A plea to Zipsnation

[Dan Kadar]

No, this isn't another petition to join the Buchtelite yahoo pick'em league (though there are spots available! Join now!).Instead, here's the deal: I'm looking for your input. As you may or may not know, I'm the sports editor at the old Buchtelite. While I like to think I know how to come up with story ideas (and we've got some fun ones already planned), I love hearing what readers (potential or current) have to say. So let's have it. Let me know what kind of stories you want to see about the Zips and I'll see if my wonderful sports staff can cover it. I'm not looking for only football stories, but anything Zips-related. Interested in a player? Let me know. See a trend we should look into? Let me know. See something you think sucks? Especially let me know. The bottom line is that I want the sports section to be filled with stories you want to readNow, all of that said, please realize we are always limited in space and might not be able to cover everything (re: some away games). And remember that we're all student journalists and this is a learning experience first and foremost. Are we going to make mistakes? Sadly yes. Am I going to trying to keep those to a very minimum? Hell yes.So, let me have it. Please keep the suggestion of "anything better than the Urinal!" to a minimum. Drop a line here, or you can get in touch with me. Here are my particulars:-e-mail: dkadar@buchtelite.com-phone: 330-972-8449-AIM: dankadarLet me know what you want and we'll try to provide it. You may be saying, "Kadar, this is kind of silly, asking a message board." To that, I say you all are the best Zips fans around and I treasure your knowledge, criticism and ideas.Thanks!p.s. let me know what you think of our newest stuff on www.buchtelite.com. Oh, and I think I'm contractually obligated to tell you to read Rasor's blog, or something.

[ZachTheZip]

How 'bout a story on the fans? I mean the real fans like the ones on this website. Maybe you could mention the Zipsnation. You can get people excited about being fans by showing how much fun it can be and that others like them are already doing it. That's my idea.O, by the way, I checked out the Buchtelite website and I have to say it is pretty nice. The forums could use a little maintenence, and maybe some people to actually post stuff in them.

[MRasor0200]

Thanks, uakronkid.It's funny you mention the message boards. I just had a meeting today discussing how we can improve them.I think the main problem is one that I wouldn't necessarily want to fix: ZipsNation is far and away too popular to lure anyone to our boards.

[UAZipster0305]

How about a cheerleader of the week feature? They don't get any publicity because they don't have player bios on the web and aren't featured in a roster. Write a little bit profiling one every week. Pictures don't hurt either!

[Roo2]

How about a "where are they now" kind of article? We dont hear too much about former Zips stars. Mike Johnson is the wr coach for the Ravens (I think), James Black is an actor in LA, etc. Might be interesting to see how they feel about the recent success.

[Dan Kadar]

How about a cheerleader of the week feature? They don't get any publicity because they don't have player bios on the web and aren't featured in a roster. Write a little bit profiling one every week. Pictures don't hurt either!

This is something we'll look into. I'll have to look at the cheerleader's profiles and see if anyone is unique. Or try and figure out a story idea involving the whole team. Thanks for the suggestion!

[Dan Kadar]

How about a "where are they now" kind of article? We dont hear too much about former Zips stars. Mike Johnson is the wr coach for the Ravens (I think), James Black is an actor in LA, etc. Might be interesting to see how they feel about the recent success.

That's absolutely something I want to do. Sometimes it can be a little tought working with professional teams as a collegiate journalist, though.For the person you're talking about, we'll hopefully have something in a paper around Sept. 24 or the last issue of the year. The Browns play Baltimore Sept. 24 and Dec. 17. I really want to track down Chase Blackburn this semester and a couple soccer players.Probably try to catch up with Daryl Peterson at some point.James Black might be a little tough to find, but if anyone knows how to get in touch with him, let me know for sure.Thanks for the suggestion!

[ZipAlumn]

How about a "where are they now" kind of article?  We dont hear too much about former Zips stars.  Mike Johnson is the wr coach for the Ravens (I think), James Black is an actor in LA, etc.  Might be interesting to see how they feel about the recent success.

I like this idea and don't forget about the "older" Zips. Bill Turner was the Center for the Zips NCAA Runner-Up team in 1963, he also played in '64 and '65. He was drafted by the old San Francisco Warriors (later Golden State) and played for four or five years in the NBA. The Alumni Office should have an address for him. A note on that same team Gus Williams, a forward, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns even though he never played football. He didn't make the team.

[ziplock]

How about a "where are they now" kind of article?  We dont hear too much about former Zips stars.  Mike Johnson is the wr coach for the Ravens (I think), James Black is an actor in LA, etc.  Might be interesting to see how they feel about the recent success.

I like this idea and don't forget about the "older" Zips. Bill Turner was the Center for the Zips NCAA Runner-Up team in 1963, he also played in '64 and '65. He was drafted by the old San Francisco Warriors (later Golden State) and played for four or five years in the NBA. The Alumni Office should have an address for him. A note on that same team Gus Williams, a forward, was drafted by the Cleveland Browns even though he never played football. He didn't make the team.

That was DON Williams, Bill Turner and Frank Thompson's old running mate. Don used to "rock" the old Memorial Hall with his dunks. He couldn't shoot from the perimeter very well but he had a muscular frame for a 6'5" forward, and man was he a monster on the boards. I can hear Bob Wylie screwing up the play by play now---"check that" what memories.I'd like to hear about a lot of the former athletes from that roster.Go Zips!!

[ZipAlumn]

That was DON Williams, Bill Turner and Frank Thompson's old running mate. Don used to "rock" the old Memorial Hall with his dunks. He couldn't shoot from the perimeter very well but he had a muscular frame for a 6'5" forward, and man was he a monster on the boards. I can hear Bob Wylie screwing up the play by play now---"check that" what memories.I'd like to hear about a lot of the former athletes from that roster.Go Zips!!

You're right it was "Don" .... as the years go by it gets tougher on those of us with "old timers disease".

[LosAngelesZipFan]

How about an article about why BG and Toledo have been able to schedule games in UA's backyard-- why isn't UA doing that, how did UA miss that opportunity?

[Dan Kadar]

How about an article about why BG and Toledo have been able to schedule games in UA's backyard-- why isn't UA doing that, how did UA miss that opportunity?

That is something I'm touching on in an upcoming story. Mack Rhoades explained it to me, but I honestly can't remember off the top of my head what exactly he said. As for getting in touch with older Zips, particularly that team from thte 1960s, if we can get in contact with enough of them, it is something on my mind.Dig this, the Buchtelite is going to have a staffer at every road football game. She goes with her mother. Our Web site is going to have her running diary of her trips up hopefully every Tuesday morning after the game. I'm super-excited for this.