Bulls @ Zips — Feb 16

[Dr Z]

4 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

...the way he said it made me think he was scoffing at the notion of playing a cash grab game.

I would love to hear KD expand on the topic. 

[kreed5120]

1 minute ago, Dr Z said:

I would love to hear KD expand on the topic. 

 

As would I. I could have easily misconstrued what he was saying. Maybe the point he was trying to get a crossed is if we do begin seeing them on the schedule, don't expect them to be at the JAR.

[ZippyRulz]

2 hours ago, K92 said:

I must also say that I really miss GP1 and Zipmeister.

 

Yeah, those "2 guys" were a hoot. Too bad "they" checked out right before football turned the corner.

 

[bUAkronG]

30 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Northern Iowa boasts 3 Top 25 wins this season.

 

Technically two, actually

But a non-conference SOS ranked 27th. And they got UNC to play them in Cedar Falls.

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, akronzipsbetch said:

You can't get marquee wins if you don't even give yourself an opportunity to play against a marquee opponent more than once a year.

 

I've been saying this for at least a decade.  I probably have 100 posts on here already, with something similar to this same line. 

 

If we're going to ever get big wins, we have to schedule more of those 'OPPORTUNITIES'

 

Meanwhile, I hear people on here talk about "getting to the tournament" is the answer.  But when you only get one chance every few years to score a tournament win, but end up losing, it's a long wait until that next, single opportunity.  And the years keep rolling along. 

 

That's not good enough.  Not nearly good enough.  Way too many chances to get those opportunities exist in the OOC part of our schedule every year, and we don't take them. 

[akronzips71]

6 hours ago, Glib Shanley said:

From ubfan.com:

Akron always loves to call us "Canada" as though it's an insult. How about we call them "Afghanistan" since they are the only MAC school that broadcasts its games from a freaking camcorder. Try spending $50 to create something ESPN3 will pick up.

 

Evidently, "Polytechnic" does not include a minor in A/V

I ran out of "likes" but this certainly deserves one!

[morris buttermaker]

A team that just won its 21st game and drew less than 3,100 fans can't scoff at a cash grab game ...ever

[Captain Kangaroo]

1 hour ago, akronzipsbetch said:

 

Technically two, actually

But a non-conference SOS ranked 27th. And they got UNC to play them in Cedar Falls.

UNC, Wichita State and Iowa State were all Top 25 when UNI beat them.

[GJGood]

4 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

So on the 1350 am postgame show they had Dambrot on and they were talking about the elite 21+ win company the Zips are in. One of the broadcasters jokingly asked when we are going to see one of those other 21+ win club teams on their schedule. Dambrot said those other teams would happily schedule Akron and would pay them a lot of money to do so. This debunks a few peoples myths that these teams are too scared to schedule Akron.

 

My question is why not schedule one of these cash grab games a year? I'd give Akron a fighting chance vs. OSU in Columbus this year. A loss and they would need to likely rely on a MAC tourney win to get in just like every other year. A win and their resume actually might get a 2nd look come selection time.

 

I wouldn't mind them scheduling one money grab game like this per season. I'd prefer it be against somebody the Zips would match up well with in terms of style of play though. Going somewhere and getting blown out by 37 points could do more harm than good  from both a national perception and team confidence perspective. I think playing Arkansas and Villanova were big this year and would be enough for us to be much more in the conversation had the home slate in the non-conference been better.

 

To me the key is getting a couple of home-and-homes with teams in other MAC-like mid-major conferences or even more well thought of leagues like the A-10 or MVC. I've never understood why we can't get this with someone as close by as Duquesne or Indiana State. I'd love to get another shot at a school like IPFW after the postseason debacle a couple of years ago. I know Duquesne, ISU, and IPFW are not marquee names but how much better would the RPI and SOS numbers be if they replaced Lipscomb, SC State, and UAPB-like teams on the schedule?

 

Also, if we are going to pay MEAC or Atlantic Sun schools to come in and play us, at least make it teams from those leagues that will finish near the top of those conferences and not the teams with RPIs of 300 or worse. To me it just makes sense that at minimum if we play teams that will finish in the second half of their league they should come from good leagues and if we play teams from bad leagues they should be teams that usually win in those leagues. We need to avoid the teams at the bottom of the bottom.

