clarkwgriswold

Thanks for staying on top of this.

That's called "transfer portal" prep. LOL. Actually, it's in their union agreement to talk each other up. Coach Jackson earned a lot of loyalty and respect from her players and counterparts. That's a real credit to her.

I don't think most of us are ****ing on KD. There's just a feeling amongst some that after 6 years it's time to move on.

I thought it was telling the year KD sat his Duquesne team down after the season and told them that it was going to be "his way or the highway for the next season" and a good portion of them chose the highway.

From the confines of the esteemed Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in beautiful downtown Cleveland, Ohio, Reghi expresses his considerable gratitude for the veritable plethora of complimentary statements.

KD is 64. I'm not sure how much of that D1 basketball life he has in him. I suspect he's winding down but that's just a guess. I could see him moving into a sports administration job. If the rumors are true, he almost did that last year.

More complete list: 2022-23 MAC Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards Coach of the Year: Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo Player of the Year: RayJ Dennis, Toledo *unanimous selection* Freshman of the Year: Reggie Bass, Central Michigan Defensive Player of the Year: Malique Jacobs, Kent State Sixth Man of the Year: Jalen Sullinger, Kent State All-MAC First Team Xavier Castaneda, Sr., G, Akron Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo JT Shumate, Sr., F, Toledo All-MAC Second Team Payton Sparks, So., C, Ball State Jarron Coleman, R-Jr., G, Ball State Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State Setric Millner Jr., Sr., F, Toledo Dwight Wilson III, Grad., F, Ohio All-MAC Third Team Jaylin Sellers, So., G, Ball State Curtis Jones, So., G, Buffalo Emoni Bates, So., F, Eastern Michigan Mekhi Lairy, 5th, G, Miami David Coit, So., G, Northern Illinois Honorable Mention Leon Ayers III, Sr., G, Bowling Green Anderson Mirambeaux, Sr., F, Miami Kaleb Thornton, Sr., G, Northern Illinois Jaylin Hunter, Jr., G, Ohio Lamar Norman Jr., Sr., G, Western Michigan All-Freshman Team Reggie Bass, Central Michigan, G Ryan Mabrey, Miami, G AJ Brown, Ohio, G Elmore James, Ohio, G Seth Hubbard, Western Michigan, G All-Defensive Team Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron Greg Tribble, Jr., G, Akron Demarius Jacobs, Sr., G, Ball State Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State

Bass showed very little against the Zips but really came on late. He averaged 26 ppg in the last 5 games.

The transfers remind me of a story I recently heard. An area college baseball coach had one of his kids come to him and tell him "coach, I'm thinking about entering the transfer portal" in hopes the coach would beg him to stay. The coach's response- "I recruited you once, I'm not doing it a second time." He then promptly showed him the door.

A player's ability to be successful within the concepts of a Groce squad require that player to buy in completely. I'm not sure Ali was the guy to do that. Exhibit A- his departure. I think an uninjured Dawson and a returning Bandaogo would have gone a long way. What I wouldn't give for another quality big.

I've started typing this any number of times then deleted, but here's my view from a detached Zips fan. When I have watched Jackson's teams, I have seen teams that have played hard. However, I have seen teams that were generally below the average talent level of their MAC counterparts. The only real exception was when the Zips had a MAC POY. Otherwise, the teams have been mediocre. This season went from promising, to sideways to downhill. I don't see anything in the pipeline to convince me that the upcoming Zips squads are going to be anything other than the struggling to be middling MAC teams we've seen to this point. I appreciate Coach Jackson's efforts. I don't think any failures were due to a lack of effort. Maybe the program will be in the same place or a worse place in a couple of years, but I can understand the desire to improve from where the program is now.

He's not the first AD that failed to get people to UA football games, though I would agree no one is coming up with new ideas. I think it also a tough sell for the common fan to buy tickets for an inferior product. If you're one of us that strongly follows out alma mater's teams, you'll buy. Otherwise if you are "Joe Akron", you'll go to the local high school game or watch the Buckeyes, at least until you can see a regular winner.

As a side note, GT didn't write the article. I suspect he was still recovering from fawning over Michael B. Jordan and the new Creed movie. The reality is that if the athletic department thought the complaint had any teeth they would have pursued it on November when it was originally received.

I like this post from over there- First name that comes to my mind is John Groce. I know he’s at Akron, but have always been impressed by him and his teams. We need someone like him that has that fire in his belly. A proven winner that can recruit and gets the most out of his team.

I'll never get Huger's black gloves during Covid. Looked like he was going to go birth some cattle.

Summary- nobody can tell anybody about anything due to privacy rules. It's essentially an article with no info. A former player filed a complaint about Melissa. This pretty well sums it up- “Because the investigation has been closed, there are no findings.” They closed it because she's done today so they didn't see the need. She sees it as vindication.

Good luck to Coach Jackson. I hope she lands on her feet in a position that works best for her and her young family.

My biggest hopes for the tournament lie in the fact that coaching makes a big difference this time of year and the Zips have the best head coach in the MAC.

This thread is an interesting one to review with the regular season having now ended. Many of us were on the ball with 13 MAC wins (Z.I.P., GoZips, Captain) and a couple of us said 12 or 13 wins. To our credit, we were realistic and not homers.

The Zips head to Cleveland next week for the MAC tournament. Rather than post individual game threads, we'll go with a tournament thread as we did last year. If someone could post the graphic of the brackets when it's available that would be great. 6:30 game next Thursday.

I guess 2nd place is a celebration worthy event.

Well...$h!+...get 'em next week.

...and they're making him look like a legitimate D1 big man. Sigh.

Have to make free throws here down the stretch!

Refs let them play in the first half and are calling everything this half.