Blue & Gold

Just saw on MidAmConf.com that Toledo is hosting Ohio State in Cleveland Browns stadium in 2009. Isn't BGSU there in 2008? What gives?!?! I believe maintaining the psychological distinction between Akron and Cleveland is most vital to the identity of Akron athletics, but for BGSU and Toledo to host Big 10 schools in our "backyard" like that really seems like a slap in the face!

I had some of the same thoughts. Now that the Big 10 has their own network, shouldn't that open things up a bit for the MAC?!

This sentence makes no sense. Could you please type this up again? And where do you get your info? Is there insider info to be had? Are there any presentations or sneak peaks available to the general public?

Go AKRON Zips!!!!!! Beat COLUMBUS State University!!!!!!

Speaking frankly and strictly basketball, at least this opens up a scholarship for us. We got 6'2" McNees from Pittsburgh coming in to now be the heir-apparent to Dru. IMHO when we signed McNees, Darryl became an expendable basketball player. However, speaking about Darryl as a person, man, very very sad for him indeed. No high school diploma. No FREE college education. It's a shame.Now let's sign another BIG MAN!!!

Have any of you seen UCF's plans for their new football stadium AND basketball arena? If you go to UCF's athletics website, you can see a few sketches of their future football stadium and future UCF Convocation Center. I know someone posted a picture of their football stadium on the board here a few months ago. But they are also planning, as part of this program, a new basketball arena along with student housing and some sort of retail strip.This thought crossed my mind because it is taking soooo bloody long for the U to make any sort of announcement on OUR new stadium: Perhaps the reason it is taking our administration so long to make any sort of announcement is due to the fact that they, like the UCF administration, are also planning a larger-scale, football stadium / basketball arena / retail strip / student housing project? A project more complex and far-reaching than a single stadium. What do you guys think? This would fit naturally with the ongoing development of the Zip Strip / University Park area, and could even possibly "span the tracks," and run development down to the Main/Exchange - to - Polsky Building / Canal Park area of downtown? I know, rumor has it that a few Zip Strip property owners are holding out on us (Odd Corner?!) But on a larger scale, do you think a project larger than what we've been envisioning could be the real reason for the holdup? Just fun to think about!

But unfortunately, Garth is more of a forward than a guard. I don't think he's nearly quick enough to play guard at the D-1 level. And he's certainly not tall enough to play forward. I think he'll end up being a hustling practice squad guy.

I agree. We need to make a firm statement and make JD the highest paid coach in the MAC, bar none - regardless of sport. But as far as the soccer team losing to Rio Grande goes, I hear Caleb porter was just playing everyone to see what he had to work with. I don't think he was overly concerned about winning the game. At least, that's what I heard, and that's what I wanted to hear & believe... so I'm sticking w/ it!!!

Hey Zipsbandman, specifically which presentation are you referring to?

I too, was surprised to read this in the BJ this a.m. To be honest, this Buchtel player - Ronald Garth - is a 6'2" forward. He's not nearly quick enough to play guard at the D-1 level. He'll probably just be a hustling 'practice squad' guy.

First of all, stop emasculating poor Zippy!!! Zippy is a BOY, NOT A GIRL!!! I know, I know,... "Zippy has a pouch and only female kangaroos have pouches." It doesn't matter!!! This isn't real life!!! Zippy was, is and always will be a BOY!!!Secondly, keep up the great work! Zippy is the greatest mascot in all of sports!!! I am biased, but I do mean that literally & without exaggeration. The way you have passed down the tradition of Zippy has been fantastic! Zippy is the "anti-mascot!" A stroke of genius, Zippy has walked in wimpy little baby steps while wringing his hands & looking cute & somewhat nervous for as long as I can remember... and you have kept that cute, anti-mascot brilliance alive and well!!! Zippy's timidity serves to richly accentuate the 'tongue-in-cheek' humor of the mega-hit "Fear the Roo" slogan! Job well done!One gig I love is when Zippy (being a male) dons the Batman costume. I work w/ Jr. & Sr. high kids and whenever I take a group to a game & they see Zippy in the Batman getup, they always get a kick out of it - no pun intended.Also, Zippy's new Fear the Roo shirt is a bit too long. His belly doesn't quite hang out of the bottom of his shirt as it's supposed to. If the Fear the Roo shirt is going to be a permanent change (though I'd be very careful of changing Zippy - you're treading on hallowed ground) perhaps you could cut the shirt off to the length of Zippy's traditional shirt?Thanks for seeking our opinions!Go Zips!

