Blue & Gold

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.

Euton, and not Green?

I know a couple of posters on ZN have seen Gilliam & Walsh in action. Can you describe their games? What could we expect from them next year? I'm even more curious about the mysterious Treadwell & Harney. Has anyone on ZN ever seen one of these two even step a foot on a basketball court? If so, please describe their games, respective styles, strengths, etc. What can we expect from these guys next year?

The last month has made me very excited for next season. Most excited I've been since the Ball & Bosley days. I was thinking the same. Well, I was also very excited during the Romeo/Dru days as well, but more so in the sense of where I felt they and KD were taking the program. Should be some easy marketing next fall. I'll give out a freebee. Market Zeke heavy. Horizontal ads should have waste to head shot of Z with both arms spread across page palming basketballs. YES! Vertical ads should have Zeke swatting some poor soul, possibly Hansbrough. Yes! Or Rodriguez Sherman. Huge downtown or campus banner on a building of Zeke with arms crossed taken from ground up angle. Nice! Don't be afraid to market the Canton area. Amen! Start preparing today. We won't.

Wow, how unfortunate that they've got Western Michigan playing Buffalo. That seems very strange.

Absolutely! Between now and then it's going to be fun speculating on a starting 5, a 10-deep roster, player positions (we've got some versatile athletes on next year's squad) player rotations, redshirt options, eligibility & transfer rumors, etc. I could see a starting five of: PG - Rico 2G - McClanahan 3F - Quincy 4F - Nik (keeping my fingers crossed!) 5C - GameChanger With a second five consisting of: PG - Walsh W - Gilliam W - Harney F - Treadwell F - Egner Battling for PT: Euton. *BUT, if Nik takes his talents to Serbia, then Euton will be an extremely important piece to the puzzle, as he'll be our only true big besides GameChanger. [edit] Oh, and it's also going to be fun watching next year's regular season as KD & the staff tinker to find good player combinations & the players also learn to play as a unit. It might be another rocky regular season next year, but the upside to this group of athletes is literally unlike any that I can ever remember the Zips having.

the color guy was ok...the play by play guy...spero dedes should be fired.....he's i think is the play by play guy for the padres & is the #7 NFL on CBS team....and rightfully so.....the color guy, bob wentzel FINALLY said akron beat Can't after of course akron beat iona repeatedly...how do you not prepare accordingly? The professional effort was embarrassingly poor.

I think that most of us are secretly crossing our fingers and hoping that Green transfers out. From what I've heard he probably isn't going to be much of a contributor at this level. And I think he knows it. He could transfer down a division and be a star. It'd be more fun for him - and open up a scholly for one of the non-qualifiers.

+1. And may I add, "PLEEEEEEEASE!!!!!!!!"

From the ABJ: Charlie Sheen filled out a bracket on the Dan Patrick Show and picked Akron to win it all.