Toledo Tabbed As Best In The MAC

[GoZips]

College sports madness has Toledo as the BEST men's team in the MAC for 2013-14.

We'll See

At a paltry eighty-ninth position for Too-Lee-Dew the MAC is going way, way down in conference power ratings.

Unfortunately, I see everything through my rose colored Zippy glasses.

Prediction: the Zips will finish better than fourth, AND, the Zips will win the MAC tourney (barring another Abreu stumble)

The Zips are built around Q and Tree. Probably the two best players regardless of position in the MAC.

[akronzips71]

Who cares what they say. The only thing that counts is what happens on the BB Court.

And we will be better than Toledo. Count on it. Tree will be the dominant player in the MAC this year. We did a good reload with the recruits. Not to worry.

[mbalsinger]

Unfortunately, I see everything through my rose colored Zippy glasses.

Prediction: the Zips will finish better than fourth, AND, the Zips will win the MAC tourney (barring another Abreu stumble)

The Zips are built around Q and Tree. Probably the two best players regardless of position in the MAC.

Mine too; but I just can't see Toledo taking the MAC over Akron. Akron NEVER gets any love...

[Dave in Green]

As I just posted in another thread last night, Sports Illustrated and ESPN both have really nice things to say about the Zips basketball program. You can't get much better than to have ESPN call the Zips one of "the best mid-major programs of the past decade." If you missed it, check this post and the one immediately following it.

[johnnyzip84]

While I agree the Zips should be at or near the top of the MAC in 2013-2014 and Tree is outstanding, Javon McCrea is the best player in the league RIGHT NOW.

[Dave in Green]

@johnnyzip84, Bleacher Report agrees with you, ranking McCrea the 5th best mid-major player for the 2013-14 season. The only other MAC player on the list is WMU's Shane Whittington ranked 20th. The challenge has been issued to Tree and Q, who have both shown flashes of borderline greatness. But since there are no stars in Coach Dambrot's system, they will ultimately be judged on how the Zips perform as a team. Their individual stats will be secondary to winning games, winning the MAC and winning NCAA tournament games.

[Quickzips]

College sports madness has Toledo as the BEST men's team in the MAC for 2013-14.

We'll See

At a paltry eighty-ninth position for Too-Lee-Dew the MAC is going way, way down in conference power ratings.

Unfortunately, I see everything through my rose colored Zippy glasses.

Prediction: the Zips will finish better than fourth, AND, the Zips will win the MAC tourney (barring another Abreu stumble)

The Zips are built around Q and Tree. Probably the two best players regardless of position in the MAC.

I think Javon McCrae might have something to say about that. While I agree that Q and Tree are definitely in the top 10, maybe even top 5, McCrae's overall body of work, on an individual basis is a little better. I expect him to be preseason POTY and I expect that he will be one of the frontrunners for that award throughout the year.

Not sure how Toledo can be tops in the MAC. MAC West I'll give them, but the MAC overall? I just don't see that yet. I think they will continue to improve, but they are still a year or two away from really competing with the big-dogs of the MAC East.

As far as Akron goes, there is no doubt that we are going to be rated a lot lower in the preseason rags than most around here think we should. The preseason rags are only going to look at who we lost and who we have coming back. While there is some talent coming back we lost our leading scorer (who was the conference's leading shot blocker and one of our best rebounders as well) and our starting PG. The preseason rags are going to penalize us for that in their overall rankings. Nothing we can do about it. That is the way they operate. At the end of the season, I have every expectation that we will, once again, be in the hunt for a MAC East title and that we will make another deep run in the conference tournament.

[akronzips71]

Tree is going to have a breakout year.

This is only this third year.

And as I have pointed out before, he LITERALLY played in the shadow of Zeke.

Now if only the idiots in the office can get the paperwork right.

[GoZips]

While I agree the Zips should be at or near the top of the MAC in 2013-2014 and Tree is outstanding, Javon McCrea is the best player in the league RIGHT NOW.

McCrea throws sucker punches and bullies his opponents in a truly unsportsman like manner. He gets no respect or

"creds" from me. Who remembers last season game that had to be stopped for several minutes after McCrea rabbit

punched Reggie McAdams so hard that McAdams ended up writhing on the floor in pain?

Now I ask you; is that the behavior of a champion or a thug?

I stand by what I wrote: Quincy Diggs and Demetrius Treadwell are the two best players in the MAC regardless of

position.

[LZIp]

McCrea throws sucker punches and bullies his opponents in a truly unsportsman like manner. He gets no respect or

"creds" from me. Who remembers last season game that had to be stopped for several minutes after McCrea rabbit

punched Reggie McAdams so hard that McAdams ended up writhing on the floor in pain?

Now I ask you; is that the behavior of a champion or a thug?

I stand by what I wrote: Quincy Diggs and Demetrius Treadwell are the two best players in the MAC regardless of

position.

We are debating McCrea's skill level, not his character.

[taxpayer]

The key to the season isn't who is the best player, it's who has the best team. Last year's Zips team had players making individual sacrifices for the success of the team. The result, long winning streak and regular season and conference championship.

