Game 23- PCCC

[Let'sGoZips94]

A few on Can't State's "forum" want Pinky gone. 

 

There is hope for that fan base after all...

[akzipper]

3 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

A few on Can't State's "forum" want Pinky gone. 

 

There is hope for that fan base after all...

 

Someone on the reddit post game thread said the same thing. I actually think he deserves a 10 year extension if not longer. 

[Let'sGoZips94]

Just now, akzipper said:

 

Someone on the reddit post game thread said the same thing. I actually think he deserves a 10 year extension if not longer. 

 

I concur. They'll never find a better representative of Can't State to helm that program. Might as well lock him in.

[1981 grad]

Just now, akzipper said:

 

Someone on the reddit post game thread said the same thing. I actually think he deserves a 10 year extension if not longer. 

I don't know how you can blame the coach.  I sit behind the bench and after I time out I saw him draw up an inbounds play and when the Kent players took the court they lined up 4 in a row at the foul line and one player had his hands up like he had no idea what was going on.  Kent took a time out to avoid the 5 second rule and Pinky lit into his players and I think Sallinger finally gestured like it was his fault.  Out of the timeout they ran an inbounds play and scored.  My point is that a coach can only do so much.  I thought Akron played well and when they shoot 40% or better they are tough to beat.

[Let'sGoZips94]

1 minute ago, 1981 grad said:

I don't know how you can blame the coach.  I sit behind the bench and after I time out I saw him draw up an inbounds play and when the Kent players took the court they lined up 4 in a row at the foul line and one player had his hands up like he had no idea what was going on.  Kent took a time out to avoid the 5 second rule and Pinky lit into his players and I think Sallinger finally gestured like it was his fault.  Out of the timeout they ran an inbounds play and scored.  My point is that a coach can only do so much.  I thought Akron played well and when they shoot 40% or better they are tough to beat.

 

The coach is essentially the one that establishes the culture. Culture with some talent often beats more talent without a solid culture (looking at you, Stefanski and the Browns). 

[GP1]

I don't know if Akron just dominated almost all of the game or if Kent isn't as good as their record.?.?. EMU and Ball State played on CBS Sports before the Zips game and both teams looked better than Kent and EMU had a bad record. 

[clarkwgriswold]

Mr. Pinky is just good enough to keep his job but not good enough to have someone come calling with another job,  He's the Crash Davis of college basketball coaches.

 

I'll give him some credit.  He made some very nice and gracious comments in an article yesterday about last year's MAC championship game and made similar comments following last night's game. 

[GoZips4824]

That was by far one of the best experiences that I've had at a sporting event in general, I was hyped up about this game weeks in advance and it still exceeded expectations. Even a little sweeter being a current student, may have thrown an F Kent here and there but it was mainly the booze talking. Castaneda showing us he is the POY and Freeman telling us that he has it next year. Clarke was absolutely outstanding last night, glad to see him returning to form after a strong finish last year. Getting to the line and knocking down 80% was huge, Freeman was 10-12!!. Really hoping there were a few recruits at the game or at least paying attention to it, that is prime mid major basketball, you aren't going to find that atmosphere and level of play at 95% of schools at this level and a good chunk of P5s. Will enjoy the hell out of this one but it won't get any easier, move onto Toledo and were gonna have to see these punks at their place and most likely Cleveland, proud to be a Zip. 

[1981 grad]

I know this will not be a popular comment, but I thought both teams respected each other and played a physical but very clean game.  I did not see any taunting and I remember on one play Tribble was knocked down and the Kent player offered his hand to get him up.  I hope this sportsmanship continues when we play them in Kent.

[NWAkron]

6 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

I know this will not be a popular comment, but I thought both teams respected each other and played a physical but very clean game.  I did not see any taunting and I remember on one play Tribble was knocked down and the Kent player offered his hand to get him up.  I hope this sportsmanship continues when we play them in Kent.

Agree.  I saw that, too.  Was good to see.  And i think that's a popular comment.   I didn't mind that Kent went without Santiago, have to admit, but feel really bad for Giovanni.  He's been with that program a long time.  He's like the Zips Tribble.  A lifer.

[clarkwgriswold]

15 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

I know this will not be a popular comment, but I thought both teams respected each other and played a physical but very clean game.  I did not see any taunting and I remember on one play Tribble was knocked down and the Kent player offered his hand to get him up.  I hope this sportsmanship continues when we play them in Kent.

 

I think that should be a popular comment.  It is a rivalry and I sure like poking fun at them, however, Groce telling us more than once that he and Mr. Pinky are good friends goes a long way in helping to promote that sportsmanship.

[LoyalZIP]

Caught up with a couple people in the department today. They oversold a bit, they were prepared for 1,000 students and 1,400 wound up showing up. That’s so cool. People were pissed, but that’s the way it is sometimes in high-demand events. A good problem to have, and hopefully the U can learn from this. 
 

Also said this was the most people at an Akron basketball game since the home game against Kent in 2006. 
 

Another said that damn near every game should feel like that and have that energy. They’re not wrong, but unfortunately that’s not realistic. It would be great to even get half that every night. There’s a real buzz around the program. Over 20 years, that has far too often meant a flop is coming. I trust in this program to not allow that. Go Zips!

