GP1

First of all, let me say that I work in the construction industry.Unless I'm missing something, these drawings are only showing the site work. Typically, this involves grading and connecting the city sewer system, etc. to the structure. That is the work you guys see going on right now.I think they just superimposed the look of the stadium over the site work on the drawings (makes for a nice drawing for the client to look at). From what little they show, there is more than enough time to build this stadium between now and opening day. If the stadium is concrete in nature, most of it will be built somewhere other than at the site and brought in and assembled on site. If the contract has been awarded for the concrete work, the contractor will start to make the stadium at their plant and will have the pieces stored at their plant until they are needed. All of this will take place very rapidly once the support structures are in place.Enjoy the view.

This is all I want to know. Are they running the same offense as last year? If yes, is the QB at least keeping the ball every once in a while and running during the option?Are they going to water board us with the 3-3-5 defense again next year?

I am going with no season tickets and a large donation to the Z-Fund with the always helpful tax deduction.

Two things: First, people like to buy something they are comfortable with. With the MAC, they know what they are going to get. NC A&T? Binghamton? I don't think the average Akronite is interested in looking into these schools or taking the risk they may be really bad and a waste of money.Second, MAC schools can draw local alumni for the visiting team. There are plenty of OU, BGSU and Can't alumni around NE Ohio and they may come to the games and drive up attendance.

Does it have anything to do with a pillow fight and/or tickle fight?I TOLD you it was a quilting bee!! Gheeez...So, did a pillow and/or tickle fight breakout during the quilting bee?

Does it have anything to do with a pillow fight and/or tickle fight?

I tried to not post about this topic...I reall did, but I can't resist.All we are looking for here is a hint as to what happened. For instance, does the story start out as follows, "The girls we changing clothes getting ready for bed when one girl hit another with a pillow......." The fun thing to do here would be for each of us to add one sentence each and see where they story goes. Only one sentence at a time though.Have at it.

Mid majors or mid major? Each year, there does seem to be one mid major team that makes it deep. However, the trick is to be that one team with all the stars lining up at the right time. In order for UofA to be that one mid major, they first have to win the MAC. Eventually they will if they can score more points. After that, the Zips will have to overcome what will be a certain hose job from the committee after not making the tournament for over 20 years. I can see it now.....UofA vs. the second place PAC 10 team in Sacramento in the first round..... :(The point is that it takes a lot for a run like that to happen. Davidson doesn't make the tournament once every 25 years, they do it more frequently. Western Kentucky is a frequent NCAA team. Winthrop is a frequent NCCAA team and they won a game last year. The Zips are still a long way away from making the NCAA Tournament, let alone winning a game or two. It's OK to dream, but winning the MAC should be the goal at this point because if you don't win the MAC, you don't go dancing. One step at a time....By the way, I went to the Sweet 16 last Thursday. It was neat, but the games were a little dull.

You're right about Kennedy, but he hardly played last year because he was only the third best RB on the team. The problem with Jacq is that he is in the game every play. The problem with Kennedy is that he likes to run east/west too much.

That's an interesting statement. It sort of sounds like it contradicts itself, which is particularly amusing after the 10,000,000th time.Good point. I think after 10,000,000 times, everyone gets what I mean.

I agree with both of you. This is actually JD's 5th season coming up. There is more athletic talent on the team than any other time in the history of the program and it MUST start turning into wins on the field.I'll say it for he 10,000,000th time....If UofA does not get a QB that can win games, they aren't going to win more than five games next year. At that point, UofA will be looking for a new coach and everyone in NE Ohio can look forward to five more years of rebuilding and building. That's what it's all about in the MAC after all isn't it? A constant state of building and rarely a state of performance.

