ZachTheZip

http://cfn.scout.com/2/769011.htmlThe answer: not that much.There are 65 teams in the BCS. There are 55-non BCS teams. If you were fair, the answer would be around 45%.Reading some of their comments, it seems like the biggest reason they ignore us is lack of interest. It's a cycle. They don't run stories, so people don't know to be interested, and then they point to the lack of interest as the reason they don't write stories. We can reverse that cycle and have it work the other way, as well.Generate pageviews for what little stories we do have written about our team. Write in to the authors more. Comment on other stories, and somehow try to relate them to the Zips. Basically, show them we care.Knowing how the print/internet media works, I cannot express the importance of commenting on stories if they allow it. Don't just read it and then move on. Generate discussion on their page instead of just on here. It's how they judge reader interest, and whether it is worth it to write more stories. They are a business, and we have to make it worth their while. I know that seems unfair, but it's the only way they will notice.Of course, we will always be at a disadvantage, since the BCS are able to negotiate for more TV media coverage, which creates more "fans", which starts a cycle of growth. But we can close the gap slightly. UA could try to negotiate a contract to pick up all of our non-televised home games on a local channel, such as WVPX. It would give more of a sense of legitimacy to the program, since people think "big time" means having all your games on TV. It would be awesome to have that happen as the new stadium opens, to show it off to all the people who couldn't get in when it sells out the first few games.

If I saw anybody sneaking around in the middle of the night, I would assume it was for a drug deal.I can't wait until the U removes the remaining few houses east of Spicer that aren't fraternities or sororities. They are just as bad as the ones we tore down for the stadium.

I really hope that Matt Rodgers is able to make his way to the top of the depth chart before we play Wisconsin.

Well, JD has proven that he can recruit the talent. What he hasn't proven is whether he can instill a winning attitude in the program. We could dominate the MAC with the talent we already have, if the mindset was actually there. That's where I am hoping that the numerous transfers from BCS schools will have the biggest impact: becoming leaders and teaching the other players what it means to have a winning attitude.

It is a great idea, and has been floated around in the past. The problem is, Rick Chryst doesn't really do anything for the MAC. The other conference guys all feel thast way about him, and I do too. He might leave for the Notre Dame Athletic Director position soon anyways.Another problem is that the WAC might consider itself above sharing a TV network with the MAC. They pull in huge gobs of $$$ these days.

http://sportshorseracing.com/1459/college-...ard-as-of-late/I'm really not sure what to make of this. It's like somebody took another preview of the Zips and ran the whole thing through a thesaurus word by word...Good for a laugh, unless you were the writer that was ripped off.

Bad news for the MAC.http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A.../807100311/1006The Sun Belt has surpassed the MAC in terms of BCS payout. I think part of the problem stems from the MAC being the only non-BCS conference without a true standout team. The WAC has Boise State and Hawaii, the MWC has BYU and Utah, the C-USA has UCF, and the Sun Belt has Troy. All are capable of beating the BCS teams and crashing the party if tings go their way. The MAC has parity, and that spells trouble when you need a team to make a name nationally for your conference.

We've been hearing the talk about how if JD doesn't get this team a winning record this year, he needs to go.What about the other scenario, though? What if he gets us 6-6 or better and to a bowl? Well, Pigskin Press (scroll near the bottom for analysis of MAC coaches) had an interesting thought on this. If he manages to bring success to Akron this year, he might bolt at the first oppurtunity to avoid the chance that he might screw up again. That could mean that the only way we don't open our new stadium with a new head coach is if JD has a perfectly average season: enough not to fire him, but not enough to create an oppurtunity to leave for a better scenario.What do you guys think?P.S. - They also brought up the idea of a "Zippy beanie night" where we all wear a beanie styled after our favorite kangaroo's headgear to a game.

http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/4067881It's the second year in a row they had received a nomination.I have never seen the program myself, but apparently it's pretty good.Between Z-TV and the top-rated student radio station in the coutry in WZIP, I wonder why the UA communications program isn't considered more highly, like the engineering and law schools.

Here's a quick write-up on Akron's last season from Cinci's Rivals page.http://cincinnati.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=825790I found it interesting that they thought our defense was the bulk of the problems last year, while they never even mentioned our QB problems.

There is enough talent on the Zips to go 6-6 and compete well in the MAC. The only missing link, like at most MAC schools, is the QB. With bad play calling and the 3-3-5 defense, the remaining talent will go to waste.There is talent at QB, but it is sitting on the bench.You may not have noticed, but most of the time we played the 3-3-5 defense, the players were actually lined up in a 3-4 with the Rover position servinf as the extra linebacker. The monumental failures on defense usually happened when the rover played safety instead and the other team had a scrambling QB. That should be less of a problem this year with a better D-line that can put pressure on QBs.

