Sad or Angry?

[GoZips]

I am confused.

I do not know whether to be terribly sad or just plain angry?

And, who should I direct my anger toward?

Earlier I posted a comment , sort of tongue in cheek, about Akron having an AD.

The longer I have thought about that question the angrier I am becoming.

I already decided (months ago) to not renew my football season tickets.

Why? Because Ron Ianello is a joke. Akron suffered through six seasons

with an inexperienced coach who floundered repeatedly. A coach who's best

asset is his rather attractive wife. Looks good at press conferences; but,

contributes nothing on the field.

What ever success JD Brookhart had came on the back of Lee Owens.

Now, mind you, Lee was no great coach. He recruited decent talent and

had a decent staff. The Zips even won sometimes. Had Lee ever read up on

what a pass rush is and learned to not make stupid gambles on fourth down,

he probably would still be the Zips football coach.

JD, on the other hand, was an even worse fourth down gambler than Lee was.

If that is even possible. JD brought a new dimension to Zip football. Bad plays.

Stupid plays. Incredibly bad plays. Worse, JD saw himself as a "healer".

JD tried to rehab a wayward player. What he should have done was cut

the kid loose the first time the kid got caught. "This ain't no kindy-garden",

to quote a line from the movie Rudy.

Now, having suffered through the JD era the vaunted or is it vaulted minds

chose another green horn head coach. Stupid. It causes me to be angry.

Why? Why do we Zips fans have to be the laughing stock of a terrible conference?

Is there something in the water? Why repeat a bad decision?

May be Akron deserves to be a laughing stock.

Gloom and doom and the first play has yet to be run. Bad decisions, player defections,

inept text messaging. There is absolutely no feeling that the season is going to be

even mediocre. Putrid is the likely end result.

I challenge Ron Ianello to prove me wrong. Frankly, I do not think he is up to the task.

I think RI still struts around in his Rudy jacket. He is not even aware that this is Akron.

[ZachTheZip]

I am confused.

You're not the only one.

[akzipper]

What has Rob Ianello done to make you mad? He hasn't coached a game yet and who did you expect the Zips to hire Charlie Weis or something. Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Give the guy a chance before you hate. People are mad he's not marketing the team, but thats not his job. He's a coach, he came into a mess of a football team and there's a lot more important things to do before he can worry about meaningless golf outings. You can get mad at the Athletics dept too, but I'm sure they're working hard.

The key to selling a sport is winning. Everyone in Ohio knows Akron has a football team, so a billboard to remind them is a waste of money. Can't has billboards, they suck, and no one goes to the games and we still outdraw them. Everyone goes to soccer games, but when was the last time we saw an ad for them? the team sells itself.

[zippy5]

dude. he hasn't even coached a game yet.

[Zipgrad01]

dude. he hasn't even coached a game yet.

+1

The guy hasnt even coached a game yet and you call him a joke? The only joke I see is this rant. Come back in 3 years and spout off if we are in the same situation as we are in currently. Until then, chill and see what happens. Give the freaking guy a chance.

[zip37]

I gave up my season FB tix 3 yrs back, but I'm willing to give the man a chance. The program has been a MESS since J. Dennison was canned, maybe it's just deserts.

[Big Zip]

So here is my confusion....GoZips might be confused and may have his anger in Akron athletics misplaced, but perhaps the better answer would be to provide him with reasons to believe in RI. Has RI done anything in his short time at this school to make you believe he can turn it around. Isn't there something to him actually selling us the die hards on the team? I know we aren't going anywhere (at least not most of us) but shouldn't we be the people he wants to make in evangelists and aside from winning (which they haven't) evangelists are what this organization needs. So where are the reasons to be excited about this upcoming season?

[Kangaroo Craig]

Like I said in a previous post. Lets see where the guy stands six games in and then 12 games in before we rush to judgement. I'm even willing to basically give the guy a pass the first year. Especially if he decides to "blow everything up" and start over.

[wadscarman]

GoZips, after all the years of Akron athletics you have been through, I would hope you would be a little more optimistic than angry or sad. RI and staff need to pick up the pieces left by the JD era and no, RI is not the most personable PR kind of guy, however, he, the staff and players are diligently working toward a much more successful program. At least he has not been out blowing smoke up everyones you know what saying how great they are as coaches and making all kinds of guarantees, blah, blah, blah. Would I like to see undefeated seasons, most definitely, however, I would be ecstatic if we are just competitive and in games, and wins will come, than the embarrassment from the JD era. Get on the phone, renew your tickets and be the fan you have been for years and years.

