Advancing the Program

[Tom Hagen]

Greetings and all respect to you Zips fans,It's now been about 6 weeks since the end of the season, and my client has asked that I speak with you all regarding next season and beyond. I have a special practice, handling only one client. You don't need to know much more than that my client is a dedicated Zips fan and has the best interests of the Zips Nation at heart.We're all affected by the abruptness of the season's end. We're all very proud of the team and coaches, and what they've accomplished. And we all look forward with anticipation to the upcoming season of Zips hoops.But where do the Zips go from here? 26 wins and virtually unbeatable at home? What's next for the team, the fans and the administration? What steps need to be taken?My client and I firmly believe that U of A Athletics is turning the corner, and soon. Coach Dambrot and Director Rhoades use the phrases "sleeping giant" and "scratching the surface" .. and we agree. However, it will take a whole community effort to round that corner and pick up speed .. and in doing so fully wake the so-called "sleeping giant."In the next few weeks, my client would like to ask of each group some small favors and consideration that he feels will contribute to the goals and success of the community. We ask only that you consider them carefully and choose those which you can fulfill. He comes to you as a friend in need.Ask around the neighborhood. You'll find that my client does not forget a favor. He knows how to repay your friendship.Until next time,Go Zips & Ciao!- T. Hagen, Esq.

[RowdyZip]

not quite sure what to make of this...

[Captain Kangaroo]

not quite sure what to make of this...

Me neither. We're looking into it...

[Kangaroo Craig]

In the next few weeks, my client would like to ask of each group some small favors and consideration that he feels will contribute to the goals and success of the community. We ask only that you consider them carefully and choose those which you can fulfill. He comes to you as a friend in need.

If nothing else, this post has at least generated some anxiety. Only time will tell if it is genuine or just some BS in order to get our attention. If the latter is true, then for what? Is this the first of many posts designed to remind us of the heart break of our team and, more importantly, our disgust towards the NCAA? I trust not. However, if there is some new, realistic plan out there designed to generate more interest in Zips athletics, then I am certain that the nation would be happy to help with this effort. Mr. Hagen is correct when he refers to this athletic program as a sleeping giant.

[MRasor0200]

Tom Hagen is a fictional character from Godfather parts I and II.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hagen

[Big Zip]

C'mon guys you can't be serious. Tom Hagen was the roled Robert Duval played in the Godfather.This is just another poster signing on to the board. Could it be someone from the administration that is going to try to use this board to try to get the true Zips fan's pulse on things?I'm happy to offer one thought -- I don't believe Mack Rhoades has brought too much to the institution. Everyone on this board has been summarily disappointed with the marketing efforts -- to say there are marketing efforts is a stretch. Additionally, my understanding was his speciality was rallying the community and getting the local corporate world involved -- haven't seen much of that either. Unfortunately the biggest opportunity this University missed was years ago when the Browns were gone and the Cavs were terrible. People needed something to root for -- they never reached out to the Cleveland community. They need to see NE Ohio as their market not just Akron. Oh yeah, If you build it they will come.

[GoZips]

At the basketball banquet I asked President Porenza where did we stand on getting thenew football stadium built. He replied that if he had sixty million dollars we could starttomorrow. Well, I do not have sixty-million dollars just laying about. I did have mycheck book and I wrote out a check to the university for sixty dollars.Sixty dollars is not much. It is one millionth of the need. But, it is one millionth theynow have in hand.Dr. Porenza asked me to give the check to Mack Rhoades. I did. The other day Ireceived a nice, honest, hand written note from Mr. Rhoades. I appreciate the gesture.Mack Rhoades stock soared in my view. He can and will reach the community.The university needs a battle plan. Well, personally, I think they already have one. Agood plan to say the least.Take care of the coaching staff, not just the head coaches. Coaches will come and go.Make this university a place where young, on fire coaches want to be.Build the football stadium. Make sure it is large enough to move UP. Make sure itis expandable seating wise. Involve the surrounding community. We need to induce businesses in the neighborhood to be part of the community. Plainly put, if they willnot help by relocating and taking a fair offer, boycott them. Nothing quite like a weakbottom line to foster change. The selfishness of a couple of the businesses holdingup progress is certainly enough to get me to not shop there.The best example of a business that is a good neighbor is the McDonald's. It thrivesat its new location.Announce plans for a new, not a renovated basketball arena. The JAR is an embarrassment. Keep only one feature of the JAR. The in tight, in yourface, close in seating. I was recently in Michigan's Crisler Arena. Nice wide openexpanse. Way, way too open. Ten rows back or in the upper tier you feel like youare watching the game from the next county.Make it an open secret that Akron is looking to upgrade its conference affiliation.Actually, this is one of the worst kept secrets in college sports. And, no you do not haveto be a conference champion year in and year out or have the greatest attendancestats to move on. You have to have a program that people want to compete against.Men's soccer, one of the best in the country, is shackled by being in a conference wherethe sport has been too often sacrificed for Title Nine. Scrap the current non-existing radio network. Akron needs a powerhouse anchorstation. A station that can be heard through the northern half of Ohio, WesternPennsylvania, and the Detroit area. Avoid fiascoes like the Air Unamerica crap. Thatwas truly embarrassing. If they stay on 1350 that station needs to have a signal atleast twice as strong as 640. Better still, move to 640 and increase thier signal.The Beacon Journal has been living up to their commitment of featuring the Zips. Thank you. The Canton Repository and the Cleveland Plain Dealer both give decentcoverage.Some of you need to participate by calling national radio shows such as Jim Romeand giving him an earful. Politely, of course. When he recently had Tommy Izzobloviating about how he was willing to "play anybody, any time, any place", do whatI did. Call them both out on it. Izzo made both himself and Rome liars.Get involved. Be involved. Have the onions to be impolite and remind people at Zipsgames to please show up the next time in Zips gear. Tell them to leave theirBuckeye apparel at home. BTW, this does not apply to classy apparel fromfringe schools such as Slippery Rock, Dennison, Findlay, etc. Its the gear from Big Tenschools and such that have no business at Zips events. Its kind of like keeping yourfirst wife's picture on the table when you are now married to wife number two. No class.And that's all I have to say about that.

