Ellen Alexander Pissed Off Again!

[Captain Kangaroo]

Zips to name Dambrot as new coach

03/10/04

Elton Alexander

Plain Dealer Reporter

The postseason. That is the bottom line. And Tuesday, University of Akron men's basketball coach Dan Hipsher was cut by it. Akron Athletic Director Mike Thomas reassigned Hipsher to the university's development and public affairs office.

Later Tuesday evening, it was announced the Zips will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. today and will name third-year assistant Keith Dambrot, 45, a former Zips player, as Akron's next coach.

This would bring a troubled college coaching history full circle for Dambrot. He first emerged as one of the youngest college coaches. But an Ashland College program he took to a 48-13 record (1989 and 1990) and national prominence during his tenure was later hit with two years of NCAA probation for major violations after he left for Central Michigan.

Dambrot himself was not sanctioned for misdeeds at Ashland. After two years as coach of the Chippewas (20-34), Dambrot was fired following an incident in which he used a racial epithet toward his players.

He returned to Akron and found work before returning to coaching at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, and three seasons ago as an assistant with the Zips.

An Akron team with many of Dambrot's recruits was expected to contend for a MAC title but finished 13-15, 7-11, due in great measure to the downturn of senior guard Johnny Hollingsworth, who was ultimately suspended for academic reasons, and the continued poor health of 6-8 senior Andy Hipsher. The coach's son suffered with back problems for three years.

But the final straw that led to Dan Hipsher's demise was Akron's 76-72 defeat to Ball State on Monday night in the opening round of the MAC Tournament. "The idea [to replace Hipsher] was not cemented until then," Thomas said.

Thomas cited the Zips' inability to make any moves in the postseason as the reason to end the nine-year tenure of the MAC's dean of basketball coaches.

That loss gave Hipsher a 1-7 MAC tournament record, which is the deepest into postseason play the Zips ever advanced under the graduate from Bowling Green.

"If you look at our history in the postseason, that is what you are judged on," Thomas said. "Our teams don't get better at the end of the season. We've struggled in the postseason. We were not moving in a positive direction. We needed a change in leadership."

Hipsher's 15-year coaching record at Wittenberg, Stetson and Akron is 238-182, including 112-137 with the Zips. The highlight for Akron under Hipsher came in 1997-98 when the Zips finished 17-10, won the MAC's East Division and Hipsher was named the MAC's coach of the year.

One noteworthy achievement for Hipsher is the fact he is the only Akron basketball coach to win a game at rival Can't State in the last 40 years, including Zip legends Bob Huggins and Wyatt Webb. Hipsher won, 93-68, at Can't State in 1998; he won, 85-70, in 2003.

"I understand they have their decisions to make," Hipsher said. "But I love Akron. I'm an Ohio guy. I'm a MAC guy. This job has meant a ton to me. The question is always asked, 'Did you see this coming?' With the young guys we have, and the guys coming in, I was looking forward to working with this group of players in the future."

Now, that chore will go to Dambrot, who will start his Akron career holding an 0-2 MAC Tournament record while at Central Michigan.

[zipper]

You're right, Captain. Why even bring up the stuff that went on at Ashland if Dambrot was vindicated? He just wants to discredit anything Akron U does - look at his "take" on the change in football.

In JD and KD we trust! Go Zips!

[zff]

I think he is mad cause he wanted Paul Winters to get the job.

Just think what he could have done with Rick Mcfadden!!!!!

[Guest Guest_SoFlaZip]

What would you expect from wannabe scribe script. I believe Dambrot is an excellent choice for a number of reasons, one being his connection with the state of Michigan ( a hot bed of hoops talent) in general, and, Flint, Michigan in particular. How is a recruit going to say no to Dambrot after being picked up at the airport by LeBron and the posse in the Hummer (pun intended).

To raise the racial epithet incident, out of context, is unprofessional and clearly an attempt to besmirch the character of a person I am told by EVERYONE in Akron is Highly Respected by EVERYONE in the Akron area. There's a poem that says:

Looking back it seem to me,

All the grief that had to be

Left me when the pain was o'er

Stronger than I was before.

_____ Unknown

Yesterday is gone!!!! Move on!!!!!!!! Go Zips!!!!!!

In MT I Trust!!!!!!!!!

[Guest Guest_Z.I.P.]

I'd really encourage people (including the UA administration)

to write the Plain Dealer editors to complain about such blatantly prejudicial and irresponsible reporting. To dredge up these things, especially to gloss over the CMU locker-room incident shows Mr Alexander is either trying to "get even" for something, or has missed out on the entire coverage of the incident over the past decade.

I know of no other journalist today who would attempt in this fashion to imply wrongdoing on Coach Dambrot's part for what happened on that day. In fact the incident has been beaten like a dead horse and everyone else I've read (has AE read the recent book on the "N-word") sees coach as a victim, rather perpetrator of a wrong. That's all I have to say on the subject.