[ZachTheZip]

I want to be optimistic, but I'm more apathetic toward Zips football than I've ever been. I am turned off by rumors of an athletic department in complete disarray, a football coaching staff that is way too full of themselves, and the lack of any signs that either of those two groups are interested in getting their proven fans excited about the season. I was turned off by the process used to hire the football coach, the kind of qualities that they believe are needed to coach this team (hint: we already had a no-experience "great recruiter" who was a position coach way down the line in the failed Belichik coaching tree, and look how well that worked), and the emphasis put on being in the AD's circle of friends to be considered seriously.

Ianello is already repeating his predecessor's mistakes (taking a transfer with a questionable past for a "quick fix", taking top recruits who never saw the field because of poor academics like Erick Howard, etc), ensuring that the program won't progress for many more years. The parallels to the early Brookhart years are abundant. I can't be optimistic and "give this guy a chance" because I've seen this before and watched it crash and burn over the past several years. The only difference this time is that Ianello didn't bring a few great transfers from his last job to help him luck into a MAC championship.

Ianello thinks, just like JD did, that he can win fast and get out. Akron's problems run too deep for that to work. We'll be lucky to go 2-10 this season.

[Z.I.P.]

Public relations is not the job of the football coach. At least it's not at Notre Dame. Uh-oh, did that AD Dude tell RI, that at Akron, PR was part of the job description for the FB coach? Welcome to Not South Bend coach.

[Zipmeister]

Sad or Angry?

Based on your comments, you sound a tad....

Angry, and irrational.

[Zip_ME87]

Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Although I agree that RI deserves a chance, I disagree with believing "we got the best that was out there". IMHO, Wistrcill did not give due diligence to the search for a head coach. He took the easy way out and hired a former acquaintance. I don't like RI's qualifications (i.e., "lack thereof") and am not excited about football season. I did renew my season ticket, but I fully expect to just go and watch with little to get excited about. I'm certain there were numerous successful head coaches at FCS and lower division schools who would have taken the opportunity to move to FBS. Although nothing is guaranteed, a successful HC from a lower division would have given me more confidence in his abilities to "run" a football team.

[skip-zip]

I am confused.

I do not know whether to be terribly sad or just plain angry?

And, who should I direct my anger toward?

Earlier I posted a comment , sort of tongue in cheek, about Akron having an AD.

The longer I have thought about that question the angrier I am becoming.

I already decided (months ago) to not renew my football season tickets.

Why? Because Ron Ianello is a joke. Akron suffered through six seasons

with an inexperienced coach who floundered repeatedly. A coach who's best

asset is his rather attractive wife. Looks good at press conferences; but,

contributes nothing on the field.

What ever success JD Brookhart had came on the back of Lee Owens.

Now, mind you, Lee was no great coach. He recruited decent talent and

had a decent staff. The Zips even won sometimes. Had Lee ever read up on

what a pass rush is and learned to not make stupid gambles on fourth down,

he probably would still be the Zips football coach.

JD, on the other hand, was an even worse fourth down gambler than Lee was.

If that is even possible. JD brought a new dimension to Zip football. Bad plays.

Stupid plays. Incredibly bad plays. Worse, JD saw himself as a "healer".

JD tried to rehab a wayward player. What he should have done was cut

the kid loose the first time the kid got caught. "This ain't no kindy-garden",

to quote a line from the movie Rudy.

Now, having suffered through the JD era the vaunted or is it vaulted minds

chose another green horn head coach. Stupid. It causes me to be angry.

Why? Why do we Zips fans have to be the laughing stock of a terrible conference?

Is there something in the water? Why repeat a bad decision?

May be Akron deserves to be a laughing stock.

Gloom and doom and the first play has yet to be run. Bad decisions, player defections,

inept text messaging. There is absolutely no feeling that the season is going to be

even mediocre. Putrid is the likely end result.

I challenge Ron Ianello to prove me wrong. Frankly, I do not think he is up to the task.

I think RI still struts around in his Rudy jacket. He is not even aware that this is Akron.

Sorry. I had to stop reading after I got to this line I highlighted above.

Looks like we have another Zips fan who needs to be reminded about the addition of names like Getsy and Biggs. And the transition of a guy named Hixon to WR...a move that would eventually help land him in the NFL.

[akzipper]

Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Although I agree that RI deserves a chance, I disagree with believing "we got the best that was out there". IMHO, Wistrcill did not give due diligence to the search for a head coach. He took the easy way out and hired a former acquaintance. I don't like RI's qualifications (i.e., "lack thereof") and am not excited about football season. I did renew my season ticket, but I fully expect to just go and watch with little to get excited about. I'm certain there were numerous successful head coaches at FCS and lower division schools who would have taken the opportunity to move to FBS. Although nothing is guaranteed, a successful HC from a lower division would have given me more confidence in his abilities to "run" a football team.

