Zips football history book

[BostonZip]

University of Akron Press is publishing a book on UA football:Our Boys in Blue and Gold: A Chronicle of Zips FootballTara Kaloz, editorForeword by Jim TresselFrom Amazon:Product Description"Our Boys in Blue and Gold" chronicles Zips football from the late 1800s until today. Stories from the The Buchtelite have been carefully selected to provide a complete and unique picture of the university's crucial games and motley characters. Historic images fill the pages with a timeline of the game itself.About the AuthorTara Kaloz is a student in the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts creative writing program at the University of Akron. She writes fiction and is an avid fan of all things that come with autumn including football.Perfect Paperback: 144 pagesPublisher: University of Akron Press (September 17, 2009)

[GP1]

On the cover of this book is a color team photo. That photo is of the 1987 Zips which was the first season in D-IA.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I'll probably buy a copy. Disappointed to see Jim Tressel wrote the Foreward. Even on a book dedicated to the history of Zips football, Ohio State gets Page 1 coverage.

[johnnyzip84]

I'll probably buy a copy. Disappointed to see Jim Tressel wrote the Foreward. Even on a book dedicated to the history of Zips football, Ohio State gets Page 1 coverage.

I muttered to my wife when I saw this detail, "now I HAVE to go out and get one ". This does look like a must for Zip fans. I think it was smart of her (or whoeever) to have the release be timed with the opening of the Info. If anyone sees this in the campus bookstore, please post. I'd just as soon pick on up there, but I won't be able to get there until Monday.

[Zipgrad01]

I'll probably buy a copy. Disappointed to see Jim Tressel wrote the Foreward. Even on a book dedicated to the history of Zips football, Ohio State gets Page 1 coverage.

Good lord I have never seen so many jealous, crybaby OSU haters. Seriously, the guy was the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs coach here for 3 years. He also got his masters degree at Akron. Why would you even bring an anti-OSU comment into this? Also, why would you be disappointed that he wrote the forward? In the end, these people are trying to see books. What sells more books and is better for the program, Jim Tressel doing this or Lee Owens? I just dont get you people. I can't imagine a Miami (Oh) fanbase being upset because Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel or Bo Schembechler gave the forward in their book. I mean...they all 3 did coach there.

[g-mann17]

I'll probably buy a copy. Disappointed to see Jim Tressel wrote the Foreward. Even on a book dedicated to the history of Zips football, Ohio State gets Page 1 coverage.

Good lord I have never seen so many jealous, crybaby OSU haters. Seriously, the guy was the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs coach here for 3 years. He also got his masters degree at Akron. Why would you even bring an anti-OSU comment into this? Also, why would you be disappointed that he wrote the forward? In the end, these people are trying to see books. What sells more books and is better for the program, Jim Tressel doing this or Lee Owens? I just dont get you people. I can't imagine a Miami (Oh) fanbase being upset because Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel or Bo Schembechler gave the forward in their book. I mean...they all 3 did coach there.

:blink: :blink: Thank goodness OSU has you to protect it.I agree with you, Tressel is probably our most prestigious (living) coaching alumni. The problem being, he's still OSU's Coach. If he had retired ok. His tie to our school is 3 years. It would have been better to go and get oh, I don't know, NFL Man of the Year and future hall of famer Jason Taylor.Tressel is part of our history, and deserves some place in the book, but it does reek of "Please OSU fans, pay attention to us, Jim Tressel wrote something in here."And you have to realize that leaves a bad taste in a lot of hardcore Zips fans mouths.

[Zip Watcher]

I'll probably buy a copy. Disappointed to see Jim Tressel wrote the Foreward. Even on a book dedicated to the history of Zips football, Ohio State gets Page 1 coverage.

Good lord I have never seen so many jealous, crybaby OSU haters. Seriously, the guy was the quarterbacks, receivers and running backs coach here for 3 years. He also got his masters degree at Akron. Why would you even bring an anti-OSU comment into this? Also, why would you be disappointed that he wrote the forward? In the end, these people are trying to see books. What sells more books and is better for the program, Jim Tressel doing this or Lee Owens? I just dont get you people. I can't imagine a Miami (Oh) fanbase being upset because Woody Hayes, Jim Tressel or Bo Schembechler gave the forward in their book. I mean...they all 3 did coach there.

I agree .. the guy coached here, and is a UA Athletics Booster. Same with donating those books to Z-Fund awhile back. He's trying to help UA in any way he can. I say, Thanks Jim!Go Zips!

[g-mann17]

I agree .. the guy coached here, and is a UA Athletics Booster. Same with donating those books to Z-Fund awhile back. He's trying to help UA in any way he can. I say, Thanks Jim!Go Zips!

