GP1

gz19, not addressing this note to you. I would hope the folks in Athletic Department can somehow plan a golf outing(s) without the head coaches or assistant coaches of any of our sports having to assist in any manner, other than showing up to hit the ball around a little bit. They have better things to do. Some schools are actually able to have a golf outing, tennis tournament and BBQ picnic all in the same day. An amazing feat?....No. Until we accomlish this simple, meaningless task, we my as well still be in Kansas.

Rumor has it, there is going to be a golf outing this coming summer.

Graduated in 1991. Masters Degree in 1993. I didn't grow up in NE Ohio so I lived on/around campus. Wife MBA from Akron...Undergraduate from Miami. One of my brothers went through the NEOUCOM program.

Then he would finish with, "If they give away free tickets at Acme, I'll try to get over my grudge about Dennison getting fired even though I never saw one of his teams play and go to a game...as long as the parking is free.

A lot of people do things for good reasons. For example, Newt cared so much about this country that he screwed a Congressional staffer behind his wife's back...at least that's what he told his ex-wife before asking her if it was OK for him to run around. I think Newt really wanted a three way...and I don't mean a plate of spaghetti with chilli and cheese on it. Newt and his home wrecking, Targaryen wife are going to make quite the pair on the campaign trail.

He was just trying to help his players.

They are two of the worst defenses in the NFL. Counting on those defenses to win anything is like an NBA team counting on their back-up center to win a big game for them. It's rare and probably outside of the world of reality. The Super Bowl will be won by the offense that makes the least mistakes combined with big plays downfield....the same way every NFL game is won. It's been like this since the AFL only the rules allow for more scoring. I actually think the Giants are that team. NE has no downfield threats and they rely on passes to TEs. Brady is brilliant, but he won't be able to dink and dunk them to the finish line. The Giants have downfield threats and combined with NE playing a former college QB now WR in the defensive backfield, I think they will be able to take these two weeks and exploit that weakness. I look for NE to get a lot of yards and fieldgoals. I look for the Giants to score touchdowns off of big plays. Giants win 31-26.

It was a routine, 32 yard fieldgoal attempt being by a veteran kicker. The kicker choked and it had nothing to do with rushing anything. The kick wasn't even close. They practice running on the field to rush a kick when the clock is moving everyday and this wasn't close to that level of being rushed. It was such a choke job that Bill Belichick actually showed some emotion on the sideline when he displayed a shocked look when the ball didn't go through. The games yesterday prove the evolution of the game and the fact that it has become a game of QBs, WRs and the ability of coaches to use them. The teams ranked the following in all of the ways that matter. Total offense: Winners = NE 2nd and NY 8th, Losers = Bal #15 and SF #26 Passing: Winners = NE 2nd and NY 5th, Losers = Bal #18 and SF #29 Rushing: Winners = NE 20th and NY 32nd, Losers = Bal #10 and SF #8 (four of the top five NFL rushing teams didn't make the playoffs) Scoring: Winners = NE 3rd and NY 9th, Losers = Bal #12 and SF #11 The teams ranked in the following in all of the ways that DON'T matter. Total defense: Winners = NE #31 and NY #27, Losers Bal #3 and SF #4 Scoring Defenses: Winners = NE #15 and NY #25, Losers Bal #3 and SF #2. Remember, QBs, Coaches, WRs..... At least we won't have to watch ESPN promote an All Harbaugh Super Bowl for two weeks.

Article Chase could make around $150K in the playoffs if things go their way. Not bad for a months work and for a guy who was cut early in the season. I'll be pulling for the Giants.

Maybe it isn't about letting go as much as it is about KD2.0 getting comfortable with the better talent. He's never coached this type of team talent before and I'm sure there is an adjustment period for him as well. Right now KD2.0 is like person who is driving a really fast car he has always wanted for the first time. It is understandable if that person needs a little time to get used to the speed and handling of the car. The more the person drives the car, the better they get at handling it. The same could apply to Keith. I really don't see a problem. Regardless of the loss to Buffalo, we are still the best team in the MAC and I am confident we will prove it in March...again.

RIP Joe Pa. As far as Penn State..."Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." - Galatians, Chapter 7. They helped create the problem, now they have to deal with it.

We'll be fine next year. If we are reaching into the third guy on the depth chart, losing won't be because there aren't enough guys on the team. Walkons? They are there to be on scout team.

This player has to sit out a year. He could go to a lower level school and play next year.

"Make a wish or $#it in your hat. See which one fills up first." My mother always told me that. I don't want to wish anything for the team. I want them to go out and kick Can't's butt tonight. Don't wish for it, make it happen. Go Zips!!!

