NIT, who cares right?

[GJGood]

I'm excited about the NIT! I know it sucks that we don't get to go to the Big Dance but I think this team could have a deep run in the NIT. It's good for everyone, the team can get more post season experience against post season worthy teams outside of the MAC and we get to follow them. I truly believe that this team could have won a game or two or even more in the NCAA. We all wanted to see us against a high major to see what we could do so it stings. We will get chances to face high majors in the NIT. It may be more plausible for us to go deep in the NIT right now because of our youth. What's better to you guys, going deep in the NIT or a possible first round exit from the NCAA? What if we even got an upset in the NCAA, would that change things? This is an honest question.

I will take a deep run in the NIT over a second straight one and done in the NCAA, but I would DEFINITELY take the program's first ever NCAA tournament win over anything the NIT can offer (other than possibly bringing home the NIT hardware but even that is an extremely close call)

[GP1]

Not In Tournament.

You guys can care about this one all you want. I've been very consistent in my opinion, and I won't change now. This tournament is the losers bracket of college basketball.

Is it the losers bracket? In some ways, yes. So is the play in game for the NCAA Tournament. So is the #16 Seed and most of the #15 Seeds. Let's not pretend that every team in the NCAA Tournament is a titan of basketball.

It doesn't matter where you've been. Only where you are going. Right now, we are in the NIT with a team talented enough to win it all. None of us would have said that even four years ago. How would a banner saying, "NIT 2012 Champions" look hanging in the JAR? This team should not be looking at the NIT as a chance to make some waves in the tournament. They should be looking at it as a chance to win the whole tournament.

[zippy5]

All the players are tweeting that it's a road game. Not sure where though. I'll watch, and cheer for them...but it's just not the same as the tourney.

[zip81]

"Nothing is over until we decide it is."

[Quickzips]

How would a banner saying, "NIT 2012 Champions" look hanging in the JAR?

Like we are proud of an accomplishment that 90% of the basketball world and 95% of our fan-base and potential fan base will care nothing about.

The next 3 weeks hardly anyone in the country is even going to know that this tournament is going on. The casual Akron fan certainly won't know. You aren't going to get him to the JAR for a home game (if we get one), the way you were getting him there at mid-season for games against lowly MAC West teams.

Quick, without looking it up, tell me who won this tournament last year? Tell me who made it to Madison Square Garden? Anyone remember off the top of their heads? Didn't think so. And regardless of how far the Zips make it in the losers bracket, nobody is going to care come this time next year.

[Dave in Green]

Every Zips fan, player and coach is disappointed that the team is going to the NIT rather than the NCAA tournament. We're just reacting differently.

At this point I would just suggest that all Zips fans try to put their personal feelings aside and try to focus more on the team than themselves. Regardless of how you personally rate the NIT, it has real value to the Zips players, coaches and overall program.

The team would benefit greatly from a deep NIT run. It might make enough difference in their experience and confidence level to help them start next season with a few upsets. A great performance in the NIT could make the difference in a future recruit choosing UA rather than another school.

Every Zips fans should feel free to state how much or how little they personally regard the NIT. But anyone who shows up in the NIT game threads repeating endlessly how little they regard the NIT will only be demonstrating that they care more about their personal feelings than they do about what's best for the Zips.

[zip81]

I will sum it up this way; I would rather be playing in the NIT than not playing in the NIT.

[GP1]

Quick, without looking it up, tell me who won this tournament last year? Tell me who made it to Madison Square Garden? Anyone remember off the top of their heads? Didn't think so. And regardless of how far the Zips make it in the losers bracket, nobody is going to care come this time next year.

WSU beat Alabama. I remember watching the game.

It isn't really about what everyone else thinks. It's about an opportunity for some college kids to go out and win a championship in a tournament. I'd be impressed if the Zips made it to that finals in MSG and beat a name program like Alabama. Dayton beat UNC the year before so their fans had to be impressed. Joe Akron is a 1,000 years old and remembers when the NIT was important. It will impress Joe Akron if the Zips win.

