ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net

Momma, on the one hand I agree that we are all speculating about what happened. It's a board forum, wherein people do that. On the other hand yours is the second post that infers that the new AD is up to no good, setting up an honorable coach in order to not only get rid of him but to supply the excuse for getting rid of the staff later on. I would suggest that you are speculating just as much on that point, and I would also argue that based on the Zips' performance on the field so far, the AD needs absolutely no "other" justification to let the entire staff go at the end of the season, beyond the simple fact that after 5+ years of JD and Co, the team is a disaster on the playing field. Why would Wistrcill need any more than that to remove any of the coaches at this point?STZ

The thing is that this coaching staff has done nothing to distinguish itself in a positive way. Does anyone, AD or other, need a hidden agenda against the staff, or any individual member of the staff? Is this not a Zips team ranked something like 113th out of 119 in D-1 football right now? Ferri seemed like a fine young man and will hopefully rebound with aplomb from this situation. That is not to say, however, that the efforts of this staff have produced success on the field. I have no idea how Ferri's recruiting contributed, or didn't, to this lack of success. I just know that we all want better results on the field.Best wishes for success and a bright future Coach Ferri!GO ZIPS!STZ

My toaster runs on netBSDOh.My.Gawd.

I'm going to guess that we'll see 16,500 at the game this week. Anybody care to hazard guesses higher or lower?STZ

For many years I have wanted PCs to be like toasters. That is, I take it out of the box, I plug it in, it works. A year from now, it works like it did the first day I plugged it in. I don't want to "configure" my PC any more than I want to configure a toaster. Apple Macs may be dumbed down, some may think that they are too focused on fashion and cost too much, but I appreciate that Apple controls its hardware and software "universe" and I know that I'm going to pay extra and likely have fewer options to do as many things as someone with mucho knowledge can accomplish on a Linux or Windows machine. I have Windows machines at home running XP but have used Macs at work for a year now. Having used and loved iPods for years I suspected that I would love the ease and simplicity of Mac machines and I have. My next home machines will be Macs. I know they'll cost more but they'll simply work.STZ

JD is done. Prove me wrong JD!He won't. Really. He's gone.STZ

Come on Cap'n, you're kidding right? Pathetic? More so than the team has already been so far? Cars CRASHING through the Taco Bell BUILDING would be more fun than what we've seen so far from this team. Have you seen anything from the Zips so far that makes you think that they will be able to "man up" and beat any team on the roster? You mean map up like they do on most of the running plays, wherein they hand off the ball and try to run up the middle, only to lose 2-6 yards?Sorry, but I'd rather see some entertaining and creative football. Seriously, what is there to lose at this point, beyond more local "fans" and a little more respect?STZ I think that would be pathetic.This Zips team is way too long on talent to run some sort of entertaining gimmick crap.Boise State runs a a lot of gimmickry. It's fun to watch because they execute it well. When we run gimmicks it looks like the cars driving through the Taco Bell drive thru at 3am.We're talking about beating OU, not USC. F-ing man-up and win.

That's a little more simplistic than I'm thinking, Z. If the Zips lose (and I expect them to) but play with ferocity, score some points, make some plays that get the adrenaline going, I'll be much happier with the team than I have been so far. I'm thinking here about the way they appeared to quit against CMU. If I see the team quitting again this week that will be it for Zips football 2009 as far as I'm concerned.STZ

Yes we will indeed. I'm skeptical. The players' energy and enthusiasm for hard-hitting, physical football will tell me everything I need to know this week.STZ

Actually, wouldn't it be FUN to watch a wide open Offense? Man I would love to see hijinks at this point. Even if those hijinks don't work at least I'll be entertained. I've said it before, as long as the Zips are losing, can't they at least provide some oohs and ahhs while they're doing it?Imagine that: having FUN at a Zips football game. Who would think of such a thing?Come on JD/Montgomery/Harris, give us something to be interested in out there!STZ

I'm going to go with:OU 38UA 13Please prove me wrong JD & Co. Either way I'll be there having a blast, not to mention plenty of brewski-age.GO ZIPS!STZ

