Game 7—Western Michigan Broncos (2016)

[Spin]

I understand some enjoy trying to keep up with the Joneses (even when they're pulling a quarter billion dollars a year from their conference networks and other TV deals, not counting bowl money). While at the same time complaining about local sports fans and students not taking the athletics seriously. Especially when the students are paying a little over a thousand bucks in student fees to maintain this FBS-but-not-FBS status. Never getting more than one seed in the 68 team March Madness.

 

It's a paradox. Not just for Akron or just the MAC, but for programs in the CUSA, SBC, AAC, MWC, and the ashes of the WAC. Talk of another level of play including those conferences was discussed as an answer. Not FCS or D2, but not eating the scraps of the Ohio States and their $100,000,000.00 budgets. 

 

Just thinking out loud. Not that it'll ever happen. And the complaints will go on that nobody takes us seriously. Fans, students, media. The football power 5, the basketball selection committee. Crap I don't have to listen to at Canal Park or MiLB forums.

 

I continue to support my alma mater, hoping someday the MAC can get an at-large big in the basketball tourney, and/or an 8 team football playoff including the top ranked G5 program. But all the whining and complaining about both ends at once gets tiring.

[GJGood]

10 hours ago, Spin said:

I continue to support my alma mater, hoping someday the MAC can get an at-large big in the basketball tourney, and/or an 8 team football playoff including the top ranked G5 program. But all the whining and complaining about both ends at once gets tiring.

 

To me part of the problem in both sports is that they leave much of the inclusion issue up to human committees which will always be biased or swayed by what the loudest and most prevalent talking heads have to say. The bias may not be intentional but whatever is most popular is what garners stronger consideration.

 

In basketball I will never understand why a team that finishes 6th or 7th in its own league deserves a shot at finishing first in the entirety of D-I.

 

In football you mentioned an 8 team playoff but it could be done by just adding two games and making it a 6 team playoff, The 5 P5 champs (or team put forward by their conference) and the highest ranked G5 champ. It would restore the one biggest piece of excitement the BCS had, the race for the top 2 as those teams would get a bye in the first round, assuming both of the top 2 won their conference.

[kreed5120]

It is conceivably possible that the MAC gets an at-large bid unlike it being near impossible for them making a 4 team playoff. The MAC just doesn't have a Gonzaga or Wichita State anchoring it. We don't even have a Saint Mary's. A 27-28 win MAC team that beat 2 ranked opponents OOC would look attractive. The problem is we haven't had a team do it.

[LZIp]

Unless there are some late surprise firings, it is looking more and more likely that Fleck will be at WMU yet another season. Baylor, LSU, Indiana, Oregon, Purdue and Texas have been filled. The interest doesn't seem there for Cinci. Maybe Temple or Houston? The AAC is getting poached, so that is a benefit I suppose. If I had to guess right now, it would be Houston (if anyone). They are desperate to keep the program at a high level and can pay $$$

[skip-zip]

Maybe he'll follow a few other former MAC coaches, and go to the graveyard of "power conference" coaching.....the bottom half of the Big 10.

[Blue & Gold]

Preseason rankings stack the deck in favor of the Power 5 schools before the season begins.  

 

Deep down, I feel most people must realize this, but simply don't want to acknowledge the reality.  

 

I feel it's something unbiased media and G5 schools should make more of noise over.  Torches and pitchforks. 

 

Here's an article concerning such by HustleBelt.

[zippy5]

Preseason rankings are dumb for a multitude of reasons. Teams were getting credit for wins over highly ranked teams like ND and Ole Miss for a few weeks who turned out to be duds.

[skip-zip]

14 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Preseason rankings are dumb for a multitude of reasons.

 

Amen.  You put someone in the Top 5 at the start of the year, and it's nearly impossible for them to NOT make the playoff, unless they have two losses.  Even with one loss, they won't drop far, and will move back up again once someone else losses.  

 

Meanwhile, anyone else that started outside of the rankings, you make it impossible for them to get there.  

[LZIp]

And Fickell to UC. One less spot for Fleck.

 

[LZIp]

And Lane Kiffin to Houston. I almost have to wonder if Fleck is holding out for a Notre Dame or Tennessee job. Or if his supposed unwillingness to talk to teams until after the season was over did him in. Can't decide if him possibly staying at WMU is a good thing or a bad thing.

http://footballscoop.com/news/houston-will-name-lane-kiffin-new-head-coach/

[LZIp]

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/2016/12/08/pj-fleck-western-michigan-close-extension/95147226/

[LZIp]

On 12/8/2016 at 8:08 AM, LZIp said:

And Lane Kiffin to Houston. I almost have to wonder if Fleck is holding out for a Notre Dame or Tennessee job. Or if his supposed unwillingness to talk to teams until after the season was over did him in. Can't decide if him possibly staying at WMU is a good thing or a bad thing.

http://footballscoop.com/news/houston-will-name-lane-kiffin-new-head-coach/

Check that. Major Applewhite gets the gig at Houston.

