Can we win the MAC title this year?

[blueandgold]

Now that we will have Woods back in the fold we should finally win the MAC. I feel that Travis or Wood can make a legitimate run at the MAC player of the year as well.

[ZipAnalyst]

Yes because, unlike football, the basketball program is blessed with a coach who welcomes the challenge and high expectation.Rather than focusing on building a new football stadium as a top priority the "movers and sharkers" at the University ought to be planning a facility becoming of an up and coming national power in basketball.If the moguls at Akron University will get behind Dambrot as a priority, he will deliver. It is very questionable that Brookhart will succeed on putting the football program on an upward spiral track. The only time that I have seen an Akron Zip athletic facility strain to accomodate fan demand was back in the days of Laterza, Bill Turner, Frank Thompson, et al. This success gave birth to planning the JAR which in the beginning was to be a facility, if it had been built as orginally planned, that would still do for the Dambrot teams. Obvously, Akron University lacked a visionary leader to see the initial vision through to the end.The Dambrot hoopsters and their consistent, championship caliber play will put enormous pressure on Proenza, Rhoades and the University Trustees to place their intercollegiate athlectic money where it will get the best return. For now it is basketball; not football. The current football program appears to be an example of "throwing good money at a bad project!"

[zipseuph]

are you telling me that a new football stadium isn't needed? thats just insane. yes we could also use a new basketball stadium there is no way I'm gonna argue with that, but at the JAR you don't have to worry about seats breaking under you, you don't have giant sections tarped off, the JAR isn't rated the worst arena in NCAA basketball, and when you go to the bathroom at the JAR you don't feel like you are using ye ol piss troths. we all know that Football this year has been far less then what we thought it would be but for crying out loud don't sit here and tell me that we need to stop with all the progress that has been made because of one season.

[Zip_ME87]

Yes because, unlike football, the basketball program is blessed with a coach who welcomes the challenge and high expectation.Rather than focusing on building a new football stadium as a top priority the "movers and sharkers" at the University ought to be planning a facility becoming of an up and coming national power in basketball.If the moguls at Akron University will get behind Dambrot as a priority, he will deliver. It is very questionable that Brookhart will succeed on putting the football program on an upward spiral track. The only time that I have seen an Akron Zip athletic facility strain to accomodate fan demand was back in the days of Laterza, Bill Turner, Frank Thompson, et al. This success gave birth to planning the JAR which in the beginning was to be a facility, if it had been built as orginally planned, that would still do for the Dambrot teams. Obvously, Akron University lacked a visionary leader to see the initial vision through to the end.The Dambrot hoopsters and their consistent, championship caliber play will put enormous pressure on Proenza, Rhoades and the University Trustees to place their intercollegiate athlectic money where it will get the best return. For now it is basketball; not football. The current football program appears to be an example of "throwing good money at a bad project!"

I absolutely agree.In the late 80's when JAR was completed in its de-scoped form, UA President William Van Muse (total lack of vision) flushed Coach Bob Huggins' Zips (only UA D-I appearance in the NCAA tourny) in favor of a Gerry Faust-coached D-IA football team. It only took 19 years to recover. It would be absolutely inexcusable to let something like that happen again.The basketball program needs to be given its due.

[zipsc]

I think the team has a good chance of winning the MAC but I would not take any team lightly in the conference. Hopefully the team remains focus and healthy. Unlike football, the team is not defending any title; in fact, I think the team will compete given their loss at last years semi-final game (a game we should have won). I think zip fans will enjoy a good basketball team this year.

[ZipAlumn]

The only time that I have seen an Akron Zip athletic facility strain to accomodate fan demand was back in the days of Laterza, Bill Turner, Frank Thompson, et al. This success gave birth to planning the JAR which in the beginning was to be a facility, if it had been built as orginally planned, that would still do for the Dambrot teams. Obvously, Akron University lacked a visionary leader to see the initial vision through to the end.

There is something to be said for the "cozy" confines of Memorial Hall. I rememer that students had to get in line early before the allotment of student tickets were gone. But that place really rocked when Turner hit a jumper from the key or Big "DAWN" Williams dunked. Not to let Muse off the hook (he did hire Faust), but my undertanding was that even after naming the building after Jim Rhodes, money was so tight in Ohio that they had to make it a dual use building and include classrooms.I like the Rubber Bowl, but it's time has come and a stadium on campus should be a higher priority than and new basketball arena.

[Buckzip]

The JAR is a decent venue. Yes it is small, but it looks decent , is on campus and is comfortable.If we start selling out the JAR every game and have SRO, then maybe someting needs to get done. However, we aren't there yet. We can't just keep throwing money at everything until some returns start being shown.This bball team will hoepfully have a great season. However, 1 great season doesn't make a great program. Yes, we are headed in the right direction, but a few weeks back we all thought the same of the football team. I know KD is not JD. However, a few weeks back people were on here all worried and nervous about losing JD.

[Jalapeño Zippy]

When we start selling out basketball games we can talk about a new arena. Granted we don't sellout football games but the stadium is in dire straits.The average attendance last year for basketball was 3,600 and Rhodes holds 5,500. Football thus far is averaging 16,000+ (more like 10,500 though) but still that is way more than basketball. A Stadium is needed now and a basketball arena is not. I have great faith in Keith to take this program to the next level, he should get what he wants and deserves it.In regards to the MAC Championship. I think Woods is a crutch and hurts the teams chemistry. He is lazy and sluffs off during lifting and running. The coaches don't discipline him when he does it. They baby him way too much. The team will take notice that the coaches are favoring him which will hurt the chemistry between the players and the coaches. I think because of this we finish second behind Miami or Can't State.

[zipfan 81]

I have heard that he hurts the team in practice too. Again, doesnt do what the coaches say and then the whole team pays for it. But I hope what you say is not true, I do think his team mates are noticing though, how he is treated.

[blueandgold]

I hadn't heard that about Woods before. I think we're so close to putting it all together here. I think KD will keep things under control. Just get out there and rebound that damn ball JW!!