UCONN Message Boards & Game Day

[Captain Kangaroo]

I will be at the game this Saturday. If anyone is looking to participate in a pre-game tailgate party, let me know (use the board's Personal Message option). Over the years I've met a lot of great Zips fans at these road games. But due to a lack of any coordination, we only meet in the stands...the Zips' pre-game parties are typically spread out far and wide. The game unfortunately begins at noon, so my wife and I will be in the parking lot with Zips flag flying by 8am! UConn seems to have two active message boards. One on Rivals, and one on Scout. The links are below:Click for Scout.com SiteClick for Rivals SiteObviously a few of their members have already located our site.

[johnnyzip84]

I see on Yahoo that UConn has opened as a 13 point favorite. With the Zips banged up the way they are, this is probably about right. This, of course, does not mean that if we put together 4 solid quarters on both sides of the ball, we can't come away with a nice win on the road.While watching UConn beat Pitt the other night on ESPNU, I was pretty impressed with thier new QB (Lorenzen) and thier small, quick back. When they showed UConn's upcoming schedule towards the end of the game, Mike Gottfried gaves the Zips props, mentioning the win over Can't and the fact that it won't be an easy game for UConn. "Akron's got a pretty good football team" is what I believe he said. He's always pulling for the MAC, it seems.

[huskypantz]

Greetings from Husky Nation,As you might imagine, our team is pretty pumped up after the win against Pitt on Saturday and the 4-0 start. To be honest, you may well be our toughest challenge yet, and I'm looking forward to a good game. For anyone planning on coming to the game, here is a great tailgating and visitor's guide. TexanMark's UConn Tailgate GuideIn case you're wondering about us, we're a fairly young team with only 6 or so seniors who contribute. Our QB Lorenzen is a JUCO guy who didn't want to play WR at Iowa State (they could probably use him about now), he's a mature kid with a good arm and decent speed. Our RBs include Donald Brown (all-BE last year), who hasn't quite lived up to his billing yet but is only a soph. Our WR's include a couple of talented sophs and a converted QB (DJ Hernandez) who's got a great work ethic - we love this kid's heart. Our Oline is a work in progress but is also young, with only 1 senior. On D, DE Cody Brown anchors our Dline, and we're really high on this kid. Not big, but he's strong and fast. Our LBs have been the surprise of the year thusfar, two rsFrosh are starting and have impressed. Our secondary is probably our most experienced group. On special teams, our other pleasant surprise has been our kicker, who's made 8 of 9 FGs. Doesn't sound too impressive, I know, but just check our stats from last year. Anyway, feel free to visit our boards and we hope you get a chance to enjoy the Rent (our stadium), at least until gametime! And good luck in the MAC this year.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Greetings from Husky Nation,As you might imagine, our team is pretty pumped up after the win against Pitt on Saturday and the 4-0 start. To be honest, you may well be our toughest challenge yet, and I'm looking forward to a good game. For anyone planning on coming to the game, here is a great tailgating and visitor's guide. TexanMark's UConn Tailgate GuideIn case you're wondering about us, we're a fairly young team with only 6 or so seniors who contribute. Our QB Lorenzen is a JUCO guy who didn't want to play WR at Iowa State (they could probably use him about now), he's a mature kid with a good arm and decent speed. Our RBs include Donald Brown (all-BE last year), who hasn't quite lived up to his billing yet but is only a soph. Our WR's include a couple of talented sophs and a converted QB (DJ Hernandez) who's got a great work ethic - we love this kid's heart. Our Oline is a work in progress but is also young, with only 1 senior. On D, DE Cody Brown anchors our Dline, and we're really high on this kid. Not big, but he's strong and fast. Our LBs have been the surprise of the year thusfar, two rsFrosh are starting and have impressed. Our secondary is probably our most experienced group. On special teams, our other pleasant surprise has been our kicker, who's made 8 of 9 FGs. Doesn't sound too impressive, I know, but just check our stats from last year. Anyway, feel free to visit our boards and we hope you get a chance to enjoy the Rent (our stadium), at least until gametime! And good luck in the MAC this year.

