72 Roo

I don't have a problem with Wassel moving on. He gave us everything he had. I wish him well. He seemed to be a good team guy, but it wasn't going to work here. Hate to see Hester go as I loved his energy. Like Wassel he got stuck behind others who he would have a tough time beating out. Hope he does well wherever he goes if they are not playing UA.

Ever the optimist I'm expecting four wins this season! Call me crazy, but I'm calling for a 100% increase over last season. Let's not be afraid to reach for the stars.

Indeed it fits him well. Remember Paladin was a hired gun and I'm sure Jalen received more NIL from Furman than Kent was willing to pay.

I agree that Hardman is a good addition. It will take him time to learn what Groce's defense is all about. Still Groce would not have recruited him if he didn't think Bowen could learn to play defense the way we he coaches. I also agree with fellow posters who want another big. That is absolutely essential if we are going to into the second round of playoffs as Bud has stated as our goal. Keep the program progressing.

I don't want to get too excited, but how can you keep calm with this type of personnel infusion. Bud said the goal was to build a program that could consistently go into the second round of NCAA playoffs. I am not saying we are there, yet we do see a glimmer of what may lie ahead one day, however soon that may be.

I also had limited sympathy for the players when they (the ones primarily in the rich programs) said they needed a piece of the revenue pie. When you look at it players get a full ride covering absolutely everything = $120,000 over four years. On top of that they get tutors, gear, nutritionists, medical care and counseling without waiting for an appointment like the rest of the student body. They get cost of living allowances on average about $2,000 per year. On top of that if they come from disadvantaged backgrounds they can get a Pell Grant up to $9,000 per year. I realize the demand on their time is huge, but so is working two jobs to get thru school like I did while playing soccer. NIL needs some sanity. Is the star running back really worth $000K when the linemen blocking for him get little? The very nature of NIL works against teamwork and everyman counts.

This is a good and accurate review of what Bud had to say. As glowing as his comments were about our facilities, development, culture, reputation, etc we must always remember that in this new NIL world any school willing to offer more money will negate all our advantages. Money is the primary factor no matter how disappointing that is. We can be proud of our advantages, but we also need to be realistic. It's a different world.

The results of this Day of Giving are skewed. No contributions to any sports NIL collective are counted. No membership in the Summit Group ($25,000 committed over five years) are counted. The results are not a dire as would be surmised on first inspection. Would we like to see more from the general public? Absolutely yes! But things need to be taken in perspective.

A former UA AD told me the MAC divides the tournament money and bowl money amongst all members with the team earning the tourney spot or the bowl bid getting an extra share. The MAC office also got a share. That makes for a lot of shares and dilutes the size of the share. I do not know if that is what is done now.

If we had a men's swim team this would make perfect sense. I'm trying to work with you here Illini Zip so just go with it.

Zips Lady Dodgeball - A true Underdog Story. Has a nice ring to it. I wonder if it would make a great movie title?

I think the team counts its blessings in that it has a committed fan like you. No one does more for Zip soccer in building confidence and pride.

Ms Claws, why would 10-12 players leave if they are thrilled with the new coach? Did you mean they weren't thrilled?

Do you think he got a full scholarship, partial or PWO?

Think what you will. This is a forum open to all opinions. I can tell you the talk in Pittsburgh was that our BBall collective was the best in the MAC. It has some serious backing. Just perhaps Bud knows that and getting serious money into the collective is more critical than opening it up to the public. FWIW, Groce is in one three guys who will require NIL money to come here. They are big time talents, for the MAC that is, and we have the money they are seeking. They like everything about our program which could tip the scales in our favor if the money is the same.

Good Lord! If we applied the look test he is perfect for the PCCC future felon program.

His gifts are off the charts. What a beautiful shot he has. Unfortunately he has neither humility nor modesty to go with it. I wish him well except whenever he plays against the Zips.

For those of you salivating over David Coit I was in your ranks. But when I raised the issue to our staff in Pittsburgh they said forget it. He will not fit in with our culture, coaching or defense. He is not on our radar. Groce has always said if you come to Akron you have to fit into our culture, not the other way around.

Old news.

Going to YSU is in a big part because of M. Jackson, but make no mistake NIL dollars are involved and they are not insignificant. Yes she can do better, but apparently the NIL dollars are not there like at YSU. Stay tuned. We are rebuilding after a rebuilding year.

KD has already had a talk with our administration about helping UA in the future, both the institution and athletics. He wants to be a presence in Akron.

At least we are 100% better than McNeese with a 2-10 record. 😀

She is rumored to be headed to YSU and getting NIL money too.

Unfortunately he's still horridous when finishing at the rim. It seems he is 1-14. How can he get to the rim so fluently and finish so terribly?

The biggest concern going into the OU and championship games is limiting TO's. This is one issue that Groce has not fixed. In my opinion he tolerates them. We do not protect the basketball. We do stupid stuff and have done so all season long. Correct the TO's and I believe we can play with anybody.