Zip_ME87

I went to a BG / UA game at the Rubber Bowl 15 years ago. Homecoming. 70 degree, sunny October day. There were MAYBE 500 people in attendance.People have no clue how far game day attendance has come since Mike Thomas rolled into town and changed logos, started the AK-Rowdies, got rid of the bush-league vendors and team gear, got the stadium off the ground...etc.People want to plant a tree on Monday, and begin picking fruit on Thursday. It doesn't work that way. The AK-Rowdies of today won't pay dividends for several years. But they will pay off. It is the new AD's job to take the Program to the next level. The groups preceding him did.I know folks on here don't like hearing about Columbus State, but I just saw a PBS program about the building of Ohio Stadium...When it was first built, I think capacity was 60k +; first game they had standing room only. For the next several years, they had crowds of 25k or less in a 60k + stadium. It doesn't happen over night.

I know what I saw Saturday night - "The Kid" has serious game. I look forward to 4 quarters of him vs. Buffalo.I agree with you CK. Do I expect Patrick to completely turn this around on his own? No. But, I do expect him to play to his abilities, regardless of his age and collegiate game experience. I also expect the Zips' coaching staff to coach to his abilities, regardless of his age and collegiate game experience.

Look at comparison of Opponents' RPI:Northwestern Opponent (RPI)Wisconsin Green Bay (46)DePaul (18)Oakland (62)Tulsa (16)South Carolina (7)Lafayette (49)Drake (20)SIU Edwardsville (88)Ohio State (26)Northern Illinois (29)Penn State (33) Average Northwestern Opponent RPI: 35.82Akron Opponent (RPI)SMU (91)Tulsa (16)High Point (59)Cincinnati (58)Indiana (17)St Louis (43)Bowling Green (185)Ohio State (26)Florida Atlantic (129)Illinois-Chicago (77)Western Michigan (166) Average Akron Opponent RPI: 78.82

This from a head coach? I hope this is just a poor choice of words. There are many successful people in this world who do things "beyond their years".

I agree that Akron's football tickets are priced where they should be and that the reason the stadium isn't seeing bigger crowds is the 1 - 4 record.I would suggest to anyone who can't afford an "American football" game and wants a great deal, go see the other "football team" on campus...the 1/1/1/1/1 Zips Mens Soccer team. Adults $8, Youth $4...what a great deal!

Great story ZW. I love this team!Last March in Portland, they were so excited to be there and they've always been approachable. I love Nik's attitude...he always seems so pumped up and always comes across as truly enjoying being around his teammates and the fans. Grinning from ear to ear, signing autographs for Zips' and other teams' fans in Portland. Loved watching his and others' reaction when they were standing in the Info club seats during the pre-game showing of the highlights video from last year. I could see they're pumped for the season to beign. Looking forward to "Meet the Team" next Saturday and the beginning of basketball season.

Great Three Stooges analogy.I hope you feel optimistic about the Zips future. Once the mismanagement is gone, the losing should be gone as well. The talent is there that is being wasted. I just hope Nicely doesn't transfer after the coaching change.I also feel optimistic about the Zips' future as you do GP1. The defense played with a lot of heart. The offensive players looked pumped up as well. Some better management from the sideline and some work with the special teams would go a long way. I totally support our players. But, the Pee Wee head coach and his OC have to go. (I don't know what to Say about the QB coach...I'm unsure how much control Walt Harris has over personnel decisions. I'm sure that he makes recommendations, but I don't know if they translate to the field.) To me it is inexcusable to not be able to build the best team in this poor conference.

I agree with you Zipsrifle. I feel badly for Matt. He was playing well when the coaches were calling plays that he could execute. This is Nicely's team now. Too bad this team is still hampered by an underachieving head coach and his washed up OC sidekick.

Couldn't agree more. Aren't the coaches supposed to evaluate talent. It shouldn't have taken a Rodgers' injury to get Nicely on the field. Once Jacquemain was dismissed from the team, the Zips didn't have the luxury of his redshirt.

