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Big Zip...it would be a real stretch to call that thing a "Stadium". I'd choose to go with "a football field with one tall row of bleachers".

J-BIDDY.....I don't think we have wasted 20 years. At times, we've made strides towards establishing ourselves as a competitive D-1 program. Being the first program to make this jump wasn't easy. There was no roadmap telling us how to get it done. The biggest different right now is that we have leadership at the University that wants to get it done, AND is able to provide the necessary tools to the coaching staff to make it happen.Bill Muse was a great visionary, but unfortunately he was here many years before we had the means to make some of these things a reality. But I still believe Muse did the right thing. He's was no stupid guy. Look at the job he holds today.

zipfan38...that was my thought exactly. You have to wonder about a guy who says that he's always wanted to be a part of the women's golf program at Can't State. And it's not even the head coaching job.Wow...this guy has some lofty goals.

I read it. No disrespect, but I still don't see Dru Joyce being good enough to even play pro ball in Europe. But I wish him the best. Romeo, on the other hand, should be able to make a living over there for awhile. I still think the most likely place to find Dru will be sitting on the Akron bench next to Dambrot within the next couple of years.

As someone that was around at the time that rivalry ceased, it was my recollection that we did it because there was nothing to gain by beating Youngstown. We were 1-A, and they were 1-AA. Although, that same situation still exists, so I am not quite sure why we decided to try to renew the rivalry now.I'm still puzzled as to why Youngstown turned down $125,000. I'm sure they don't get that kind of money to play their normal road games against opponents with names like Northeast Minnesota State Technical College.

Good point Captain I wouldn't be able to handle my relatives for that long either. I'll be at the game. I'm simply speaking for those without our level of loyalty. Truth be told. I hope I am dead wrong about how I am seeing the attendance for that game. I just have too much history with this football program to feel otherwise at this point.

Kangaroo. If only everyone else in Akron had your attitude.Unfortunately, very few Akronites have a level of loyalty where they would tear down their backyard BBQ, load up the family, kids, and out of town guests in the minivan, and drive to Cleveland to show their love for the Akron Zips. Is Ohio State really playing another MAC school in Cleveland next year? Please tell me it's not so.

I happen to agree that Labor Day weekend will be more of a liability than an asset to ticket sales. I personally know several die-hard Zips fans that will not be able to attend due to being out of town that weekend, or having family visiting here from out of town. As for our travel to the Motor City Bowl:We had already WON something. A CHAMPIONSHIP. That brought everyone out of the woodwork. In fact, some very reliable sources admitted to me that many of those people that made that trip to Detroit would likely never be seen at an Akron game again, EVEN IN AKRON. AZipCrazy...you obviously don't know how few people actually travel to Zips games that are not in Akron, even though many of the MAC games we play are within a couple of hours of here. This doesn't mean that I believe that the game at Cleveland Stadium is not a better draw than a game at Ohio or Bowling Green, or Toledo. It is a better draw. But making a general statement that Akron fans travel well is just totally false.

equins....We did have attendance numbers approaching 20,000 per game last year. But those were ticket sales. I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many people were actually in the stands at some of those games.I'll hope for this much for the Patriot Bowl...Let's hope that we can sell at least 25,000 tickets. Even if only 1/3 of those people actually go to the game.

I figured Kemme would be the only offensive player on the first team. I am a little puzzled why either Corner or Grant did not make first team defense. And where is John Mackey? johnnyzip84...I'd also like to see Andre Jones really turn it on this year. He has the potential.I would have liked for them to show Domonkos some love. Better luck next year I guess.

GP1...I know you like to bash Charlie. But you're going to extremes when you say that he did "just enough for us to lose" when he was our quarterback. I would have hated to see just how bad some of those seasons would have been if Charlie was not here. He was the best player on a team that had no defense, got blitzed repeatedly, and often played hurt.As far as his pro career goes, we don't know what's going to happen. All we know at this point is how he compares to other NFL starters in their first 16 games as a starter. And with those numbers, and taking into consideration the team he play on, he compares quite favorably.As for the future? Who know.

Kangaroo. I give you credit for your optimism. However, the fact that the game is on Labor Day weekend is a negative, and not a positive. In addition, regardless of the fact that the game is in a pro stadium, the high ticket price comes along with that, which will make it that much more difficult to persuade the marginally-loyal Akron fans to make the trip. The ticket price will also keep the "general onlookers" away.

