K92

If I ever left Ohio for a warmer climate, I would miss the 7 months of winter.

Went to the game tonight. Witnessed first hand why students don't go to games. End of story.

I bet if the University would just put about 30 zealots from this board on scholarship for sports management for 4 years and let us assimilate back into the current college culture we could drastically improve attendance. Who's game?

Another thing that may help get students to at least consider coming to games would be pro-athletics RAs that could actively promote sporting events. Do they still have one RA per floor? Put 'em to work.

#teamOhio

Just reporting the news. Evidently this one did not make the cut for the link Dr. Z provided earlier.

This came across my news feed on Facebook as a possible Browns alternate helmet.

Personally, I think that losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament is a real let down for many potential Zips bb fans but losing in the first round in a lesser post-season tournament to a school like IPFW is extremely damaging. The Zips need to make a run in the NIT or CBI or XYZ if they are ever going to be taken seriously by either the students/alumni or the fabled Joe Akron.

Skip, I'm not pooh-poohing the idea at all, but I know it's difficult to get a groundswell of support for a lot of community-growing ideas. It is certainly more difficult that just posting a poll or sending out an invite. We have been trying to promote www.facebook.com/AkronZipsTailgaters (not as an alternative to ZN.o in any way but mostly just as a place for anyone to post pictures) for 3 years and we have 79 likes to show for it. I know it's tough. I also realize I am guilty of looking at Zips athletics through a football lens. I certainly enjoy watching Zips basketball on TV and in person but I would probably not travel from Ashland to Akron to watch a game on TV broadcast from BG. I would be more apt to jump in the car meet a buddy in Avery and travel to BG. Unfortunately, a lot of Zips fans do not live in Summit county which makes it a little more difficult. I do think that the key for community-building is knowing people in real life, by given name and actually make flesh & blood friends. Meeting people from ZN.o is a great place to start, but I would say half of the people I call Zips buddies could care less about this board, which is unfortunate because I think they could add a lot with their commentary. Regardless, my point here is that if I was going to arrange a Zips get together, I would probably not use the board as my medium, I might contact some ZN.o members through the board's personal message function, but I would contact most of the people through the information stored in my phone and by networking with other Zips fans for the contacts I don't have. I think the best way to get to know a lot of Zips fans is through tailgating and also by bar-hopping at the MAC tournament. Also, Zips fans need to be friendly toward other Zips fans. There are so many times that an Akron fan calls out to another at a chance meeting on a roady or maybe just tries to make a little conversation to the guy at the supermarket checkout wearing a Zips hat, only to be looked at with astonished bewilderment or blown off altogether. If I bust off an Eat 'Em Up!, Go Zips! or a "Z-I", I expect a positive response, dammit. This type of weird, non-social kookiness from Zips fans hasn't done the community any favors. It makes some Zips backers gun-shy to say anything to others wearing the brand. Lastly, it bothers me that the University does not acknowledge the fact that the social aspect of sports is huge. If they only realized that, they would not separate tailgaters and make it much easier for me to get to socialize with some of the fine folks who are over in Lot 10 BY ACTUALLY PUTTING ALL TAILGATERS IN THE SAME LOT. I walk over to the Roo Walk and talk to a handful of people in Lot 10 for a hot second before I have to hi-tail it back to Lot 9 to get my grub grillin'. It is extremely frustrating for me. There goes my rambling, disjointed football first mentality again. . .

I realize you are trying to build community, but you must strike while the iron is hot, Balsy. The iron is not hot and I don't know if it will ever be hot enough for you to attain your goal. Perhaps if the football team could achieve some modicum of success, you might get a little more interest in watch parties for away games but the simple fact is a certain percentage of the small number of Zips fans that would consider participating in a bar actually travel to the away games. I think you might have an easier time congregating with Zips fans in the tailgating lots of Muncie, Ypsilanti, Athens, Oxford, etc. As far as basketball, come to bdubs or the Score before home games. There are usually a number of ZN.o'ers tablegating there for every home game. If you really crave Zips camaraderie you simply must get Lot 9 passes for the fall. It's what your fandom is crying out for. Meeting that group of characters is a game changer and many of them are not on the board, I mean many of them deny being on the board. That damn anonymity thing again.

A professor wearing another University's clothing takes blatant douchebaggery to the nth degree. Obviously, that prof either forgot or had never learned about that famous case of Boot v. Ass which Boot won in a landmark decision. I would love to monitor one of his classes to remind him of this case and how the ruling may impact traitorous faculty.

Hint: "About us". It may give you the answers you seek on a lot of websites.

One man's opinion. http://csnbbs.com/thread-727088.html

Yeah, but Kay ess you see Kay ess.

I've sat near the Rowdies section at the Q a couple of times and I really enjoyed chanting along to "Who's your father?"; "You're not Gonna Make It"; and turning the O-H-I-O chant into the Z-I-P-S chant during the Bobcat games. Just one old fart trying to reconnect with my inner student.

I will say that Tom Wistrcill has always been very cordial to me whenever I have had the opportunity to have a couple of words with him. He's not a bad person. He just happened to make the worst football coaching hire of all time. It's sad, really.

I don't think any of us fully realize how much Tank meant to our team. I know he definitely held the attention of whoever he was coaching up in the few practices I got to watch while he was here. He certainly did not mince words. It's a crying shame that he lost his life so young. By all accounts, he must have been one helluva top-notch gentleman. Thanks for posting that, ZF34.

How's a guy get one a dem shirts, Doc?

I don't think it's a bad idea for a Zipsnation shirt but I have found that a lot of people really value their anonymity and it might be a difficult sell for a lot of people to don apparel that basically invites the question: "What's your screen name?" I'd certainly wear a ZN.o shirt. It might increase awareness and whip some new posters.

I think everyone should have to wear one of these with their screen name at all Zips games:

Done.

Just an update for you guys that are interested: I hit up Dillard's post-holiday sales and picked up some shirts that were on clearance to be embroidered. They called today to tell me they were finished. I thought I would let you see how they turned out. The price has been raised to $10 per design up from $7. Still quite affordable. I thought they turned out great. I need a XXXLT shirt because I am 6'3" with a 30" inseam. All torso and no legs, so it is very difficult for me to find anything in the bookstore that fits. This is the perfect service for me. If you are interested, here is the information you need:

There are enough natural barriers to being a Zips fan. It is sad & pathetic how our athletic department and league office continue to set up unnecessary road blocks on top of them.