[zippy5]

More Ionas and less Coppin State, basically. A few games against a Nova or Arkansas in a tipoff tourney is fine if the rest of the OOC isn't so bad.

[skip-zip]

34 minutes ago, GJGood said:

 

I wouldn't mind them scheduling one money grab game like this per season. I'd prefer it be against somebody the Zips would match up well with in terms of style of play though. Going somewhere and getting blown out by 37 points could do more harm than good  from both a national perception and team confidence perspective.

 

We shouldn't load our OOC with giants.  But, the ones that have more risk have much more reward.  We don't have any reason to be afraid of anyone at this point.

 

We got blown out by Villanova.  Do you think anyone, nationally, thinks any less of Akron because of that loss?  Do you think the psyche of our players was damaged by that loss?  Heck No. 

 

But, imagine what it would have been like had we won a game like that.

[kreed5120]

29 minutes ago, GJGood said:

 

I wouldn't mind them scheduling one money grab game like this per season. I'd prefer it be against somebody the Zips would match up well with in terms of style of play though. Going somewhere and getting blown out by 37 points could do more harm than good  from both a national perception and team confidence perspective. I think playing Arkansas and Villanova were big this year and would be enough for us to be much more in the conversation had the home slate in the non-conference been better.

 

To me the key is getting a couple of home-and-homes with teams in other MAC-like mid-major conferences or even more well thought of leagues like the A-10 or MVC. I've never understood why we can't get this with someone as close by as Duquesne or Indiana State. I'd love to get another shot at a school like IPFW after the postseason debacle a couple of years ago. I know Duquesne, ISU, and IPFW are not marquee names but how much better would the RPI and SOS numbers be if they replaced Lipscomb, SC State, and UAPB-like teams on the schedule?

 

Also, if we are going to pay MEAC or Atlantic Sun schools to come in and play us, at least make it teams from those leagues that will finish near the top of those conferences and not the teams with RPIs of 300 or worse. To me it just makes sense that at minimum if we play teams that will finish in the second half of their league they should come from good leagues and if we play teams from bad leagues they should be teams that usually win in those leagues. We need to avoid the teams at the bottom of the bottom.

 

The reason we see the Coppin State and Bethune-Cookman of the world on our schedule is because those programs will agree to play us without a return visit. I'd be all for removing 2 guaranteed home games verse 2 cupcakes and replacing them with 2 decent mid-majors home-and-home games per year. It would net into 1 less home game per year which is no problem for me, but would season ticket holders accept paying the prices they are for 1 less game?

 

I'd be all for a MAC vs. CAA or MVC challenge.

[NWAkron]

I think having the home games is a big deal even if the teams we play aren't that great. All that travel and some big losses thrown in there and some injuries just doesn't seem worth it.  I know the injuries can occur at home, too.  But what I gathered from Dambrot's interview last night is it just doesn't sit right with him how it plays out.  Our team is flying (usually commercial) all over the country while these "bigger" schools get to buy us off and stay home and rested.  And Gonzaga has their own jet to get them where they need to go.

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

I think having the home games is a big deal even if the teams we play aren't that great. All that travel and some big losses thrown in there and some injuries just doesn't seem worth it.  I know the injuries can occur at home, too.  But what I gathered from Dambrot's interview last night is it just doesn't sit right with him how it plays out.  Our team is flying (usually commercial) all over the country while these "bigger" schools get to buy us off and stay home and rested.  And Gonzaga has their own jet to get them where they need to go.

 

At the same time don't we do the same thing to smaller schools? We pay them off to come here on a bus meanwhile we stay rested. Did we even have a single home game on our OOC schedule where we are returning a visit? It's hard to complain about the bigger fish wanting to eat you meanwhile you have no problem feasting on the fish smaller than you.

[LZIp]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

I think having the home games is a big deal even if the teams we play aren't that great. All that travel and some big losses thrown in there and some injuries just doesn't seem worth it.  I know the injuries can occur at home, too.  But what I gathered from Dambrot's interview last night is it just doesn't sit right with him how it plays out.  Our team is flying (usually commercial) all over the country while these "bigger" schools get to buy us off and stay home and rested.  And Gonzaga has their own jet to get them where they need to go.

If that's seriously his attitude, this program has peaked under him.

