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Was it Justice?

I'd like to have the same preference. But, we all know that's not the way it works. Schools like Akron need as much money as they can get. And we have to be able to give what little perks we are able to give in exchange for that much-needed extra money.

Great Post. The buzz coming from our (supposed) local TV stations for this big college basketball matchup is incredible. Can ya feel it? Remember, these are the same people who, even after almost two years have passed, still cry and whine like children about Bron.

I would be surprised if they do not see this as an opportunity to again try to place a premium price tag on the closest lots.

The 4pm start time won't help either. I still hope we can match the 4,000 we got for VCU. But, I think the TV, the start time, and the cold weather will keep it down around 3,500 max.

Dave, If you recall, we discussed this issue of poor proximity to the court earlier in this thread. And it's a major concern to me as well. And it goes far beyond the poor seating angle. I think it destroys the atmosphere. It creates a lot of open air space, and that cavern-like space might not be very noticable when 20,000 people are packed into a Cavs game. But, that would be a big mistake for us. I can only imagine the faint nature of the noise in a big, open arena when a few thousand people are there for a Zips basketball game. I need to bring up something else about the Q, since a few people have mentioned that you are close to the floor right behind the player benches. If I remember correctly, that big gap created when the hockey rink is removed is mostly made up for on the opposite side. I think there are 2-3 rows of tables in the floor-level press area before you get to the first seating row, which is right at the hockey wall.

Listen. I feel your pain. I pretty much agree with everyone about everything that is inadequate about that Arena. I've had to experience the same things as everyone else over the last 3 decades. But, the place isn't in poor condition. It's not even 30 years old. I can't agree with someone who would try to make the case that poeple are staying away from Akron basketball games because they play in an old, decrepit building.

You misunderstood what I posted. Infocision wasn't a mistake, in my opinion (although, I know some people who would disagree). The mistake was made by the people who presumed that a new facility alone was going to have such a great impact. The JAR: Ill Designed? Yes. Dilapidated? No. Like I've said previously, there are some things in the works that could make the JAR more desirable. But, lets not assume that new seating is the big answer to having new fans lined up at the door to get in the place.

Lets not make the mistake, again, of presuming that the facility will bring the people. I think many people here did that a few years ago. For us diehards, we wish for greater comfort in the place where we spend 15-20 evenings each year. To the outsiders, the fascination with new facilities is short lived. It will take much more to get those people to help us fill a larger arena.

Dave, Let me just add something. Most 16-17 basketball players, who are in the midst of a spectacular career and being hounded by D-1 schools, ARE Prima Donnas. And they don't necessarily pay attention to how much playing time that guys get at the school they might be planning on attending. They all want significant playing time.

I think that would be the right thing to do

I hope you don't really believe all of that. You can't win without good players, no matter how much ability a coach might have in making a poor player perform better.

I hear what you're saying, but there's only so much you can do with limited talent. Lighting a fire under a guy only does so much, if he is a poor tackler. Like I said, I wish them luck. That's going to be a tough job to get that defense working again in the short term, without Wagner as an anchor.

I think that's the real issue here. Hockey and basketball combo arenas make it tough to have close, steep-angled seating for basketball. That really ruins the atmosphere. I think all of us would really be disappointed.

Kids will do what they want to do. The only thing that bothers me is that we just lost the only solid tackler on the defense presently. Bowden and Amato have their work cut out for them to return that unit to respectability anytime soon.

I point this out quite often.

To simplify that even more, he's just able to be much more effective when he doesn't have the added responsibility of bringing the ball up the floor and running the offense. It's just not natural to him, and unfortunately he has had to handle those duties too much to start the year. Just like last year, I expect that we will continue to see more and more of those isolation plays with him during conference play, where opponents who put a guard on him simply can't stop him from elevating at the rim. Last night, I think he did a great job down the stretch making the decision to go, or not to go, based on the situation. I think that's the only element that needs some work. If he ever truly gets the feel for that on a consistent basis, and develops a point guard-type mentality while he's in the paint and can find the open guy when the defense collapses, he's going to be a pretty special player.

Thanks Dave. It's not what I would have guessed.

That would surprise me if the stats show that he doesn't turn to his veterans more as the season progresses. It sure appears like he's always done that.

Dave and ZippyRulz bring up important points above. And the video of the changeover is a real eye opener. My first thought is that it's a MAJOR expense to maintain an arena for what will amount to minor league hockey and mid-major level basketball. I can't imagine the additional expenditure involved to change it back and forth continually. But, on the other hand, this might be Akron's only opportunity to have something that is all-inclusive for the future, and it would obviously be less expensive in total if the city builds an ice arena, and the U builds a basketball arena. I noticed something else when looking at the footage that is basketball/ice rink combo: When they add those extenders to the bottom sections to squeeze tight to the basketball floor, it makes the upper sections of the arena a long way from the court. It also turns the lower sections into very long, gradually-sloping seating sections. This not only makes the people at the backs of those sections a long way from the court, but it also can obstruct viewing because the person in front of you would be just slightly below your level. This would all seem to be a drawback for creating a good atmosphere for basketball.

Dadgummit !!! I don't think anyone is getting ahead of themselves at all. Everyone is just excited because this is probably the biggest notoriety the Zips have gotten in their history. Unlike 1986, we now have the training facilities, the rebuilt campus, and a brand new stadium to go along with a bold coaching move. More pieces are in place now than ever before, by far. If we flop, it would be a huge surprise to me.

That's the same impression I got, and it stinks. But, at least it's another mention of Bowden. That's worth something.

I gotcha. I'm just wondering how we honor a former player again, after we just did this a few years ago. Maybe we should have just retired his number at that time. I'm not sure why we didn't. Because, I think we got far more mileage out of having a "JT Night" while he was at the peak of his playing career, when he was getting national attention, and was one of the best defenders in the game, rather than after he's in NFL retirement. Even if we wait until after his HOF inductions 5 years from now, the only people left that will remember his Akron connection are die hard Zips fans who are at least 40 years old. Younger fans willl have long ago moved on to admiring the best players of their day. I think the timing 5 years ago was ideal. Maybe we just should have done more when we had the chance.

And remember, Huggy was at Akron just before Faust got here. Could Huggy have helped Bowden get a job here on the Faust staff?