Blue & Gold

Have we ever had 2 verbals in April before?! I honestly don't ever remember us getting a single verbal this early, let alone two!

<br /><br /><br />Zeke hit a three in the LBJ AAU game I was able to catch last year. And he looked completely comfortable in doing so! Nice, easy, smooth stroke - like it ain't no thing! The MAC trembles at the mention of Zeke's name!

There was a rather nice article about Howard in either the Beacon or the Repository, and in it he said that he knew he had to get his act together and focus on his work and stay out of trouble. He wasn't dismissive about his past at all. So I took that as a very good sign that he is intelligent and mature enough to understand what he's got to do to get ahead in life.

Personally, I think we should be looking for another big man. But I'm thrilled with the caliber of recruits we're involved with anymore! ****Zeke, *****Payne, ***Weatherspoon, ***Wright. These are all very high caliber recruits.We've got a handful of All-Ohio and All-Pennsylvania players on the team now, but none of them were as widely coveted as the fellas we're now involved with. It's just great to see Akron mentioned right along with some traditional, powerhouse programs.

This seems like a fantastic schedule; we're playing a lot of powerhouse programs! Should be a lot of fun. I, however, wouldn't be surprised if we lose a handful of these games this year so I don't think we'll be ranked as highly as we were last year. But this tough of a schedule should really get us ready for the post-season tournament.

Do you mean he DE-committed from OSU?

If inside LB is his position, he should do very well at the D-III level. A 5' 10" ILB at the D-I level is not good for the Zips.Thanks for the info, Hilltopper!!But I have to agree with GP1's assessment. A 5'10" inside linebacker can't play at Akron. An inside backer @ Akron's level should be in the 6'2"-ish, 230-ish range. I think this again gives us a little glimpse into the area's general assumptions about The University of Akron's program. It's just not taken seriously... yet. For someone to think a 5'10" kid can play inside linebacker @ Akron, or at the D-1 level in general, is to neither grasp nor understand the level of ball you see played @ Akron. Hopefully this crappy and uninformed perception of our program changes drastically over the next decade. I saw this uninformed assumption a handful of times in Stark County while I was @ Malone College. A kid is a really good high school player (read, D-111 college material) and people think he's too good to play at Akron. It used to really tick me off. It still does!Now Howard being a 5'10" 210 RB is alright.

I'm hoping we have a high school game there every Friday night. Hoban - STVM have been playing at the Rubberbowl for years, as well as other City Series schools. I'm so excited about The Info that I'll probably go watch these high school games just so I can sit in, walk around, and gawk at our beautiful new stadium.

Rasor's blog

Wow! This guy looks fantastic! (Of course, I was watching his highlight video.) He's got some wheels and the hands of a wide receiver - he can really stretch out, or go high, and bring the ball in. By his sophomore season he should be, what, somewhere around 6-5, 250? Very nice get!

That's right. I don't EVER remember the Zips getting a verbal this early in the game. This program is definitely taking big steps in the right direction.

Nice work!I've still gotta say that none of the new marks blow me away and it's been what, 4 years since they were unveiled? The A w/ the kangaroo head is okay. It's growing on me. But I'm still rather lukewarm about all of them. A w/ kangaroo head; the full hopping kangaroo; the Z. (Actually the Z is cool! But someone on here mentioned it reminded them of Zorro and since I heard that I can't get that out of my mind.)The marks look more like typical NBA style markings - modern and flushy. That's fine. I'm sure that's what they were going for. And it does seem to fit with our school's blossoming image - new kid on the block, leader in science & technology & engineering.But I'm just a bit more of an old-school guy. I really like classic & classy-looking marks. More along the lines of typical baseball or NFL marks.(The Lakers and Cavaliers are exceptions to my little NBA rule-of-thumb. They both employ a classis style font which I really love.)And, speaking of Akron and baseball marks, the Aeros are an unfortunate exception when it comes to more traditional baseball markings. The Aeros font & marks also look modern & flushy, not classic old school style. I don't like the Aeros markings much either.Lol. Oh, well. Life could be a whole lot worse, huh?!

