Zip_ME87

How do athletic programs such as Gonzaga's and Cleveland State's survive?

After re-reading your post, I must agree with this (which I overlooked previously)..."If we want to fill seats, we needs to work together, not point fingers." I'll stop pointing fingers because I believe it is all about winning. If Zips Men's Basketball can win games against quality opponents, then "Joe Akron" will come to games as proven, in my opinion, by the 2009 Zips Men's Soccer Team. I know from personal experience that some "Joe Cleveland"'s (who are not Akron alumni) came to several games including the 4200+ against Tulsa just to see great soccer. It will be interesting to see how that translates this Fall. Unfortunately, Akron will be playing many of the Big 10 opponents on the road this year since we played so many of them at home last year. Our big OOC draws at home this year will likely be Tulsa and Michigan.

STZ, I didn't mean anything derogatory about you by agreeing with DiG and CK. In your original post, you stated "I am a completely half-assed college BB fan, and I enjoy the pro game WAY more than college BB. I watch even the premier college BB teams on the tube and have a hard time getting past their lack of skill, their lack of size, the silly length of the clock shot, just the whole package doesn't grab me." If this is the case, then it seems to me that Akron BB will probably never "grab you"?

Stick with football. 1.) One of D.I.G's all time best posts 2.) I think we have located the elusive "Joe Akron." Who knew he was right under our noses all these years?! +1

Didn't take it personally...just a difference of opinion. My point is that Zips basketball could get us (or could have kept) out of the "God-forsaken MAC" if focus were put on it. Whereas you say (paraphrased) 'the University never successfully formulated, and followed through with, a plan to get students to the games'; I would say that UA never successfully formulated and followed through with a plan to make it big time in college sports. They keep trying in football even though, IMHO, basketball is closer---Basketball was close in the mid-80's...UA chased the coach away. Basketball has made a comeback in the mid-2000s, and the focus is still not there. I honestly don't mean to "bash" Akron Football. I support Akron Football and have had season tickets for sometime now (not as long as you/others because I lived out of state for 11 years.), but I think we could get further faster with more focus on basketball. Too bad Infocision wasn't built for soccer and football....UA could be the Seattle Sounders of College Soccer, 30,000+ a game to watch the nation's best college soccer team!

Check your facts...I believe "Maybe we should get a new coach to lead us to the Final Four." was not part of KD's quote. That was Terry Pluto's inference. However, I disliked KD's quote as well. "The only downside is it might raise some unrealistic expectations."...if you don't believe that you can ever win the Championship, then you never will. To be fair, I believe Gary Waters can be more upbeat because he has a few advantages..."a great arena" (which allows him to play majors at home) and no football program (which allows more money to be funneled into basketball). Akron had a huge opportunity in the mid-80's to make a name for itself in basketball, but the powers that be flushed it in favor of D-1A football. Now we have a $61M football stadium and a 3-9 football team that plays in it. In football, Akron has played for and won 1 MAC championship with a 5-3 conference record. In basketball, with no new facilities, we've competed in the MAC Tourney Championship game 4 years in a row. Yes, we've only won 1, but we've been there 4 years in a row. Yes, basketball needs to improve, but to do so, the University and alumni need to commit to it.

+1 The fans in the lower seating respond pretty well to the AK-Rowdies when there is something worth cheering about. Also, the fans in the lower seating stand for the Zips introduction and the first basket unlike many in the GA sections.

For those who are up late, I believe Chivas USA vs the LA Galaxy is on ESPN2 at 11 pm ET tonight.

I'm in...just sent in the form/payment...because I support the team. Go Zips!

Wednesday, 9/29/10, Akron Zips at tOSU, 7 pm ET

Thanks Zach.

I don't know if this has been true in the past, but most of the Columbus Crew's games in 2010 are being televised on the Ohio News Network. Here are the opportunities to see our soccer alumni --- Siniša Ubiparipović (New York Red Bull), Steve Zakuani (Seattle Sounders), Teal Bunbury (Kansas City Wizards), and Blair Gavin & Ben Zemanski (Chivas USA) --- in MLS action, either in person in Columbus or on ONN: 5/1/10, Saturday, Columbus Crew at Seattle Sounders, 10:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) 5/15/10, Saturday, Chivas USA at Columbus Crew, 7:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) 5/20/10, Thursday, Columbus Crew at New York Red Bull, 8:00 pm ET (ESPN2) 5/23/10, Sunday, Columbus Crew at Kansas City Wizards, 4:00 pm ET (ONN-TV) 7/14/10, Wednesday, Kansas City Wizards at Columbus Crew, 7:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) 7/17/10, Saturday, New York Red Bull at Columbus Crew, 7:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) 7/31/10, Saturday, Columbus Crew at Chivas USA, 10:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) 9/18/10, Saturday, Seattle Sounders at Columbus Crew, 7:30 pm ET (ONN-TV) The Kansas City and New York games in Columbus on July 14th and 17th are perfectly placed, IMHO...the NBA playoffs will be over, American football season will not be started, and the Indians will be stinking up MLB. No better time for a trip to Columbus! Also, depending upon the time for the football game at Kentucky on September 18th, it might be possible to catch the Sounders at Columbus on the way home. Go Zips! Columbus Crew 2010 Schedule (Thanks Zach for the Siniša Ubiparipović catch...fixed)

