Zipped???

Penn State opens up their college football season this weekend against the Akron Zips … Boy would I have LOVED to be a fly on a wall when the University came up with this nickname. I mean, did they really think this one through? What were the other choices? Could there have been worse options than naming your team Zips? I guess the name Akron “Nothing to See Here’s” was too long, right?

After doing some research on the Akron website, I found this out:
Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth Red Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname for the University's athletic teams.

Suggestions submitted by students, faculty, and alumni included Golden Blue Devils, Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, Hillbillies, Kangaroos, and Cheveliers. The winner, freshman Margaret Hamlin, received a prize of $10 for Zippers - a $6 pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company.

O.K., so they used to be called Zippers? Other choices were Tip Toppers, Rubbernecks, and Hillbillies??? Could you imagine a logo for any of these? I’m confused. I was hoping to find a good reason for the nickname … unfortunately, my mission was unsuccessful. They should just move forward with naming their team the Akron “Paris Hiltons.”

Anyway, I decided to do a little research on the Zips to find out their strengths and weaknesses, and you know what? It was difficult to find anything on this team, other than the fact that they won their conference last season … with a 7-6 record. I guess football writers don’t get very excited about writing stories on a team called the Zips.

They do have eight starters back on each side of the ball, so at the very least, they have leadership. However, they did lose their leading receiver and tailback from last season. The only way Penn State is even in a struggle in this game is if the players are looking past this game (they play Notre Dame next weekend). The Nits are favored by 16.5 points in this one.

For what it is worth, I think Penn State will struggle early in this one – considering they have a new qb and a young o-line. Hopefully, Morelli will settle in, and gain confidence as the game goes on. PSU’s defense will play a vital role in this one, as hopefully they will be able to keep Akron from putting points on the board.

My prediction: Penn State 27, Akron 13.