UAZip0510 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Anger. Disappointment. Shock. These are all emotions we're feeling right now. The players and coaches are likely feeling the same. I feel for Zeke, Chauncey, Brian, and the coaching staff. It's time to accept a few things... 1) Alex Abreu is gone this year, and likely for good. I'm not going to debate the kid as a person because I don't know him. Losing him on the court will impact the Zips basketball team in a major way. 2) We are no longer the favorites to win the MAC Championship. Ohio, who was a serious threat anyhow, will now be seen as the favorite. A potential matchup with Can't State in the semi-final will be difficult as well. 3) The chances of making an NCAA Tournament run, if they do win the MAC, have decreased dramatically. 4) Our rivals, who have spent all season listening to how good Akron is, will jump on the opportunity to kick us while we're down. We'll hear "Crackron" jokes, "Think Higher", etc etc etc. As a Zip of 13 years now, I'm asking you, Zips Nation, to rise up above all of this. Be disappointed, angry, shocked - however you cope with this news - and then move on tomorrow. The Akron Zips basketball program is bigger than one player. The national/local media and our own players will be waiting to see how we respond. Rise up. Let's not take the bait from Can't State and Ohio fans, who will surely pour it on (they are already). Let them make their jokes. Ignore it. Support your team and coaches. Let's believe that, for once, the breaks will go our way in Cleveland. Let's get the JAR rocking tomorrow. Let's support the team that remains. Let's cheer like crazy for Zeke Marshall, Brian Walsh, and Chauncey Gilliam, who have all represented our program well. Let's get behind Carmelo Betancourt. I've heard for a long time that he's better than people give him credit for...let's support him in what is a huge opportunity for him. Let's remember that the main problem we give Can't State is in the front court. Abreu scored 7 points on a dismal 2 for 10 shooting night against Can't AT Can't and the Zips still won because Treadwell and Zeke controlled the boards (27 combined between the two, 45-34 overall advantage). Let's remember that the same pair of players gives Ohio plenty of trouble as well. Does that mean we'll beat either team? Absolutely not...but there's still plenty of talent on this team...there's still a chance. This is Akron...this is Zips Nation...we've survived heartbreak multiple times and we're still here. I'm proud to be a Zip, through thick and thin, and damn proud to be a part of Zips Nation. Tomorrow we move on. Tomorrow we come together and support this team against Can't State, and we do the same next weekend in Cleveland. Tomorrow we have no choice but to move forward as fans, as a team, as a program. Rise up, Zips Nation...Rise up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiroad1 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Yes!!!!!!!!!!!! Spot on. Imagine the challenge in the hearts of the players and coaches. Let's focus on that and band behnd them as they try to find the strength, the will to salvage a season that, up until a few hours ago, was SO promising. GO ZIPS!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy5 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Well said. This team has two choices, and I can't blame them for making either one. Fold up and go home without their point guard, or start grinding, and outwork the rest of the MAC through next weekend and win a championship. This is still a very good MAC team. Everyone left is committed, and hopefully a little more focused after tonight. Let's go zips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hip Zip Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Damn Right !!! This is not the end. I'll reserve judgement until all legal proceedings have taken place but if true we are all better off without him. Brian can run the point in a pinch as well Bentencourt. Chauncy can slide in at the 2 along with Jake and Reggie . I believe Deji can paly a bit of both as well. We still beat the guys in yellow and we still win the damn MAC. I'm so fired up I'm breathing fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUAkronG Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Some great posts here. Keep the positivity flowing. I'm sure there are many that will need it. Alex was not the glue that held the team together. While I don't want to discount what a great season he was having, I think this team has more than enough talent to compete with the rest of the MAC. Go Zips! Beat Can't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontrealExposloveZippy Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Can Kretzer play the point?? He's been looking pretty sharp the past couple game and can obviously play when the pressure is nigh (OU). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I am thinking that the Friday game should be used by KD as a reset. We need to find a new combination that works. Maybe give Justice some playing time, he is supposed to be a good outside shooter. Losing this game would not be horrible under these circumstances if we could use it to set ourselves up for the Q. Obviously our "standard" game plan is out the window. If we can not cover AA's points and passes we have no chance to advance. We need to fix that. I know that when I suggested the other day that the Can't games does not have much meaning, I got jumped on. HOWEVER, things have changed. If we are to have any chance to advance, we have to work out the replacement for AA. That is more important than winning this game. Without AA, our very dim chance at an at large just went into a black hole. It is all about winning 2 at the Q now, nothing else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Bless you, UAZip0510. I've been biting my tongue off in the other thread reading post after