Zip_ME87

A win vs UCLA may have helped us, but this is exactly why I stated in another thread that I didn't believe even that would get us a top 4 seed. Too many top teams playing each other with this scenario possible. Our out of conference schedule helps us tremendously, but our conference hurts us at the end. The Zips only hope of a top 4 seed is to be perfect (2009) or almost so (2010).

Thank you. Revenue-generating (sells tickets) at Akron as opposed to free at other schools, such as W Michigan, Buffalo, etc

It's different times at UofA. I saw President Scarborough at 1 Zips Mens Soccer game ... Ohio State. He seems enamored with the Buckeyes and comparing Akron to tOSU. There is absolutely no marketing of our best team. UCLA came to town and I saw nothing. If anyone saw the AD or Prez in the stands for that matchup, I'd be interested because I never saw either of them. Coach Embick's job is to coach and win games which I think he's been doing a damn good job. Winning games should help the AD do his job of filling the stands. Northeast Ohio has a gem in our Mens Soccer Team, and with the sports' growing popularity in the USA, our attendance numbers should be much better. That they are not is a BIG FAIL on the Administration's part. [They continue to throw good money after bad at the pathetic excuse of a D1 Football Program. They'll likely have to do that through 2018 (last year of Bowden's contract). If there's no improvement at that time, for how many more years does UA continue feeding the albatross? It's too bad they didn't flush that program in 1986 in favor of basketball.] Yedlin in the Premier League and with the USMNT. Trapp and Serna with the U23's trying to qualify for the Olympics. Now Nagbe with the USMNT. Caleb Porter coaching the Portland Timbers and now in the MLS Western Conference Finals. Multiple Zips in MLS and lower tier professional leagues. An absolutely awesome 2015 Zips Mens Soccer Schedule. Holy Shit...what the Hell more do you need to market Zips Mens Soccer, which by the way, is a revenue-generating sport at UoA. COLOSSAL FAILURE of our AD. Venting over, for now.

Good news is that the MAC Tourney counts as post season. So, Caution Accumulation before sitting out a game has increased to 8. Bad news is Richie has 6. Three other Zips have 3. So, they now have 5 to give. Richie went through a stretch of 6 matches, Georgetown through UCSB, this season with no yellow cards. Let's hope he can at least match that starting this Friday.

12.11 Accumulated Cautions and Game Suspensions 12.11.1 Regular-Season Games. Any player(s) or coach(es) who has received a total of five cautions in one season shall be suspended and shall not participate in the next regularly scheduled game, including postseason games. Three additional cautions shall result in additional one-game suspensions. Each two additional cautions shall result in additional one game suspensions. 12.11.2 Postseason Games. Caution accumulation will carry over into postseason play, which includes conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament. Players or coaches participating in postseason play will receive a one game suspension when a total of eight cautions have been accumulated. Further, each three additional cautions shall result in additional one-game suspensions. Moreover, if the total is reached in the final postseason game of the season, the player(s), coach(es) or bench personnel shall not participate in the first scheduled game(s) of the next season.

Looking forward to seeing Darlington and DeAndre playing together on the same team. U-S-A U.S. Roster By Position: GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton) DEFENDERS (8): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC) MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Club Leon), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland) FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Alan Gordon (LA Galaxy), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)

I know. I shouldn't have commented just because I'm trying to get beyond the woulda, coulda, shoulda stuff myself. First, I can't change it. 2nd, I don't really know what it would have meant. RPI is supposed to mean something, but I don't think I've ever seen any NCAA Selection Committee apply it the way it should be used. There seems to still be backroom deals, smoke-filled or not. The "power" conferences seem to watch out for each other. So, I just ignore it until it happens, then bitch. I can't change that either. I'm more concerned that the guys learned something positive from the UCLA match and use those lessons going forward.

I thought the same thing before reading your post.

We still have 3 to play before the NCAA Tourney. I hope the players aren't lamenting UCLA. There's nothing to be gained in that.

Awesome! #8 taking down the #1 seed. Go Zips!

