Akron - Virginia Final 12/13

Re: Zips Amazing Season Continues

Did you really think this warranted its own thread?

Did you really think that on a board dedicated to, ya know, college soccer that there wasn't already a whole bunch of comments on the frikkin' Final Four someplace else?

I'm happy for Akron; they're a great team and they deserve to be in the final. But their fans need to use some common sense.

 

Nothing shocking about these two teams meeting in the final; well, at least to me (I picked them both to be there). But seriously, should be a good game tomorrow, and hopefully, Akron can field their best 11.

 

It's #1 vs #2. That's only ever happened once before (2005). It's also the #1 defense vs the #2 defense, and it's the #1 offense in the regular season against the #1 offense in the NCAA tournament.

If we're comparing offense vs. defense, though, a 0-0 prediction may be the right one. The best defense either team faced this year was North Carolina's, and neither of them managed to score against it.

 

After giving up a goal yesterday while Akron got a bagel, Akron now has the best defense, statistically.

And I'm a little in shock that Virginia has the best offense in the tournament.

That's a nice piece of research.

Between the qualities of the defenses and the fact that both struggled to score against Carolina (in over 100 minutes each), 0-0 should be no surprise.

That said, here's hoping for a better result.

 

Goff mentioned the forecast for the final is heavy rain. That's a shame - I'd like to see these two on a clean field.

 

I would be OK with an exciting 0-0, like the 1-1 WF-VA (during regulation) and not like the Akron-UNC game.

 

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USNC0107

 

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Radar/Current.aspx?location=default&region=SHD&animate=true

 

Richmond Times-Dispatch preview of tomorrow's final. Nice little side-story between Akron and Restrepo, i had forgotten that he faced them with USF in the '07 NCAA Tournament and was ridiculous.

http://www.mytimesdispatch.com/index.php/sports/comments/college_cup_-_virginia_prepares_for_akron/

 

I'm a bit shocked too, but it has a lot to do with the teams they played. UVA played in the ACC all year so their offense didn't score a lot and their defense also wasn't as strong as the Zips statistically despite probably being a lot better. Playing a few weaker teams allowed UVA to score more goals in the NCAAs. Shutting out MAC teams isn't all that impressive. Shutting out Maryland 3 times and giving up 1 goal to Wake in 3 games for example is pretty impressive.

And to the first poster, it wasn't that hard for Akron to crash the "ACC party" given that no ACC teams were in their bracket and arguably the weakest of the three in the final four was their opponent.
I'm really excited to see what is probably one of the top one or two defenses in the country facing one of the top few offenses! It is too bad its going to rain. I assume that'll help Virginia if it helps anyone.

 

There should be an asterisk by Akron's name if they win the NCAA final because they didn't have to play any good teams to get there.......good grief, shut-up already about this crap.

 

Virginia will be Akron's 11th game this year against teams that were in - at least - the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Yeah, the MAC isn't the strongest soccer conference (though on a given day Hartwick and NIU can beat almost anybody in college soccer), but that was only 6 of 18 regular season games plus two conference tournament games.

Akron's non-con schedule featured a Big East team, an ACC team, 5 Big Ten teams and two Conference USA teams. The rest were against UIC, which was in the Sweet 16 last year and the Elite Eight in 07; Saint Louis, which was in the NCAA 2nd round this year, and High Point.

High Point is the only non-com game on Akron's schedule that you might look at and think it wasn't much of a test. The rest are either from power conferences and/or had been strong teams in recent years.

Akron may not have had the toughest conference schedule but they more than made up for it with a very challenging non-con schedule so if they win the NCAA championship today, I don't think anyone would be justified in suggesting they didn't play a lot of good teams along the way.

 

How about you shut up about this crap. I wasn't saying any of that. I wasn't saying Akron doesn't deserve to be there or there should be an asterisk. My point was its not like they are crashing their ACC dance like the first poster said. They won their bracket and beat one ACC team on the way. The other ACC mostly teams all knocked other ACC teams off and Akron was the #1 seed. Of course they're supposed to be here and they've proven to be dominant on their way through the NCAAs.

 

Funny, every thread this has been discussed you have the same line of bs.

 

what's the BS?
Its not Akron's fault they weren't drawn with ACC teams, but they also didn't beat many ACC teams to get here? How is that BS? That's the way the draw ended up. They are the #1 seed and they dominated their games and shut teams out to make it here.

All seems true to me.

I'm excited to see how they fare against another great defensive team although being a UVA fan i'm hoping UVA can get the win.

 

Hey, I'm just posting like I'd be talking to you across the table having a beer, that's all.
I would have never known you were a UVA fan.
Let's leave it at what it is and just enjoy the game.

 

Boys !......... Stop that, don't make me come in there !

 

I think the remedy is clear:

The tournament should include every ACC team and in order to win you must beat them all.

I mean, since nothing besides beating ACC teams proves you are worthy of being taken seriously, why not just go with that?


BTW the Akron B-J is saying that Ampaipitakwong will play but Nanchoff is definitely out.

For what it's worth.

 

Anybody else get a lump in their throat when they see Bill Archer's name as the last post in a thread?

 

Its helpful if there was a shred of truth to what you are saying if you call bs though, even over a beer.
Clearly "what it is" is different for different people and I take exception to what I was writing as bs since its fact for the most part. For example, is UNC not arguably the third best of UVA/Wake/UNC?
I did say I was going to enjoy the game and I plan to. I'm excited to see Akron match up with UVA. Unstoppable force meets immovable object.

 

No, but all this stuff about B-Js and lumps in the throat makes it sound like you guys are talking about something else.

Then again, it's better than certain other posters who are constantly sucking off the ACC.

 

If this is directed at my posts, I didn't say any of that, just that Akron wasn't "crashing an ACC party"
There are quite a few not very good teams in the ACC. Clemson, Tech, even NC State (how did they ever get a seed) for example. I went to the UVA-Maryland game and even Maryland looked pretty average and made lots of mistakes. By the same token, three ACC teams did make the final four. Its a very good conference with more good teams than other conferences.
I didn't say it didn't make them worthy to not beat ACC teams, just that they weren't "crashing an ACC party". Its not their fault, just the way the draw ended up. Just reacting to the sarcasm about the "lowly MAC school". I coach at a high school that's a big fish in a smaller conference so I know what its like to know you can beat teams in a bigger conference and we don't always get the chance to do it, not in playoff games that matter anyway. Akron gets the chance to do it and they'll have another one in a few minutes. I hope both teams bring their A game although conditions may make that tough.

 

I'm going to resort to my Bob Bradley condescending outlook on this - Look, you've consistently said that Akron had a free ride to the Final Four, that they didn't have to play "tough teams" along the way, - you can spin it any way you like; frankly, I really don't care.