GP1

Let's just hope Charlie remembers his old school. He can make the check out to "The University of Akron Foundation".

If the kid has not graduated yet, then would it be safe to assume that if he passes the ACT or SAT with the required score he could play next year? Quite honestly, I could care less whether a kid has a criminal past or not. I want to win the MAC. Let's not kid ourselves. Nobody sits around Sunday through Friday worrying about what the Zips are doing on their time off from football. Let's win now! Sign him JD!

Someone asked what happens if there are not enough teams with six wins. I have the answer. It is from the NCAA Rules, Chapter 23, Section II. "If in the event that there are not enough bowl teams, those writers in ZipsNation.org with more than 20 posts will play in a bowl. In order to even the playing field, the opponent of Zipsnation.org will be required to stay awake for 48 hours prior to game time and consume 15 shots, per player, of Jack Daniels one hour prior to the game." I like our chances guys. Now go get a work out in. We may have some work to do.

Good Lord this is great news!!!!! Well deserved by both JD and 5. I understand that there are different voting blocks for awards, but I still can't believe the BG QB was named first team all MAC QB. Our best years are ahead of us.

Green Bay would be an excellent place for 5 to go. Two years sitting behind a Hall of Fame QB and learning from him could be the best possible situation for a young QB. Not only that, GB usually has a decent team which will benefit any young QB. If you doubt that, look at the garbage Couch had to play with and look where his career went. Not only that, 5 has a similar type game to Favre in that they both move and throw on the run very well. A gambler is always fun to watch. 5 just has to be careful ice fishing. If he falls asleep on drifting ice while fishing on Lake Michigan, he could get frost bite and lose his hand, but the probability of that happening is probably very slim. One other thing. Who in the heck votes for first team all MAC? I've had my doubts and written some unflattering things about 5 in the past, but one thing I am certain of is that he is a much better QB than the guy at BG. The guy couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the biggest game of his career against Toledo. Maybe I'm thinking too much in terms of passing, because if that is what decided it, Frye, Betts and the guy at Toledo (I have trouble with Polish last names) would win hands down over the BG guy.

Nice work zipper. UAM did an outstanding job this year. The real question is what else could they have done? Probably nothing. What they did do worked well. We had 17,000 at the final game. Normally the final game gets about 2,000. Good work UAM. As far as the coaches leaving, I really doubt that. Even if they did, how could we hold someone taking about a $500,000 a year pay increase against that person. If anyone out there says they wouldn't take the money, they are a liar. JD would be stupid not to take the money. You have to make hay while the sun is up. Remember, we have things like UAM because this is a business.

I think the information came out of the part of his body that touches a chair when he sits down.

USA Today now has us in the Houston Bowl. All the jumping around is making me nervous. I hope things are not sliding away. Maybe we were all premature with our hopes. We should know more after this weekend.

I had heard that Akron was trying to get out of the Purdue game. I hope they do. A good start to the season would do wonders.

Thanks for the correction. I'm a little surprised Alleman is moving to OL. He was really a good DE. Wasn't the back up lineman, I think his name was Heim, a junior also. If so, it will be a much better line than I had thought.

First, great job Zips for your effort and continued improvement this season. Winning five of the last six games is no small task. After the game I was having a beer in the parking lot and I couldn't help but be excited about next year and the direction of this team. Normally after the last game I am sick aobut the prospects of having to send the money in for season tickets the following year. It was like flushing money down the toilet. This year, I would write the check today and not think twice about it. What we saw this year was just the beginning of a successful football program that is going to win a lot more than 6 games a year in the future. Next year, we have a QB coming that has played two full seasons and one fall practice in this system. Quite honestly, I don't think we are going to miss a beat at the QB position (easy homers, this is not a slap at 5). This offense does not ask a lot out of the QB. Heck, the biggest challenge 5 had this year was keeping himself alive behind that OL. He will have to go to therapy in the future to deal with the flushbacks of standing back there. We have a transfer in Andy Aulman from Massillon who lettered two years at a big time school playig defensive line. With KiKi, they should make a good line and improve the players behind them. The OL can only get better. Past years we had a roll out passing game and that can hide a lot of bad offensive linemen. They need faster linemen who can come off the ball quicker than what we are seeing. Without a better line, we can't get the running game going and without that there will be no passing game. Some therapist will be seeing 5 and Getsy in back to back appointments if there are no improvements. The running back position is in good hands next year with Biggs and Ringer coming back. We need to bring along some linebackers for next year. This position must improve. We need to make some more tackles behind the line and bring guys down when we make contact. With this 3-3 defense they play, we will be in better position with our defensive backs next year because the DL will be applying more pressure next season with the improvement in players. The WRs have to improve and I think those young kids from Glennville will greatly help us. If I remember correctly, there were no seniors at WRs. Let's bring in some JUCO players who can help immediately on the OL and maybe a linebacker. The size and maturity of an older player always helps. Also, it will create competition for positions that they have not had in the past. Bright days are ahead of us my friends. Don't look back.