Fantastic post CK. What I badly want to have happen now that TB is in the house is for the Akron fan base to finally, once and for all, grow up about what college football really is and what it takes to win. Things are going to change for the better. BCS schools don't give two $#its about pulling a scholarship and the potential problem it creates at a school. They only care about winning. Believe me, if we win, coaches will be begging Akron to take their players. We need to care about winning. Akron can't run a welfare program for bad talent. During the Owens years, an entire family went to school for free and only one of them was any good. It was moronic. The scholarships were money flushed down the toilet. I thank God that TB is the coach now. He knows how to win and what it takes to win. Goodwill doesn't win games, good players win games. Toledo Tom always told his staff before recruiting season, "You don't win with Xs and Os. You win with Jimmies and Joes." Toledo Tom knew the value of talent. We need talent. Try to run the ball with goodwill and see how far we get.

Not a problem. Have a great weekend.

To me, it isn't about finding guys other schools overlooked. That's partly it. Solich has done well using his connections to find kids who BCS schools are taking a pass on. For example, how does a kid like Tettleton get to Athens, OH? Solich called a couple of contacts he has at Univ. of Oklahoma and asked them, "Who don't you want and why?" He was told by the staff that he was very good, but they noticed he had a knee brace on at one time while watching film and were worried about injuries so they took a pass on him. A guy getting passed over can happen that easily. The trick is to be there when he falls through the cracks. My guess is TB is doing some of the same things.

I don't disagree with your post. We should have merchandise. We should have merchandise that turns over inventory and generates positive revenue because we do have to pay for everything you mentioned. Merchandise isn't going to bridge the gap, but it needs to produce contribution dollars. I'm not sure what being one of three schools offering jerseys says about us. Are we in a small group of schools who have figured something out or are we in a small group with their heads up their butts? I have a difficult time buying the idea that a kid receiving a jersey at a young age produces a long term fan. Kids like to go to games and have their parents buy them things. They don't really care what it is, they just want things. Most are so over indulged, they really don't value what they get...they just want more.

This could be the case. I would guess that even our crack group of marketers has some data on how MAC merchandise sells....maybe. I don't recall seeing may jerseys of any MAC school being worn around Ohio. Perhaps it isn't just us. Butler went to the final four last year. I wonder how their jerseys sell compared to IU. I guess it is just a matter of putting your money where your mouth is. Perhaps this is a great business opportunity for someone. If I was certain this was a great money making idea, I would probably buy a couple thousand jerseys, give them to UofA on consignment, suggest a retail price that would return whatever profit I thought was appropriate and wait for the cash to start rolling in.

I don't know why. My guess is they believe they can sell more t-shirts. Probably true. T-shirts cost less than jerseys to produce and sell. They can probably produce more volume and revenue for the school as most people will buy a t-shirt in lieu of a jersey. T-shirts are at a price point where a larger audience can buy them. Right now, the Zips need to draw a larger audience. Quicker inventory turnover = better cash flow. Cash flow makes the Accounting Department happy. The Accounting Department is like a wife and as the old saying goes, "If you wife isn't happy, you aren't happy." In business, "If the Accounting Department isn't happy, you aren't happy." P.S., The luckiest woman in the world, Mrs. GP1 is an accountant.

Athleticism wins college games. If the kid doesn't have enough, he doesn't get a scholarship. Also, giving a kid at a school a scholarship to make up for a decision a past coach made isn't a good reason to get a scholarship. Not many compelling reasons to give this kid a scholarship.

History has taught us the MAC is a conference where a coach can come in and turn things around very quickly. Lots of coaches do well and even win the conference in their second season. We won the MAC in Brookhart's second season. Miami won it a couple of years ago with a very young team in a coaches second season. If a new coach gets good players in the right places in this league, a quick turnaround is very possible. I don't know about winning the MAC in year two, but there are lots of MAC bowl games now and with a name like Bowden, six wins will get us in one of them. I don't know what they call the bowl in Mobile now, but I'm sure he would be quite the draw and their committee would be more than happy to invite the Zips if we can get to six wins.

Cold Hard Football Facts This is an interesting web site on NFL stats. Even though we are a college team, I'm sure some of the general statistical trends apply to college. For example, a team that has no turnovers is 80% likely to win an NFL game. One interception and that number goes down to 60%. Two interceptions and the number goes down to 40%. Three and you are finished.

That's a really cool chart. Turnovers are hugely important in a game and the chart really brings it to light. I'd be interested in an in depth study of turnovers, how they happen (fumble or int), results in the types, downs ints tend to happen on, down and distances on ints, etc. Ints are more complex than fumbles, but what do they turn into is the question? I don't know that and would like to know it. Fumbles are less complex and the worst type of turnover because in almost every case, it is negligence on the part of the ball carrier.

I'll take my own. It's becoming increasingly obvious that the Jets are full of a bunch of jerks. Jason Taylor couldn't get out of there fast enough. It's a terrible franchise and does to good QBs what every bad franchise does...destroys them.