Here is why I will really miss Wood. Sometimes on this board I refer to "urban" and "suburban" players. Most of you probably look at that as a black/white comment. It really isn't and has nothing to do with race. Urban players are tough because growing up in a tough environment made them hungry. Suburban players, let's face it, are soft from a soft life. They play hard, but when you really need them, they disappear. Wood was as tough as you can get in the MAC. He didn't take crap off of anyone and provided a deterrent in the lane. He was not overly talented and had a bad wheel, but he still competed his butt off and was the toughness the Zips needed. Can you guys imagine what this year would have been like without Wood? ZERO lane presence. We need more players like Wood in this program. He was hungry and played hungry. As I scan the Zips roster, who is the next Wood? Nate L.? No way. McKnights (sp?) from the great farming community of Lancaster. Probably not. Bardo or McNeese...good kids, but probably not.The kind of toughness Wood has doesn't come from extra workouts or watching film. You guys will see next year how important that type of urban player is.

Nate is going to be a senior next year. He had better start developing into somthing soon. Nate goes through 3-4 minute periods in each game where he plays good and then disappears for the rest of the game. He must do better next year.Maybe this is a post for another topic, but KD really needs to develop a top notch offensive threat or he is going to become the Mike Fratello of college basketball. Fratello was a good coach who won a lot of games with average athletic talent and a defensive strategy. Never did Fratello win anything though. Good luck getting people to pay to go see defense. The Zips can no longer continue to have games where they score less than 65 points if they want to finally get over the hump and win the MAC. I hope Coach D can finally get around to developing a top notch offensive threat next year. If he can and with the good defense they play, 23-24 wins should be in the cards again next year.Anyhow, to the seniors, you guys earned your scholarships. Good luck in the future and don't forget to give to the Z-Fund.

I don't see why you have to be an ass about it. These guys aren't "easily replaceable" and you'll see that next year when we struggle to get 20 wins. JWood, Ced and Dials are one of the best senior classes in a long time for the Zips. These three are a major part of 50 wins in the last two years. Maybe you should stick to commenting on football.UofA will not struggle to get 20 wins next year. As bad as the MAC is after about the top 3-4 teams and as big of a cup cake schedule as we play, 20 wins will be easily achievable. Would everyone be more happy if I said "easily improved upon" in lieu of "easily replaceable"?All of that bad weather in the north must have all of your shorts bunched up.

The only two things I will miss about this senior class are as follows:1. Wood...I hope you guys realize how outmatched UofA is going to be in the paint next year without him. Even on a bad wheel, he was a Hell of a player this year.2. Goddard's "dryband". I would call it a sweatband, but since he never played, there was no reason to absorb any sweat. At least we don't have to read anymore "play Nick more" on the board.The rest of the seniors are easily replaceable. If any of you don't think so, you are kidding yourself.

The only send off fitting for that old girl involves a team of structural engineers and a truckload of dynamite.

I think the people at the PA serve as a good example to the students. The people at the PA show the student the lengths they will have to go in order to buy beer if they can't afford it. What?......You're kidding...........The students are selling plasma for beer money like the bums on the corner? This is an outrage.Seriously, the corner would be better off if the PA was not by campus. I was never much of a Townhouse guy so I did not care when it was closed and replaced by PA. The bums worried neither me nor my parents. I was more of an Armadillo/BW3 guy with Annabel's mixed in if I wanted some live music and loose morales girls in the basement. Does any one remember The Trolley Stop at Highland Square. Why was it called the Trolley Stop? Answer: When Akron had a trolley system, the corner of West Market and Portage Trail was the furthest west the trolley traveled so the Trolley Stop was a fitting name. True story. I'm sure my good friend Z-P could tell us some more about the construction of the Akron trolley system. The rumor on the streets of ZipsNation is that he and many other Civil War veterans helped construct the system in the late 1800s. We could learn a lot of history from that guy. See everyone after Lent.....Happy Easter!

That's how we roll. Jorts make it look like a tailgate for a country music concert.