[Blue & Gold]

 

On 12/9/2016 at 10:12 AM, LZIp said:

Check that. Major Applewhite gets the gig at Houston.

^^Concerning Lane Kiffin...

 

[Dr Z]

2 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

^^Concerning Lane Kiffin...

 

Boooooooo, I like the Zips recruiting from this sourounding area. Does he still have that Kiffin's Krimson Korner show?

[Captain Kangaroo]

3 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

^^Concerning Lane Kiffin...

 

In 8 seasons he's gone from Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders to Head Coach @ Florida Atlantic. He may be at Mogadore by 2024?

[72 Roo]

Wrong Captain. Take it from a guy who used to date a lovely girl from Mogadore, they expect much more. Unfortunately for me so did she.

[skip-zip]

7 hours ago, 72 Roo said:

Wrong Captain. Take it from a guy who used to date a lovely girl from Mogadore, they expect much more. Unfortunately for me so did she.

 

I hope this happened a long time ago, and you're over it, because this is a pretty witty post that made me laugh.  

[LZIp]

On 12/12/2016 at 2:26 PM, Dr Z said:

Boooooooo, I like the Zips recruiting from this sourounding area. Does he still have that Kiffin's Krimson Korner show?

It's only been a few days and it looks like Lane has already landed a player that I would assume was a transfer candidate for Akron.

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/18277570/florida-atlantic-owls-lane-kiffin-sign-former-florida-state-seminoles-qb-deandre-johnson

 

edit: It appears he only has offers from FAU and Texas State, so I am wrong. 

http://247sports.com/Recruitment/DeAndre-Johnson-88935/RecruitInterests

Edited December 14, 2016 by LZIp

[Lee Adams]

"Dropping back'? I am not a Y.town fan. No connection there. But,Y.town hadn't been in the I-AA playoffs for what,10 years? Pelini is 2 years in and they are playing to go to the National Championship game this week. Its about being consistently competitive at the level at which your program is playing. Hasn't happened at Akron since the move to DI.

By the way how come we don't play Y.town or South Dakota State etc,etc?

[Lee Adams]

On 12/5/2016 at 10:36 AM, skip-zip said:

Please, I hope this doesn't turn into another lengthy "lets drop down" discussion.  I think that's been put to bed before, and some of it is repeated here. 

 

As someone who's been involved for decades with our athletic programs in a number of capacities, including being a donor, I would personally be angry if we ever talked about dropping down.  Most of us who contributed to our growth would feel the same way, and there's people who have invested far more than me.  

 

We apparently have long ago forgotten what a lot of us did back in 1985-87 just to make the move up.  Those who are too young to remember might be inclined to disregard it even more.  And a lot of effort and a lot of money has been needed to continue that growth, especially in facilities.  

 

There's no turning back now.  Not for me.  Too much invested.   

A bad decision doesn't justify more bad decisions.

[LZIp]

10 minutes ago, Lee Adams said:

"Dropping back'? I am not a Y.town fan. No connection there. But,Y.town hadn't been in the I-AA playoffs for what,10 years? Pelini is 2 years in and they are playing to go to the National Championship game this week. Its about being consistently competitive at the level at which your program is playing. Hasn't happened at Akron since the move to DI.

By the way how come we don't play Y.town or South Dakota State etc,etc?

Pelini has been playing players with failed drugs tests and arrests/firearms charges.

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, Lee Adams said:

 

By the way how come we don't play Y.town or South Dakota State etc,etc?

 

Why would we play them? All FCS teams are weighted the same so its better to play one that you are nearly guaranteed to beat instead of 1 like NDSU and actually risk losing. Nothing to gain, but everything to lose.

[Captain Kangaroo]

11 hours ago, Lee Adams said:

By the way how come we don't play Y.town or South Dakota State etc,etc?

Because they won't come to Akron to play, and MAC programs don't play away games against 1-AA opponents.

[K92]

On 12/5/2016 at 10:36 AM, skip-zip said:

Please, I hope this doesn't turn into another lengthy "lets drop down" discussion.  I think that's been put to bed before, and some of it is repeated here. 

 

As someone who's been involved for decades with our athletic programs in a number of capacities, including being a donor, I would personally be angry if we ever talked about dropping down.  Most of us who contributed to our growth would feel the same way, and there's people who have invested far more than me.  

 

We apparently have long ago forgotten what a lot of us did back in 1985-87 just to make the move up.  Those who are too young to remember might be inclined to disregard it even more.  And a lot of effort and a lot of money has been needed to continue that growth, especially in facilities.  

 

There's no turning back now.  Not for me.  Too much invested.   

The "let's drop down" discussion is played out, no doubt, but I think we can safely say that it is more fun to be a YSU fan than an Akron fan right about now.

[Dr Z]

Worth watching the very end of this game (I love ESPN3)  to see how YSU won. The TE caught the ball on a defenders back, and went to the ground with it on his back...on the last play of the game.

 

 

 

 

Trying to decide what is worse, Pelini's clock management, or the field color