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Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
POSTED: 06:44 p.m. EST, Nov 04, 2009
The University of Akron football team has no chance to win the East Division of the Mid-American Conference, but could determine who does.
The Zips (1-7, 0-4) have consecutive home games against East contenders, playing Kent State (5-4, 4-1) on Saturday and Temple (6-2, 4-0) on Nov. 13. Temple, which faces Miami Thursday night, leads the division, a half-game ahead of the Golden Flashes and Ohio.
It's an incentive hard to ignore, especially because UA has lost six games in a row and is last in the East.
''You always have something to play for in the next game,'' senior receiver Andre Jones said. ''But to have the top two teams coming up next, your next two games, it's pretty exciting. We can make a stand for our season.''
Senior center Elliott Bates is confident that a pressure-free set of circumstances for the Zips will be beneficial.
''We don't have anything to lose,'' he said. ''If we spoil someone else's season, I guess that's what we will do.''
First on the list of opponents — and first on the list of priorities — is Kent State, a bitter rival whose campus is just 11 miles away.
''I am pretty excited about spoiling their chances to go to the MAC Championship,'' Jones said. ''Kent State will always be Kent State.''
Also at stake is the Wagon Wheel trophy, which was first awarded to the game's winner in 1946. UA leads the all-time series 29-20-2, but KSU has a 19-18-1 edge in Wagon Wheel games.
The Zips have won 10 of the past 12 games in the series, including two in a row, so continuing that streak takes on a life of its own.
''I am more focused. It's Kent week. The records are out the window,'' Bates said. ''It would be good to knock them off. They are in contention. But to me, it's Kent week. This is our bowl game, the Wagon Wheel.
''We have had it for two years now, so we plan on keeping it.''
The Zips' upperclassmen have had success against the Flashes, except for a 37-15 loss in 2006. The older players have been schooling the younger ones this week about the need to avoid a repeat of 2006.
''It was the worst feeling ever. We have to keep telling them it's the worst feeling to lose that Wagon Wheel,'' said Bates, in reference to the underclassmen. ''They need to know how important it is to the community, not just the team.''
A victory over their archrival would help ease the sting of a disappointing season for the Zips.
Optimism was high in the preseason, buoyed by the return of 15 starters on offense and defense, and the opening of a new on-campus facility, InfoCision Stadium.
But the dismissal of Chris Jacquemain, a three-year starter at quarterback, and season-ending injuries to key players have led to a string of losses.
The frustration level has been high, especially in the past four games. The Zips have been in position to win in each one but struggled when it counted the most. UA has been outscored 44-10 in the fourth quarters of those four games.
Still, the Zips vow that they won't quit on themselves, even if others have.
''It's always tough to lose, to have a losing season,'' Jones said. ''But with the chemistry the coaches and players have . . . it's hard to hang your head. It's not like we are getting beat real bad. It's just one or two plays that we didn't make and the other team made.
''We will just keep fighting until the last game of the season. We always have each other's back.''
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The University of Akron football team has no chance to win the East Division of the Mid-American Conference, but could determine who does.
The Zips (1-7, 0-4) have consecutive home games against East contenders, playing Kent State (5-4, 4-1) on Saturday and Temple (6-2, 4-0) on Nov. 13. Temple, which faces Miami Thursday night, leads the division, a half-game ahead of the Golden Flashes and Ohio.
It's an incentive hard to ignore, especially because UA has lost six games in a row and is last in the East.
''You always have something to play for in the next game,'' senior receiver Andre Jones said. ''But to have the top two teams coming up next, your next two games, it's pretty exciting. We can make a stand for our season.''
Senior center Elliott Bates is confident that a pressure-free set of circumstances for the Zips will be beneficial.
''We don't have anything to lose,'' he said. ''If we spoil someone else's season, I guess that's what we will do.''
First on the list of opponents — and first on the list of priorities — is Kent State, a bitter rival whose campus is just 11 miles away.
''I am pretty excited about spoiling their chances to go to the MAC Championship,'' Jones said. ''Kent State will always be Kent State.''
Also at stake is the Wagon Wheel trophy, which was first awarded to the game's winner in 1946. UA leads the all-time series 29-20-2, but KSU has a 19-18-1 edge in Wagon Wheel games.
The Zips have won 10 of the past 12 games in the series, including two in a row, so continuing that streak takes on a life of its own.
''I am more focused. It's Kent week. The records are out the window,'' Bates said. ''It would be good to knock them off. They are in contention. But to me, it's Kent week. This is our bowl game, the Wagon Wheel.
''We have had it for two years now, so we plan on keeping it.''
The Zips' upperclassmen have had success against the Flashes, except for a 37-15 loss in 2006. The older players have been schooling the younger ones this week about the need to avoid a repeat of 2006.
