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Rise Up, Zips Nation...Rise Up


UAZip0510

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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.
Tonight is the most important game of the season. The last 24 hours for this team has to be deflating. They need a pick me up to help get the swag back. On court, tonight, is the best medicine. The crowd needs to show extra support tonight.
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Tonight is the most important game of the season. The last 24 hours for this team has to be deflating. They need a pick me up to help get the swag back. On court, tonight, is the best medicine. The crowd needs to show extra support tonight.

I think this is the important point. These guys need a big time "LIFT" from their fans. I bet most of them went to sleep last night feeling pretty sick. I know I did.

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I think this is the important point. These guys need a big time "LIFT" from their fans. I bet most of them went to sleep last night feeling pretty sick. I know I did.

So did I. I think the crowd tonight is going to be something special. I think we all know these guys need it and they surely deserve it. I cant wait!

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Cap'n I was having similar thoughts about the team this morning. I'm hopeful the charge for Carmelo and others who back him up is to simply not turn the ball over, get the ball into the big men and then for the big men to get the ball back out when they don't have a shot.

The interesting thing that Carmelo adds to this team is his slashing style of play. His style of play is different than Alex and the different look he provides the team will be interesting to watch. He doesn't seem to shoot from beyond the arc as much as Alex so it'll be interesting to see how things change.

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I'm really intrigued by GoZips comment about how McAdams has some experience running the point... it would add lot more size without sacrificing athleticism or three-point shooting.

If nothing else it would throw a completely new look at our oppoenents, especially against OU where our height/rebounding advantage is already our key strength.

Matching up against a starting five that goes 6'7", 6'4", 6'7", 6'8", 7'0" would be a nightmare for any MAC team.

Edit: Just looked at the stats and saw McAdams has only FIVE turnovers all season (in 329 minutes)... I really hope he at least gets a chance to handle the ball. 'Melo scares the heck out of me every time he's on the floor.

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Drew Bledsoe gets hurt, Tom Brady saves the day-

Fred Jackson goes down, CJ Spiller comes in and has a monster year

CC Sabathia gets traded, Cliff Lee fills the Ace spot and wins the Cy Young

I know these are not basketball references, but players will step up and fill AA's spot-

I don't know if this is true, but they say drivers who don't wear a seatbelt are actually more cautious drivers because their sense of danger is heightened. The same scenario can be applied to the Zips- we are missing one of our "securities" so all we need to do is compensate for him and RISE to the occassion.

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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.

Tremendous & timely post.

My brief additions:

  • The situation should force the Zips to stick to the gameplan of pumping the ball inside.
  • Big that we got Chauncey going a bit against Miami, he'll be needed tonight even more.
  • I think if we constrain Carmelo and Deji to distribute, penetrate and pass .. it helps the Zips. It does put the onus on CG, BW, JK, and RM to be hitting, but it doesn't have to kill the Zips.
  • The Zips just went from having 11 of the best ~30 guys in the MAC on one roster to having 10 of the best ~29. KD will adapt and adjust. It's a loss to the team, but it's a new season.
  • Opportunity exists in chaos. Tonight will be looked back upon as the game when one or two young Zips stepped up and grabbed the mantle of floor general heading into the next few years. Which ones?? That's the fun of it.

Depth is king.

B) B) B) B) B)

Go Zips!

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I'm really intrigued by GoZips comment about how McAdams has some experience running the point... it would add lot more size without sacrificing athleticism or three-point shooting.

If nothing else it would throw a completely new look at our oppoenents, especially against OU where our height/rebounding advantage is already our key strength.

Matching up against a starting five that goes 6'7", 6'4", 6'7", 6'8", 7'0" would be a nightmare for any MAC team.

McAdams ran the point in his state championship game, so he's done it on a big stage before.

There is no way Ibitayo can handle it, so he's out of the question.

I think it will be really interesting to turn the keys over to Betancourt and see how it goes. If the bigs are ready for the ball when CB cuts to the hoop, they can get a lot of easy baskets. Likewise, I think if the wing players move to the open space when he cuts...and CB will cut to the hoop, that's what he does best...he'll will find them on the kick-out for some wide-open looks.

Guys that like to score should be salivating at least a little because they're playing with a true, pass-first point guard. CB just needs to make a couple short floaters here and there to keep the D honest, and we have the makings of an electric offense.

I think the crowd will rally around Betancourt, and in-turn he will elevate his play.

I'm working on my sign right now:

I Support

Betancourt!

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Zips should pass out free candy tonight as people walk through the door:

gallery_869_7_38035.png

We could steal the old Indians scoreboard graphic... "All rise, Betancourt is now in session!" flanked by a picture of Raffy in a judge's robe.

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We could steal the old Indians scoreboard graphic... "All rise, Betancourt is now in session!" flanked by a picture of Raffy in a judge's robe.

I like the idea, but probably not the appropriate time to play on judicial matters. lol

Just over 6 hours to game time.... Let's go Zips!! Looking forward to watching a packed JAR on ESPN2!

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Edit: Just looked at the stats and saw McAdams has only FIVE turnovers all season (in 329 minutes)... I really hope he at least gets a chance to handle the ball. 'Melo scares the heck out of me every time he's on the floor.

He scares me too, but if we're to have any chance of really rolling, and not just surviving, he's the guy that needs to give us big minutes at the point.

Tonight, "Big" is defined by 15 or 20. The other 20 or 25 can be filled ad hoc.

In the MAC tourney, he's going to need to give us 20+ minutes.

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He scares me too, but if we're to have any chance of really rolling, and not just surviving, he's the guy that needs to give us big minutes at the point.

Tonight, "Big" is defined by 15 or 20. The other 20 or 25 can be filled ad hoc.

In the MAC tourney, he's going to need to give us 20+ minutes.

I'm in complete agreement over this. We have to replace Abreu's ~33 minutes a night. Betancourt gets an extra 20ish of them. Reggie / Diji / Jake likely split the rest. I'm just hopeful for more Reggie and Jake and less Diji.

And I have to say that Carmelo has looked better than he was early in the season. I'm anxious to see how he does tonight. Play under control and smart with no silly turnovers and we'll be alright.

I SUPPORT BETANCOURT

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I expect Carmelo to play great tonight and going forward. I think a lot of his early season troubles had to do with him coming off the bench and wanting to do too much. Towards the latter part of the season, Melo has slowed his game down and been a capable backup to run the offense. I have complete faith in this team to get the job done tonight and next weekend.

KD with a week of practice to sort out player management? Piece of cake. Keep the faith, Zips fans.

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Tell me if I'm missing something.. We lose Zeke, Walsh, Gilliam, Egner and alex's scholarships.. We bring in Gladden, Johnson, Cheathem, Evans.. And Q?

who said alex lost his scholarship? can we please let the legal system take its course before you guys bury this kid

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who said alex lost his scholarship? can we please let the legal system take its course before you guys bury this kid

I'm not burying him, but odds are we aren't going to see him again. He didn't get busted for underage drinking, he has two felonies charged against him. I would love to see him next year, but at this point I think we have a better chance to see Diggs back.

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Tell me if I'm missing something.. We lose Zeke, Walsh, Gilliam, Egner and alex's scholarships.. We bring in Gladden, Johnson, Cheathem, Evans.. And Q?

I believe Forysthe was given Egner's scholly after he transferred.

who said alex lost his scholarship? can we please let the legal system take its course before you guys bury this kid

Dont hold onto that blind faith too tight; You will end up disappointed.

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