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I don't think you're the only one that's talked this way. And I'm just curious. What did you find so uncertain about this past season when we knew we'd be returning 7 starters or very experienced players, with 4 of them entering their senior season? And only two experienced players graduating? Compare that to the off season ahead. Four players graduating, and if Nik leaves, we'll have ONE experienced senior going into next year. I would unquestionably refer to 2010-2011 as a year where we were fairly well loaded, and should have been a major MAC contender. In fact, I'm looking at a year ahead where we'll really need to fill a lot of holes, very quickly. Replacing two 3-year starters at the two guard positions is merely one of the many challenges we'll face.

I guess I'm a little puzzled as to why we'd make such a big deal about Euton. Yes, I know his size might seem to indicate that he could fill a certain backup position. But, I think about the double OT game against Miami a couple of weeks ago, when we had front court guys fouling out, and were extended beyond belief, and our coach talked about how he was considering putting someone else in the game other than Euton if we got into any more of a desperate situation. What does that tell us about his situation right now? If we are just talking about a player to fill some time, why are we so concerned about him leaving? We need to do much better than that. And if we simply did not recruit good enough talent in the post to replace the impending loss of Mike and Nik in a couple of years, then shame on us.

Let's See... With an AD who claims to have complete trust in his subordinate who has lied to him on several occassions? And a president who makes a comment that seems to indicate that the coach is his boss? I don't think he's going anywhere, and the whole situation will continue to add to my daily laughter

The highlighted area is an important point. Miami DOES need to beat some of these teams to make a big impact. But, they are putting themselves in a position to make that impact if they do win these games. We don't even have that opportunity. It's like trying to win a contest that you don't even enter. And what if Miami doesn't win any of these games? You guessed it. They still make it to the MAC Tournament as a 2nd chance to get to The Dance, just like everyone else.

And we beat Can't to get to the tourney! I love all their fans saying that they'd rather be deep in the NIT than have a first round loss. Do you really think they would be saying that if they had beaten us? Funny. So, they think that winning the MAC regular season, but losing the MAC tournament puts them in a better position? Wow. That's something to strive for. They can start laying down in the tournament, if they'd like. Fine with me. They're not fooling anyone.

My answer hasn't changed, either. We first need to prove that we can handle the OOC schedule we have now before trying to increase its strength. If the Zips go 0-5 in their 5 toughest OOC games one season, it does no good to schedule 7 tough OOC games the next season. All that does is make it less likely to have a 20-win season, and will do nothing to help earn an NCAA tournament at-large berth should the Zips not win the MAC tournament championship. Here's the 5-step process: 1. Schedule a modest number of tough OOC games. (DONE) 2. Win a fair percentage of tough OOC games. (NOT DONE) 3. Schedule an increasing number of tough OOC games. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEP 2) 4. Win an increasing percentage of tough OOC games. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEPS 2 AND 3) 5. Become recognized as a national basketball power and earn consideration for an NCAA at-large bid. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEPS 2, 3 AND 4) Dave, We seem to be pretty much on the same page here. But, I don't think it makes any difference if we lose 7 OOC games instead of 5 OOC games since we can't get an at-large bid in either scenario. The important thing for me is that we at least have the opportunity for an at-large by putting the teams on the schedule that would impress people if we can win them. Yes, 20-win seasons are great. But, if the wins aren't good enough to give you a chance at an at-large, it means very little to me anymore. Kids who are winners, want to play for winning programs. Getting your A$$ handed to you 3-4 times per year by playing highmajors on their home court without the possibility of a return home game is useless. After 6 20 win seasons and 5 trips to the MAC championship, we are finally starting to see some interest from a better quality of player than we ever saw before. No offense to the old timers on this board(I'm one of them), but those teams from the sixties and seventies we all remember would get blown out of the gym by our current teams. Winning attracts winners. I'm an old timer too. And this is exactly the kind of mentality that keeps us right where we are.......a 20 win team that occassionally makes the tournament and gets knocked out in the first round. I want more. And we won't get it if we keep avoiding games that could potentially put us in a better positon. Kids want to play for teams that have some good programs on their schedule too.