I've heard something about the existing bleachers being moved to the west end of the field (like for the Tulsa game last year) and seating being put in this year in addition to the field and lighting upgrades. Didn't sound like a pressbox or locker rooms, yet, though.

Sounds like typical Akron football. The one sport that seems to have the most money thrown at it, but has the most trouble making any progress. As always, I support our players...I hope this season is different and they really turn things around. Go Zips!

Balogun and Mwila each scored against Oakland. I'm forgetting who assisted on each (sorry guys). Ampai went down early against Michigan, Speas went down in the 2nd half of the same game. Ampai looked to be walking pretty well by the end of the evening. Ben didn't look as good. I hope both are well or get well quickly. BTW, Korb didn't play either due to recent surgery (???). Impressive to not give up a goal without any of our starting defenders. EDIT: Got back late; summary on gozips.com

The conference only gets 2 units for 1 year...2010.

How much, though. Something trivial like $5k per school? Can't's sweet 16 credits are set to expire and unless OU can win their next game it still means a reduction in NCAA money. About $125,000 per school per round. The payout from the Elite Eight run expired a couple years ago. But is that divided amongst all of the schools in the conference or is it what each school gets? If it is the former, VMD was not far off. Like I said, per school. Each unit (or game played) was only $222,206 last year per conference. Unless you are talking about the aggregate over the 5-year period, that isn't close to $125K per school NCAA.org source Click on link "Current Basketball Revenue Distribution Information"

This thread is pathetic. How can someone's family having financial issues that may force him to leave college early be "good news" in any way? I want Akron to be top of the MAC, but not that way. Also, people may not be happy with KD, but I don't think many, if any, want him to leave...just re-examine his methods.

Someone gave Bassett a second chance, just like someone gave KD a second chance. Perhaps it's time for KD to take some chances, too.

+1

Yes. I walked over to the soccer pitch for a "pick me up" after the basketball game and saw that the digging has begun.

I hear that the Zips will be competing in the North Carolina Tournament, playing at UNC on September 3rd and at Wake Forest on September 5th.

+1

Even with my concerns over the Laugh-O-Meters ability to predict the game Saturday, it is still very accurate. Have not run the Level 4 diagnostic on it yet..... Could you try a positive approach for a month, perhaps a day...even a minute? I don't think any Zips fan thought that the MAC Championship game would be anything other than close. But, for you to say that you would predict the way that it worked out is a LAUGH. I'm sure you knew that the Zips would have to score a 3-pointer to send it to overtime and then would lose in overtime. And if you mean that you predicted a loss, than that is a huge laugh. Had the result gone the other way, I could just as easily say I predicted a win. I think you misunderstand the Laugh-O-Meter. At no point did the LOM register a laugh at the Zips on Saturday. It registered several at OU. The Zips should have won based upon the LOM results. If that isn't positive, I don't know what is. I apologize...I did misunderstand.

Even with my concerns over the Laugh-O-Meters ability to predict the game Saturday, it is still very accurate. Have not run the Level 4 diagnostic on it yet..... Could you try a positive approach for a month, perhaps a day...even a minute? I don't think any Zips fan thought that the MAC Championship game would be anything other than close. But, for you to say that you would predict the way that it worked out is a LAUGH. I'm sure you knew that the Zips would have to score a 3-pointer to send it to overtime and then would lose in overtime. And if you mean that you predicted a loss, than that is a huge laugh. Had the result gone the other way, I could just as easily say I predicted a win. As far as the MAC being the worst conference in D1 basketball, you are wrong. I agree it's bad and is closer to the low end than the top end. But, personally, I'm sick of the overstatement of the negative. I'll take the rose colored glasses of those who thought we could beat Indiana in football to those who claimed "no way" any day. In order to win, you have to believe that you can win.