LeBron James donating $1 million to to renovate gym

[skip-zip]

Sure, they know LeBron.

Every kid is also aware of Akron's 8 straight 20+ win seasons, 7 straight MAC Final appearances, and NCAA Tournament bids in 3 of the last 5 years.

Ask a group of high school basketball players in Ohio to recite Akron's basketball resume, and tell me what results you get.

Then ask them about LeBron James.

You can't be that foolish.

[Dave in Green]

It's ridiculous to claim that LeBron has no effect on Zips recruiting, and it's ridiculous to claim that LeBron is the primary reason why recruits choose UA. Reality almost always lies somewhere between the most extreme opposing opinions. I believe that LeBron's connection with Coach Dambrot and UA has some effect on recruits -- some more than others. I don't claim to know how much because I don't really know. I also don't know why any Zips fan would be opposed to any legal recruiting edge that helps attract higher level talent to UA, no matter how small that advantage might be.

[pat]

It's ridiculous to claim that LeBron has no effect on Zips recruiting, and it's ridiculous to claim that LeBron is the primary reason why recruits choose UA. Reality almost always lies somewhere between the most extreme opposing opinions. I believe that LeBron's connection with Coach Dambrot and UA has some effect on recruits -- some more than others. I don't claim to know how much because I don't really know. I also don't know why any Zips fan would be opposed to any legal recruiting edge that helps attract higher level talent to UA, no matter how small that advantage might be.

No one has made the claims you've accused them of making. Your straw man arguments and self-anointed patriarchy are getting old and perhaps "ridiculous". So, huff and puff while the rest of us engage in sincere dialogue. You seem so filled with yourself with your self-perception of being a middle of the road, fence riding diplomat. Something tells me that you have a lot of mirrors in your home. Perhaps you see yourself as Solomon.

[GoZips]

No one has made the claims you've accused them of making. Your straw man arguments and self-anointed patriarchy are getting old and perhaps "ridiculous". So, huff and puff while the rest of us engage in sincere dialogue. You seem so filled with yourself with your self-perception of being a middle of the road, fence riding diplomat. Something tells me that you have a lot of mirrors in your home. Perhaps you see yourself as Solomon.

Perhaps he sees himself as a deeply committed Zips basketball fan.

I see no reason to excoriate a person for providing excellent, well researched opinions.

Personally, I think you are way out of line.

[UAZip0510]

Ask a group of high school basketball players in Ohio to recite Akron's basketball resume, and tell me what results you get.

Then ask them about LeBron James.

You can't be that foolish.

So because they know who LeBron James is, that means it impacts our recruiting? Using the same line of thinking, President Obama and the Pope must help us too, because high school kids have heard of them.

I guess I'm foolish though because I disagree with you? Also makes sense...

[ZachTheZip]

So because they know who LeBron James is, that means it impacts our recruiting? Using the same line of thinking, President Obama and the Pope must help us too, because high school kids have heard of them.

I guess I'm foolish though because I disagree with you? Also makes sense...

Did you see that video I posted earlier in the thread? You mean to tell me that showing that to a recruit wouldn't help us in recruiting.

We need to find a way to get that video to go viral.

[UAZip0510]

Did you see that video I posted earlier in the thread? You mean to tell me that showing that to a recruit wouldn't help us in recruiting.

We need to find a way to get that video to go viral.

No, I'm not sure why it would. I'd show them the Akron-Can't MAC Final from 3 years ago. Now THAT would have an impact.

That and if LeBron would just once be spotted in Zips basketball gear...there's plenty of pictures out there of him repping OSU and Kentucky though.

[Dave in Green]

blah-blah

@Jake, how did I know it wouldn't take you long to resort to one of your old juvenile personal attacks after I was the first to publicly out your phony new identity. In a battle of annoyances, I'd rank Jake right up there with a gnat flying up a nostril. In a battle of wits, I'd bet on the gnat over Jake.

[skip-zip]

So because they know who LeBron James is, that means it impacts our recruiting? Using the same line of thinking, President Obama and the Pope must help us too, because high school kids have heard of them.

I guess I'm foolish though because I disagree with you? Also makes sense...

You need to go back and read my post. I'm telling you how foolish you are for thinking that all of these high schools players who love LeBron would equally be aware of all of all of the statistics regarding Akron's success over the last 8 years or so.

