Typical Akron negativity

[Class of 82]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood. GO ZIPS!P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

[bigham78]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood. GO ZIPS!P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

It's sad but, there always a few bozos around who seem to have dark cloud over them about everything Akron wise.

[johnnyzip84]

Zipsnation Therapy is 100% free and roughly 85% effective. Stay for as long as you like Class of '82 and have your fill

[Class of 82]

Zipsnation Therapy is 100% free and roughly 85% effective. Stay for as long as you like Class of '82 and have your fill

Yeah. And I appreciate it.Later, I plan to drink heavily.

[ZachTheZip]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.Just ignore them. Stop acting like a Clevelander.

[xu9697]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.Just ignore them. Stop acting like a Clevelander.

Cleveland+ baby!!! C'mon. Being negative about Cleveland isn't helpful either. If you want to grow the Akron brand, Cleveland area will be a part of things.

[Class of 82]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.

[meatwad]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.

I'm confused... what did they say to you? This story seems incomplete.

[Zipgrad01]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood. GO ZIPS!P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

Yeah!! Its OSU fault!! I love people on here. If I have said it once, I have said it a million times......OSU has been the big school in Ohio from the beginning. They play on national tv every week. They are ranked in the top 10 every year. They play in an enormous sold out stadium every week. They play the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Texas, etc... every year and play in big bowl games. They have names like Woody, Eddie George, Archie Griffin...blah, blah...They had 14 guys drafted in one year!!Akron has only been D1 for 20 years. We have had what?....2 or 3 winning seasons? We have been to one bowl game, which we lost to Memphis. We play in the worst conference in the country. We play teams like Can't State, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Morgan State and Buffalo every year. Up until now our stadium was a 30,000 seat decaying dump in the middle of a muddy field that we can't even sell out on a sunny day when we play our arch rival!! If we played on tv it was on ESPNU or Fox sports Ohio where nobody saw it. We haven't had as many players drafted in our history as OSU had in one year. I could go on and on.....Please....tell me why everyone should be all juiced up because we have a new stadium? You think because they live in Akron that they should abandon their generations of OSU fandome to root for Akron? My answer is why? Until we give people a reason to be excited, why should they be? A stadium is a good start, but it is only a building. Until we put year after year winners on the field, nobody will care. Say what you want, but that is the honest truth of the matter. We are excited because we went to Akron and we are sick of hearing about how we stink and are irrelevant. You can't make people excited and you can't make people care. Well, you CAN make them care. Its called winning and beating teams people know.Also, don't give me this "go away" speech. I dish out a grand a year for Akron season tickets. I am excited as hell for the season to start, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone should be a Zips fan because they live in NE Ohio. I am also not blaming OSU for their success. That reminds me too much of class envy and I cant stand it.

[ZachTheZip]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.

You have the right attitude toward your community, and I get where you are coming from, but you have to understand what these people are like before you can try to talk to them with out them spewing negativity.If this place was so bad, they would have left already. If you want an example of what that's like look at Detroit. The problem is that people see some bad areas in the major cities and project that onto the entire region where they live. No other city does that, despite them all having some horrible areas. I don't know why the mindset is different here, but everywhere else they either ignore or try to improve the problems while here we magnify them in the public's mind. The only way to combat it is to take an example from the rest of the world and ignore them. It won't go away but it will become irrelevant.

[scottditzen]

I spent a few hours walking around the vicinity of the stadium yesterday. I've got to say, aside from the Stadium and the newer campus construction, there is still a long long way to go. Broken down housing, faded storefronts, the feeling of depression and malaise hanging in the air. For far too long there was little or no "Pride in the Community" and that is precisely why things have gone so down hill. Face it, we are at ground zero; a place that is basically back to square one, starting from scratch. Recently someone wrote the Beacon Journal saying that "anti-education hicks were dragging the City down with their negative attitudes, always against the UA and against progress." I think the truth is that instead of being anti UA, most in the region are in fact just waiting on the sideline, neutral, waiting to see if this campus rebuilding will be completely successful. Only then will they come around because that's human nature. But we have seen the positive steps. The new stadium is a tremendous catalyst for change, certainly. But it's going to take years for the surrounding area- and this even includes campus, to truly become a beautiful, lively place with a positive energy. (Okay, I will not tolerate the Skyway being on the same idiotic 10 year plan as Ohio Brewing!!!!) But we will be there on game days helping to make a great college atmosphere. It's great to know that so many people on this forum will be taking part in the change that is coming.

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.

[zip81]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.Just ignore them. Stop acting like a Clevelander.

Love your signature shot uakronkid. Can I put it on the ak-oldies web site?

[ZachTheZip]

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.Just ignore them. Stop acting like a Clevelander.

Love your signature shot uakronkid. Can I put it on the ak-oldies web site?

