Boyages response to my 2nd e-mail

[Zip_ME87]

I'll let all of you take this as you want... (I will note that he has not called me yet)I personally apologize as well and can sincerely feel for you. At BC, myteam lost in a heartbreaking regional final and I never thought I'd ever getto the Final Four. I still haven't recovered and I have yet to watch areplay of the game from 1994. If you give me your phone number I'd be gladto call you when I have a free moment.-------------------------------------------------------- Rick Boyages Associate Commissioner Mid-American Conferenceoffice - 216.566.4622 x307 | cell -614-208-8767 rboyages@mac-sports.com |www.mac-sports.com/-----Original Message-----Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 1:35 PMTo: Rick BoyagesSubject: Try againDear Mr. Boyages -I will admit you have a point. I did attack you and your staff in my e-mail,so I'll try it again.1) Why the total lack of respect that the MAC received from the NCAA/NIT?Akron had a low enough RPI (less than a number of NIT participants selectedat large). I thought strength of schedule was accounted for in RPI. It seemsthat it has to be partially counted because, if you defeat someone with alower RPI, your RPI can actually drop. So, does SOS count twice?Furthermore, Can't State, with a decent history in the NCAA Tourney, wassnubbed by the NIT as well. What is the point of RPI, if RPI is not used asthe determining factor. The MAC should really press this point.2) Why does it seem that MAC lobbying for it's teams is lacking? Also, italways seems that the MAC is against Akron...look at last year's footballschedule with 3 MAC home games in November. (I know you work basketball, soyou can't answer to the football issue, but that is why you're getting theangry e-mails. It seems to us that it is always an uphill battle, evenwithin our own conference.)3) MAC marketing also seems weak. To illustrate this...While your officesare in Terminal Tower, I saw no MAC merchandise or MAC advertising in TowerCity Center. The only MAC merchandise I saw was deep inside Champs. I evenhad a number of folks ask me in the Food Court if there was some big eventgoing on because of the number of young people around in college gear. Isuggest that the MAC should really work on this.4) I suggest that you monitor the referree contract better. It does seemthat the MAC is not getting the quality that it should. Calls this year onall sides seemed inconsistent.In closing, I will say that I apologize for the tone of my first e-mail, butmy emotion comes from the hurt that I feel for Nick, Cedrick, Quade, Nate,John, Jeremiah, and mostly Dru and Romeo --- who have no 'next year'. Ihonestly haven't slept for the past 2 days because I have been so sick forthem. No, I don't know them personally, but the intimacy of JAR Arena andthe number of home games I've seen in the past 2 years makes me feel veryclose to them. Keith is an outstanding coach who might be served better togo elsewhere. I hope not. We lost a great one when Bobby Huggins left; I'dsure hate to lose KD, too.As I said in my previous e-mail, I can live with the human error and Miami'swin. Good luck to them. The Zips played close with them in all of ourmeetings this year. But, I do ask that you look at your approach to lobbyingfor your member teams and helping them out with their scheduling in any wayyou can. It is unfair to ask our guys to constaantly travel. After all, theyare college students, not just athletes. Sincerely,

[scottditzen]

You make some great points in your 2nd letter. The MAC needs to do more in Cleveland, andbecome more visible. He seems genuinely sorry for his first response.

[LosAngelesZipFan]

You should call him and try to get him to meet you for lunch-- you have done a great job of letting him know that there are indeed very passionate Zip fans. Maybe you can lobby him a bit because I think Akron has consistently been dealt a difficult hand by the MAC.