A new stadium just christened last week with a victory and a Big Ten team coming in this week has injected new life into an Akron program that could use a lift. It appeared that any kinks in the new setting have been ironed out. The Akron band marched in the main quad toward the stadium and stopped to salute the fans with the fight song and other festive tunes.
Entering InfoCision Stadium provided quick evidence that this place was a step above it’s rival’s stadiums in the conference and a complete advancement in amenities compared to the worn out Rubber Bowl that housed Akron football since 1941. Folks were feeling good and today was a big opportunity to prove their stature against a good Indiana team. Even Lebron James was in attendance on the field wearing a t-shirt that read ,”LEBRON.” (Thanks for the clarification there, Mr. James).
Anyhow, the stage was set and out came Zippy, the kangaroo mascot, riding on a stand up scooter that was experiencing some mechanical problems. With fireworks blasting in the background, Zippy zipped forward and the scooter suddenly stopped causing the whole device to tip forward, leaving Zippy faceplanted into the turf. Okay, another kink to work out, but that wont spoil the day. Kickoff was seconds away and everyone had their eyes on this big matchup ready take place in their hometown. The kick to Indiana was high and deep…and returned 91 yards for an effortless opening score. Okay, that’s kinda bad. Although Akron would make it a game in the first half, the Hoosiers found their groove in the second half helping Zips fans beat the parking lot traffic early. A new stadium brings excitement and expectation, but it will be a while before they can christen their new home with a championship season. They can thank Indiana for helping to reveal a few more kinks to resolve.