[zipdiehard]

I will sum it up this way; I would rather be playing in the NIT than not playing in the NIT.

I bet Dru, Romeo, Ced, etc. thought the same thing.

[zip81]

I bet Dru, Romeo, Ced, etc. thought the same thing.

You read my mind. Remember "26."

[zip81]

WSU beat Alabama. I remember watching the game.

It isn't really about what everyone else thinks. It's about an opportunity for some college kids to go out and win a championship in a tournament. I'd be impressed if the Zips made it to that finals in MSG and beat a name program like Alabama. Dayton beat UNC the year before so their fans had to be impressed. Joe Akron is a 1,000 years old and remembers when the NIT was important. It will impress Joe Akron if the Zips win.

+1

[skip-zip]

To the NIT bashers: Be careful about what you are bashing.

If we didn't win the MAC this year, we would probably be PRAYING for a CBI bid right now. So, we truly earned this opportunity. Take it and make the most of it.

[roopride]

The exposure and experience is great for the Team. We all should support the Team and trhe University!!!!!!!

[Derrt]

To the NIT bashers: Be careful about what you are bashing.

If we didn't win the MAC this year, we would probably be PRAYING for a CBI bid right now. So, we truly earned this opportunity. Take it and make the most of it.

IF IT IS NOT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT IT DOESN'T COUNT/MATTER POINT ____________ .

[Big Zip]

Joe Akron was at the game last night and this team had an opportunity to win them over a little more...we failed. If this team gets a 7 seed in the not in tournament that is a complete embarrassment. Don't compare expectations in soccer to basketball. If you want to compare expectations those expectations should be to win the tourney and if not still be in the NCAA tourney - we never are in that conversation.

Listen I love playing in the MAC Championship, but 2-4 is failure in the only game that counts for this team. This team can't seem to get over the hump. Every year we have to hope we win the tourney and we have failed 66% of thevtime when we are there. You can tell me how many teams would love to be in our shoes but I don't want to be compared to teams who are okay with winning 2 of 6 games.

DJ Cooper has lead his team to 2 Championships in 3 years and I saw nothing last night that makes me feel like we will stop him next year. Our prime player during that time has not commanded the game like DJ. The one game he did we won....last year.

Finally, Dambrodt doesn't seem to take any loss very hard any more and I wonder if he has the fire. Last night post game was more of we poured our hearts out and got beat. They played sloppy basketball and had the ball simply taken from them numerous times. Tree can't seem to hold the ball without getting it stripped.

All in all maybe I should expect to lose instead of get excited for this team and I will feel better. If your okay with traveling in the NIT I would suggest your expectations aren't high enough but they are probably in line with the basketball program. KD didn't seem too upset last night at all. Maybe he is our Ken Lolla the guy who could get us almost to where we want to be but not where we want to be.

[Quickzips]

Joe Akron was at the game last night and this team had an opportunity to win them over a little more...we failed. If this team gets a 7 seed in the not in tournament that is a complete embarrassment. Don't compare expectations in soccer to basketball. If you want to compare expectations those expectations should be to win the tourney and if not still be in the NCAA tourney - we never are in that conversation.

Listen I love playing in the MAC Championship, but 2-4 is failure in the only game that counts for this team. This team can't seem to get over the hump. Every year we have to hope we win the tourney and we have failed 66% of thevtime when we are there. You can tell me how many teams would love to be in our shoes but I don't want to be compared to teams who are okay with winning 2 of 6 games.

DJ Cooper has lead his team to 2 Championships in 3 years and I saw nothing last night that makes me feel like we will stop him next year. Our prime player during that time has not commanded the game like DJ. The one game he did we won....last year.

Finally, Dambrodt doesn't seem to take any loss very hard any more and I wonder if he has the fire. Last night post game was more of we poured our hearts out and got beat. They played sloppy basketball and had the ball simply taken from them numerous times. Tree can't seem to hold the ball without getting it stripped.

