Blue & Gold

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.

I like both Nik and Dakota. We need a TRUE big man to backup Zeke. Someone that is bigger than 6'8" to complete at a higher level. Hopefully we can get a JUCO that is 6'10" or 6'11" as a legit backup at center if either one of them leaves or transfers. That would work out. If neither Nik nor Dakota are with the team next season, we'd have an additional scholly to offer. 1 - Rico 2 - McClanahan 3 - Q 4 - Egner 5 - Zeke 6 - Walsh 7 - Gilliam 8 - Treadwell 9 - Harney 10 - Green 11 - Ibitayo 12 - Justice 13 - ??? (JUCO big?)

This makes Nik's playing one more season even more imperative for next year's success.

I just received this email from gozips.com: AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron football team begins its spring practice schedule on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. Wednesday's workout will be open to the public and is scheduled to run until 5:30 p.m. Fans interesting in attending practice should enter the stadium through Gate 2 (located at the corner of S. Union and Vine streets). In the event of inclement weather, practice will be moved indoors to Stile Athletics Field House. Fans can access that venue via the entrance on S. Union Street (across from the Lee R. Jackson Softball Field). Second-year head coach Rob Ianello and his program will take to the field on Wednesday for what will serve as the first of 14 practices leading up to the annual Spring Game on Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. at InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field. The Spring Game is free of charge.

Well, at least there's some smoke on the subject. I went to the Garfield-Buchtel game @ Garfield this year. I thought Garfield's gym was nicer than the JAR. At least everyone had a chairback seat, which I think is an important distinction between an arena and a gym. Not that I would call Garfield's gym an arena. But I don't really consider the JAR an arena either. It's just a big gym.

Nice.

Great post! Thank you. So Gilliam has a good outside shot? And Harney has a decent outside shot?

Could someone who has been keeping on top of this story give us a summary of what's going on? As much as I hate Columbus State, from my understanding, what Tressel did still doesn't seem like something he should lose his job over. Here's my understanding: Some players were trading memorabilia for tatoos. Tressel was told about this before the season began. He chose to ignore it and play the players (even though they should have been ineligible for the entire season.) Not admirable, for sure. But is there anything more going on?

That's good. Swiech doesn't seem to have any hard feelings at all. He, in fact, was in attendance at the JAR for the Akron-EMU first round MAC Tourney game.

I'm hoping that the "forcing" people out talk is hyperbole. I'd hope KD would rather just have a frank discussion w/ the player and let them know that if they choose to stick around they won't be getting any playing time. That's just being up front & honest with a player who could work hard and never see the floor. If I was in that situation I'd rather be told straight up & have the chance to transfer down & be a Big-Man-On-Campus somewhere.