GP1

Well said CK. Our basketball program reminds me of the VA Tech football program. We are always at the top of our conference, but don't do much to distinguish ourselves outside of the MAC. I know what I saw against MSU and I still believe we are an VERY talented team. However, the talent needs to start winning games.

How would you measure an even game? It appears to me the only way to do that is measure fouls. I don't buy the theory, but this is the logic of the blame the refs crowd. If the only way to make a game evenly refed is to look at fouls, then the only way to have a fair game is to have an even number of fouls. This idea does not look at how one team might have outplayed another or one team doesn't perform the way it should. I happen to believe the Zips didn't perform up to their ability last night. The Zips lost, not the refs. It does a disservice to the Zips to blame anyone but them for the outcome last night. I think too much of this program to do that.

Maybe the Zips shouldn't have fouled so much. I never understand the basketball fan who believes the refs should be looking at the scoreboard and keeping the number of fouls even. In football, when a team has a bunch of penalties, they lose a game and it is one of the major factors in losing and that team is to blame for it. A basketball game should be looked at in the same manner.

After the first loss, I see the usual posts about the refs blowing the game for the Zips. I'm on the verge of throwing up and I'm putting my foot down. Scapegoating goes as far back as the Bible (See Leviticus 16) and it isn't an honored tradition. The WPedia link does a good job of explaining it, but not descriptive enough. When the Scapegoat is cast from the town, the towns people yell at the goat as it is carrying the sins of the people with it. What the people are doing is actually a load of crap and an immoral activity because they aren't taking responsibility for their sins. Scapegoating actually destroys our humanity and is a sin. It is an ugly activity. Those blaming the refs are committing a sin against the Zips. Scapegoating the Zips through the refs is demeaning to KD2.0, his coaching staff and all of the players. I won't participate in that activity. The blame for the loss last night falls squarely on the shoulders of the basketball team. There were 40 minutes of basketball and they could have done more to win the game. They didn't. Early in every game, the tone for how a game will be officiated is set. It is up to the teams to adjust to how the game is being called. It looks like the Zips didn't do that. Shame on them and if so, they deserved to lose. Now, let's go out and win a basketball game tonight!!!

We may not play in that division, but we have played two teams from that division in the past two seasons and we are 1-1 against them. Now, are we D-1A or I-AA? I know what I think.

This program is too good at everything to be losing games like this. I expect much more out of them....no, I demand much more out of them.

Link Andrew Sullivan links to a couple of good articles about the problems with college athletics getting too big. A professional entertainment industry has been introduced into universities and the schools are not showing themselves very good keepers of this form of entertainment.

The GoZips.com website shows the Zips playing two nights in a row against Can't at the end of the season. Is this real and if so, why?

Few? I'd be happy with one. After last week, I'd settle for a touchdown.

There used to be a place in Morgantown called Oliverio's or something like that. Good Italian food and they had veal on the menu. Veal is usually good at Italian places.

I think our country needs to look at college sports as more fun and less serious. Unfortunately, college athletics are so out of control and has been built up in a physical way (see the number of building projects that go on), it can never come back to reality or the new facilities at schools across America will become in disrepair. Upkeeping many of these facilities will cripple the schools that built them. Everything about it has gotten bigger so when a team loses, the anger gets bigger. Blame administrations for this condition and that includes Athletic Directors who have never seen a building project they didn't want to do regardless of the long term impact on the school. Most don't stick around long enough to live their mistakes. Many see people like coaches at great mentors of men...intellectuals who "build" programs. I see them mostly as ex-jocks who like the sport/competition and want to teach others about the sport as a way to make a living. I've been around a lot of coaches in my life and they aren't splitting the atom. I think we have all learned a valuable lesson in the past few months about how dangerous it is to hold coaches up as something they aren't. Coaches didn't ask to be looked at like that. Fans did it. Many see players as great gladiators on the field of play. I see them mostly as guys trying to do their best on the field while at the same time, trying to live a normal college life with school, bars, girls, etc. Believe me, most aren't going to be flying a ship to the moon any time soon. We need to stop taking players and coaches so seriously. This is where it gets serious though. I shouldn't speak for eveyone because I can only speak for myself, but my guess is many fans are angry because they aren't getting the basics out of the Zips (football wise since it is still football season). I pay over $700/year to go to Wake football games and I couldn't name more than six starters, and I really don't care to learn their names. However, it is fun, entertaining and enjoyable to go to a game when I'm not taking the home team too seriously. They are probably going to finish the year 6-6 and maybe go to a lame bowl game. It's worth $700 to watch them play (I write the tickets off as a business expense, but don't tell the IRS). Zips football is not fun or entertaining to watch; thus, it is not enjoyable to watch them play. Neither the Administration, coaches or players are doing enough to make it worth the average person, with low expectations, to spend a few hours going to watch them play. Fans aren't asking for greatness, just something to make it worth a few hours and some hard earned money. I believe this is why people lash out. I don't need the football team to be good for me to be a proud UofA grad, but I do expect them to do their best and we haven't been getting that from anyone involved for a couple of years now. It has gotten so bad it I can't even have fun joking about it anymore because it is so pathetic.

