Farewell to UAM

[AkronURocks]

Was sitting near some University officials on Friday night at the Q and heard today was Mikes final day working at Akron. On that note, I would like to start a thread for everyone to thank Mike for what he has done. The point of this thread is not to debate whether or not it is the right career move, or if we are sick of everyone leaving for bigger schools. Instead, to thank someone who spent five hard years making our experience as fans a better one.UAM, best of luck down South! The Bearcats are lucky to have you and I plan on making the trip south in the fall to see UC & the Zips do battle. You have made the Zipsnation experience better for everyone. Thanks for the memories and safe travels! Go Zips & Bearcats too! (Unless we meet in the championship game of the NIT, in which case, just go zips!)

[ziplock]

Was sitting near some University officials on Friday night at the Q and heard today was Mikes final day working at Akron. On that note, I would like to start a thread for everyone to thank Mike for what he has done. The point of this thread is not to debate whether or not it is the right career move, or if we are sick of everyone leaving for bigger schools. Instead, to thank someone who spent five hard years making our experience as fans a better one.UAM, best of luck down South! The Bearcats are lucky to have you and I plan on making the trip south in the fall to see UC & the Zips do battle. You have made the Zipsnation experience better for everyone. Thanks for the memories and safe travels! Go Zips & Bearcats too! (Unless we meet in the championship game of the NIT, in which case, just go zips!)

Dittos on the comments. In the few contacts I had with Mike, he was always sensitive to the issue at hand and gave me the impression that he would give my concern a top priority.He never let me down. I wish only the best for him and his family in their new community.Go Zips!!

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think everyone did a solid job of covering Mike Waddell and his impact on the University. Since I was out of town when the news broke I will also add my very late two cents:When Mike arrived here, the Sports Marketing department was pretty pathetic. I can’t imagine what went through the guy’s mind when he first walked into the JAR doors and witnessed the tragedy. I vividly recall those dark days…it was frustrating and it sucked.Corporate sponsors in 1999? HAH! Unheard-of. At that time there was one “real” commercial played during Zips radio broadcasts (Ohio Edison), and a “filler” one about “Ketchup Soup”…a public service commercial discussing hungry people who made soup from Ketchup packets. That was our corporate base!!! And… University officials during that time seemed satisfied with it!!! The season opening Acme Zip game? It had been reduced to a footnote. Acme’s clout in the area, and it’s financial support for the Zips had eroded to a pittance. Yet no one at the University had the guts to say, “This sucks…we can do better.”Marketing circa 1999? Hey, place buy one get one free game coupons in the Beacon, or on Acme grocery bags and call it a day.Zips clothing and logos 6 years ago. There were a hand full of outdated, butt ugly shirts and caps. The yellow “sunflower” University seal was being used as a logo for….well, just about everything except being placed on the football helmets.Remember when out school colors were identical to Can't? I do. Who decided that was a good idea?General student involvement in Zips athletics circa 1999? Virtually non-existent. We’re talking 10 to 20 students at games….football or hoops!Yes, six or seven years ago, things were in a pathetic state. And, cared anything about it…. “Hey, we’re a commuter school, there’s a limit as to how good we can ever expect to be.” That was the common belief. Hell, it was a mantra! It is a lot simpler to make excuses than to roll up your sleeves and do something I guess? The Zips commitment to Athletic MAC success was lip service in 1999, compared to today. Sure they wanted success…as long as it was on-the-cheap and no one really had to work too hard to achieve it.Mike came in and assessed the situation. He acknowledged the tragedy. He began asking questions to anyone and everyone that would give him 5 minutes of time. Based upon the feedback of those who truly cared about Zips athletics and his own background in “big time” athletics he tailored an Akron Plan, a plan to yank The University of Akron’s Athletic image by the scruff of its neck into the 21st century. To build value in the Zips name. To foster pride amongst the Akron community, students and alumni. How improbable was it back in 1999 to foresee 15,000 Zips fans traveling to Detroit to support the football team? I’ll tell you…it was impossible to fathom. Absolutely impossible. How about selling out the JAR for consecutive games? Forget it. We were lucky to draw 2k people when tickets were practically given away.It is profoundly frustrating to me to see people in 2006 complaining about Zips game attendance and student support. Anyone who bitches has no freaking clue how far we’ve come over the past several years. Yes, the pace seems glacial, but you can’t go from ground zero devastation to sellouts in a single season…or two or three. It doesn’t turn around at the flick of a switch.Mike’s legacy seems to be tied to the “Fear the Roo” campaign. That’s ok I guess, as long as no one forgets the body of his work. He did a hell of a lot more than create a catch phrase. He changed deeply embedded attitudes and stereotypes. He embraced the Akron community from day one and worked tirelessly to make The University of Akron Athletics the absolute best they could be. Job well done, Mike. Thank you.

[Valpo Zip]

Thanks for the memories and safe travels!  Go Zips & Bearcats too!

I said that before but once again, i am not too knowledgeable about who does what in the Athletic department but thanks to some posters of this board, i believe that Mike did a good job and i want to thank him for that and wish him as an individual all the best of luck.However, I am not sure why shall i wish UC any luck. Because Mike works there ? Go zips and only zips and the bearcats can go to hell !i am affraid the next thing i would read on this board is somebody wishing luck to OU because our ex-player Bubba Walther plays there.

[FearTheRoo]

Thanks Mike for everything. Hope you work your way back to us somehow.BTW, my mother would like to thank you for tossing her a yellow t-shirt Friday night at The Q. She actually said, "That nice cute young man gave me this!" as she showed me the t-shirt.

[JP Morgan]

Mike, you were the first person to listen to the fans who cared. And not only did you listen, you acted. Your work at Akron gets high marks with me.....job well done!

[zipboy]

Back in the old blue board days when we had about 10 posters, I remember Mike posting out there for the first time. He introduced himself, said he was now in charge of marketing, asked what ideas we had, and laid out some of his ideas they would start on that fall for football.I remember responding back with the comment half of me thinks you are just some jokester but your post seems serious. So half of me believes you really are the new marketing guy. I was incredulous that we actually had a marketing guy who 1 could find our site, 2 asked what we thought, and 3 had a vision for the future. I think that I almost cried that night. My 2nd memory is after the EMU football game that went into about 3 OTs, last game of the year ended up like 60 something to 60 something. It was Thanskgiving weekend I think. We had an announced crowd of 6K with about 2K in the stands. Mike came on and apologized for how pathetic the attendance was and vowed that it would never be that piss poor again on his watch.We are all indebted to the job that you did. I wish you the best Mike and hope to see you back in Akron someday. Take care

[zip37]

THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND GREAT RSULTS, MIKE, I TREASURE THE MEMORIES OF WHAT YOU DID FOR THE SCHOOL I CHOSE TO ATTEND.WITH BALL AMMUNITION LOCK AND LOAD :macc:

[SoFlaZip]

I remember back during the blue board days e-mailing mike that the Howard football game should be marketed as an event, i.e. some type of "classic" instead of just another football game in order to increase exposure of the zips and maximize meat in the seats. Next thing I see is the Rubber City Classic. Thank Mike for entertaiing new and in some circles unpopular ideas. DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE