72 Roo

Random thoughts:1) Mac is gone. I agree with Capt'n, if not now he will go soon. He's got to go because he has tipped his hand that he is willing to leave for a mid-level Big East job. Not exactly the Big 10, SEC or Big 12.2) Our transformation, which is continuing as we speak, will be a long hard road. But it will happen. I see us dominating the MAC and looking to the next level in the years ahead. I'm willing to admit it may be many years ahead. But it will happen.3) Proenza will only leave for the right job. He was up for the Florida job , but didn't get it. He also applied for the University of California regents job that OSU's Gordon Gee was offered years ago, but Luis didn't make the short list. He is being selective on what he wants. He knows he has one job left in him and he wants it to be a statement position or he will continue to stay at Akron. I can live with that. There is still more for him to do here altho' he is still disappointed he couldn't orchestrate a medical school for Akron. A long shot at best, but he thought he was strong enough to pull it off. 4) Zip37 ... I'll disagree with you about Gordon Larsen. Even respectfully argue if you want. Gordon inherited an athletic dept that was in a shambles from the Red Cochrane era. Red was a promoter, but never a manager. Gordon started putting the program on the proper footing. He instituted title IX at Akron, he coached, he hired Bill Killen to replace Stu Parry, he hired Wyatt Webb and he got us into the Mid Continent conference. All on the smallest budget the school had seen to date. As a football coach he out-coached Don James (K.E.N.T.) and Earle Bruce (Tampa) with fewer scholarships. At first I didn't like him. After getting to know him I found he was Akron through and through. He was a man to be admired and a fierce competitor. I hope some of this changes your mind about him. he did many important things behind the scenes that few people gave him credit for.5) I like our position now better than ever. Our coaches are sound. Our facilities are rapidly improving. We have a core of passionate fans that will keep the focus on continuous qulaity improvement. We have a great president and a board of trustees that share his vision. We will survive and flourish. As I said above, it will happen.

Interesting discussion. I believe we all feel the same way but maybe choose different logic to support our opinions. Mine is to get the hell out of the MAC as fast as we can, provided we can compete to win in a basketball and football conference. That is a big proviso. Until then we need to dominate the MAC. We are only prepared to do so in soccer and track, not the money sports which rule all decisions. I'd love to be in the Big East, but they, rightly so, will not take us so we should get used to it. Frankly, I don't blame them. We bring little to the conference except for soccer and track. A more realistic goal would be Conference USA. That would help all sports and we could make the leap if we begin dominating the MAC. I hope we look that way in the future. If we focus only on dominating the MAC we still will not get the attendence or recognition we need to come close to balancing the athletic dept budget. C-USA gives us a better chance to do so and will make us continue to grow and develop. I can't see the MAC ever generating the attendence we will want.Until a jump is feasible we need to get our house in order and start winning the MAC regularly in football and Basketball. We need to be the program that causes all conference members to think the road to the championship goes thru Akron.

Sorry Capt'n, in the spirit of complete objectivity I've got to drop the Lady Zips to #11. There loss to WMU moves the UT men ahead of them. Take heart ladies, next year you'll kick their butt.

No, no...its: "There saying that this is a grate higher over their, butt they're kneads two bee sum immediate results." Zippy, Dude, you are too freakin' funny. I read that and it made my day.Zips do rule!

I like the hire. I agree it shows commitment to the program. Shane was a good OC before he took the reins at Miami and he will be valuable to JD to bounce ideas off of. His value as a recruiter is significant. More and more programs are de-emphasizing Florida and spending more time in Georgia. The Zips need to be able to have a presence in that state.The more I see of the program's changes the greater my hopes rise. I am hoping JD is laying a solid foundation that will carry the program after the excitement of the first year in our new showcase is over.

