Guest Blogger: An Old Guy Offers His Thoughts on JMU Sports
Reader Tedward was dead perfect with his prediction last weekend. He correctly called both the JMU win and the 55-7 score. He was actually a housemate of ours back at JMU. Thankfully, he’s decided not to use his guest post to reveal embarassing stories about me and Todd. Instead he’s going to offer up a few random thoughts on JMU then and now. Take it away Tedward.
I left last week’s game after the band played at halftime. I have a 2 ½ year old and trying to make it through a whole game can be difficult. As I left, I looked up at the score, and realized that there was a chance the score could be 55-7.
I started to panic a little.
Then I get home from the 2 hour drive, and I have a message telling me I had won.
Crap.
I thought about writing an old-guy, grumpy, it used to better when I was at JMU article. Then I thought… I hate that guy. Then again, I’m not going to talk basketball, and then I’d get really grumpy.
So, I thought I’d just go with random thoughts, make a few comments, and go from there. I majored in CIS, so writing anything other than code is kind of scary.
I started to panic a little.
Then I get home from the 2 hour drive, and I have a message telling me I had won.
Crap.
I thought about writing an old-guy, grumpy, it used to better when I was at JMU article. Then I thought… I hate that guy. Then again, I’m not going to talk basketball, and then I’d get really grumpy.
So, I thought I’d just go with random thoughts, make a few comments, and go from there. I majored in CIS, so writing anything other than code is kind of scary.
- Bring back the fraternities on campus. I’d love for them to be back on Newman Lake, but if that doesn’t happen, then give them Hanson Field. Give two fraternities and two sororities that field before games and let the party begin. It’s such a good idea. They could invite back alumni (or not) and then beg for money from them. It would work. It would also inject even more energy into the whole scene. I’m sure once one guy pukes on the street; it would get canceled. In theory, it’s a great idea, though.
- The JMU tailgate scene is awesome. I didn’t visit JMU for a good ten years; and in the last 4 years, I’ve been coming back for 3-4 games a year. Love it, and encourage all the old guys out there who haven’t been back in a while.
- Remember when JMU was a basketball school? Okay, I couldn’t hold back on this one. I love basketball, and to see JMU just suck is sad. If you are a basketball fan, quick, name the style of play we have? Exactly, I have no idea either. When I do guess at it, I call it the “let a guard dribble around for 25 seconds, then call an isolation one on one and jack it up” offense. It’s been that way since Lefty.
- The band should warm up down where the students tailgate. I think it’s the old soccer field. Then about an hour before kickoff, they should march down the street. Have a different drum major each week. Whoever in the community, I don’t care. Then they could march through Godwin lot and over to Godwin field. Play a song there, and then it signals time for everyone to go in. We have a ridiculous band at the 1-AA level. Let’s use them. Anyways, I hear they are doing something now 3 hours before the game. That’s too early. And don’t market it. Just do it.
- Remember the ZooCage. Wow, that sucked.
- Please stay in 1-AA. I go back in forth on this. Right now I want to stay. Obviously, if the SEC called tomorrow and wanted a team in VA, then we go. I get that. I do not want to do the ODU plan. Or, I’m sure what Liberty will try to do. UR, William & Gary, and others will always want to play at the lower level. That’s not a bad group to play football in. Anyways, the day will come, or maybe it did. We will have to make a decision. Just don’t be desperate when the time comes.
- We should put a sign up on campus pointing toward I-81 that has the JMU v. VT score on it. I just want all the NOVA VT fans to see it every time they go up and down 81.
All in all, I’m glad I went to JMU. Let’s go Dukes, bring home another national title, and let’s get the hoops team back.
I second the billboard idea. Tech fans need this to come back down to earth every once in a while. We’ve all heard the excuses as to why they lost to JMU. All total BS. They continue to think that they are an “elite” program despite a horrible record in big games.
MRD plan is awesome. Someone in the Music department please make this happen.
I love the billboard and MRD ideas!
