ZachTheZip

Maybe their team is going about this game the same way. One can only hope.

Not recruited well? Igor was one of the best 20 kickers available coming out of high school. He was money and could always be counted on to get the job done, and he always did it. That was a major recruiting coup according to the recruiting people. The year off and the whole student-fight debacle has hurt his confidence. Kicking is more mental than any other position in all of football. UA's sports psycologist had better find a way to get him back in form soon.

When I was at the Patriot Bowl, I noticed that every time I saw the band, both at the pre-game festivities at the square and during the game, I couldn't help thinking to myself "Wow, the band has become really huge". After talking to other Zips fans, one of them informed me that there were over 100 new members this year, effectively doubling their size compared to last year. I'm not sure if that is true, but it sure seemed like it. You could hear them very well, and the addition of more tubas/sousaphones has really given the songs an attitude that was lacking. Whoever is in charge of recruiting for the band deserves some serious kudos.The fact that no one has commented on this yet leads me to believe that it was just me and a few others' perception, but it sure seemed like there were more students than before, unless there were a bunch of alumni marching with them (hard to tell).Also, has anyone heard a rumor that the band is not going to Columbus on saturday because OSU wanted to charge full admission (not the "discounted" student price) for every band member to attend? With the band expanding so much, the budget won't allow for it. I guess it is a two-edged sword, but one I will take gladly.

That's about where they should have been in the pre-season. Winning the next few games against the toughest teams on our schedule should boost them into the top 10 easily. Then just keep on winning. That's the key.It's sad that I think this way, but I have the feeling that even if the Zips are ranked #1 at the end of the season that they will still not get a high seed and will end up playing mostly on the road in the tourney.

That's just the problem, though. I am positive that when I attend classes this week that the OSU apparrel will outnumber the Akron apparrel at least 3-1. It will only get worse as the week goes on.To all the students that read this board: If someone yells "AK", you had better reply with a "ROWDY". Drown out any OH-IO crap people might start. Offer to trade a Zips shirt to anyone wearing OSU crap. I'm personally going to carry 2 extra Zips shirts with my books for just such an occassion.

Good luck Zips!Anybody know when the new rankings come out and where to find them?

I've heard the rumor about DH, too.We have so many talented running backs, I would think that our running game would never get tired throughout an entire game or the whole season.

Keep it secret.

There's a few OSU fan sites. This one seems to have mostly people from other Ohio D-I schools that root for them. It's supposed to be a general college football board, but it's been commandeered by OSU fans. JJhuddle's college football forum.There's also Buckeyeplanet.com and a few others.

Here's the opening odds on MAC games for week two. As far as I can tell, we're currently the biggest D-1A underdog in the nation.Minnesota by 11.0 over Miami(OH)Temple by 2.0 over BuffaloOSU by 28.5 over AkronCMU by 6.0 over ToledoMichigan State by 15.0 over Bowling GreenBall State by 7.0 over EMUKentuky by 14.0 over Can't StateWMU by 3.0 over IndianaOhio by 4.0 over LA-LafayetteLooks like we're the longshot.

Fuqua got some good reps in. Nothing nearly as memorable as Arthur, but pretty solid if I remember. JD didn't want to show off any more than he needed to to win the game. He said that we mave multiple deep threats at WR. I trust that he is right and simply didn't want to give anybody any film to work with.

NOW's the time to talk smack. OSUcks! Next week we can go back to trashing Can't.

Akron has a lot of film to work with against a competitive team. OSU's backups were in for so long that the starters won't improve as much by watching film. OSU will rely on their talent and depth to overcome any challenge by Akron, but I get the feeling that Akron is deeper talent-wise at more positions than we have been in a long time. Here's hoping that the Zips at least make it interesting.

I would count the stadium as something just short of a miracle. How may of us dared to dream of something that nice right on campus, just a few years ago? All Akron needs to do is win a few bowl games and pull off the occasional upset. It can happen, just look at 2005s games in Detroit and how many Akron fans showed up. Don't you think that even more would show up for a home game if we were champs?

The MAC East went 5-2 while the MAC West went 0-6 this weekend. So much for that power discrepency favoring the West. We need more big upsets in the MAC. Akron has a good shot to win two more non-conference games. I would be happy with a split of UConn and Indiana.

Was that the total number of legs in attendance?Or total number of toes?Cause it couldn't have been people in attendance. I'd venture a guess of about 12,000. It wasn't as bad as it looked on TV, the lower bowl was about 80% full. But some of that might have been from Akron's band, which I am pretty sure has gained around 100 new members this year.

Just got back.Some thoughts:1.) Special Teams still needs some work. Botching FGs, can't cover returns well, blocked punt. The only bright spot is our kick returning. Just like last year.2.) The running game looks good. Very good and very deep. The opposite of last year.3.) Defense looked solid, but still has a few things to work on, like penalties.4.) I was suprised at how many jerks attend West Point. A cadet broke one of our $2,000 A-K-R-O-N flags that the cheerleaders run with. Another stole someone in the band's hat, but an officer returned it. Certainly not our nation's best and brightest.5.) Leave it to UA not to be able to secure a unified student section during what is being counted as a home game. Being scattered because none of the tickets are next to eachother is bush league crap that a D-I school shouldn't have to deal with.6.) The only way we will score on OSU next week is through kick returns unless the playcalling changes on offense.7.) Attendance was crap, but the pre-game atmosphere was excellent.

It says it's the Patriot Bowl onmy channel guide, too.Off to the game!

Awesome. Think we might be able to crack the top 25 any time soon?Also, how was the crowd?

What's the score? How was the "Goal Patrol"? Anybody? Beuller? Beuller?

Twas the night before the Patriot Bowl,When all through the land,Not a Zips Fan was stirring,Not even the Band.The beers were pre-cooled,And tents folded, with careWith the knowledge thatgame day would soon be here.The city of Clevelandslept with nary a sound,For tomorrow it would wakewith the roar of the crowd.Jets blaze through the sky And cannons eruptAs the Zips take the fieldAnd Army gets shlepped.The fans start to head homewith their tail-gate gear.Heads are held high'Cause Army got smeared.Congrats all aroundand replies of "aw shucks"And all the while there areCries of CAN'T STATE SUCKS!

There are several ways to show them. One is to comment on all Zips-related articles on Ohio.com and another is to go to the games, obviously. Another way is to have more Zips-related gatherings like pep-rallies, but that's up to the University (if anyone with connections feels like suggesting this to the right people to make it happen, please do). Do something to grab the attention of the students, especially, like give out "$5 off books next semester" coupons to every student that passes through the gates. These things will get people interested. More people going to the games should mean more coverage, if the supply/demand theory is to be believed.We have to attack this problem head on, and encourage the University to do so as well.

Pluto and Moragn and whomever else they apparently force into writing Zips articles against their will don't decide the amount of coverage that the Zips get. They only decide the quality and work put into it (which is, itself, lacking). The page designer and the sports editor choose what gets published where, or if it even gets published at all. They are the two people that need to be complained to, but I have had trouble finding out how to contact them or even what their names are. Complain to them, but also give positive feedback on the stories that do get printed. That's the way to do it.

I'm rooting for the MAC. Any MAC non-conference win is good for us. Buffalo lost to Rutgets 38-3Miami beat Ball State 14-13, which is good for the MAC East. Since non-divisional games don't have any bearing on standings it doesn't affect us.