Zip_ME87

+1 I also ran out of likes.

I suspect those who are not on their teams' roster for MLS Cup may show up if they know in advance they won't be on the game day roster. Would be sweet. We'll see. On the Scotty Caldwell note, Scotty's dad, Larry, emailed me immediately following the Zips victory ... Go Zips. Great stuff. Elite 8! ... I love hearing from our former players and their families. Feels great to know they're still invested and watching. DeAndre's tweet about the Zips being on fire immediately following the goal barrage during the match vs Rutgers was awesome ... knowing he was watching the stream in New Castle England. Go Zips, wherever you are!

It is my dream MLS Cup matchup and it is only 1.5 hours from home. I will go to Columbus wearing my Zips #6 jersey (Darlington Nagbe era) honoring two great Zips' #6's ... Darlington Nagbe & Wil Trapp. I will tailgate with the Trapps, and then I will watch and cherish every second of seeing the former Zips greats on the field and on the sideline. In the end, I will be happy for the winner and sad for the loser, but it will be an AWESOME day to be a Zips Mens Soccer fan! Go Zips!

I don't see those guys coming to Akron the night prior to MLS Cup. They're all professional unlike a certain QB of a local poorly managed American Football franchise.

I expect a tough match, but I share MarkS' confidence in our guys to focus on this game and get it done.

So sad that no one in a crowd in Akron was "fired up" about the Zips beating the Flashes in a season in which the team is Bowl eligible.

You are right a-zip. I'm as frustrated as anyone. I know how hard our team works to do what they do, and they deserve better. They are a team of which we can all be proud. These guys are great on and off the field and definitely represent "This Is Akron" well. Go Zips. Let's get that 2nd star! Happy Thanksgiving all! EDIT: I still want Darlington Nagbe, DeAndre Yedlin, Caleb Porter, et al bobbleheads!

They can do Jason Taylor and Charlie Frye bobbleheads. How about Darlington Nagbe or DeAndre Yedlin bobbleheads for the first 5,000 through the gate? Maybe they could do a National Champions bobblehead series or a Zips in the Pros series.

Shawn is up for Air Canada Athlete of the Year. Vote here.

Prior to 2009, the largest crowds we would get were ~1000, with most < 900. Marketing got better because Caleb Porter pushed for it along with his promise to deliver a National Championship with the support of the Athletic Dept. They became more engaged because they agreed to do so. Once the National Championship was accomplished in 2010, the AD support dropped off. Add that the Rowdies have not had a really engaged leader since Ian graduated and LeBron's return to the Cavs, getting fans attention became more difficult. With LeBron back in Cleveland and folks still committed to the Browns (no matter how dismal the outlook and management), there are no simple answers. I still think that many miss the "gem" that we have in our Mens Soccer program. However, with all of that said, the crowds that we draw are still respectable. Just not what they should/could be.

Just an interesting coincidence that our former head coach and the Timbers will play FC Dallas in Dallas while the Zips play SMU (from Dallas).

SMU won in OT. So, Zips v SMU next Sunday. Ohio State packing their bags for a trip to Palo Alto. Stanford defeated Santa Clara 3-1.

Thanks @TennZip. I like the picture in the link where Caleb is holding that photo and apparently remembering fondly that awesome moment as well as the one below with the key to the City of Akron and his 2010 National Championship ring, I believe.

U.S. national team newcomer Darlington Nagbe is all smiles — and so is Jurgen Klinsmann...Darlington thrived on the soccer field, starring on the youth scene before accepting an offer from Akron, an NCAA titan. ... In his third year at Akron, Darlington won the Hermann Trophy as the nation’s finest player. He skipped his senior season to sign with MLS and was chosen second overall in the 2011 draft by the Portland Timbers...

I just played it again. Same video should be on GoZips.com.

Well done Zipsnation! UPDATE: Congrats to Akron’s Victor Souto, who lapped the field with 75 percent of the vote this week. We’ll see you next week with NCAA tourney golazos. The tastiest.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2015/11/college-goal-of-the-week-championship-form/

Yes the other teams in the MAC play crap schedules + Akron. Russell Cicerone and Co. at home playing FIFA on the sofa. Adam Najem, Richie Laryea, Victor Souto and Co. at home playing real opponents on Cub Cadet Field.

I probably shouldn't gloat but I'm going to anyway... A former Zips Coach once remarked something like It can't be done in Akron which proved to be wrong. Well, it hasn't been done in Louisville, and won't be done this year.

That was excellent. It's really a shame that more people in this area don't recognize the gem that is Akron Zips Mens Soccer. 23 men representing 300+ Million people and 2 of them played for The University of Akron.

So excellent to see Darlington and DeAndre playing together last night in the USMNT 6-1 win. Also appreciated hearing The University of Akron mentioned a number of times relative to having 2 players for USA. Can't wait to see the next one. U S A !!!

“Beautiful pitch. Fantastic weather. Now f'ing get better,” bellows Caleb Porter with a wry smile during a training session the next week.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/13/darlington-nagbe-soccer-enigma But I’m also reminded of something Nagbe said in August about his time at Akron in college. “I won a national championship at Akron with my best friends, and I’m still friends with all of them, and I remember it,” he said, hovering on those last three words, his eyes lost in memory. After a brief pause, he continued, the idea seeming to coalesce from fragments into words as he spoke. “And you can win a championship, but if you didn’t have fun all season, I feel like you don’t remember it,” he concluded. In a similar vein, Nagbe said in our follow-up phone call, “If I’m not enjoying the game, then there’s no point in me playing.” No matter what happens, Nagbe is certain of one thing: he wants to end up back where he feels most at home. “I’d like to be back home playing professional soccer in Cleveland,” he says. “I consider myself a Cleveland kid even though I was born in Liberia. Ohio is my home.”

I just have to shout ... WHAT A GREAT DAY to be a ZIPS MENS SOCCER FAN 2015 Post Season Journey begins at home with MAC Tourney semifinals tonight.Darlington Nagbe and DeAndre Yedlin playing for the USA in a World Cup Qualifier.I wonder if anyone in Buchtel Hall or the AD's Office is aware? Maybe, if everything goes well, someone at the ABJ will notice tonight. So far seems crickets are chirping.

Totally agree about Victor. What a travesty. Of note: in 2010, Scott Caldwell was not on either All MAC team. Moron MAC. Cicerone player of the year. Over Richie Laryea, Adam Najem, Sam Gainford? Yeah, right. Also, Coach Embick not MAC Coach of the Year? Who else in the MAC had the balls to put together such a tough schedule and then navigate through it so well? These Zips have come a long way from what we saw in 2014. Others hope and dream. AKRON DOES! Go Zips!