Zips at Texas-Arlington — NIT Round 2 (Mon 8 pm)

[kreed5120]

7 hours ago, Valpo Zip said:

So, is there any D1 team that DOES NOT have a nicer arena than the JAR? 
Kent state doesn't count.

I watched the American East championship game and Vermont has to be the worst D1 gym I've ever seen.

[GJGood]

9 hours ago, Valpo Zip said:

So, is there any D1 team that DOES NOT have a nicer arena than the JAR? 
Kent state doesn't count.

I seem to remember watching streaming video of a game once from NJIT and not believing that could be a home venue in D-1.

[MDZip]

9 hours ago, Valpo Zip said:

So, is there any D1 team that DOES NOT have a nicer arena than the JAR? 
Kent state doesn't count.

Plenty that are far, far worse than the JAR. Here's a list of 12 that don't even seat 2,000 people. SC Upstate (whom we've played - seats 818, the smallest of any D-1 venue).

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 hour ago, MDZip said:

Plenty that are far, far worse than the JAR. Here's a list of 12 that don't even seat 2,000 people. SC Upstate (whom we've played - seats 818, the smallest of any D-1 venue).

 

I like the Cal State Northridge sign. Welcome to the MATADOME. That's AWESOME. The arena blows, but they nailed the marketing on that one. Maybe we can rename the JAR play off of having a kangaroo mascot, and call it The Outback? "Welcome to The Outback! Home to a bunch of poisonous, killer animals and Zippy!"

 

The JAR blows, but it's FAR from the worst DI gym in the country, and it has A LOT of potential. Our ends have deep stands, unlike many of this gyms that just have walls behind their baskets. 4 sides of seating makes for a fun atmosphere, when designed correctly. I'm not a fan of cavernous arenas like what OSWho plays in. Give me an on-top-of-you crowd to provide a solid college atmosphere. I just wish the JAR had better seating (I'm surprised there haven't been lawsuits regarding what those wooden bleachers do to the lower back) and a better concourse area. If they choose to renovate the JAR, they could really make it something special, and give Akron a strong home court advantage, more-so than we already have. 

 

To keep this post a bit more on topic with the thread, I'd put the over/under point total for this game at 170. I'd be tempted to take the over on that, which is scary. I hope we're on from deep. I also think Big Dog can have a field day with their less beefy front court. 

Edited March 17, 2017 by lilroodude

[Dr Z]

36 minutes ago, lilroodude said:

I'd put the over/under point total for this game at 170. I'd be tempted to take the over on that, which is scary. I hope we're on from deep. I also think Big Dog can have a field day with their less beefy front court. 

If Big Dog is going to have a "field day", I'm not sure I can envision a 330 pound guy running up and down a basketball court where the total is over 170. If I'm mistaken, the trainer better be very close to the court. 

[K92]

If you're not a whiner, the JAR really isn't bad at all.  I sit in the cheapest seat there is and I have yet to miss a play yet.  I'm not too good to sit in a bleacher.  The best thing about the JAR is that it is such a crackerbox that when it's full and the crowd gets into it, it's loud as Hell.  Problem is, there are too many whiners that are too good to actually come out to sit in such a "dump".

 

The JAR was new when I was a student and we actually thought it was nice, believe it or not.

[Captain Kangaroo]

9 minutes ago, K92 said:

If you're not a whiner, the JAR really isn't bad at all.  I sit in the cheapest seat there is and I have yet to miss a play yet.  I'm not too good to sit in a bleacher.  The best thing about the JAR is that it is such a crackerbox that when it's full and the crowd gets into it, it's loud as Hell.  Problem is, there are too many whiners that are too good to actually come out to sit in such a "dump".

I agree - for the normal "lunch pail" basketball fan like most of us here, the JAR isn't that bad. 

 

But if you want to get Austin Wentworth III Akron, and Buffy Akron to come to the games, and get into their, and their corporation's pockets, it really doesn't cut it. It ain't the place to take a weekend date, and the lack of any Corporate suites costs the Zips a good chunk of change that other nicer facilities rake-in. 

 

I would pay double...maybe triple what I pay for season tix now, and move down low, if I had a comfy seat and a good view of the game. The JAR sightlines down low are really bad. And the blue plastic chairs...not so nice.

 

Should I be careful what I wish for? Maybe. But it would be nice to see Zips hoops action in the classy facility they merit for more than the three games we annually play at The Q.

[zippy5]

Agreed. The JAR sucks for the casual followers. It's great for the basketball die-hards. You're near the court, have good sight lines outside of the first few rows up top. And it gets loud as heck when there's a nice crowd.

[zipfan84]

9 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

Good call.

 

Charles E. Smith Center @ George Washington University

 

.........and no track!

[clarkwgriswold]

In my season ticket holder time, I started with upstairs reserved with 2 seats for $200 per.  I shared them and went to half the games.  Roughly spent $200 for 2 seats to 7 or 8 games.  I then moved down to a lower corner, and spent roughly $400 for the same thing with a better view.  In neither of these did I get anything special from the school and have one purple Peters t-shirt from my time in those seats.  This year, I decided buying two $60 GA seats was the way to.  I wish I'd have saved my money earlier.  I go into every game, climb my old self up the bleachers all of the way to the top, settle into my seats with a wall behind me and enjoy the game.  I miss the lovely chair arms, but the hard plastic seats are no different to my keester than a wood bleacher.  Would I like to be downstairs, sure, but not at the premium they get for the seats and the sight lines from upstairs are just fine.   

