UAZip0510

Bleacher Report named Zeke as one of the Top 25 seniors heading into 2012-2013.

LINK VCU, George Mason and Butler have had discussions with the Atlantic 10 and indicated to the league they have potential interest in joining for the 2013-14 school year, sources told CBSSports.com. VCU and George Mason are currently in the Colonial Athletic Association and Butler is in the Horizon League. All three schools would need approval from their respective school boards to make the move. Sources told CBSSports.com that VCU's Board of Visitors already has had at least two meetings about making the move, while Butler has negotiated with representatives of the Atlantic 10 for the league to assist financially for the Bulldogs to change leagues. The three schools would help replace schools that are leaving the A-10. Temple is headed to the Big East and sources told CBSSports.com that Charlotte has received an “informal invitation” to the Sun Belt. The 49ers are starting up a football program in 2013 at the FCS level, but couldn't make a move to the FBS until 2015. Creighton, of the Missouri Valley Conference, also has been mentioned as a possibility for the Atlantic 10. Father Timothy Lannon, Creighton's president since 2011, was previously president for eight years at St. Joseph's, so there's a political connection between the league and the school. However, Creighton – the only Catholic university in the MVC – is a poor geographical fit, so the Blue Jays might be a long shot. Duquesne president Charles J. Dougherty mentioned the A-10's plans for expansion in an email he sent to his board of trustees explaining his decision to fire basketball coach Ron Everhart. The email was obtained by CBSSports.com. “The A10 conference itself is on the verge of a major improvement with the addition of new high quality university programs,” Dougherty wrote. “All of this amounts to an exciting professional opportunity for a new coach.” The addition of VCU, George Mason and Butler would be huge for the A-10. The league would be getting three schools that have made a combined four Final Four appearances since 2006. VCU went to the 2011 Final Four and George Mason to the 2006 Final Four. Butler went to consecutive Final Fours in 2010 and 2011, losing in the title game each season to Duke and UConn, respectively. The Bulldogs are members of the Horizon League in all sports but football. Butler's football team competes in the FCS level in the Pioneer Football League. One reason VCU, George Mason and Butler are interested in a move to the Atlantic 10 is that those programs currently reside in “one-bid” leagues. Most seasons if they don't win their conference tournament, they usually don't earn an NCAA tournament at-large berth. However, the A-10 has received multiple NCAA bids for five consecutive seasons. Since 2000, the Colonial Athletic Association has received only four NCAA tournament at-large bids and the Horizon League three at-large NCAA bids. By comparison, the Atlantic 10 had three at-large NCAA bids just this season and has had 20 NCAA at-large bids since 2000. Since 2006 – even with George Mason and VCU reaching two Final Fours – the CAA only accrued 24 NCAA tournament units (awarded for every round advanced in the NCAA), compared to 36 for the Atlantic 10. Each unit is worth about $250,000. George Mason has been a charter member of the Colonial Athletic Association in 1985. VCU left the Metro to join the CAA in 1995. Butler was one of the Horizon League's seven original members when the league was formed in 1979.

While many here want that "proven winner" gone...ironic. My opinion - Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I don't think a boycott is the way to go, but I do think it would be nice to e-mail them and voice support for UA-themed events. When they were asking for opinions on who to make the "Akron-themed" bobblehead of, Keith Dambrot and Caleb Porter were both mentioned by more than a few people. I think it'd go a long way to e-mail them and push for one of these two, to make that our "UA Night", and to prove that UA fans, students, alumni will support UA-related promotions in the future. Please, take a few minutes and contact them here.

Saturday, August 18th - "OH-IO State Fireworks Night - Wear Your Scarlet and Gray!" Ohio State night...in Akron. Oh boy... They did say on their Facebook page (posted February 9th) that they were going to have a bobblehead of a "Famous Akronite", but didn't say who. You can contact them here.

I can't stand ESPN...hopefully NBCSN can give them some competition.

Ohio State refuses to play us as well. We've tried...hard.

OK Big Zip...sounds good. Back to the original discussion now. Concerning 2012-2013, who, aside from OU, do you guys think is our main threat in the MAC?

I'm with you 100%. We're obviously all disappointed in the end result. Instead of stewing over what things that went wrong this year that cannot be changed, I choose to look forward (hence the thread title) and discuss what this team needs to do to make sure this same disappointment doesn't happen again next year. In a weird way, it's my way of "getting over" this pain of how this season ended. So about 2012-2013...can we please get back to that disussion?

I'm with you 100%. We're obviously all disappointed in the end result. Instead of stewing over what things that went wrong this year that cannot be changed, I choose to look forward (hence the thread title) and discuss what this team needs to do to make sure this same disappointment doesn't happen again next year. In a weird way, it's my way of "getting over" this pain of how this season ended. So about 2012-2013...can we please get back to that disussion?

