Is it safe to say...

[K92]

...that facilities are EXTREMELY overrated?

Having the best facilities:

Doesn't get anyone to attend games.

Hasn't positively impacted recruiting.

Isn't getting us a coach in a timely manner.

Perhaps if everything else is equal, facilities can make the difference but they don't seem to be helping the Zips much so far.

[akronad]

You're right. Instead of moving forward, we are going in reverse at about 100 mph.

[K92]

I'm not trying to be negatively sarcastic with this question. I really enjoy the new facilities and they are a source of pride for an alum, but that is not why they were built. I think we all bought into the notion that poor facilities was what was holding the program back. It is a real rude awakening that such a massive investment hasn't translated into better things happening for Akron football.

[Blue & Gold]

Very true, but facilities are still necessary in the NCAA football "arms race."

I just can't believe how big a bust iCoach was. He was utterly incompetent in absolutely every respect.

He was an awful recruiter.

He was an awful evaluator of talent.

He was an awful strategist.

He was an awful in-game coach.

He was an awful communicator.

He was an awful face of the program.

He was an awful motivator.

He had an awful sideline demeanor.

He sucked, and sucked absolutely.

But that is entirely on TW's head.

TW is honestly driving me away from being a Zips' fan. And (since I don't personally know anyone from ZNO) I can easily say that I am the biggest Zips fan that I know.

[K92]

You're right B&G.

Perhaps the only thing I can say that Rob Ianello did impressively was to grow that 5 o'clock shadow of his.

[Zipmeister]

Very true, but facilities are still necessary in the NCAA football "arms race."

I just can't believe how big a bust iCoach was. He was utterly incompetent in absolutely every respect.

He was an awful recruiter.

He was an awful evaluator of talent.

He was an awful strategist.

He was an awful in-game coach.

He was an awful communicator.

He was an awful face of the program.

He was an awful motivator.

He had an awful sideline demeanor.

He sucked, and sucked absolutely.

But that is entirely on TW's head.

TW is honestly driving me away from being a Zips' fan. And (since I don't personally know anyone from ZNO) I can easily say that I am the biggest Zips fan that I know.

So I will put you down as undecided on the prudence of firing of icoach.

[ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net]

I'm not trying to be negatively sarcastic with this question. I really enjoy the new facilities and they are a source of pride for an alum, but that is not why they were built. I think we all bought into the notion that poor facilities was what was holding the program back. It is a real rude awakening that such a massive investment hasn't translated into better things happening for Akron football.

I was one who was convinced that the Info, coupled with other campus improvements and in the afterglow of the Motor City Bowl and beating of NC State and Syracuse, would signal a new era of high quality D-1 football at Akron. It's deeply disappointing and shameful that the program has sunk so far, so fast. The Info just pisses me off anymore. It is nothing more than a symbol of missed opportunity and wasteful spending if the university cannot find a way to fully utilize it and make it generate revenue. The university students and the community need and deserve so much better. In spite of the good things that Proenza has done, the entire football program/facilities are quickly dulling the shine on his legacy.

[2Ball]

You're right B&G.

Perhaps the only thing I can say that Rob Ianello did impressively was to grow that 5 o'clock shadow of his.

I am still waiting on Keener to show up for a basketball game. The next game is wednesday, a day you said you would be available to attend.

[K92]

You're right B&G.

Perhaps the only thing I can say that Rob Ianello did impressively was to grow that 5 o'clock shadow of his.

I am still waiting on Keener to show up for a basketball game. The next game is wednesday, a day you said you would be available to attend.

Believe it or not, I actually planned on coming tonight, but then I heard the news about PW and my head almost exploded, ending my plans.

[Blue & Gold]

You're right B&G.

Perhaps the only thing I can say that Rob Ianello did impressively was to grow that 5 o'clock shadow of his.

I am still waiting on Keener to show up for a basketball game. The next game is wednesday, a day you said you would be available to attend.

Believe it or not, I actually planned on coming tonight, but then I heard the news about PW and my head almost exploded, ending my plans.

Exactly my mood tonight. I had been looking forward to the YSU game for quite a while, but tonight I was too bummed to even get out of the house. I just sat around & watched the game online.

[Class of 82]

...that facilities are EXTREMELY overrated?

Having the best facilities:

Doesn't get anyone to attend games.

Hasn't positively impacted recruiting.

Isn't getting us a coach in a timely manner.

Perhaps if everything else is equal, facilities can make the difference but they don't seem to be helping the Zips much so far.

Thought a lot about this very thing last night. I think the lesson is this... there is no substitute for leadership.

