TennZip

more on Tim Bezbatchenko https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/01/02/stejskal-tim-bezbatchenko-crew-sc-toronto-talking-ali-curtis

late last weekend, there was a story posted from the crunch zone... Here is their followup story http://thecrunchzone.com/mens-soccer-taps-assistant-john-michael-hayden-as-head-coach/

Zips voice, many excellent thoughts I was typing a reply.....at the same time that Zip_ME87 was typing a reply. I have very similar comments. The situation for Akron soccer is much, much larger than Jared's compensation. I have seen articles that Lolla at Louisville made $330,000 this year and would make $350,000 in 2019 (if he had stayed). Suffice it to say, Jared's compensation is not near that high level. I have never spoken with Coach Embick but I know that his concern would be for a budget 1)that allows him to retain his high quality assistants....Ger is considered to be a great goalkeeper coach....; TJ, Ger had to do yeoman work with Jared late in the year as they were one coach down ; Funds need to be good to bring in another top notch assistant 2) a budget that allows Jared, Ger, TJ and others to travel to Portugal, Spain, Italy and all parts of the US to evaluate student athletes that will be the best fit for zips soccer ; 3) support for the student athlete...that help them perform well in school and on the field.... A) a few years ago...might have been 2015,the Beacon had an article about the cost of freezing cold ice baths....and how often that the team could afford to do that...I know that there is a technical term for the freezing baths but it helps the players recover quicker. I remember from the article...that Victor Souto was the first brave zip to get into the freeze bath.....If those are still the best mechanism to help athletes recover, boosters need to help donate money to have funds for that. B. ) Sports now are mental as well as physical...are funds available to the soccer program for sports psychologists?...again, I have no knowledge if this is something available for zips football, zips basketball, etc. C) Zip_me87...mentioned funds for travel.....travel needs to be set up to allow the student athlete to miss the least amount of school....and be the most rested for the road games....D) Nutrition An immediate concern of mine.....is whether the zip soccer team will be able to take a foreign trip in 2019. The team can take one every 4 years. The 2014 team lost in the round of 64 in the NCAA tourney. That team went to Brazil in 2015 and that team lost on PK's in the college cup in 2015. The players from that team talk about that trip as something that gave them the confidence to have a great year in 2015. This 2018 team was so close to winning it all. A foreign trip would give Carlo, David , Marcel, Skye, Colin, Sam , etal a chance to become even better. The athletic department and Coach Embick and his staff can't accomplish what they want to...without the help of alumni and donors. I, like many of us on this board, like to write. I would be happy to be involved in trying to increase the amount of funds available for our beloved soccer program.

Tom Petty once sang "The waiting is the hardest part." Waiting is hard for us as fans. None of us can even fathom all of the decisions and factors that can go into job related decisions for a world class soccer coach. Jared Embick is greatly respected by his players and all of the folks in the athletic department for what he has done for 12 years for Akron soccer. As an Akron soccer fan, I obviously want Coach Embick to stay. None of us would want our own job choices and decisions played out in the media or via twitter. I wish the best for Coach Embick and his family ...and I want him to make the best decision for his situation. Good wishes and much respect for Coach Embick.

On BigSoccer yesterday, they reported that Coach Embick had turned down the job. obviously, I hope that today's news tweeted above is not true. Coach Embick is the only Akron soccer coach ever that has led his team to the College Cup 3 times. Coach Embick is a tireless recruiter and he works hard to help players improve. We have been very fortunate to have Coach Embick as the leader of the Akron soccer program for the past 6 years. He was the great recruiter during the Caleb Porter years. All of us worried when Caleb Porter left. Coach Embick's great soccer mind and his ability to get the best out of young men...has been the key factor in Akron being a great program for the past 12 years. The financial difficulties of the University of Akron and not having a permanent university president....might finally be hurting the soccer program. if this is the end of the great Embick era, I want to say thank you very much...and wish Coach Embick the best. Honorable, hard working man. Great coach.

Abdi #9 on this list I hope that their #5 player on their list is not drafted..... https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/12/19/ranking-top-12-2019-mls-superdraft-senior-prospects

David Egbo also selected 3rd team by College Soccer news https://www.collegesoccernews.com/index.php/awards/all-america-teams/1270-college-soccer-news-2018-all-america-team

Blue and Gold had already told us about Jaden Wright https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/high-school-soccer-article/recruiting-roundup:-december-17-23_aid45640 In their Dec. 17-Dec.23 recruiting roundup, top drawer tells us about Jaden Wright and a young man named Natnael McDonald from Atlanta United Top Drawer has him rated as one of the top 150 recruits in the country (#120) BOYS NCAA DIVISION I Class of 2019 M Natnael McDonald (Atlanta United) committed to Akron. F Jaden Wright (Internationals SC) committed to Akron.

https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/2018-mens-division-i-postseason-awards_aid45636 Congratulations to Carlo... Well deserved 3rd team All American for Abdi and David 2nd team all freshman for colin Go, Zips !!!