#4 and #7 are great ideas. Someone make these happen!
The MRD plan sounds awesome but as a former MRD it is not entirely feasible with our early morning practice, then warm up starting at least an hour and a half before the game, then playing for 3+ hours at the game – it is exhausting!
We used to play for the Duke Club hospitality tent, not sure if in the 3 years I’ve been gone they still do or not but that was cool. Sounded to me like the band director did not want to do the “Spirit Walk” so I do not think it will include the MRDs.
Great idea, but probably won’t happen.
How much does it cost to take out a billboard on 81? Can’t be any more than a bus, right? 😉
In order to avoid any IP violations, a simple 21-16 would suffice.
Yeah, you could put the numbers in the school colors (like Purple 2, Yellow 1, Maroon 1, Orange 6) and that would probably be okay and get the point across even more!
BTW – approximate price per week is around 5K-10K.
With the money we saved by not getting a home football game in the playoffs last year, that shouldn’t be a problem for the school to put a billboard up.
To expand on the MRD, it would not be a bad idea for them to warm up on the quad either. Isn’t the music department there? Then they could march down through campus going by D-Hall and down the hill.
And I don’t buy the “it won’t work”. They warm up by Eagle now and walk into the stadium. Have them warm up somewhere else and march into the stadium. I don’t think that’s a lot. And I thought our band was tough.
We ought the get the closest billboard south of Port Republic Road as possible (facing north). Make it as obvious as IP law will allow (I seem to recall VT getting pissy about students using the VT logo on t-shirts or something). However, I cannot imaging that writing out the school names could possibly be an IP violation. Just to be sure our intended audience (Hokies) know we’re talking to them, it could say:
“JMU 21
Virginia Tech 16
Enjoy the rest of your trip to Blacksburg.”
Every VT student and alum from points north headed to VT would see it.
Seriously – how much could it cost to put that up for a year?
It’s cool that people want the MRDs to be featured more on gameday, but I am going to elaborate on what Tripp said.
The band rehearses on Saturday mornings starting at 8 am, regardless of what the time of the game is; more oftentimes than not there is NO time in between a long, sweaty, draining rehearsal and game time to do these sorts of parades, etc…especially since most home games are earlier in the afternoon. (There are rehearsals where MRDs go straight from rehearsal to pre-game warm up). Not to mention that pre-game, stand tunes, half-time and post game performances make up a Saturday routine for MRDs.
To say that the MRDs are NOT TOUGH is beyond blasphemy. Get out.
The idea is nice, but it won’t happen. But it is fair to consider that the new BFS game atmosphere has plenty of room to change and grow; I just don’t see athletics willing to be cooperative.
Let’s not focus on the outside atmosphere… The student section/ MRDs are the only ones who get into the game!!
Sitting with the season ticket holders and the thousand dollar donating crowd is boring. Luckily I have friends who get into the game with me; but then we get looks of disdain from the people around us telling us to sit down! I’m not saying that you are (the author of this post) is at fault for this but maybe let’s get people into the game DURING the game.
Hardly anyone cheers “Duuuuuuuuuuuukes” after “JMU”. That’s like one of the first things Dukes learned when they were looking at colleges, taking tours of campus, etc.
THROW THE STREAMERS. Seriously. Telling your child to not throw it because…well, for whatever reason, is silly.
When someone tries to start the “Defense” cheers, or chant JMU, join in. Just do it.
Ultimately, don’t just sit there…. which is what I unfortunately have seen much of. The football team feeds off of energy from the crowd; give it to them!
We want to go to Texas this year right?!?! Act like it as a spectator!!!
I am all for the billboard. The only thing I would add is to place it further south down 81, after where 64 meets 81. This way the Hokies from Richmond and the 757 don’t miss out on the fun.
1. Bring back the fraternities on campus.
YES.
I could have easily written this post, as I agree with all points. Especially on the MRDs march thing. The march would be more important than all the rest of their duties aside from halftime. Ax the post-game performance and do the march instead. Be the change. 😉