xu9697 Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 There is no reason why, in 5-10 years, UA cannot become the new Syracuse. What do I mean? Well, I think, eventually the BIG EAST conference will drop its basketball only members and add 4 new members who play football & basketball. Major national writers have written about this very subject, so I am no "visionary". Who are they going to choose from? Well, unless ND says yes (unlikely) they will be looking at MAC schools and schools like Marshall, Memphis and Southern Miss. Assuming Memphis is a lock (great basketball, solid football, natural rival with Louisville), and maybe some other possible team, there will be 2 MAC teams to choose from. They will choose from Akron, Miami, BG, Toledo and OU. Miami fits nicely because of their academics, renovated football stadium, history (cradle of coaches), natural rivalry with Cincinnati. I put them as the favorite. I think another "city" school would be the next best option= Toledo or Akron. The conference has a nice mix of medium city schools (Syracuse, Pitt, Louisville) along with college town schools (UConn, WVU). Right now, Toledo might have a slight edge, BUT Akron is MAC champions, their basketball is riding high and their men's soccer program only can help enhancethe profile. What is needed? Continued success in basketball and football...and a new football stadium. So, why are they the next Syracuse? Besides the similarities in city size, they can be the next school to build an on-campus (or very near campus) dome. It can be done! I envision a 35-40,000 seat dome (SU seats 50) that can be adjusted for basketball as well (18-20,000). Not only does this dome help UA, but the city can now host NCAA tourney games, hs football games (state championship?!), etc. Think big Akron...I know the whole Cleveland/Akron area needs a boost in jobs & schools performance. This stadium will not be the largest priority, and it would take some major $ from some big time individuals and companies. I realize this would not be easy, but it can be done. It would be great for the city, the region and the state! I know some will dismiss this e-mail and say it is ridiculous. But as a Boston College fan (Dad played football there), I never envisioned them being in the ACC and being the football program that they are now (thank you Doug Flutie). As a Xavier grad, I never envisioned playing the likes of Purdue, Illinois, etc...for home-and-home series, and beating out teams like OSU and Kentucky for recruits. And, though I have no connection with this program, I doubt many out there saw teams like Gonzaga growing to what they have. Just one man's opinion. GO ZIPS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zip37 Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 Nice to read something from someone who has VISIOMN--Mike Thomas' strong suit. With ball ammunition lock and load. P.S. Mike Waddell has VISION. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 If we build some sterile multi-purpose dome I'd kill myself. Thank God Don Plusquellic "Don Dome" idea is stone dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckzip Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 I see UA as more like the next Pitt. Above the mid majors, but not quite a top team. Able to compete with some top teams on occasion, but not the norm. Maybe an occasional trip to the top25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipsrifle Posted December 3, 2005 Report Share Posted December 3, 2005 We've still got a Bowl game to play in. Lets win that first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Zip Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 CK -- were you in Detroit? That dome was amazing -- I think the idea of indoor football in NE Ohio is as good as it gets. The only people who don't want indoor stadiums in cold weather climates are people who already have them -- Detroit didn't replace their dome with a outdoor stadium did they? A simple aside to Cleveland fans who always tell me you need big time runnnig game in Cleveland for the winter months -- yeah -- that's what they had when the were successful in Buffalo, New England and Green Bay -- how funny is it that the teams that win (aside from Pittsburgh and they always choke with Cowher in the big game) throw the ball well. When Pittsburgh did win they had Stallworth, Swan, Cunningham et all. to go with their running game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToledoRockets Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 One good game and you think your school is a next Syracuse. Dude, let me clue you in on something...your school (regardless of winning on Thursday) barely belongs in the MAC. You are 13-10 the last two years and that is about the best record in your history and you average about 8,000 fans a game for football. The campus is the worst in the MAC, the Rubber Bowl is the worst in the MAC and your other sports are for crap except soccer. You guys need to worry about continuing to pray that the MAC wants to keep 12 schools or you and Buffalo are the first to go. Word in this neck of the woods is that you guys going to the Motor City Bowl is the WORST thing that could possibly happen for the MAC. The MCB DOES NOT WANT YOU but is obligated to take you. Now, the MCB is not so excited about renewing the contract to take the top remaining MAC team from the MAC Championship game. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame as it will be nothing but continued mediocrity afterwards... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zips fan Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Rocket, Have you ever walked around Toledo's campus and Akron's campus? I have been on both with the past 6 months-it not that close-our campus is significantly better. Have you ever walked around the city of Toledo and the city of Akron. Akron is obviously a much nicer city. The top drawing sports are football and basketball, which we are better than Toledo in as well. I am not claiming anything about the Big East, but I can tell the Zips are a great fit in the MAC. The University of Akron has alot going for it right now. I can see how a person being associated with a school like yours would be jealous. GO ZIPS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToledoRockets Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Jealous? Football and basketball are better draws in Akron? Firsty of all, you have obviously not walked around the University of Toledo campus as it is way, way nicer than Akron. It is no where near the city of Toledo as opposed to Akron which is in basically the hood. Walk around the neighborhood surrounding the University of Toledo and you will see million dollar homes. Walk around Akron's neighborhood and get shot. For you to even imply that Akron's campus is nicer than Toledo only tells me that you have obviously never been to Toledo's campus. What exactly do you guys have going for you again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Morgan Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Sorry we're a little bit excited over here Rocketfan, hope we didn't get too noisy. But you have to understand, this is a ZIPBOARD. I can see your comments about getting ahead of ourselves if we were talking smack on the MAC board but for the most part we've kept to ourselves. And sorry for getting a little excited, maybe we shouldn't take this MAC championship thing so seriously As for the "my campus is better than yours, my city is better than yours", we've heard it all before (what did you steal page out of the OU playbook), so spare us the Akron is a $hithole comments. Now I see why NIU fans complained about you Toledo fans so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziplock Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 Jealous? Football and basketball are better draws in Akron? Firsty of all, you have obviously not walked around the University of Toledo campus as it is way, way nicer than Akron. It is no where near the city of Toledo as opposed to Akron which is in basically the hood. Walk around the neighborhood surrounding the University of Toledo and you will see million dollar homes. Walk around Akron's neighborhood and get shot. For you to even imply that Akron's campus is nicer than Toledo only tells me that you have obviously never been to Toledo's campus. What exactly do you guys have going for you again? Hey man, meet me at Portside and we'll settle this matter. Oh wait, that multi-million dollar debacle closed, I forgot. What an embarrassment for your sad suburb of Detroit. Oh, BTW, eat me!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipper Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 To all you Dome Lovers, domed stadiums cost like ten times as much as the one Akron wants to build on campus. I'm sure if any of us can come up with the donation, they'll build a domed stadium . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 One good game and you think your school is a next Syracuse. Dude, let me clue you in on something...your school (regardless of winning on Thursday) barely belongs in the MAC. You are 13-10 the last two years and that is about the best record in your history and you average about 8,000 fans a game for football. The campus is the worst in the MAC, the Rubber Bowl is the worst in the MAC and your other sports are for crap except soccer. You guys need to worry about continuing to pray that the MAC wants to keep 12 schools or you and Buffalo are the first to go. Word in this neck of the woods is that you guys going to the Motor City Bowl is the WORST thing that could possibly happen for the MAC. The MCB DOES NOT WANT YOU but is obligated to take you. Now, the MCB is not so excited about renewing the contract to take the top remaining MAC team from the MAC Championship game. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame as it will be nothing but continued mediocrity afterwards... Are we the next Syracuse? Probably not, but who cares? What we are though is on the brink of being the next dominant team in at least the MAC East if not the Conference, and that's all I care about. While ever team is on the down slide, we are moving up in talent and facilities. We just won the MAC Championship, it doesn't get any better than that. If I was a fan of another MAC school, I would be scared of what Akron has done in the past two seasons. Coach of the Year last year (should have been this year also), top recruiting class, another great recruiting class coming, MAC East Championship, MAC Championship, we were the team that drummed Marshall out of the league, new campus practice facility, new stadium on the way, improved campus that attracts the