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Umm...I'm sorry, but every team in the tournament controls their own destiny.

If the commish really believes that this conduct was "isolated", I'm sure Keith has some other footage he might like to share with him.

Hey guys...I just noticed something else. In two different places in the video, at the 1:05 mark and the 3:40 mark, he appears to be trying to show someone that he simply only stuck out his hand at Linhart. What a joke. I still want to know what Keith said to him.

lilroodude....in Ford's defense, he probably didn't really know yet exactly what his player did. I'm sure he was still getting the "I didn't do anything" story from his player. Lets just hope he does the right thing now and boots him from the team permanently. Enough is enough.

And now I get home and read the paper, and it's being called a "closed-fist shove". I had to laugh at that.

Did anyone else notice in the video that the commentator says that Keith went over and said something to him? Does anyone know anything about what was said?I also love how we kept acting like he didn't do anything. My opinion....College kids get in trouble off the court sometimes. And it's not the first time someone threw a punch in a game. But, the continual pattern of behavior by this guy is just bad for intercollegiate athletics. I think it's long overdue that he be told that he cannot play college basketball again.

I love Keith's quote though.

I've been asking myself all night....if the suspension policy applies only to "fighting", that would seem to mean that someone needs to be punching back. So, because nobody retaliated, then it does not fall within the definition? That makes no sense. So, maybe one guy throwing a punch is fine, but two guys throwing punches at each other is not? I'll be waiting to see how this all shakes out tomorrow. As far as my personal opinion, someone needs to finally...finally....do the right thing and make sure this guy is never allowed to play collegiate basketball again. I don't care who it is....his school, the league, or the folks in Indianapolis...but enough is enough. This kind of continual record of behavior by one guy, who continually is permitted to step on the court yet again, just leaves a bad mark on the entire institution of collegiate basketball.

Zipswatcher...now that makes sense. Yes, we can't just assume that the #2 West winner will still be there for the semis if we end up at #3. But, even if the #2 does get knocked out, the #7 seed that beats them is going to be either OU or the 2nd place team from the West. Wouldn't you still rather play either of them as opposed to the #1 seed in the semis?I think I know what your're thinking though....the 4 teams remaining by Friday could very well all be East teams, and if so, there really isn't a huge difference between them all. And that's probably the case.Now I will sit back and wait for someone to counter with, "well...it doesn't matter...you have to beat them all anyway". But believe me, the easiest path to the championship game is what you want to see when you look at your bracket. And I'll be hoping for the best.

Zipwatcher....please take a closer look.#3Plays the #6 seed in the quarters, and the #2 seed (West winner) in the semis.#4Plays the #5 seed in the quarters, and the #1 seed (East winner) in the semis. But you think it's a "leap" to think that #3 is a better spot than #4 ?? I don't get it.

First of all, thanks to Zipwatcher for taking the time to try to clarify things for us. We want to know who to root for this weekend, right?I'll totally disagree with those who believe that "whatever seed we get doesn't really matter". The #1 seed will get to play the #8 seed (OU or an also-ran from the West) in the quarterfinals, rather than a stronger East team that will likely be in the 5 or 6 spot. PLUS...the automatic NIT bid is in your back pocket. I'd also like to be #3 instead of #4, since that gives you a semifinal game against the #2 West winner. So lets not forget.....There are some advantages this year to being as high as possible in the seeding.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, noon on Sunday is just a horrible game time, with the game already starting while most of us are still in church, our out to lunch with family afterwards. I guess I'll be missing the first half, and watching the 2nd half on tv. 2pm would have been fine. I don't know why tv even wants to put on a game at that time on Sunday. I don't get it.

I hope they get some great bids. But, as much as I give to Zips athletics, and as much as I am involved in causes around the area, there is one part of this package that I have no interest in anymore. I won't go sit at a game at Can't. I haven't done it in years. I can't even stand being around their fans when they are HERE.

Thanks for the update. I really have never understood this situation, unless there was something going on internally that we didn't know about. He was getting minutes as a freshman. Even played in the MAC Championship game two years ago (had a 3-pointer that was 3/4 of the way in the basket and came out, at a key juncture of that game). Sure, maybe he still would have been squeezed for playing time last year since everyone was returning except Dru and Romeo. But, he probably would have seen increased playing time by now (his would-be Junior year). He could have been a contributor.

I'm pretty happy with any bye also. One less game is the important thing. However, I do see some advantages out there.....1) The #7 seed will get to play Ball State in the quarterfinals, instead of a stronger highly-seeded East team. 2) If Ball State advances, the #3 seed will get to play them in the semifinals. So, I still see that #3 spot as a good place to be (much like our #3 seed last year).3) The #1 seed gets to play the #8 seed in the quarterfinals, which looks like it will be one of the weak also-rans from the MAC West.

