RowdyZip

Potential coverage and high population still has many more benefits than cows and trees. As an aside, cbssports claims to have a source stating CUSA has already contacted Temple.

If ascension of conferences was based simply on athletic success, you would have a point. A big part of this, I'd say more than 50%, is related to tv markets. Akron holds a HUGE advantage over Athens. See Memphis for point of reference. 5 football wins over the last 3 years, good tradition in basketball and BIG tv market.

I was planning on making the trip plus one. Sunday nixes that. 8pm tip extra super nixes it.

I got my question answered by Lunardi on this week's Bracketology chat. I asked if Akron, if we ran the table and lost the championship, had a chance for an at-large. His answer? "Not happening, Justin." I think its best the team operate under the "no tomorrow" mindset, though I think a 25-8 record with a 25-30 rpi would be hard to ignore. Especially because we would've won 15/16 to end the yr.

Early line is out...Akron (-3.5). I figured it'd be the 3-6 point range. Every indication is that it won't be similar to that...I think either Akron wins by double digits or loses a close one. Odds are more in favor of a blowout for the Zips, but I wouldn't be shocked if we laid an egg to the point we're unable to recover in the 2nd half. After forcing EMU to play into our hands, I'll go with and Akron blowout. Zips 78 WMU 64

Let me be specific here. I'm not criticizing or chastising the Rowdies. I'm offering suggestions, merely because there are some people that read and/or post on these forums who are active or affiliated with the group. There's a lot of posts here brainstorming and offering ideas to fix a problem that's perceived by almost all fans. To the average fan it looks like the Zips aren't drawing the 150 students necessary to fill those seats. I don't think it's the case, but rather its a communication breakdown. The group needs to make an effort to let ALL students know those lower level seats are available. Also...I wonder if anyone of our posters could come across some numbers of student attendance for basketball. The IDs are scanned, there should be a record somewhere, right?

Yep. Zips can't afford a "half game" in this one. It should be a good test against an average team on the road. And speaking if WMU @ K-ent, I think WMU wins in OT if Stainface doesn't foul out.

I'm just looking for solutions to the problem here. As many people had said, the empty seats in the student sections look very bad. It is reasonable to expect students to ask about the lower seats, sure, but obviously it isn't working. How much effort is required of the bored undergrads working the student entrance that they couldn't add this little question? Are these officers of the AK Rowdies? Volunteer members? THEY are the ones who should be ENCOURAGING students to sit there, not just scanning IDs without a word. This seems to be a problem with the Rowdies' leadership. No offense to those here that post that are involved with the organization, but it really should be an easy fix. The last few games have obviously had enough students to fill those seats 2 or 3 times over.

So he'll be playing LB at UA according to that link. There's definitely some guys that could surprise in this class. I just can't wait to see the new offense.

We're all missing the point here. I don't want to sit there (At 31, I'm a bit past my best heckling/screaming/insulting days). My point is, shouldn't the students running the organization be proactive toward filling these seats? I'm not sure why we're sitting back and expecting kids to ask for a wrist band, when some (or most?) probably don't know what's involved in getting those seats. Or we could just let it go and see how it works out (since it has so far...)

I'll spoil some ESPN Insider info. Breaking down the odds, he also gives the Zips a 14.9% chance of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen and a 0.1% chance of winning the National Championship.

Well, not to be rude, but that's asinine, don't you think? There's a half dozen kids sitting in that lobby waiting to scan IDs, etc. Why wouldn't they offer wrist bands to everyone with a valid ID? I've yet to see those sections filled to capacity other than the Can't game. Ohio and VCU were at least close. I think there were about 15 kids in the end opposite the band for EMU.

I'll jump in here, as I just noticed the topic. Students are required to enter through the back entrance by Bierce Library/Olin Hall. It's a pain in the arse. I'm taking a couple classes this semester so I didn't get season tickets...so my wife enters the main gate and I hike all the way around the building. Also, I'd just like to throw it out there, that as a student I have not once been offered a wrist band to sit in the (mostly empty) lower seats. I likely wouldn't accept, unless my wife could come with me, but that's just the principle. If it's open to all students, why aren't all students being offered the seats?

I think you're thinking of the Bracketbuster selection show, because I heard that there. Unless it happened twice, which is even better.

I haven't missed a home game in more than 3 years. I've also traveled to every MAC arena with the exclusion of the new Stroh Center, Ball State, and NIU. I can say, without a doubt, comfort-wise the JAR is the WORST in the conference to watch a game. Especially with a large crowd. The only place that's remotely close to 2nd is K-ent, and that's only because you can't see the scoreboard from the highest 10 or so rows because of the steel supports. Last night, we started in the 8th row along the sidelines and moved higher twice to try and have an empty row in front of us to avoid kneeing someone's spine and/or having our spines kneed. Our general admission is downright horrid. I'd hope if a new arena isn't on the horizon in the next 5 years or so, we could drop a couple hundred thousand on putting chairbacks throughout the upper sections as this would help at least a little.

4234

In other MACtion, OU destroys CMU by 26, but loses DJ Cooper to a wrist injury. No word on severity yet.

No conversation on this one. I just saw a tweet go through with the opening line so I thought I'd jot down some thoughts. The opening line is listed as Akron (-15) and an over/under of 110. If that's accurate, Vegas thinks the Zips win 62-47 or close to it. Scanning EMU's season so far, the most they've given up was 65 at Buffalo, and (ironically) 62 @ Miami. Expect a maddening pace, and hope our guys don't get frustrated. To some effect, I'd like to see the Zips impose their style on EMU. In non conference action to clearly superior teams, the Eagles gave up 70+ several times. If we can push the pace and hit from the outside, there's no reason that we shouldn't win this game by 20 points plus. Then again, it could go the opposite and we could see it come down to the wire if we settle into their drag-out half court style. A thrilling 52-47 game isn't out of the question. Hopefully we're not looking forward to our last "challenge" against the west in WMU or toward the bracket buster matchup in Tulsa. See you at the game. GO ZIPS! B)

This all sounds great, but wouldn't a $20 million donation be all over the news?

Well, I would've like to see ORU win out through the bracketbuster as well as us to make it another top match up, but c'est la vie. Just win, Zips.

It would, but I don't think we'll have to worry about it.

FYI, The Mighty Oral Roberts is down by 11 (34-23) against the mighty SDSU Jackrabbits. Ruh roh.

Heck no. Make a press release. Send email to alumni. Make him shake hands at the JAR Saturday. CREATE A SELL OUT CROWD!

One thing's for sure....PRESS PRESS PRESS! This University and it's athletic dept is building for something BIG. B)

Two things: Zips will score 70, and having 5000 witness a win is good. As long as its not like the 41-40 MSU/Illinois slugfest.