Link NCAA financial statement. Lots of money coming in. Lots going to BCS schools. Lots going to pay people. Lots in investments.

Nothing flashy, but they move the ball and get points. Something like 4 FGs last night. They also have a defense good enough for the MAC. Nice program Frank has going on there in Athens.

I do. It's a fan webpage, not the Roman Senate. Some see the board as a serious discussion. I see it as a fraternity party as it is mostly a place to have fun and at times have a serious discussion. ZN.O it is a fun place to post and discuss the Zips. One of the things that makes it fun is with the exception of ZipsWin! and CK, I have no idea what anyone looks like. I met DrZ once, but I wouldn't be able to pick him out of a crowd now because it has been so long. I saw a bald guy who looked like JZ84 Satruday and I went up to say hello. When I saw his shirt it said Can't State so I knew it wasn't him thus avoiding an uncomfortable situation with someone at a football game. I have no outlet in my life for discussing the Zips other than this board. When you live 600 miles away, you lose contact with the folks who really care. This is a place where people really care so why not discuss the Zips with them.

I agree with Dave. Some other questions come to mind as well. Why would a guy with a degree from ND come to Akron to play football for a year? It would seem to me that player would be better off getting a job through the ND alumni and starting what can be a very good career for most because of the degree. It doesn't make sense to me.

Why? In the Preseason Coaches Poll, West Virginia received 13 votes, Mississippi State 11. Our win is every bit as impressive as theirs. Don't look at the polls. Look at the teams. The Zips are defending MAC Champions and are better in every way than last season, unless I was watching a different game than everyone else last week. While I haven't seen Can't play, I doubt there is a team in the league with the talent on the floor that the Zips have.

Maybe it was the 12 pack of Diet Coke he consumed on a daily basis.

It can get worse, and it can create a mess that even a great coach down the road wouldn't be able to come in here and clean up. I agree, it can always get worse. However, if we have 8 guys come in a produce all conference results, it would be a lot better than the numbers we have producing "All Blocking Dummy Team" results right now. I'd take the 8 all conference and risk the disruption. Heck, the winning might bring the team together.

Zips have a tough three game stretch from Nov 28 to Dec 10 with all three games on the road against WVU, MTSU and CSU. This is an awesome challenge for the Zips and I believe they will be up for the challenge.

It's a horrible idea if it doesn't work. Great idea if it does work. My guess is the lockerroom dynamics are probably pretty broken right now with all of the losing. In terms of the remaining guys, they aren't showing me much so if they want to pout around, let them. In fact, if they want to pack their bags, then so be it. This team is on pace for another 1-11 season so I really don't care what upper classmen think of change. It's called competition. Playing on a college football team isn't a union job. You don't get to play because you were willing to sit on the bench for years and it becomes your turn. It's this type of entitlement we don't need on the team. I say bring in the best guys possible and create competition. It could be a stud freshman or a fifth year guy in a transfer situation. No free rides. The best guys play, the guys who aren't, sit.

I'm old enough to remember the 1980s young man. They had a much bigger win back when I was walking uphill both ways to school and cars were still driving through campus.

Nah, I'd pay to watch this Zips team scrimmage. You would or you did?

I listened to some of it this morning while working out. Had to turn it off. Very disturbing.

This is becoming a problem now with Coach I. Owens' teams were in a position to gamble with something at stake. Losing 35-3? Any Ianello gambles are typically penny-ante by comparison. +1 Imagine how bad it would be in seven years.....

Had I had extra time, I probably wouldn't have gone. I really don't like rent-a-win games. You guys had your money stolen from you.