ZipCat Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 On 11/10/2024 at 3:52 PM, MangoZip said: Don’t hate this but not a big fan of it either. I think a new logo, or any Akron branding, should include a kangaroo. Such a unique mascot with so many branding opportunities to use but the new “A” totally disregarded it. Well the whole idea that they even said there wasn't a "unified identity" was BS. We had a unified identity: it was Zippy. And in the 2000s they clearly made a standardization of everything AKRON ZIPS Logo, AKRON ZIPS with FULL Kangaroo logo, where you could interchange "The University of Akron" in the same font style. You then had The Z-Logo derived directly from the same Font and stile, you had the AROO which was clearly derived from the A in the stylized font with the head of the Full Kangaroo. You had a VERY CLEAR unified identity of a brand. Just Gutherie and the other Resume-Builders at the U wanted to put "Rebranding" on the resumes. Give ALL of the Akron Logos. I love ALL of them, except the freaking arby's logo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipCat Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 Give them all to me. I love them all. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Zip Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 On 11/24/2024 at 7:13 PM, ZippyRulz said: It seems telling that the Deputy AD is not the acting head of athletics but perhaps mostly political with more faculty cuts coming and/or the possibility of Jennings also heading for the exit. Nathan Mortimer was the CFO and assumed the position after Tom Wistrcill resigned for Learfield Sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted January 18 Report Share Posted January 18 (edited) 1 hour ago, ZipCat said: Give them all to me. I love them all. I like "Akron". I like "Zips". I don't like "Akron Zips". I don't like logos that tell the consumer what the logo is. The rest are very good. The "Z" logo was sharp and they should have stuck with it because it had wide brand acceptance. Edited January 18 by GP1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MangoZip Posted January 18 Author Report Share Posted January 18 I think the kangaroo is so unique as a logo that it should be shown somewhere, somehow 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipCat Posted January 19 Report Share Posted January 19 On 1/18/2025 at 12:37 PM, GP1 said: I like "Akron". I like "Zips". I don't like "Akron Zips". I don't like logos that tell the consumer what the logo is. The rest are very good. The "Z" logo was sharp and they should have stuck with it because it had wide brand acceptance. Yup. And instead...we got the Arbys sign... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 I was thinking about this thread as I watched the success of the Zips basketball team. I'm really proud of their accomplishments in the face of a lot of institutional head winds. What would it say about career athletic directors if Akron can maintain a top level basketball team while at same time getting the football program turned around? I know Ohio U has a graduate degree in sports management. What if we are creating a group of "experts" in college athletics who are little more than mental midgets bankrupting every institution they touch? What if we could have a good mac athletic department with a professor heading up the department part time as long as the subordinates were competent? Just sort of thinking out loud. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue & Gold Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 (edited) The marketing for the basketball team has been better since Guthrie left. I don't know what to make of that. Edited February 4 by Blue & Gold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 17 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: The marketing for the basketball team has been better since Guthrie left. I don't know what to make of that. Sometimes an organization can have people on staff who can get things done if they're just given a chance. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 45 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said: The marketing for the basketball team has been better since Guthrie left. I don't know what to make of that. Sometimes, if your boss is busy promoting himself, he doesn't have time to pay attention to the "little things" immediately at-hand...like promoting the Zips. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 On 2/4/2025 at 10:30 AM, GP1 said: I was thinking about this thread as I watched the success of the Zips basketball team. I'm really proud of their accomplishments in the face of a lot of institutional head winds. What would it say about career athletic directors if Akron can maintain a top level basketball team while at same time getting the football program turned around? I know Ohio U has a graduate degree in sports management. What if we are creating a group of "experts" in college athletics who are little more than mental midgets bankrupting every institution they touch? What if we could have a good mac athletic department with a professor heading up the department part time as long as the subordinates were competent? Just sort of thinking out loud. AD is kind of a figure head position anyway. It's not practical for one person to be a SME in ~15 different sports. What's important is they put people in place that know what they're doing, work with the school and donor base to make sure the staff has what they need, and work out contractual obligations with internal and external staff. Bud kind of already has stepped in and became a volunteer GM for the basketball program. He's already giving the program more attention than what any AD conceivably could as its his sole focus. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 26 minutes ago, kreed5120 said: AD is kind of a figure head position anyway. It's not practical for one person to be a SME in ~15 different sports. What's important is they put people in place that know what they're doing, work with the school and donor base to make sure the staff has what they need, and work out contractual obligations with internal and external staff. Bud kind of already has stepped in and became a volunteer GM for the basketball program. He's already giving the program more attention than what any AD conceivably could as its his sole focus. I guess my beef with athletic directors in general is they are figureheads making sure all of the paperwork gets pushed in the right direction. Almost none of them are effective visionaries. Recent decades have proven most execute visions that are ruinous to their organizations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipsBBjunkie Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 4 hours ago, kreed5120 said: AD is kind of a figure head position anyway. It's not practical for one person to be a SME in ~15 different sports. What's important is they put people in place that know what they're doing, work with the school and donor base to make sure the staff has what they need, and work out contractual obligations with internal and external staff. Bud kind of already has stepped in and became a volunteer GM for the basketball program. He's already giving the program more attention than what any AD conceivably could as its his sole focus. And money! (Re: Bud) Not only NIL but is putting money towards the marketing this season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 On 2/5/2025 at 11:43 AM, kreed5120 said: AD is kind of a figure head position anyway. It's not practical for one person to be a SME in ~15 different sports. What's important is they put people in place that know what they're doing, work with the school and donor base to make sure the staff has what they need, and work out contractual obligations with internal and external staff. I agree it can appear to be a figurehead position...of sorts. $300k/yr base salary is a pretty nice haul for a figurehead...I wanted some noteworthy, positive results from him if I'm UA. It didn't work out. Like an offensive lineman, you hardly know a great AD is there when he's doing his/her job. I knew Guthrie was there. But that's water under the bridge...a new AD is on the way...hope springs eternal. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipsBBjunkie Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 1 hour ago, Captain Kangaroo said: I agree it can appear to be a figurehead position...of sorts. $300k/yr base salary is a pretty nice haul for a figurehead...I wanted some noteworthy, positive results from him if I'm UA. It didn't work out. Like an offensive lineman, you hardly know a great AD is there when he's doing his/her job. I knew Guthrie was there. But that's water under the bridge...a new AD is on the way...hope springs eternal. (But that's water under the bridge...) Finally! No disrespect, but I appreciate your commentary on actual happenings with the sports programs much more valuable then your whining and nicknames for someone who's rubbed you the wrong way and moved on. Maybe it's just to get a chuckle (no pun intended) but no need to beat a dead horse. The cycle is what it is...Larry Williams similarly pushed out by the incoming, now former President and he's off working on getting USF to the dance. These guys move on when a new administration comes in...it's a common thread everywhere at every level. I think UA AD is lowest paid in the MAC so at least they pay less for our figurehead! As you say so eloquently 'hope springs eternal' couldn't agree more - what matters now is getting someone in here who won't just be another flash in the pan hired by Nemer and then moves on when Nemer is gone. That's why...and I think we disagree on this but that's what these forums are for...I wish they would seriously consider someone with local/UA ties like George Van Horn -- at least he'd be here for the long term and maybe they/he could put people around him who do things to help win operationally, hire the right coaches etc. and he could be the face of the program and raise dollars. I think what rings true with UA is that the BOT more so than the president is calling the shots and are around to actually execute a longer term vision. Also with the changing face of college athletics more of the strings will be pulled by guys like Bud Wentz. Giving upwards of $100K additional dollars towards marketing to MBB this season. You need someone who can bring in local guys like that who care enough to not only invest in NIL etc. but who are then also willing to put annual dollars toward things being cut like marketing because they enjoy having a seat at the table. GVH has all of those relationships. BTW did anyone see the news the provost 'stepped down' going back to faculty after a sabbatical (wink, wink)? It was buried news and somewhat of a surprise given he's the one who pushed to move Miller out and place Nemer quickly with no public search. I thought this was intentional so he'd have the president's ear on the upcoming faculty negotiations etc. Have to imagine this is excellent news for athletics... heard the provost was one of the biggest obstacles and despised the attention and money athletics receives. He was certainly always throwing shots in his budget reports at the board meetings if you tune into those things to get the state of UA affairs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 GVH would be a good choice. He already knows all the donors and the community. He would hit the ground running. 