Akron vs. Louisville (at the Q)?

[wadszip]

Before anybody gets too excited, this is just me speculating. But something I believe has some real potential to happen in 2014-2015, and there are reasons why both sides would want to make it happen.

For Louisville:

1. Rick Pitino has recruited the Cleveland area hard recently, landing Zach Price (St. Edward) and Terry Rozier (Shaker Heights) in the last two classes. Rozier, especially if he isn't a one-and-done (and he may be one-and-gone... just filthy), is a guy a coach would give a hometown game to (think of Jawad Williams at UNC when they came to the Q to play Cleveland State).

2. Regardless of Rozier, Pitino is going to go after Carlton Bragg (top 15 kid from Cleveland VASJ) and V.J. King (SVSM). Getting his program a game in those guys' backyard, won't hurt Louisville's chances of landing them.

3. There are 4-5 other potential top 50 kids in the Cleveland area coming up that could wind up on Pitino's radar. It's the most stacked this area has ever been in the number of top prospects.

For Akron:

1. You get as close to a home game (just look at KD's record at the Q) as you ever would, and against a defending (or worst case) recent national champ. And even if Loiusville doesn't repeat, it's still a top-5 current national brand.

2. You get the same exposure in Cleveland as Louisville would. Maybe you don't sway the Carlton Bragg, Willie Jackson or Trevell Beck (two other top 25 kid from Cleveland), but you would increase your brand locally to the Cleveland fan base in general and also to some of the next-tier Cleveland kids coming up (and there are about a dozen between '15-16 that will be high-major caliber).

3. Tree (and maybe Harney) is the type of Akron player who deserves a home game against a big-time program. True, Tree gets the MAC tournament at home, but as good as that is, it's not getting a game against a marquee opponent in your hometown. I'm a born and raised Clevelander, but now a proud Akronite (went to school there and have lived in the Akron area for the past 10 years ... and when out of town and people ask where are you from, I say Akron), but there is still a disconnect between Cleveland and Akron. A marquee game at the Q would help bridge that gap.

4. Maybe Akron could work it into being a "home" and home series. Louisville comes to the Q (gets the exposure it wants) and then buys Akron a game at the KFC Yum! Center. This is actually the best-case scenario (IMO). You get a "home" game where you have as much of a shot to win as anywhere, but then get a big boost to the athletic budget if you get the return road game. If you lose, even by 20-plus, who cares. Nobody expects you to win anyway. If by some reason, you do win, then you are getting tons of national attention, and a ton of money. Regardless, a win-win situation. But who knows if Louisville would go for that. They may rather just play one in the Q and then call it at that. But If I'm calling the shots at Akron, I try to make a return game happen ... .01 chance you beat Louisville (while collecting a huge check)>the 99.9 chance you beat NC A&T and only bring in 2,800 to the JAR.

Overall, Akron is in prime position to take over the (non OSU) local Cleveland-Akron-Canton market. They just need to capitalize on it. And part of that, IMO, is biting the bullet and embracing the Cleveland portion of that market, even if it means taking away a game from the JAR and bringing it to the Q (and with Akron's record at the Q, I'm not sure why it's even a discussion).

Sorry if this has been discussed. I've been away since the Abreu stuff (was disgusted to the point where I didn't want to say anything ... not that I think Alex is a thug or even or even wrong, per say ... OK, I'm going too far). Anyway, that's the past, and the future (especially after the Williams commit) as is strong as it ever has been. Hopefully, Akron can capitalize on these opportunities.

[taxpayer]

Creative and worth a try. I still like the idea of teaming up with Cant or CSU versus a quality opponent and make it a double header. I'll leave it to the posters who are closer to the program than I about what the financial aspect would be but as far as improving the OCC and playing "big boys" consistently will assist in preparing our players for the NCAA tournament and that kind of arena, environment and opponent.

[zippyman23]

4. Maybe Akron could work it into being a "home" and home series. Louisville comes to the Q (gets the exposure it wants) and then buys Akron a game at the KFC Yum! Center. This is actually the best-case scenario (IMO). You get a "home" game where you have as much of a shot to win as anywhere, but then get a big boost to the athletic budget if you get the return road game. If you lose, even by 20-plus, who cares. Nobody expects you to win anyway. If by some reason, you do win, then you are getting tons of national attention, and a ton of money. Regardless, a win-win situation. But who knows if Louisville would go for that. They may rather just play one in the Q and then call it at that. But If I'm calling the shots at Akron, I try to make a return game happen ... .01 chance you beat Louisville (while collecting a huge check)>the 99.9 chance you beat NC A&T and only bring in 2,800 to the JAR.

Louisville wouldn't pay us to go there if it was a home and home. Realistically, I think we would need to agree to play there twice if we wanted any chance of Louisville agreeing to such an arrangement.

