Dear Keith Dambrot,
You had a great 2006-2007. Your Akron Zips basketball team had an amazing 26-7 record. If it hadn't been for the shot heard round the world by Miami's Doug Penno, you would have won the MAC and went to the NCAA Tournament. But it wasn't meant to be. You didn't win the tournament. You didn't win the conference during the regular season. So you sat at home during the March tournaments.
I listened to you complain for what seemed like days following the MAC Tournament. You argued that Akron deserved an at-large bid. You said how hard it was to schedule good teams. You said that no one wanted to play Akron. You beat into the ground the fact that no major conference team wanted to schedule a home and home with the Zips. And why would they? What have you done? Who have the Zips beaten over the past decade? Your gym is a dump. YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND PLAY PEOPLE IN THEIR GYM IF YOU WANT RESPECT. Let's take a look back and see your out-of-conference schedule last season.
Arkansas-Little Rock, Gardner Webb, Tiffin, Niagara, Oral Roberts, Binghamton, Winston-Salem State, UIC, St. Francis (Pa.), Nevada, Loyola Marymount, Youngstown State, and Austin Peay in the Bracket Buster.
The selection committee told you that this was a terrible schedule. There is a reason that you, as a 26-7 team, weren't even being discussed on Selection Sunday. You are a pompous jerk. Currently, numbers 1 and 2 in strength of schedule in the nation are Toledo and Miami. Those two schools know how to do it. They know what needs to be done to draw a potential at large bid. You have to take your shots at the "big boys" to gain respect. But did you learn your lesson? Well, let's see...the 2007-08 Akron Zips OOC schedule:
USC Upstate, Portland State, Tennessee State, Binghamton, Temple, Wyoming, Winthrop, North Carolina Central, UIC, North Carolina A&T, Austin Peay, Youngstown State, and Dayton
With the exception of Dayton, once again you have no quality opponents. There are no teams from major conferences yet again. So good luck in the MAC tournament, Coach Dambrot. Because you could finish 28-5 but with this crappy schedule, you will be sitting at home come March yet again.
Grow a pair and start scheduling teams that people have heard of. This is indefensible. You have no one to blame but yourself. In a 4 day stretch coming up later this month, Akron plays NC A&T and YSU at home while Miami plays at Illinois and at Kansas. But hey, I'm sure you'll get a strong look by the Selection Committee. I have absolutely zero respect for you or your cowardly program.
Sorry, Don, but it's true and I had to get that off of my chest. If Coach Dambrot is too afraid to play a tough schedule, he and this program will never be taken seriously.
3 comments:
Geez GMoney..the venom sacks are loaded this week.
I think you mistake arrogance with passion.
I too wish we have a more difficult non-conference schedule. I think it is difficult for Akron to bring quality teams into the JAR. It's not Madison Sq. Garden, but it is hardly the worst arena in the MAC. Ever been to Anderson? I've never liked the JAR personally. But fact it, Dambrot is 45-2 at the JAR since he's been coach. It's tough to get quality teams to play at home.
Still, I don't think Dambrot is doing this on purpose. You must admit, he's not the type to run from a fight.
I haven't been as affected by that Miami game last year since Byner's fumble in '87.
And yes, it was a lucky shot!
But the clock and the shot are not why we lost. We lost because we couldn't shoot foul shots! It should never have come down to that last shot.
I think there's something else you must admit, putting out of conference schedules aside, the Zips did pretty good in the MAC...we beat Kent 3 times in one season. I don't see anyone else in the conference doing that.
I've been down with the flu..so that's all I have for now.
Zippy says Hi!
;-)
I agree, Anderson is the worst arena in the nation...has to be.
The big boys aren't going to come to a MAC school, he has to have the courage to go out and play them at their place. He doesn't.
The venom is loaded. He pissed me off so much last year with his whining and then I saw a pic of him online this week and it was all brought back.
Akron's schedule was filled with a bunch of patsies last year. I understand though that it is difficult to schedule some bigger games being a dangerous mid-major program.
I feel that Akron should've been inspected as an at-large team. You can't win 26 or so games and not be any good.
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