[Dan Kadar]

Tom, can you get me off the hook? For old times' sake?

[KentZip]

No can do, Sally.

[w00t]

Conzipliere, LOL!

[skip-zip]

In response to a couple of the things that GoZips says in his post.....there is one thing we can all do...We, as a Nation (Zips Nation, that is), can become a large "sales force" in this community to get people to attend games.Without more attendance:1) We'll never be looked at seriously by a "larger conference".2) We'll never attract a large radio station. Remember, public radio runs on advertising revenue. And advertisers of any kind of size will not come on board without a substantial audience to speak to.

[timmyboy]

As I drove thru the city last night. I noticed 3 different billboards (the eletronic one) and they had ad's for the University of Akron saying Thank You to the fans for their support. It was a very good thing to see more ad's on the billboards. Now all Rhoades needs to do is start the whole plan he said he was going to do when eh got here with going into the community and trying to pursue people to get involved and attend the games. Alot of people dont even realise that we have one of the top teams in "mid major" basketball, we have a football team that is on the rise, one of the best soccer programs in the country, one of the best rifle teams ( 3 time defneding champs), and the top track team in the MAC. We need people to inform the community how fortunate we are to have these programs, and get them involved..... after all, we could be like Cant State

[RACER]

the zips can go in a few different directions none of which are good for both programs.. as for b-ball i think if we stay in the mac it will kill our b-ball program. on the other hand what do you do then about football. if you can get into a b-ball conference that is 1-aa in football?i think we are good fit for the mac in football.especially with the way our stadium is right now.the mac for b-ball is another story. we are stuck unitl the adminstration decides what to do.

[timmyboy]

the zips can go in a few different directions none of which are good for both programs.. as for b-ball i think if we stay in the mac it will kill our b-ball program. on the other hand what do you do then about football. if you can get into a b-ball conference that is 1-aa in football?i think we are good fit for the mac in football.especially with the way our stadium is right now.the mac for b-ball is another story. we are stuck unitl the adminstration decides what to do.

I dont mean this in a bad way at all. But I think we need to win the MAC title a few times before other conferences start to think about letting us join. And with the way the football team has been recruting, if things work out on the field like they do on paper, we will have one of the best teams in the MAC. If we can win a few titles in both basketball and football it will make it alot easier to get into a bigger and more respected conference.

[Captain Kangaroo]

for b-ball i think if we stay in the mac it will kill our b-ball program. on the other hand what do you do then about football. if you can get into a b-ball conference that is 1-aa in football?i think we are good fit for the mac in football.especially  with the way our stadium is right now.the mac for b-ball is another story.

