Blue & Gold

Greetings, JoeMac! Thanks for chiming in. Good to have you a part of ZipsNation! Could you give us a description of Michael Green's game? His strengths, what he likes to do offensively, his weaknesses, perhaps the kind of competition he may have struggled with/against this year? Whatever you've got for a breakdown & what we should look for. Thanks in advance!

That design is amazing!!! I'm still hoping the UA does something more with the Quaker Square Inn. At least they're keeping what, half of it open as a hotel? They really need to get their culinary arts program working in there to open up the old Tavern on the Square (formerly a very nice restaurant) as well as one of the old banquet dining rooms. Quaker Square is just too unique/cool to be used exclusively for a dormitory. Now the Mayflower on the other hand... It'd be better vacant than it is now.

....Just please don't go back to those HORRIBLE yellow and navy uniforms (a la Geen Bay) from teh late 90's early '00's. I love the fact that they keep their uniforms fresh and new...so I don't mind seeing new white, blue, and even gold uniforms. I'd love to see an alternate White or blue helmet....just none of that hideous Green Bay Look-alikes....that was attrocious. Holy crap, tell me about it. Those are the uniforms I was referring to in my above post. They were the worst uniforms in all of D-1 college ball. I'm with you - I like the new uniforms. If we get travelling whites to match the home blues it'd be sweet. Just flip-flop the white & blue & walla - you've got a sweet away look. I want the gold helmet to be our staple look - but alternate white or blue would be cool too - ala, Oregon. But awfully pricey.

I think GoZips makes a very legitimate and pertinent point. And I'm absolutely NOT a KD hater. I love KD. I think KD's done a terrific job building the program. When I was in college I had an internship w/ Prudential Securities and did a fair share of work for KD. And talked some basketball. He told me the whole Central Michigan story, and was misty-eyed while he told it. I'm a BIG KD fan. But he's really got to stop keeping his players on such short leashes. It's a killer for an athlete's psyche, and, as any athlete knows, having self confidence is a HUGE part of success. I've said before that I couldn't play for KD. He'd have my confidence completely shattered. I always responded best to a teaching/encouraging coach. I wanted to do well and win just as much as any coach did. I didn't need a coach screaming at me if/when I screwed up. I just needed a coach to teach me & pat me on the back and tell me to hang in there. Idk. I just do know that if I played for a coach that yanked me after every mistake, I'd be second guessing myself left & right. Jimmy C. is a very interesting case. Jimmy didn't somehow learn how to play ball just this past season. It all likely has to do with his confidence level. And watching how KD manages the players, it's pretty plain to see how it could be painfully difficult to develop an on-court comfort level.

Thanks, Doc! I can rest easy now. Lol

Does anyone know why the NCAA decided on that distance instead of the European distance for the 3-shot? Was there a specific reason behind that particular distance, or was it just arbitrary? When I first heard rumors about moving the 3-line back, I just thought a move to the international distance would be natural.

I thought last year's uniforms were sweet. But I don't care what they do, as long as they keep the gold helmets. And the gold must be GOLD! Not yellow! Lol.

Greenwood's a decent-sized corner. That'll be refreshing to see. Also, props to the ABJ and Tom Gaffney for the great Zips coverage. No sooner had the basketball season ended that they're beginning coverage of spring practice. And running a story on the opening day of spring drills to boot! That's quality coverage! Thanks Tom! Keep us informed!

As someone mentioned before in another thread, I'm surprised about Aaron Williams leaving. He really seemed like a team leader. I guess he just really liked JD?

Aww, man, those were the good ol' days! When I was in college I ate pizza & ice cream about 5 days a week and was still ripped up! Man, those days are looooooong gone! Lol

Hmm. Green didn't get a mention on any of the All-State Teams. Not even on the quite exhaustive "Honorable Mention" list. That's a little worrisome. Usually the best players in the state will at least get a shout-out on the Honorable Mention list.

The All-Ohio D-1&2 Teams were announced yesterday. These honors are, naturally, for high school accomplishment and not for trying to predict future college potential, but, personally, I look forward to the release of this particular honor every year. Trice was named 3rd-Team D-1 All-Ohio. He's listed as a 6-0 Jr. w/ 21.9 ppg. In comparison, Crider was named Honorable Mention D-1 All-Ohio. Stevie Taylor - Honorable Mention D-1 All-Ohio. Josh Egner - Special Mention D-1 All-Ohio (a higher honor than "Honorable Mention") I'm really hoping that the Zips' additional player for this recruiting class - that was enigmatically mentioned by GoZips a few weeks ago - is Charles Hearn of Kenmore. Charles was named 1st-Team D-2 All-Ohio and is listed as a 6-2 Sr. w/ 25 ppg. I've seen him play and he really can do it all. We should have our heads examined if we're not at least trying to get this hometown product to walk-on. Charles is a natural scorer - much like CJ McCollum of GlenOak was last year. We need a few more natural-born-scorers on our roster. Especially a 6-2, slashing, jump out of the gym & shoot the 3-ball guard.