Nation, a couple weeks ago Mac sent out a letter to the friends of Zip soccer. In it he outlined the outstanding accomplishemnts of this year's team, future developments and reviewed the "injustice" that was heaped on the team and the university during the playoffs. I will not go into great detail, but I do what to give you all a flavor for what was discussed.First, my overall impression was one of great confidence and respect for what Mac and Caleb have done. I don't post all that often. In the past, when I did post, I was critical of Mac. Now that time has passed and I continue to see what he is doing and the challenges he faces with reputation, little tradition, Inadequate attendence, a poor conference, facility upgrades and budget pressures, I have slowly become a Mac fan. His letter only re-enforced that opinion. As part of his review of this year's accomplishments Mac discussed the contract extension for Caleb. We have the best young coach in the country, hands down, end of discussion. The soccer world also knows this. Caleb is now paid with the top 5-10 soccer coaches in the country. His assistants all got raises, the recruiting and travel budget was increased, and a second fulltime assistant was added. The university is clearly committed to winning a national championship. Mac is talking openly of that expectation of Caleb and himself. Additional evidence of that is this year's recruiting class and our Spring schedule (the best in the country on both counts).Mac next shifted to the soccer facility on campus. A new field and lights are planned for the 2010 season. Lights bright enough for night TV broadcasting will cost $500,000. There are three options for the field: 1) $750,000 to install a new field with a surface and drainage to handle 35-40 events per season and most weather conditions, 2) $1,000,000+ to install a sand based field and drainage that could handle any weather and more than 40 events per season, and 3) an artificial turf field that could handle all weather and unlimited events. The second option is preferred by all in the program. In fact, the third option could be expected to affect recruiting as recruits do not want to play on fake turf. Mac and Caleb are studying their options and possible donors to make the sand based field and lights happen. After 2010 the grandstand, bleacher and birm seating will be addressed in what's called phase II.The team will get new locker rooms and a lounge in the utility building at the north end of Infocision this season. Funding needs to be signed off by the board of trustees. It is considered it will go through when presented. That will be a great plus and help convince these national class recruits coming in that they made the best decision of their lives. Finally, Mac reviewed how the "injustice" (his word) of the playoff screw-job played out. He discussed it with passion and detail. We appealed the NCAA's decision 3 freakin' times and we went all the way to the top. All parties refused to listen to our points. I don't know how you felt during that time but I was sick and very upset. For the first time, I was reminded to look beyond my own feelings and consider the administrators at the university who even felt worse. After reading his account I felt a closer bond to his athletic administration than ever. The only thing Mac didn't review that I would have expected was our future, or lack thereof, in the MAC. We already have the top OCC schedule in the country with the RPI to back it up. The MAC kills our momentum. Unfortunately, we repeatedly face teams that decide to keep 11 men on their half of the field in hopes of playing for a 0-0 tie. Case in point, at the BGSU game last season their coach acted like he won the national championship when he only lost 2-0 or so. We need a conference where teams want ot play and not hunker down. That type of competition will only make a us better during the playoff run.This team is in good hands. We will continue to win big on a national level. Thanks to Caleb and Mac for making the dream a reality and thanks to the many nation supporters. You folks are getting a rep as the most passionate in the country. To cite an example, I sat with an athletic administrator from Ohio State at last season's game in Columbus. She was overwhelmed by the Zip following and could not believe that we had more in attendence than OSU did. She quized me constantly on how it got that way, how we became so passionate and what OSU needed to do to get to where we are. She ended the night by saying next to Indiana, we are the best program she has ever seen. Not a bad compliment considering Iu's numerous national championships.Thanks again to all who read this far.

I love the excitement that is growing over our commit list, but in the final analysis I really only want to see us getting better than our peers i.e rest of the MAC. If we do that, one day we will be out of the piss-poor MAC conference and moving in circles that get more respect and attention. If we maintain the staus quo (in the MAC) we eventually will deteriorate with the rest of the programs.

This in indeed fantastic news, but let's not overlook the challenges that face Caleb and the Zip soccer program. They are: 1) we have got to get out of the MAC (Please become an affiliate member of Conference USA and 2) we need a new soccer specific stadium. With those two issues addressed we can challenge for a national championship. Without them being resolved we will continue to get screwed by the powers that be.The bottom line is that we are on the cusp of being a top 10 program. With these improvements we will be a top 5 program.