Hmm. Well we can be credited with really propogating the whole concept. I think we, above any other school, are honestly identified with "Fear The..." and, vice-versa, the "Fear" slogan is firmly associated with the Zips. As when our band would perform a "script Zips," the overwhelming perception (even if innacurate) would be that we are shamelessly ripping off Ohio State, when other schools use "Fear The Whatever" I honestly believe the overwhelming perception (even if innacurate) would most definitely be that they're shamelessly ripping off The UofA. I know I would have been very embarrassed & rolled my eyes if I were a Miami or Ohio fan & saw Fear The Red Hawks or Fear The Bobcats t-shirts @ The Q!Another illustration: LeBron is firmly identified with throwing the powder into the air before each tip-off. But I know Kevin Garnett did this a few years ago. However, LeBron has so made this his own schtik, that now, if anyone else does it, the overwhelming perception is that they're imitating LeBron.I guess imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Our program is reaching a level where the other MAC schools are trying to imitate us. [edit] - Sorry if anyone was having trouble trying to decipher my earlier message. When I post from my BlackBerry it often ends up looking like gibberish.

I will forever call 1-AA schools 1-AA. The NCAA can put whatever lame marketing lipstick they want on that pig, but it is still 1-AA.I agree. In a perfect world 1-AA would simply be refered to as D-2. D-2 as D-3, and D-3 (Mount Union) as D-4. But that just makes way too much sense.

I would go to an occassional Zips game when I was in high school. Heck, when we'd play backyard football we'd count, "One Akron U... Two Akron U... 3 Akron U," and then rush the backyard QB. But I, like 99.99% of Akron-area kids, was raised by my dad & grandpa to love the Columbus Buckeyes. It wasn't until I went to college (just down the street @ Malone) and met guys from other parts of the state that I actually started to become proud of where I came from. From Akron! So I must confess that when I was a high school athlete (not that I was talented enough to play D-1) it was my dream to play for OSU, not for the Zips. I just hope that we can raise the next generation of Akron area kids properly and make a rising generation of Zip fans!!!The Info is a HUGE step in the right direction. However, it will ultimately take winning & sustained success to win back a generation from Columbus.

I sure don't wish him luck anymore. From his point of view I'm sure he has a laundry list of reasons for moving to Columbus. But from our point of view his move is well defined as treason and he is now, as painful as it is to say, nothing less than an enemy of our basketball program. There is no grey area here; JB's interests are now diametrically opposed to the furtherance of the UA basketball program.And Columbus of all places?! OUCH!! The only stab in the heart that would have been even more painful would have been for him to move to Can't.If he had moved out of the region it would have been much, much easier to accept this loss and I could have sincerely wished him well. But a move 2 hours away to Columbus?! Where he will be recruiting the same players he was recruiting for Akron?! Dirty, dirty move. Because I'm a fan and supporter of The University of Akron basketball program I've now gotta say that I hope JB fails miserably and, of course & as always, Columbus State right along with him.Ouch. This must be what a messy divorce feels like.

Well, it's 7:35 and I'm having trouble getting the video stream. Can someone out there give us occassional updates and then a little game recap? Go Zeke!!! Have fun, big fella!

I've had two dreams this week about the opening of the stadium! Man, I've really gotta get a life.

<br />1-AA teams are the scrimmages. All the NCAA did by going to 12 games is add a week so BCS teams can scrimmage small schools. We should be doing the same thing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Exactly. That's what I was trying to say.

Here is a link to the ABJ Varsity Letters blog.Varsity LettersOhio high schools are now allowed 3 preseason football scrimmages.Why are high school kids allowed 3 scrimmages but college men aren't allowed a single one? No wonder that first game is often a bit sloppy.As an aside, that's one of the reasons I think it's a wise idea to open the season with a D-1AA.

Yeah, the dorms are coming along quickly! They look like they're gonna be great! Nice architecture & what, 5 stories high? Red brick w/ glass & steel. They're going to add A LOT to the whole stadium complex. I imagine there is going to be a pretty cool scene between the dorms and the stadium on game days.

Good to see even more smoke. Hopefully we'll see a fire soon!

<br /><br /><br />Marry me, Zeke's Mom!!! You are too good to be true!!!

You guys are right. From the pictures in the Premium Seating brochure it definitely looks like the entire field will be lined with red brick! Sweet!Another question, what is this model you guys are referring to? In the architectural renderings the scoreboard is indeed a brick structure. But you guys have mentioned the scoreboard being a metal structure according to some model you've seen? Where did you see this?

I hope you get the internship you're looking for. Your work is excellent AND you bleed blue & gold!!! With your skill & passion you could benefit the marketing department greatly! It would truly be a mutually beneficial relationship. Keep us updated!