Indicting the athletic department

[Lee Adams]

I can't fathom that there hasn't been some reaction to the editorial by Mr. Robert Kraus concerning the current state of football at UofA. Maybe its because it is on the editorial page! It is available on Ohio.com. It is dated 7-25-12. Apparently this gentleman doesn't think too highly of what has happened in the 'front office' since 1986.

[g-mann17]

I can't fathom that there hasn't been some reaction to the editorial by Mr. Robert Kraus concerning the current state of football at UofA. Maybe its because it is on the editorial page! It is available on Ohio.com. It is dated 7-25-12. Apparently this gentleman doesn't think too highly of what has happened in the 'front office' since 1986.

He's an old crackpot from Tallmadge, read any comments on any article on Ohio.com and he's on there trolling.

[akronzips71]

iCoach got shabby treatment?

That about says it all.

[Hilltopper]

That guy is one of the ABJ's favorite letter writers. I wonder who at the nursing home helped him pen that letter.

[Class of 82]

I loved Jim Dennison and hated what happened back then, but that water is not only long over the dam... it has flowed down the Cuyahoga, through Lake Erie, over Niagara Falls, traveled the length of the St. Lawrence River, hitched a ride on the Gulf Stream, sublimated into the atmosphere and is now part of the snow pack in northern Irkutsk.

[Dave in Green]

If we're talking about the Robert M. Kraus who has been a citizen of Akron for more than 92 years, any water that's ever gone over any dam and ended up anywhere is still open for discussion.

[GP1]

The only thing more stupid than the ideas of this man is the abj printing his ideas. Jim "The Victim" Dennison stories have long ago run their course. Dennison was a D2 coach with D2 ideas. Not the guy to take the program forward. I'm not sure what the abj is thinking when they print this sstupidity. Mayme Mr. Thomas can help us out.

[Wally B]

I loved Jim Dennison and hated what happened back then, but that water is not only long over the dam... it has flowed down the Cuyahoga, through Lake Erie, over Niagara Falls, traveled the length of the St. Lawrence River, hitched a ride on the Gulf Stream, sublimated into the atmosphere and is now part of the snow pack in northern Irkutsk.

I played "Risk" in the 8o's too!

[Spin]

The only thing more stupid than the ideas of this man is the abj printing his ideas. Jim "The Victim" Dennison stories have long ago run their course. Dennison was a D2 coach with D2 ideas. Not the guy to take the program forward. I'm not sure what the abj is thinking when they print this sstupidity. Mayme Mr. Thomas can help us out.

This is something I've always wanted to know. It's the old chicken/egg thing.

Did the university want to go D1 and then went after Gerry Faust?

Or did it want Gerry Faust and the only way he would come here is if Akron moved up?

I remember it being the second way, that there was a lot of animosity with Jim's fans, and with the basketball program about being forced to move up to D1. But I was out of state at the time, and that was the only news I had heard.

[RatFink]

This is something I've always wanted to know. It's the old chicken/egg thing.

Did the university want to go D1 and then went after Gerry Faust?

Or did it want Gerry Faust and the only way he would come here is if Akron moved up?

I remember it being the second way, that there was a lot of animosity with Jim's fans, and with the basketball program about being forced to move up to D1. But I was out of state at the time, and that was the only news I had heard.

This is akin to a never ending fable.

Here is the truth. Which will offend many.

The University had for some time desired to

move up to "one-A". The Athletic Director

position had been repeatedly offered to coach

Dennison. He repeatedly wanted to "coach one

more game, one more season".

Akron played Middle Tennessee in a crucial

football game where the winner would be assured

a post season playoff bid. Middle thumped Akron

25-0. Then president, Bill Muse, was livid and

stomped around the press box fuming. He

swore loudly that coach D had coached his

last game as a Zip. Dennison was fired.

A search was begun and Gerry Faust was hired.

Now, this scenario does not fit the Dennison

supporters fairy tale version.

How do I know that this is the truth? Well,

I was there in the press box and heard every

word. Up to that time and for days afterwards

Gerry Faust's name was never mentioned.

Faust was never contacted until after Dennison

was fired. The truth hurts.

Now the revisionists and liars can have their say.

[Hilltopper]

This is something I've always wanted to know. It's the old chicken/egg thing.

Did the university want to go D1 and then went after Gerry Faust?

Or did it want Gerry Faust and the only way he would come here is if Akron moved up?

I remember it being the second way, that there was a lot of animosity with Jim's fans, and with the basketball program about being forced to move up to D1. But I was out of state at the time, and that was the only news I had heard.

We were D-1 in basketball long before we hired Faust. The OVC was a D-1 conference in BB. The animosity was about having to play BB as an independant. Thats why Huggins left.

[ZippyRulz]

http://collegefootball.about.com/gi/o.htm?...awarehouse.com/

..shows the 1985 MTSU score as 17-0...not that it changes the story. I have no inside info but firmly believe Muse & Co. wanted to move up to 1-A well before GF became available.

[zippy5]

This is akin to a never ending fable.

Here is the truth. Which will offend many.

The University had for some time desired to

move up to "one-A". The Athletic Director

position had been repeatedly offered to coach

Dennison. He repeatedly wanted to "coach one

more game, one more season".

Akron played Middle Tennessee in a crucial

football game where the winner would be assured

a post season playoff bid. Middle thumped Akron

25-0. Then president, Bill Muse, was livid and

stomped around the press box fuming. He

swore loudly that coach D had coached his

last game as a Zip. Dennison was fired.

A search was begun and Gerry Faust was hired.

Now, this scenario does not fit the Dennison

supporters fairy tale version.

How do I know that this is the truth? Well,

I was there in the press box and heard every

word. Up to that time and for days afterwards

Gerry Faust's name was never mentioned.

Faust was never contacted until after Dennison

was fired. The truth hurts.

Now the revisionists and liars can have their say.

GoZips is back?

[GP1]

The University had for some time desired to

move up to "one-A". The Athletic Director

position had been repeatedly offered to coach

Dennison.

UofA made a lot of mistakes in the move to major college football. No need to go into all of them. This was the biggest mistake of all. Dennison had zero qualifications to be the AD to kick off the D1A era. I like to look forward and not backward, but I often wonder if a different AD, with better experience, had been hired, where would we be today?

[johnnyzip84]

http://collegefootball.about.com/gi/o.htm?...awarehouse.com/

..shows the 1985 MTSU score as 17-0...not that it changes the story. I have no inside info but firmly believe Muse & Co. wanted to move up to 1-A well before GF became available.

17-0 is the correct score. While I cannot directly corroborate RatFink's account, it sure seems believable to me.

That game has always stood out as the biggest "opportunity lost" of the OVC years. After losing the 1985 opener at EKU, the Zips were rolling and in control of the OVC race coming into the late season tilt with the Blue Raiders in the Rubber Bowl. The weather was absolutely miserable, yet somehow a legitimate 17,000 to 18,000 showed up in what was mostly a steady downpour (that has always given me notion that Akron fans WOULD rally around a contender late in the season if given some hope of success). Unfortunately, the Zips were flat the whole game and never really gave MTSU any reason to be concerned.

I believe the Blue Raiders had a defensive back playing that season who later played for the Dallas Cowboys. (Edit: his name is Don Griffin, and he played mostly for the 'Niners not the Cowboys....he actually spent a brief period in Cleveland as well before finishing his NFL career with the Eagles). I'm certain the "egg" that was collectively laid by the Zips that November night did not sit well with the administration.

[Spin]

Thanks for the replies.