VCU for Shaka. And every other double-digit seed.

My answer hasn't changed, either. We first need to prove that we can handle the OOC schedule we have now before trying to increase its strength. If the Zips go 0-5 in their 5 toughest OOC games one season, it does no good to schedule 7 tough OOC games the next season. All that does is make it less likely to have a 20-win season, and will do nothing to help earn an NCAA tournament at-large berth should the Zips not win the MAC tournament championship. Here's the 5-step process: 1. Schedule a modest number of tough OOC games. (DONE) 2. Win a fair percentage of tough OOC games. (NOT DONE) 3. Schedule an increasing number of tough OOC games. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEP 2) 4. Win an increasing percentage of tough OOC games. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEPS 2 AND 3) 5. Become recognized as a national basketball power and earn consideration for an NCAA at-large bid. (PENDING COMPLETION OF STEPS 2, 3 AND 4) Dave, We seem to be pretty much on the same page here. But, I don't think it makes any difference if we lose 7 OOC games instead of 5 OOC games since we can't get an at-large bid in either scenario. The important thing for me is that we at least have the opportunity for an at-large by putting the teams on the schedule that would impress people if we can win them. Yes, 20-win seasons are great. But, if the wins aren't good enough to give you a chance at an at-large, it means very little to me anymore.

What? Alex went from being a starter to a bench player with a decrease in minutes. Brett went from being the team's leading scorer to almost disappearing by the end of the season.

Best comment in this thread and right on point. It certainly can't hurt our cause when this happens. I think it at least will make tournament selection committees think twice about who they consider "power conferences". The almighty Big 10 (or...11?...or 12?) only has two teams left also, same as the Colonial. I guess the Legends and Leaders labels doesn't make their teams actually perform better

I guess I'll always want to analyze this the same way.....which situation gives Akron more publicity? Right now, I think it's undoubtedly being an entrant in the Big Dance. Maybe if I saw a MAC team in the semis or finals of the NIT, and I saw them getting alot of attention, I might change my mind. There's also one other VERY important point here. If we are in the NIT, that means we didn't win the conference title. And I would never trade a conference title for a chance to possibly be a strong team in the NIT.

My answer hasn't changed. We need to schedule good enough to have an OPPORTUNITY at an at large bid if we win enough of them, and don't win the MAC tournament. Anything short of that is a waste. We have nothing to lose. The MAC tournament should be the backup option, and not the only option.

how can they be the best overall players when they have never played a collegiate game in their life? It took until the 8th post for someone to be realistic? I caution people about this all the time. It's fun to dream about the future, but it would be just as easy to predict that any of these guys will be a bust as opposed to a star at this point in time. Getting any kind of significant production out of a newcomer in the earlier part of their career is an ABSOLUTE luxury. Even getting some quality play can never be expected. Just look at the various new players that have come and gone from here in the last several years. This year's Zips team was a typical example. We had a lot of new players on the roster, but we had a reasonable expectation of success because of the players that had already played, and what we knew of their proven abilities at this level. The good contributions we got from the new players were a bonus. That's the way it usually goes. The most accurate perspective right now is to imagine what will happen next year with the players who have spent time on the floor, and HOPE for a little extra from some new guys.

I had to share this with my fellow fans. Like many of you, I chose to spend some time with friends watching the game downtown at the "Official POSTGAME Headquarters" of the Akron Zips. But, what we saw happen during the POSTGAME just infuriated several of us. We noticed that some staff members were wearing OSWho shirts, and we assumed that it may have been some of the people that were arriving for the night shift, until we noticed that several of the staff members that were already there during our game HAD ACTUALLY CHANGED THEIR SHIRTS. Is this the Zips POSTGAME experience they are referring to? Could they have at least waited until we walked out the door to change? Was it that difficult for some of them to wear their Akron shirts for more than a few minutes after our game ended? Should we assume that they cater to the fans of their LOCAL D-1 University when there is an event that's convenient for them to draw in business, and then they return to the "same-old same-old" as quickly as possible? I'm sure I am not the only Zips fan who wouldn't enjoy spending their POSTGAME time and money in a bar full of staff members wearing the gear of a competing school. We need another OBC downtown....please.