People around here lost credibility when you guys starting calling for Larry Kehres of Mt Union and guys alike. I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football. The only way I could accept even a FCS coach is if they had a handful of National Championships and even then I might not think too much of them. We needed someone from a big school.

[Dr Z]

I am confused. I do not know whether to be terribly sad or just plain angry? And, who should I direct my anger toward? Why? Because Ron Ianello is a joke. Akron suffered through six seasons with an inexperienced coach who floundered repeatedly. A coach who's best asset is his rather attractive wife. Looks good at press conferences; but, contributes nothing on the field.

Let me help. Sometimes you get mad, then you realize the error of your ways. Maybe it will happen again.

[Zip_ME87]

Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Although I agree that RI deserves a chance, I disagree with believing "we got the best that was out there". IMHO, Wistrcill did not give due diligence to the search for a head coach. He took the easy way out and hired a former acquaintance. I don't like RI's qualifications (i.e., "lack thereof") and am not excited about football season. I did renew my season ticket, but I fully expect to just go and watch with little to get excited about. I'm certain there were numerous successful head coaches at FCS and lower division schools who would have taken the opportunity to move to FBS. Although nothing is guaranteed, a successful HC from a lower division would have given me more confidence in his abilities to "run" a football team.

People around here lost credibility when you guys starting calling for Larry Kehres of Mt Union and guys alike. I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football. The only way I could accept even a FCS coach is if they had a handful of National Championships and even then I might not think too much of them. We needed someone from a big school.

Well, we agree to DISAGREE then. You may think you're all-knowing, but you're not. We'll see how this plays out. The only part of your statement upon which we agree is your use of the waterboy analogy...it's close to the mark.

[g-mann17]

Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Although I agree that RI deserves a chance, I disagree with believing "we got the best that was out there". IMHO, Wistrcill did not give due diligence to the search for a head coach. He took the easy way out and hired a former acquaintance. I don't like RI's qualifications (i.e., "lack thereof") and am not excited about football season. I did renew my season ticket, but I fully expect to just go and watch with little to get excited about. I'm certain there were numerous successful head coaches at FCS and lower division schools who would have taken the opportunity to move to FBS. Although nothing is guaranteed, a successful HC from a lower division would have given me more confidence in his abilities to "run" a football team.

People around here lost credibility when you guys starting calling for Larry Kehres of Mt Union and guys alike. I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football. The only way I could accept even a FCS coach is if they had a handful of National Championships and even then I might not think too much of them. We needed someone from a big school.

Well, we agree to DISAGREE then. You may think you're all-knowing, but you're not. We'll see how this plays out. The only part of your statement upon which we agree is your use of the waterboy analogy...it's close to the mark.

Yeah Assistant Head Coach and Interim Head Coach is so close to waterboy.

[Zip_ME87]

Like it or not we are in the MAC, we don't have that many good coaches to hire from. I think we got the best that was out there, and frankly I think we got some of the best assistants too.

Although I agree that RI deserves a chance, I disagree with believing "we got the best that was out there". IMHO, Wistrcill did not give due diligence to the search for a head coach. He took the easy way out and hired a former acquaintance. I don't like RI's qualifications (i.e., "lack thereof") and am not excited about football season. I did renew my season ticket, but I fully expect to just go and watch with little to get excited about. I'm certain there were numerous successful head coaches at FCS and lower division schools who would have taken the opportunity to move to FBS. Although nothing is guaranteed, a successful HC from a lower division would have given me more confidence in his abilities to "run" a football team.

People around here lost credibility when you guys starting calling for Larry Kehres of Mt Union and guys alike. I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football. The only way I could accept even a FCS coach is if they had a handful of National Championships and even then I might not think too much of them. We needed someone from a big school.

Well, we agree to DISAGREE then. You may think you're all-knowing, but you're not. We'll see how this plays out. The only part of your statement upon which we agree is your use of the waterboy analogy...it's close to the mark.

Yeah Assistant Head Coach and Interim Head Coach is so close to waterboy.

Assistant HC - offense; what is that? Interim HC...when? during which games did he serve as HC? I've already shared more of my misgivings than I ever wanted to on this forum. As I said, I renewed my season ticket and will see how it plays out. I will gladly "eat crow" if/when my expectations are more than exceeded.

[xu9697]

So here is my confusion....GoZips might be confused and may have his anger in Akron athletics misplaced, but perhaps the better answer would be to provide him with reasons to believe in RI. Has RI done anything in his short time at this school to make you believe he can turn it around. Isn't there something to him actually selling us the die hards on the team? I know we aren't going anywhere (at least not most of us) but shouldn't we be the people he wants to make in evangelists and aside from winning (which they haven't) evangelists are what this organization needs. So where are the reasons to be excited about this upcoming season?