Zip Watcher...I've looked at it too. If you are correct that we can't win a tiebreaker against anyone, then we are indeed screwed. Miami playing both Buffalo and BG makes it that way. I can't come up with any combination of wins and losses by those 3 teams which puts us ahead of all of them. Unless, Miami can beat both Buffalo and BG, but not count those games as wins

A few thoughts....If BG wasn't so awful from the free throw line, this game would not have even been this close. We got beat today. Plain and simple.Everything you guys are saying about McClanahan adds to some of my thoughts for some time. He appears to be interested in only shooting the basketball...pretty much. And he isn't doing that very well either.I have no real feelings anymore about MAC refs. I'm done with getting upset about it. They make bad calls all over the place, and over time, I'm sure it hurts us as much as it helps us.B Mac is what he is. Sometimes he's on, and sometimes he's not. The MAC picture changes by the day. One day, we're looking good for the #1 seed, the next day we may not get a bye at all. Get ready for a wild ride as this thing closes out.

I'm glad someone brought this up. A 12pm Sunday game time is just a bad idea. For those of us who spend our Sunday mornings with family, go to church, go to lunch, etc. it just doesn't work. A couple of weeks ago, the 2pm Sunday game time was almost perfect. I'm totally scratching my head on this one.

I took a peak at Bracketology this afternoon. It was cool to see that our name appears on there (yes...it's a guess...but it was cool to see). What is a little bit upsetting was that I got another reminder of how much the MAC has slipped. We share a projected #14 seed with the winner of the Southland, Sun Belt, and Big Sky conferences. I know...what should I have expected? But it still stinks.

It appears that they are using the fact that most of our guys have played in a MAC Championship game (in some cases, two), and NIT games to make the assumption that we're "veteran". I haven't looked at other MAC rosters, but I'd be surprised if anyone in our league, in terms of average age, is younger than we are.

I love the Pitt idea. It's only 2 hours away. Especially in basketball, that could be similar to the yearly Miami vs. Xavier as far as an early season game between a national power and a MAC team. Now we just need to get them to play us in football. My fellow old timers surely remember our 1986 and 1987 games vs. Pitt. We took a ranked Pitt team to the wire at their place, and they came here the following year with the #2 or #3 team in the country for a game at the old Coliseum in Richfield that also went down to the wire. It was one of my most memorable Akron basketball games ever, and was a great atmosphere. Another thing I am thinking about is the possibility of our old coach being open to a series between us and West Virginia.

Lance..thanks for pulling out an example of a 30 win team. I would think that would be enough to get into the NCAA no matter who you play. I think uakronkid was the one who mentioned that being only NIT worthy. But my point was, do we really want to find ourselves in a situation where we have to have that kind of record to get noticed? Considering the nature of college basketball, it's just very tough to do. The answer is to increase the difficulty of your scheduling, and encourage the other schools in your league to do the same. This league has to make an effort to get better.

uakronkid is correct. The #1 seed is actually "declared" the regular season MAC champ, and earns an automatic bid to the NIT. It will be nice this year to have that in your back pocket before the MAC tournament even starts since it looks unlikely that any MAC team will have a good enough record/SOS combination to get an at-large bid to the NIT.As far as the MAC tournament goes, being the #1 seed probably gives you no advantage this year in terms of your semifinal game, since that #4 seed will almost surely be another top East div. team. But, getting to play the #8 seed in the quarterfinals could prove to be an advantage. Personally, I liked that #3 position that we were in last year since we got to play the #2 West champ in the semis. This year's #3 seed will have the same advantage. It might be time for the league to reconsider giving the top two seeds to the div. champs. I am still going to stay away from looking at any tie breakers. A LOT is going to happen in these last couple of weeks. With Buffalo's recent decline, and OUs win over Miami last night, only TWO games separate the group of teams that will get the 1,3,4,5,6, and 7 seeds.Will OU make a run now after a big blowout win against Miami?Is Buffalo in a complete free fall? (their inability to make baskets has been their nemesis for quite a few games now)Who gets to play the "bad BG" or the "good BG" on any given night?Did Can't just squander the advantage they gained by going 6-0 against the West?Is Miami just too depleted of talent this year, and it's starting to show?Will Can't still possibly benefit from lucky scheduling by having that season-closing game at home against the Zips?As I've said previously, the MAC is really looking bad, but I still think it will be a major accomplishment if we can win this league in a rebuilding year. And if that happens, Keith should surely get Coach of the Year.

I thought the Miami game was a big one, because it was a must-win if we wanted a chance at that #3 seed. But this one tonight gives us a chance at getting the #1 seed. It stinks that such a pivotal game is on the road, but it is what it is. Is Buffalo ready to stop their recent bad play and get it back together? Who knows. Whoever wins the East this year is going to be the best of a bunch of average teams, unfortunately. But in our case, with it being a rebuilding year, I still think it would be a great accomplishment. I'd like to see a big win tonight. And amazingly enough, with how bad Akron and Can't played at the beginning of conference play, the East title might once again come down to that road game at Can't State to close the regular season.

You guys know...I just enjoy every time that we top Cowlumbus State But this time, it's an absolute blowout.