Zakuani Leaving

[GoZips]

Mike Razor's blog is reporting that sophomore forward, Steve Zakuani is turning pro. Steve hasclearly shown that he is up to the task ahead of him. Steve has all the potential to become one of soccer's truly great players professionally. Go for it Steve.What does this mean for the Zips? It means that the other forwards will have to generate more offenseon their own. And, they are capable of doing just that. All to often there was an under current that theplayers were leaving the offense attack to Steve alone. It was some thing that even a neophyte soccerfan could discern. And, many of us did.Akron has an entire team of excellent soccer players, with quality reserves. This is a truly good collegesoccer program. The potential is there. The talent is there. The coaching is most assuredly there.The university owes this team a new playing field ASAP. Rebuild the playing surface next Spring. Thecutesy stands and fan amenities can wait.I could not but wonder if the sparse crowds at the Final Four were due in part to not having a "Cinderella"team. The Zips were cheated once again. The NCAA has shown us several times in different sportsthat the NCAA has its own profit and image at the center of its philosophy. Integrity has nothing to dowith the NCAA.

[w00t]

Anytime you lose such a deadly finisher it's hard to call it a blessing in any form... but the cupboard will be far from bare and this news was pretty much expected (unlike the pleasant surprise of Coach Porter getting a new contract!).Best of luck to Steve in his professional career!!!

[MDZip]

Its possible it could have been a LeBron sort of situation from a few years ago where everyone just stood around waiting for the superstar to make a play but I really can't see that with this player, this team and this coach. Steve gave us two great years so if he's moving on, best of luck to him. Really would be nice for him to pick up the Hermann trophy on his way out, and he should, after all it is handed out by the MAC (OK, that stands for the Missouri Athletic Club, but still ... ). And I just saw UNC got into the final (against Maryland). I hadn't paid any attention to the tournament until now after we got jobbed, but to see UNC in the final when we could well have played them on our home field, it still just sickens me. Thank goodness Coach Porter wil be hanging around in the future, I was really worried about that one too.

[skip-zip]

This is certainly no surprise. I guess I was just still hoping maybe it wouldn't happen. Knowing that NC got to the final does indeed add a little frustration. The national championship was certainly shaping up well for us, until we had our advantage stripped away from us. This really could have been our year to take it all, and it still hurts.