I think there are 3 main reasons to be excited:

1. 4-3 defense

2. Pro style offense

3. Nice hires for the assistants

At this point, there is so little to go on either way. Those are 3 reasons I like the hire, and at least 3 BEGINNING reasons for me to believe in RI.

[Dave in Green]

Another exhibit for ZW's "Quit on the Zips HOF"?

[Zip Watcher]

Once enshrined, honorees need do nothing to maintain their membership.

[ZachTheZip]

I don't care if RI was a waterboy at Notre Dame, he has a better resume than some guy who coaches D2 or D3 football.... We needed someone from a big school.

No. We needed someone who has proven that they know how to run a football program as a head coach. How in love are you with Notre Dame that you believe that Ianello is at all qualified to do that just by virtue of him cleaning Charlie Weis' man-bras? Notre Dame is not what it used to be, it's not some great college football mecca, and hasn't been for 20 years. Stop living in the past. Notre Dame is just a step above the MAC, and a step behind the big Ten.

Being at a "big program" just means that they don't understand what it takes to run a program that isn't big. At all his previous jobs, Ianello's recruits were falling over themselves to join a BCS school or Notre Dame. He didn't have to work to get recruits at all.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I'm for certain not entirely on-board with GoZips post. But the fact that there's a negative... or at-best an "indifferent" vibe surrounding the upcoming football season seems to be an inescapable fact.

We have a head coach that no one knows anything about... except that he struggles with texting. He's as visible as the vapor trail LeBron left a couple weeks ago. That doesn't get anyone psyched for Opening Day.

The cancellation of the golf outing was a big-time opportunity-lost to connect with the better fans (funny that the basketball program, with a fraction of the staff, can pull an outing of equal or greater size off without affecting their ability to perform their job). The football program could have held a golf outing... even a low-budget one... and used it to pump the fans up (like all other D-1 football programs do).

The majority of fans don't care about huge prizes and skins. They want to bend the coach's ear for 5 minutes on hole #5... get drunk... get a t-shirt or cheap door prize...and eat some food afterwards. An outing at Mayfair or Raintree, with burgers, dogs and keg beer would have been a home run, and easily within anyone's budget.

To be fair... that cute "Women's Football 101" seemed to be a HUGE success. I saw the pink shirts.

Booting longtime supporters, who's checks written to the University easily exceed $1,000 annually, out of their InfoCision parking lot gave many good people a taste of their value to today's UA.

Reading Rasor's blog you see his inferences that there is a "3-year plan" to win. And the best players may not see the field in order to get younger guys experience. If true... and I have not heard that from anyone's mouth that matters (RI, YouTube Tom)... shoot me now. Today's Zips have sufficient talent to compete in the MAC East. I'm tired of 3-year plans.

I'm trying to get pumped for the opener vs. Syracuse. But I'm relegated to psyching myself up. UA isn't helping much... or at all.

Is YouTube Tom the next Dennis Helsel... or Mike Thomas? Being totally honest... he sure could have gotten off on a better foot with me. But you play with the cards you're dealt.

I was tailgating at the Rubber Bowl long before an 18-year old TW enrolled at St Mary's college, and I'll be tailgating at InfoCision long after he departs UA. See everyone in Lot # 7,346!

[Dr Z]

Reading Rasor's blog you see his inferences that there is a "3-year plan" to win. And the best players may not see the field in order to get younger guys experience. If true... and I have not heard that from anyone's mouth that matters (RI, YouTube Tom)... shoot me now. Today's Zips have sufficient talent to compete in the MAC East. I'm tired of 3-year plans.

Reminds me of one of my favorite John McKay quotes: "I had a five-year plan" he said about his work in building the Buccaneers and taking them to the NFC Championship Game in just their fourth season. "But that was because I had a five-year contract. If I had had a three-year contract, I would have had a three year plan."

The cancellation of the golf outing was a big-time opportunity-lost to connect with the better fans (funny that the basketball program, with a fraction of the staff, can pull an outing of equal or greater size off without affecting their ability to perform their job). The football program could have held a golf outing... even a low-budget one... and used it to pump the fans up (like all other D-1 football programs do).

I was playing golf last week with a guy who mentioned that he played golf with Gerry Faust last month, the other guy in my group responded, "why doesn't the football program let Gerry run the golf outing if they don't have interest in doing it" I thought that was a decent idea.

PS One of my favorite shows on radio is "Movin' The Chains" on NFL radio. Pat Kirwan does a great job of taking bad call and turning it into good information. Your post reminds me of that.