Dukes Bandwagon Now ROLLING!

If we learned anything from the 2010 Football season (other than that the Dukes’ version of The Pistol is more of a supersoaker), it’s that you have to enjoy the good times when they come and not spend all your time betting on bigger things down the road.  With that in mind, it’s officially been a banner week in JMU Athletics this week!  2011 has arrived with an almost unimaginable sports explosion of Dukes highlight moments and, as student’s returned to the ‘Burg, this week quietly became one of the sneaky-best in JMU Sports History!  This week has actually been so solid it’s hard to know which story is the lead.

Charles Haley a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame – The former Dukes D-Linemen and 5-time Super Bowl Champ has again made it into the final 18 for this year’s class.  Would be an interesting year for the HOF ceremony given the likelihood there won’t be a HOF Preseason Game due to the looming NFL work stoppage.  For the record, ex-Duke and Redskin WR Gary Clark did not make the finals, but was among the preliminary nominees for this year’s class!  Now that’s the one I’d attend for!

CJ Sapong selected 10th Overall in the MLS Draft by Sporting Kansas City.  The former Kansas City Wizards, one of MLS’ more storied clubs and an original league member, is attempting to reenergize it’s supporters by rebranding the Club “Sporting KC”, playing in a new stadium, and selecting the offensive dynamo from JMU who was the darling of the league’s scouting camp/combine. He’s literally all over the KC website with videos, a new twitter account, and lots of mugging for the camera!

Teresa Rynier selected 24th Overall by Philadelphia Independence!  Sticking with the footie, JMU Women’s Soccer standout Teresa Rynier was also selected in the WPS draft this week.  Huge congrats to Both CJ and Teresa!  They’re going to be exciting reps for all of us in JMU Nation.

CJ Sapong with his new Manager for Sporting KC of the MLS

Finally, and most importantly,  it’s officially time to sing and shout and go a little nuts about Men’s Basketball!  I know, I know, you haven’t heard those words since Lefty was pretending to Coach the team and Kent Culucko was delighting fans and ruining the social lives of coeds everywhere.  But I really can’t say anything else except this line from the official JMU Sports storyabout yesterday’s victory of Georgia State which avenged the second of JMU’s three losses this year (also split with Marshall and we can only hope we get another shot at Kansas St.): JMU improved to 14-3 overall and 4-1 in the CAA. The Dukes maintained a tie with the 1981-82 team for the best start in school history and registered their longest winning streak since eight in a row in the 1992-93 campaign. JMU also improved to 8-0 at home for the fourth time.

Rumor is the Convo was rocking and a few JMUSB friends began to dream of headier days, zoocages, upsets of Big Dog, and maybe, just maybe avoiding Day One of the CAA Tourney, the Dukes long-time home.  But again, no need to get ahead of ourselves and let’s celebrate like it’s 1995. Since Ga. St. was stuck in Atlanta’s ice storm, the game had been postponed to Thursday which allowed for the first women’s/men’s doubleheader since 1988, bumped up the crowd, and injected some real excitement into this season.  Also didn’t hurt the women kicked off the night with a thrilling overtime victory over Drexel.

The Men host Northeastern tomorrow (Women travel to Mason on Sunday) night at 7 and we can only hope the student’s realize the opportunity this season is presenting them to enjoy some nearly forgotten hoops mania at ye’ ole’ Convo!

p.s. Nearly lost in all the excitement a couple of other items we’ll try and get back to postgame tomorrow or Sunday.  1) NoVa/DC Viewing party for the ODU game next week is tentatively being hooked up at Bailey’s!  2)  Football got a potentially big-time QB transfer from Kansas St. this week, and 3) YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT THE BRIDGEFORTH WEBCAM DURING THE DAY!!!  Trust us, just do it.  Words cannot adequately describe the excitement here!  Hopefully the replica arrives soon!