[UAZip0510]

You need to go back and read my post. I'm telling you how foolish you are for thinking that all of these high schools players who love LeBron would equally be aware of all of all of the statistics regarding Akron's success over the last 8 years or so.

If we're going with personal attacks, I'll respond by telling you how foolish you are to believe that the high school players would commit to a college/university because an NBA player they like stops in and plays pick-up basketball with the team a few times per year. It's an especially foolish idea given that said NBA player ACTIVELY recruits for other programs, one of them in our state.

The talent we've brought in is

1) On-Court success

2) Superb recruiting efforts by the staff

3) A recently-new willingness by KD to bring on at-risk players he steered clear of before (Tree, Harney) and Jucos/Transfers (Walsh, Gilliam, Evans)

Again, nobody is saying the LeBron connection hurts. Having the NBA MVP tied to your program, even loosely, is a plus. But the impact LeBron has on our program is severely overstated.

(I'm still waiting for an example of a player LeBron helped bring nere)

[pat]

Perhaps he sees himself as a deeply committed Zips basketball fan.

I see no reason to excoriate a person for providing excellent, well researched opinions.

Personally, I think you are way out of line.

Personally, I think you've gouged your eyes out! Of course, I could be called, "ridiculous" or an "idiot" but then again, that would be a "personal attack".

[pat]

@Jake, how did I know it wouldn't take you long to resort to one of your old juvenile personal attacks after I was the first to publicly out your phony new identity. In a battle of annoyances, I'd rank Jake right up there with a gnat flying up a nostril. In a battle of wits, I'd bet on the gnat over Jake.

Stop it with your grandiosity and paranoia. You are going to give yourself an egotistical nosebleed.. If you want to take the position that I am Jake the snake, or whomever, then knock yourself out. You sir are a chronic gas bag.

[legendofzippy]

No, I'm not sure why it would. I'd show them the Akron-Can't MAC Final from 3 years ago. Now THAT would have an impact.

That and if LeBron would just once be spotted in Zips basketball gear...there's plenty of pictures out there of him repping OSU and Kentucky though.

OSU and Kentucky are the two highest profile "Nike/LeBron" schools. He wears that stuff because he's a business man and they have huge fan bases.

Miami and Akron have also benefited from this product line. We don't compete on the OSU/UK level. But on the level we do compete, he's a strong asset.

Coach Dambrot appreciates his help and uses it to his/our benefit, so I don't even know why we're having this discussion. Yes, I'm upset he left Cleveland, but what he continues to do for the city of Akron is undeniable.

[Dave in Green]

After interviewing Coach Dambrot and Hunter Yurachek back in 2009, I think The Washington Post got it right:

Among Akron Fans, None Stands Taller Than LeBron

By Daniel Uthman,March 19, 2009

PORTLAND, Ore., March 18 -- Chris McKnight joined in a pickup basketball game the first time he stepped on the University of Akron campus as a student and incoming scholarship basketball player.

One by one, his teammates decided whom they would guard, when one of them said, "Chris, you got LeBron."

Guarding LeBron James is both a benefit and challenge of being a men's basketball player for the Zips. Mostly due to a relationship with Akron Coach Keith Dambrot, who tutored a 13-year-old James and later coached him for two years at Akron's St. Vincent/St. Mary High School, James is one of the Zips' most avid and important supporters. .....

..... "If you ask kids around the country, they all relate to Lebron," Dambrot said. "Everybody knows that we're attached to him, and that's an unbelievable thing for recruiting-wise, just saying that this guy is part of our program." .....

..... "It's very influential for kids who are 17, 18 years old to know the world's greatest player has a relationship with the university and the community," Yurachek said. .....

..... "That's the thing that's wild," Dambrot said. "They come in and play with him in the summertime and they figure out how bad they really are, comparatively speaking, and then they end up working hard."

[pat]

After interviewing Coach Dambrot and Hunter Yurachek back in 2009, I think The Washington Post got it right:

Fair enough...point taken!

[Dave in Green]

Thanks. I try to make reasonable points and appreciate when they're taken that way.

[UAZip0510]

OSU and Kentucky are the two highest profile "Nike/LeBron" schools. He wears that stuff because he's a business man and they have huge fan bases.

