taxpayer

Princeton per the College Sportsmadness 144: http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/4313 Nice replacement for the Marshall game.

Excellent explanation, thanks!

Don't know if I've read two more pathetic and disappointing paragraphs about a community in my life, Wow.

MTE = ?

If you want to imagine "mellow" and "quiet" just look at some of the box scores from other MAC schools. ... For example, 644 crazy fans packed EMU's 9,000 seat Convocation Center when Can't visited Ypsilanti last year (at the time was a pretty big game for EMU, considering they were in the MAC West race and hosting a school many outsiders still believe is the flagship school for MAC basketball). I don't want to waste my time looking it up, but I remember seeing a Northern Illinois home MAC game from last year that drew something like 278 people. Granted, those are examples on the other extreme, but they still are "college arenas". Wadszip - you are right. I should have been more specific in my comments; let me try again. The JAR is the most mellow and quiet college arena I've ever been in where a program that has won 20 games per season for the last 6/7 years and is always 1st or 2nd in the conference and qualifies for post season tournaments. To have a problem filling/selling out 5,500 seats and the general lack of "atmosphere" is surprising and disappointing. I can't blame it all of the track/lousy seating.

Wadszip - I too hope the Zips can capitalize on playing a couple of big boys on a neutral court and jump starting the season which apparently will have their toughest schedule ever. This tournament is a made for TV event; meaning the "audience" is TV versus local San Juan residents packing the place. The historical attendance at these games is low, I'd guess 2-3,000 a game in a 16-18,000 seat arena. It will be very interesting to see if Alex and Melo's presence on the Zips will translate into being the "adopted" home team, I sure hope so. This will be a major challenge for the Zips but one they are capable of handling if they stay healthy, confident and are as hungry as I think they are. As far as playing there every year, the organizers seem to rotate different programs and conferences into the mix. If A & M's presence brings in a couple thousand local residents to see them play it could obviously sway the powers that be.

I'd say yes to leaving Athens with a win; most of the players will be ready for the circus atmosphere this year. I just wish we had their facility, as old as it is it is still light years better than the JAR. As is their home court advantage....big, loud band and an excellent, coordinated and crazy student section. I thought it was the toughest place for the Zips to play in last year. Got to give OU credit, they went way out of their way to make the Convo an intimidating enviroment for the Zips. We desperately need to learn that lesson.....our gameday enviroment, other than for Cant, is as mellow and quiet as any college arena i've been to.

DR. Z, thanks for the link. I'll take the brief Zips mention as a compliment. I'm hoping the team gets in a day or two early and can outwork & shoot the cowboys.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball...ogy/_/year/2013 For what it's worth....Zips omitted - MAC is once again seen as 1 bid conference. Check out OU's projected seed. Can't wait for the Zips to serve some Crow to Joe

http://www.puertoricotipoff.com/home/image...prtobracket.pdf What makes a successful trip to PR?

#97 Valapariso - Last years game there still makes me wonder if the NCAA ever evaluates their game officials. I would love for them to come visit the JAR this year so the Zips could return the "home cooking" we experienced.

Zipmeister' The definition of "good" that I want to use is "consistent appearances in the NCAA tourney." Akron is currently above average - on the verge of good. Thank God I never had you as one of my professors! If KD's program is above average, what are you comparing it to? Compared to other MAC coaches and universities I'd argue your grading if harsh, if you want to make a comparison to some "majors" then above average applies. What is your definition of the JAR and the basketball budget? Both of which have a significant impact on recruiting and therefore the level UA's program can attain. My assessment is he is topping out with the JAR and the current budget.

Zipmeister - "First, let's get to good." Seriously? I think you might be taking KD's program for granted or you are frustrated with the Zips inability to get into the 2nd game of the NCAA's or NIT's. With that said, UA already is "good" by any definition you want to use. Great would be consistent appearances in the NCAA's and trips to the sweet 16's. It's pretty evident that KD has made a change in his thinking with taking transfer ins (Diggs, Gilliam and Walsh) and Harney and Treadwell with their academic issues prior to enrolling at Akron. All five of these young men represent a significant deviation from KD's initial program designs. Initially, UA/KD couldn't get these type of players since the program wasn't "good". I'd argue he reached good with his initial plan; now he is in the second year of attempting to get beyond good. Let's see what can be accomplished despite a below average facility and a complacent/uninterested student body and town.

I could live with that scenerio.

Can anyone summarize KD's comments?

CJ it appears you won't be suiting up for UA this year.....therefore, thank you for being such a nice young man and representing your family and UA so well. Best of luck to you and thanks!

I'm anxious to see PF play. Is he an offensive low block presence? If he moves & runs as well as Zeke does the Zips might be more uptempo than any Zips teams from the past. Rather than speculate I will wait for the reports to hit this board once PF actually gets on the floor this month.

WadsZip - you are correct, I did confuse Mid Ten State with Ten State. Are the Zips confirmed to be playing Creighton this year? Hadn't heard that. I thought the Zips might be playing Coastal Carolina and then up to NC State then over to PR to open up with Oklahoma State; after reading this board I'm now uncertain as to whether NC State game in Raleigh is "on". If we play CC, NC State and OK State back to back with all that travel involved, the boys will certainly have their hands full but wins like that at the start of the season would be just what the doctored ordered.

So far, I believe the following teams will be on our schedule this year: #131 Penn State - PR Tournament?? #130 Cleveland State @ the JAR this year #106 Toledo - definite away game...home and home this year? #105 Tennesee State @ the JAR in return for playing them last year?

Duquesne, Pitt, OSU, Xavier, Cincinnati, Michigan, Michigan State.......they might schedule us in their buildings but I seriously doubt they would play in the JAR. The exception might be Duquesne as they can't "dictate" to mid majors like the others can. Cincy might not even want us in their gym, their OCC is a joke historically. I think the others would schedule us into their building but I seriously doubt they would come into the JAR. After last years "game" versus Valapariso, I'd love to host them in the JAR and would even love to play them at a neutral site game as long as the 3 homers who ref'ed the game last year weren't allowed in the building.

CJ probably isn't listed on Gannon's roster since he hasn't set foot in a class there, same as our "new" young man".

GEneral question for the baseball crowd: What prevents the UA of playing ALL home games at the Canal Street ballpark? It's a fantastic recruiting tool and with some joint effort at scheduling with the AEROS, I believe it could be a successful joint venture and a shot in the arm to the BaseBall program.

Could UA be opening with Coastal Carolina in 2012-2013? Hunter says he has "verbal agreement" for Zips to open Chants new hoops building this November. Nice find

Akron men's basketball to face Oklahoma State in Puerto Rico Tip-Off tourney Here's an expert's opinion on this tournament: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballn...-rico-tip-off-3 The current favorites are Oklahoma State or North Carolina State.....we play them both with a game AT NC State prior to arriving in San Juan and then open versus Ok State. The Zips appear to have themselves quite a hill to climb at the beginning of the season.

The NCAA should sit tight. At the present time, they'd be piling on if they publicly entered the public discussion. Privately, they can contact the current board and president of PSU and inform them they are observing the program and institution. Anyone who personally observed or was informed of Sandusky's crimes and did nothing should be terminated by PSU and their individual case reviewed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General and if facts can be proven, charged with aiding and abetting. This event isn't an athletic matter other than an athletic coach(es) and administrators were involved and an athletic venue was the scene of some of these crimes. I'd also suggest if any PSU athlete is so distrubed by the events that they be allowed to transfer out without the typical 1yr sit and loss of eligibility. Don't blame/penalize the innocent for the crimes made by the guilty, punish the guilty.