And this all happened after I got to witness a Cleveland news anchor talk about how they were going to be doing a report on "The Arizona Zips"

It's always a lot easier for me to comment on a "goodbye" thread when I have had some time to get over teh sting of the loss. But, I'll try. This was a group of guys who mostly came in here at the tail end of the Dru/Romeo era. They would be the next group to lead this program, and they gave us several more 20+ win seasons and continued the run. Can't complain about that. Some of their academic exploits are pretty impressive as well. Solid people and great representatives of the U of A. We couldn't have asked for much more.

I couldn't help thinking about this as I woke up this morning. When is it going to be our turn? I've witnessed our near-upset of another #2 seed (Michigan) in the 1986 tournament. The last-minute road loss the following season to ranked Pittsburgh. The down-to-the-wire loss to the same loaded Pitt team (#2 at the time, I believe) at the Coliseum in 1987. The overtime loss at home to ranked Xavier about 15 yrs. ago. The last minute loss to ranked Nevada at the JAR a few years ago. The late collapse against Gonzaga last year. I might be missing some others, but as you start to age, and the opportunities keep passing us by, you have to wonder when it might finally be our turn. We've watched it happen to teams like Gonzaga, Butler, George Mason, and even our neighbors in Ken+. And the OU Bobcats did it just last year. Is today the day that Akron Basketball finally gets a win that draws some national attention? Go Zips !!

It never looks like a problem while you are making most of your shots.

Where even to start with this drivel? What I take from this commercial is, a Can't education gives you the ability to write music for cartoons directed to 6 year olds and the skills necessary to be a member of a freakshow, one hit wonder of a band from whenever those guys were young. I guess I shouldn't be too harsh, one must play to their strengths. Akron, on the other hand, produces world class polymer scientists, top notch engineers, nurses, teachers, business leaders and political leaders. My long streak of never saying anything good about a Can't State education continues.... This was pretty much my reaction to the commercial as well. I'd say it's a pretty dumb example to use.

I said this before, but I'm concerned on two fronts. 1) They can easily shoot over us from the perimeter. 2) They'll have a significant advantage in being able to rebound their own missed shots. If we're not hitting a lot of shots, not disrupting their offense with a lot of turnovers, and not pushing their guys away from the basket on missed shots, it's going to be very ugly.

This tournament would be a lot less exciting for many people if they decreased the size of the field. Low seeds may not win very often, but the excitement of watching games where a low seed may become Cinderella is a big part of the fascination with this tournament during the early rounds. Anything less would dampen a lot of that excitement.

I think that's the point. I say it all the time. We win and Ken+ wins. We've both been winners for years. And on a national level, nothing changes. And it may have deteriorated. The unfortunate thing right now is that the Big Dance games and possibly the late round NIT games are the only tournament games that present the kinds of opportunites this time of the year to change any of that. I just wish people would stop fooling themselves into thinking that winning alone is the solution. We need to pull off some major road victories in the OOC part of our schedule since we can't schedule those games at home. And the Big Dance is our only other opportunity to get a SIGNIFICANT victory that will get noticed. And since these games are on neutral courts, they may actually be the best opportunities we have. And again, I still won't root for Ken+

The thing that's really shocking to me about some of these posts is the impact that some of you think these wins will produce for the respect of our conference. A first round CBI/CIT victory's impact means almost nothing, and a first round NIT win isn't all that much better. We've won opening round NIT games too. How many people do you really think remember these things a couple of years later besides the die hard fans of the teams who won, and the die hard fans of the teams who got beat? I'd really like to see one publication of national significance that will post information that has any resemblance to "Hey...we really need to show the MAC more respect since they had several teams win first round CIT/CBI games". And again, for the record, I can never root for Ken+

It's always nice to get a reminder every once in awhile that those guys are all staying connected to us and voice their support for us.

I don't like the black warm ups either. The players might like them. But, they do a poor job of identifying us as a team. I actually wish we wore gold more often. It's would certainly be more unique.