Morgan Shows True Colors -- Red and White

[K-Roo]

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mac_attack/Ohio State hosting Division I-AA Youngstown State University this Saturday at the ""Horseshoe." To most college football officianados, it's a ""what-the-heck" game. For ""Us", it's what we've been expecting and hoping to see for a long time.And when I say ""Us", I mean the Youngstown State University community. I'm a YSU grad and back when I was trudging between classes, Pal Joey's (a local, on-campus `gathering place') and to the Ice Palace (Stambaugh Stadium) on Saturday afternoon's for football games in the mid '80's and early '90s, I was one of thousands in that stadium who knew that Jim Tressel was eventually going to become the head coach at Ohio State at some point in his career.

[RootforRoo44]

of course of rooting for Youngstown State but i thought this was "ZIPS"nation.org?

[Dr Z]

I think the point K-Roo is trying to make is that DLM is a YSU fan, not a Zips fan and he writes for the AKRON paper about the Zips. Is it any wonder Zips fans get inferior coverage of their team????

[Captain Kangaroo]

Like I said in my practice overview a few weeks ago:DL Morgan came to the scrimmage after it was 80% finished. This was the "big showdown" scrimmage where Jac and Jackson were battling for the starting QB position. The ABJ office is about 3 blocks from the practice fields at Shrank South...he's the Zips beat writer...and he shows up with 20 minutes remaining? When people complain about the lack of coverage in the print ABJ I always wonder "why?" Do you really want to read more stories from an absentee beat writer who could care less about the team. Like Steve French said after the Zips won the MAC Championship: "THE ZIPS JUST WON THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP! They're going to The Motor City Bowl! And who knows...the Beacon Journal might even send a reporter to cover it?"

[Zipgrad01]

So let me get this straight.....you think a beat writer has to be a graduate of the university in which he is covering? You honestly think he is purposely not covering the team because he doesn't care and is a biased YSU grad?He isn't covering the team because nobody in Akron cares. When you have 8,000 people at the games, does it look like the public is showing any sort of interest in the program? High school games a lot of times draw as much or more than Zips home games. It isn't all him, it is that the community hasn't demanded more Zips coverage. If the consumer demanded it, the ABJ would be writing it.

[g-mann17]

So let me get this straight.....you think a beat writer has to be a graduate of the university in which he is covering? You honestly think he is purposely not covering the team because he doesn't care and is a biased YSU grad?

The point is, he is the beat writer and he doesn't care. Same argument as yesterday. People care about what people are told to care about.Obviously you only care about having a negative attitude toward everything related to the Zips. If you think know one here cares why do you bother?

[zen]

People care about what people are told to care about.

ehem.....I don't think people are that robotic or zombie-solider-like, but overall, I agree. There are a lot of people who only jump on a bandwagon when things are going VERY well.... and there are also a lot of people who are content to ignor a team that everyone else is ignoring. In other words, lack of interest is a bandwagon phenomenon as well. If the ABJ consistently shows lack of excitement (via lack of coverage) for the zips, the populous will have nothing to cue their interest.The lack of coverage may not be intentional or conspiratorial, BUT it's pretty freakin retarded when the press and media can't figure out that they are an integral focusing tool in how a community views itself and what is happening. It's like when a member of the press says "we cover what people want to hear about" when they know damned well that people don't care to hear about something that rarely gets covered. "Interest" in a story has a snowball effect. If you cover it, people take interest. If people take interest, the media covers it.Unfortunately, the snowball has to start with the zips. The ABJ will not take the initiative. Winning the MAC east 2 years ago was not enough. The motor city bowl needed to be won. That's the sad reality. Media people are bandwagon jumpers. They will focus on the buckeyes because they are frontrunning fans just like everyone else.