AWESOME!!! :rock: I like the "A" design on the light towers. Also, that DEFINETELY looks like a restaraunt in the north endzone, with the windows there.If you're talking about the two story facility in the North enzone. I thought that was going to be the entrance to the home lockerrooms and part of the fieldhouse.The two glass structures on top of the facility look like street-level entrances. If it was part of the fieldhouse, there wouldn't be a need for entrances from Vine street. Plus, if it is connected undergtound from the fieldhouse, why wouldn't they just use the fieldhouse lockerrooms?

AWESOME!!! :rock: I like the "A" design on the light towers. Also, that DEFINETELY looks like a restaraunt in the north endzone, with the windows there.

Something like that, yeah. The only real benefit is that they get to figure a sold-out Browns Stadium into their attendance totals. They say it's good for "exposure", but the only thing that will get exposed is themselves when they get embarrased.

Does anybody have any info about this exempt tournament at EKU? As far as I can tell, it doesn't actually exist.

Took the liberty of editing your post. I thought this game was to feature one of the service academies and a team from the MAC. How long do you think before a MAC team is not a part of the event either?Toledo is playing OSU at Browns Satdium next year, and I'm sure the Cleveland Sports Commission will be all over slapping the Patriot Bowl label on it, then declaring the whole thing as a success.

It will be an even bigger failure than last year, mostly because BC won't send entire regiments to fill the stands like Army did.

We've already had the small successes, starting with Romeo and Dru. Their accomplishments would seem laughable at a major program: 1 NIT appearance in four years, no conference titles, no NCAA appearances, ect. but the foundation they created has allowed for a sustained level of relative success. The recruiting classes have steadily become more talented, the wins have kept coming, and we have made incremental steps towards where we need to go since they first came here: two post-season wins, one win against a "major" program in a tournament, two back-to-back appearances in the conference championship game, increased attendance/interest.I'm not going to put the tremendous pressure of transforming a team that hasn't been dancing in over 20 years into a "Gonzaga"-type school in just four years. I do, however, expect the program to take further steps towards legitimacy as a basketball power. It seems like there are only two steps left to take towards that legitimacy: winning the MAC tournament, and winning a game or two in the Big Dance. I believe Zeke can get us there, surrounded by the great talent we already have. It's a snowball effect, and I feel that Zeke is a huge catalyst in getting things rolling. We may not become a "Gonzaga" in his time here, but we will take a major step foward thanks to him.

Maybe we could get something from the Ohio Brewing Company. They seem to support Zips athletics: When I walked in there for the first time the first thing I noticed was a giant "Fathead" of John Heisman with a caption that said something like "Head Coach - Buchtel College, University of Akron" with the years he was HC. They also had quite a few other Zips decorations near the entrance.

Zeke said it best himself. "You need good players to attract other good players."It's a snowball effect, and I think that Romeo and Dru were the ones that really got things started.It's just my opinion, but I think that before we start trying to become the "Gonzaga of the East", we should try to at least win the MAC. We haven't been to the NCAA tournament since the days of Bob Huggins when we played in the OVC.We're on our way, but we need to continue taking small steps toward improvement, and not shoot straight to the top and become a one-hit wonder team like so many mid-majors have done in the past.

Word on the street is he is a really special player...very highly thought of. We'll know if he's in the fold or not soon...maybe as early as next Friday.According to Scout, We are his favorite. He could possibly even enroll this fall and be able to play this year. He could really, really boost our secondary.

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/zips/2008/07/0...nike-or-adidas/According to Rasor, the U officially does NOT have a contract for athletic gear with either Nike (for basketball) or Adidas (for everything else).I just seems weird to me, if this is true. Does the athletic department just go to the Adidas store and buy things? Something is fishy here.

He has shown signs of being a great punter. Do you remember how he put on an All-American type performance against OSU? He has the talent. The coaches are the ones making him do the stupid rugby punt thing. If our punt-coverage has improved, Stec will be allowed to make more of the regular punts that he is capable of.

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/24055...age=all&c=yBuried halfway through this article is some major news: there will be alchoholic drinks served at Infocision Stadium. This opens the door for beer to be sold throughout the stadium, and possibly a student bar somewhere on campus eventually. It also means that there is a possibility of having a restaraunt there that serves alchohol (Winking Lizard in the north endzone, anyone?).

It should be double the current height when it is finished. What you see now is a good indicator of where the top of the GA stands will be.