uhgrad2002

I'm going. Looking forward to watching a game that I know Akron will win!

Since the prices didn't jump, I am going to renew. I will use the free parking.

The football team played hard and with passion. The players on the bench were involved -- even doing organized cheers to support the unit on the field. There was some imaginative play calling. Tonight I am not even going to look at the down side. Yes, another loss, but it was a fun game to watch/cheer on and for the first time this season I at least feel some hope for the future.

She decapitated herself. And yes, that's where the downfall started. When I saw the head roll I thought "That's not a good sign." Now what does Zippy have to do to turn things back around?

Yeh, that was almost shocking. I don't know if I have ever seen such a poorly played game (on one side anyway). I was one of those encouraged by the last couple of weeks but this was simply awful. There were a few good performances but so many that made me wince. I still don't think that all those players are that bad but even some of the ones I expect good things from looked totally clueless. I think that is how I would describe the way this game was played -- clueless. Credit to the post game show. They refused to name a defensive player of the game, saying nobody deserved it. Between what we had here and what that school over East came up with, next week ought to be spectacular in some perverse way. On a positive note, the volleyball squad had a great weekend. Check them out sometime.

There were at least four captains out there. I would have hoped at least one of them would have had the football sense or leadership to get things straight. I was watching it and even the refs knew we were screwed up. They kept trying to give us a chance to correct it and still we got it wrong. Also, did anybody else notice that on our punts the blocking backs hardly bothered to move. I was surprised we didn't get one blocked.

I'll give UA credit for consistency. The concession crew was just as ready to play as the offense. When the gates opened, there was ONE concession stand open on the west side. With less than half an hour to go before kickoff most of the stands on the west side still had not made coffee. By half time the pretzel displays in the stand I went to were empty. At least the workers were friendly. The band was fine. The team shop was ok. I didn't buy anything because I have so much stuff already and there wasn't anything really exciting, but I saw a couple of things I might go back for. There was a good variety of the basics. The not-even-replica jerseys are poor but authentics and good replicas don't seem to be as readily available in general as they once were. The plain concrete floor is not pretty but it goes with the finish on the rest of the stadium. And then there was football. I was pretty pleased with the defense. The penalties (4 illegal formations!) were so pathetic that I can hardly look past them to recall quarterbacks, running backs and footballs going every which way (except for towards the end zone). Nate Burney excepted -- he was fun to watch. Really, all I can do is shake my head. The stadium looked fine. Except for 16K in the stands. We may need to schedule all BCS schools just to get enough travelling fans to bump us up to the 17K needed to remain FBS. I'll be back there next week, and the rest. But boy, this one was not inspiring.

It would be nice if they could post a media guide for 2010. There have been some changes since last year's edition.

The coach may have had enough time to see which one should start but maybe he hasn't seen enough that justifies either one of them starting. By the way, the stadium looked pretty good Saturday. Whatever repairs they did in the bowl blended in pretty well. I saw some spots where the concrete was a different shade, but it looked ok. The team shop is still a shell with lots of dust and construction material. But, there is a big decal/poster on one of the concourse pillars pointing to the team shop. For the scrimmage there were a few items in a trailer at the north end and there were people shopping every time I went by (several times).

I don't get this Akron verses Cleveland "rivalry" at all. Are you folks sitting in front of the tv on Sundays in the Fall waiting for Akron Vulcans football to come on so you can cheer for your favorite pro team? I'm glad I live near Akron (or am I suppose to think of Akron as Copley's great rival?) but I'm also glad Cleveland and all it has to offer is so close. That is what makes this such a great area to live in. It never even occurred to me to think of a rivalry between the two until I read it here. And I am going to forget I ever read of such a thing as quickly as I can.

There is a place on Exchange St. that has nicer items at better prices than B&N. They don't have jerseys and don't have the number of different items, but I have been buying more from them than B&N. Once in a while Kohls or some other retailer has something decent. I wanted to support the school and have been waiting for the stadium team shop to open but have reached the point of giving up on buying from the school -- I'll just get from a retailer when I see something interesting. I would be willing to pay for a new style blue jersey, though actually, I like the "end of the Rubber Bowl" era blue jerseys better. I don't expect to see a new jersey on a shelf though. Mark

