72 Roo

The excitement continues to build!

I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of the trite, sanctimonious messages athletes post when they go into the portal. They talk about God guiding them. They talk about the everlasting bonds of fellowship they have with their teammates. They thank their coaches for developing them into the men they are today. Then they leave. After great thought and consultation I'm offering this simple sample announcement: "I'm in the portal. I may come back. The most money determines what I'll do." This hits at the truth. Saves a lot of time. And eliminates hypocrisy. Please use for all future announcements as my gift to portal entrees. No charge.

I watched the brief from Groce's press conference on why he decided on C of C. I readily admit I see things thru Zip colored glasses, but his reasoning did not make sense to me. When he cited alignment in the administration I took exception that he has that at UA also. Nemer is making the changes necessary to thrive, B of T chairman Mike Saxon is nothing short of brilliant. Andrew Goodrich understands that athletics is an asset, not a liability and he is gaining the support he will need to right the ship with a greater budget over time. They are all working together. The history at C of C is no better than Akron's. John mentioned the stature of a degree from C of C. I am not qualified to say they are better or less respected than our degrees. Yet I know we have a slew of outstanding depts that grant highly respected degrees. I get the support of the community and the weather may be better than Akron's. That I grant. Still his reasoning for a change to a mid major in a lesser conference puzzles me. A person close to our administration told me John will get three times our NIL money, a far bigger budget and staff, and he is a big fish in a medium sized pond with no competition for resources. That is easier to swallow than what John said. I bear no ill will to John. He gave us 9 great years. I will always celebrate that and regard him in the highest terms. I just don't swallow his reasons for leaving to go to another mid major. He deserves better.

In case you haven't noticed it is happening at Akron now. We have exceptional people in all positions and they will work things out. They are doing it now.

If we got Hurley you can kiss any thought of an enduring, positive culture goodbye.

Those who follow soccer at UA might have a different opinion. Soccer consistently wins its conference, makes the NCAA playoffs, goes to the elite eight, makes the final four and has a national championship and two runners-up. I'd say there is an argument there.

Groce did hit a ceiling with us. But Goodrich and Pottorff and Wentz wanted to help bust thru it. Going to C of C still does not make sense to me. I do not believe that in the long run it is a better job. No way! Groce has wanted the challenge of a P4 job, that's why he took Illinois. C of C does not get him back there. At his age he will be at the mid major level for a long time. He could have leveraged Akron for a P4 job which makes sense. This does not.

This kid is good and will play well at a higher level. It will also be interesting to see how many transfers he undertakes in the years ahead. I bet this is not his last. His mom's antics really turned me off. So glad we don't have that in our program.

I respectfully disagree. We don't need him and his attitude (me first). Groce has often said "you have to fit our culture, we are not going to change to fit you" Simmons demands everyone fits him. Besides we need more height than 6'7".

This was a great year and we should celebrate everything about it. Yet we also have to stay grounded in reality and the truth is this team was not set up to go deep in the tourney. As we saw it didn't go even one game. We had only one big. It was obvious more were needed. The out of conference schedule showed we were lacking against the better teams. The MAC does not prep a team for the intense, better play of P4 schools. The great equalizer, the 3 point shot, failed us today and for the last month of games. There is a lot to work on and w/o deep NIL we are questionable to ever go deeper than one game in the Big Dance.

I'm glad Miami won last night and Suder looked like s#*t. In my opinion he is the fifth best player for Miami behind Skaljac, Byers, Elmer and Woolfolk. Considering that the coaches voted Suder Player of the Year tells me there is jealousy or bitterness towards Groce and/or Akron when they deliberately snubbed the true POY Tavari Johnson.

Tonight Amani was non-existent. Cleveland is very simple. If Amani comes to play we win going away. Cut out the stupid passes, TO's, stupid fouls and defend the paint for rebounds and put backs and we are golden.

We did see him for a couple of minutes, no more. i do not understand why Groce doesn't get him minutes whenever he can. He will be needed this season and next. There were plenty of minutes available in the second half, especially after we were up by 20 and Armani was having a bad game by his standards. Let Chabi get some experience.

I was against this deal, but it is clearly set up as a stop gap for Sac State while they find a better fit. To be honest, I've changed my mind. I'd take the deal. Nonetheless the underlying issues for the MAC remain: leadership, identity, quality. Until we get football to the Toledo level this is the best fit for Akron.

This is a bad decision. Does anyone really believe Sac State wants to be in the MAC beyond a few years? The money is not worth the continued degradation of the MAC rep. We only gets teams that are desperate and we whore out to them. They then leave. Find a new commissioner, set an identity that you can build on and attract new blood that will benefit the conference, not drag it down. Think WKU, JMU, Marshall. If we were to lose OU and Miami, as the rumor has it, we are toast. Akron also has to think of its future. If the MAC goes thru major turmoil we need to make ourselves attractive to another conference. The continued improvement in football is the key.

Ridiculous!

I wish the Captain wouldn't publicize the extravagant lengths he is going to impress his wife. Before my wife saw his post she was willing to settle for a Klondike bar at the Speedway on Exchange near campus. Sheesh! Thanks Buddy!

This game magnifies fundamental weaknesses in the Zips this season. I do not believe they can get any W's after the MAC tourney. Here's why: 1) Turnovers 2) Turnovers 3) Rebounding 4) Refusal to play physical (Take a God damn charge once in a while rather than say ole) 5) Inconsistent focus (No team is good enough to turn it on when needed and win against good competition. Hell EMU was bad and they took us to the buzzer)

I'm coming from Franklin County where there is a level 3 snow advisory yesterday and today (no going out except for emergency). I hope the advisory is eased and NE Ohio is OK with its roads. Toledo is one team I love to hate. Right up there with OU, but not even close to the emotion Kent generates.

The rich will get richer. An Akron patch will go for little compared to what a P4 top 20 team patch will cost. I see the gap between the G5 and P4 just got larger.

I'm sure he prefers the academics at Texas Tech than what Virginia could offer him. 😉

This needs a deep ZNO investigation. Could H.R.Pufnstuf be positioning himself to replace Zippy? Could this signing be the avenue in which H.R. weasels into UA? I smell conspiracy.

Will he have any line to protect him? The game is still won on the OL and DL. If we improve those two areas I believe Cibastian Broughton would be enough lead us to a bowl next season.

You are right that we don't need to pay two coaches. Our reality is that this program is in the dumper. I can tolerate losing if they are playing good basketball, but perhaps facing better talent. The talent will come if they play good fundamental bball. That is not the case. They are so difficult to watch. It's painful. Gensler is by all accounts a very good guy, but in athletics you are judged on performance and that is not there.

I hate to lose this young man, but I am not as concerned as others. I question whether he had the speed to play today's LB position. We are losing players and it is saddening. Still we aren't alone. Toledo is headed for a major rebuild. Recently I touched base with an operations staff member formerly at UT. Candle asked him to join him at UConn. The pay raise was nearly double. Anyway he told me Candle has taken 22 UT players with him. Obviously Candle would not take any player that couldn't help, so these 22 were scholarship players who were expected to start or get significant PT at UT. Candle is following the plan that Cignetti executed at IU: take the best players, who you know, and build around them. Despite all this I expect UT to be good. They have a great MAC brand in football.