I hate to say that I thought the must win was Indiana. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it was a lot to expect. I just thought that the team was going to be at least as good as last year on offense and much better on defense. Indiana poked the hole in the giant balloon that was the season and now the air is just slowly hissing out. It looked to me as though the team quit at CMU and that's why I've been so down about them since. If they play like that the rest of the way I'll be amazed if they win another game. If they do, even if they turn it around and maybe win 4-6 games (highly unlikely) it will be a disappointment. I'm already dreading attendance figures the rest of the way, and not looking forward to season's ticket sales this off-season. Yes, a complete bummer. I'll be there to root them on but am sick and tired of being among the very worst D-1 programs in the entire country. There is just no way to sugar coat it this year.Come on Zippers, shock us. Turn our collective frowns upside down.GO ZIPS!stz

Well then call me a fool g-mann. I'm ready for JD to be gone. Period. You have to be kidding about recruitment, as if there isn't already a ton of uncertainty surrounding this program as it spirals into the crapper. You think any potential signee, or hell, any kid in the program, can't see the writing on the wall? Some will leave when JD leaves, some will come when he leaves. Besides, are you happy with the recruits and the program we're seeing right now, with a couple possible exceptions? STZ

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/Looks like about 2500 attended.

How rational is it though to allow the stench to grow the rest of the way? Isn't that the definition of irrationality, to allow this team, and the fans that UA hopes to entice with Infocision, to become tainted by the same stench of failure that has sullied the program over the years? Imagine they win one game or so the rest of the way. How many season tix do you think UA will sell for next season? What will that do for recruiting? What looks worse to a player coming in from HS? A lame duck loser who is destined to be fired when all the other firings are going on and there is a mad scramble for head coaches happening, or an interim coach who is losing but is doing so within an environment that will no longer tolerate crappy football long term. I'd rather see the commitment made NOW, rather than waiting to the end of the season. That would also give UA a leg up on identifying and targeting their new head coach. Waiting until the end of the season is the same old crappy Akron football product. Ho Hum. It tells me that the administration is OK taking my money for season tickets and just letting the crappy year play out, perhaps without another win. Even if Wistrcill allows JD to finish out the season, announce it NOW that he will not be back, and let us know that this is a new era. Losing and mediocrity will no longer be tolerated. Show US that UA cares as much about quality college football as we do. Major college programs and their boosters simply do not sit around and hope for the best. They make it happen. ADs and boosters at major programs are ruthless and will destroy the head coach when things go badly. It's amazing at this point that JD isn't lustily booed every time this team takes the field. Some of you call for calm, waiting to see how things play out. Is that the reasonable approach or have some of you just become mired in the old UA apathetic mode of crappy ball? Some of you really are like beaten spouses. Is it really "emotional" to want to actually see decent football from this team? Is it really rational to continue to trot to the stadium, for this? This team is getting beaten down, worse and worse each game. Their loss to a MAC team was FAR worse in quantity and quality than their loss to Penn State was. They are spiraling downward each week. Remember too that ultimately the only reason for football in its present incarnation, college included, is to generate revenue by providing entertainment to its fans. We are the fans. How many of you are entertained by what you see at UA this year? How many of you feel as though your entertainment dollars have been well-spent watching this football team? If they don't entertain, if they don't play exciting ball and win some, if they don't sell tickets, there is really no reason for them to be on the field. If JD hasn't been able to make that happen after all these years, it's time to go. Now. Come on Tom. Show us something. You took the job, you want to take this program somewhere special. Make it happen. Keep us interested.STZ

Oh my, you just HAD to put numbers to illustrate our sucksess didn't you? That hurts on this dreary Monday morning...Remember the Bill Murray line from Groundhog Day, something like: "It's going to be cold, it's going to be dark and it's going to last the rest of your life"? Just substitute the word "season" for "life" and that's sorta how I feel about the Zips and the Browns this morning.I need more coffee!STZ We have a special team now...Akron is ranked in the 80s and below nationally in all cateogories except punting, total pass defense and punt returns.Some highlights for you:Total Offense 114Total Defense 84Rush Offense 88Rush Defense 95Pass Offense 107Pass Defense 55On the plus side, Brian Wagner is tied for 8th nationally in total tackles and tied for 3rd in solo tackles.

