Zip_ME87

I'll give you that the Browns use of the soccer pitch is not a done deal yet. the AD, as characterized in Marla's artice: If UA is the Browns’ choice, Wistrcill said the Browns might have to use the soccer field in 2015. “We would look at it as ‘Here’s all of our available grass space for year one.’ Would the soccer field be in play? It could be. If that’s the case, that’s a one-year situation,” Wistrcill said in an interview in his office Tuesday. “The great thing about that soccer stadium, the grass is off the charts, it’s strong, it drains really well, it repairs itself quickly. 1 mistatement...The soccer pitch doesn't drain well in the east end is a known and observed fact. Tom Wistrcill, December 2009: “We are extremely excited to name Rob Ianello as our new head football coach,” Wistrcill said. “Rob’s experience with some of the top programs in the country, coupled with his recruiting prowess, made him stand out among a great group of candidates. “He demonstrated to us a clear plan on how to build a complete championship program – one that has been successfully tested at other University’s around the country – and we are excited to help him execute that plan. He will be a great leader for the young men on our football team and a great part of the Akron community.” WOW, how can I not be confident in what Tom says or does? Now comes a new President who loves football and who sees an outstanding football coach currently in place, with awesome facilites that previous ADs built. The Browns and Jimmy Haslam visit for a day and bring lots of fans to our beautiful campus and Jimmy makes some great statements while our new prez rubs elbows with an NFL owner and is wowed by Johnny Football. Do you think President Scarborough bothered to ask AD Wistrcill how all of this came about. I doubt it because he was so wide-eyed like a little kid in a candy store. I know, this is all conjecture and my opinion. But come on, we're all human. You really don't think the new preseident could be so overtaken by this as to not really give it due diligence. Again, this is my opinion...reason to request the data. Please give me your conjecture of why the new president & our illustrious AD didn't bring this Browns training Camp proposal up with the soccer attendees Saturday night.

Sorry. I meant visible football lines only while the Browns are using it for the 20 days in Year 1. If the President's and AD's assertions are correct, I will see this on tv during interviews from training camp during sports news broadcasts. Even though I won't go to see it in person because it would trouble me so much, I won't be able to miss it on the evening news under those assertions. I'm trying to choose my words more carefully as I've realized through some debate about this topic that written words can easily be misinterpreted. I'll strive to do a better job next time so I don't have to follow up.

That's the plan. Whatever the data shows. If it shows real benefits with real supportable analysis, and a true plan for the Browns to only use Cub Cadet Field for 1-year, then I'll get behind it even if it makes me heart-sick to see football markings on our soccer field for 20 days in Year 1. I support UA, not just the soccer program. FIXED

CORRECTION: There is one interest of mine, and hopefully many of yours, that is worth discussing here. I started this thread about a soccer pitch that means a lot to me and others, but the real issue here is the bottom line. The same source that told me about this in the first place (which turned out to be true) also told me that the numbers show that hosting the Browns Training Camp will bleed more funds from an already constrained budget. I have a relative who is currently enrolled at and attending UA. I don't want to see his or anyone's tuition costs further increased because of someone's whim. There was a soccer alumni, Varsity A, and supporter's dinner Saturday night after the article came out that morning. Why didn't the UA President and AD, who were in attendance, share their vision with that group? They knew that group out of all of UA's donors, alumni, and supporters was the most likely to be upset. If the data supports it, be transparent; explain it. I think we're all entitled to see the data that shows the benefits to UA. If you want to debate that, have at it. I'd love to hear your logic.

It took me awhile, but I've come to the realization that it's not worth discussing here any further for the following reasons. I've made assumptions without data, others have made assumptions without data. No proposal is a "no-brainer". There are pros and cons to everything and sound business decisions are made with due diligence and sound business information. The new UA President has said that himself ("We told Moody’s and Fitch that we would be a disciplined organization, with disciplined people engaged in disciplined thought and actions.") Preparing a proposal in 2 weeks doesn't seem like "disciplined thought and actions" to me, but that's my opinion based on my experience which I can debate vs other ZipsNation.org poster's opinion. That debate, however, would just be my opinion(s) vs others' opinion(s) with no data. I have submitted my public information request to the university and will refrain from making further comments based upon my interests and opinion. Instead I will see how thoughtful and business smart our new President is or whether he is just a politician employing smoke and mirrors for an idea that pleases him.

Thanks LZip. I should have looked before I posted that. http://rebateeducation.pilotflyingj.com/pilot-flying-j-reaches-agreement-with-federal-government/

By the way, I seem to remember a discussion on ZipsNation.org some time ago centered around controversy with Infocision. There were some articles about Infocision keeping a significant percentage of donations they raised through telemarketing for charitable organizations and maybe otherr things. I don't recall all of the details, but it seemed that numerous posters on this board were concerned about how that made UA look with Infocision's name on our stadium. Is the controversy with Jimmy Haslam and Pilot/Flying J completely settled? I know it's died down, but is there anything more there? I sure would hate for the university to get bad publicity from a questionable relationship. I hope unversity officals considered this.

I hear you Dave, but my experience is that hope is not a good strategy. Agreements like this potential one with the Browns should only be entered into after diligent and thoughtful planning. I won't make any more assumptions but request the evidence from the university that shows a real, viable plan to benefit from this and to not damage any program at the university at the expense of some university officials' whim. It could very easily be that UA enter into this with good intentions, but once signed, have no way to implement ideas beyond the first year due to funding realities and additional financial losses. Marla's article is informative but falls short on details that she could obtain under public records laws if she were to ask.