Great idea Capt'n. If I was able I'd find some business to do in N.E. Ohio and drive up from Columbus for the event. Unfortunately, I've got to go leave tomorrow for a national sales meeting in Arizona. Nice weather, but no time to enjoy it. Kinda like a hostage crisis situation.BTW, why did the powers that be decide to drop the signing day hoopla? With this class and the excitement of the opening of Info it seems like a natural thing to do. I don't get it. Why not show the recruits and the public we are proud of this recruiting class.Any ideas? Enjoy the brew.

Racer, you are killing me with your never ending quest to discover capitals and punctuation. You can't be that lazy or did you really go to Can't? Hopefully, you are just a student who doesn't give a damn. The real world will be a shock one day. It is Christmas, though, and we should love everyone, even Can't fans. On second thought, let me think about that for a while. But you do have a good point in that our D lacks any linebackers with the size to make an impact at the line when plugging holes. We have rarely had the size at LB to play the 3-3-5. Yet we stay with it. I assume the coaches are doing their best to bring in the talent we need. That being said we have to show the flexibility to use the defensive scheme that suits our talent and is effective. The 3-3-5 may suit our talent, but is not effective. Hence JD has got to change. If he opens next year in the 3-3-5 I would read that as an open admission that he is beyond his coaching ability and we need to plan a change at the end of the season. There has got to be a potential D coordinator out there who can do a better job than Fleming did if Fleming is not committed to change. I hope JD finds that guy this off-season.What a nice Christmas present that would be. BTW, let's throw in a QB who can win games in the fourth quarter.Happy New Year!

Skip, you may be right, but I think Racer makes a good point. The D has to do its job. Jones gives us instant experience and talent to boot. While I agree he is a great receiver with the best hands on the team, you have to consider the great need to put a defense out that can stop anyone. We will need that if we are going to win the MAC. I would give his suggestion serious consideration.

Outstanding Post! I would expect nothing less from a Zip-aholic. Really cool to read. Makes me want to wish away the next 7 months.This made my day.

This is a depressing outcome. We were the better team, but didn't play like it. Yes, the NCAA screwed us and that can't be changed. Let's not forget that this team was good enough to play with anyone in the country. How many other Zip teams can make that statement? They never quit. They played as a team with great purpose, leadership and confidence. If the football team had done that they would have been 9-3. I'm going to let myself feel bad for a short time and then look to how we can get better.Trimmy hit it on the nose with his three points. I agree Mac has got to get us out of the MAC, not only for soccer, but for the future well being of all Zip athletics. Unfortunately, I can't see us getting a better facility next season unless we are ready to give up playing on campus for a full season. It will take that long to tear down the tennis courts,relocate and rebuild the field. My biggest worry is losing Porter. This kind of loss hits coaches in the heart and kills their optimism for getting it done at a school like Akron. Only Mac and Dr. P can solve this issue. They have got to convince Caleb that he will have the commitment, resources and facilities to win a national championship. If he feels, at any time, that is lacking he will be gone. There is too much demand for talented coaches like him to think he will stay w/o our Zip leaders supporting him. I, for one, plan to drop Porter a note thanking him for getting us this far and confirming my belief he will take us all the way to a championship.As we post our frustrations on this thread, let's not forget that this team is part of the solution, not part of the problem. They did all they could and next year looks brighter. I'd hate to see an air of pessimism linger over this program when it has such a great future ahead of it. Remember we started 4 freshmen, 4 sophmores, 1 junior and 2 seniors. We are loaded and will bounce back.Feel bad for now, but the Zips will be back. The NCAA hurt us but didn't kill us and we will be better and stronger.

