I Just Threw Up On My Computer

[GP1]

I was just reading the ABJ article about the Zips by Terry Pluto. Is Pluto cheating on his wife with Lee Owens? I can't believe he gives that stiff any credit for what is going on this year. I thought he would have given up his LO obsession by now, but I guess he may still be stalking him.

Does anyone really think this team would not have given up on LO after a 1-4 start? They would have finished the season 4-7. Thanks to the new coaching staff an a change of culture in the team, we are looking at a possible MAC East championship.

He writes the article as if the player he mentioned were highly recruited by Division I teams. They probably went to Akron because nobody else wanted them. The new coaching staff has turned them into football players. Thanks to the new staff.

I can only imagine the eye rolling in the football office when they read LO's name in the paper.

[Dr Z]

Part of the credit for that should go to former Akron coach Lee Owens, who recruited the likes of John Fuller, Domenik Hixon, Dwayne LeFall and Frye, who all have emerged as team leaders.

I had to look up what the Randel EL you were speaking of.

I can't believe I am about to defend Terry Pluto but, he is right,

Lee did recruit Charlie and Hixon. How much credit he should get for the victory can be questioned.

I agree with you, in the same situation I don't think Lee's staff comes through there.

I wonder how long before we stop referencing Lee's coaching ability with every win or loss?

For those of you that don't read the Beacon here is the whole article:

Discipline helps Zips succeed

By Terry Pluto

Hang on to the ball -- or bear crawl.

That's one of the messages that Akron Zips football coach J.D. Brookhart delivers to his players.

If you have the ball in practice, hold it tight.

``You never know when one of the coaches or even the managers will come up behind you and try to knock it loose,'' Brookhart said. ``It could happen in a drill, or maybe just when you least expect it.''

And if you fumble?

Down on all fours, and get ready to crawl for a while. Works great for a bear. Of course, the rest of us do much better on two legs.

``It's about discipline,'' Brookhart said.

And what are the results of that focus?

``(In Mid-American Conference play) our turnovers are excellent. We've forced three more than we've made.''

That's just part of the reason the Zips are the MAC's surprise team, owning a 5-1 league record and tied for the East Division lead with Miami and Marshall. The Zips have won four in a row, including Friday's stunning 31-28 victory over powerful Marshall at the Rubber Bowl.

In that game, the Zips kept their cool after falling behind 28-7 in the third quarter. Marshall seemed to wilt and appear disorganized as Zips quarterback Charlie Frye led an amazing fourth-quarter comeback.

Brookhart praised the composure of his players.

``We have the fewest penalties in the MAC,'' he said. ``I'm proud of that, too. It comes from practice. If you jump offside, you do grass drills.''

That means you run in place until a coach whistles, then you drop to the ground. Then you get up -- and then go down again.

``No fun,'' Brookhart said.

The coach said his team has grown so football savvy, the offense can start plays with different snap counts -- something that requires tremendous concentration. Brookhart said he could never do that when he was coaching previously at Pitt.

Part of the credit for that should go to former Akron coach Lee Owens, who recruited the likes of John Fuller, Domenik Hixon, Dwayne LeFall and Frye, who all have emerged as team leaders.

``Frye, Fuller and some other guys never wavered,'' Brookhart said. ``We had some seniors who sort of had one foot in with what we were doing, one foot out. But they hung in there, and now they are leading the underclassmen, too. These seniors have a real sense of urgency to do something special.''

Brookhart talked about defensive lineman Kiki Gonzalez, ``who would quit in some of the drills during the spring. Now, he's pushing himself hard and pushing the other guys.''

Brookhart knows he did not inherit a team in turmoil. The Zips were 7-5 last season, 5-3 in the MAC. They lost their top receivers and runners, but did have future NFL draft pick Frye returning at quarterback and some experienced linemen back, too. The Zips had no excessive academic or behavioral problems.

Brookhart wanted to put his own stamp on the team, to stress ``accountability,'' one of his favorite words.

Miss a class or study hall, be ready to run at 6 a.m. In the office and at meetings, players wear no caps. They dress neatly.

Brookhart said when he was a young assistant at Pitt, coach Walt Harris had several rules that seemed like nothing more than nitpicking.

``I told myself I wouldn't do that,'' he said. ``But now that I sit in that head coach's chair, I do it. And I understand why Walt did it. You want to establish a culture, a mind-set.''

He believes these qualities helped the Zips come back from a 1-4 season start, where they were crushed at Penn State (48-10), Virginia (51-0) and Northern Illinois (48-18).

``These are tough-minded guys,'' he said. ``They have been through a lot. They have a high desire (to please), to succeed. Our defense had felt like step-children for years. Now they are helping us win games. I'm proud to coach this team.''

[Zipsrifle]

Actually, when I started reading the article I thought how JD had finally gotten LO off his back, and then, BAM, they had to mention it again. I think what is happening here is that the ABJ, after bashing UA for ditching LO, is now realizing that they were wrong and are trying to save face. Isn't it also funny how they are now typing a lot more articles about the Zips???? Hurry up, jump on the bandwagon! Unfortunately, they have two legs hanging off the back, if we lose this Sat, they jump off.

You can't deny that LO got these guys to come to UA. I was one of the people who thought it was time for a change. I give him credit for moving us up a level from the Faust era, but he had hit his ceiling. I don't think Lee would have won the game Friday, for some reason he gave the team a "We could lose any game at any time" mentality. I think JD is moving us away from this...up to the next level hopefully.

[GP1]

I don't agree that the ABJ is trying to save face. They are too stupid to come to the realization as to how stupid they acted when LO got fired.

All of the players Pluto mentions in his article, with the exception of 5, are average Division I players and were below average recruits in high school. The new coaching staff is getting the maximum effort out of this team.

If Pluto is mad at the University for firing LO, he should write a negative article about the President or the AD or anyone else he feels is at fault. It is not JD's fault that LO was fired and he should stop taking digs at JD. It isn't a very Christian thing to do and everyone knows what I mean. It is starting to look as if our Bible thumping friend Pluto has a sneaky mean side. Perhaps he should read the "do unto others" part of the good book again. There are also some good lines about flaunting your beliefs but not living them as well.

[Guest ***GUEST_racer]

im sure most of you arent going to agree. i think owens should get some credit because it is his kids that are now winning. im so sick of everyone saying we have no

d-1 players esp on offense. you don't think coaches at buffalo, ucf, ou, Can't, cmu, western,eastern, ball state, would glady trade players. the defense though was always terrible under lee no matter what year. the staff has done a good job of making the defense better; even though they scare the h out of me. i still don't think we have the offensive firpower of last year, but the team can run the ball this year. who knows if the team would have won the marshall game under owens. it really does not matter ;because he is not the coach anymore.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I don't have a problem with the Owens mention. It was 3% of the column. The main focus was on the players and this year's staff.

[Guest ***GUEST_zipper]

I honestly do not believe Terry Pluto is trying to rub JD's face in LO, what is much more plausible is that Pluto feels a little badly....still....for LO, and throws him a bone in every article just so he won't be sitting out there in DII land in Ashland with a bad record having to watch the new coach succeed beyond LO's wildest hopes or even his abilities

And let's face it: JD is tough as nails, and LO is kind of emotional. I'm sure Pluto isn't worried about hurting JD's feelings.

I think he can let it go now, but Pluto seems to be almost an overly decent guy. This may not change until this season is over.

NOW ZIPS GO BEAT OHIO!!!

[zipboy]

The big question is where the Beacon pony up gas money for DL to make the trek to Athens? I put odds at 50/50.