This year has the physical talent to repeat both, the test will be do they have individuals who will sacrifice personal results to play as hard defensively as they do offensively; just as important will they share the ball. If the Zips excel at both of these

skills/attributes they will be champs again.

As far as the kid from Buffalo, he is a nice player. He can have the POY, we want team awards and championships.

[legendofzippy]

McCrea might be the best player, tough call there. But Tree is a grown-a** man, and I'll take him in any battle all day long.

These pre-season predictions are not going to be glowing for us. Zeke is gone, which is a big loss. And while we're all excited about Nyles, an outsider sees we lost our starting PG and that typically is a bad thing.

The good news - who cares, this stuff gets decided on the court. Until a team proves me wrong, I say no way anyone can match our depth every night. Our bench could start for most teams.

[Dr Z]

Rian Pearson has been one of the few in the MAC worth the price of admission to some of these MAC games. The MAC can use about four more of him to get back to a 2 bid league. Kid is fun to watch.

[legendofzippy]

Rian Pearson has been one of the few in the MAC worth the price of admission to some of these MAC games. The MAC can use about four more of him to get back to a 2 bid league. Kid is fun to watch.

Not trying to be argumentative, but we've never been a regular 2 bid league. It's always been rare.

[Dr Z]

Not trying to be argumentative, but we've never been a regular 2 bid league. It's always been rare.

Regular? I don't remember typing that? The MAC has received five at-large bids — 1999, Miami of Ohio; 1998, Western Michigan; 1995, Miami; 1986, Miami; 1985, Miami. Personally, I would like to see the talent level in the league increase to up the entertainment. It used to be that way in the mid to late 90's. Daniels, Trent, Boykins, Hunter, Szczerbiak and Bonzi Wells all played in the NBA. I watched some teams at the JAR last year that were just tur-able. While it's fun for some to watch, it just doesn't prepare the team for its ultimate goal...winning in the NCAA tournament.

[legendofzippy]

Regular? I don't remember typing that? The MAC has received five at-large bids — 1999, Miami of Ohio; 1998, Western Michigan; 1995, Miami; 1986, Miami; 1985, Miami. Personally, I would like to see the talent level in the league increase to up the entertainment. It used to be that way in the mid to late 90's. Daniels, Trent, Boykins, Hunter, Szczerbiak and Bonzi Wells all played in the NBA. I watched some teams at the JAR last year that were just tur-able. While it's fun for some to watch, it just doesn't prepare the team for its ultimate goal...winning in the NCAA tournament.

You didn't mean "regular"? Then what, rarely? That's what we are - a conference that gets two bids on rare occasions.

There was a brief run of some good players there, but since the Big Ten has somehow vaulted into the power basketball conference, they're going to get players we had a shot at before. And with the proliferation of ESPN/whoever national TV games, there are just tons of options for kids now. Besides, the NCAA will always rather take the 7th or 8th Big Ten, ACC, etc. team before our #2 team. More viewers.

[skip-zip]

College sports madness has Toledo as the BEST men's team in the MAC for 2013-14.

We'll See

At a paltry eighty-ninth position for Too-Lee-Dew the MAC is going way, way down in conference power ratings.

Unfortunately, I see everything through my rose colored Zippy glasses.

Prediction: the Zips will finish better than fourth, AND, the Zips will win the MAC tourney (barring another Abreu stumble)

The Zips are built around Q and Tree. Probably the two best players regardless of position in the MAC.

Have you forgotten so soon? We won the MAC, even WITH the Abreu stumble

Diggs, Harney and Treadwell should be enough to put us right there with everyone else. Then we'll see which way the ball bounces, same as each of the last 8 years.

[Dave in Green]

@Legend Of Zippy, the way I interpret Dr Z's point is that the MAC at one time had several seasons when it had a higher number of top-level players that ultimately resulted in the MAC receiving at-large NCAA tournament bids, and that having more top-level players in the future would increase the likelihood of the MAC receiving at-large bids. I don't see how anyone could disagree with that basic point.

[legendofzippy]

@Legend Of Zippy, the way I interpret Dr Z's point is that the MAC at one time had several seasons when it had a higher number of top-level players that ultimately resulted in the MAC receiving at-large NCAA tournament bids, and that having more top-level players in the future would increase the likelihood of the MAC receiving at-large bids. I don't see how anyone could disagree with that basic point.

I guess what I'm saying is that was an anomaly. There's no getting "back" to something like that.

[Z.I.P.]

College sports madness has Toledo as the BEST men's team in the MAC for 2013-14.

We'll See

At a paltry eighty-ninth position for Too-Lee-Dew the MAC is going way, way down in conference power ratings.

Unfortunately, I see everything through my rose colored Zippy glasses.

Prediction: the Zips will finish better than fourth, AND, the Zips will win the MAC tourney (barring another Abreu stumble)

The Zips are built around Q and Tree. Probably the two best players regardless of position in the MAC.

So, I take it the Rockettes are over their academic probation? Good luck to them. I see them #2 or three in the east behind EMU and (maybe) WMU. Middle of MAC overall.