[Zipgrad01]

I didn't say people here don't care. Obviously, I do or else I wouldn't be here and I wouldn't spend the money on season tickets, etc...That is not entirely true that people only care about what they are told to care about. I will agree in some instances, but not when it comes to following a college football team. I think you are right about the media being able to shape peoples thoughts about fashion, politics, etc.. because they only show one side and slander the other, but products need to sell themselves. The media coverage and advertising may get people to take enough interest to get them in the door once or twice, but the product on the field has to keep them coming back and keep the interest of the public. Right now it just doesn't. Part of that is the stadium. Part of that is our losing history. Part of that is the teams we play in Akron. Part of that is the poor image of our conference.I don't only have a negative attitude of the Zips program and that is not what I am trying to do one here. Some of you just can't take off the blue and gold colored glasses. You guys obviously love the team, so you find it frustrating that everyone else doesn't see what you see. It is frustrating, but you can't force people to feel like you in regards to Zips athletics. The product has to give them a reason to feel that way and the program hasn't done that to people.

[Dr Z]

I would just like to learn something about the team that I root for if I read an article on my team.I have never learned anything reading a DLM article on the Zips.Other side of the coin. Razor. I learn many things about the Zips that I didn't know when I read his stuff. Because he is a fan and finds out information that Zips fans want to know. When you are not a fan of the team and don't really care, you write a bunch of dribble and pretend like you did your job. Or maybe he is just really bad at his job. People on this board find out much more info than DLM and don't have access to the team the way he does.

[Zipgrad01]

Unfortunately, that is the way it goes until the masses demand more coverage. The die hard fans will find out info in different ways such as this board, Rasor, etc... As much as I wish it wasn't the case, it is. I mean, they promote the hell out of the Can't game every year. Everyone on earth knows we are playing it, but does anyone show up at the games? No. Why would the ABJ or the tv news devote resources to cover it (which costs money by the way) in order to cover something that nobody cares enough about to go watch. Even the last several ACME ZIP games had about zero attendance. Does the paper cover Massillon and McKinley more than they cover Akron Coventry or Canton South? Yes. Why? Because the public cares about it and goes to the games. The public demands the coverage. It isn't because the media tells people to care about it. It is because they are historically winners, they have great fan support, they have great facilities and they play tough teams every week that people usually recognize.The media can only do so much. Look at soccer. The media has been trying to shove it down our throats for decades. Games get no ratings on tv and nobody watches the games in person. Team after team and league after league folds. Why? Because nobody cares about it. The media can't make people care. They can shove Zips coverage down peoples throats, but until the students, alumni and other area citizens start filling the stadium on a regular basis it won't matter. That is just the fact of the matter.

[skip-zip]

Personally, I think it's sad that we get 100 times as much news about the Zips on an internet site as we get from the ABJ, even though we are a Division 1-A program right in their own backyard!!!I do find it amazing that a beat reporter shows up at the last minute to cover probably the biggest story of the off season...who will win the QB battle. I'm betting that it's a reflection of the ABJ's attitude towards Zips athletics. If it were Ohio State's QB battle going on, they'd have 3 reporters chasing the coaches and players around 24 hours a day trying to get information.The ABJ's job is to sell papers. So, why they don't understand that more Zips coverage will sell more papers in Akron is beyond my imagination.

[g-mann17]

The media can only do so much. Look at soccer. The media has been trying to shove it down our throats for decades. Games get no ratings on tv and nobody watches the games in person. Team after team and league after league folds. Why? Because nobody cares about it. The media can't make people care. They can shove Zips coverage down peoples throats, but until the students, alumni and other area citizens start filling the stadium on a regular basis it won't matter. That is just the fact of the matter.

I have to say something about this. When was the last time you saw an attempt during soccer season to have Monday Night Futbol? The media does not try and shove soccer down anyone's throat. If the media did then we would have Columbus Crew Coverage, we sure as hell would see coverage of our own Zips Soccer team who is quickly becoming an elite program. It was almost impossible to find coverage of the Crunch and Force when the were winning. So yeah say they "force soccer" on people LOL

[Captain Kangaroo]

Furthermore -- It doesn't need to be positive coverage either. I highly doubt we'd have been stuck with Hipsher for 9 years if the Beacon would have done some objective coverage of where his program was headed. Ditto 9 years of Lee Owens. Terry Pluto wrote his "feel good" personal interest stories once or twice per year regardless of how the respective teams were crashing and burning, and that was about it. DL Morgan does a shoddy job. His feelings towards the Zips program are very evident in his writing. If I were him and I read the Rasor site, or this board, I would be pretty damn embarrassed. For the sake of argument, say only a handful of people care about the Zips in Akron. How does that excuse their beat writer from doing a decent job on what actually makes it to print? It doesn't.

