K ent and Akron get Robbed!!!

[AntonioGates]

Forget about our rivalry and take a look at what ESPN and the Bracket Buster just did to our schools. Both teams got bumped off of ESPN and ESPN2 and will play on ESPNU!?!? 50% of NE Ohio doesn't even get ESPNU. Akron didn't even get a Saturday game. They got moved to Friday night. Marist at Old Dominion???????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!! This sucks!!!! Both local schools get robbed of much needed air time and the MAC fails to land one team on either of the marquee stations.

[liljc]

I actually like the Zips match up with Nevada, although, I hadn't heard that they got move to Friday....I am one of the lucky ones, I happen to get espnu....

[zip37]

IMHO Can't got the shaft more than the Zips because, at this point, Can't is in first place IN A MUCH TOUGHER CONFERENCE. I think it shows an East Coast bias. With ball ammunition lock and load.

[RatFink]

Robbed?Raped is a better description.I do not give a damn about Cant State.Butler? Who really cares?Think about this. The Zips have to play ona Friday night. Which means they travel onThursday. That means missing Thursdayclasses. Also means one less rest dayafter the Tuesday night home game.Since the next MAC game will be on thefollowing Wednesday playing on Saturdaymakes much more sense. Especiallyconsidering that Akron probably has thelongest travel distance of any team excepting the Hawaii game.ESPNU the unknown network?Fresno (RPI about 335) playing at gutlessCreighton (they refused to play Akron)on prime time. Some one at ESPN and/orebay took a bribe. No other explanationpossible.Here is the saddest part. Cant gets an easyroad victory next year at a declining Butler.Akron gets Nevada at home (maybe, rememberNiagara?). And to help Nevada, expect Dambrotand company to help them schedule anotherOOC game in this area. So, Cleveland State,Cant State or even the lucky Suckeyes benefitfrom the Zips good play.Can only wonder what the TV line up would havebeen had the Zips defeated Cant last Saturday.

[Zips fan]

It does suck so both schools and the conference. The MAC doesn't get much national attention and the bracketbuster was supposed to help conferences like the MAC. Instead the chose schools that are accelling in smaller conferences. The MAC remains in a tough spot, we are good enough to have several teams on the bubble each year, but only good enough to get one invited.

[Quickzips]

We definitley got screwed on the tv deal on this but I'm not so sure the Friday night game is all bad. We aren't likely to get an at large berth anyways even if we win out b/c well we are from the MAC and the MAC is just the NCAA's shitbox to screw over as they please. Sure we will go into it on two days rest but then we will get four days rest afterwards before heading down the home stretch of the MAC schedule which is where we really need to be strong.

[mrelegazna]

I normally am not an advocate of conspiracy theories, but I think the East Coast bias is in play here. It leads them to take non-East Coast teams lightly. That said, I don't think anyone was saying "How can we eff over Akron and the MAC? You know, keep them down?" I am also pretty sure that the MAC, over the last ten or fifteen years, has gotten two NCAA bids more often than one. If not, then it's at least got to be pretty close. But not in the last couple years...which is what you can focus on if you want to believe the world is out to get us or doesn't respect us...which is the prevaling theme on every single team's board in every single team's sport, college or pro.We should be celebrating tonight...Can't lost, and they only way anyone can truly stop making us play is by beating us.

[zen]

I normally am not an advocate of conspiracy theories, but I think the East Coast bias is in play here.

East Coast Bias is not a conspiracy theory. It is a genuine sociological phenomenon, like ethnocentricism on a regional level. From Boston, through NY and philli, perhaps as as far as DC and Baltimore, people who live there are somewhat more isolated from outlying areas (the rest of the country) in their information sphere and common consciousness. What is the MAC?Where is Akron?It doesn't take a deliberate and premeditated conspiracy to screw you as bad as a conspiracy would.