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 8 Report Share Posted February 8 People say that when someone says or writes something and uses the word "but", they don't mean what they said before the word, but I do because my question is practical and not personal. GVH is a great guy, but what is his experience in working in or running a successful athletic department? One analysis HR directors make at companies when cuts are made is how much money someone made at a company throughout their tenure. This is why highly paid employees come and go so quickly compared to lifers. GVH did not become a millionaire working for the University, but he made a lot of money over a long career which will also lead to a healthy government pension when he retires. His time was well served and appreciated by many. It is best for him and the University of he does something else at the end of his career. Bringing him back shouldn't be an option. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zip_ME87 Posted February 10 Report Share Posted February 10 On 2/7/2025 at 9:55 PM, Hilltopper said: GVH would be a good choice. He already knows all the donors and the community. He would hit the ground running. UA needs to find a leader who can find the way appeal to existing supporters/donors such as you and others while appealing to and growing the base at various levels. GVH does not possess the skills. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72 Roo Posted February 10 Report Share Posted February 10 While I feel George is a fine person who no doubts loves UA I have a huge concern regarding an ability to hire coaches. George and Williams made the hire of Arth. That should tell us a lot. When they were a few weeks from announcing their hire I asked him what are you looking for? He said they wanted someone who would energize the community and someone who would bring excitement to the program. I asked how about someone who had a track record of success and experience. He said their choice would have all that. We all know what we got. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted February 10 Report Share Posted February 10 Arth was Williams choice. Williams son played for Arth. I know it's not a popular opinion here, but Arth did have a track record of success before we hired him. The real record is how Akron football has a history of chewing up and spitting out head coaches due to a lack of support from all parties. I hope the search committee comes up with someone who can navigate the turbulent waters of budget cuts, NIL and TP athletics is facing. Whoever it is, faces a daunting task to keep the ship from sinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 10 Report Share Posted February 10 28 minutes ago, Hilltopper said: I know it's not a popular opinion here, but Arth did have a track record of success before we hired him. I dunno…I thought something was fishy when the Tennessee Chattanooga fans and Administrators were doing cartwheels through town the day Williams announced he was paying them money to take Arth (a whopping 9-13 in 2 years for the Mocs) off their hands. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72 Roo Posted February 10 Report Share Posted February 10 Arth's greatest claim to fame was that at John Carroll they beat Mount Union. True he had a good record at JCU with one year being outstanding. That's not a pedigree of winning. When he got to UTC he was out of his depth already. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoZips94 Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 5 hours ago, 72 Roo said: Arth's greatest claim to fame was that at John Carroll they beat Mount Union. True he had a good record at JCU with one year being outstanding. That's not a pedigree of winning. When he got to UTC he was out of his depth already. I thought his claim to fame was knowing Peyton Manning? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed5120 Posted February 11 Report Share Posted February 11 19 hours ago, 72 Roo said: Arth's greatest claim to fame was that at John Carroll they beat Mount Union. True he had a good record at JCU with one year being outstanding. That's not a pedigree of winning. When he got to UTC he was out of his depth already. I feel Arth created a lot of problems for himself as well. He decided to bring in his equally, perhaps even more, inexperienced cronies. You had the blind leading the blind. If you're going to bring in an inexperienced FBS coach, you should at least pair him with a long-time FBS coordinator. Perhaps a guy that had a coaching stint of his own and can at least offer guidance on what not to do. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1981 grad Posted February 13 Report Share Posted February 13 On 2/10/2025 at 9:55 AM, Captain Kangaroo said: I dunno…I thought something was fishy when the Tennessee Chattanooga fans and Administrators were doing cartwheels through town the day Williams announced he was paying them money to take Arth (a whopping 9-13 in 2 years for the Mocs) off their hands. I remember that thread where people on this board indicated that he had a bad record at Tennessee Chattanooga and that people at that school were happy to be rid of him and that it was a bad hire especially since we had to pay them to get him. It is a shame that somebody from this board cannot be on the search committee next time we need to hire a football coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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