skip-zip

Ok LZip, without doing all of the math, lets say that NIU only falls 2,000 short of the 20,000 average you presumed. Seems like a small number, except that it's 60,000 people over a 5 year period. Imagine getting that many more new people attracted to MAC football? And the huge drop off could even possibly indicate that after the major bowl game appearances, the fans quickly disappeared again? The lesson to be learned here is that it's very, very tough, even during a remarkable run of success and a location close to one of the largest metro areas in the county, for a MAC team to reach a 20k average.

Hey LZip....not trying to ruin your party, but if I were trying to prove a 20k attendance average over 5 years, I wouldn't reference a couple of the largest years, and ignore the rest. The 2 years you ignored are years where they averaged 13k and 17k, and the lowest one was the most recent. Kangaroo....If the NIU example has "Zero" (your word) to do with our situation, please find me an example more valid than a consistently successful program, from the same conference, and the same part of the country, which is likewise surrounded by Big 10 territory. And should I add that they are less than an hour away from the 3rd largest city in the country?

LZip....Northern had a 13K average last season, despite a string of contending and winning seasons and bowl bids. It's been discussed at length in another thread, if you want to look for it. Why do you think it's being used as an example? They hit right at 20k as their peak a few years ago, but not even close to a 20k average over the last 5 years that you presume.

The argument "rings" in the results that are already well-documented from top MAC football and basketball programs that don't draw. Where's the proof that we average 20K if we win more? You're the one that's stating "hollow" speculation, while I am just stating the facts from winning programs in our own conference, one of which is our very own basketball program. But I will agree with you that I pray that it happens also. (place praying emoticon here).

What you state about Dambrot and the basketball team was exactly my point. "Just win more games" is a total cop out answer, and doesn't even scratch the surface of solving the problem of why Akron Athletics is not a more attractive draw for Ohio sports fans. The Indians drew when they were competing for a World Series title. The Steelers win Super Bowls. Akron competes for a chance to play in an unknown bowl game or for the chance to reach the high point of their season by winning a tournament in Cleveland to be regarded as the 64th (or 68 now?) best basketball team in the nation. And that's only one other piece of the complete puzzle.

bengalboardgg....I wish that winning games filled stadiums and arenas. However, you don't need to look any further than Northern Illinois' football program and Akron's basketball program to know that it's not that simple. Effectively marketing to your potential audience is essential, and so is plenty of other factors, including the level of people who you are beating.

Hey guys, lets not overthink the exodus of candidates from this job. They are doing the same thing that all of us do. Upon applying for a job and finding more about the situation, you decide you don't want to pursue it any further because of information you start to gather about the situation, the condition of the employer, etc. I don't know why anyone finds this to be unusual or that the candidates "don't want to take on the challenge". We all wish to make a move to a better situation when changing jobs.

For anyone who wants to see the story that Dave references, about Faust's connection to Larry Williams and his wife, it is well documented in a portion of the ESPN documentary on Faust, which is in two parts on You Tube.

OK....please, how many of us on here have broadcasted info. that was not supposed to be broadcasted. Geez.

No surprise. Wouldn't anyone here consider it a risk to move jobs after discovering that the employer appears to have issues, either financially or otherwise? And again, as I've said before, my biggest concern right now is how this is going to play out in the minds of potential athletes and students being recruited in the coming years.

Interesting that the story talks about his stunt act of trying to catch 5 balls at the same time, but he dropped a punt last night. I guess one ball is not enough of a challenge

Swisher may have amounted to something if he wasn't spending so much time promoting Ohio University to Cleveland Indians fans in the stands. But, I'm sure the people down in Athens appreciate it.

Lets just say this.... In the current atmosphere, anything that appears to be excessive and is NOT getting cut is going to stick out like a sore thumb.

I am waiting to see "BREATHTAKING Athleticism" in a Zips uniform. Outside of possibly a few, I can't think of anyone who even approached that level in the last 30+ years that I have been around the program. Please share.

I wonder how many of them, who may have been on schedule to graduate from Akron in the Spring, will not be able to do so because of what they might lose in the academic transfer? I feel so badly for these guys. The timing right before the start of the school year was horrible.

Yes, The answer is definitely Brookhart. He coached Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald at Pitt. And lets not forget the move of Hixon from CB to WR under JD, which catapulted his NFL career.

Amen to that, Dave. The fans should love that particular change.

1) Lengthening the game by taking Quarter Breaks? I don't like it. 2) As a Dambrot-era program that works for good shots, I can't imagine how taking 5 seconds off of every possession is going to help us. It might be a good rule change for fans, to watch teams take more shots in a game. But, is it good for the Zips?

My first thought was......Why are they going to choose Infocision over the soon-to-be, luxurious, multi-million dollar refurbishing of the Rubber Bowl?

Zip_ME87... I'm only saying that Baseball should have stayed for the UPCOMING SEASON, since it was such a late decision before the upcoming school year, the scholarships already paid, etc. Seems similar to pulling the plug on EJ with a slate of events already booked for the academic year.

According to the morning news, the 2015-2016 schedule has been reinstated? I'll have some faith in these people if they do the same thing with the upcoming baseball season.

And it's too late now. Anyone who wanted to have a negative opinion of the U of A for spending tons on money to renovate the president's house already believe that they know what they need to know. When the media is pouncing on a wounded animal, this is how things go.

ZIP....Our old memories are nearly identical, but it was WESTERN Culture and EASTERN Civ. I also remember those Western Cult. lectures were at EJ. I wonder if some of the younger folks here can enlighten us on how those classes are handled today, and if they are even part of the general requirements anymore. And I remember having a big General Marketing class that held it's lectures in EJ as well. This was all early 80s, so I have no idea.

Other than the fact that he is factually incorrect to say that the University forked out $62 million for the football stadium, I cannot initially find anything I can refute about the content of this article.

As far as EJ is concerned, it's sad, but I didn't realize that it was such a big money loser. With that news, even though I am embarrassed by all of these cuts, it's hard to argue why it probably had to close. I just wish there were other options.