No way to prove or disprove. Just my opinion that the Zips have to be near perfect to get a top 4 seed given the way that power conferences protect each other on the selection committee. If the Zips didn't get a top 4 when we were 3 in RPI under CP, no way did I see it happening this year. Regardless, the absence of Radjen and the idiot YC accumulation by Richie bothers me more than losing this match. The Zips cannot go deep in the NCAA Tourney with players not stepping up for their team.

That was not going to happen anyway.

I believe you are correct that a YC cannot be appealed. https://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4320-2014-and-2015-soccer-rules.aspx 12.16 Protest A protest may be filed by an authorized representative of an involved institution or governing sports authority providing it relates to the misapplication of a rule of conduct that clearly has a direct impact on: (1) the outcome of the game; or (2) participant eligibility. A protest shall be filed electronically with the secretary-rules editor by completing and submitting the Protest Form located on the NCAA Soccer Central Hub website at www.NCAAsoccer.arbitersports.com within 48 hours of the completion of the game. The Protest Form shall be completed in the prescribed manner, and copies of the form shall be contemporaneously forwarded to the opposing coach and the referee. The failure to file, complete and serve copies of the Protest Form in a timely manner will result in denial of the protest. Protests based on matters of referee judgment or the accuracy of a decision shall not be considered. If the protest involves a possible scorekeeper error, the referee and authorized representatives of the teams shall confer and make a determination based upon the available information at the game site. If the game result clearly delineates a winner, there shall be no replay and all statistics, except a modified score, shall remain. If a protest results in a determination (by the governing sports authority) to replay the game, it shall be replayed in its entirety and all statistics from the previous game shall not count, except as provided by Rules 12.11, 12.12, 12.13, and 12.14. All decisions by the secretary-rules editor are final and not subject to appeal. A.R. 12.16.a A protest is filed claiming that an opponent was offside when a goal was scored. RULING: Protest denied. The decision of the referee regarding facts of play is final. Protests based on matters of referee judgment or the accuracy of a decision shall not be considered. A.R. 12.16.b A protest is filed documenting the fact that a goal was scored by an opponent who was an illegal substitute RULING: Protest granted. This is a misapplication of a rule of conduct. A.R. 12.16.c A protest is filed claiming the referee incorrectly ruled that a push was a fighting offense per Rule 12.6.1. RULING: Protest denied. The decision of the referee regarding facts of play is final. Protests based on matters of referee judgment or the accuracy of a decision shall be not be considered.

To clear something up, Yellow cards do NOT "reset" persay in the NCAA. A player doesn't get another 5 until the next suspension. By NCAA rules, once 5 have been reached, the player sits out 1 game and then gets 3 until the next suspension. 12.11.2 Postseason Games. Caution accumulation will carry over into postseason play, which includes conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament. Players or coaches participating in postseason play will receive a onegame suspension when a total of eight cautions have been accumulated. Further, each three additional cautions shall result in additional one-game suspensions. Moreover, if the total is reached in the final postseason game of the season, the player(s), coach(es) or bench personnel shall not participate in the first scheduled game(s) of the next season. https://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4320-2014-and-2015-soccer-rules.aspx

@fknbuflobo...Good summary on how Jake took over duties from Fernando. I don't disagree on your point about leg strength, either, but I don't think that's the issue with the Zips giving up goals. I still contend that a number of our position players (mids & back line, especially) are heading balls (putting them up for grabs) when there is no pressure rather than bringing them down and diligently taking control. @Switchit...thanks for the info on the WVU and UCLA GKs. I plan to be at WVU tomorrow night and of course at FES-CCF on Sunday. I wouldn't lump Meves and Bush together ("Previous UA like Bush and Meves are pro level players..."). Evan Bush is literally "in a different league" than David Meves. Mevea was good at UA, but he benefited much from the guys in front of him. He hasn't been able to do what Evan has done at Montreal this year or what Evan did for Montreal before they entered MLS.