post speculating that there may even be worse problems that we don't yet even know about. I'm just sick of all the negativism. Sometimes I forget that there are some really positive thinkers on this forum, and this thread renews my faith. If this team comes together, they can overcome a lot. I'm not sure exactly how far they can go. But I'm with them every step of the way. I don't think that they are quitters, and I don't think Zips fans should quit on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I have to say, I am not as devastated by the loss of Alex as much as I am devastated by the total accumulation of losses in personnel in the areas outside the paint. With Quincy and Alex now both gone, and problems with Chauncey and Walsh, some formerly minor players how have to play big. And the front line guys now have to play an even bigger role. Keep the faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roopride Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Very unfortunate for Alex and the ZIPS. I do believe they can overcome this and I will be at all the remaining games to support them. We have Seniors to support this eve. I believe CB can run the show. Not the experience that AA has but has the skill. I think you'll see CB slow down a bit as I believe he was charged to pick the tempo up when he came in. Go ZIPS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyzip84 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I think a big adjustment KD will need to work on with Melo is his propensity to foul early and often. Melo will need to be far more discriminating when trying for steals and trying to draw charges. I also hope to see Walsh and/or McAdams playing some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legendofzippy Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Obviously Betancourt becomes the starter, but does Ibitayo move into the backup role? Had good ball handling skills but not sure as a passer. This whole thing is just incredible. What a waste of talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zipgrad01 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I think a big adjustment KD will need to work on with Melo is his propensity to foul early and often. Melo will need to be far more discriminating when trying for steals and trying to draw charges. I also hope to see Walsh and/or McAdams playing some point. The only times we have really struggled lately with Melo in the game is when Dambrot puts another sub-par offensive player on the floor with him, ie..Ibatayo at the #2. Melo is a very capable defender and has shown that he can be a good ball distributor. I think the success of this team without Alex is based on who Dambrot puts on the floor with Melo. I believe the other key is Melo staying out of foul trouble, Chauncey stepping in to fill the void for Alex's perimeter scoring and the continued maturity of Kretzer and McAdams. McAdams is going to have to play more minutes and be productive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksu sucks Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Chauncey stepping in to fill the void for Alex's perimeter scoring Bentancourt will probably be an upgrade defensively. The big question mark is offensive production. Chauncey will need to play well for us to have a chance. He's more than capable of making up for Abreu's absence on offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I wonder if Luke Avsec has a chance to see some PT tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I will withhold comment on the actual Abreu situation for the time being. He's done for the year. There's not much to discuss, at least in this thread. Earlier this year the Celtics lost 1st Team All Star Rajon Rondo to a blown ACL. Further complicating matters, they lost their best rebounder Jared Sullinger, for the year due back problems. Everyone thought the Celtics were toast. The Celtics are now 13-4 since Rondo's injury. Two aging, 35+ year old guys in Pierce and Garnett + a bunch of journeymen. And they are better off than when they had their 25 year old All Star point guard? Back to Abreu ... he has not played well recently. He's has horrible shooting games, and horrible turnover games. IMO, worst of all, he had begun dominating the ball. Subsequently, the team's offensive movement noticeably slowed. "Dead legs"..."tired" ... "lackadaisical"... whatever you want to call it... our off-ball movement, sans the last 20 minutes against woeful Miami, had started reminding me of the Andre Sims/Dru Joyce era. KD saw this too, as recently began substituting Betancourt not only to give AA a breather , but because Abreu's play merited he sat on the bench for a while. And, we needed someone to pick up the offensive pace. Going back the Boston -- Kevin Garnett was asked "How can you guys possibly be a better team without Rondo?" He replied: “The only way I can really explain it is, when you have a player like Rondo who does so many great things for this team, you kind of get lackadaisical, if you will,” Garnett said. “It’s very similar to, if you’ve got someone cooking for you and you’re expecting that every day, and all of the sudden they’re not there to do that, it’s up to you to feed yourself. All the sudden, you start making these gourmet dishes, and there’s more people coming over the house. You never knew you possessed that until you lost that person that was cooking for you. It’s kind of like that.” The Zips have lost their "Rondo." The remaining Zips have their choice - Eat, or starve. There remains too much talent on this team to forfeit our championship expectations. KD needs to put the right people in the right positions starting tonight. Tonight is a major, major tune up for the MAC tournament. We don't play for another week...it is senior night...sold out venue...national TV audience...it is mandatory that the Zips send a message that rumors of their death are greatly