Excellent column from the Beacon Journal https://www.ohio.com/opinion/20181215/michael-douglas-for-ua-soccer-learning-curve-to-perfect-goal

Darren Mattocks drafted by cincy https://www.blackandredunited.com/dc-united-transfers/2018/12/11/18136288/fc-cincinnati-darren-mattocks-dc-united-darren-mattocks

I hope that the zips will play some important soccer before the fall. Teams are allowed to take an international trip once every 4 years. Caleb took a team to Spain. Jared took a team to Brazil in summer 2015. if you remember, the zips in 2014...lost in the round of 64 in a PK Shootout... The 2015 team made it all the way to the college cup. The players on that team credit that trip for great improvement and that they really grew to believe in each other. I hope that there is a 2019 international trip. It is expensive.....but I am confident that the zips alumni and family...will want to help these young men get better. Personally, I am hoping that they go to Portugal......so that Diogo Pacheco and his teammates will get to play in front of his family

https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2018/12/9/18132541/how-atlanta-united-american-core-won-mls-cup-darlington-nagbe-greg-garza-brad-guzan-michael-parkhust Ahead of Larentowicz in 2018 was newcomer Darlington Nagbe. The midfielder has been something of an enigma for fans and coaches named Caleb Porter alike - he’s very skillful, but what’s his best role on the field? It turns out that the answer is not attacking winger - in Atlanta Tata Martino put Nagbe where he should have been all along, in central midfield. This was his best season in MLS and as a player who could keep possession either by passing out of danger, or at times dribbling through two or three defenders, Nagbe was critical for the success that the Five Stripes had in 2018. He missed significant time with an injury suffered in May, but his ability to set the tempo and move the ball upfield for the attackers was invaluable.

Excellent words from Coach Embick

https://www.ohio.com/sports/20181210/university-of-akron-mens-soccer-thyroid-cancer-no-stumbling-block-for-sophomore-diogo-pacheco This story deserves its own topic. Diogo Pacheco is a very brave young man.

Work prevented me from making it out to Santa Barbara this year...but I have heard from multiple people that George Van Horne,Matt Newhouse and the entire athletic department did first class work in setting up the events at SeaSide on Friday and Sunday....and also the MLS game watching event on Saturday night. I have seen on social media...how appreciative that Maverick and his mom are of the first class, wonderful treatment that they received from George and Matt and the entire athletic department. The athletic department had a tremendously short time to make arrangements for everything and they worked many long hours to make it happen. The soccer program is the best and the fans, players and alumni were treated super this weekend. No department or person is ever perfect....but the athletic department hit it out of the park with the watch events and their handling of all events in Santa Barbara. The athletic department and the soccer team and coaches all covered themselves in glory over the past few weeks.

I don't like the headline....but there are very good quotes from Skye and Coach Embick at the end of the article https://www.ohio.com/sports/20181209/university-of-akron-mens-soccer-zips-fall-short-in-title-game

I am very proud of this group of student athletes and their coaches accomplished. Good words below from Coach Embick “We’re hurting now, but we’re hurting because we put ourselves in this situation. A month and a half, two months ago, nobody expected it,” UA coach Jared Embick said. “I told the guys, ‘Sports, the champion gets defined by the trophy, but life’s not like that. Your ability to handle setbacks and push forward and pick yourselves up every time you fall down is more what life’s about.’ Unfortunately, we don’t get the moment we wanted, but this team showed a lot of people about perseverance and how you handle adversity. I was really proud of the coaches and players.”

https://areyouwatchingthis.com/tv/stations/espn3 I am sure that there are many people around the country watching the game on ESPNU I would hope that ESPNU would cover the trophy presentation. However, they have fla. state vs. Uconn basketball scheduled at 9. as a heads up (if ESPNU cuts away to basketball)....ESPN3 will also broadcast the game and ESPN3 will cover the trophy presentation. Proud of this zips team....no matter what happens tonight....They have had an amazing year to be proud of Sunday, Dec 9 8:00p - Curling - 2018 Home Hardware Canada Cup (Men's Final) 8:00p - Men's College Soccer - Akron vs. Maryland (Final) 10:00p - Men's College Soccer - NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament - Trophy Presentation

This will be one heck of a battle....Zips are playing so well... but so are the Terrapins...no goals allowed....in 4 tourney games Futbol.......can indeed be cruel..but I have a feeling that Marcel Zajac magic and skill will be the difference tonight ....Go, zips !!!!