Yes, and it is great, and I wish more of our successful football alumni did the same thing. (or at least were more visible when they did it)

[Zips Win!]

I have a copy. While it will not make the NY Times best seller list, I would encourage all Zips fans to donate to the cause and buy one.My hats off for trying to assemble this info into a book. Not an easy task with the limited Zips media coverage over the years.And surprise, surprise...ZipGrad01 in true form supporting his buckeye coach. Just change your name to OSUfan01butIhavetomakeitlooklikeIsupporttheZips. Go away!I already ripped that page out of my copy and flushed it to where all buckeye stuff belongs. Woody writing a foreward in an MU book is fine. He was a head coach. Adding McSweatervest was done to sell books to "fans" like you know who. Very dissapointing...Jim Dennison should have been asked to write the forward.

[zip37]

I got my BA & MA from U of A, and was a season tcket holder before I was a student, I do not really care for THE Ohio State University, but I have a GREAT deal of respect for J.T. because I have heard him reference J. Dennison and the U of A. J. T. has done a great job at TOSU and because he is a former coach a UA I wish him well, I was glad he was here for the 3 years and iI bet J. Dennison was also. The football of that era was exceptional [check the record],

[Blue & Gold]

Zips Win, My thoughts exactly. Jim Dennison should have written the foreword.Perhaps Jeff Boals would agree to write a foreword to any forthcoming UA Basketball history books? Lol.

[g-mann17]

Zips Win, My thoughts exactly. Jim Dennison should have written the foreword.Perhaps Jeff Boals would agree to write a foreword to any forthcoming UA Basketball history books? Lol.

and afterward by Bubba Walther

[Zip N' Dots]

I was in the bookstore earlier this week and the book is already on the shelves.

[ZachTheZip]

I'll have to pick up this book at the bookstore next week.

[GP1]

In all seriousness, I've thought about writing a book about UofA football during the D-1A years. Maybe it's just me and my fondness of UofA, but I think it would be an extremely interesting topic in a way that goes beyond just Zips football to community support, short sighted administrators, interpersonal relationships of the players stuck in a losing program, the value of good media relations, how not to market a product, the cancer of unrealistic expectations, a team on the verge of becoming really good and then absolutly stinking within two years, excellent young coaches that went on to high level college and even the NFL, etc. I don't know if the book I would write would be interesting, but at least the topic would be. I could get players from the period of transition from I-AA to I-A to give reflective thoughts on the times and then connect those dots up until today and the new stadium.The past 22 years have been intersting for UofA football. Losing has been the norm, but the book wouldn't be negative either. There are some feel good stories over the years. How about a chapter on loyal UofA fans that have sat through some horrible games over the years and continue to come back for more? One was such a masochist that he started a web page in a period when nobody in their right mind would have gone to UofA football games (I'm not in a right mind so I was going as well). ZipsWin! has actually created a situation in the time of his kids life when all kids think their parents are strange and want nothing to do with them that they actually want to spend time with their parents at games.......this is a positive story.I believe the UofA football story over the past 22 years has been very interesting on some level. We could probably be the most interesting losing team during this time period. Seriously, think about it...we might be the most interesting losing team over the past 22 years. I don't know what word would describe it other than "interesting". I don't know of many schools that have made the transition to I-A that have had so much stacked against it and has had so many odd things happen, yet it is about to come out the other side of the worm hole in good shape.This could be a really good book. Too bad I'm too busy to write it.

[Zipgrad01]

I have a copy. While it will not make the NY Times best seller list, I would encourage all Zips fans to donate to the cause and buy one.My hats off for trying to assemble this info into a book. Not an easy task with the limited Zips media coverage over the years.And surprise, surprise...ZipGrad01 in true form supporting his buckeye coach. Just change your name to OSUfan01butIhavetomakeitlooklikeIsupporttheZips. Go away!I already ripped that page out of my copy and flushed it to where all buckeye stuff belongs. Woody writing a foreward in an MU book is fine. He was a head coach. Adding McSweatervest was done to sell books to "fans" like you know who. Very dissapointing...Jim Dennison should have been asked to write the forward.