Plus...Chicago is only about a 3 hour drive from Iowa's campus.This just ticks me off even more now. We are in the same conference as NIU, and they were able to get a Big-10 school to play them in their own back yard. And if they've already sold 45,000 tickets, they'll pack Solider Field by game day.Meanwhile, we have one of the worst teams in D-1A coming to play us in Cleveland, and I'll be surprised if we exceed 15,000 by game day. And last year, Bowling Green got Wisconsin in Cleveland Stadium.It's just dissappointing.

SGM. Over and over again you try to prove a point by showing Charlie's poor statistics, and you continue to forget that everyone here has told you that his numbers are equal to, or better, than the NFL's current starting quarterbacks in their first year as a starter, INCLUDING PEYTON MANNING.This doesn't mean he is going to be great. But it surely tells us that NFL history is showing that you surely cannot say that he will not be a good QB at this point in his career.If he's still performing poorly a few years from now, with a good team around him, then fine.

Akronad...let me simplify that for you. Forget about the size of the two schools, the size of the city they are in, the conferences they both play in, or the amount of media attention they receive. It's much simpler to explain than that.Ohio State has a chance to win national titles, and Akron does not. That's why so many people in Ohio become Buckeye fans at a young age. If we suddenly were in position to win a national title in football or basketball, you'd see hundreds of thousands of Ohioans instantly become Zips fans, and say that they've been Zips fans their entire lives.

Thanks for the info. akronad. You're right. I was in the dark. I've never listened to a Can't radio broadcast, so I wouldn't have known. I thought this was a new deal.We used to be on WAKR back in the 80's. I guess that wouldn't work now with their pro sports broadcasts. I agree, 1350's signal is pretty poor.

bobbyake...I welcome the day when I won't have to go to a bar to watch a Zips game in Akron, and be surrounded by all of the Suckeyes fans who can't figure out why I am cheering at different times than they are. That shouldn't happen in Akron. May your dream become reality.

You know. The ribbing against Can't State is funny. But I think that they should at least get credit for managing to upgrade to local FM radio. I wish we could do the same. We've always been on AM radio. I'm sure they managed to do so based on their recent basketball success and NCAA tournament success. I can't see them getting such a deal because of their football.Time for us to step up and upgrade as well.

The Mayflower was actually a beautiful hotel at one time. It seems as if the Crown Plaza eventually faced a similar challenge; decreased demand for people wanting to stay at a downtown hotel. Both of these places could have been very attractive hotels that were a part of Downtown Akron for many years to come. It's just a shame that all of this happened just as the Downtown area was starting to make its transformation.

I know that the University Park Committee is wanting to redevelop the south side of Exchange. But they want to facilitate private investment. I don't think the University actually wants to own those buildings.

This morning's Beacon Journal answers some of these questions...There are indeed only a few shops left in the Quaker Square complex. And they are saying that they won't be doing much renovation, and will be turning it into dorm space pretty quickly.As someone who graduated from the U of A 20 years ago, and a businessman in this community, I have my concerns about this aquisition. First, it leaves just ONE hotel in downtown Akron. Secondly, it just feels strange that this unique Akron landmark is being used for something other than a luxury hotel. That hotel was really a cool place to send out-of-town guests. Maybe it was no longer making money, especially since retail shops were no longer successful there.

Even if one of the current QB's emerges as a clear starter, you would always want to bring someone else in if you think he might be better than what you have. Even if he would only have two years of eligibility. At many schools, two years as a starter is common for a QB. Let me add one more thing. As a MAC-level school, you're often looking for good athletes to fill many positions. And many times, a QB who does not become a starter can fill those other needs. Over 25 years of watching Zips football, I could rattle off an endless list of players recruited as high school QB's who become outstanding players at other positions. So, in my opinion, you can never have enough QB's.

GP1...actually, several teams have contacted the Browns about Frye. At this point, the Browns are refusing to trade him.

Good point johnnyzip. If it looked like our defense was wearing down against the run, it appears that it may have been due to their extensive time on the field last year, and not their alignment.

I agree with MRasor. Mackey's position looks as if it's become more of an outside linebacker role over the last couple of years rather than an extra safety. I'll see JD on Monday also, but I try to refrain from asking him strategic questions. But, to answer some of you who feel that we should use 4 linebackers because of our talent at LB, couldn't you make the same argument that we should stay with 5 DB's because of our vast talent at DB as well?In my opinion, DB is the deepest part of this team right now, which means that we'll likely be playing the 3-3-5 for awhile yet.