I'll 2nd that and add Fire Shane Montgomery.

I'll say this for the first time, and I mean it. It's time for a coaching change. This staff (and yes, i know it's not just the coaching staff) has thoroughly run the program into the ground deeper than it's ever been in what was (is?) the most important season in program school history. I'm embarrassed to have to settle for rooting for a Wagon Wheel victory this season...there's nothing else to cheer for.The on the field product begins and ends with the coaching staff. The coaches recruit and coach the players that are on the field; they develop and teach the game plan (at least that's what they're supposed to do). The special teams were horrible and combined with the offense to keep the Zips from winning. Rodgers had problems and got hurt because his head coach and OC are football-challenged. Anyone could see that he was moving the offense until they called plays of which he was not capable of executing. Furthermore, any first year coach knows that you don't keep running the QB...easy to defend the obvious and we got the usual result. I agree that the punt formations were 3rd grade...I knew that punt was going to be blocked before it happened. Nicely looked good. JD and his OC shouldn't have needed Rodgers' injury to tear up his Nicely's redshirt. JD and Shane Montgomery should be fired immediately.JD has had more going for him than his 2 predecessors, yet the Zips have made no progress. (He has had the field house for a few seasons and at least the real promise of a new stadium). JD has taken the Zips' football team backwards. I'm embarrassed that once again the coaches who are producing are not getting facilities deserving of their accomplishments. The new on campus stadium was sorely needed, but a basketball arena and soccer pitch upgrade are much more deserved. All I have left to say is Go Zips and GOODBYE JD (I hope that was your resume you had on your clipboard on the sideline. It sure needs as much work as you can put into it.)

http://fausports.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/.../100309aab.htmlTop-Ranked Akron Rolls over FAU 3-0 on SaturdayZips tally three first half goals and improve to 9-0Oct. 3, 2009Final StatsBOCA RATON, FL - The Florida Atlantic men's soccer team fell 3-0 to No. 1 Akron on Saturday night at FAU Soccer Stadium.The Zips (9-0-0, 2-0-0) got on the board early as Teal Bunbury scored off a corner kick in the second minute of the game to give Akron a 1-0 lead. Later in the first half, Bunbury would score his second tally of the game in the 30th minute to give the Zips a 2-0 advantage.The Akron offensive onslaught would conclude in the 38th minute when Ben Speas tallied a goal to put the Zips ahead 3-0. The game was dominated on both sides by Akron as they outshot FAU 20-2 and forced the Owls (4-3-2, 0-1-0) to commit a season-high 16 fouls.The one bright spot for the Owls came late in the second half when Erick Espinosa tallied FAU's only shot on goal during the game. Freshman goalkeeper Jeremy Crumpton made four saves in net for FAU.Florida Atlantic will be back in action next Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. when the Owls will face Hartwick for their first conference road game of the season.

We were pretty damn rowdy...The first half was a little quiet since we were on our side but after the half, when their goalie was right in front of us, all hell broke loose. It's great when on corner kicks, we're so loud that the goalie and defenders that are screaming to each other, cupping their ears trying to hear the commands, get pissed at their own team HAHAAbsolutely loved the "Brutus hates you" chant.

..."The "Fab Four" as they dub themselves, beat everybody in sight, then travel to Florida to play in the AAU (11 and under) tournament. They lose but decide to stick together through high school. When it is clear that Dru, due to his size, doesn't stand a chance at an all-black school, the group chooses to play for a private, mostly white school, provoking hurt feelings in Akron's black community.Dru's dad comes aboard as an assistant under the hard-driving white head coach Keith Dambrot. A 27-0 season is capped by a state championship in which the undersized point guard throws up seven consecutive three-pointers that hit nothing but net.A second season brings distractions: Transfer student Romeo Travis is a selfish and perpetually angry loner, and James' growing celebrity threatens team cohesion. The coach's decision to accept a college job following the last game, thus reneging on a promise he made the four kids, leaves a feeling of betrayal.The feeling vanishes when Coach Dru is offered the coaching job at SVSM. Trouble is, he is more of a football guy. He questions whether he can guide such a talented, now nationally recognized team."...More than a Game review

And whose players are these? JD Brookhart's. This is his 6th year. They are his recruits. Sorry Baller, but JD is responsible.

