Jodi Kest

[GoZips]

Well, well ... the University staff finally did something right concerning women'sbasketball.Jodi Kest the current head coach at Texas-Corpus Christi is to be named the newLady zips head coach.

[Sloopy]

I posted this three days ago but it was stripped down and called incorrect. I am waiting on my apology from the admin.

[AkronURocks]

Yeah, I noticed that.THIS IS A FAN FORUM....are we not aloud to start rumors and speculate? That is exactly what sloopy did and he got shut down for it. Is Akron U running this board?Obviously sloopy had the scoop and someone at the school told the admin to take it off. That is not cool. Regardless, seems like a good hire for the University.

[zff]

It was a mistake on my part to delete the post. Better care will be taken in the future to assure this does not happen again. We encourage any and all "scoop" information.

[ZipAnalyst]

See TAMU article on the loss of their coach to Akron.Best thing in Kest's resume - as coach of the Islanders they defeated our arch rival Can't State. Oops, I shouldn't be saying that. My eldest daughter played for Bob Lindsay at Can't State as a walk-on.

[Big Zip]

How much will not being from the area hurt her recruiting efforts?

[Big Zip]

Please excuse my post above....I didn't read the article first and thought she was from Texas.

[GoZips]

What I particularily like about our new women's coach Jodi Kest is that she has threetimes turned around a college program from a perennial loser into a winner. Doing thisjust once is no small feat.I hope and pray that Ms. Kest wastes no time in contacting the fall recruits lest we losethem ala Duquesne.Welcome to Akron. Welcome to an arena populated with AK-Rowdies. Welcome to Fearthe Roo where the roo means business. Welcome home.

[zipsbandman]

I don't follow women's basketball too much but I happened to check out the feed, and I think this team will win a championship. This hire impresses me.

[msopher]

Kest has a long way to go but I hope she is successful.

[Valpo Zip]

Coach kest definitely had an impressive resume and i know that the last 2 classes recruited by coach kennedy were good ones so i am looking for immediate results (a winning season) as soon as next year.

[AkronURocks]

I just had time to watch the archived press conference for the first time.She is a very impressive speaker. Obviously that does not absolutely translate to wins, but she talks with more confidence than I ever heard with Kelly Kennedy. I am excited to see how quickly she can get the Lady Zips winning. Was there any word on if any of the assistants are staying on with the new coach?

[Zip N' Dots]

I think she is a great hire, but what is being paid to her is going to kill the chances of keeping certain other coaches around because Akron won't be able to afford them.

[GoZips]

Dear Mack Rhoades;I spoke my mind when you fired coach Kelly Kennedy. I was aghast. The Lady Zipsbasketball program was dead last among division one schools when she took that job.Climbing out of such a deep hole is neigh on impossible. Still, coach Kennedy managedto recruit decent talent. Especially this current incoming class. You simply cannotwin at this level without tall, talented post players. It appeared that two were finally on the way. I hope and pray that new coach Kest can motivate all four recruits to trust her andremain in the Zips program.From what I have read you have managed to sign the very best of the potential coachingcandidates. I realize the pressure from alumni, concerned friends, etc. That was no smalldecision. I am pleased with your choice. In my opinion, coach Kest will bring honor tothe university. She has the skill set, experience and drive to get the job done.Coach Kest is the outstanding choice. Well done.

[Balki Bartokomous]

Thank god GoZips approves of this. I can speak for everyone when I say, we were all worried what GoZips would have to say.

[zippyrifle32]

and no one is complaining now that we didn't hire a man? surprise surprise...

[Dr Z]

Dear Mack Rhoades;I spoke my mind when you fired coach Kelly Kennedy.  I was aghast.  The Lady Zipsbasketball program was dead last among division one schools when she took that job.Climbing out of such a deep hole is neigh on impossible.  Still, coach Kennedy managedto recruit decent talent.  Especially this current incoming class.  You simply cannotwin at this level without tall, talented post players.  It appeared that two were finally on the way.  I hope and pray that new coach Kest can motivate all four recruits to trust her andremain in the Zips program.From what I have read you have managed to sign the very best of the potential coachingcandidates.  I realize the pressure from alumni, concerned friends, etc.  That was no smalldecision.  I am pleased with your choice. In my opinion, coach Kest will bring honor tothe university.  She has the skill set, experience and drive to get the job done.Coach Kest is the outstanding choice.  Well done.