Sure. I found it on Google. I don't know who took it or where it was originally posted to the web.

[mivid12]

apathy runs amok....esp in some of our youthwinning consistently might help remedy that tho

[skip-zip]

The majority of the Suckeye fans I know just simply think Akron Zips Football is nonexistentent. You try to tell them about a good game we played, or a good recruit that we landed, and they look at you like you're talking about a 6th grade team. Tell them about your great season tickets, and they look at you like "They charge for Akron games"? And believe it or not, some of the people who act this way and think that Akron is just a little pebble that people like OSU can step on are actually AKRON GRADUATES!!Until we do something big, it will always be like this.

[Class of 82]

Yeah!! Its OSU fault!! I love people on here. If I have said it once, I have said it a million times......OSU has been the big school in Ohio from the beginning. They play on national tv every week. They are ranked in the top 10 every year. They play in an enormous sold out stadium every week. They play the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Texas, etc... every year and play in big bowl games. They have names like Woody, Eddie George, Archie Griffin...blah, blah...They had 14 guys drafted in one year!!

Good for them, dude. But I didn't go to school there. Never lived in Columbus. And don't want to. I am from Akron. I grew up going to Akron games. I attended Akron. I live in Akron. I'm proud of my city. I'm proud of my school. I couldn't give a rat's behind for Ohio State.When people run down my city... especially when they freaking live here... I get a little pissed off. And I ain't sorry about that.My brother is a Buckeyes fan. These guys I met today were Suckeyes.

Akron has only been D1 for 20 years. We have had what?....2 or 3 winning seasons? We have been to one bowl game, which we lost to Memphis. We play in the worst conference in the country. We play teams like Can't State, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Morgan State and Buffalo every year. Up until now our stadium was a 30,000 seat decaying dump in the middle of a muddy field that we can't even sell out on a sunny day when we play our arch rival!! If we played on tv it was on ESPNU or Fox sports Ohio where nobody saw it. We haven't had as many players drafted in our history as OSU had in one year. I could go on and on.....

Of course. It's easy being an Ohio State fan. It takes a bit more fortitude to believe that Akron can be better than it is. Being an Akron fan ain't for pussies. And believing in this city ain't for pussies, either.

Please....tell me why everyone should be all juiced up because we have a new stadium? You think because they live in Akron that they should abandon their generations of OSU fandome to root for Akron? My answer is why? Until we give people a reason to be excited, why should they be? A stadium is a good start, but it is only a building. Until we put year after year winners on the field, nobody will care. Say what you want, but that is the honest truth of the matter. We are excited because we went to Akron and we are sick of hearing about how we stink and are irrelevant. You can't make people excited and you can't make people care. Well, you CAN make them care. Its called winning and beating teams people know.

I pretty much agree with most of that. And I don't believe OSU fans are generally like the dipwads I was talking to today. (Unfortunately, quite a few are, though.)But why would people from Akron have to give up their OSU fandom... if that's what it's called and if that's what they have... to root for Akron? I mean, we're talking about people FROM Akron rooting for the university that is IN Akron.

Also, don't give me this "go away" speech. I dish out a grand a year for Akron season tickets. I am excited as hell for the season to start, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone should be a Zips fan because they live in NE Ohio. I am also not blaming OSU for their success. That reminds me too much of class envy and I cant stand it.

Where did I blame Ohio State for their success? By calling them Suckeyes, maybe? Please. Like I'm sure most people here, many among my family and best friends are OSU fans.But at any rate, this is about more than just Akron U athletics. It is about Akron itself. I was actually less upset about the lack of enthusiasm for the stadium than I was about the pessimism and negativity about our town When people start bad-mouthing the place where they live and work and are raising their families, it's bordering on something pathological if they DON"T go away. I'm tired of it. If you're not, then I certainly believe you're entitled to a different opinion.Ironically, my oldest brother is an OSU alum and a huge OSU fan, and I think he's as excited about the new stadium and what it could mean for the program as I am. You see, he was born here, lives here and is raising his family here, too. He has this crazy idea that what is good for his city is good for him.

[ksu sucks]

Class of '82, It looks like you've found the meeting spot for the Ohio.com trolls.

[Class of 82]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.

I'm confused... what did they say to you? This story seems incomplete.

They basically called the stadium, and UA in general, a joke and one referred to the stadium as a "waste of money."The same guy said Akron is a sh*t town that will always be a sh*t town. His buddy agreed.Other than that, I had a lovely lunch.