Redhawk95, I hope you didn't leave your medication at the Rubber Bowl. It's probably theh worst stadium in college football.

I actually sit when I type in my posts.

While the Zips played well enought to win last week, they MUST play better this week or they can't win. Other than 6, nobody played very well. I saw Miami play in person this year against Toledo when I was traveling on business. They are a very solid team that does a lot of different things well. Can the Zips win.......Hell yes! Miami is good, but if the Zips play the way they did late against Marshall, they most certainly can win. Four full quarters is a must to win a close game.

I don't agree that the ABJ is trying to save face. They are too stupid to come to the realization as to how stupid they acted when LO got fired. All of the players Pluto mentions in his article, with the exception of 5, are average Division I players and were below average recruits in high school. The new coaching staff is getting the maximum effort out of this team. If Pluto is mad at the University for firing LO, he should write a negative article about the President or the AD or anyone else he feels is at fault. It is not JD's fault that LO was fired and he should stop taking digs at JD. It isn't a very Christian thing to do and everyone knows what I mean. It is starting to look as if our Bible thumping friend Pluto has a sneaky mean side. Perhaps he should read the "do unto others" part of the good book again. There are also some good lines about flaunting your beliefs but not living them as well.

I was just reading the ABJ article about the Zips by Terry Pluto. Is Pluto cheating on his wife with Lee Owens? I can't believe he gives that stiff any credit for what is going on this year. I thought he would have given up his LO obsession by now, but I guess he may still be stalking him. Does anyone really think this team would not have given up on LO after a 1-4 start? They would have finished the season 4-7. Thanks to the new coaching staff an a change of culture in the team, we are looking at a possible MAC East championship. He writes the article as if the player he mentioned were highly recruited by Division I teams. They probably went to Akron because nobody else wanted them. The new coaching staff has turned them into football players. Thanks to the new staff. I can only imagine the eye rolling in the football office when they read LO's name in the paper.

A dead in the water team leaving a dead in the water conference for another dead in the water conference. Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you. By the way, I don't think Marshall would be where it is today if the MAC didn't give up the farm to get it in the league. It was certainly a two way street. One last question. Was your coach a frozen caveman one of your anthropology professors found frozen in Iceland and you guys made him coach? He sure looks like one.

Dear Marshall Fans, Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Haa Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Haa Ha HHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha HaaHa Haa HaHaaHa Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Get out of our league you freaking losers. Go play in Conference USA with the rest of the misfits. You losers can't win this league any more because you can't pay players to go to school at that dump of a city, you can't get the league to fix games like they did against Miami a couple of years ago and you can't hold a lead against a team with nickname like Zips. Good luck going 6-5 for the rest of your lives in CUSA loooooooooooosers. See everyone in Detroit, I hope. Yours truely, GP1 PS.

I'm too fat and old to tear down the goal post now. Even if I could, I'd probably have a heart attack hauling that thing the 7 miles back to campus.

Excellent post Milkman. Keep them coming.

Here is a reason to have faith in the team and the direction of the program. An earlier post said that Owens did not leave the program baren. He did. One person, a JD recruit, has made the difference in this team. He wears number 34. We have the same starting offensive line as the start of the year, the same QB, the same tight ends and receivers. The only difference in the starting line up is replacing 40 with 34. 34 is a true Division I player not just a player playing Division I. I'll also go as far as to say that 34 is the Most Valuable Player of the team. The team is 4-2 with him in the starting line up. His ability to run the ball has opened up the passing game much better. One last thing. I posted a couple of weeks ago that the kicking game is doing well. I'd like to restate that point. Field position is everything in college football and these guys are doing a good job. Keep up the good work.

