CLEVELAND — I was driving home from Channel 3 last night and glued to the car radio listening to Mid-American Conference basketball. At one end of the dial, it was Akron-Toledo in a fight for first place with the Rockets holding off the Zips to win. At the other end, it was Kent State-Ohio University with the Golden Flashes unable to hold onto a halftime lead as they fell to the Bobcats. I love the MAC. I love that this Friday night in Akron the JAR will be packed for Zips-Golden Flashes. Count me in.
In about two weeks, one of my favorite weekends on the Cleveland sports calendar takes place when the MAC Tournament storms into Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for both the men and women. It makes me feel young. That arena takes on a new sound and atmosphere. There are pep bands, dance teams, cheerleaders and too many empty seats for a tournament that is worthy of so much more.
But I'm here to talk about how I love the MAC and how maybe you should give it a look.
I love the coaches of the MAC. Charlie Coles was such a good coach and such a character when he was on the sideline for Miami University. Keith Dambrot brought so many talented Akron teams to Cleveland for the MAC. He won a couple, but my goodness did he lose some heartbreakers that cost the Zips trips to the NCAA Tournament. And then off to Duquesne he went. Gary Waters built a powerhouse Kent State team that went to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC in 2001. They knocked off Bobby Knight and Indiana in the opening round. Waters left to go to Rutgers after that but he left the cupboard full for Stan Heath the next season. And the next season was my favorite MAC memory.
The Golden Flashes of 2001-2002 were amazing. They won 30 games. They lost only once in the MAC that year, but clearly went into the NCAA Tournament under the radar. Around here, we knew they were so much more. I mean they won 21 games in a row! They had Trevor Huffman, Andrew Mitchell, Eric Haut, Demetric Shaw, John Edwards and, oh yeah, one more guy named Antonio Gates. Next year, Gates will be voted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. But at Kent State, he was the most amazing power forward I have ever watched. He owned underneath the basket.
I covered Kent State in the tournament. First they upset Oklahoma State and then two days later pulled off another shocker and beat Alabama. And they weren't done. Off to Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, the Flashes went and beat Pitt in overtime to make it to the Elite Eight. They were one win away from the Final Four! Kent State got Indiana in the Regional Championship. There were at least 20,000 red-clad Hoosier fans in Rupp Arena that Saturday evening. In the first half, Indiana blitzed the Golden Flashes by hitting just about every three-point shot they took, and they took a lot of them. Led by Gates, Kent State battled back in the second half, but the Indiana lead was too big and the clock ran out on them. But what a ride. That team hooked me on the MAC.
So in two weeks I invite you to meet me at the MAC. I'll be there.
And tonight, I'll see you on 3News!