ZZZips

Per her tweet yesterday, Rachel should have arrived back home today. Unfortunately her pro career in Iceland is over. Good luck to her on her future endeavors. http://instagram.com/p/wwZoN0BSpD/

I flew into FAR from CLE today Very windy and icy. Temp won't get below zero tonight but the wind chill definitely will.

It will be fun watching Noah and Sean Sellers, freshman forward at Ball State, battle it out for FOY as the season goes on. Sellers is averaging 19.5 ppg for their first four games. Noah is looking great but Sellers is also making a strong freshman run.

I want to add one more compliment to this string. Our new University president, Dr. Scarborough and his wife attended Sunday's game. They also attended the fan/team dinner on Saturday night. Dr. Scarborough made a few short comments from the podium and then took questions. (DIG had a great question and got a well thought out response. I'll let him post the info if he cares to do so.) He was visible in the lobby and had fun mingling with the fans. He sat with the rest of the fans and team family members at the game and rode on the fan bus to/from the game. He and his wife were were on their feet cheering as loud as any of us. I asked him after the game if he enjoyed his first view of the Zip's MBB team. Both he and his wife said they loved us beating a SEC team on their home turf. Thank you Scott and Tammy for joining the fans at the game. Both are already vocal and avid ZIps!

Simply, KD added new plays and options to existing plays. This is not unique to this year. When we have used a play that I have not seen, I ask about it and get a brief explanation that KD thinks I can understand. Some of the play options are too complicated for my level of understanding. It would be hard to explain some of the variances in sets on a white board. Video of the plays showing the actual timing is more relevant but I doubt if KD wants to prep our opponents.

We missed the Zips Win family at this tournament. We all had a great time on this trip. Hope your family can make it to the next one.

Actually KD has expanded the playbook. Also, the defenses have also become more expansive and precise. We have an overall higher basketball IQ on the floor this year. No need to dumb it down!

The team hotel is a dump. Worst Marriott property that I have used in twenty years. They have already started to demolish the interior of the upper floors. After the tournament they said the construction will accelerate be completed next summer. The property was built as a Sheraton in 1983 and never has had a major refurbishment. It was bought by Marriott several years ago. $10M in up grades will help but ESPN should have used a better hotel since all eight teams stayed at this decrepit facility.

It was nice meeting you at the team hotel lobby and the games. BTW, How many Gildan T-shirts did you end up with from the t-shirt tosses?

Hey GP1 ---_come over to the other side and sit with the Akron fans.

Congratulations to Nick Dials on his promotion within the Toledo Rockets staff. http://bit.ly/1uEMPVr

I will be there. Traveling with the Chima Travel package.

Friday's Choices for Zips Fans: 6PM WBB vs Binghampton 7PM MSOC vs WMU 8PM MBB vs UMBC

NY Times article from 10/5/2014. Nate Linhart quote about LJ23 and Akron. http://nyti.ms/1t1Ni52

I thought Dr Ruebel did some quality work for UA and was a great supporter of the Athletic Department Sad to see him pass on Obit at http://bit.ly/1uyA0wE

ME_87......Did you get to sit next to the Scarborough family at the Tulsa game? When I saw Dr. Scarborough go to the concession stand during the 2nd half, I thought he might be getting something for you. Glad to hear you enjoyed the Investiture. I would still like to see UA get a shot at the Browns camp. Hopefully the Columbus deal discussions go sour.

1. No UA official to my knowledge has even mentioned using the soccer stadium for a football practice facility. 2. There are several areas on University owned property where a grass field can be installed for use by both our football team and the Browns. 3. The Browns have not acknowledged that they are moving the camp. They are only doing an investigation into possible opportunities. 4. The responses from the bidders have been submitted to the Browns executives. I am positive that our administration would not sacrifice one of the best college soccer pitches in the country for a three week rental opportunity. 5. Scheduling is the only negative trade off to hosting the Browns. Their would be some overlap with our football camp but both entities have smart people that can fit both programs into the same facilities. I am not an expert on either college or pro football camps but do either of them use the actual field facilities for more that 8 hours a day? 6. The income to the university for facility rental and food service would be helpful in times of ever decreasing operating budgets.

I am going on the team sponsored trip for the three games in Charleston but skipping the PSU game in State College on November 25th. Zip's football at Can't is the same night. If you are traveling to the NDST game on Tuesday, December 16th you may want to get your airline ticket early. The Fargo airport is only served by commuter jets. Current prices by the major carriers are still cheap because less than 20% of the seats have been sold so far.

Zip.In.Paradise - Be safe with two hurricanes heading your way!

I guess Rome's daughter and his mother don't have a problem getting in on the LJ media blitz. http://on.wkyc.com/1jjjOez

Coach Rembielak not with the team. Under investigation by UA Police Department. Currently on administrative paid leave. http://bit.ly/1n0aixu

Shaka turns down Marquette. http://es.pn/1g6UGj4

Rumors start to fly. He has a great contract at VCU. http://es.pn/1hUM6X2

How does having Bo at the JAR embarrass the MAC? He has only worked 6 other MAC games this year. Were they all disasters? B10 teams love this guy.

Skip-zip - I think your memory is faulty when you make this observation: "Just win two HOME games. In years past, this task would have been automatic. Can this team suck it up and follow that tradition?" Not to take the statistician hat away from DIG but we have only won our last two home games before the MAC tourney one time in the last 6 years (2010-11). Not quite AUTOMATIC.