I don't root for the other MAC schools, especially Akron. In basketball, a team can get in simply by winning, therefore it really doesn't matter for a league like the MAC to have more than one strong team. So, I can actively root for Akron to get smoked because I don't like anything about them. It actually makes me smile to see their season end like this.

If we are talking about recruiting, how can Akron possibly claim they are a better program than us if you use the past five years as a measuring stick? I'll take our past four years, the Convo and Athens over anything they can come up with. I would hope the recruits we are trying to get recognize the difference, too.

That would be a great way to think if your goal is simply to win a bad conference and then likely face the same fate in the NCAA Tournament. I'd rather the whole league perform at a high level and for Ohio to elevate itself to the top of an improved league.

Drinking tonight, smoking pot, or both?

Why are they better? They beat us 3 times this year!!

Idiotic post of the year nominee.

So am I. F akron. They suck, they have no history. Maybe this will shut their chirping asses up. HAVOC

I'm didn't necessarily want Akron to win, but I certainly didn't want them to get blown out and become the laughing stock of the NCAA tourny this year. We lost to them by almost 20 in the MAC tourny. This loss doesn't make us look very good either.

I think it says more about match up nightmares. Indeed, I heard the word "MAC" very little. MOre jokes about Abreu, flu and match up problems/

Ours was Akron this year, Butlers was SLU, St Marys was Gonzaga. Most folks know that is the case.

The media wanted to love Akron. They overplayed the effect of the PG loss. I thought Akron vs us and Kent were better playing inside out moving the ball thorugh Marshall  and Tree rather than having the PG initiate everything. THey wanted the public to feel sorry for the flu but the only real effect was taking a less than effective year long Balitcized Walsh out of the game. THe other 2 were insignificant losses in the bigger pic. The press wanted to romanticiZE their journey and when that was not possible it became a pity story.

I personally do not think the MAC got a hit from this. I think Akron got served. Punks that have our number. We just need to stay the course and use the impetus and goodwill we have garnered over the last couple of tourney runs to continue to keep the brand hot in recruiting circles. Those in the know have the smarts to see that Akron the way they were built were our mismatch.

If Akron were a bit more human and less like your prick little brother that lives to finally beat you and throws it up in your face eveery Thanksgiving dinner I many have a bit more empathy.

Although I will be the first to admit that I am not an Akron fan, I am in the camp that last night's train wreck that was Akron/VCU did nothing to improve the MAC in the eyes of the general public.  If anything I would believe that it only served to confirm in the average fan's eyes that the MAC is a joke of a conference and probably not even worthy to be labeled a "mid-major".  Our loss in the NIT coupled with the smackdown that Akron took on primetime national tv last night makes the MAC as a conference look pathetic at best.  And yes, even though the MAC was not mentioned directly that much last night, it was guilt by association.  Most people, right or wrong, will judge you by the company you keep.

Wasn't able to watch the game.  But have to believe that media and others also have to be thinking, "how can this team from the MAC get so smoked (no pun intended), when Ohio went so far last year?"  The difference in results is something I'm sure the Akron board is also aware of.

Teams we played this year (Post-season results)
Oklahoma - plays today NCAA
Memphis - won 1st round NCAA
Belmont - lost 1st round NCAA
Akron - lost 1st round NCAA
Robert Morris - won 1st round NIT (over Kentucky)
UMass - lost 1st round NIT
Richmond - won 1st round CBI
Western - won 1st round CBI
Kent State - won 1st round CIT
Oakland - lost 1st round CIT

Fixed it for you. The CBI and CIT are a joke that nobody cares about except the players and family in it. No point in even referring to them. Nobody really cares about the NIT either until you get to MSG honestly.

So let's refresh. In the only tournament that people care about to this point our opponents are 1-2 with the lone victory being by 2 while the L's have been by 46 and 17. As I said IF Oklahoma loses today, our NCAA opponents will have done the equivalent of wetting themselves. 

Only good win of the whole bunch was Bobby Mo. 

This really isn't that strange of a place for akron. In 2009 and 2010 they lost by 13 in the first round.  Not blow outs I guess but still double digits.

Last time Kent was in the tournament they scored the lowest first half total (10) in HISTORY.

The reality is that the MAC, ourselves included are the underdogs, and likely will be for a very long time (Which I am kinda ok with, it makes our wins more special).

As such we are going to see more of these embarrassing performances than we are going to see sweet 16 seasons.

Graff I am gonna agree to disagree with ya here because I really like your posts and respect what you bring here. During the VCU game they actually referred to the CBI win as being the catalyst for VCU's resurgence and current run.....I heard a few references to CBI and CIT on the resumes of programs in the tourney this year....the announcers working for the NCAA/CBS are making them talking points so........someone is referring to them.

Programs and coaches that are in transition and needing reps and time to develope teams and players see the value in playing those games and getting the extra practices and tourney win or go home situations. YOu may be right that the only fans that care are friends and family .....that may be absolutely true.

I, as a junkie use them to look at which programs are poised to move up. I get to see young players and listen tothe peices and then watch the recruiting to see if they get the peices that will be able to surround those players and try to figure out which programs have Momentum. Programs have momentum....they are regressing, expanding or stagnant. I would say we are stillprogressing , maybe slower than we were but I would call Akron stagnant. They are doing what they have done for 7 years in my eyes. Dayton befuddles me while Wright that took no bid the last go round grabbed one under Donlon,. I think Wright has a bit of mo. while I can't figure out the decision by SDayton not to spend extra time with thier team.

The CBI and Cit let me see the next level and what they are doing.