Downtown Akron is a short drive from Cuyahoga Falls. On Friday and Saturday evenings there are free/low cost concerts in the summer at a small outdoor park on Main Street called Lock 3. Next to Lock 3 is a restored theater (The Civic) which sometimes has concerts or movies. There are also a minor league baseball park, several night clubs and restaurants on Main Street south of Lock 3. A few blocks east is the University of Akron campus, including E.J. Thomas Hall, another place for performances of various kinds. West of Cuyahoga Falls a few miles is Blossom Music Center, which in the summer hosts major rock/pop acts and the Cleveland Orchestra. In Cuyahoga Falls, near the Route 8/Graham Road and Route 8/Broad Blvd. exits, and also near Chapel Hill Mall, you can find various chain eateries. I think there is a small street festival this weekend on the Front Street Mall. There is also a small restaurant that I have heard good things about but have not been to since it changed hands. It is on State Road (southwest of central Cuyahoga Falls) across from a CVS Drug store. I think it is called the Chowder House now. Have a good visit. Mark Perkins

I sent my renewal in shortly after sales started. I go to support the school, but more than that, I go because I enjoy going to games. (I even go to an occasional game at that school over east for the same reason.) There are more ways to support the school than there is time and money to do it all (volleyball, for one), so I think you have to enjoy what you are doing while you are supporting. A losing team would not necessarily cause me to find something else to do. A program that operates in embarrasing ways would. A program that is too full of "characters" would. Prices that got too high or procedures that got too cumbersome would. I have pretty much stopped following the Indians in part because I was so discouraged after 2007 but more because I grew tired of free agents leaving, because the drive to Cleveland and the late nights got tiresome and because I have so many other things to do. There are things that I think the program, any program, can and must do to hold on to fans, especially when the team struggles. Pay attention to details (words to the alma mater and scores of other games on the scoreboard, have a real team shop, for instance), have a web site that is promptly updated, have an enthusiastic staff. Also, be consistent and enduring. I the impression that too many things get tried and forgotten about.

After thinking about this a while I remembered that last year I was surprised to get lot 9. I would have thought it would go to the big dollar ticket holders. So, I guess I can think of last year being in lot 9 as a reward for a few years of Rubber Bowl season tickets. I am not so thillled with some of the lots allocated to the non-priority season ticket holders, especially at $50. At this point I am inclined to wait for the news on how pay as you go parking will be handled and do it that way. I went to the Zip Fest most games last year and thought more people should have taken advantage of that. There were some good bands and good food venues. Some consideration ought to be given to making lot 34 the big tailgate lot. Then an hour or two before game time, parade across campus to Zip Fest, then on to the stadium. Maybe the band and cheerleaders could coordinate and turn it in to a pre-game pep rally.

Considering that the one thing just about everybody here agrees on is that the team underachieved the last few years, maybe the players need to wake up to a few things. Not many guys on a three win team should expect to be a starter. My wife started going to the games for the first time last season. About three games in she told me that she could tell watching the pre-game warmups that the other teams were better prepared and more intense. I still had faith in the team and staff at the time and tried to explain it away. We know how that turned out. My hope is that the guys that stick around are the ones smart enough and dedicated enough to the team that they can become winners.

I noticed the stars on the helmets a few games ago. I don't remember them last year.

I went to the UA - BGSU volleyball match Saturday. It was fun - lots of athleticism, lots of enthusiasm on the court. They have 2 more home matches (Nov. 12 & 14).

The o-line gave Nicely a lot of time and he stayed in the pocket pretty well. It looked like they opened some good holes too. If the team can play up to its potential and get back to an acceptable number of turnovers, the schedule is not so tough that a run at the MAC East is impossible. Keep in mind, there was a time in 2005 that things looked pretty bleak. Right now, total focus should be on beating Buffalo.

