w00t

You're a head case. You're lazy. You whine too much. You have a me-first, screw the team attitude. You take bad shots. You're a wimp (who suffers a concussion when taking a last second three pointer?). You make the meaningless buckets and throw up clunkers in the clutch. And you just got beat by your old team on senior night. Whether you score 1 point or 22, you still lose to UA. It's too bad for us that you're graduating. Oh, by the way, Nick Dials says hi and thanks for allowing a class act like himself to take over your spot in our backcourt.

Cleats in Fairlawn it is.

Que? Can't couldn't do worse than the three at this point. They have three games in hand on the fourth place team.

Hey now, don't be too hard on CVCA... our soccer program will be bringing in a couple of Royals in '09.

Yes, but unfortunately that probably means that for that to happen we need to lose to Can't at home on Sunday because WMU won't likely lose to CMU or Ball St. Boo. I'd rather face Can't in the semis than lose to them at the JAR. Heck, maybe Miami would take out WMU in the semis and we could get some revenge.

This is kind of a bummer, but what really matters is nabbing that three seed and avoiding Miami or OU in the quarters. The last four standing will almost assuredly be quality teams, so at that point I guess it doesn't much matter who you draw for the semis and the finals, you're going to have to win two really tough games to be the champ.

I would guess the Fairlawn Lizard will be showing it.

No, it's really not that simple. If the Zips had won three games (all of which they should have won) then they would have found themselves in a very similar position to the potheads out east... Winning the TOWC to open the year, holding that ten-point lead at Can't, and winning the clunker we threw up against NIU... then we're looking at a 22-4 record, the top record in the MAC, and a game in hand on Can't head-to-head heading into the BracketBuster game (which would have sent us out to SMC instead of Can't). We are where we are for one reason and one reason only, we lost games that we should have won. Can't is where they are for the opposite reason, they won those games and parlayed them into a chance at a Top 25 school (St. Mary's) which they ended up winning as well. Anyway, Can't just killed their margin for error today because *wait for it* they lost a game they should have won. If things hold and they don't lose until the MAC finals, I think they're in. A misstep vs. Miami, UA, or in anything short of the MAC finals and they may squeak their way in on the virtue of this being a very weak year in the BCS conferences, but they'll still be sweating bullets on March 16th.That return trip baloney applies to one lousy game on their schedule and that's North Carolina. I wouldn't mind seeing the Zips play at Phog, or the Dean Dome, or Cameron, I think it would be good for them (not to mention make their college hoops experience that much more memorable). But if a team is getting brownie points with the selection committee for a game they lost by 20 points, then something is amiss here.

I think the Roos are coming to play tonight. Zips 83 - Bulls 65.On my way to BW3 as well...

GAME!!!!!!!! 89-83 is your final. :screwks: :screwks:

87-83 :08...

85-80 :20 BGSU ball

85-77, Can't State missing shots...

83-76 :47...

81-73 1:21 TO GO!!!!!!Kiss that at-large bid goodbye kids.

If that game ends up being played, you will never be able to show your face around here again.

The same thing it will get Can't this year if that's how many they win. I don't know, you tell me. You seem to be alluding to some mystical system that Can't is employing that has gotten them these NCAA bids, when in actuality it's really simple... they've gotten four NCAA bids, and they've won four MAC Tournaments. These at-large berths that you speak of that have been earned by the MAC in the past twenty years (and there are only two) were earned by Miami in 1995 and Miami again in 1999... Can't St. is absent from this very short list that is approaching a decade since anyone has been added to it. Anyways, what a waste of time, you're hellbent on believing that Can't has a "way" (which you imply has something to do with how they schedule) and if Akron would only follow this "way" then the prosperity of the program would be assured.

So did VCU, they weren't that good last year. If by "Can't's way", you mean "winning games", then you're right. Otherwise, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Probably... but it depends on what they do in their next three games and in the MAC Tournament, it's by no means a done deal.

The selection committee couldn't give a crap about the Top 25... especially one dated February 25th. Can't could absolutely fail to get an at-large.