[msopher]

Again, the Bracket Buster only serves its purpose if you get a tv spot on a major network (i.e. ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Classic, or CBS)ESPN U doesn't cut it for me. Traveling to Nevada for a game on ESPN would have been worth it. But for ESPN U, it is not worth the time, money, or limited exposure. This is another reason why the BraCKET Buster needs to be either revamped or dropped all together. Either have 6-8 mid major schools on both ESPN networks and everyone else not play or drop the whole thing. Playing on ESPN U, ESPN 360 or Full Court is not worth the time and money where the exposure is often minimal.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Any time we get a chance to prove ourselves vs. a high-caliber team we need to do so. Playing Nevada is a great opportunity.Furthermore, getting Nevada to come to the JAR next season is awesome. That would not be possible without the Bracket Buster.Akron and Can't have little room to bitch as of 2/8/06 anyhow. Can't has 7 losses, and just got waxed by Toledo. Akron had their chance to shine and came up short against Can't. No one to blame but ourselves.Next season we'll have a home Bracket Buster against a top-level team + Nevada. That is a great home schedule.

[msopher]

Any time we get a chance to prove ourselves vs. a high-caliber team we need to do so. Playing Nevada is a great opportunity.Furthermore, getting Nevada to come to the JAR next season is awesome. That would not be possible without the Bracket Buster.Akron and Can't have little room to bitch as of 2/8/06 anyhow. Can't has 7 losses, and just got waxed by Toledo. Akron had their chance to shine and came up short against Can't. No one to blame but ourselves.Next season we'll have a home Bracket Buster against a top-level team + Nevada. That is a great home schedule.

Sorry, forgot about the return trip. Still, unless you are on both networks, is it really worth it?

[TheSportsGuyDM]

I think the Zips got it worst than Can't State. Nevada is 17-5 and Akron is 16-5. This game is much more attractive than the Marist/ODU game on ESPN2 on Saturday or even the Wisconsin -Milwaukee/Missouri State game on the same day. In the Nevada/Akron game, you have two teams that are solid in all aspects of the game and two teams that should be in the Big Dance come March. That is a combination of 33-10 compared to the 32-13 record of the UWM/MSU or the 30-14 record of the Marist/ODU game, of which probably one of the four teams would make it into the bracket (UWM). The only thing that gives the UWM/MSU game a chance for ESPN coverage is their RPI rankings. UWM is No. 34 and MSU is No. 36 while Akron is No. 56 and Nevada is No. 37 while ODU is No. 47 and Marist is No. 91. I think the television schedule for the rest of the MAC is right where it should be. Buffalo and Ohio do not present attractive games. What is ESPN going to televise that night? There are currently no games, college or pro, scheduled for that night? The NBA Rookies Game or some show talking about how great the NBA is for playing lackluster, defensiveless games? This is a chance to shine the spotlight on two very good teams in a game that should be both entertaining and a clinic on how to play a "complete game." If anyone wants to be upset, I think blame should be thrown towards Nevada. With a game on Monday, there is little bought that they refused to play on Saturday, thus , that's right, kicking us in the nuts. I think a 10+ point smackdown should be our thanks to the Wolfpack.

[scottditzen]

ESPN U hardly counts as being "televised."Past phone call:me "Hi, do you guys have ESPN U?"bw3's "Um, what?"me "the channel, E S P N U?"bw3's "i've never heard of it...I'll get the manager."mgr "What are you looking for?"me" The Akron football game, it's on ESPN U?"mgr "Never heard of it....sorry" Even dodgeball is televised on ESPN 8...the "Ocho"

[mrelegazna]

I am still feeling ambivalent about this.On one hand: Not only is ESPNU not as good as ESPN2 or ESPN, but it gets worse: They designated two games for the ultimate bottom of the barrel, Internet-only, not-available-in-all-areas ESPN360. And which two bracket buster games were deemed to be so shitty they had to be moved to the internet? The Ohio and Buffalo games, of course. That said, ESPNU is a) Better than nothin', More widely available than Fox Sports Ohio or ONN, and c) I think moving it to a Friday was actually a nice consolation prize to not getting on ESPN/ESPN2. The only college basketball it will be up against will be Providence/Cincinnati, and only for the first half...if someone wants to watch live CBB from 10-11 that night, we're it. In terms of exposure, I'd rather have that than be lost in a sea of six other games, even if we did get on "The Deuce." If you are determined to see this game, you will....just go to any bar. It's on directv and Dish Network's package, and it's availabe on a growing amount of cable carriers.Nevada is very strong and while it may hurt tthe Zips to have to make this trip in terms of having enough gas for the rest of the season, a big part of me is excited and glad they got a real challenging opponent.That Marist/ODU game getting better billing is insanity, but really, UWM/Missouri State pretty much deserve it. Besides the RPIs, The MAC is freakin' 0-8 against the MVC, and although they have a winning record against the Horizon, UWM is the conference leader and incumbent champion.