[morris buttermaker]

But hey, they won 20 games again, so why change things. I would much rather see them beat Hiram or Tiffin at home.. Who would want to play a good team on the road?

Edited February 18, 2016 by morris buttermaker

[NWAkron]

I don't know if that's his attitude.  Just an impression.    I trust his judgment...not our former A.D.s judgment.  But I do trust he knows what is best for the team.

 

[gozips19]

He also said they could offer 100k to a big school and they still wouldn't come here. Even went as far to say WVU won't play in Akron even with the Huggins connection . I also recall him saying they need to get a little creative so that's encouraging.  Would love to see some A10 schools here.  I'd even consider a 2 for 1 with a lower big ten scool. Problem is I'm not sure what P5 school signs up for a potential loss each year to a MAC school. 

[tpsjugglerdude]

49 minutes ago, gozips19 said:

He also said they could offer 100k to a big school and they still wouldn't come here. Even went as far to say WVU won't play in Akron even with the Huggins connection . I also recall him saying they need to get a little creative so that's encouraging.  Would love to see some A10 schools here.  I'd even consider a 2 for 1 with a lower big ten scool. Problem is I'm not sure what P5 school signs up for a potential loss each year to a MAC school. 

Michigan State and Purdue have shown a willingness to travel to MAC schools. 

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, gozips19 said:

He also said they could offer 100k to a big school and they still wouldn't come here. Even went as far to say WVU won't play in Akron even with the Huggins connection . I also recall him saying they need to get a little creative so that's encouraging.  Would love to see some A10 schools here.  I'd even consider a 2 for 1 with a lower big ten scool. Problem is I'm not sure what P5 school signs up for a potential loss each year to a MAC school. 

 

I think it's time to put away the notion that teams are running away from playing Akron. The fact is it just doesn't make sense for them to come to the JAR. Great Akron could cut them a check for 100K, which Akron unlikely breaks even on. Minnesota counters saying they make 400k off a home game. They will pay Akron the 100k and keep 300k for themselves. 

 

The reason Minnesota would accept losing money to play a road game would be exposure. Akron really isn't going to give that to them. Now if Akron was able to go on a 3-4 year run where they made it past the 1st weekend in the NCAA tourney a few times, some teams might begin to listen.

Edited February 18, 2016 by kreed5120

[NWAkron]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/playPopup?id=14795976

 

here's a link to a Dambrot interview which discusses some of the issues in this thread along with a "If you had Lebron..." question. 

[MDZip]

On ‎2‎/‎17‎/‎2016 at 8:37 AM, Sportsjunkie330 said:

 

DIG is the most missed person on ZNO. Of all the people that have come and gone, DIG is one that I wish wouldn't have "left." 

The conspiracy theorist in me says he didn't jump, he was pushed.

[K92]

22 minutes ago, MDZip said:

The conspiracy theorist in me says he didn't jump, he was pushed.

Did you watch a House of Cards Netflix marathon this weekend?

[VAZip]

On February 18, 2016 at 10:14 PM, kreed5120 said:

 

I think it's time to put away the notion that teams are running away from playing Akron. The fact is it just doesn't make sense for them to come to the JAR. Great Akron could cut them a check for 100K, which Akron unlikely breaks even on. Minnesota counters saying they make 400k off a home game. They will pay Akron the 100k and keep 300k for themselves. 

 

The reason Minnesota would accept losing money to play a road game would be exposure. Akron really isn't going to give that to them. Now if Akron was able to go on a 3-4 year run where they made it past the 1st weekend in the NCAA tourney a few times, some teams might begin to listen.

I was thinking about this exposure comment. Since I can only watch most games streaming on the computer (live in VA) it's a thrill to actually watch one on TV.  What I have noticed is that if I can watch them on TV they are most likely going to lose. If I just counted right, since 2012/13, the Zips are 11-14 on national TV (ESPN, espn2, espnU, FS1' CBSS, broadcast).  Probably not the best exposure for the Zips. Maybe this is why I always laugh a little at the making a run, changing to a better conference, afraid to play us comments on here. 

[Sportsjunkie330]

1 hour ago, VAZip said:

the Zips are 11-14 on national TV (ESPN, espn2, espnU, FS1' CBSS, broadcast).

That is a very interesting stat