''It was the worst feeling ever. We have to keep telling them it's the worst feeling to lose that Wagon Wheel,'' said Bates, in reference to the underclassmen. ''They need to know how important it is to the community, not just the team.''
A victory over their archrival would help ease the sting of a disappointing season for the Zips.
Optimism was high in the preseason, buoyed by the return of 15 starters on offense and defense, and the opening of a new on-campus facility, InfoCision Stadium.
But the dismissal of Chris Jacquemain, a three-year starter at quarterback, and season-ending injuries to key players have led to a string of losses.
The frustration level has been high, especially in the past four games. The Zips have been in position to win in each one but struggled when it counted the most. UA has been outscored 44-10 in the fourth quarters of those four games.
Still, the Zips vow that they won't quit on themselves, even if others have.
''It's always tough to lose, to have a losing season,'' Jones said. ''But with the chemistry the coaches and players have . . . it's hard to hang your head. It's not like we are getting beat real bad. It's just one or two plays that we didn't make and the other team made.
''We will just keep fighting until the last game of the season. We always have each other's back.''
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Posted 07:03 PM, 11/04/2009
Chris Jacquemain ... why was he suspended?
Posted 08:37 PM, 11/04/2009
Don't forget about the coach who was released for violating NCAA recruiting violations. I feel that should be mentioned...
Also, I echo "papreps." Why was Jacq suspended? I mean, rumors have already gone around. But it's fair to at least bring some light to that instead of continuing to dance around the issue as if it were nothing. Because it definitely wasn't...
Canton, OH
Posted 08:56 PM, 11/04/2009
FEAR AN AROUSED ' ROO. . .
Posted 09:28 PM, 11/04/2009
Aroused? Like, he's turned on to see Kent State?
Akron, Oh
Posted 09:30 PM, 11/04/2009
@papreps - He was not suspended. He was expelled. And the clear answer to your question is that he was caught stealing text books from the cars of other students, selling them and using the proceeds to fund his drug habit. He has had this problem for some time now and UA knew about it for some time now and could no longer turn a blind eye to it.
Kandi, SL
Posted 09:35 PM, 11/04/2009
It would be nice if Mr Bates and his blocking mates would become aroused to block -- as they apparently have been unarroused since the start of this season. Maybe pour pheromones on the Flashes uniforms. Will that arouse them?
Posted 10:11 PM, 11/04/2009
@Jason12, if all that you say is true and UA did know about it, the school and entire program should be under investigation, and there should be criminal charges brought against those that knew for being accomplices, since this is a legal matter and they did not report it to the proper authorities. Had Jacq been arrested for these crimes, it would have been national news, and the university, it sounds like, was trying to cover up their own black eye.
Correct me if I'm wrong in any way...
Highland Square, OH
Posted 12:06 AM, 11/05/2009
Ohio U sucks.
Posted 08:18 AM, 11/05/2009
Akron knew about it for some time? If this is true then there should be an investigation.Yeah, Akron is "win at all costs", Oooops, I mean lose at all costs! Let`s see.....UAE says Kent sucks,Ohio sucks, it`s probably because he couldn`t get into either school because of academics! And THE master bard sticks his foot into his mouth AGAIN! (A glutton for punishment)
Posted 09:23 AM, 11/05/2009
I know this is a rivalry and it's all in good jest, but this is a very serious matter if the university knew about these things. Had this happened to an Ohio State athlete, they'd be front-page sporting news for the next year. Heck, when Clarett claimed he had more stolen from a car than he actually did, and it happened to be a loaner car from a dealership that he was driving, that was front-page news for close to two years! It's still brought up as a black eye to the university! And that doesn't come close to comparing to this!
If I had a dollar for every time an Akron fan posted on this forum about how Kent "was just a bunch of thugs," and "would win at all costs," and "recruits nothing but criminals," and "doesn't discipline any of its athletes" I'd be a very rich man. But none of the things those ignorant fans were screaming about even come close to this.
Beacon Journal: WHY ARE YOU NOT COVERING THIS??? YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A NEWS OUTLET, NOT A PR FIRM FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON! DO YOUR FLIPPIN JOB!
Highland Square, OH
Posted 01:43 AM, 11/06/2009
Woah, Meester Cloverfield is angry...
Highland Square, OH
Posted 01:43 AM, 11/06/2009
he's like a kent version of bilbo/jason12/blake/jake
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:50 AM, 11/08/2009
UAEngineering - you have a problem.
Cloverfield -allow me to clarify. UA knew of, not substantiated his drug problem and could no longer ignore it once he took it to the next level. They did not cover anything up. No one is obliged to report someone with an alleged substance abuse problem to the police unless one is caught in the act of possessing an illegal substance.
Now you and UAEngineering both need to calm down before you dirty your panties.
