Akron Zips Discussion

[I.K.W.T]

Globally, yes. However, in the US it's:

Football
Basketball
Baseball (might reverse basketball and baseball, but I think basketball has taken over)
Hockey
Soccer

To go off on a somewhat related tangent....Honestly, one could argue on the collegiate level that there's more interest in women's basketball, softball, men's lacrosse, and women's volleyball than men's soccer. Quite frankly, the general US population does't care about soccer, and the top soccer players never go through the american collegiate system. Even the most well-known current player from the US, Landon Donovan, never played a single game in college. In general, the most overall skilled athletes in the US always wind up playing football or basketball, with baseball mixed in. If soccer was as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world, you might see a few guys with the athletic ability of a LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Allen Iverson, Victor Cruz, Calvin Johnson, etc. on the soccer field for the US. Until you start getting those types of athletes playing soccer for the Red, White, and Blue, it'll never be as popular in the US as it is in the rest of the world.

Freddy Adu was a big deal when he was coming up as a teenager, but has done NOTHING. I believe one of SI's covers had him with the title "America's soccer savior" or something. He could've been that star that changed it, but yet in the US we are still looking..

BTW, For all the Akron fans, Darlington Nagbe is in the new Adidas soccer commercial being played during UEFA and it's cool.

[sgm405]

I think those turning this into a "how relevant is soccer" discussion are missing the point - we're poking fun at the irony of Chardon, who basically said Akron soccer winning a National Title didn't mean much because college soccer isn't relevant to most sports fans, coming in the Zips discussion thread to pump up Kent State potentially qualifying for the College World Series, which also isn't relevant to most sports fans. If you discount one, you have to discount the other.

Personally, I'm proud as hell that Akron was a National Champion and think it was a huge deal. I also think it's very cool that Kent State could make it to Omaha, which would also be a big deal.

[Chardon]

Kent State on their way to the college baseball World Series!

[Pyro]

I believe one of SI's covers had him with the title "America's soccer savior" or something. He could've been that star that changed it, but yet in the US we are still looking..

I thought that was supposed to be Beckham.

[sgm405]

UA unveils new guide plan

University of Akron trustees gave a thumbs up on Wednesday to what could become a new round of campus expansion.

The new master guide plan could fuel $400 million in construction, but details of what is to be done when — if at all — have yet to be hammered out.

The guide is a “strategic document that positions the university to make decisions over time,” Greg Janks, principal of the Boston-based Sasaki Associates, told trustees.

In 1999, Sasaki Associates provided the template for more than $600 million in campus improvements that included InfoCision Stadium, the recreation and wellness center and Student Union.

The university rehired Sasaki last year for $600,000 to update the plan, this time concentrating on buildings that went up before the last plan, some of them in need of renovations.

UA President Luis Proenza said on Tuesday that the new Sasaki guide plan could cost an estimated $400 million to implement.

He said UA officials would begin to prioritize the Sasaki recommendations and decide how to fund them. The university may bite off chunks of projects costing $20 million to $40 million a year rather than trying to put all ideas into play at once, he said.

Not to take these steps would be “competitive suicide,” Proenza said, as sister universities, both public and private, are investing in their facilities, and parents and students alike want nice surroundings.

In addition, UA may relocate some programs to foster what it calls “academic synergies.” For instance, the university may bring together programs in nursing, family and consumer sciences, sports sciences and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center while leaving language pathology and audiology downtown.

Ted Curtis, vice president of capital planning and facilities management, said the guide “is another giant step in maintaining our momentum” of enrollment growth.

One Sasaki suggestion of supreme importance to the sports community would be to build a new basketball arena, as many view the existing James A. Rhodes Arena as outdated and inadequate.

Options for arena

Sasaki pinpoints two options. One site is on UA land at the corner of Spicer and Exchange streets, next to InfoCision Stadium. Or UA could partner with the city of Akron to attract funding to build a new arena across from Canal Park where the Akron Aeros play minor-league baseball.

Sasaki does not indicate which of the two sites it prefers, and Curtis has a third idea of his own.

He suggests attaching a new arena with 7,000 seats to the Rhodes Arena and converting the existing space into two practice gyms.

“Having a totally new facility is even more exciting, and whether it’s on Spicer Street or downtown, a new arena is a new arena,” Curtis said. “I could go for any of the three solutions.”

Mile-long corridor

Another key Sasaki suggestion is to create an “Academic Way” down the spine of the campus in what once was Buchtel Avenue.

The wide sidewalk would have trees, seating and possibly a shuttle to move pedestrians one mile from the East Parking Deck through campus to the Polsky Parking Deck downtown.

Special high-intensity lighting and signage would emphasize that this is the main corridor. The rest of campus also would get new signage and lighting. Many major academic buildings already front on what would be the Academic Way.

Sasaki also would:

• Build a glass atrium on the south side of Bierce Library for dining, conversation areas and computers. The addition would add light to the library and face the new Academic Way.

• Level Schrank Hall South, which is in need of multiple repairs, to make way for more green space.

• Convert the Knight Chemical Laboratory and Goodyear Polymer Center into classrooms, offices and dry labs and build a new tower to replace them on the west side of the North Parking Deck.

• Build a medium-sized recital space with about 500 seats and glass walls on what is now a concrete plaza and fountain in front of E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall.

• Rebuild the McDowell Law Center on its current site at Wolf Ledges Parkway and University Avenue.

• Remodel Ayers and Crouse halls with new lighting, air conditioning, windows and more. A third academic building, Zook Hall, already is poised for renovation.

The university is using $16 million of state money to gut Zook and modernize it for the College of Education. Construction will begin in a year and take about a year to complete.

[sgm405]

I like the idea of putting the arena downtown. Having it there would do wonders for downtown bars and restaurants and could even attract smaller concerts. Either way, the plans for a new arena are very exciting for Zips fans!

[PriceCarr]

It needs to be downtown. And they need it ASAP because the JAR is killing any chance of them getting promoted into a higher conference, that and of course how horribly bad the football program is but with that stadium and their market, trump their record.

[sgm405]

It needs to be downtown. And they need it ASAP because the JAR is killing any chance of them getting promoted into a higher conference, that and of course how horribly bad the football program is but with that stadium and their market, trump their record.

Agreed. They need Terry Bowden to turn around the football program and get that arena downtown to have a shot at moving up to a bigger conference.

[Chardon]

Kent State plays Florida tonight.

[Chardon]

Kent State won 5-4.

[RappSoda]

Congrats to Kent.

Backhanded compliment, though, because that strike 2 call was ball 4. Either way, glad they're moving on.

[Stitches]

I like the idea of putting the arena downtown. Having it there would do wonders for downtown bars and restaurants and could even attract smaller concerts. Either way, the plans for a new arena are very exciting for Zips fans!

Agreed. It'd be very cool to have a basketball arena downtown.

So many changes coming up just since I graduated 4 years ago. It's great to see, but I wish I wouldn't have had to deal with so much construction while I was there. lol


Who am I kidding, my biggest wish is that they would've finished the on-campus football stadium long before I graduated.

[sgm405]

Akron basketball might have just landed a gem.

http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcspor...loser-to-home/

[Amherstcavsfan]

Foresythe and Marshall would dominate the MAC.

I love you, Dambrot.

[PriceCarr]

He is cleared to play right away???