Sep 11 / Rob

Guest Blogger: Why I Enjoy JMU Football

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Stu Macaleer won last week’s prediction contest and earned the right to be this week’s guest blogger. Here’s his take on everything he loves about being a season ticket holder. Take it away Stu.

First I would like to give a shout out to the JMU Sports Blog.  In my opinion, there is a huge void in free coverage and analysis of JMU sports and Rob and Todd do a great job of coming up with stats and analysis that I often mention like I came up with it myself.
After finding out that my prediction was the winner this week, I had no idea what to write about (maybe I should have thought of that before I did the prediction), so I phoned a friend and we went through all the topics we could think of.  We considered stories of our days at JMU versus being in the “real world” (been done and was one of my favorite articles), why you should go to the WVU/JMU game this weekend (again, been done), the FBS “decision” (like LeBron, I’m getting sick of it already), my thoughts on why everyone should live at the beach for a summer or two while you are in college (good advice, but not appropriate for a JMU sports blog), and finally settled on trying to convince others to go back to JMU for football games more often.

For a little backstory, I went to JMU and absolutely loved everything about it.  I happened to get lucky enough to meet my wife (60/40 female/male ratio!), had some great times with some of my best friends (#18 Ranked Party school!), and even went to a few football and basketball games (all you needed to get in was a JAC card and a flask).  After graduating, like many of you out there and the last guest poster, I rarely went back for the next 10 years.  I decided 3 years ago to make the $125 investment (which is what it costs to go to one NFL game) and get JMU football season tickets with a couple of friends.  Here are the main reasons why I chose to do that and would encourage anyone else to do that same:
  1. Pregame Festivities – Now I know the bar wasn’t all that high as about 10 years ago you couldn’t even tell there was a game going on that day, but JMU has done a great job improving the pregame festivities.  They usually set up a moon bounce for the kids, pregame hospitality tent has all of the best food in town, tailgating of course is a great way to catch up with fellow JMU alums, and the spirit walk is actually a pretty cool idea.
  2. JMU Bookstore – Because the online version is just not the same.
  3. Gameday Experience – It’s just about as far from my house way out in the NOVA suburbs of Aldie to JMU as it is to FedEx Field.  The experience of getting in and out of the stadium, concession stands, and rowdy drunk fan ratio are 10,000 times better when compared to an NFL game.
  4. Indoctrination (some may call it brainwashing) of my Kids – I grew up in the NOVA area and have lived there all my life, however since my Dad is from Philly I grew up watching and going to Philly sports games and I became a diehard Philly sports fan.  We have a 1 year old boy and a 4 year old girl, which my wife and I decided to give them corny middle names of James and Madison.  Getting them to see the campus and making sure they enjoy the experience by bribing them with junk food just seems like the good parenting thing to do.
  5. Halftime Show – The Marching Royal Dukes and the Dukettes help me convince my wife to come out to a game every once in a while.
  6. Streamers – I love the streamers.  Something about being able to throw things into the stands and not get in trouble.  It’s the small things really; however there are many universities out there that would not allow this due to “safety” concerns.
  7. Giving back to the University – I understand we (or our parents) already paid an arm and a leg go to JMU, however I’m a fan of killing two birds with one stone by being entertained and giving back to the university at the same time.

All in all, JMU Football is one of the few events that I can think of where I can take my family to and everyone will be entertained or take a crew of friends down there and great times will be had.  Many JMU alums I talk to want to go down to a JMU game and then never pull the trigger for one reason or another.  Happy that those who didn’t show an interest in JMU football before now all of a sudden wanted to go to the JMU/WVU game, I organized a crew of about 20 that will be tailgating starting at 12:30 on Saturday (we are shooting for parking lot E).  Someone has to explain to me why there is so much interest in a game in which we’ll probably lose by 40+ that costs 3-4 times what a normal JMU ticket costs without the full college atmosphere that makes college football great, but I guess I should just be satisfied that there is interest.  Thanks for reading and I hope to see everyone out there on Saturday at FedEx as well as future Saturdays down in the ‘burg!

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9 Comments

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  1. Nemwons Elbanimoba / Sep 12 2012

    This guy has a healthy Goat-T

  2. L.J. DeStefano / Sep 12 2012

    Enjoyed the article, nice work!

  3. Stu / Sep 12 2012

    Thanks for the goatee comment Backwards Abominable Snowmen. Standard Nic.

  4. MDG / Sep 12 2012

    I never thought about buying tickets until meeting a bunch of people, Todd included, at Bailey’s for a viewing party last season. After the showing there I was convinced I wanted to experience game day.
    This past Saturday wasn’t the best given the weather, but we got some nice double rainbow action.

    I was walking around campus with my GF who went to a tiny ass school with no football team and pointed out the little kids walking around in JMU gear. This was the first and only time I’ve said “I want that” when referring to kids.
    The GF responded with, “What if our kids are so smart they can go to Harvard?”
    I said they’re going to JMU. End of conversation.

    Anyway, I feel like we’re on the right path here as a fan base. All it’s takes is a few more people like Stu, and me, and Todd, and Rob.

  5. VBJabronies / Sep 12 2012

    I heard this guy (Stugots) won the Rookie of the Year award for Southview Wiffle Ball League 2000

  6. Breaston Plants / Sep 12 2012

    That is true VBJabronies, Stugots definitely won the ROY award in 2000. He could hit a wiffle ball so hard it could have broken out the tail lights of a car. Never happened, but it could have. Great article ROY, see you Saturday- although I disagree with your outcome- I think JMU wins in a nail biter (ie VA Tech a few years ago).

  7. M@ / Sep 13 2012

    I’m afraid “Win” is off the table Breaston Plants. I was at the VT game in the rain and I was at last year’s UNC game. UNC played us much differently than VT did partially because VT had lost to us…UNC didn’t take us lightly. WVU has had a bye week to work on us and also knows us as giant killers. I’m just hoping to keep the score respectable.

    Stu, re: your question as to why the game at Fed-Up field is generating so much excitement, I would like to point out that not many people go to games at NFL stadiums; at least not on a regular basis. I’ve been in that particular building three times (twice for pre-season games); so it’ll be a thrill for me to go, even with the foregone conclusion.

  8. 2004Duke / Sep 14 2012

    “4.Indoctrination (some may call it brainwashing) of my Kids”

    AMEN TO THAT!!! 🙂

  9. Safety Equipment Direct / Dec 21 2012

    what an awesome blog…Thanks for share it !!!!
    http://www.safetyequipmentdirect.com/

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