I agree. I posted in this thread in response to others and started the 3rd thread to be sarcastic. In retrospect, that was stupid. I should have stuck to my original thread and not allowed others to provoke me. I'll look for it.

I should have questioned that. I don't see anything in the NCAA transfer guidance about that and yes I've seen transfers play their old school now that I think about it.

It's amazing that this could happen again. I guess those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. Maybe every college coach should consider showing this game and/or our Gardner-Webb game as a teaching moment at the beginning of the season.

“I told Moody’s and Fitch that we would be a disciplined organization with disciplined people engaged in disciplined thought and action,” he said. The university would become more strategically focused and more efficient and would stop doing some things we can no longer afford, “not because we want to, because we have to,” he told the Roundtable. http://www.ohio.com/news/local/new-university-of-akron-president-outlines-aggressive-program-in-talk-with-roundtable-audience-1.511609 Does President Scarborough really believe that putting together a proposal for the Browns in 2 weeks is being "a disciplined organization with disciplined people engaged in disciplined thought and action." I wonder what Moody's and Fitch would think. I hope Zips alumni, students, and fans realize how badly this could affect UA if all of these attention getting things don't work and UA's bottom line bleeds even more.

I have been in the past, but I had a really bad feeling about this. Now that Marla Ridenour's article is out, and Tom is quoted saying they put the proposal together in 2 weeks, I have an even worse feeling about this. I don't believe the university will be getting compensated well by the Browns, if at all. They couldn't have done proper due diligence in 2 weeks. This wreaks of wow factor, smoke, and mirrors. I'm going to have to think about what I can request under the Ohio public records law that will either confirm or alleviate my fears. As an alumnus who has season tickets for multiple sports and loves no other teams like the Zips, this really sucks. I wish so much they would have put their efforts into working with the city and county on a downtown arena/Akron entertainment venue that Zips basketball could use and maybe bring the Charge to Akron and get the CAVS to play a preseason game or 2 in Akron. Tie it all in neatly with Akron's hometown sports hero, LeBron James, and it seems like such a neat package. Instead they're doing something else with as much thought as they put into hiring Rob Ianello if not less.

How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life

Thanks. I didn't know that.

Perhaps they got rid of the zipper on the helmets because the other team thought our crotches were on our heads implying the Zips were a bunch of d![k heads. After they saw RI walking the sidelines for 2 years with the playsheet in his pants, I can't imagine how anyone would get that idea. Purdue's looks more like railroad tracks or a cow catcher on a train as opposed to a zipper. (referring to the black helmets they're wearing against ND tonight.) EDIT: Before anyone gets pissed at me, I didn't come up with that. Alum of another university I know asked me if that was a zipper and then made that comment. I never liked the zipper and especially don't like it after that comment.

+ infinity x infinity

Wistrcill said UA put together its proposal in two weeks. Here we go again ... lots of thought went into that. I'm sure Tom gave it the same due diligence that he gave to Rob Ianello's hiring. Damn well better have a real plan for this to be no more than a 1 time use of FES-CCF. I'm sure that has as much thought behind it as any decision he's ever made. @JohnnyZip ... Do you stiil have that avatar of yours with the clown hair & clown nose? If so, can I borrow it?

I'd prefer some use of our blue & gold like this with our fonts and logos. Perhaps Z's on the sleeves and ARoo on the helmets.

"Spin", it is! 'The grounds crew is so inept' within your question indicates you think that any competent grounds crew can easily repair the soccer field for the season. Ok by interpreting that I guess I did put words in your mouth in the strictest sense of doing so. But, that sure seems to me that you think a football team practicing on the soccer pitch is no big deal because it can easily be repaired. Yes it can be repaired, but properly such that it lasts in good condition through the Fall? And, in years when we have too much rain. No. I don't know how else I'm supposed to read that. That was an actual attendance number. If you mean average attendance numbers, no I don't have them. As far as putting down another UA program, I did no such thing. I made a "better" comparison. I did not put down another program. You're putting words in my mouth.

One person's sarcasm is another's immaturity. The use of "clowns" in the title of this thread was referring to multiple groups, not just the precious NFL team of a city that many posters on this board were bashing as LeBron jerseys went up in flames.

They certainly wouldn't have been afraid of us under RI, but they've had enough close calls with MAC teams, that they could have been worried about paying us big money to upset them on their own field under TB.

I think we had them on the 2015 tentative future schedule, but I've forgotten for sure. When did we last play them? I think we were on a 5-year cycle. @GJGood, you may be right. I never made the connection with Tressel, but it could have been.

As I said, "I created this thread in response to a totally irrelevant thread..." (which has actually become relevant since posting this thread). Please point out where I demeaned and insulted a "favorite sport". As far as a favorite team, the Browns happen to be my favorite NFL team. However, you can't deny they've been clowning around ever since they returned to the NFL. If they ever get serious about the draft and getting to and winning the Super Bowl, then I'll take them seriously again. I wish I could change the facts because I'd love to see an NFL championship for the Browns and their deserving, die-hard fans, but the facts are what they are.

Kudos to the Ak Rowdies and their leadership. The hill looked great last night, at least 3/4 full. I hope they can keep that up and bring sizable crowds for football (at least 2 sections) and basketball.