RPI Rankings - 11/10/08

[w00t]

Latest RPI (released last night)#1 - Wake Forest (17-0-1)#2 - St. John's (15-1-3)#3 - Indiana (10-5-3)#4 - Maryland (15-3-0)#5 - Akron (15-1-3)Wish luck to Michigan #6, Notre Dame #8, Oakland #29, Buffalo #32 (until they play us), and Ohio St. #33 in their respective tournaments to help our numbers out. Indiana plays Ohio State (who should be very motivated seeing as they're nowhere near a sure bet to get into the tournament) on Thursday, go Buckeyes!!! It would be hard to see a six loss team that we tied seeded ahead of us. Hopefully Michigan wins the Big Ten Tournament and passes us in the RPI as there's virtually no chance that a team we beat head-to-head would get seeded ahead of us either.

[skip-zip]

This is starting to look like a situation like we had a couple of years ago. All of the necessary excuses are in place for them to try to justify screwing us on our tournament seed.

[bmaker]

And I guess since Maryland and Wake will be going at it in the ACC tourney one of them has to lose. If it is Maryland that might help us, too.

[Captain Kangaroo]

This is starting to look like a situation like we had a couple of years ago. All of the necessary excuses are in place for them to try to justify screwing us on our tournament seed.

I disagree. I maintained a couple years ago, and still maintain today that Lolla left just as the Zips turned the "respect" corner. If he'd have stuck around, he'd have been able to enjoy the fruits of his hard labor. Unless the Zips lay a massive egg in the MAC tourney...which I don't see happening...the Zips get their Top-8 seed. I'll predict a #6. That's not getting screwed. "Heavy petting," maybe. But not screwed.

[Zip Watcher]

Caleb's Crew need simply to take care of business and win 2 games at home. They do that, and the rest should fall into place.With 2 wins and a 17-1-3 record, they should get a top 8. Now with a little help in the Big 10 end of things, and maybe an early slip up by Maryland in the ACC, that could turn into top 4. Both the computers and humans have them on the cusp, and their SOS backs it up.Gotta take care of business .. seems like the chances are high that they will.Go Zips!

[72 Roo]

Gotta agree with the Captain. Ken Lolla did not have the patience to see his work thru to fruition. He had a kneejerk reaction to getting screwed by the NCAA selection committee and listened to the glowing story Univ of Louisville AD Tom Jurich painted for his soccer program. Lolla got a better stadium and conference, that's all. The Zips matched everything else U of L was offering. Plus Akron offers a future stadium that will be one of the best in the country. Mac has told Caleb that there will be shovels in the ground right after the conclusion of next year's season to begin moving and building a better field. He hopes the stands will be coming the season after that. Ken has to have had second thoughts about his decision. His wife is from this area and has never lived anywhere else. Greater Louisville schools are lousy. Think of your kids in Cleveland city schools to understand their situation! Ugly thought.Our program can still get better, believe it or not. Caleb thinks that after having two #5 recruiting classes the past two years he will have the #1 class this year. Mac is actively exploring getting the soccer team as an affiliate of Conference USA to get us the hell out of the piss pour MAC. If that happens and the new stadium becomes a reality we will have established a dynasty that even the selection committee can't ignore.My biggest concern is that we lose Caleb to a school with deep, deep pockets. That's why Mac needs to keep Caleb happy. The new stadium and conference would do it I suspect. See you all at the Buffalo game. I hope we beat the hell out of them in night never to be forgotten. I love the bowl, but want ICS more. The bowl has been on life support and it has come time to let her go. I grew up in Ellet and remember my mom and dad letting me walk a couple miles to the bowl for games there. I know she looks like a tramp, but in my mind I will always remember her as a beauty.

[ZachTheZip]

The MAC is actively (sort of) trying to keep our soccer team in this conference, since we're the only thing they have going for them in this sport. The best they could do was add Hartwick and a horrible FAU team. Any conference in the country would kill to have a program like this. We should shop around for the best deal.

[johnnyzip84]

Gotta agree with the Captain. Ken Lolla did not have the patience to see his work thru to fruition. He had a kneejerk reaction to getting screwed by the NCAA selection committee and listened to the glowing story Univ of Louisville AD Tom Jurich painted for his soccer program. Lolla got a better stadium and conference, that's all. The Zips matched everything else U of L was offering. Plus Akron offers a future stadium that will be one of the best in the country. Mac has told Caleb that there will be shovels in the ground right after the conclusion of next year's season to begin moving and building a better field. He hopes the stands will be coming the season after that. Ken has to have had second thoughts about his decision. His wife is from this area and has never lived anywhere else. Greater Louisville schools are lousy. Think of your kids in Cleveland city schools to understand their situation! Ugly thought.Our program can still get better, believe it or not. Caleb thinks that after having two #5 recruiting classes the past two years he will have the #1 class this year. Mac is actively exploring getting the soccer team as an affiliate of Conference USA to get us the hell out of the piss pour MAC. If that happens and the new stadium becomes a reality we will have established a dynasty that even the selection committee can't ignore.My biggest concern is that we lose Caleb to a school with deep, deep pockets. That's why Mac needs to keep Caleb happy. The new stadium and conference would do it I suspect. See you all at the Buffalo game. I hope we beat the hell out of them in night never to be forgotten. I love the bowl, but want ICS more. The bowl has been on life support and it has come time to let her go. I grew up in Ellet and remember my mom and dad letting me walk a couple miles to the bowl for games there. I know she looks like a tramp, but in my mind I will always remember her as a beauty.