I can't seem to get the stream up and running. I've followed the directions but the streaming doesn't pop up. If anyone can help me I'd appreciate a call 614-888-7590. I'm dieing! Steve

Forget the importance of next year. J.D. has not earned the right to continue. He has mis-used coaches (fire Fleming), mis-used philosophy (3-3-5), mis-used talent (Jacq under pressure, wideout drops, special teams, last three games, etc) and failed to lead (lost 4 games that should have been won ( Temple, BG, UC, Buffalo). These are the same issues we have talked about before and after the last two seasons. Nothing has changed and a new stadium will not bring a diferent style of coaching. Only a new coach will bring that. Make the change to get better. The present coach has shown he can't do it left to his own devices. He has had a fair shot. Time for a change, if we can afford to eat his contract.

How does your club baseball team differ from our varsity one? Why have a club team? Can you play intramurals?As for this thread, I by no means want JD to lose his job. But based on the philosophy that I use to run a successful busines, i.e. past performance is the greatest single predictor of future success, J. D. has not earned the right to continue as coach. Let him go.

The action by the NCAA is as demoralizing as anything I have ever witnessed in many decades of following Zip sports. In this instance I have a special perspective, that of a former soccer player. We lost a home playoff game several years ago because UConn could put more fans in the stands. We lost Ken Lolla because he felt he could never win a national championship at Akron. I fear this will hit Caleb hard too. He is coming off two #5 recruiting classes and this next one could well be #1. But if the selection committee refuses to respect the program, he, like any of us, will think twice when the big offers come after this season. I'd hate to lose him because he sincerely believes he can work hard enough to make even the NCAA sit up and take notice of the quality of our program. Today's action by the NCAA says that ain't gonna happen soon. So does he stay and fight or does he listen to offers from programs with better pedigrees and deep pockets? That's scary to think about.We got screwed today, no doubt about it. We should all be mad as hell. Vent all you want but at some time think about what can be done. Here's my two cents:1) Get out of the MAC and get affiliate status with Conference USA the same as Kentucky did when they left the MAC. That may have implications for all our other programs and would certainly cost the MAC an automatic soccer berth as it would drop below the mandatory 6 members 2) Mac Rhodes has to find the money to move the field to its position for when the new stadium will be built. That will require tearing down the tennis courts. Then moving the field 50-100 feet closer to the student center. Next they will have to dig down the foundation for drainage, sewer, electrical and water lines. All that is expensive and not real exciting as donors have nothing much to show for their money. But it is absolutely necessary as we are seeing now with the state of the Jack's turf, or mud. 3) Doing all that, you have got to buy a tarp to protect the field against deterioration in the late season. If it eventually drains well and is covered we are golden.4) For right now, the adminstration should consult, complain and consider seeking an injunction against the NCAA (a long shot). But if we can prove we have adequate facilities near Akron, I think we deserve to be heard. Hell they don't respect us now, so what does it hurt.5) The team has to rally and get real pissed off. Develop an us-against-the-world attitude and use it to feed their emotion. Go to NU and kick their butts. Win against NU and we only have one game stopping us from getting to Frisco, Texas. There the weather favors us with our speed and skill.Behind closed doors Mac has to vow to never let this happen again. I don't want to be him now because to solve it he needs a lot of money. But Caleb is one of those core coaches (Caleb, KD, Mitchell, Engle) you don't want to lose. So even with Info opening, you need to find the money Mac or get Luis to allocate something from the UA Foundation that has money for contingencies.We all know this soccer program is a top five program in the country. If we get screwed out of further tournament play we should never, ever forget it. I don't want to run like Lolla did, but i also don't want to stay put and complain. Our future belongs outside the MAC with better facilities. Without that we are doomed to see this injustice again and again.