type of non "suburban" kid necessary to have a winning program, the list could go on and on. Fear the Roo. As far as the Motor City Bowl not wanting us there, tough shit. We'll see them on the 26th. If the MAC does not want us there, tough shit. We'll see all of them next season with our even more improved team. Next season our schedule will be much more favorable than this season. If the MAC doesn't want us in the league, tough shit. Kick us out and prove that you are all scared of us...that will make the Conference look like a bunch of Bush Leaguers. Could we be the next Marshall in that the rest of the league hates us? I hope, because Marshall was hated because we were all jealous of them because they won year after year. Being the most hated team is really a good thing. If you read other school's fan boards, schools like Toledo, Miami, NIU, BGSU and OU all think they are one day going to be in the Big East. If they want to go to that conference, let them. They will all become the bottom feeders of their conference the same way Marshall has in Conference DOA. What did Marshall get for that move.....nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted December 4, 2005 Report Share Posted December 4, 2005 *******WARNING******* DO NOT FEED THE TROLL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xu9697 Posted December 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Let me be clear on something: I went to Xavier, and I have no association with the University of Akron (per say). Why do I care so much? Well, I care about my city...which is Cleveland (an inner ring suburbanite). I also love college football, and college sports in general. How does that have me caring about Akron? Well, let me first say that I have been to the campus and city only a few times, the most recent being this past summer. I was amazed by the change in the campus and some of the improvements in the city (downtown park= amazing!). I have also been to Syracuse 3 times in the last couple years. I can see the similarities between the cities and the possibilities that can happen, and I have a passion for urban and university design. Cleveland and Akron are tied together...and I believe that is a positive thing. I want Akron football to be the football team that Clevelanders follow. OSU can still be #1, but no reason Akron cannot be #2. My "adoption" of Akron has little to do with this past Thursday's game. It has more to do with the program and the school in general. As for a dome...I grew up hating domes, but they offer so much more versatility. I've been to Ford Field, and it is very well done, including a great deal of natural light. Look at what Indianapolis is doing with their new dome= it will be retractable, but even when closed it will be letting in tons of light. Just like baseball parks have changed over the last 10-15 years, so have domes in the last few. I see Akron as having the potential to break ground for this new kind of dome! As for Toledo...nothing against the city and university per say, but I've always seen Toledo as being more a part of Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipsrifle Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 I think I would like a Dome in Akron, but doubt it will be built. Money is the reason. Here are a few tidbits to chew on and what I think of them. Domed Stadium: Downsides: Costs a lot more to build than an open air stadium. Need air handling equpment, put a roof on, and then you've got to heat and cool the thing... :blink: ...those of you who own homes know what I'm getting to. Advantages: Obviously it's climate controlled so you'll pull in more people since we are all pampered Americans. There will be more event held there, concerts and the like since it will be indoors and we may even get some type of NCAA event. It would be great for the university and the city. Any new news on the MLS team looking for a place near Akron/Cleveland to play?? I agree we should keep our facility at Lee Jackson, but this could influence the decision. Open Air stadium: Disadvantage: Weather. Can't, Army....need I say more. I had almost my entire family leave after the Army tailgate because they didn't want to sit in the rain....I don't blame them. Advantages: It's cheap, and on those warm fall days, you can't beat it! The game at Miami this year was really amazing! You'll still pull in concerts and the like, only for about 6 months of the year though. In the end, building any stadium really doesn't make a lot of financial sense. Look at Browns Stadium. It's on prime lakefront property and only gets used probaby 15-20 days of the year. The rest of the time it's empty. Sure there is the added commerce during event days, but would putting 100 million into something else help more?? Don't get me wrong, a stadium is badly needed if Akron wants to continue playing football and it will be a boost for the city and the university when it's built. I would prefer a dome, but doubt it will happen. Those are my thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Regarding Akron being "the new Syracuse"...all I can say it the win last Thursday in Detroit was the greatest win in Syracuse history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Morgan Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Regarding Akron being "the new Syracuse"...all I can say it the win last Thursday in