All in all maybe I should expect to lose instead of get excited for this team and I will feel better. If your okay with traveling in the NIT I would suggest your expectations aren't high enough but they are probably in line with the basketball program. KD didn't seem too upset last night at all. Maybe he is our Ken Lolla the guy who could get us almost to where we want to be but not where we want to be.

Pretty well sums up my thoughts as well.

I wasn't really sure how to put it, but I had the exact same thoughts listening to KD on the postgame last night. He didn't sound like the guy we had 3 or 4 years ago who was hungry and motivated. He sounded like a guy who was complacent and frankly un-caring. I don't know if the pressure is starting to get to him or what, but I want some of that fire in the belly we saw from KD 1.0 back. This, "as long as we played hard and did a nice job, I can be satisfied with the results either way" participation trophy mindset I am starting to see from KD 2.0 is troubling.

[UAZip0510]

Joe Akron was at the game last night and this team had an opportunity to win them over a little more...we failed. If this team gets a 7 seed in the not in tournament that is a complete embarrassment. Don't compare expectations in soccer to basketball. If you want to compare expectations those expectations should be to win the tourney and if not still be in the NCAA tourney - we never are in that conversation.

Listen I love playing in the MAC Championship, but 2-4 is failure in the only game that counts for this team. This team can't seem to get over the hump. Every year we have to hope we win the tourney and we have failed 66% of thevtime when we are there. You can tell me how many teams would love to be in our shoes but I don't want to be compared to teams who are okay with winning 2 of 6 games.

DJ Cooper has lead his team to 2 Championships in 3 years and I saw nothing last night that makes me feel like we will stop him next year. Our prime player during that time has not commanded the game like DJ. The one game he did we won....last year.

Finally, Dambrodt doesn't seem to take any loss very hard any more and I wonder if he has the fire. Last night post game was more of we poured our hearts out and got beat. They played sloppy basketball and had the ball simply taken from them numerous times. Tree can't seem to hold the ball without getting it stripped.

All in all maybe I should expect to lose instead of get excited for this team and I will feel better. If your okay with traveling in the NIT I would suggest your expectations aren't high enough but they are probably in line with the basketball program. KD didn't seem too upset last night at all. Maybe he is our Ken Lolla the guy who could get us almost to where we want to be but not where we want to be.

And so it begins...

I'll say this for the 4738534th time.

Feel free to question Dambrot's game plan...feel free to question scheduling, recruiting, substitution patterns, or whatever else fans can freely question about a coach. But it is inexplicable to me how anyone could question Keith Dambrot's desire to win. Did you see him when the Zips were down 1 with OU brining the ball down? Dambrot was in a defensive stance, chopping his feet, screaming at our players. My wife and I have even joked that we're worried he might want a win so bad that he'll go out and steal the ball.

I get that fans will always question a coach. I don't get how anyone can question Dambrot's desire to win.

[zipsbandman]

I don't know how anyone can question Dambrot.....period. He looked pretty animated on the court yesterday. In my opinion, KD was the man and is still the man. We've been to the championship game 6 years in a row, and these tournament games in Cleveland are as good as it gets in March. We are spoiled, and KD is overachieving at Akron. Our basketball facilities are terrible. The seating layout at games is terrible. Our fans are as fickle as can be. Scheduling is tough. Sure we could have done some things better last night but we played well enough to win, and it was just OU's night. When Cooper hit that off balance circus shot I knew it wasn't our night. Yes we lost, but I sure had a great time yesterday.

[infofan]

Joe Akron was at the game last night and this team had an opportunity to win them over a little more...we failed. If this team gets a 7 seed in the not in tournament that is a complete embarrassment. Don't compare expectations in soccer to basketball. If you want to compare expectations those expectations should be to win the tourney and if not still be in the NCAA tourney - we never are in that conversation.