Can't has fared well so far, but their season is long way from over and the at-large bid that they would probably get if the season ended now hangs in a precarious balance. They have a trap game at BGSU coming up, a Miami team whose pace dictates close games night in and night out, and of course a trip to the JAR on March 6th. If they lose any of those games in combination with a MAC Tournament loss, tell me they won't be sweating bullets on Selection Sunday.Over the past decade they have indeed been the class of the MAC, but like gozips19 said, how many at-large bids has that gotten them? Not to mention the way they rely on JUCOs, they're one bad recruiting class away from being a bottom feeder and no sooner than an Al Fisher shows up and produces, he's being introduced for Senior Day. KD has been at the helm for a few years now, he's bringing in extremely talented (four-year) players, and hope upon hope, his local roots might keep him in town awhile. I wouldn't mind seeing a few tougher opponents (even on the road) on next year's schedule, but how exactly do you figure that Jim Christian is some sort of scheduling guru? Xavier, GMU, and UNC (completely unwinnable) were the highlights of their non-conference slate. Their performance overall (only one misstep, losing to sub-300 RPI Detroit) earned them an opportunity to play a St. Mary's squad (who are overrated IMHO... they're a sure bet for a first round tourney exit, you heard it here first) on BracketBuster weekend, and they took advantage. Add Duke to Akron's schedule it looks about the same as Can't's... and it would have been another loss (although a nice boost for the RPI).

Thank you!!!!!!! VCU was the most encouraging loss I've ever witnessed. Cedrick Middleton looks like Cedrick Middleton again, Jeremiah Wood put in 23 solid minutes in his first game back from injury and no one who watched him play could possibly have thought, "That guy looks like he just had surgery". The McKnights look better every game. We have ten players who have the potential to make big plays and contribute. And why in God's name would we not be able to hang with Can't? We had a double-digit lead against them at halftime on their own court. Do you magically become unbeatable or something just because a bunch of clueless sportswriters decide you're one of the best 25 teams in the country? This team has as much talent (or more) as last year's. The ailing bodies are halfway through a week off to recharge for a tough stretch run. If they catch fire, the rest of the MAC will choke on their dust at the Q next month. Saturday against Buffalo is the tuneup for two huge games @ Ohio and vs. Can't. I think they're up to the challenge and there's no reason to believe that this couldn't be the first time in 21 years that we play in the NCAA Tournament.

Well I know I'm excited!!! This is great news for the MAC!!! Casual Friday will be extra special this week because I'm going to wear my MAC t-shirt to work and tell everyone "Did you hear? The MAC has a team in the Top 25!!! What? Well, no, not my team, I went to Akron... and have a poster that says 'Zippy's #1 on my office wall... and have been known to e-mail the picture of the crying Can't State cheerleader to the Can't State grads on our sales team after we beat them in football or basketball... but the least I can do for my conference is look like an ass by trumpeting the success of a team that makes me want to vomit."

Should the MAC be just as concerned about going 2-16 against them last year and then having its conference champion lose in a bowl game to one of their also-rans? The stones that get thrown at the Buckeyes and The Big Ten here on zipsnation are hilarious. "The Buckeyes suck, they actually needed ALL FOUR QUARTERS to put our awesome team away and only won by THREE POSSESSIONS, I mean for God's sake, they COULDN'T EVEN COVER A MEASLY 21-POINT SPREAD... I know our chances at playing in a bowl game were done somewhere around week four, but all they did was play in that crappy BCS TITLE GAME... The Big Ten sucks too, I mean can't they do better than winning 90% OF THE GAMES they play against our vaunted conference?"When you talk about how great of an accomplishment it is to still be in a game in the second half and only lose by 18 points, and how their conference losing two national title games in a row is something that's a cause for their concern, then even your jealousy and bitterness can't hide the compliment you've just paid them... not to mention you make us look really stupid in the process. Just stop for crying out loud, it's almost (but not quite) as embarrassing to read as our supposed die hards cheering for Can't (and one unnamed would-be skyscraper architect talking about wearing flushgear) in the name of "making the conference look good".

Helps them what? Pat themselves harder on the back? Any team in the MAC could win out all the way to the MAC Finals... and if they don't win on March 15th, they will play in the NIT (if they're lucky). Saying that the (one) MAC team that makes the tournament might get a higher seed because Can't beat St. Mary's is really reaching... and too high a price to pay to see Can't look good anyway. Not to mention... it's Can't for crying out loud. I've said it before, this is why we're small potatoes, we actually have fans who cheer for our rival in the name of "making the conference look good". To hell with the MAC, go SMU.

If Can't wins today it's good for one team, and one team ONLY... Can't. The rest of the MAC would not profit one iota from Can't winning, this season, or in the future. This season, Can't is the only team in the MAC with a prayer of getting an at-large bid, so if any other MAC team wants to dance, they still have to win at the Q. Next season, no one is going to remember who won the "runner-up" to the marquee matchup in the BracketBuster. If anything, Can't's success makes Akron's recruiting that much more difficult. I hope they are thoroughly embarrassed by St. Mary's and I don't understand how any Akron fan could be cheering for them.