 

At this juncture, the citizens are never going to contribute to a new arena.  Work with the box that's there.  Get rid of that awful track, ditch those horrible blue plastic chairs that shake every time someone goes down the aisle, add some more decent seats, give me some reason to want to improve my seats, and move on. 

[skip-zip]

1 hour ago, zipfan84 said:

 

.........and no track!

 

The JAR was designed, unfortunately, as a multi-purpose facility.  All the way down to the Classroom Wing that was added to the back in order to qualify for more state grant money.  Our limited use of the old Memorial Hall, and an occasional open gym time at the JAR were our only recreational facilities.  This was even before the pool was built.  No, not the entire Student Rec. Facility.....it was just the long lap pool at first.  

 

This has all changed.  The JAR doesn't need everything that is was used for year ago.  So, the track can go, along with a number of other things.  The classroom wing in the back hasn't been use for classes in years.  

 

It's interesting that GW's arena shows those boxed-in seating areas behind the basket.  One early-stage idea that was looked at about 5 years ago involved removing the concessions and putting the Lounge in that area, with a view of the court.  Then moving the upper seats forward and placing the concessions behind it.  Unfortunately, building that concourse to wind behind the upper seats would reduce seating capacity.  

[tpsjugglerdude]

32 minutes ago, skip-zip said:

This has all changed.  The JAR doesn't need everything that is was used for year ago.  So, the track can go, along with a number of other things.  The classroom wing in the back hasn't been use for classes in years.  

 

I had a class in the JAR in, I believe 2011. I know friends after that time that have had classes in the JAR as well. When did they stop using the classrooms?

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, skip-zip said:

 Unfortunately, building that concourse to wind behind the upper seats would reduce seating capacity.  

If we're going to renovate the JAR I don't think there's any way around this.  And that's fine by me.  We desperately need a more plush facility.  As is, the JAR is embarrassing.

Edited March 17, 2017 by Blue & Gold

[skip-zip]

43 minutes ago, tpsjugglerdude said:

I had a class in the JAR in, I believe 2011. I know friends after that time that have had classes in the JAR as well. When did they stop using the classrooms?

 

Well tps, I guess I needed to rely on a more current student to fill us in.  I thought they stopped using it for classes years ago after the put in all of the weightlifting rooms, and more recently put in the player lounges.  

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Blue & Gold]

^^That's not the entire interview.

 

Here is the entire 10 minute interview.

 

Says Big Dog's kinda banged up. 

Edited March 18, 2017 by Blue & Gold

[kreed5120]

11 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

^^That's not the entire interview.

 

Here is the entire 10 minute interview.

 

Says Big Dog's kinda banged up. 

Explains Dunn's confusion in thinking we'd host against UTA.

[zippy5]

KD said we almost had a home and home with Houston. Damn

[Zip_ME87]

I think it's roughly a 4-hour drive, but I'm hoping some of the Houston players' families can make the trip to Arlington. If work wasn't so crazy for me right now, I might have looked into going. CLE-DFW on American is a relatively easy trip. Probably expensive at last minute, though.

[kreed5120]

2 hours ago, zippy5 said:

KD said we almost had a home and home with Houston. Damn

Getting the opposing coaches blessing is perhaps the most important part of geting any deal done. I wouldn't call someone lobbying for them to schedule a home and home with Akron only for Sampson quickly nipping it in the butt "close to happening." In fact I'd say it's the opposite.

Edited March 18, 2017 by kreed5120

[zippy5]

10 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Getting the opposing coaches blessing is perhaps the most important part of geting any deal done. I wouldn't call someone lobbying for them to schedule a home and home with Akron only for Sampson quickly nipping it in the butt "close to happening." In fact I'd say it's the opposite.

Some of you guys on here would argue with someone calling the sky blue and say it's really baby blue.

 

Whatever - their AD wanted it to happen, KD wanted it to happen, the last person in the process squashed it. Call it what you want.

[Hilltopper]

1 hour ago, Zip_ME87 said:

I think it's roughly a 4-hour drive, but I'm hoping some of the Houston players' families can make the trip to Arlington. If work wasn't so crazy for me right now, I might have looked into going. CLE-DFW on American is a relatively easy trip. Probably expensive at last minute, though.

I found a flight on American AA from CAK for $500 round trip. United and Southwest wanted $1000.

Edited March 18, 2017 by Hilltopper

[kreed5120]

1 hour ago, zippy5 said:

Some of you guys on here would argue with someone calling the sky blue and say it's really baby blue.

 

Whatever - their AD wanted it to happen, KD wanted it to happen, the last person in the process squashed it. Call it what you want.

 

The common factor in pretty much all our failed scheduling attempts have come from opposing coaches having no desire to play us.

[GJGood]

On 3/16/2017 at 10:54 AM, Kangaroo Craig said:

I watched part of the UTA/ BYU game last night. UTA is a very good shooting team, but they do not have much of an inside game, nor do they defend well inside. We won't win if it becomes a shooting contest. Need to play tough defense on the outside, especially around the three point line. Another chance for Big Dog to shine.

The Mavericks point guard looks like he may be one of the best we have played all season. He isn't immune to turnovers though. 

If we control the game inside and keep Neal from having a second straight great performance we will have an excellent shot at this one. I"ll probably be yelling "play some D" at my TV yet again for this one.

[AyYo]

22 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

Well tps, I guess I needed to rely on a more current student to fill us in.  I thought they stopped using it for classes years ago after the put in all of the weightlifting rooms, and more recently put in the player lounges.  

They still use a couple class rooms on the second floor in the back.