Thanks for checking in! The guy that put together the tailgate info is an animal. Holy cow! I will put it to good use.On question: As of right now I'm staying near the University. I like a University environment better than the city (which I know is a lot closer to the stadium). Is there a "can't miss" bar area around the University? A nice, dirty place that has a big microbrew selection and a near by pizza or wing joint? The BW-3's of the world are nice...but they're a dime a dozen. Any tips on a good, unique-to-UConn campus bar area is appreciated.

[Zippysgotagun]

For the record, I have a wife who is due for the birth of our first child Friday (We actually got an awesome UA outfit that said ROO-kie on it...but I digress), so I won't really be able to make it on Saturday...is it on TV, and if so, what channel? And please tell me I'll actually get to watch the last 1:17 this time....

[Zipsrifle]

(We actually got an awesome UA outfit that said ROO-kie on it...but I digress)

I think the best outfit we've got......FEAR THE POO!

[huskypantz]

Thanks for checking in! The guy that put together the tailgate info is an animal. Holy cow! I will put it to good use.On question: As of right now I'm staying near the University. I like a University environment better than the city (which I know is a lot closer to the stadium). Is there a "can't miss" bar area around the University? A nice, dirty place that has a big microbrew selection and a near by pizza or wing joint? The BW-3's of the world are nice...but they're a dime a dozen. Any tips on a good, unique-to-UConn campus bar area is appreciated.

It's been almost 10 years since I was in school, so I can't really say what the best campus bars are now-a-days. Ted's and Huskies were the two most popular then. But if I was going to recommend a place for wings and brews: Bidwell Tavern would be the spot. It's close to campus but unfortunately not on campus. There were no microbrew-pubs back when I was there, it was nickel night drafts and well drinks and kegs of nattie light (our nickname for natural light beer). One thing UConn has always lacked is a central area with shops, restaurants etc. There is a project called storrs center that will begin construction in 2008 and finish in 2014.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Just bringing the message board links back to the top in case anyone missed them.

[Zip Watcher]

Some more thoughts on the near campus revelry:I've been gone from there for about 12 years .. so I know a bunch of stuff has changed. The campus has undergone a transformation similar to what UA has done in recent years. Sometime around 1993 or so, the state passed a $1 billion capital improvements package over 10 years for UConn & it's branches .. yep that's a "B" .. so it's a pretty nice new place.As for the drinking .. the bar options are suprisingly few .. as mentioned above. This has mainly to do with the nature of the on-campus life there (not dry at all) .. which at the time minimized the need for lots of bars.That being said, the few that are there will be jammed, so be prepared for tight quarters.On campus, there are 2 standards, as mentioned above: Teds & Huskies. My personal favorite was always Teds, and everytime I go there .. that's where I stop. It's a laid back bar .. not a pub .. not a club .. a bar. Huskies has more food options and is probably a better bet for eating if you want that (before dark). It was always a little nicer (+$) than Teds when I was there .. and that's where the rich chicks hung out .. but it is bigger than Ted's also.Ted's & Huskies are on the north end of campus within a few hundred feet of each other.A year or so after I left, a new place opened up on the opposite side of campus, Husky Blues .. but as I did a search for it, I find that it closed ... but my search revealed this:Storrs Nightlife descriptions & directions.The schmedley's link goes nowhere .. so it may be closed also .. never heard of the place.The tavern mentioned above (The Bidwell) is also a GREAT place to go .. good beer selection, a little older crowd, no clubbing bs .. really a good place. Just not on campus.As for food, there is only one place that I think of when I'm in Storrs:Click Here for Willie Pie!!! Mmmmm...Best pizza I've had anywhere that wasn't Luigi's on N. Main or Danny Boy's in Rocky River. It's about a 10 minute drive north of campus .. and pretty big .. so you can usually get in there.Football was a campus afterthought and not a common activity while I was there (and the team played on campus) .. so I can't comment about any tailgating traditions.Have a great trip & time .. Go Zips!