I said it before and I'll say it again - K.e.n.t. went to the NCAA's 4 of the last 8 years. Basketball-wise, the MAC is there for the taking. Look at the Horizon League. Do you really want to schlep there just because Butler is good? Or Wisconsin-Milwaukee had a small run? Why can't the Zips be "the Butler of the MAC"? Let's drop to 1-AA football to join a schlep backetball conference? No way. CUSA - They're one Memphis away from being in the NCAA tourney play-in game.The Big East? PUH-LEEZE. We aren't a blip on the Big East radar unless it implodes and a new league forms.Drop to 1-AA in football? Why? 1-AA has 22 less scholarships than 1-A. TWENTY TWO..that's it. And an infinite lower visibility. Do you sell out D1 football for 22 scholarships? To save what? The "savings" generated by being 1-AA is a total myth. And you sacrifice a hell of a lot of exposure. Exposure that greatly benefits the University. And trust me...as a business person that travels very frequently, our Motor City Bowl appearance got me a ton of props in the nation's airports two years ago as I sported my Zips gear. It happened when we beat Marshall a few years ago too. Success on the athletic field gives those associated with the University of Akron (ie. alumni) a lot of national street cred. It enhances your degree, whether you want to admit it or not.If someone with a degree from Winthrop interviews with me tomorrow, I have an idea where the school is located and I'm definitely going to bring up their NCAA tourney win vs. Notre Dame. If someone interviews with me and has a degree from Boise State, I may never get around to discussing anything but the Oklahoma game. You get the picture.We shouldn't drop to 1-AA football because 1-AA football is a dinosaur. YSU would give their left nut to be in the MAC. They have no alternative but to be 1-AA in football, otherwise they'd be D1. Like UConn. Like Boise State. Like Troy State. Like South Florida. Like Central Florida. The list goes on... Just because former University of Akron higher-ups (Boobinski...Peggy-Gordon Idiott...Dennis Helsel et al) clowned around for the better part of two decades doesn't mean we can't be successful in D1A football and MAC basketball. It can be done with the correct leadership.What if Proenza rolled into Akron and said "Gee...this campus is as good as it can be"? You know...no one would have second guessed the guy. And he could have collected a nice pay check and played things conservatively (like Idiott). But Proenza has vision. And he has balls. And he has a plan. And he knew how to execute that plan. And because of that, the campus has never been better. The enrollment has never been better. The quality of student has never been better. And the collective athletic programs have never been better.Mike Thomas got us off the schnide athletically. I don't know if Mack can continue his work or not. But I do know that if he can't, we need to find someone else that can. F*ck the past. D1 success can happen for Akron football today. If we have the correct leadership. People at the University are SO lucky their predecessors generated so much apathy. It makes their job easier."Why isn't there anyone in the stands?" Reply "Oh, people haven't come for twenty years..it just can't happen in Akron." F that.No one remembers when Hipsher was setting the basketball program on fire only a few years ago. Not in a good way...he was burning a once proud program to the ground. Now, only a few years later, everyone want to build a new arena and build Dambrot statues. The table is set for it to happen in football too.I was in the tailgate lot last year talking to the father of one of the Zips players. He said "Why the hell is this stadium so empty? I swear I could fill this thing up!"I agree with the guy. I think I could fill it up too. That's what pisses me off so much about the existing administration. I don't believe they care about filling up the stadium. Sure, they'd love to see it full, but no one want to do the work, or implement the ideas to do it. If they did, they wouldn't jerk around the fans with all those asinine policies they initiated last year (I'll spare everyone the re-play of rants on the parking, seating, ticket errors, etc).To me, this is a watershed 6-8 months for the existing athletic administration. I know we can have a successful D1 football program. There are a lot of people who think "hey, it has never happened so it never will." Thank God Proenza, JD and Dambrot didn't buy into that crap or we'd all be doomed. It CAN happen in Akron. It SHOULD happen in Akron. But it WON'T happen in Akron if we continue to settle for less.Again I say "F*ck the past."Ouch...I tripped and fell of my soap box.

[GoZips]

Well put, CAP'N. I agree with you on most points. However, regarding membership in the Big East, I think that is closer to reality thanmost folks realize. As I stated earlier in this thread, there are currently only twoavenues for the Zips. If the Missouri Valley went to 1-A football that would likely be thedirection to go. That is not likely to happen as most MVC members seem content toremain at the 1-AA level.Akron is not going to revert to 1-AA football. CAP'N put up the very real and solidarguments as to exactly why Akron will remain 1-A. I agree completely. Falling to1-AA hurts the university. It is not going to happen. Period. End of discussion.Since the MVC is not on the radar to advance to 1-A football that leaves Akron withonly one place to go. For that to happen the university has to fill a need for the BigEast. Football, not basketball is our trump card. We sit in the middle of one of thelargest population regions in the country. Cleveland-Akron is a huge market. Thatmeans exposure to a conference. Most if not all of the 1-A football playing schools in the Big East have been clamoringfor years that football needs more attention. There have even been rumblings ofkicking the BE out of the BCS. The western end of the conference boasts a numberof football oriented schools. We fit the pattern of these schools. Plus, we improvetheir travel costs (Pitt, Cincinnati, W.Va., Syracuse).Think potential. Do not think 1960. This is not 1960. This is a large, urban settinguniversity with a lot to offer a conference. Akron has plenty to offer the MAC. Problemis the MAC still believes its 1960. The MAC still treats Akron like its 1960. Do youthink that the MAC would have stood idly by for one second if their beloved Cant State,Miami, Bowling Green or Toledo took the shaft the Zips got?When I report that higher ups in the university want out of the MAC I am not smokingfunny tobacco or having pipe dreams. I am reporting the truth. There is little if anylove between the MAC and the University of Akron. Politically the management playsthe game with cards held close to the vest.From my perspective, I enjoyed defeating North Carolina State in football far more thanwinning the MAC championship. The team that defeated NCST was a better team thanthe one that one the MAC championship. The Zips showed they can play at a higherlevel.Build the stadium. Build the arena. Continue to attract quality athletes. Point to therecent successes in any number of sports. This train is rolling. I for one, desire to beon board for the ride.Any one take up my challenge to send Mack Rhoades sixty dollars? Do it.