[CLPack]

Nevada fan here. I'm also a bit disappointed, and surprised, that the game is on ESPNU. But it isn't all that bad.1) As others have mentioned, Fri. night is a better time slot, because many of the games on Sat. will be competing against 2, or even 3, other games. I seriously doubt Nevada refused to play on Sat., because they've been planning on that all year long. That's the date printed on tickets, and some people will inevitably miss the game because they didn't realize the date was changed. But who knows for sure? Coach Fox was quoted as saying, "It's terrific we're playing on a Friday. Our game at Idaho (on Monday, Feb. 20) was moved to 2 p.m. (Friday) is a better day for us to play." In any case, playing on Fri. gives Akron an extra day to rest up and prepare for the stretch run in conference. The Wed. game @Miami is pretty key, right? Isn't an extra day to prepare for it a good thing?2) A Nevada fan called and was told the game will NOT be on ESPN Fullcourt. Ruthless marketing, I guess. I noticed games during the football season that made it look like they were being used as a hook to get people to sign up for ESPNU (which usually meant getting a satellite dish). BTW, in case you're not aware, you need the Sports Pack to get ESPNU on either Directv or Dish TV (not part of basic programming).Anyway, I'm jazzed about playing Akron, and am really looking forward to a week from Sat....er, I mean, Fri.

[mrelegazna]

That sucks about ESPN Full Court. And since I signed up for the Sports Pack as soon as I got directv, I didn't realize that it wasn't part of the standard programming. But no matter. If you get Directv and don't get the Sports Pack, sign up for it Friday and cancel it on Saturday... Thanks for dropping by and being a good ambassador, CLPack. Looking forward to the game, good luck the rest of the season.

[scottditzen]

If somebody could find a bar in NE Ohio that 1. has ESPN U and 2. will show the game I would be most appreciative. Thanks

[UADavid]

It's at the JAR. Gates open at 8:30 on the 17th!!

[mrelegazna]

If somebody could find a bar in NE Ohio that 1. has ESPN U and 2. will show the game I would be most appreciative. Thanks

Any place at all worth its salt that calls itself a sports bar should have a satellite system and hence, ESPNU. Damon's, for starters. You may have to call them up ahead of time to request that they show it (and how sad is it that that might be necessary in the Akron area?)But, if I was in town, I would definitely go see it at the JAR.

[scottditzen]

I do not know why, but I have called numerous bars that do have satellite and they say they do not have ESPN U. I spose I could drive an hour to the JAR. But this is not what I expected from a "televised" game dammit. :macc:

[CLPack]

I do not know why, but I have called numerous bars that do have satellite and they say they do not have ESPN U.

Arghh! I can't tell you how many times I've encountered this. Almost every time, it's because you're dealing with someone that doesn't know and doesn't care. Sometimes, giving them the information they need helps. Often, there's a single person that knows what's going on...you may have to ask who that person is, and when they work.ESPNU is now on both DirecTV (channel 609) and Dish TV (channel 148). For both, you need programming that includes the Sports Pack.If the place you're dealing with shows a lot of sports, including games on Fox Sports, then they already get ESPNU. If they only show stuff on major outlets (CBS, ESPN, etc.), then they probably don't have the Sports Pack. For a popular game, they can make enough money in one day to pay their Sports Pack bill for years, so there's no excuse not to pick up the phone and order it...it only takes a couple minutes.The best way to get response is to have a handful of different people contact them. If they think they're dealing with one squeaky wheel, they'll probably blow you off. But if they get calls from three people (or better yet, more than three), they'll begin to think it's worth their while.Good luck.