Spin

Considering our record against powerhouses Austin Peay and NC State, maybe not just yet. Which goes back to my point, should a new arena be top priority in the athletics department? And no, that's not animosity. That's just realization of where this program is right now. Not where it will be. I see much improvement already this season. I hope we DO sell out against Valpo and the entire MAC schedule, and we need a 20,000 seat arena. At this date and time, we have more pressing needs. That's not what I'm hearing from those outside the program... But there IS no animosity toward the other sports. I just said that I follow football, basketball, and baseball with all I have. I'm at the games. I never said anything against the other sports. All I said was, they have facilities that suit them right now. If you take offense to that, I have nothing else to tell you. You're going to give me crap over that? As if you don't know there are different levels of support?Holy crap some of you guys are paranoid.

How many other soccer programs are sitting in the middle of a strong soccer fan-base?How many other soccer programs were ranked #1 all year and gave up seven goals in 25 games?I've never said 4,000 seats would be enough. We sellout 4000 now. I've been at the Coliseum with 19,000 SRO crowds, and at the packed Canton Civic Center, for a gimmick knock-off of soccer. I was there when the Cleveland Caps broke the USL attendance records. I've felt the passion people in this area have. No I don't have numbers for you. Because when you sell out a Saturday evening soccer game on TUESDAY MORNING, how can you predict how many fans would have been there?You want numbers, how many games has the basketball team sold out this season? Last season? How much revenue has the basketball team generated the past two seasons? How much did the football team generate this year.Don't get me wrong, I want to see the basketball program continue to grow as badly as anyone else here. Sweet 16. Final four. Take it ALL. I'm at the JAR and I'm at the Info, supporting those teams with everything I have. And the baseball team too. And I see the empty seats.You can't sit there and tell me we sell those places out more than once, maybe twice a year.As a supporter of this University (through thousands and thousands of dollars for tuition and books for me and my son (not to mention my alumna wife), I just think we're doing a huge disservice to students and fans when the game is five days away and they can't buy tickets. Yes, the students buy their tickets to the tournament games, until they're sold out.

We're not talking about the rest of the nation. We're talking about Summit County, Northeast Ohio. The site of the ONLY profitable indoor soccer franchise. The area has TRIED to support this team, and got turned away.Soccer fans, who are collectively in a demographic with more disposable income, are asked to sit on the frozen ground to watch. While there is much excess capacity at basketball games played against Malone, Rhode Island, and St. Francis. What the U considers a "Team Shop" for soccer games, like the concession stand is more like a sideshow. These people WANT to attach to the team, WANT to feel good about it, but it's worse than going to a youth game. That's a public relations nightmare, and a huge loss of revenue. Maybe the national (AND LOCAL) perception of the basketball team would improve IF they played a Division I schedule. Then maybe the JAR would be inadequate, and need replaced.Now, wouldn't the basketball team benefit from the soccer team becoming a revenue generating program? I haven't heard any soccer haters answer that one yet. Look at the whole picture.

NOT ENOUGH. Not when you turn away fans, make fans (and students) pay money to sit on the frozen ground or stand for 2 1/2 hours.With a halfway decent facility, soccer could be another revenue generating sport, benefitting ALL programs. When's the last time the basketball team brought in nationally ranked teams in the non-con, and sold the place out?The soccer program hosts HOSTS conference tournaments and early rounds of the NCAA tournament and that sorry excuse for a high school soccer stadium is inadequate.We need to sell tickets right up to game time, and give those people a place to sit. We need to have lighting that will allow games to be on TV. You have a chance of building something BIG in northeast Ohio, and this crap of slapping more lipstick on the pig, while catering to the traditional revenue sports is going to bite the U in the ass.

And for each yellow card, he would have both parties over for a beer in the back yard so they could get past their differences.Sorry, couldn't resist.

What about the investment value of a new soccer stadium?They invest in a stadium, and in a decent contract for Caleb, we've shown we'll be there, in the worst weather, sitting on the GROUND, packed in like sardines to support this team.An inexpensive stadium would pay for itself. You go out now and get a sponsor while interest is super high, and it could become a revenue sport. Especially when you charge students to attend tournament games.How much money did they leave on the table this season by selling out?Oh well, going off topic. But you gotta look at potential revenue streams that would benefit ALL programs. You can't just sit back (not that I'm saying you are) and say "I hate soccer. They don't need anything". A bigger stadium, and not figuring in the first game at the Info, and the soccer team might outdrew the football team this year...

Well, they say you gotta lose one before you win one.

One reason he signed with Ak because JDB was a WR coach in the NFL.RI was a WR coach at Notre Dumb, so I got my fingers crossed!!!

Not a perfect solution, but what about the NHL system of taking one player off the field (in this case I would make it a starting defender) before each OT period? Even let the other coach decide who to sit. Open the game up a bit, settle it on the field.

I hope he understands, the pro's are a whole new game.Not the game itself, but the attitudes.

With most of these men returning, and a whole tournament under their belt, next year will be a different story.Seemed like they were a little edgy, a lot of shots took off on them. Not next year.Wish I could join the party, gotta work. Great season.

He wasn't 100% and came out in the second half.They weren't able to close out any attacks with him in there, and Bunbury has been unable to close the deal in his place.as of 12:00 left in the second

Don't give them any ideas...Signed,A survivor of the pro indoor soccer era

Sounds like coach is going to light a fire under a few butts during halftime...

I'm thinking Anthony Schrock will stay, seeing how the new HC is also a former WR coach.Fingers crossed...

I like that.

Not to mention the program that consistently turns fans away because all the tickets have been sold.

Rumor has Cleveland getting another ASL Second Division team. Which means third tier. Not an issue here.Akron could support MLS soccer.Who had the most profitable franchise in the MISL? Set attendance records?Summit County.Who had/has a top minor league baseball team in attendance, despite only being AA?Akron.And the Zips success could be the springboard to reigniting the soccer fan base. (Hey, that reminds me, we have a whole month without Springboard!!! )Being MLS would attract soccer fans from the Cuyahoga County suburbs. I think we can do it.

I have run into people in Mt. Vernon who knew all about my small town high school alma mater, Chippewa (Doylestown). They listen to the Wayne County games on WQKT 104.5. Pretty stinkin' sad they can listen to Division 6 high schools (Dalton and Rittman are D6) from this area, but not the major college...

Does 106.9 do the soccer games too? I gotta work.

What's going on?Charlie Weis is too involved with damage control to Pete Carroll to fly in for an interview...

Thanks, that worked!!!

This is our year!!!!

Losing the starting QB to cleptomania, losing the backup to injury, not to mention the top reciever, it would be tough for any program to do well with a fourth string freshman redshirted quarterback.That said, I sincerely hope I NEVER EVER see the spread and the 3-3-5 as Akron's base offense and defense again. EVER. They make good situational formations, but are not base. You'll never recruit a QB with the slightest thought of sniffing the NFL with that gimmick O. And I can scheme against the 3-3-5, and I never coached above youth league.Great guy, built a team without the riff raff, great with the kids, but NO imagination.

Honorable mention, from 2008