Looks like he's really got a mean streak in him!

Pregame: I think the fight song is great! One of the best in the nation. But IMHO the "Eat'em Up, Eat'em Up, Go Zips, Go" has to go! It's hokey. And so very few people actually chant the trite and cumbersome "Eat'em up..." that it's downright embarassing.Mid-game: how about adding The Raiders of the Lost Ark score?! It's great & who doesn't get pumped up (and laugh at the same time) when they hear The Raiders score?!?! Maybe I'm showing my age?! Just an idea. Also - keep playing The Imperial March for the Defense - it's fantastic!!!

Speaking from ignorance, I was a little more excited about Jeter. He seemed to get more hype from the Pittsburgh papers. Also, he's an inch taller and considered a shooting guard, whereas McNees is a point (we've already got a 1st team all-Ohio D-1 point guard coming-Darryl Roberts from Toledo.) However, by looking @ Rivals, it appears McNees was much more heavily recruited: offered by George Washington & Rhode Island among many others.

GREAT JOB NATION!!! We had a GREAT crowd @ the game. I got there @ 10 and got a 50-yard line seat. By 10:15 my section was filled up!Great seeing Jason Taylor @ the game! We need alumnus support! Especially star alumni. I think I saw Willie Spencer walking the sidelines too!Can't wait for September!!!Life is good!Happy Easter!Go Zips!

Hey everyone. I know I'm just preaching to the choir here in The Nation, but tomorrow is the Blue-Gold Spring Game (at the Field House @ 11 a.m.) AND WE NEED ALL OF THE NATION IN ATTENDANCE!!! The BJ hasn't done a bad job covering spring practice. No, much worse than that... they HAVE DONE ABSOLUTELY NO JOB covering the Zips spring practice - so we've got to send a message to the BJ that the Zips have a following and that it is a good investment for them to cover Zips football!!! They'll probably have a reporter at the game, so we've got to fill the field house w/ Zips fans.We've just got to win, win and win some more to FORCE the BJ to cover us. And we fans can do our part too - SHOW UP TO THE SPRING GAME!!!

Does anyone know the status of Lance Jeter? What's taking him so long to decide between us or Cincy? Is our offer still on the table? If anyone has any inside info on this I think many of us would appreciate it! Thanks!

Is he lazy? How would you guys define "the mold of JD?" Please explain.

Dr. Z: thanks for that Team J.A.M. hyperlink! That was great! There were also links there for Dru, Rome, LeBron & Jeremiah Wood!

P.s. The Beacon's Sunday section covering the area's winter sports athletes of the year was absolutely PATHETIC!!! Especially (naturally) the ONE (1?!?!) page of P.o.t.Y. basketball coverage?!!?! Job poorly done.

Help me out here. After all of the current turmoil @ the BJ, is there any possibility that the BJ could actually cease to exist in a couple years? I couldn't imagine that, but is this at all possible?

I don't profess to have superior knowledge here, but WZIP seems to be an amazing station. As far as professionalism goes, it rivals KDD, which is one of the largest stations in all of Ohio. And if I'm not mistaken, I believe WZIP is the largest, or most profitable college station in the nation. I certainly wouldn't call the student DJs on WZIP castaways. They do an excellent job.

I am quite ignorant about the whole print media field, but if this new ownership group would force the ABJ to focus on Akron U & Akron high school sports - like any local newspaper should - this would be a GREAT thing for Zips athletics!!! I've been green with envy over the last 10 years watching how the Canton Rep covers their local high school athletics (they cover and hype the living daylights out of McKinley football & basketball. Their McKinley high school coverage puts the BJ's Zips coverage to utter shame.) If the Copley group would make the Beacon AKRON'S paper (instead of Cleveland's little sister paper) this would be AMAZING!!!

What is the capacity of BSU's new/renovated stadium?

It's a great idea. We could perhaps even schedule 2 home and 2 away games per year. That would make 4 quality, marketable and competitive non-conference games per season. I just know we need to do whatever we can to bring in some interesting OOC games to the JAR. Hosting Nevada next year is a big step in the right direction. Add a Creighton, Southern Illinois, Witchita State or George Mason to the Nevada game and you've got a very good OOC schedule at the home!