Gentlemen (and ladies who come here) we just may witness a "special" Fall in NE Ohio. After watching the Zips yesterday and the Browns today, I feel somewhat confident that this could be a year in which the two programs combine to win ONE game. With the win over Morganna State now behind us, someone please tell me which UA or Browns games you would put money on for the home team to win. I do not see ONE game on either schedule that looks good for either program. I almost feel the need to start some sort of "dead pool" for combined Zips/Browns football. Unbelievable. Deep.Pain.STZ

What exactly are you guys hoping for by keeping JD instead of firing him? Maybe one more win, for a grand total of two for the season? Accept it: we may very well go 0-fer the rest of season, with or without JD. Hell, let Okruch or one of the Offensive coaches (Harris, Montgomery) carry on the suckitude. Make a statement. That statement says that we are not going to allow you to be a part of the UA football program and suck anus. If that means we have to blow it up, OK. We're still going to blame it all on you JD but at least the fans and players will know that UA is GOING TO FIND A WAY TO WIN. STZ

BS to all the idle chatter. 6 to win 8. BS. This team is completely done. Finished. What a complete and disgusting disappointment this season has become. There is not ONE opponent left on the schedule I'd put money on this team to beat. It's time to blow this thing up and at least tell the fans that while we all know this season is over, UA is going to STOP accepting such pathetic football. JD&Co clearly didn't get it done and now they're kicked to the curb. We may still lose but damn it we'll find players and coaches with something to offer this program. Winners. Heart. Effort. UA, you want my donations? You want my priority reserved ticket money? Damn it, it's time to put a damned team on the field at the Info that is worthy of us and those beautiful facilities. I don't care what it takes. If KD and Caleb can get it done, if the track teams can get it done, don't you DARE to trot out such an embarrassing group to Infocision/Summa anymore.It's time for a new football culture. STZ

I agree with you about OBC last season. Unfortunately, the Verich's have proven to me over and over again that they are really good at brewing beer that I love, but are not very good at all when it comes to running OBC. I VERY MUCH HOPE that things change when/if they move their pub down the street. I want to LOVE OBC, and I do love their beer. Now they need to show me that they can run the entire business as well as they brew beer.STZ

Looking at the schedule the rest of the way, which team are you projecting this Zips squad to beat? I wouldn't bet on them winning a single game the rest of the way. Disgusting indeed. This IS the worst team in the MAC for 2009. STZ

I will not be the least bit surprised if, barring MAJOR change, this team fails to win another game the rest of the way. They suck, hard, and yes it looked to me like the team just gave in yesterday. It seems to me that each loss is looking worse. Their loss to PSU was pretty respectable considering the totality of the circumstances that day. Their loss to Indiana was much worse, and yesterday the wheels came off, the sky fell. This program is completely broken, a complete loss for this year. Here is where I am with this team:The Zips yesterday looked exactly like what I remember years ago at the Rubber Bowl. They looked small, slow, beaten, like a glorified olden days Ohio Valley Conference team. The lines were blown out on most plays, the QB play was a joke. I was taken back to the bad, bad old days of Zips football. This is a terrible Zips football product. How will Wistrcill sell this program to the community?

I have no interest in forums that are nothing more than a shamockery of boosterism. Why not just generate a web page with a flush-animation pom-pom that people can log into and stare at? We come here to discuss and argue about Zips sports. Most of us are also paying, contributing boosters of Zips athletic programs. I for one am tired of this football team serving as little more than a stain, an embarassment to the university and city. I want better. We have better facilities, thank goodness or Gary Taylor, whichever you prefer. I want better coaching, a winning culture, winning players. Zips coaches and players should be shamed and embarassed today. If they aren't, they are losers. If they want to log onto these boards and see more positive commentary and support from the posters, who are in some cases paying big money to support this university and this program, how about performing on the field?By the way, Zeke is a perfect example of what we need more of on the football team. He's a WINNER, who has joined a WINNING program on the rise. What your post really makes me think is how much it sucks not to have a KD coaching the football program.SYZ

Is it completely insane to wonder at this point if the hiring of Montgomery and/or Harris was not only unproductive, but counterproductive somehow? The O-line is worse. The QB play is worse. The running game is worse. Do we have tight ends on the team? I'm starting to wonder what the interpersonal dynamic is between JD and one or both of those new coaches. Is it even remotely possible that one, or both, have been working against JD, or that they just aren't forming a functional relationship somehow, in a way that is manifested on the field? Whatever is happening in the offices and meeting rooms, the result we see on the field is garbage, so I think that it's worth asking whether it's possible that something really bad is happening among those three.Regardless, I want to see Nicely get some snaps. Worrying about losing the redshirt is the LEAST of our problems at this point. This team blows, the season is lost. If we can begin to develop him, it will set the O up for a better season next yeat, will maybe keep a few fans more entertained, will allow the coaches to decide what type of offensive players will best compliment Nicely's skills, and lastly (and selfishly) I will have something worth at least paying attention to on the field for the next couple of months.STZ