Guest Post: Honorary Duke

Jim and Jan are a couple of season ticket holders who travel to root whenever possible. They won last week’s prediction contest. Here’s Jan’s awesome take on being an honorary Duke.

Last weekend we found ourselves once again at an away football game- this time at SBU. These clashes have previously been a street fight so when I asked my wife for her prediction I had to agree to a one touchdown final score of 34-27.  We stayed with my sister/brother-in law on the island but were forced to fly the Wake Forest flag below the JMU flag as compensation for lodging and their attendance. (Wish we would play WF in FB but we hold bragging rights after beating #1 WF in men’s soccer).  Unlike game day at P-lot, away games offer a tailgate event allowing one to meet new JMU friends and laugh about the connections we share. For example, we met another “old” JMUer who sat in the same row at Bridgeforth for years and was the FB coach at the small high school on Long Island where my nieces played sports. Another JMU couple from CT had a spouse from our town and the nice younger couple and their kids lived a block from my sister on the island.  So, don’t hesitate making the drive to an away game. Pick up and enjoy the journey.

 Since my wife Janet (an Honorary Duke and fan) made the prediction, she will offer her take here.  

 My husband Jim and three adult kids are all part of the JMU family. (Hence, the Dukes4). My road to becoming an HONORARY Duke began in 1983 when I was urged to watch the JMU men’s basketball team take on Michael Jordan and the Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA tournament.  Raising three children during the 80s and 90s slowed the exposure to JMU sports however it was rekindled in 1995 as we made a trip to see the men’s soccer team take on Princeton in the playoffs. My honorary degree took off in earnest in 2004 when we began to empty our pockets for the first of three JMU kids and we watched the Dukes start the road to Chattanooga. Since then we have experienced firsthand many memorable and dramatic games both home and away.

It is especially rewarding to watch the Dukes win in other stadiums such as Richmond or sitting in the cold rain to watch JMU beat VA Tech (the best), in Dallas at SMU (enjoyed watching the Dukes  ruin SMU’s 100^th anniversary and homecoming) and ECU. The away games at Duke and UNC were even enjoyable although not a win. We don’t travel to all of the away games but it is easier when the JMU kids have graduated and are not on our tab any longer.  We did enjoy the excitement of traveling to both games in Frisco where the tailgating started in early frigid temperatures, and hit the quad for both ESPN Game days. There I supported my husband’s assertion that we be on the quad at dawn so he could fly the highest JMU flag and we could step on the plethora of student items left overnight.  Of note was my trip to the ladies room in Wilson Hall where someone said “stand here” and I was up front to view Lee Corso give his James Madison declaration before donning the Duke Dog head. (pic). Road trips can be a fun experience. Take a look at our vehicle attempting to pass a couple of morning hunters on the way to Colgate.

Honorary – Per the online dictionary: “conferred as an honor, without the usual requirements or functions”.

Well, I may not have a degree from this university, but I have given my time (enjoy it) and treasure (so our kids can be gainfully employed) and it was my honor to travel to SBU last Saturday (traffic on LI is worse than DC), where we made new friends at the tailgate and yelled for the Dukes to overcome the CHAlllllENGES (these are stripes) on the field and secure another CAA win. 

So here’s a shout out to all of the HONORARY JMU Dukes and FANS out there.  Get to as many events as you can and again, enjoy the journey.