[w00t]

Did we ever figure out what the deal was with the first post in this thread?

[RACER]

i do agree that going 1-aa is not a good option. im just think staying in the mac in basketball is a waste. i would rather go into a good b-ball conference, and go independant in f-ball.we had the best season in shcool history,and went absolutely no where.how, and when is that going to change by staying in the mac? the university sold out a b-ball program in the past for mac football with faust.i hope we dont lose another coach again because of the same mentality.the mac also has no revenue for tv and bowls compared to all but the sun belt.you need money to run a football program. staying in the mac brings in no $$$.

[zipboy]

I am glad that we are hopefully exploring options and don't have our head in the sand. Long term I don't know why we can't be good in both football and basketball. They feed each other. There is enough talent and there would be enough of a fan base to support winners in both of those sports. On conference aflliation, UCF moved up to CUSA and they did nothing in the MAC in football. They were averaging less than 2000 per game for basketball. But they gave O'Leary 750K, built or are building a new stadium. and committed a ton of money to athletics. I agree with another poster why not pour a lot of money into athletics and really try to accelerate the program. A way for Akron to distinguish themselves is to elevate to a Cincinnati like program in the NE. If we ended up increasing student enrollment 10%, this would pay for itself. I wish that we had had solid leadership since the mid 80s. The damage done for 15 years takes a long time to overcome. If we can get consistent leadership at the top, potential really is unlimited. I don't know why we can't become like a Pitt. I agree with CK, F the past. I heard Mike Thomas say once that to be big time you have to think and act bigtime and the university was going up not backward. I hope that is still the mindset and it should be.

[bobbyake]

The only way for the Zips to advance in this community is for the Akron Beacon Journal to champion the Zips as their #1 team, not some local event option to their current #1 team(you know who I'm talking about).Look back at the paper the day after draft and you'll see what i'm talking about. Andy Alleman got small mention and it was shared with someone from Can't while someone else got a whole article to himself.

[Sergeant Zip]

The only way for the Zips to advance in this community is for the Akron Beacon Journal to champion the Zips as their #1 team, not some local event option to their current #1 team(you know who I'm talking about).Look back at the paper the day after draft and you'll see what i'm talking about. Andy Alleman got small mention and it was shared with someone from Can't while someone else got a whole article to himself.

I had a thought. Since we all know the newspaper won't ever do that because the other team sells papers, why doesn't the University pay for an "advertisement" section. Make it a weekly insert and give updates. Like Parade or the real estate section.

[ZachTheZip]

I had a thought. Since we all know the newspaper won't ever do that because the other team sells papers, why doesn't the University pay for an "advertisement" section. Make it a weekly insert and give updates. Like Parade or the real estate section.

That is an excellent idea. Sort of like that high-school newspaper insert with stories from different area high schools' papers that the BJ ran a while ago. We should send a few e-mails to the powers-that-be at UA such as Mack Rhoads, Dr. Proenza, and the head of the Buchtelite. Let them know we want something like that.

[Blue & Gold]

I had a thought. Since we all know the newspaper won't ever do that because the other team sells papers, why doesn't the University pay for an "advertisement" section. Make it a weekly insert and give updates. Like Parade or the real estate section.

That's a brilliant idea! Wow, something like that had never crossed my mind. But it's a great and original idea!

[Big Zip]

The negotiation could actually include the ability for the ABJ to print programs for the University or the Buchtellite (they may already do this for all I know) with circulation of print newspapers decreasing annually any way they can make extra money is needed. They now print a weekly advertising mailer that gets delivered through your mailbox. Anything to utilize the presses. I can say I hope the ABJ finds someone to replace Rasor when he leaves -- his blog has been the best thing they've done for Akron sports. I need to give Rasor and the ABJ props for that.

[zip81]

Tom:My Kraut, Mick friend...I understand your request...and I've never been one to refuse an accomodation.However, before we embark on this endeavor I need to know one thing -- are you with us on these things we have to do -- are you in?If not, you can take your mistress and get the hell out of here!I understand that your client likes to hear bad news as soon as possible.And I'll only tell you this once...never let anyone outside the family know what you are thinking!The Don