[GP1]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood. GO ZIPS!P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

Yeah!! Its OSU fault!! I love people on here. If I have said it once, I have said it a million times......OSU has been the big school in Ohio from the beginning. They play on national tv every week. They are ranked in the top 10 every year. They play in an enormous sold out stadium every week. They play the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Texas, etc... every year and play in big bowl games. They have names like Woody, Eddie George, Archie Griffin...blah, blah...They had 14 guys drafted in one year!!Akron has only been D1 for 20 years. We have had what?....2 or 3 winning seasons? We have been to one bowl game, which we lost to Memphis. We play in the worst conference in the country. We play teams like Can't State, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Morgan State and Buffalo every year. Up until now our stadium was a 30,000 seat decaying dump in the middle of a muddy field that we can't even sell out on a sunny day when we play our arch rival!! If we played on tv it was on ESPNU or Fox sports Ohio where nobody saw it. We haven't had as many players drafted in our history as OSU had in one year. I could go on and on.....Please....tell me why everyone should be all juiced up because we have a new stadium? You think because they live in Akron that they should abandon their generations of OSU fandome to root for Akron? My answer is why? Until we give people a reason to be excited, why should they be? A stadium is a good start, but it is only a building. Until we put year after year winners on the field, nobody will care. Say what you want, but that is the honest truth of the matter. We are excited because we went to Akron and we are sick of hearing about how we stink and are irrelevant. You can't make people excited and you can't make people care. Well, you CAN make them care. Its called winning and beating teams people know.Also, don't give me this "go away" speech. I dish out a grand a year for Akron season tickets. I am excited as hell for the season to start, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone should be a Zips fan because they live in NE Ohio. I am also not blaming OSU for their success. That reminds me too much of class envy and I cant stand it.

I can't really argue against the logic. In almost every metrix, OSU is probably better than UofA, but it might be important to look at other issues around OSU that may benefit UofA.1. tOSU can not beat a decent team to save their life. Fans are growing tired of this. Fans get tired of watching second tier teams.2. The talent level at tOSU is not as good as the big three conferences: PAC 10, SEC and Big 12. Fans get tired of watching second tier talent.The point is this, tOSU is putting crap on the field and if it wasn't for a steady dose of MAC teams, a horrible conference and a huge cheap shot of a UofMiami running back in the national championship game, Coach T. might just be shopping for fruit at the Upper Arlington farmers market every week with John Cooper.The product tOSU puts on the field is almost unwatchable and I think most consumers know crap when they see it. I was at the USC vs. tOSU game last year and it wasn't so much unwatchable as it was laughable. The MAC, and more specifically UofA, needs to put a quality product on the field to give the crap eating tOSU fans something to go watch that is entertaining. Most people aren't stupid enough to spend many more Saturday afternoons watching Coach T. run the ball into the line every play against really bad competition in low scoring games. I'm not saying the MAC needs to have as good of players as the Big Ten, they just need to be entertaining. I'm not saying UofA needs to win a no less than 8 games a year, that would be unrealistic. Just play good football and the fans and winning will follow.Consumers can only fool themselves for so long. Soon tOSU fans will finally admit they are a second tier team. It is fun to skip a third tier team like UofA to stay at home and watch a top tier team play if the top tier team is your favorite team. I think it is more fun to go watch a third tier team play than to stay at home to watch a second tier team like tOSU play.

[Z.I.P.]

...Also, don't give me this "go away" speech. I dish out a grand a year for Akron season tickets. I am excited as hell for the season to start, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone should be a Zips fan because they live in NE Ohio. I am also not blaming OSU for their success. That reminds me too much of class envy and I cant stand it.

Yeah! THE osu has been such a success. That gives them the right to express their moral superiority over the rest of the world.Ummmm, then again, given the difference in opportunity that the "THE" boys have, any time they fail to win at least a Big Ten title, and especially in football a national title, it cannot really be called a "success". Tosu winning a national FB title is akin to Akron making it to a bowl game -- and losing to Memphis. Call it class envy if you wish. It's the spirit that is necessary to move up in class. I see the Akron spirit improving -- yes there's still negativity, but it's Football Championship Series negativity now, rather than Div I-AA or College Division negativity. You have to go through phases to move to the big time, and no one can deny that Akron is setting up the pieces to make their move.

[scottditzen]

We can all get our revenge on the haters by having fun on game day, and continuing to support the Zips.

[bigham78]

Was talking to some fellows while having lunch at a local watering hole today, and I brought up the subject of the new stadium, and how excited I am about it, and the future of Akron football and athletics generally. Wow. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Akron, a city that just seems to breed negative, pessimistic, pathetic bozos like these jokers, who simply have nothing good to say about anything or anybody.I not sure why this is bothering me so much, since the majority of people I've talked to are pretty juiced about the new stadium, or at least think it's a good idea and good for the city. But this isn't my first experience like this, and these a-holes have put me in a really crrappy mood. GO ZIPS!P.S. And yeah... they were Suckeyes fans. the OSU