Zips Win......the freaking guy got his coaching start and his masters from UA and you guys turn it into an Anti OSU tirade. The guy is a freaking former ZIP. I love how you MORONS trash your own because of jealousy. The guy speaks highly of the school and the program any time he gets a chance. I dont need to stand here and defend OSU or their coach. Tressel has won more national titles than we have had winning seasons. I just like calling out the crybabies. Trust me...I would have said the same thing if you guys would have pouted about another school.As for going away.....I dont think so. I spend my $1,500 a year on 6 priority reserved seats. If you dont think so and you think I am an OSU honk, just come to section 210, row 4 and ask to talk to me. I'll be the guy not wearing his OSU gear. Do you seriously think I would shell out that sort of dough if I didn't care about this program? Grow up and stop acting like a child.Yeah, I am sure all the Ohio football fans that would potentially buy this book give a rats ass what Jim Dennison has to say. 95% of them have never heard of the guy. I know it breaks your heart, but everyone knows Jim Tressel.To the person that mentioned Jason Taylor.......I hear you on that one. He would have been a great one. The problem is, not everyone knows him unless they follow the NFL. I am sure their target market was Ohio and far more people know Jim Tressel.

[zip37]

To the above post---AMEN.

[ZachTheZip]

There's only one person I see going on tirades.Why should I give a rats ass what Jim Tressel has to say about Akron? So people have heard of him, this book is not for those people. It's for Akron fans, fans who know who Dennison was and what he did for the program.

[g-mann17]

There's only one person I see going on tirades.Why should I give a rats ass what Jim Tressel has to say about Akron? So people have heard of him, this book is not for those people. It's for Akron fans, fans who know who Dennison was and what he did for the program.

Zach, fans who know also respect that Tressel is an Alumni, and one of the winningest coaches in the state.I would have preferred a retired coach or an NFL star (just to avoid looking like "me too" kind of thing), but you can't beat Tressel in regards to success from a coaching standpoint and he is one of the programs biggest cheerleaders.

[scottditzen]

Tara Kaloz I love you.Put me in the category of liking Jim T. Very smart to have him contribute imho. GP1 write your book, it could be a great one.

[ZachTheZip]

Associating the football program with Tressel does more harm than good. I'm glad he still like Akron since he left, but so long as he's an active head coach at another school, is name should not be thrown out there as someone who we look up to as an Akron greaty (positional coaches in general shouldn't go through this process, anyway). It feels like we're getting patronized, and I am sure the people that this move was designed to attract their attention also see it that way. It puts us below them. It's an active move by UA to put us beneath another school in some aspect, and that's fundamentally wrong.

[g-mann17]

Associating the football program with Tressel does more harm than good. I'm glad he still like Akron since he left, but so long as he's an active head coach at another school, is name should not be thrown out there as someone who we look up to as an Akron greaty (positional coaches in general shouldn't go through this process, anyway). It feels like we're getting patronized, and I am sure the people that this move was designed to attract their attention also see it that way. It puts us below them. It's an active move by UA to put us beneath another school in some aspect, and that's fundamentally wrong.

This coming from a person with a Heisman picture where he is wearing a Univesity of Pennsylvania shirt. Do you not see the irony here?He's an Akron great because he is a graduate of the university not because he was a position coach.

[ZachTheZip]

This coming from a person with a Heisman picture where he is wearing a Univesity of Pennsylvania shirt. Do you not see the irony here?He's an Akron great because he is a graduate of the university not because he was a position coach.

Heisman is standing in front of old Buchtel Hall, and that picture was taken from the UA website.So Tressel graduated from Akron as a grad student. He was still only a position coach here.

[akronad]

I personally think too much is being made about nothing. Those of you that are complaing about Tressel are thinned skinned. You are probably the first ones to blame a loss on a blown call by a referee rather than looking at the enitre game. You remind me of the people in Cleveland back in the 70's & 80's complaing because they were the butt of comedian's jokes. Lighten up and enjoy life and especially enjoy the fact that a book WAS written about Zips football.

[g-mann17]

This coming from a person with a Heisman picture where he is wearing a Univesity of Pennsylvania shirt. Do you not see the irony here?He's an Akron great because he is a graduate of the university not because he was a position coach.

Heisman is standing in front of old Buchtel Hall, and that picture was taken from the UA website.So Tressel graduated from Akron as a grad student. He was still only a position coach here.

The point is, even Heisman had ties to other schools (even while being here). Hell Heisman coached at 6 universities after us. And this was during an era when there wasn't even a thing called a "position coach" you were a coach or a player.Tressel is Alumni, he received his Masters here, he wanted to be a coach so he was a grad assistant under Dennison. The only tie that Heisman has to the school is 1 and half years of coaching, in which he wasn't happy because of the administration.Do I have respect for the Heisman legacy, hell yes, he would have stayed here for several years if not for the administration. However, you can't sit here and bad mouth Tressel when he is A) an alumi and B ) was here longer than Heisman. Do I hate OSU front running (never even went to the school but are college students elsewhere) fans? Yes. Do I think they used Tressel to help sell the book to people outside of the hardcore Akron fan? Yes. Does it bring the school money and recognition to our program? Yes. Will it build a fan base (even if only casual)? I sure as hell hope so.