1986 Memories

[Captain Kangaroo]

Sitting on the plane waiting to depart for Chicago...then Portland...I was wondering if any old-timer would want to post some recollections of the Zips 1986 tourney appearance? I'll add some later...the stewardess is telling me to shut it down!

[zipdiehard]

I was a few years out of high school. My parents and I rode the UA sponsered bus up there. Something like a 14 hour bus ride. Great bunch of people on the bus. If I remeber correctly, Barb who just got put in the UA hall of fame was on their with us. We were interviewed by the Beacon and appeared in an article about the fans going up there. I actually have a scrapbook of the OVC tourney and the NCAA. Great pictures of a young and thin Bob Huggins! I also have a VHS tape of the game. The atmosphere at the game was great, even though watching basketball in that huge of an arena was weird. The Michigan fans were very respectful, and one of them even tried to buy my "OVC Champs" shirt. The prior game saw Jeff Hornacek hit a big shot to lead Iowa St over the Ron Harper Miami team. My biggest disappointment the whole weekend (next to the loss) was getting asked by one of the team members to go to the night session games with the team, but not being able to go. John Loyer was in one of my classes at the U. It was all an experience I will never forget. Unfortunately I can't share that experience with my sons this year, but am expecting to in the years to come as this team makes annual trips to the tourney.

[zipseuph]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

[meatwad]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

Haha, I second that one. I was born a few months before the Zips made the dance.

[bigzipguy]

I was listening to the game at work. The Zips lost by 6 points. They led by 2 at the half, after a jumper by Marcel Boyce. The game went right down to the wire, unfortunately the Zips threw the ball away several times on fast breaks down the stretch. Michigan had tremendous talent and was expected to crush the Zips. They had eventual NBA player Roy Tarpley. The Wolverines then lost their next game to Iowa State.

[BostonZip]

The game (at the Metrodome in Minneapolis) tipped off around noon Akron time, and the Beacon Journal -- which was still an afternoon paper then -- published an "Extra" edition with an article and photos from the game. Here is the box score. Akron, whose lineup included a couple of pick-ups off the football team, led the star-studded Michigan team 32-30 at the half.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?replayId=1259

[BostonZip]

They had eventual NBA player Roy Tarpley.

Glen Rice, Richard Rellford and Gary Grant (Canton McKinley) from that team also went on to play in the NBA, and Butch Wade, Antoine Joubert and Robert Henderson were NBA draft picks.

[MDZip]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

Me too but I think that may have been a fraternity pledge. :DI do remember two things that annoyed me that year. In a team capsule they pointed out that Holmes was the shortest starting center in the tournament (6'3") and asked whats a Zip? (and answered - Akron's chances of winning the tournament? Number of points they'll score?) so I was glad the Zips put forth an excellent effort.

[Buckzip]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

If you are lucky, that probably still happens.

[zipseuph]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

If you are lucky, that probably still happens.

it's a tuesday tradition

[Zipgrad1990]

I was a freshman in 1986 and my English teacher (can't call her a prof as she only had a Masters) would not let us skip. She said since we were scheduling conferences that day for the next week, missing on Friday would be liking missing 5 days (that day plus the 4 days of class the following week). Unfortunately in her class attendence counted and for every 2 days you missed it cost you a letter grade. I wasn't willing to lose 2 letter grades to watch all of the game (maybe I would have been if I had known then that it would be 23 years until Akron made it back). We did get to see all of the first half before racing off to class, although it made it that much more annoying having to go to class with Akron up 2 at the half. In class someone had a radio with headphones and we basically ignored the teacher as he flushed us the score on a regular basis. When class ended we all raced to the Chuckery where TVs were setup and caught the last 30 seconds or so, unfortunately by then it was over.I am currently in Singapore on business so the game starts here at 7:25am Friday. I have already taken the day off to watch the game (via Slingbox since it won't be on here), as I don't plan on missing it this time. Hopefully it won't be another 23 years before Akron returns to the tournament since as I told my wife, by then I might be dead!

[ZippyRulz]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$

Me too but I think that may have been a fraternity pledge. I do remember two things that annoyed me that year. In a team capsule they pointed out that Holmes was the shortest starting center in the tournament (6'3") and asked whats a Zip? (and answered - Akron's chances of winning the tournament? Number of points they'll score?) so I was glad the Zips put forth an excellent effort.

One of the publications also remarked that Holmes as the starting center was shorter than our team mascot. But hey, he played big. I had recently started a new job and couldn't very well be taking time off already. A fellow UA alum brought in a radio to work so we listened there. I would bet lots of money after this tourney is over that it won't take another 23 years (2032 AD :blink: ) to get back to the big dance.

[zip37]

I worked a midnight shift-- got up @ gametime and watched the game. I remember a flush of Bill and Marlene Muse in the stands. I remember how the casual fans got on our bandwagon and rooted for the zips.HUGGINS, IN THAT DAY DID NOT LOOK LIKE A BEACHED, BLEACHED WHALE !

[johnnyzip84]

in 1986 I remember being held upside down and then being smacked in the a$$

If you are lucky, that probably still happens.

it's a tuesday tradition

I'm sure we could get enough of us to pitch in on a somewhat more unpleasant reenactment tomorrow at OBC if you'd like That's what you get for making fun of us old-timers!Back to the game in '86, I remember taking the afternoon off from my job at Goodyear Aerospace (another real blast from the past). The one Michigan player I haven't seen mentioned yet is Roy Tarpley, their 6'11" center who went on to play in the NBA for the Dallas Mavs. Zip linebacker Russell Holmes did a nice job against him in spite of giving up 8 inches in height.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I got out of class at noon. It was a rare 70 degree March day in Akron. I stopped at an on-campus convenient store on the way home (I think it is now a nasty frat house with a gorilla on the sign outside?) and bought me a 6-pack of the cheapest stuff they had - Hudepohl Gold. Went home to 132 Annadale and watched the game on my couch. Dick Vitale predicted a blow out and was eating his words at halftime when the Zips led.Hudepohl Gold...Huggins left us for Cincinnati...coincidence? I think not.

[BostonZip]

Hudepohl Gold...Huggins left us for Cincinnati...coincidence? I think not.

Huggins left because the powers that be wanted to try to go big-time in football and decided to depart the Ohio Valley Conference (I-AA in football) to go independent, which left the basketball program with a much tougher path to the NCAA tournament (Akron had hosted and won the OVC Tournament to qualify for the NCAAs in 1986).Huggins recounts some of this in his book:http://tinyurl.com/cyr6cx

[RootforRoo44]

Hudepohl Gold...Huggins left us for Cincinnati...coincidence? I think not.

Huggins left because the powers that be wanted to try to go big-time in football and decided to depart the Ohio Valley Conference (I-AA in football) to go independent, which left the basketball program with a much tougher path to the NCAA tournament (Akron had hosted and won the OVC Tournament to qualify for the NCAAs in 1986).Huggins recounts some of this in his book:http://tinyurl.com/cyr6cx

damn you, i just read like 15 pages and now i have to go buy the book...some good stuff is in there.

[Hilltopper]

I had to work that day. My boss, who didn't watch sports at all, took the day off and called me with updates as the game went on. I vowed that if we ever made the Big Dance again, I was going no matter what. So here I am looking out my hotel room at downtown Portland and I can't wait till tomorrow.