So, it turns out that just maybe the reason Matt Rodgers was not the starter at the beginning of the season goes beyond simple coach's stupidity. Well, maybe if they knew a little more than some people thought they did about that, they know a little more than some people think they do about other things. Not a knock on Rogers, either. Hopefully we will see in a few weeks that he is getting the offense under control, and maybe IU will turn out to be a better team that they are getting credit for. At any rate, I hope they stick with Rodgers now. I certainly cannot see how putting that other guy back in (if he even is let back on the team) could help things after what happened. If Rodgers gets the game to slow down for him and figures out how to mix his running in effectively, he may be ok.The attendance was a disappointment, but perhaps it should not have been. Most people are "team fans" more than they are "sports fans". If their team is not involved, they are not going to leave the house. The people that were interested because of the new stadium probably either went to the first ever game, will go to a game with some relevance to them or will go "someday". As for having a Big Ten team come -- Saturday's attendance is close to what Can't State has gotten when they hosted BCS schools (20,000 for Minnesota, 16,000 Saturday and 10,000 at Browns Stadium against BC). Part of the problem may be too much to choose from. Think about how many FBS schools are within driving distance, plus excellent smaller school programs, pro teams, other attractions. Not to mention TV. What Akron wants to do is not so easy. I attended The University of Hawaii in the late 70's/early 80's when they were looking at a similar situation. They joined the WAC (when it included BYU and a number of other good programs), played in the brand new Aloha Stadium, and usually hosted at least one prominent program (USC, Arizona State are a couple). Thirty years later they are still looking to join the big boys. In an area with something like 700,000 population with a lot of supposed sports fans and not nearly the competition for fans that we have, they average 41,000 in a 50,000 seat stadium playing teams like Boise State and Wisconsin this year, and Notre Dame, Michigan, USC, etc,,, in years past.It is going to take some time, lots of work and some luck. If UA manages to catch lightning in a bottle by uncovering a superstar or a magical squad, great. That could generate a lot of interest in a hurry. But failing that, I think we have to look toward the natural audience and play up the positives. Marketing needs to be active and keep targeting students. Not only can that put some bodies in the seats now but it can build a base for the future. Also target alumni -- they have a natural tie to the University. Encourage them to come back to campus. To the outside, keep marketing the new stadium, the excitement of football and that it can be a family affair. Go for the people that would like to take their kids to a game but can't afford the Browns or don't want their kids to see what goes on in the stands there. Make this not just the University's team but Greater Akron's team.And for God's sakes, some of you out there - quit trashing the MAC! I have never been able to understand that anyway. Year after year the MAC has a quarterback rated among the top QBs in the country, the play is usually pretty wide open and high scoring and most games have meaning in the standings right down until the end of the season. But even if you don't like the MAC, do you really think trashing the league is going to help entice those who are not yet Akron fans to give it a try?OK, the bubble has burst. Nine games, a league title race and bowl eligibility remain. Lets have some fun out there. Hey - UA!

For those who have not been able to get on campus to see the stadium, here are a few shots taken Saturday.This is from the student center (new building on the site of Gardner Student Center) looking towards Zip Fest (left of frame to about the midground center, in front of the buildings in the middle ground. The white structures in front of the buildings are tents about the center of Zip Fest)This is a little better shot of the stadium. Carroll street ran behind GSC about where the sidewalk is. It now ends at Rhodes Arena, left edge of the buildings behind the Zip Fest in the first shot.This is the crowd heading towards the stadium from the center of campus, just after the band passed through. It was magical to see a steady stream of fans walking towards the stadium.Heading in Gate 1Of all the sights during the day, the students on the hill was my favorite

A few observations....I expected it would be neat to have the game on campus, but I was suprised at just how neat it was to be able to look around the campus and spend time in the student center prior to the game. I am a 1986 grad and get to the campus once in a while, but it was great to be on campus as part of an activity again.The campus, by the way, looks great. Clean, colorful. Everyone was in blue and gold and everyone was in the spirit -- even those working at the student center, etc.. The school paid a lot of attention to making this enjoyable and they were on the top of their game.I was also surprised at how soon the stadium seemed to be "home". By the third quarter it seemed like the only place for the Zips to play. And the students on the hill looked perfect. What a wonderful setting!I love the jerseys. I love the ones from last year too, but having "AKRON" across the front fit so well with the new stadium.I did notice a few glitches and wished the team shop was ready (the windows were covered today but last night I could see in and it is a long way from ready) but the university did so much so well that all I can say is "HEY - UA!"

It was an event. There was a grand opening celebration on the north concorse for Founders Club and season ticket holders. The upper level boxes were very active. I am not sure if that was part of the same event and people could go to their boxes or if it was another grand opening celebration. Anyway, the band played, Zippy danced and there were fireworks.As for the fireworks, it was something, but I don't know if it represents what people can expect to see. Quite a few large embers landed in the east stands (thank God for aluminum!) and a few landed on the field. Imagine the thoughts of all that rubber fill lighting up hours before game time! The fireworks were spectacular. Some of the larger bursts were opening directly over our heads. I never looked straight up at fireworks before. Anyway, it was a grand show and the stadium seemed to be in good shape afterwards.The university put a lot of effort into making it a nice event. I think those people are working hard to see that this goes well and everyone has a memorable and enjoyable time. They deserve a lot of credit.

I hopped off Rt. 8 tonight, following the glow of stadium lights over the University of Akron campus. Just took a quick drive around and stopped in the parking lot behind the natatorium. I could not see the field, but the stands and everything I could see inside the stadium were quite brightly and evenly lit. Also, the scoreboard was working with a football theme movie playing. From the far side of the lot (with the scoreboard at the opposite end of the field), the video was bright and clear and the sound was the same. It makes me that much more eager to get inside for a game.Lets Go Zips!