Listen I love playing in the MAC Championship, but 2-4 is failure in the only game that counts for this team. This team can't seem to get over the hump. Every year we have to hope we win the tourney and we have failed 66% of thevtime when we are there. You can tell me how many teams would love to be in our shoes but I don't want to be compared to teams who are okay with winning 2 of 6 games.

DJ Cooper has lead his team to 2 Championships in 3 years and I saw nothing last night that makes me feel like we will stop him next year. Our prime player during that time has not commanded the game like DJ. The one game he did we won....last year.

Finally, Dambrodt doesn't seem to take any loss very hard any more and I wonder if he has the fire. Last night post game was more of we poured our hearts out and got beat. They played sloppy basketball and had the ball simply taken from them numerous times. Tree can't seem to hold the ball without getting it stripped.

All in all maybe I should expect to lose instead of get excited for this team and I will feel better. If your okay with traveling in the NIT I would suggest your expectations aren't high enough but they are probably in line with the basketball program. KD didn't seem too upset last night at all. Maybe he is our Ken Lolla the guy who could get us almost to where we want to be but not where we want to be.

It didnt take long for the Dambrot bashing to begin........... Did they lose the game ? yes, with the aid of the always questionable MAC referees. I my opinion Ohio was the better team last night, and like it or not Cooper is very talented. Nik couldnt have guarded that last 3 any better but it still went in. I would have called it failure if we got bombed by 25 as we did in Athens last week. As I see it we didnt fail last night as much as we got outplayed.

As a fan of this team for over 40 years I dont consider making it to our 6th straight MAC title game and losing at the buzzer and moving on to a NIT bid the definition of a failure. Everyone is entitled to their opinion , but I dont think quickzip, big zip, truth, etc are going to feel any better spewing the constant negativity.

Like it or not NIT means more playing time and exposure. But if thats failure be sure to find something else to do tuesday night. And give KD a break, I doubt that he slept all night regardless of how he sounded on postgame.

[lance99]

I will sum it up this way; I would rather be playing in the NIT than not playing in the NIT.

Or better, not the CBI

[bigsix0]

Obviously Dambrot is 2-4 in championship games but the first one of those was a loss at the buzzer on a fluke shot to Miami. If not for that he's 3-3

[The Hip Zip]

as long as their name came up, keep in mind that the Shockers parlayed their NIT bid into a 27-5 team this season that can make some real noise in the tourney.

[Big Zip]

We all loved Ken Lolla. We were amazed at what he did at Akron. We were afraid when he left it would be over....it wasn't. Caleb came and showed us how much better we can be than Ken had made us. By no means would I want to let KD go, but I refuse to think this is the best we can hope for. KD's post game comments as of late have been consistent and I am sure he wants to win, but he sounds like a man who has made piece with settling....like it or not.

KD enjoys jabbing the fair weather Joe Akron fan. Like I said he came last night and now has his built in excuse why he won't be there next year. If he is going to jab Joe Akron why is it blasphemous to jab back?

[GP1]

Did they lose the game ? yes, with the aid of the always questionable MAC referees.

What? OU had three more fouls called on them than the Zips. The Zips had two more foul shot attempts than OU. Last night was a very physical game where the referees didn't call nearly the number of fouls they could have. The officiating was in favor of the Zips style of play and they didn't take advantage of it.

[bigzipguy]

Let's take a look at last six years. The Zips have been to MAC championship game every one of those 6 years. They have won it twice. OU , on the other hand , has been there twice and won twice. BUT THE ZIPS GOT THERE!!!!!

THAT IS A VERY GOOD RECORD!!!!!!!!!!. You cannot win it every time, a few bounces here and there make a difference.

The fact is, win those out of conference games more ofter. A great chance to beat VCU, lost by 1 in O.T. No excuse for losing to CSU this year. Should have beaten Valpo, they were blown out at home by Detroit in the Horizon league championship.

The attitude of the Zips seems too much to be : " it all comes to several games inCleveland"