Blue & Gold

Great group! We've got to continue telling our friends about The Nation and get to as many football and basketball games as we possibly can! And bring friends!!!

AMEN!!! It would be absolutely delicious to see that quote in the ABJ!

I don't know. Toledo's new QB - Cochran - is awfully tough. He played at Wadsworth and is the real deal. I was hoping he'd sign with the Zips out of high school, so when he picked Toledo it was a dagger through the heart! Sure, he's probably no Gradowski (?), but he very well might have an outstanding year.Anyway, I actually hope he does! I'm for all of the MAC schools when they play out of conference. I hope Northern Illinois upsets OSU! Any out of conference victories for the MAC is good for the Zips. I just hope we beat Toledo when we have to travel to the Glass Bowl! Ouch. We've got a killer schedule.

I had no idea that DJ Henderson didn't make it. That pretty much does it with most of our highly touted recruits. We've still got Reed and Harvey. But D.J.'s gone, Mark Jackson - the Center from Columbus is gone, Stoudemire - who looked like a beast on video is gone, Boone is gone. In the past we've also lost out on Antwon Hight, and another DL from Buchtel - can't remember his name. Tough.

I had to subscribe to Rivals to read the story on the above link. With Aaron Boone not working out and Alex Allen going down with a knee injury, perhaps we'll need Brinson at RB afterall? He's a little undersized though. More natural fit is probably corner? Though I guess Aaris (?) Reed isn't a big back either.

Great reply GoZips! I clicked the link UADavid supplied and sent a reply. It read, and I quote, "In one sentence, we need to dramatically increase coverageof The University of AKRON football and basketball programs. Thank you."I dream of the day The Akron Beacon Journal will be a paper for Akron!

Yeah. He was one of our big recruits last year! And with Alex Allen apparently going down, who will Kennedy's backup be?

This isn't the real world. Even though Zippy has a pouch, Zippy is definitely still a guy! What would a kangaroo mascot be without the pouch?!?! Zippy is most definitely a boy!!! Stop insulting and emasculating him!

Sweet! But Captain's right - should we be seeing FEAR THE ROO billboards absolutely EVERYWHERE right about now?!?! We shouldn't be able to go down a major street in the Akron-Canton area without being reminded to fear the roo!

Okay gozips19, help me out. Obviously I've got very little short term memory. Who is Peyton?And Brinson would be included in this year's recruiting class? Along with Vincent Hill, Pride & Royal. Right, or wrong?

Excellent Captain! But what makes you believe he will enroll at UA?

Yeah, rocketfootball added a great post. Thanks! It was intelligent and well written. I'm excited about the direction Akron football is headed (it's been a long time coming) and I'm excited about a great rivalry between Akron and Toledo - 2 of Ohio's "6 Big Cities!" And 2 great universities! Whenever any MAC school is playing out of conference, I'm most definitely for the MAC school, so I loved seeing Toledo absolutely pound UTEP in their bowl game last year!!! It was great for the MAC! But watch out rocketfootball... the Zips are on the threshold of MAC dominance!!! Be afraid. Be very afraid! FEAR THE ROO!

I think Dennis Kennedy will be a 1000 yard back. He's big, strong and fast. I wish he had gotten the ball a bit more last season.I think Getsy will get 3000 yards. But he was inconsistent last season. And with mostly new receivers it may be a bit tougher go for him than last year?Jabari Arthur has tremendous physical attributes. In the Motor City Bowl he was clearly the best receiver in the game and was a sure NFL caliber player. But Jabari was awfully inconsistent too. I remember more than a few groans when Jabari would drop passes last year. People have called the MCB a "coming out party" for Jabari. Hopefully that's exactly what it was, and not merely a fluke.If the pieces fall together again this year, and we avoid injuries, we should have another great year! I can't wait!!!Go Zips!

Absolutely yes!!! Zips on the front page the day before the game, on gameday, and the day after the game. We are also in much need of opponent analysis - position breakdowns, players to watch for, etc. The BJ has not properly educated or informed the Akron area on Zips athletics in years. It's been absolutely emabarrassing, demoralizing and downright infuriating! Absolutely inexcusable and unacceptable. Hopefully the new ownership will actually make the Beacon Akron's paper!!!

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!