The point I am trying to make is that the talent level in NE Ohio is not as good as it used to be. I believe the best football being played in Ohio right now is in the Columbus area and Cincinnati. It's not that there aren't good kids in NE Ohio, there just aren't enough of them since the population is declining and it is growing in Columbus and Cincinnati.I would give you the same advice I would give to anyone wanting to leave NE Ohio.....If there is nothing keeping you there (I'm not native to NE Ohio so that was easy) and you can fulfill all three of Ludwig von Mises' (grm?) criteria for making a change, then move. If not, don't move. The three criteria are:1. Uneasiness or dissatisfaction2. A vision of a better state3. Belief that one is capable of achieving the better state.The hard part is just making the decision to move. Once you do that, if you play your cards right, everything else will fall into place. You may take a little beating on the house at this point, but that's only money. You can earn more money. You can't put a price on happiness. I work for a company that bought my house from me long before the market crashed but was still on the way down. Eight months later, the house is still for sale for much less than what I sold it to the company for. I'd feel bad if Warren Buffett didn't own my company. If you get a buy out, you will make up the loss in paid closing costs, relocation expenses and real estate agent fees. It will work out for the best.As far as where to go, that is up to you. I'd advise a warm weather state. It's very difficult being cold a large part of the year. The Carolinas are BOOMING right now. With the exception of UNC, Wake and Duke, UofA is Harvard compared to the rest. You guys wouldn't believe the amount of really stupid NC State, South Carolina, ECU, UNC Charlotte, etc. graduates there are around making really good livings. I have a guy who works for me who just relocated from Sagamore Hills and his Cleveland State degree makes him smarter than most. People are easy to meet because everyone has something in common....most are form the north. Of the 10 houses immediately around me, 9 of the 10 are families who relocated from the north. In Raleigh, there is a suburb called Cary. The natives call it the Containment Area for Relocated Yankees (CARY).My PM button works. I would help any UofA graduate in any way I could if they asked. The problem is, nobody every asks.

Thank you GoZips. You are a gentleman and a wordsmith.The average was set against PSU, but the point is Temple has the ability to draw a team like that to their stadium for a home game. Their stadium can be a huge advantage to them.Go Zips is right..............sorry to put the cherry on this sundae, but GP-1 is among the most loyal and dedicated Zips boosters. He once did the Don Quixote in behalf of UAM and The Boss, and tried to rally all FB alum to the cause almost single handedly................sadly, his hard work has fallen apart. He's paid forward the right to say what he wants.Let him rant guys. He's bright., he brings quality content at about the 50% level, and keeps us pissed and posting. We'd miss him if he were gone (pituiy...........did I just say that? :blink: )?Thanks Z-P. Since I'm supposed to give up something I really like for Lent, I'm going to give up the board for 40 days starting this Wednesday. This will be very difficult.BTW. I give credit to Gary Bogue for the FB Alumni attempt. I give some credit to Pat Kreger, but he left early on. I give no credit to UAM or The Boss because they were no longer at the school. Blair Danner is trying to get something going. I might be too far away now to pull a Don Quixote again.....my horse won't travel that far. If former players are reading this, you should call Blair and offer to lend a hand. I'll tell you something interesting about myself though....just like Don Quixote had a suit of armor, the great GP1 has always wanted to own a suit of armor I could actually wear. I'd wear it all the time. I'd probably wear it to some Zips games. In fact, I have a reoccurring dream about it. True story....

Thank you GoZips. You are a gentleman and a wordsmith.The average was set against PSU, but the point is Temple has the ability to draw a team like that to their stadium for a home game. Their stadium can be a huge advantage to them.

I don't complain about NE Ohio sucking nearly as much as I used to.NE Ohio isn't losing jobs? The weather is great?Have a nice weekend angry NE Ohio people.

10,000? Temple shattered the single season attendance average for the MAC last year. They drew 69,029 for the PSU game breaking the single game attendance record. With the stadium they have, they could host PSU every other year and Rutgers on off years and draw about that amout for one game each year.If the prevailing line of thinking on this board is correct (new stadiums make teams win), then playing in an NFL stadium would make Temple win. I think it will take more to win, but shattering the league attendance record is a good recruiting advantage. They probably also were able to get a good crowd without having to give away tickets.

Where did I mention OSU?

Every part of the state can say they product BCS talent. The point is that the second level of talent in NE Ohio is not any good. The MAC is getting worse because of that fact.