Dear Gozips;If you really wanted to reach Mack, why don't you email him at krex@uakron.edu?I'm not sure he reads our page.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Dear Mack Rhoades;I spoke my mind when you fired coach Kelly Kennedy.  I was aghast.  The Lady Zipsbasketball program was dead last among division one schools when she took that job.Climbing out of such a deep hole is neigh on impossible.  Still, coach Kennedy managedto recruit decent talent.  Especially this current incoming class.  You simply cannotwin at this level without tall, talented post players.  It appeared that two were finally on the way.  I hope and pray that new coach Kest can motivate all four recruits to trust her andremain in the Zips program.From what I have read you have managed to sign the very best of the potential coachingcandidates.  I realize the pressure from alumni, concerned friends, etc.  That was no smalldecision.  I am pleased with your choice. In my opinion, coach Kest will bring honor tothe university.  She has the skill set, experience and drive to get the job done.Coach Kest is the outstanding choice.  Well done.

Nice try...but after your epic "You have made a disgusting, evil decision. May your days at Akron be the shortest tenure ever held by an Akron Athletic Director. Shame on you." blast I still think you've got a long way to go before you should start expecting a Christmas card from the Rhodes'.Click for Disgusting and Evil Post

[GoZips]

Actually, I e-mailed BOTH of my letters to Mack Rhoades prior to posting them onZipsNation.AD Rhoades was kind enough to return a nice reply to my second post.There are many types of "fans" thast support teams at all levels. He who is withoutpassion is pretty much worthless to an athletic program. Almost as worthless as thecontinual sap sucker who never finds fault or voices a contrary view.Most of the coaches at Akron and a couple other schools know that I am their friend andwill take their "back". It was fitting to stand up for Kelly Kennedy. She took on theworst division one women's basketball program in the country. She busted her butt.After fighting four years to drag that team out of the pits Kennedy was finally seeingsome good recruiting results for her efforts. It was unfortunate that people in powerdecided to pull the rug out from under her efforts. That angered me. She got a bumdeal. Over the many years of supporting University of Akron sports I have weatherednumerous insults. Even to the point of being ejected from games for being vocal.Oddly, on a rabidity scale I wouldn't nudge the needle off the zero peg at most majorprograms. That my voice was called unwanted shows just how pathetic the fans atAkron are.Either you have passion or you are just a passer by.I am proud to see passionate fans beginning to make their voices heard at Akron.For several years I have advocated moving UP to a better conference. My lonevoice in the wilderness has been joined by several others who now see the greatopportunity available to Zips sports.I think that most of you do not know the pressures put on Mack Rhoades. Power peoplehave their pet stars. Power people want this famous name or that famous name.In this case, AD Rhoades obtained the services of the most qualified candidate. Itmatters not that person "X" or person "Y" wanted more money or was the choice ofpower people. Mack got the right person. Jodi Kest will do the Zips proud.

[zipboy]

Not sure if part of your post was referrig to the pressure of Semeka Randall. But my rant for the day is whenever some high up coach recommends and pushes hard for someone. Like listening to Bobby Knight pull for Dan Hipsher or Jim Tressel push MT to hire his assistant who is now at Marshall (thank goodness we got JD!) or Pat Summit pushing Semeka Randall makes a lot of sense. Pat Summit gives a rat's ass about Akron. And I doubt that Bobby Knight or Jim Tressel care about Akron athletics. I don't know if Kest will be good or not, but I also am happy that Mack picked who he thought the right person was.

[Z.I.P.]

I too am glad to see -- for the sake of the future of Mack Rhoades -- that the King of Wadsworth and most of Medina County is in favor of the new hire! I've been off-line due to travel and computer problems (finally logged-on from out-of town tonight) since just after Kelly K's dismissal. I DO have a connection to the new coach, as a friend's son was an assistant to Coach Kest at UTCC. I will be in contact with the dad and maybe son to ask about her personality, etc. Hope to catch the Roo pack again soonest.Be Good! And give King Gozips the honor to which he has grown accustomed. Uh-oh, I imagine you are already doing that, eh!?

[Dr Z]

Actually, I e-mailed BOTH of my letters to Mack Rhoades prior to posting them on ZipsNation.

Good work. I now consider you one of my colleagues.