Just Monitoring University Top Ten

Barring further news, this will be our last complainy post of the summer as we get ready to shift into preseason hype mode. But at least we’ll do this in short form and hopefully with a bit of levity. As the undisputed national model for engaged monitoring, we thought we should start the week with the Top Ten things JMU is best at monitoring:

10) Fan reaction to new, creepy versions of Duke Dog

This is Duke Dog, don’t mess with perfection.

9) How many more years they can tell the alums/donors that want to hear it that we’re “well-positioned” with a  straight face

8) Whether enough tailgaters complain after the annual opening-game crackdown to allow fun again each year.

7) How quickly schools paying the Full Cost of Attendance stipend gain a massive recruiting advantage or are better positioned for FBS. Seriously, we’re monitoring this. But we have to admit if that choice of words was intentional and Bourne’s just trolling us, that’s some next-level work there.

6) The “down in front” crowd’s wishes on start times (we’re actually kidding on this one as the Gameday Experience survey seems like a good thing and we’re generally pleased with start times this year Nova game notwithstanding, but we do hate the down-in-fronters.

5) Whether Old Dominion generates any excitement from HOSTING NC State this year.

4) Cranky, whining blog-dorks and message board morons, but while JMU will monitor us, it’s probably not a bad thing they don’t make decisions based on us

3) The value that former peer George Mason places on a head’s men’s basketball coach given the A-10’s significantly higher conference profile (if you don’t feel like clicking it’s 5 years/3.5 Million).

2) App. St. and Georgia Southern battling for the Sun Belt crown in their first eligible season and the G5’s automatic ticket to a big bowl. They play the Thursday night ESPN game at ASU October 22nd (always a weak time slot with nobody watching -ha). But don’t worry, moving up was a mistake for them according to some at Just Monitoring University.

1) the status, or lack thereof, of momentum and fan morale