You bring up some great points concerning the strength of the soccer program, 72 Roo That's nice information on Mac actively seeking C-USA affiliation as well. BUT, you might want to reconsider the whole "pronoun antecedent" deal in your last paragraph. I'm just saying. Flowers on Mother's Day will only get you so far

[ksu sucks]

While we are talking about keeping Caleb at UA, lets remember he has undoubtedly the best college soccer fans in the country. In the end, money always talks, but I'm sure a strong student atmosphere is ALWAYS a plus for any college coach.

[72 Roo]

JohnnyZip, can't I romance the bowl with a feminine gender to add warm fuzzies to the story? In truth, it might be better like a coyote ugly date. Both are scary! Maybe you have had better luck than me, but sacrificing an arm was a serious consideration many years ago. See you tomorrow night buddy. I'll be the guy with one arm.As for my friend Can't State Sucks, we do have great fans and that plays a factor in where a guy coaches. But keep this in mind, many programs outdraw us. This year UC Santa Barbara has twice had crowds over 8,000 for example. UCONN has gone over 5,000. If you go to Soccer America and look up the top attended games you will see some figures that blow us away. That being said, we all know that Akron fans are so rabid that if we can get better facilities and amenities the crowds will grow. Best of all they will bring much more revenue to continue building the program (altho no NCAA soccer program broke even last year).Beat the Bulls!

[bobbyake]

I like Caleb better than Lolla. Maybe we'll finally get a National Championship this year. If not, expect it within the next 4 years.

[johnnyzip84]

JohnnyZip, can't I romance the bowl with a feminine gender to add warm fuzzies to the story? In truth, it might be better like a coyote ugly date. Both are scary! Maybe you have had better luck than me, but sacrificing an arm was a serious consideration many years ago. See you tomorrow night buddy. I'll be the guy with one arm.As for my friend Can't State Sucks, we do have great fans and that plays a factor in where a guy coaches. But keep this in mind, many programs outdraw us. This year UC Santa Barbara has twice had crowds over 8,000 for example. UCONN has gone over 5,000. If you go to Soccer America and look up the top attended games you will see some figures that blow us away. That being said, we all know that Akron fans are so rabid that if we can get better facilities and amenities the crowds will grow. Best of all they will bring much more revenue to continue building the program (altho no NCAA soccer program broke even last year).Beat the Bulls!

72 Roo, I also think of the Rubber Bowl as our "grand old lady" so I am right with you on this. I just couldn't help myself with the wise crack, given my somewhat twisted sense of humor. Hope to see you there tonight and join you in cheering the Zips to victory I'll be the guy with the chrome dome and a Zips pullover.....OK, I'll be one of several hundred guys with a chrome dome and a Zips pullover

[Guzijeff]

Just in case nobody noticed:(1 ranked- RPI 1) Wake Forrest LOST to unranked Virginia Friday(3 ranked- RPI 2) St Johns LOST to (14) South Florida today(6 ranked- RPI 7) Loyola LOST to unranked Fairfiled today(18 rank - RPI 3) Indiana LOST to (16) Michigan St todayCreighton and Maryland both wonWith the top 3 in RPI going down, the Zips gotta move up and have a chance for a top 4 seed.....

[MDZip]

Just in case nobody noticed:(1 ranked- RPI 1) Wake Forrest LOST to unranked Virginia Friday(3 ranked- RPI 2) St Johns LOST to (14) South Florida today(6 ranked- RPI 7) Loyola LOST to unranked Fairfiled today(18 rank - RPI 3) Indiana LOST to (16) Michigan St todayCreighton and Maryland both wonWith the top 3 in RPI going down, the Zips gotta move up and have a chance for a top 4 seed.....

Zips have done evrything that could be expected of them, and others are trying to help out. Wake will still probably get the top seed, but I expect nothing lower than 8 (and will be disappointed to not be at least a 4).

[GoZips]

Guzijeff, thanks for an excellent post. It would seem that the Zips should get at worst a two seed.Anything lower has to be a slap by the NCAA Selection Committee.While our overall record is great our inability to score and close out weaker opponents all year long willhurt our selection chances. The Zips rely on great defense. It would be nice to get a second MAC team in the tournament, although unlikely. The MAAC will sendtwo, Fairfield and over rated Loyola, Md. Fairfield "upset" Loyola today. Loyola went 18-1-1 and neverfaced a top twenty-five opponent.The strategy of playing Steve Zakuani out on the wing led to the winning goal. I heard a number of Zipsfans bellyaching about all the off sides Steve was drawing. In the end the tactic worked. After the gamethe NIU players were "F-ing" Zakuani in long tirades. Nice tribute to their "hopes" ender.