UAZip0510

By leaving now, Willie will be eligible to play for his new school around this time next season. As for the open scholarship, they'll figure it out if needed. KD said he'd never let a McCollum situation happen again. Jackson will be special!

We were runner-up before...

This is just an awful take.

Valpo said, "As long as mid majors with very similar programs are able to get decent OOC schedules, we should too. If McFadden or McNeese cannot get it done, they should make way to someone who can. That's the fact!" That seems to suggest change to me. I understand your point on GoZips.

Did she correct him on anything he said regarding scheduling?

This all started by people questioning GoZips' credibility. Why was that OK but my suggestion that he knows more was not? To answer your question though, you can tell by the content of the posts who has some type of connection and who is just spitballing ideas.

Kind of an irresponsible statement, no? While you are incorrect about this perceived intent of mine, the good news is the coaches don't need any help from me or anyone else on ZN because they're already the best the conference has to offer. I want the best for the program and I feel very strongly that the people we have in place are the ones who will get us where we want to be. You would seemingly rather go with others, and that's fine. Our opinions are so much on the polar extremes that it's unlikely we'll find much middle ground.

He knows more about the program than anyone here. You're talking about the careers of people when you have no idea what takes place. You're entitled to an opinion, but maybe research a bit before the "they should make way" stuff comes out. I'm afraid you won't realize what we have here until it's gone.

Discuss whatever you want. If you all want to fixate on the schedule and make fun of the 21 win thing, go with it. I've told you, GoZips has told you, KD himself has told you what the deal is with scheduling, and you just don't want to hear it. And that's fine. It was my mistake reading a thread related to scheduling, I should have known what kind of misery to expect. Have a good one.

The committee chooses 2, maybe 3 mid-major at-larges per year. Those are extremely low odds. Any discussion regarding scheduling should have minimal focus on what the selection committee likes in at-larges. The likelihood is just far too small.

Source: @Zips_Nation

WE ARE NOT GETTING AN AT LARGE BID. PLEASE, LET IT GO.

Predicting the Zips had Sweet 16 possibility and it not panning out has nothing to do with his credibility when it comes to our scheduling. Neither does discussing a conference switch or speculating Pitt might have interest in KD. GoZips and a few others have tried explaining the scheduling difficulties and you (and several others) just don't want to hear it. Teams aren't "scared" to play us, but MANY won't schedule us for a variety of reasons. That's a fact.

Here's what nobody wants to admit - strength of schedule doesn't matter that much in relation to Akron getting an at-large. How many mid-majors earn at-large bids? One, maybe two per year? Wichita State is the only one that comes to mind from this year's tournament, while teams like Monmouth, St. Bonaventure, St. Mary's, San Diego State, Valparaiso, and many others worthy of being considered were sent to the NIT instead. And it's only going to get worse now that Syracuse - a team selected as an at-large that did not have the resume of any of the teams I just listed - made a Final Four run. They'll say the RPI isn't high enough, or there aren't enough Top 50 wins, or they had one too many bad losses. Playing at Louisville isn't going to change all of that. Would it help seeding if they get in with an automatic bid? Maybe. But I'd counter that by pointing out most had us projected as a #12 or #13 (pretty solid for a mid-major) had we defeated Buffalo. I don't know how much better they'd get than that, tougher schedule or not. Could Akron find a few tougher teams to schedule every year? Probably. Have they progressively scheduled better and better over time? Certainly. In the end, do they pretty much have to win the MAC Tournament to go Dancing? Unfortunately, yes. If complaining about the schedule makes you feel better, have at it. If you want to believe Akron could schedule bigger state schools but chooses not to, feel free. But no matter which side of the debate you're on, please just realize that whether Akron plays the eventual National Champion (which they did this year) or Marshall in the regular season, they're still going to have to win 3 games at The Q to return to the NCAA Tournament.

You suggested one of the best members of this forum was sent here because KD was, for some reason, desperate. I can't attribute that to anything else. Maybe it was a joke?

@ZipsMBB to play in The Savannah Invitational in November 2016. Teams include Auburn, West Virginia, Air Force, Ball State, Mercer via (@Zips_Nation)

Your KD hate is exhausting.

We're going to just agree to disagree that these teams you (and others) speak of are willing to schedule us, which is at the center of this discussion. My stance is based on what I've heard from several people close to the program. I'm not saying your stance isn't as well - I'm not going to question who you know or where you base your information from - but I'll go with what I've been told. Enjoy the discussion everyone.

Well thought out! Several posters were talking about Buffalo's schedule and how they wished ours was as difficult. I was pointing out that it was actually more difficult. I think everyone (including the coaches) agrees they should strive to make it better. And why is that? Because we've yet to show on we can beat them and/or compete at the same level as them. Which leads back to my point - why would they schedule us and give us an opportunity to change that? 1) Losing to the Zips at home would be considered a bad loss to the 4 mentioned above. 2) Teams aren't always (or usually) looking for that. Again, that's why the coaches killed off Bracketbusters. 3) No mid-major worth playing that is also within a bus ride wants to schedule us. 4) Programs schedule for many others reasons aside from at-large berths. I can assure you with 100% certainty that the Zips have called them. In fact, I haven't made a list of all teams mentioned but I know that many of them have been contacted.

A few things... - According to TeamRankings.com, Buffalo was #100 in non-conference SOS. Akron was #88, best in the MAC. - Why would any larger in-state program that is any good (Ohio State, Xavier, Dayton, Cincinnati) want to play Akron? If they win, they are supposed to, if they lose, they give an edge to Akron when it comes to in-state recruiting. And with that in mind, what do you think they tell Akron when they call those schools? - Why would another top mid-major schedule us? If they win, they aren't going to get that much credit for it, and if they lose it makes it easy for the committee to eliminate them from the Tournament discussion. It is exactly why the Bracketbusters were done away with. And with that in mind, what do you think they tell Akron when they call those schools? Did you see how fired up our coaches and players were Tuesday night? Do you really think they wouldn't love to play more games like that in the regular season? Of course they do, but it takes two to tango. That's why they've tried entering early-season tournaments over the past few years - teams from the Power 5 have no choice but to play you. We're all frustrated and I get that but before you blast them for not scheduling certain teams, just remember that you don't know who they've tried for and haven't tried for, and that maybe, just maybe, they're just as frustrated as you. You can't force someone to play you.

We already have the best in the MAC

His team was 11-20 and had 3 conference wins last year. Not even close to the same.

I'm not sure we have the same definition of mediocrity.

This site is a dumpster fire of negativity. Goodnight and Go Zips.

Big Dog is more comfortable coming in after a few minutes.