For whatever reason, Pina was not doing it at Akron. From what I recall, he wasn't agile nor was he directing the play in front of him. Thus, Jake took over the starting role. Pina never seemed to push to win it back. I assume that he transferred because he was not playing. Maybe the change of venue shook him up enough that he stepped up his game. Perhaps the back line in front of him coupled with lesser competition than the Zips are facing make him look better. Then again, maybe he is better. I don't know, nor does it matter. Pina, not our coaches, is the reason he lost his starting job at Akron. As far as Jake, I think he is playing very well and doesn't get enough credit. As I told him the other day, when I thanked him for the job he's been doing...I long for the days when Meves was "able to do his homework back there" because our back line (Barson, Korb, Valetin, Sarkodie) + our holding mid, Kitchen were so good. I wish Jake could get a break. Look at the number of saves he has had to make. Percentages are not in his favor for clean sheets when he has to make 9 saves in a game (10 to get the clean sheet). That's not on him.

4 ACC teams + Akron in the top 5.

October 25th GOAL: Darlington Nagbe's pinpoint free kick puts Portland up over Colorado GOAL: Darlington Nagbe gets the lead back for Portland GOAL: Jorge Villafana extends Portland's lead over Colorado (D Nags assist ... Look at those moves!) .

Darlington with a brace and an assist in Portlands 4-1 win over the Rapids which resulted in the Timbers finishing 3rd in the West.

The wind was a problem, and I agree with much of what you stated. However, there were numerous (many more than I can remember) times when our players, including Victor, Andrew, Brad were heading the ball back up for grabs when there was no one pressuring them not just the times when Jake was booting the ball up field into or with the wind.

Referencing skip-zip's comment from the MSU match, this is the 2nd match in a row where the Zips were out shot both in total shots (20-7) and shots on goal (10-4). Any team can have a bad game, but it's concerning now for 2 in a row. Also, the Zips seemed to regress some and show a tendancy to panic under pressure vs WMU. Oftentimes yesterday, our players were either heading the ball or kicking it long when not pressured when the better choice would have been to setlle it to the ground and work it up the field. I sure hope they find a way to again get away from that tendacy and get back to Akron soccer. It's crucnh time. Gotta finish the regular season ensuring the MAC Tourney is at FES-CCF and keep our RPI as high as possible.

A nnumer of items... 1) I am traveling to Kalamazoo; Look forward to seeing Natethegreat and others there. 2) Victor's suspension is done as i understand it from him and staff 3) Victor does indeed have 3 yellows, but unlike the past, his are "good" yellows in my opinion (except the crap call at UAB, as TennZip mentioned). I commend Victor for his maturation this season. Numerous games I've seen the opponents try to light him up with little to no avail. 4) I'd prefer Richie mature and get no more yellows prior to NCAA Tourney. When we enter the tourney, he gets 3 additional to give. I'd like to enter the NCAA Tourney with him having 4 to give. If he gets another, he only ever gets 3 more beyond that. So, if he were to get 1 v UCLA, sit out BG, then get another in the MAC Tourney, he would only have 2 more to give after that. The STUPID YC's HAVE TO STOP! 5) WMU game time changed to 12:00 noon (was 1 pm). Wow, have to leave home earlier.

Then 3 more beyond 5 carries the next 1-game suspension (NCAA rules). Also, unlike in the pros, there is no erasure for 5 consecutive game "good" behavior. Stupid YC's put the Zips at risk. That MUST stop!

I guess Brazilians have a knack for it. Victor Souto told me Ronaldo had one vs Argentina. So I googled it. Here you go.

2015 Creighton seems similar to the 2009 Zips to me. We climbed to #1, and stayed there while not losing a game with everyone outside of Akron saying we didn't belong. All those nonbelievers got an education in the NCAA Tourney and in the 3 from the ACC + Akron College Cup. As long as Creighton does not lose or draw, I do not see them dropping in the poll, nor should they, in my opinion. It will work itself out versus Georgetown, in their conference tournament, and/or in the NCAA Tournament. All that matters to me is that the Zips focus on each game, one at a time, and keep winning.