Balsy

The last 4 games I think the Zips really miss having Tree.

If they win tonight, let's make a pact not to watch/view the final three games.

I won't be able to listen to the game tonight. Let's see if I'm the curse

+1 to this contention because I'm apparently out of likes.

it's Bizarre...it really is. Kudos to ZipsNation and the Zips faithful. We're better reporters and better at finding information than people who get paid to do it.

Gee...I wish we had a reporter or something that covered the Zips on a regular basis in an unaffiliated local media outlet...

Oh I agree Skip. I didn't mean that's all we needed to do...I'm saying we MUST beat the bobkittens and Can't from a fan perspective. OU has been one of our biggest rivals for the past couple of years, we can't go 0-2 against them on a down year. That's beyond pathetic. Can't is our rival, so we just need to beat them...all the time...everytime... Break the losing streak and win the next 4 and we're in good position to make a run.

It all boils down to three things for me at this point in the season: Beat the Bobkittens. Beat Can't @ Can't, and get to the MACC game. All these are possible. When Tournament time rolls around I think this team can beat anyone in the MAC.

Basically where we are this year? We lost one of our biggest producers last year as well...Diggs...So I'm not really concerned about next year. This team has got some fantastic players who need to work on the inside game. One thing I've been impressed with all season, is that this team is more athletic than I can remember seeing. But they've got to play smarter. And why on earth can we still not play against the press? This is now the third consecutive season where if a team turns on the press, we INSTANTLY wilt. Can someone who understands basketball better than I do give an analysis on this?

Sooooooooooooo glad I went to the game tonight. Anyone want to talk dying attendance again?

Yes they did used to do the Resident Hall challenges, but I don't think it's been hotly promoted for several years...sorta like what's happened to Roowards. They used to do something for Homecoming with Greek life, but I think that has dropped off too. If I were Athletics those are three things I'd get going again immediately. One of the biggest groups on campus, with one of the biggest activities on campus (both student volume and outside person volume) is Relay for Life. Couldn't Relay For Life partner with Athletics for a game...counting Relay Team attendance towards points in the RFL competitions, and allowing RFL students to set up donation tables. Pretty inexpensive, and I guarantee would be better student engagement...wouldn't cost Athletics a thing. As for RA's Keener...from my experience the RA's are some of the most Pro-Akron students we got.

I love it too! Just wish we could get more student involvement in those chants.

Doesn't Miami hold itself as > than State Ohio University? I mean...one's home of the sweaters...the other is the home of Cowpies, farming equipment and rednecks who are visiting the "big" city for the first time

+1. Zeke occasionally came into places where other students were to drum-up support for athletics...but those were specific athletic events...but when you talked to Zeke, you realized he was actually a pretty cool guy and it made you want to cheer for him and the team. I was friends with a couple of the W. Basketball team players (from class and labs) and other friends and I from those same classes would go to the games to cheer on our friends on the team. Soccer players were also pretty cool, the ones I met in my classes anyways.

Bingo. This is why I think it's important for athletics to actually look into it. We'd also need to find out how many we can realistically draw to a game (commuters, those living on campus, jobs, other campus activities that may meet during game times...). I'd start by getting every game not having outside groups sing the anthem, to have the anthem sung by one of the million capella groups that UA has.

No s**t it didn't work. I could have told athletics that before they did it. It's a haphazard, lazy, somewhat disingenuous gimmick. Will they be fighting to have their voices heard, no. Because they don't think the administration cares about their opinion right now anyways! You've got to go to them, or at least demonstrate that you do care. Those students who do care about UA will be there. It doesn't matter how many students are there, just as long as the ones who care are. You can't just throw blame on the students saying "student apathy". Why are the students apathetic? Becuase UA has a culture of apathy. From it's piss-ass alumni, to it's faculty, to it's administration. No-buddy cares about what they're doing at UA, so why on earth should the students? THAT is the culture that needs to change. And it starts with the people who are getting paid, not with the ones who are paying.

Having worked at a paper...when we proofread the copy before sending it to print, we checked everything...including the ads.

The AD should be seeking out the students, not the students seeking out the AD. Let's put it this way: When I was a student on campus, I was asked to participate in a forum of students meeting one-on-one with the new provost when he was hired. The students who were there, were a mix of the best UA has on it's campus (not just honors/leaders...but a mix of every type of student who cares about UA). Those students who were there were given the opportunity to be there. Instead of the students seeking out the administration, it was the administration seeking out the students. The comments and questions and suggestions made by students at that meeting were very direct, and very good. If the administration had not done that, how many of those students would have "emailed the Provost" if you'd set up a special "email the provost" spot on the website? It just seems disingenuous/apathetic on the part of the administration, not the students. If you treat your students as second rate, and with apathy...you'll get student participation that is second rate and apathetic. We have about 4 Capella groups (if not more) on campus I know for a fact would do it. Again this goes to my underlying contention that faculty/administration at UA don't give a damn about actually including students in the everyday operations of the university. They think the students are children that need to be managed, as opposed to young professionals who are more than capable of doing well if given the opportunity to do so.

That's exactly what I'm saying: not the Ak-Rowdies or student government, ALL students. There's plenty of students on that campus who could give fresh ideas, but have they been given an opportunity or venue to do so. Usually that is met with "well students have their student government" or some other blah blah blah, include everyone.

Athletics can also probably do a little more to help with this too. Instead of making new policies about a student section on their own, they should INCLUDE STUDENT GROUPS in the discussion on what to do to make a better student section. I really, really, really want to beat this point home, just in case anyone who is a mover-and-shaker within UA: INCLUDE THE STUDENTS IN DECISION MAKING BEYOND JUST STUDENT GOVERNMENT. The best resource at a university is the student body.

OU has an alumni base that gives a damn...

Stripe down the middle and I think we're in business!

Personally I thought it was a dumb move to put Walters on Juice. When I saw Walters sub-in, I knew the shot was going in. I'm tired of losing to Toledo. If anyone wants to know why attendance is down, we lose games that matter in our own conference. It's boring to watch the Zips beat up on teams that we always beat up on, and it really, really, really sucks to lose to teams we need to beat.