exaggerated. I expect an insanely motivated Zips team to blow the doors off K.e.n.t. tonight. And if the remaining guys + staff are really hungry, and use the next 7 days to learn how to cook. I expect to cut down the nets next Saturday. F K.e.n.t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentZip Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I will withhold comment on the actual Abreu situation for the time being. He's done for the year. There's not much to discuss, at least in this thread. Earlier this year the Celtics lost 1st Team All Star Rajon Rondo to a blown ACL. Further complicating matters, they lost their best rebounder Jared Sullinger, for the year due back problems. Everyone thought the Celtics were toast. The Celtics are now 13-4 since Rondo's injury. Two aging, 35+ year old guys in Pierce and Garnet + a bunch of journeymen. And they are better off than when they had their 25 year old All Star point guard? Back to Abreu ... he has not played well recently. He's has horrible shooting games, and horrible turnover games. IMO, worst of all, he had begun dominating the ball. Subsequently, the team's offensive movement noticeably slowed. "Dead legs"..."tired" ... "lackadaisical"... whatever you want to call it... our off-ball movement, sans the last 20 minutes against woeful Miami, had started reminding me of the Andre Sims/Dru Joyce era. KD saw this too, as recently began substituting Betancourt not only to give AA a breather , but because Abreu's play merited he sat on the bench for a while. And, we needed someone to pick up the offensive pace. Going back the Boston -- Kevin Garnett was asked "How can you guys possibly be a better team without Rondo?" He replied: “The only way I can really explain it is, when you have a player like Rondo who does so many great things for this team, you kind of get lackadaisical, if you will,” Garnett said. “It’s very similar to, if you’ve got someone cooking for you and you’re expecting that every day, and all of the sudden they’re not there to do that, it’s up to you to feed yourself. All the sudden, you start making these gourmet dishes, and there’s more people coming over the house. You never knew you possessed that until you lost that person that was cooking for you. It’s kind of like that.” The Zips have lost their "Rondo." The remaining Zips have their choice - Eat, or starve. There remains too much talent on this team to forfeit our championship expectations. KD needs to put the right people in the right positions starting tonight. Tonight is a major, major tune up for the MAC tournament. We don't play for another week...it is senior night...sold out venue...national TV audience...it is mandatory that the Zips send a message that rumors of their death are greatly exaggerated. I expect an insanely motivated Zips team to blow the doors off K.e.n.t. tonight. And if the remaining guys + staff are really hungry, and use the next 7 days to learn how to cook, I expect to cut down the nets next Saturday. F K.e.n.t. +1,000,000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontrealExposloveZippy Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 +20000000 A great team ADAPTS to adverse situations and I know our Coach, team and mascot will ADAPT and WIN tonight baby!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 Tonight is a major, major tune up for the MAC tournament. Good fan smack. It's one thing to insult your rival, but taking it to a higher level by completely dismissing them as a tune up game is excellent fan smack. Well done CK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mivid12 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 my post got nuked because? my bad...feel free to edit...so freaking distrubed by this story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 @Captain Kangaroo, absolutely great positive post with a good example of how great teams adapt to bad situations. I'd just add that if we expect an insanely motivated Zips team to show up tonight, we really need to be an insanely motivated Zips fan base. I think some may be expecting the crowd to be subdued tonight due to the circumstances. I'm expecting the exact opposite. I'm planning to leave my voice at the JAR tonight and take several days to recover. Go Zips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksu sucks Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 @Captain Kangaroo, absolutely great positive post with a good example of how great teams adapt to bad situations. I'd just add that if we expect an insanely motivated Zips team to show up tonight, we really need to be an insanely motivated Zips fan base. I think some may be expecting the crowd to be subdued tonight due to the circumstances. I'm expecting the exact opposite. I'm planning to leave my voice at the JAR tonight and take several days to recover. Go Zips! Same here Dave. The people sitting near me in GA have been getting tired of my sh!t all season. Just wait until tonight!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a-zip Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 We are 8.5 point favorites. Vegas still believes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 I think the Zips did a really good job with their initial statement. AA suspended until legal matter is resolved. That's all they need to say about that. Diggs went away quickly and so will AA. In terms of the future, they just need to keep it in perspective of basketball. "We spent today preparing the players for tonight's game. Next week, we are going to prepare for the MAC Tournament by looking at every possible strategy and player combination just like we have all season." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dre22era Posted March 8, 2013 Report Share Posted March 8, 2013 We are 8.5 point favorites. Vegas still believes good to hear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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