Brian Kelly has always been looking out for Brian Kelly first. If he is the top choice for the UT job I bet he takes it. At CMU he was the highest paid coach in the MAC at near $400,000. UC came calling and offered $850,000 and BK left to start recruiting early. UC has since sweetened BK's contract ($1.1 M I think) but he will go to UT IMHO because of the money and the prestige.JD is nowhere near any list of replacements coaches at UC. He has a mediocre record, his team has not gotten better during the season, his recruiting is undistinguished, he is not experiencing any momentum in his career now and he has developed a rep for not being able to coach defense. In short he's not a hot commodity. I agree with the other poters that there are better candidates at Utah, CMU, Ball State and Navy. For what it's worth, if we weren't strapped for cash I believe JD would be gone at the end of this season. We have three games in which we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory i.e. BG, UC,and Buffalo. That's too many to be coincidence or bad luck. That's a lack of leadership and preparation. I'm not a JD hater, I just haven't seen any evidence that he can do the job. One thing I wouldn't do is give him a long contract extension based on one good year, 2009.The way we are improving the state of athletics at Akron, I feel the program is carrying JD rather than him leading or accelerating its growth. Still .

Thanks True Blue. It was truly an exciting game to watch. There was no quit in either team. I respect the way both sides battled.Other posters have already offered some areas of concern so here are mine:1) Can we make any adjustments at halftime to shut down Sparks out of the backfiled and Roosevelt? That was their entire passing game. I'm no genius, but I can see who's killing us and rotate the defense to stop them. Let's make the other players beat us if we limit those two.2) How can Jacq miss easy throws in big games. There were at least five passes that he short-armed his throw and subsequently put it in the turf or no where near open receivers.3) Can we get any pressure on athletic QB's like Wiley? I have no confidence in our defensive scheme. Please see any previous rant by any nation poster re: 3-3-5.4) Dropped balls drive me nuts. I'm real basic regarding them i.e. you drop it, you lose playing time.All that being said I came away with greater respect for the players and a sense that JD will one day do the job. Unless the team really collapses in the last two games, I feel JD has earned more time at the helm. I hate to see the bowl go out this way, but tonight was memorable and the game was contested as hard as the team could. I love these kids heart. Now let's find a D coordinator who can coach and not blame his lack of players.Congrats to the Bulls. They are a fine team. I hope a rivalry, with crowds, grows. It would be good for both programs. But when you next visit us at Infocision the atmosphere is going to be completely different. And very hostile as it should be.Didn't like the outcome, yet I loved the hope this team gave us.

JohnnyZip, can't I romance the bowl with a feminine gender to add warm fuzzies to the story? In truth, it might be better like a coyote ugly date. Both are scary! Maybe you have had better luck than me, but sacrificing an arm was a serious consideration many years ago. See you tomorrow night buddy. I'll be the guy with one arm.As for my friend Can't State Sucks, we do have great fans and that plays a factor in where a guy coaches. But keep this in mind, many programs outdraw us. This year UC Santa Barbara has twice had crowds over 8,000 for example. UCONN has gone over 5,000. If you go to Soccer America and look up the top attended games you will see some figures that blow us away. That being said, we all know that Akron fans are so rabid that if we can get better facilities and amenities the crowds will grow. Best of all they will bring much more revenue to continue building the program (altho no NCAA soccer program broke even last year).Beat the Bulls!

Gotta agree with the Captain. Ken Lolla did not have the patience to see his work thru to fruition. He had a kneejerk reaction to getting screwed by the NCAA selection committee and listened to the glowing story Univ of Louisville AD Tom Jurich painted for his soccer program. Lolla got a better stadium and conference, that's all. The Zips matched everything else U of L was offering. Plus Akron offers a future stadium that will be one of the best in the country. Mac has told Caleb that there will be shovels in the ground right after the conclusion of next year's season to begin moving and building a better field. He hopes the stands will be coming the season after that. Ken has to have had second thoughts about his decision. His wife is from this area and has never lived anywhere else. Greater Louisville schools are lousy. Think of your kids in Cleveland city schools to understand their situation! Ugly thought.Our program can still get better, believe it or not. Caleb thinks that after having two #5 recruiting classes the past two years he will have the #1 class this year. Mac is actively exploring getting the soccer team as an affiliate of Conference USA to get us the hell out of the piss pour MAC. If that happens and the new stadium becomes a reality we will have established a dynasty that even the selection committee can't ignore.My biggest concern is that we lose Caleb to a school with deep, deep pockets. That's why Mac needs to keep Caleb happy. The new stadium and conference would do it I suspect. See you all at the Buffalo game. I hope we beat the hell out of them in night never to be forgotten. I love the bowl, but want ICS more. The bowl has been on life support and it has come time to let her go. I grew up in Ellet and remember my mom and dad letting me walk a couple miles to the bowl for games there. I know she looks like a tramp, but in my mind I will always remember her as a beauty.

Z.I.P.I'm only catching you if the Rowdies agree to help out. Offer them some Mai Tai's and I'm sure they will be on board. This team is a true top 5 team and they start 4 freshmen and 4 sophmores. Get 'em a new conference, like affiliation status with Conference USA, and a stadium and we will be in the top five every year.I've said it before "It's good to be a ZIP."

Thanks. Caleb is right on the mark. The Zips weren't at their best, the defense fell apart. But the Rowdies were the greatest. Truly a fantastic night to never forget.

I went to this game with my wife. It was a classic for the Zips. At the half we led 1-0. OSU didn't sit back, as in the past, and hunker down with their defense. They actually tried to attack. At times they were very good and gave us some concern. But our D was playing tight and very composed. Our forwards and midfield had yet to put together a penetrating attack, but they were taking what OSU gave. The start of the second half saw OSU come out as a different team. They seemed to be a step faster than us. Our D relaxed, got loose and left men unmarked. It was soon 2-1 OSU. We seemed to wake up and use our speed on the flanks and the great possession and penetration of Steve Zakuani. He drew two defenders everywhere he went. But, good Lord, did he rise above it. He has got to be the top runner for the Hermann Trophy (soccer's answer to the Heisman). His speed and footskills were better than many in the MLS. With pressure, speed and a great counterattack the Zips made up two more goals after conceding one more to OSU. Zips 4, OSU 3.It was a great atmosphere in spite of playing in one of the worst soccer stadiums in D-1. 2/3's of the crowd were Zip fans. I live in Columbus and the local OSU fans were impressed. The stars of the game were unquestionably the AK-Rowdies. They started strong, got a little quiet when we went down 2-1 and then rose to the occassion with support for the Zips that put OSU to shame. They took over the place. There were three busloads of them and an equal number of fans in cars. After the game it was shear joy to watch the reaction of the team to them as the Rowdies lined the fence and the players ran over to them in celebration. I even saw a few Lambeau Leaps from the players. Many OSU fans stopped exiting and watched in jealousy. There is a true love affair between this team and the fans. Caleb came over to the Rowdies and spoke to them but I couldn't hear what he said. A few idiot OSU fans decided to start cheering as everyone else quieted down to hear Caleb. Too bad they were drowned out by the Rowdies all game long. Can any of the Rowdies share what Caleb said? Whatever it was the Rowdies went nuts. I've heard and seen the Rowdies at many games. They are one of the best cheering sections in college sports. As their number grow I can see them taking over any playing venue. They can, and do, make the difference in some games outcomes. You Rowdies are the best. I can't wait to hear you in Infocision, our future soccer stadium and the JAR once again.

I talked to a gentleman this week who was the liason between the state university presidents and the Ohio legislature. He said Akron is free to build all the dorms they want if we can afford it. No new money would be coming from this biennial state education budget or those in the future. For those of you who go back a way you may recall that the satate board of regents capped the on campus housing for Akron because they never saw us as the residential university of NE Ohio. That went to K.E.N.T. That policy was later abandoned as the regents decided to let the market regulate housing. Ever since UA has been ramping up housing and Proenza has said before he leaves Akron will have a big residential student segment, at least 5,000. We will not have enough housing to meet demand for at least 10 years. But every year the situation will get better, just not as fast as most of us would like. The dorm growth is tied to the money we can get w/o hurting our bond rating. The university is doing a great job with what it has to work with. Give 'em time and you better believe Akron is emerging as one of the most attractive universities in the Midwest.On a personal note, I taught in the College of Business as part of their Professor For a Day program last week. I came away impressed with the students attending Akron. You guys are super. I'm looking forward to the energy you bring and the contributions you are making now.