Sports, especially football, are lessons in the kind of teamwork and camaraderie that define the human condition. Anyone whose been a part of a winning team, at any level in athletics or business, knows that there's no better feeling in the world than the sharing of success among your brothers (and sisters, too, as the case may be). But every winning team, at any level, has leaders, and ideally a leader who creates the vision, sets the tone, defines the standards of behavior and dedication, and holds their self and others accountable to the whole. It's true in every human endeavor, really, but it's especially true in football. We always say things like "This guy can really coach," or, "Wow, he's a great recruiter," when looking at coaches, but those are secondary attributes, in my view. Fundamentally, great coaches and great recruiters are great leaders first... and last.

So ultimately, facilities don't inspire players or recruits, or even fans for that matter. Real inspiration requires leadership... period. We haven't had it, and we won't see any sustained success until we get it.

[ZipRoo]

computer malfunction

[ZipRoo]

K-e-n-t State found a "leader" (wasn't that hard, either, when they didn't have ND blinders on)...and I do believe Luke Fickell also would've connected with players and fans here as a leader much more than we realize over the past two years. UA only has to look to its basketball and soccer programs as examples of leadership. How they allowed TwitterTom to stray from that mold and hire the Anti-Coach is the multi-million dollar question. Landscape for learning, my butt. Hard lesson, wasn't it, Luis?

[UAZip0510]

The facilities were never going to get recruits here alone. Who ever claimed that? What the facilities do is act as a "tiebreaker" in recruiting. Let me explain.

Let's say Akron's new coach builds the program up to the point that it's level with most of the rest of the MAC. Now let's say that Toledo, Akron, Can't, and Ohio are all going after the same recruit, and the recruit views all four evenly as programs. This is where the "tiebreaker" comes in - when everything football-related is equal, or even close to equal, the facilities can and will give Akron the edge over another program.

The facilities will certainly help. What they won't do is get recruits on their own. We could put the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in downtown Akron and recruits still aren't going to come to a program that's 2-22 over the past two seasons an d trending downward. Anyone who thought otherwise never really understood what kind of advantage the facilities bring.

[ZipRoo]

The facilities were never going to get recruits here alone. Who ever claimed that? What the facilities do is act as a "tiebreaker" in recruiting. Let me explain.

Let's say Akron's new coach builds the program up to the point that it's level with most of the rest of the MAC. Now let's say that Toledo, Akron, Can't, and Ohio are all going after the same recruit, and the recruit views all four evenly as programs. This is where the "tiebreaker" comes in - when everything football-related is equal, or even close to equal, the facilities can and will give Akron the edge over another program.

Thanks for explaining what "tiebreaker" means. No one here knew.

[Lee Adams]

...that facilities are EXTREMELY overrated?

Having the best facilities:

Doesn't get anyone to attend games.

Hasn't positively impacted recruiting.

Isn't getting us a coach in a timely manner.

Perhaps if everything else is equal, facilities can make the difference but they don't seem to be helping the Zips much so far.

Thought a lot about this very thing last night. I think the lesson is this... there is no substitute for leadership.

Sports, especially football, are lessons in the kind of teamwork and camaraderie that define the human condition. Anyone whose been a part of a winning team, at any level in athletics or business, knows that there's no better feeling in the world than the sharing of success among your brothers (and sisters, too, as the case may be). But every winning team, at any level, has leaders, and ideally a leader who creates the vision, sets the tone, defines the standards of behavior and dedication, and holds their self and others accountable to the whole. It's true in every human endeavor, really, but it's especially true in football. We always say things like "This guy can really coach," or, "Wow, he's a great recruiter," when looking at coaches, but those are secondary attributes, in my view. Fundamentally, great coaches and great recruiters are great leaders first... and last.

So ultimately, facilities don't inspire players or recruits, or even fans for that matter. Real inspiration requires leadership... period. We haven't had it, and we won't see any sustained success until we get it.

Unfortunately,a number of posters here were wary of any sort of longlasting 'Info. Effect' from the very beginning And,it seems that along with a lot of fans,the Administration was 'blinded' to the realities that had been the football program here for years. They tried to build from the top down instead of the bottom up.

Nobody will argue the fact that it is much more pleasant to go to a game at the Info. Hell,not having to deal with the restrooms at the Bowl was enough for me. But,as we are now seeing with the hiring process, there are a number of factors coaches and players use in making their decisions. Obviously,and not surprisingly one of those factors is who they will be working for. Right now its pretty hard for a coaching candidate or potential recruit to figure out if they want to work for the people who are calling the shots now(apparently at least one did not) or who might be calling the shots in a few months. Even if we scratched our heads at the hiring of Ianello 2 years ago,I don't think too many fans thought that the situation would deteriorate to this point. Who is the 'right' guy for the job now? Nobody knows for sure. But we sure as hell better hope that somebody over on Buchtel Ave. finds him quickly.