My two cents: If Basset chooses to I wish him the best and hope he is able to make a nice living playing the game he loves and is able to support his family. Good man. But, I'm hoping he decides to stick around one more year. I pay for my Zips tickets and I want to see the best competition possible in the JAR. I don't get as much of a thrill watching the Zips beat down lousy competition. I much prefer seeing games against the Rhode Islands, VCU's & strong MAC teams - which there have been fewer and fewer of in recent years. I hope Groce keeps OU at a high level. Whether or not Basset leaves, OU will still be a marquee game @ the JAR next year. I just wish more MAC schools were much stronger. It would make our home schedule much more exciting. Anyway, good luck Armon.

Last night Stevie scored 17 points as his undefeated and 2nd-ranked Gahanna-Lincoln squad crushed previously #1-ranked Northland. Stevie's Gahanna-Lincoln team takes on Josh Egner's Jackson Polar Bears in a state semi-final contest Friday evening @ 8:30 @ Ohio State's Value City Arena. Awesome job, guys, and congratulations! Enjoy and savor the experience! Maybe the two of you will be teammates in the near future!

Good grief, talk about carrying your team, only 4 players scored for Jackson last night! Egner led the way with 24. Henniger added 17. The next was a player nemed DuPont with 7. And the only other player to put the rock in the hole was a player named Shull with 4 points. Way to go Josh!

Jeez. Way to go Gahana-Lincoln & PG Stevie Taylor! Sign him up, Coach! (Edit) btw, I looked it up & Stevie had 17 points against Northland. Should be an interesting game. I may just make the drive to Columbus to watch Egner & Stevie.

Most excellent! 24 against Toledo St. John's? I love what that says about the potential for his game to translate to the next level! With Humpty, Zeke & Egner running the floor next year, I really hope we look to push the ball AMAP, get out on the fast break and get easy scores in transition before pulling it back out (if necessary) and running our half-court set.

Hmm...

I'm down with Megan Fox. Even though she was supposed to be shooting Transformers 3 on April 17 at 12:00, she said she'd fly out to Akron to spend the afternoon @ the game with me.

<br />+1<br /><br /><br /><br /> Ummmm... yeah. Actually, that's precisely what my post was getting at. Lol

Thank you. I'm saying this tongue in cheek, so nobody freak out, but I'd rather lose an exciting, fun, fast, high-tempo, up & down score-fest-of-a-game than win a game like Miami does. B-ball like that is not worth my $10 ticket. I'd rather watch a movie or read a book or go for a jog or take a nap or watch the Cavs or get a bit to eat or............

Thanks for those links. Those are examples of excuses; not good reasons. I don't know how many times I heard the "analysts" say last night that GTown played poorly. Rarely did they admit that OU is simply a very good team and flatly just took it to the Hoyas. Nobody wants to upset the BCS cart and call a spade a spade. They just want to believe that GTown played poorly, not that OU played excellently. GTown didn't know what to do with OU last night. OU was scoring inside and out. The Hoyas didn't know which way to turn. No excuses about poor defense, thank you very much. The Emporer has no clothes and OU kicked GTown's ass. ESPN doesn't want to admit as much.

Good post. I had been meaning to mention this. We couldn't have offered McCallum (sp?) a scholly because we only had one to give - and that was going to Zeke. But none-the-less, after watching CJ, I can't believe larger schools weren't after him. He is very skinny. That's the only reasoning I can see behind him not being offered by bigger schools. What'd he have last night? 19? Man, that's pretty sweet vs. Kansas! I wish he was a Zip!

I said in another thread I'd still be getting season tickets, but, honestly, if our idea is to become the new Miami of the MAC, I'll will probably save my money & just hit the few games @ the JAR where the visiting team plays exciting, up-tempo, basketball. I love the Miami rivalry because I am one of the very few Akron diehards that love to watch the Zips play. I'd pay to watch the Zips scrimmage @ a playground. But I AM IN THE VAST MINORITY OF AKRON-AREA RESIDENTS!!!!! I quit bringing friends to the Miami game a few years ago BECAUSE IT IS NOT FUN TO WATCH! IT IS NOT ENTERTAINING! IT IS BORING! MY FRIENDS HATED IT!!! IT WAS EMBARRASSING TO ME!!! KD's gotta clarify himself. Like I said elsewhere, I'm no fan of defenseless Pheonix Suns-style ball. But Defense-defense-defense, Miami Redhawks-style ball?!?!?! For the love of all that is decent and holy, please, NO!!! I hope that what he really means is he's trying to build a tough, Big East style of ballclub. That's cool. That's what I'm going to tell myself so that I don't throw my laptop against the wall. But BOOOOOOORING, BOOOOOORING, BOOOOOORING Miami-style basketball?!?!?! No thanks, coach! I want to see the JAR fill up. Not become the next Millet Hall. For crying out loud.

Correct. It doesn't sound like the lesson has been learned. The quote should have been, "We should have played in the NCAAs if we hit a big shot," or "We should have played in the NCAAs if we had players to go toe to toe with OU's guards." Defense isn't the foundational issue. Put me in coach - I'll bust my balls! I'll leave it all on the court!!! I'll give you blood, sweat and tears!!! But you know what? The better teams will still score on me because I'm not a good enough athlete. The foundational issue is that we need a higher caliber of baller!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not more yelling and screaming and stomping of the feet to play more defense!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! The proper lesson was not learned!!!!!!! I'm discouraged, demoralized, pissed and, now reading these quotes, becoming without hope in the world!!!!!! I'm glad I'm not near a bridge.