GP1

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.

This is becoming a problem now with Coach I.

You know, I remember quite a few people who still post around here celebrating the dismissal of Lee Owens after my senior season over on the old angelfire board. That man was fired for a 7-5 season which included a top 10 offense and a near upset of a top Big 10 program. What would you all give for 7-5 now? I'd be nice, but not as nice as the 7-3-1 season Faust gave us or the MAC Championship season JD gave us.

I don't anticipate seeing them this year during the regular season or MAC Tournament. However, when they make the NCAA Tournament, and if it is close, I would probably go. I may have gone this week if my wife and I weren't trying to squeeze the holiday season into three days.

No. I will not attend rent-a-win games.

One of my all time favorite Zips football players was Brett Biggs. I find it funny I like Diggs so much. Maybe there is something to a name.....

Someone please make it stop!!!!!! While watching the Zips game last week, I noticed MSU called their floor, "The Hump". That's all well and good; however, it made me think of that stupid song from my youth called The Humpty Dance...or something. I couldn't get it out of my head. Just as this song started to get out of my head, I went to my nephew's wedding Friday and the song played. I couldn't get it out until this morning. Now it has started again with this tread.......