Zip_ME87

Welcome to being a season ticket holder and thanks for sharing that. That speaks greatly about the support that Jared garners for our program. It was Jared along with Caleb, and the beautiful style of play in 2009, that got me hooked on our team and this sport. Until then, I was a very casual fan who knew little about the game and never really appreciated it. Now, I can't get enough of it. I have a lot to learn, but Jared and company got me interested enough to buy some books to try to learn more. I can get a little over-exuberant at times, but thank goodness people understand or keep me in check. Edit: I bought a season ticket in 2009, the first year season tickets were offered, to get a scarf. I came to one game, and got hooked. I still think our 2009 team was the best in NCAA history. 23-1-1 by NCAA rules. Never gave up a goal in 5 games in the NCAA Tourney but didn't come home with the top prize. Shows how much luck and circumstances contribute to this game of football.

I hope my friend Larry Caldwell won't mind my posting this, but when Scotty graduated, Larry told me that all of his kids played collegiate soccer; nowhere did they experience the sense of family like at Akron. Zips alumni and fans care so much about this program and each other...and I can attest that comes from the founder, Stu Parry, and has continued across the years from what I gathered at an alumni event that the University hosted in Santa Barbara. Jared, his staff, and our players continue that feeling of family. I see our current players connect so well with each other and their fans. They immediately connect with their predecessors as well. Steve Zakuani visited the team in Seattle to talk with them. Jake Fenlason and Matt Dagilis were in Santa Barbara sitting with our non gameday rostered players. Michael Nanchoff was at Wake Forest and traveled to Stanford as well as Santa Barbara. And, of course alumni from across the years were in Santa Barbara as well as other matches. During both games in Santa Barbara, DeAndre Yedlin's grandmother (DeA was raised by his grandmother and grandfather who paid for his development in both dollars and time) was texting me from Newcastle wanting updates on our games. Mind you that our Semi-final and final games took place between 1 am and 3 am in the UK. She was texting me throughout.

REPORTS: LOUISVILLE IN TALKS WITH AKRON SOCCER COACH EMBICK

Jared took the Zips to 3 College Cups in the last 4 years. He was an assistant 6 of Caleb's 7-year tenure and was instrumental in the back-to-back College Cups in 2009 and 2010, including our National Championship. There is no one who has had a bigger impact on taking our program to its highest levels. Indeed, UA's financial stresses and future impact on support to our Men's Soccer Program may have taken their toll. I hope this news is not a done deal and that UA can do the right thing for it to go our way. Jared and his staff, players, etc. are family. I wanted Jared as Caleb's replacement from the day Caleb announced he was going to the Timbers. And I hope that Jared will retire as our Zips Men's Soccer Head Coach.

JOÃO MOUTINHO FACES CHANGE TO ORLANDO CITY WITH "BIG HOPES" Portugal newspaper article about Joao. Article mentions Akron and Ger Coppinger, but [the translation] referred to him as "head coach".

Someone should WRITE A BOOK!!!

Just saw this on twitter.

I hope our Freshman of the Year, whom we all know was an outstanding leader even though this was his first year, will be back in 2019 to help make this reality.

Someone said Gen Adidas names were released around January 5th this year.

Edit: Akron around 23:38

2019 MLS Combine: Jan. 3-9 at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Fla. 2019 MLS SuperDraft: Jan. 11 at McCormick Place convention center in Chicago. (2019 Expansion team FC Cincinnati will have the top pick in the SuperDraft.)

Invitees from the Zips: GK Ben Lundt D Abdi Mohamed

I kinda got that but just wanted to reiterate.. Sorry, no offense intended.

The reason our program attracts the best players is their opportunity to play for Akron and go pro, whether that is after a year or several years. Having players sign with Generation Adidas draws potential recruits' attention to our program and gives our coaches a great tool with which to convince them to sign up. Without that, we would not even know these players to lament their leaving early.

Thank you. This is the young man I pointed out to buflobo at a ZIps home match and said I wondered if he was a potential recruit. Excellent!

I can tell you this from talking with him as he was leaving to become Timbers coach and recently when he was at Akron for the Varsity A HoF induction ... Caleb loves Akron. He made it his program and took it (along with Jared) to the pinnacle of D-1 Men's Soccer with our 2010 National Championship. He recommended Jared Embick as his replacement and has followed and been pleased with the continued excellence of our program...which also adds to his legacy. (It's always a plus for a coach's assistant to also go on and be so successful like Jared.) Also, it is likely that former Zip Pablo Moreira will be part of Caleb's coaching staff in Columbus. Wil Trapp is Captain of the Crew. Who knows what other former Zips may join the Crew. No guarantees, but it seems the ties to our program will be strong.

One would hope the connection to Porter would help connections to the Crew and Crew Academy. Although Porter also has a connection with the coach at tOSU, men’s soccer only has 9.9 scholarships. So hopefully Akron can benefit even though we are further away.

https://www.dispatch.com/sports/20181213/caleb-porter-will-be-next-crew-coach-source-confirms

So, which is true? LA or Columbus?

https://theathletic.com/713162/2018/12/13/caleb-porter-nearing-deal-to-become-crew-head-coach/

@UAZipster0305 ----- Very nice recap. Another referee (not sure he's active anymore) with whom I spoke, agrees with you on the first PK...no contact, should have been an indirect free kick in the box. We didn't discuss the other or the red card. Jared, staff, and players deserve more credit than I can put into words for this season. Looking forward to the next one. Also looking forward to: Who goes pro and where 2019 recruiting class announcement Spring exhibitions. The future is bright. I suspect we will have at least one Generation Adidas player. Completely a guess on my part.

MLS Atlanta - Darlington Nagbe Colorado Rapids - Dillon Serna Columbus Crew - Wil Trapp FC Cincinnati - Darren Mattocks (Expansion Draft) LA Galaxy - Perry Kitchen Montreal Impact - Evan Bush New England Revolution - Teal Bunbury, Scott Caldwell NYCFC - Jonathan Lewis Orlando City - Joao Moutinho (trade from LAFC) Portland Timbers - Zarek Valentin EPL Newcastle United FC - DeAndre Yedlin