Took my first trip to the Big House yesterday with a friend who is a UM alum (and who has come to Zips Mens BBall and football games). IU is not the #11 team in the Not-So-Big 10. Zebras were horrible...thought I was watching MAC refs...perhaps they came over from Ypsilanti.

Jordan Miller...wait, I forgot he left the team in August. (More proof of JD's recruiting prowess.)Matt Rodgers because, as the Browns have proven time and again, changing QB's over and over solves nothing. The problems with the Zips go beyond who the QB is.Fire JD, make Shane Montgomery the Interim Head Coach and Walt Harris the Offensive Coordinator. That would change out the head coach and possibly the play calling at the same time.

I'm a big fan of JT and have followed Akron for years. By little publicity do you mean no publicity? I have never read or heard of any such gifts to the school or football program.He is a true gentleman. He wants it that way. When the program has needed financial support in the past, he has come through. I've heard that one day when his playing career is over they may name something after him. The should do that Hall of Fame weekend five years after this season.They should, and I think he deserves a statue (immortalized) to show how much he meant to the program and University and to remind the players, recruits and fans that greatness can come from anywhere.Greatness on and off the field.

I actually prefer McManamon's article in the ABJ today:What a Great Weekend for UA, MAC"It begins (note: It does not kick off) with the nation's No. 1-ranked soccer team playing Indiana at 7:30 on the UA campus tonight.Forget about tickets for that game, hosted by the nation's No. 1 team.It's a sellout.That is what happens when the nation's No. 1 team plays.Have we mentioned the Zips are ranked first? In the country?"And..."This weekend is UA's opportunity — in two sports.It starts with soccer, with coach Caleb Porter leading the top-ranked Zips against the school where he starred and was an assistant coach before coming to UA.Porter said he has completely detached himself from those emotions, but he understands what the match tonight means during Alumni Weekend.The sellout is the first in UA's 54-year soccer history. Indiana is a perennial soccer power, and ranked eighth or 10th in the nation, depending on the poll of preference. (UA, by the way, is ranked No. 1 in both polls.)''You can't put it into words,'' Porter said. ''We've been working very hard over the last four years to build our program. To play the brand we want to play. To be able to go head to head with teams like Indiana and not hope to win, but expect to win.''There's a huge buzz and an energy. When I took this job, that's what we wanted to have happen, with time. I think we're finally getting to that point where we're there. Yet we still have a long journey ahead.''''I'm not a soccer guru, by any means,'' UA football coach J.D. Brookhart said. ''But I love watching that team. They're athletic. The precision of their play is pretty amazing to me. A lot of great athletes out there.''

VMD that is awesome.

Thanks to the moderator who fixed the link. Can you explain the "tinyurl" thing to us non-expert users?Sure .. it's been posted before .. but probably time again.If you have a long url or one that might get jumbled, you go to www.tinyurl.com and enter the long link in a box, and it gives you a modified small link that will redirect people to the same place. It's particularly useful for things like mapquest directions & winkflush sites ..Go Zips!Thanks ZW. I hadn't seen this before. I'll bookmark that site.

Thanks to the moderator who fixed the link. Can you explain the "tinyurl" thing to us non-expert users?

My pics are atInfocision Opening Day Sept 12 2009Change "flush" to f.lash without the . (I really hate this stupid feature on this board){MOD} Fixed.

I loved the traveling bands also...fantastic idea. I loved everything about today. The atmosphere of being on campus is absolutely incredible. The students were awesome. The parties and tailgating were fantastic. WE ARE AKRON was the feeling that I had from the moment I drove up Exchange St. 3.5 hours before kickoff.

Those are great pics. Thanks!