Yeah!! Its OSU fault!! I love people on here. If I have said it once, I have said it a million times......OSU has been the big school in Ohio from the beginning. They play on national tv every week. They are ranked in the top 10 every year. They play in an enormous sold out stadium every week. They play the likes of Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, USC, Texas, etc... every year and play in big bowl games. They have names like Woody, Eddie George, Archie Griffin...blah, blah...They had 14 guys drafted in one year!!Akron has only been D1 for 20 years. We have had what?....2 or 3 winning seasons? We have been to one bowl game, which we lost to Memphis. We play in the worst conference in the country. We play teams like Can't State, Temple, Eastern Michigan, Morgan State and Buffalo every year. Up until now our stadium was a 30,000 seat decaying dump in the middle of a muddy field that we can't even sell out on a sunny day when we play our arch rival!! If we played on tv it was on ESPNU or Fox sports Ohio where nobody saw it. We haven't had as many players drafted in our history as OSU had in one year. I could go on and on.....Please....tell me why everyone should be all juiced up because we have a new stadium? You think because they live in Akron that they should abandon their generations of OSU fandome to root for Akron? My answer is why? Until we give people a reason to be excited, why should they be? A stadium is a good start, but it is only a building. Until we put year after year winners on the field, nobody will care. Say what you want, but that is the honest truth of the matter. We are excited because we went to Akron and we are sick of hearing about how we stink and are irrelevant. You can't make people excited and you can't make people care. Well, you CAN make them care. Its called winning and beating teams people know.Also, don't give me this "go away" speech. I dish out a grand a year for Akron season tickets. I am excited as hell for the season to start, but I am not naive enough to believe that everyone should be a Zips fan because they live in NE Ohio. I am also not blaming OSU for their success. That reminds me too much of class envy and I cant stand it.

All valid points except I strongly disagree that the MAC is the worst conference in the country.The SBC hands down is the worst conference in the country. MAC record VS SBC since the football conference was formed in 2001Akron is 2-1 Ball St 4-2Bowling Green 3-0Buffalo 0-0Cent Mich 1-1East Mich 1-1Can't St 1-1Miami 2-0NIU 1-0Ohio 1-0Toledo 0-1West Mich 0-0Temple 1-0Current MAC 15-7 Vs SBC since conference was formed in 2001.The SBC is a joke and despite having gotten a deal for extra bowl games. (Just more bowl blowouts)The SBC is a glorified scrimage for all teams in Div 1A including the MAC.They're good for an upset here and there. But, the SBC has had more then it's share of blowout losses. If, you just look back over the past four seasons the bad blowout losses are unreal.North Texas has given up over 50 points in blowout losses 12 times over the past 4 seasons. That's not even counting the blowout in the 40's where coaches that called off the dogs. You make a valid points. But, the SBC is the worst conference in Div 1A or FBS.

[ksu sucks]

If I see it referred to as "tOSU" one more time I might puke.

But at any rate, this is about more than just Akron U athletics. It is about Akron itself. I was actually less upset about the lack of enthusiasm for the stadium than I was about the pessimism and negativity about our town When people start bad-mouthing the place where they live and work and are raising their families, it's bordering on something pathological if they DON"T go away. I'm tired of it. If you're not, then I certainly believe you're entitled to a different opinion.Ironically, my oldest brother is an OSU alum and a huge OSU fan, and I think he's as excited about the new stadium and what it could mean for the program as I am. You see, he was born here, lives here and is raising his family here, too. He has this crazy idea that what is good for his city is good for him.

Bingo. You nailed it right on the head. Most of these OSU "fans" are not like your brother. They didn't go to school there. Just a bunch of imbeciles.

[ZachTheZip]

The "waste of money" argument always makes me laugh. They must have never got the memo that keeping the Rubber Bowl running would have cost far more than building a new stadium from scratch. The stadium was actually the cheaper option.Also, who's money is it wasting? There are still people out there who believe that all their taxes are going towards financing it, and that tuition is getting a massive hike to support it. These people are uninformed and they wish to remain that way. I mean, who wants things like facts interrupting their misery?

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

Class of 82, I grew up in Akron, moved away, lived on the West Coast for many years, and came back about four years ago. You are exactly right about the incredibly negative vibe that exists in NE Ohio. I don't know whether that's simply a product of 40+ years of bad economic and demographic news. It probably is.Don't let anyone intimate that somehow you should just be more positive, however. The negativity aspect of this area is a real downer, and I say that as someone who loves it here and plans to retire in the Akron area. STZ

Typical NE Ohio negativity: somebody makes fun of what you like and you let it get to you instead of brushing it off.

Well, kid, I guess I just wish people could take a little more pride in the community in which they live. I've lived in two other states, and the way so many Akronites dump on their own town is a phenomenon I've only witnessed here.I'm not negative about NE Ohio. Not in the least. I am negative about people who seem to actually hate their own hometown. I wish they would leave and not let the door hit their a** on the way out.