Except that it's not like that in any way, shape, or form. Again, read what I wrote: "If Walsh's jumper went in, could this have been us? Hopefully that thought makes Dambrot, his players, and his coaching staff hungrier than they've ever been before to get a 2nd chance and finish the job this time. This team has just as much, if not more talent than OU. The 2012-2013 NCAA Tournament representative might be decided by who works the hardest this offseason." Things I Did Say - They were a a shot away from winning the MAC Title, which is a fact, considering they lost by 1 point and a field goal is worth 2 points. - Had they won the MAC Title and qualified for the tournament, they would have had the opportunity to possibly advance, which is the same opportunity each of the 68 teams that qualify share. Another fact. - That I hope the missed opportunity drives them this offseason. Things I Didn't Say - The Zips deserved to beat OU. - The Zips would have won a 1st round NCAA Tournament game - The Zips would have made the Sweet 16

When did I claim that? The only thing I said is that the 1 point loss leaves us to wonder what might have been. You're twisting my words. Let's go back to my original, exact quote: "If Walsh's jumper went in, could this have been us? Hopefully that thought makes Dambrot, his players, and his coaching staff hungrier than they've ever been before to get a 2nd chance and finish the job this time. This team has just as much, if not more talent than OU. The 2012-2013 NCAA Tournament representative might be decided by who works the hardest this offseason." I didn't say they would have reached the Sweet 16. I didn't say they would have even gotten out of the first round. Most importantly, I never said they were close to reaching the goal of the Sweet 16. I said that it would have been possible for the Zips to have a chance to do what OU has done had Walsh's jumper gone down won the game for Akron. I then said that I hope missing the opportunity at trying to do what OU has done drives the players and coaches this offseason. Seeing as how defeating OU would have given Akron the chance to do what OU has done, what is so ridiculous about those statements?

So good to hear this...that is my biggest worry moving forward post-Zeke.

I saw that the Pacers lost the same night. Tyler Hansbrough in the postgame: "Well, at least Duke lost"

Anything can happen, I agree on that. I will say that NBA scouts will judge his overall body of work, not just the NCAA Tournament. This run by OU may get him noticed more now, but his performance as a senior will decide where he ends up. We shall see!

Can't argue with that at all...but I'm not sure those losses would have changed their ultimate goal, their expectation to beat Ohio and reach the NCAA Tournament, or the huge disappointment of failing to reach that goal.

They are, and they handled it better. I absolutely agree with that. I will point out that seven of their players were seniors or juniors and they lost in the 1st round of their conference tournament six days before the NIT game, so I'd expect that they would.

NBA teams aren't exactly salivating over 5'11", 165 lb point guards shooting .357 from the field and .316 from three point range. D.J. Cooper is a volume scorer, and that works in college basketball. For a player of his size to make it in the NBA, they need to be a far more efficient scorer than Cooper is. Maybe he makes a big jump, but I see a helluva college player who is a 2nd round pick at best.

His upside is Earl Boykins (no shame in that), his downside is playing overseas.

Thanks for the summary! I love pretty much everything I'm hearing from KD there.

Just so I understand, you're not saying that he'd start anywhere in the NBA, correct?

That's your opinion, and I respect that. I think - and I'm sure the players believe - it was one Walsh jumper away.

Why are we talking about 200 other teams? Those 200 other schools didn't play Ohio U in the MAC Championship, we did. Those 200 other schools didn't lose by one point in that game to OU, with a great shot to win in the end. Joe Lunardi had us projected to take on Michigan on the morning of 3/10, so we would have likely had the same road that OU has had. I'm not sure why it's so difficult to see why it is painful to think about what might have been. You are right that reality bites right now, and that we're not in OU's spot. You are wrong in saying that Akron didn't have the ability to do the same thing OU has done had they won the MAC Championship. I'm not saying they definitely would have, but it's not a "ridiculous" thought that they could have in any way, shape, or form.

They're in the Sweet 16 and they're worried about what people from other MAC schools think? After Can't State, I consider Ohio to be our greatest rival. Did they really expect us to just jump aboard "Bobcat Nation" and forget that? Was Ohio State cheering for Michigan? Was Auburn pulled for Alabama? Do you think Purdue is happy for Indiana? I'm sure North Carolina was bummed out when Duke got bounced. I'm not saying Akron-OU is as big of a rivalry as those, but they are still conference rivals...why is it that people expect us to do what few others do and cheer for one of our rivals?

You may say I'm making excuses, and that's fine. You're entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. I think I'm just being realistic. If you watched the television broadcast, this was a topic thoroughly discussed in the pregame - teams having difficulty "getting up" for an NIT game after missing out on a NCAA Tournament berth. It's something all teams that come up just short go through. It's legitimate. Every game I go to, I am extremely into the game. When the Zips are on TV, my wife often teases me about getting to into it and talking to the players like they can hear me. The Northwestern game? Aside from the last few minutes, I barely said a word. It was tough for me, a die-hard Zips fan of 12 years now, to care much about the game. I wanted them to win, like I want them to win every game...but it just wasn't the same. Now put yourself in the shoes of the players and coaches. Their offseason started on March 19, 2011. The coaches almost immediately hit the recruiting trail, looking for players that would get us to the next level. The players took a few days off and then began offseason conditioning programs. They attended open gyms, made the trip to Canada, and spent hours upon hours practicing and studying film. Over the course of the season, they were forced to overcome great adversity - injuries, suspensions, internal disputes, youth, and inexperience - to become MAC regular season champions. They started the MAC Tournament with an emotional win over Can't State. With revenge on their minds, they then played OU in a back-and-forth matchup. They didn't play their best, but did play good enough to win - the shot was there, and it just didn't go down. Understand that the Zips didn't just want to win. They expected to win. Everything they did from March 19, 2011 to March 10th, 2012 - the countless hours, the time away from their families, the sacrifices they made - was to prepare them for this moment. And they fell short. Do I wish they would have pushed forward and made an NIT run? Absolutely. Am I disappointed in the end result of this season? It's still bothering me. In a perfect world the players would, 72 hours after the championship loss, be able to get over it. They'd come out and play the game like it was the NCAA Tournament. But these players are human beings, just like you and me. And most of them are teenagers to boot. Unfortunately, w here at Zipsnation - myself included - lose sight of that at times.