[Captain Kangaroo]

13 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

Caught up with a couple people in the department today. They oversold a bit, they were prepared for 1,000 students and 1,400 wound up showing up. That’s so cool. People were pissed, but that’s the way it is sometimes in high-demand events. 

Was it Yogi Berra that said “The place is so crowded nobody goes there.”?

 

There were easily a hundred or two that stood in each corner on the track due to the lack of seats. Closest the Zips have come to the CSU Zips game in the mid-80’s, where every seat was taken and people were sitting on the stairs throughout the JAR. 

[Z.I.P.]

[72 Roo]

What was it that made this game so great? Was it the rivalry? Was it the play of the Zips? Was it the hype? Was it the crowd? You could not go wrong citing any of those factors. The thing that sticks out to me is the response and energy of the students. Most season ticket holders and GA ticket buyers don't bring fanaticism. The students do and when you see that you want to return to see it again and again. They were there for the CSU game in the 80's (biggest UA attendance ever; the cap't was right, they were in the aisles, I was a season ticket holder in the lower bowl and I could not get out b/c of all the people sitting in the aisle). Same was true for soccer during the 2010 season. The students were everywhere and the games turned into events that you had to be there to witness.  I hope this brings students back to the JAR. If they come so will the public. I'll be there Tuesday. let's fill the JAR again.

[clarkwgriswold]

7 minutes ago, 72 Roo said:

What was it that made this game so great? Was it the rivalry? Was it the play of the Zips? Was it the hype? Was it the crowd? You could not go wrong citing any of those factors. The thing that sticks out to me is the response and energy of the students. Most season ticket holders and GA ticket buyers don't bring fanaticism. The students do and when you see that you want to return to see it again and again. They were there for the CSU game in the 80's (biggest UA attendance ever; the cap't was right, they were in the aisles, I was a season ticket holder in the lower bowl and I could not get out b/c of all the people sitting in the aisle). Same was true for soccer during the 2010 season. The students were everywhere and the games turned into events that you had to be there to witness.  I hope this brings students back to the JAR. If they come so will the public. I'll be there Tuesday. let's fill the JAR again.

 

That would be great, but we'll be back to the same type of crowd we had last week with Miami.  At least a third of the lower bowl will still be empty.  

 

This year is the best showing from the students that we have seen in a very long time.  I think Groce and the players engaging with those kids it is really paying off.

[clarkwgriswold]

I really think this may be the best job Groce has done since arriving here.  Bandaogo and Ali bail, Dawson goes down, Clarke out for a substantial period, 4 freshmen getting regular minutes...       He's earned every cent of his pay this season.

[Zip JD]

48 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I really think this may be the best job Groce has done since arriving here.  Bandaogo and Ali bail, Dawson goes down, Clarke out for a substantial period, 4 freshmen getting regular minutes...       He's earned every cent of his pay this season.

Add in missing X for a stretch and adding new pieces as he keeps working on the rotations.  COY hands down.

[Zip JD]

This may have been pointed out earlier in the thread and I missed it, but the Cant fans seem less and less confident in their squad the longer Groce is on the Akron bench (I suspect it could also be realizing they have the inferior coach).  There was not the usual cockiness as they came into the JAR this time.  They were less vocal and smaller in numbers than some past games.  They bailed on their team quickly.

 

I loved seeing all the Zips students in white waving goodbye as the Cant kids in their black shirts filed out like a long line of ants. 

[LoyalZIP]

7 minutes ago, Zip JD said:

This may have been pointed out earlier in the thread and I missed it, but the Cant fans seem less and less confident in their squad the longer Groce is on the Akron bench (I suspect it could also be realizing they have the inferior coach).  There was not the usual cockiness as they came into the JAR this time.  They were less vocal and smaller in numbers than some past games.  They bailed on their team quickly.

 

I loved seeing all the Zips students in white waving goodbye as the Cant kids in their black shirts filed out like a long line of ants. 

I especially loved the “Senderoff is your daddy” sign

 

He is 2 games under .500 against Groce’s Akron teams, and now 11-17 against Akron as the Kent head coach. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by LoyalZIP

[Let'sGoZips94]

37 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

I especially loved the “Senderoff is your daddy” sign

 

He is 2 games under .500 against Groce’s Akron teams, and now 11-17 against Akron as the Kent head coach. 

 

Also, if I'm not mistaken, he has allowed the all-time-160-meeting-series record to be knotted up at 80 a piece.

[Zippy87]

4 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Caught up with a couple people in the department today. They oversold a bit, they were prepared for 1,000 students and 1,400 wound up showing up. That’s so cool. People were pissed, but that’s the way it is sometimes in high-demand events. A good problem to have, and hopefully the U can learn from this. 
 

Also said this was the most people at an Akron basketball game since the home game against Kent in 2006. 
 

Another said that damn near every game should feel like that and have that energy. They’re not wrong, but unfortunately that’s not realistic. It would be great to even get half that every night. There’s a real buzz around the program. Over 20 years, that has far too often meant a flop is coming. I trust in this program to not allow that. Go Zips!

 

Groce and the players do a fantastic job engaging with the students, but Akron's issue has been the same for the last 15-20 years - no promotions/creative ideas to get more people in the community out to games. And don't tell me it can't happen in Akron because the Rubberducks do it (with an inferior product) every year.

[Blue & Gold]

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Blue & Gold

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Blue & Gold]