Detroit was the greatest win in Syracuse history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msopher Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Jealous? Football and basketball are better draws in Akron? Firsty of all, you have obviously not walked around the University of Toledo campus as it is way, way nicer than Akron. It is no where near the city of Toledo as opposed to Akron which is in basically the hood. Walk around the neighborhood surrounding the University of Toledo and you will see million dollar homes. Walk around Akron's neighborhood and get shot. For you to even imply that Akron's campus is nicer than Toledo only tells me that you have obviously never been to Toledo's campus. What exactly do you guys have going for you again? As a diehard fan of Toledo and a new fan of Akron, please do all of us a favor and shut the hell up. You're embarassing Toledo fans and giving them a bad name. Akron's campus is nicer and more appealing than Toledo. I know this because I spent 6 years in Toledo getting 2 degrees and am now at Akron on my PhD. But who really cares which campus is better? Also, your comment on walking outside of Toledo's campus and seeing million dollar homes draws these reactions: Perhaps, three room houses with trash littering the yard falls under your category of "million dollar" homes, but to everyone else, the campus is located near a lot of poverty. Furthermore, don't knock Akron for attendance and a lack of success. They will get there. The university is on the upward, and UA athletics will be among the Miamis and BG's of the East for the next decade. Please do all Toledo and Akron fans a favor by enrolling in some classes at Toledo and start earning an education because you clearly do not have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xu9697 Posted December 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 http://collegefootball.stxwebworks.com/akron.htm Sept 18 2010= looks like a great opportunity to open the new stadium (indoor or outdoor!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToledoRockets Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 I think msopher is full of it. The West side of campus is Ottawa Hills which is full of seven-figure homes including the home Tom Cruise just bought which is two blocks from campus. The entire North side of campus is Old Orchard which is a beautiful community full of lawyers, doctors, professors, etc.. The East side of campus is all student living for the most part as well as the engineering school and the multi-million dollar codo complex just built for students for luxury living. The South side of campus is the lower income side but not too bad. The University of Toledo is NOT close to poverty like Akron is. Not even close. In addition, the campus is completely enclosed with no real mixing into the area like at Akron. Yes, Akron has made some improvements but, like one of our football coach said last year, "...It is still Akron..." Your program will not be one of the top programs in the MAC on a consistent basis. Not even close. Like I said before, it takes more than one good game to make a program. You guys are 13-10 in your last 23 games and 20-15 in your last 35 games. Big deal ! You had to BEG your students and fans to go to the MAC Championship game and it was the absolute worst attendance for a Championship game in history. Like I said, enjoy your 15-minutes of fame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 You had to BEG your students and fans to go to the MAC Championship game and it was the absolute worst attendance for a Championship game in history. Worse than the championship played at the Glass Bowl a few years ago when it was half empty for the Marshall vs. Toledo game? Even with Toledo Tom taking up 25% of the stadium, it was still only half full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckzip Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Jealous, pathetic, loser. Go cry on the UT board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Morgan Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Yes, Akron has made some improvements but, like one of our football coach said last year, "...It is still Akron..." Your program will not be one of the top programs in the MAC on a consistent basis. Not even close. Like I said before, it takes more than one good game to make a program. You guys are 13-10 in your last 23 games and 20-15 in your last 35 games. Big deal ! You had to BEG your students and fans to go to the MAC Championship game and it was the absolute worst attendance for a Championship game in history. Like I said, enjoy your 15-minutes of fame. I love how fans from other boards come in here and talk smack and tell us how bad we suck. It's interesting that when we DID suck..........none of you came around. I guess this is what to expect when you have some success. I hope you guys keep coming in here and run your mouth for years to come...that's how we'll know we made it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToledoRockets Posted December 5, 2005 Report Share Posted December 5, 2005 Half empty? There were 21,000 people in a stadium that seats 26,000. It was also snowing at game time. Have you guys ever had 21,000 for any game...ever? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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