering a move like Euton and transferring down a level.

Yes!! Perfect name for an on-campus arena. Or, LeBron James Court at the Nike Center. I wonder if LeBron has that much pull? Unfortunately, I doubt it. But very seriously, as far a a downtown arena goes, according to some not-so-old rumors, a downtown arena very likely may be named "FirstEnergy Arena."

I also listened last night and your post is nearly verbatim! Either you recorded KD's interview or you are a savant.

+1. The JAR is a fine location on campus with the other athletic facilities. 5500 seats is enough. A 10,000 seat arena that's less than half-filled is a bad game environment. A JAR renovation wouldn't require as much money so it should be possible in the near future. The track is no longer needed. Remove the corners/stairwells if possible. Remove the classrooms and put in a nice concourse with bigger restrooms, decent concession stands, trophy cases, team photos, etc. Would be nice to make some aesthetic improvements to the tan brick exterior as well, if possible. The city could take the lead on a larger downtown arena near Canal Park for special events. H.S. & college playoffs, soccer/hockey, shows, etc. The Zips could lease it for showcase games, club hockey/lacrosse, graduations, etc. That's not a bad scenario at all.