Miami and Akron have also benefited from this product line. We don't compete on the OSU/UK level. But on the level we do compete, he's a strong asset.

Coach Dambrot appreciates his help and uses it to his/our benefit, so I don't even know why we're having this discussion. Yes, I'm upset he left Cleveland, but what he continues to do for the city of Akron is undeniable.

He can't promote Akron as well? For a guy who reportedly does so much for the program, he can't be spotted wearing a Nike Zips basketball shirt or a Zips hat for 2 or 3 of the 365 days of the year?

Still waiting for one player he helped in influencing to sign with UA...

[ZachTheZip]

He can't promote Akron as well? For a guy who reportedly does so much for the program, he can't be spotted wearing a Nike Zips basketball shirt or a Zips hat for 2 or 3 of the 365 days of the year?

Maybe you should give him a hat to wear, if it concerns you so much.

Still waiting for one player he helped in influencing to sign with UA...

Try every player since Dru/Romeo.

[Dave in Green]

..... Still waiting for one player he helped in influencing to sign with UA...

What exactly are you looking for? There are many quotes in the media where Coach Dambrot credits his ongoing relationship with LeBron for helping with recruits in general, like the quote I posted earlier in this thread. Do you not take Coach Dambrot at his word when he says "our program would not be what it is today if it wasn't for LeBron James"? Have you ever spoken with Coach Dambrot? He's easily accessible and enjoys interacting with Zips fans.

[akzipper]

Here's the thing. Lebron went to St.V's and I have no problem with how much money he gives them compared to UA. In reality his only connection to us is that he is from Akron and has close relationships with coaches/players. He knows, like the rest of the country, that UA is not Duke, Kentucky, or OSU. But he does give the Zips credit when they have positive accomplishments. Anytime a small school like UA is mentioned by Lebron it gives us exposure and in return gives the program a bump in credibility. I really don't mind if he doesn't directly bring in recruits. But it's his involvement in the Akron community that I support.

[Spin]

Sure, they know LeBron.

Every kid is also aware of Akron's 8 straight 20+ win seasons, 7 straight MAC Final appearances, and NCAA Tournament bids in 3 of the last 5 years.

Maybe Momma Zeke can correct me if I'm wrong, but Zeke came here because of his connection the coaches. Demetrius Treadwell and Nick Harney came here because of the coaches. Alex Abreu and Carmelo Betancourt = coaches.

I'm not a LeBron basher. Like I said, he doesn't hurt, that's for sure. Anything helps.

What I am is a person tired of the incredible job our coaches do in finding talented winners and recruiting them to come here being attributed to a connection LeBron has to UA.

Sure, KD says LeBron helps a lot with recruiting- he absolutely loves LeBron...he's going to say those things. I'm still waiting for a name though.

Zeke came because of the engineering program IIRC, but I agree with what you're saying.

What has LeBron done for the program that didn't have his name all over it?

[legendofzippy]

He can't promote Akron as well? For a guy who reportedly does so much for the program, he can't be spotted wearing a Nike Zips basketball shirt or a Zips hat for 2 or 3 of the 365 days of the year?

Still waiting for one player he helped in influencing to sign with UA...

Lol. Like I said, for some people, it's never enough.

[ZipsBurgh]

No, I'm not sure why it would. I'd show them the Akron-Can't MAC Final from 3 years ago. Now THAT would have an impact.

That and if LeBron would just once be spotted in Zips basketball gear...there's plenty of pictures out there of him repping OSU and Kentucky though.

Here's that "once":

LeBron in Akron Basketball Shirt

[Dr Z]

Here's that "once":

Nice find ZipsBurgh. ZipsWin has a lot in common with that dude.

[UAZip0510]

What exactly are you looking for? There are many quotes in the media where Coach Dambrot credits his ongoing relationship with LeBron for helping with recruits in general, like the quote I posted earlier in this thread. Do you not take Coach Dambrot at his word when he says "our program would not be what it is today if it wasn't for LeBron James"? Have you ever spoken with Coach Dambrot? He's easily accessible and enjoys interacting with Zips fans.

I think Dambrot says these things because it doesn't hurt and he'll accept any advantage, no matter how big or small. Do you really expect him, when asked if LeBron helps recruiting, to say no? He's overly supportive of his former player because that's who he is (not a bad thing).