I stand corrected.

Attendance at games has always been a source of irritation for me. For the life of me, I can't understand why the people of Akron do not go to the games. Where else can you go to a Division I football game, buy a ticket for around $10 and sit on the almost the fifty yard line if you want (guarantee if you sit on the visitors side). Let's face it though, the blame lies directly on the shoulders of U of A alumni. All they would need to average 15,000 people a game is to have each graduate of the school attend one game a year. Along with the general public, they would easily get over 15,000 per game. Instead, U of A graduates are sitting around their homes watching OSU plow the ball into the line 40 times a game while claiming they are life long OSU fans. I like OSU well enough, but I'm not going to miss a Zips game to watch that bore fest. I'll go one step further. If the suburban "men" who graduated from U of A could muster the gonads to tell their bit@#y housewives to stay at home and watch the kids for one Saturday a year, they could average over 15,000 also. Instead, they load up the mini van with the two kids and allow themselves to be taken to the in-laws for a fun game of cards and a Bet Midler movie. After all that, they get to go home with their wives and hear about how tired she is to do anything (if you know what I mean). Doesn't a football game sound more fun than this? Ask yourselves this, what would Al Bundy do? Finally, we all need to do more, me included. All of us work somewhere, I'm assuming. Do the best you can to ask people to go to the games. Organize a tailgate party for work where you get 10 people to go to one game a year. Buying hot dogs for ten people isn't asking that much. U of A has corporate sponsorship programs where you could get group discounts on tickets. I'm sure the ticket office would be glad to help. Here is another idea. Get a bunch of guys from your neighborhood to go to the game. The wives can stay at home and complain about you guys. That's their favorite sport anyhow. Tell them you are going to tailgate before and after the game. Make hot dogs at the tailgate before the game and you guys can all go to the Platinum Horse after the game for another type of tail-gate. Use your freaking heads for crying out loud. Just get more people to the games. Look, I kid about a lot of this stuff, but I think there are two things that will cure the problem. One is winning. With Marshall out of the MAC next year, we are that much closer to winning the MAC east. Secondly, that new stadium on campus MUST happen. The thought of the Rubber Bowl is more depressing than uplifting. See everyone at the game tonight. Go Zips!

If the proposal went through today, it would take over two years to complete the stadium. Working drawings from an architect would have to be designed, the stadium package bid and then the stadium built. If it is going to be a metal stadium similar to Crew Stadium in Columbus, the time to build it will take much less time. If it is concrete like Can't State, it will take more time. How about if we get the drawings from Crew Stadium (27,000 seats) and build it without the upper deck on one side. That would give us approximately 20,000 seats with room for expansion on one side? The article makes a really good point. The cost to fix up the Rubber Bowl would be extreme. A man who works for me sells concrete restoration (the Rubber Bowl would be a concrete restoration project) and we discussed this very issue one day. Typically, the cost of a concrete restoration project comes in twice the estimate depending on the age of the building. The RB is extremely old and has had little done to it over the years. It would need earth work under the stadium, new seats, new locker rooms, new score board, new press box, new bathrooms for crying out loud, painted, etc. Concrete damage is a mystery until the work starts, so the cost remains unknown in addition to the above items. A new stadium is the way to go and in the grand scheme of things, $60 million is not that much money. I don't think U of A getting moved down to 1-AA is an option for the school. This new stadium is a must. Let's face it, the RB is a dump and has been for as long as I have lived in Akron (18 years). Lock the doors and abandon it, it will not be long till it falls down on it's own.

I think we are in an excellent position right now. UCF will be down after losing a close game at NIU. While they are busy wondering if they will ever win a game, we will sneak by them (I say that with my fingers crossed.....very difficult to type). All of our games are winable. Marshall looked bad Saturday and if Miami can lose one more between now and when we play them, they may lay down at the Bowl the last game of the year. There is no reason we can't win at least three more games. 5-6 would be a great finish to a VERY poor start. I hate to jinx us, but our special teams are plaing well this year. Swiger is kicking them high and deep and also into the corner where they want it. 14 is also kicking well. Keep up the good work guys, God knows that is all you have to do. Our punt returner is gauges where the ball is going to come down good and is sure handed. We had a kick returned for a TD Saturday and we never looked back after that.