[LZIp]

JMO, if Akron wants to take that true next step, we need to adopt the Boise St mentality. Play anyone, anywhere. I'm obviously talking hypothetical, but this could apply to numerous situations..Who cares IF we could be Louisville to play a game at the Q and they would only do it for two return home games? All I see is two chances to go on the road and pull off a huge upset! We as a program are not equal to them, and shouldn't act like it. We need to take what we can get and make the most out of it.

A close loss to Louisville looks better on the resume than a 40pt thrashing of Coppin St. We might save a little money, too.

[legendofzippy]

I don't think Pitino and his resume need help to recruit any of these kids.

[akzipper]

JMO, if Akron wants to take that true next step, we need to adopt the Boise St mentality. Play anyone, anywhere. I'm obviously talking hypothetical, but this could apply to numerous situations..Who cares IF we could be Louisville to play a game at the Q and they would only do it for two return home games? All I see is two chances to go on the road and pull off a huge upset! We as a program are not equal to them, and shouldn't act like it. We need to take what we can get and make the most out of it.

A close loss to Louisville looks better on the resume than a 40pt thrashing of Coppin St. We might save a little money, too.

The problem is we have a pretty bad record against major teams.

We haven't beaten any top25 teams in the past 5-6 years.

[GJGood]

I'd love it if it happened but I'd be afraid if Louisville was open to deal like this that they would want it to be against Cleveland State as much as they would want it to be against the Zips. The Horizon league has made more national waves recently, even if its membership has changed in the last year or so.

[mes102]

Since our conference tournament is at the Q, would we even be allowed to host a regular season game there? I thought I heard something about that somewhere. It might of been about no NCAA tournament game at the Q involving a MAC school, but not sure which one it is. I just know there's something to that extent.

[Dr Z]

The problem is we have a pretty bad record against major teams. We haven't beaten any top25 teams in the past 5-6 years.

Years or decades? How about 1940? But most say never. I wonder how many times they covered with the spread in the last decade against top 40 teams.

[LZIp]

The problem is we have a pretty bad record against major teams.

We haven't beaten any top25 teams in the past 5-6 years.

Like I said, a respectable loss is better than a 40pt throbbing of Coppin St.

How many top 25 teams have we played in the past 5-6 years anyways?

[GoZips]

The 2014-15 men's basketball schedule is already completed. Louisville is not on it.

Let's keep everything in perspective. Akron is a high mid-major team. Until the Zips can recruit the three and four star

caliber players that teams like Louisville take for granted, wins against high major teams are going to remain few and

far between.

The occasional win against Top 40 teams indicates that the Zips are growing into a high major. The dominance of the

MAC is not a coincidence. The caliber of player Akron has been recruiting in recent years is causing the separation

from other MAC teams. This is intentional and requires a lot of hard work.

A lot of hard work went into last season. The Zips were poised to kick down the door. Abreu hurt a hundred thousand

hearts. Mark my words; this season will be better than last. These kids are hungry. They want it. Support the kids.

They deserve your support.

I apologize that I do not get specific enough to satisfy most people's curiosity. At the start of last season I predicted

that the Zips would be a really good team. They were. They will be really good and fun to watch again this year.

[Roo]

Let's keep everything in perspective. Akron is a high mid-major team.

Since when? Akron has to actually do something to garner that kind of attention, being ranked for the first time in the program's history, zero NCAA tournament win and no big marquee wins does not scream high mid major.

I think we are well on our way, but it seems like we can't make that next step. Hopefully we can get that consistent mid major that makes the NCAA and it would be nice if we could make a run. But I think it is unrealistic to say this team is high mid major without actually accomplishing something first.

[Dr Z]

Hopefully, Akron can capitalize on these opportunities.

New opportunities arise all the time.

[wadszip]

Sex scandal and all, I still stand by what I posted over two years ago. Louisville is still a school to target for a game in the Q. Pitino has reinforced his commitment to recruiting NE Ohio by landing VJ King and Frankie Hughes, who committed after all the sex stuff came out.

Louisville is still a huge brand with a national following, and the NCAA probably slaps them in the wrist (see the Miami football program).

It would still be a great opportunity to get a marquee name in NE Ohio, and Louisville has even more reason to be willing to come up here with King and Hughes... And I suspect when its all said and done, Louisville will be a major player for 2017 PG Markell Johnson out of East Tech. Kid is a Terry Rozier clone. (And Johnson is a King James AAU kid).

Though Michigan State is after Johnson and Tom Izzo recruits Ohio hard. Maybe that could be the new opportunity?

I still 100 percent stick with the thought of getting a marquee game at the Q. We can't get one at the JAR, so use one of the program's advantages (prime recruiting location) and get a "neutral" game in Cleveland. I'd be willing to bet that one call to LeBron could get the ball rolling on something, especially since he's back with the Cavs, and now is heavily invested in UA.

Edited October 24, 2015 by wadszip