[g-mann17]

Also, do they think that adding a page or half page on Zips Athletics would hurt the bottom line that much? No, no one has ever said drop OSU coverage and Do only Zips Coverage. We have simply said, do some damn Zips coverage.Oh and make it QUALITY coverage!!!

[Captain Kangaroo]

I mean, they promote the hell out of the Can't game every year. Everyone on earth knows we are playing it, but does anyone show up at the games? No.

"Promoted the hell" out of the K.e.n.t. games? I don't recall that at all. Previous Akron/K.e.n.t. games (within the past decade) were never promoted well. And more importantly, they were often held in November. It isn't too shocking that they didn't draw well.The K.e.n.t. game this year is in September, where it should be if you want fans to come. And it will be at, or very near a sell out.

[Dr Z]

For the sake of argument, say only a handful of people care about the Zips in Akron. How does that excuse their beat writer from doing a decent job on what actually makes it to print? It doesn't.

It always amazes me that people miss this simple point.

[Zipgrad01]

A game in November shouldn't be a reason nobody attends. Ever been to a high school playoff game or a Browns game? I have watched a few high school playoff games in the snow and there was 25-30,000 people there. Crap weather doesn't stop real fans from going.LOLThey absolutely shove soccer down our throats. Look at all the tv movies about soccer. They make it seem like it is "cool" to play soccer. They show these high school soccer games with like 5,000 people in the stands. It is a joke. Look at the coverage about Beckham. That is all that was on the news for a while. Whether you like it or not, the media has been telling us for years that we should love soccer, yet nobody does. Besides, my soccer example was to prove that the media can't force the public to like something as you suggest. They can cover it, but the people decide where to spend their money. I am not saying soccer gets more coverage than football. But, for having lower tv ratings than womens beach volleyball (true statement) it gets way too much coverage.I do agree that if they do coverage that it should at least be decent. The little coverage we get is sub-par and incorrect half the time.Yes, it would hurt the bottom line to add a page or half a page of Zips sports in the abj. Do you realize what newspaper space costs? Call and put in a half or full page add and let me know if it is cheap.Again, you compare what the beat writers would do if it were Ohio State's qb battle. That is comparing apples and oranges. People care about Ohio State about 100 fold compared to Akron. OSU would sell out Browns stadium every week in Cleveland if they were playing Eastern Michigan Tech University School for the Blind.

[johnnyzip84]

The bottom line is there is a professional manner in which to perform one's job and there is another, dare I say amateur, approach. It's pretty well known that Frenchy is a a graduate of OU, but does that prevent him from doing HIS part in helping to promote Zip athletics?

[zipboy]

The bottom line is there is a professional manner in which to perform one's job and there is another, dare I say amateur, approach. It's pretty well known that Frenchy is a a graduate of OU, but does that prevent him from doing HIS part in helping to promote Zip athletics?

Good point - my feeling from this topic is that DLM does not have passion covering his beat. Who knows, maybe if he was the YSU beat writer he would still do his job the same way. But a good reporter lives and breathes what they do. I have a suspicion that if Rasor was the blogger for the junior bowling league, he would be all over it. I don't know where Tom Gaffney went to school, but there was sure a lot more information on basketball throughout the year than when DL or Jason Butler or Stephanie Storm covered Zips basketball.How you could show up for the last 20 minutes of practice on the biggest one or the preseason when you are the beat writer seems half assed to me.

[Buckzip]

Come on now. I agree about DLM.It is his job to cover UA. He is the reporter. It shouldn't matter if he is a graduate of any other school. He has a job to do. He should either do it to the best of his ability, or he should be gone.

[K-Roo]

I think the point K-Roo is trying to make is that DLM is a YSU fan, not a Zips fan and he writes for the AKRON paper about the Zips. Is it any wonder Zips fans get inferior coverage of their team????

Yup.. that's all I was doin'....