Guide to Jumping on the JMU Dukes Bandwagon

The JMU Dukes are 7-0, Saturday is Homecoming, and oh yeah, ESPN’s College Gameday will be setting up shop on the Quad. This all adds up to thousands of people headed back to the ‘burg to watch the Dukes take on the Ticks. Plenty of folks are jumping on the Dukes bandwagon.

People have pointed out that referring to new fans and those returning after a “hiatus” as bandwagoners might sound pejorative. Trust me, that is not our intent. We’re thrilled to see so many people excited about the Dukes. The offense is red hot and the beer is cold. Please jump on the bandwagon. We couldn’t be happier to have you on board. We’re so happy in fact, that we’ve put together this little guide to bring you up to speed on JMU football and get you ready for Saturday.

What to Wear

This one is easy. Remember that classic grey crew neck sweat shirt you had that said “James Madison University” on the front? Yeah, don’t wear that. That great yellow “JMU” t-shirt that fits you just right? Leave that home as well. Dukes fans wear purple on gamedays. Obviously, it should be some sort of JMU themed piece of purple clothing, but really the purple is the important part. Hit the bookstore up (conveniently located by Godwin in case you really old folks haven’t been back in a while) and get something purple before kickoff.

Dukes Fans Don’t Cheer 

You read that right. We don’t “cheer.” We don’t “support our team” either. Those things are both great, but we don’t do them. We root. To be precise, we “Root fer Dukes.” That’s not a typo either. It’s fer, not for. And don’t ask me why. It’s just one of those things. If you really want to sound like a diehard, the proper response to 99% of the questions you’re asked on Saturday should be “I’m just rootin.”

Start Wearing Purple

Not to be confused with our sartorial commentary above, this one is both an anthem and an attitude. The  fanbase has adopted this Gogol Bordello song as a bit of a rally song for both football and hoops. Listen to it. Learn it. Love it. The pep band does a great rendition in the Convo and it’s also become a pregame tradition for the MRDs. Really though, it’s the state of mind that takes hold of Dukes fans on gamedays. We don’t “get ready for the game,” we Start Wearing Purple. And then we root.

Streamers

Oh, this one is important. Get your hands on some purple and gold streamers before heading back to campus. You’ll find them at your standard dollar stores or party supply type shops. Grab a bag of purple and bag of gold and carry them into the stadium with you. Then when the Dukes score a touchdown (and we mean precisely when the ball crosses the goal line, we don’t need premature streamer tossers) you’ll launch the streamers into the air in unison with your fellow fans creating what just might be the best visual in all of college football.

The Dukes Aren’t Playing the Spiders

They’re playing the Ticks. Or the Spatters. Or RU (not UR). Drop any of those into your tailgate conversation and you’ll sound like a regular who’s been at Bridgeforth week in and week out. And while we’re at it, you can refer to Delaware as the Blue Chickens and our more studious friends from Williamsburg as the Pantsless Griffins.

Tailgating

If you haven’t been back in a really long time, you’ll be blown away by the tailgating scene. Football games are no longer just something you duck into on you way back to Eagle from D-Hall. They’re now a full day event. And there’s something for everyone. Want to get a little rowdy and shotgun a few beers? P Lot is calling your name. Want to hang out with big donors and eat finger foods? Godwin is the spot. Bringing the kids and want to show them around? Snag a spot on East Campus, have a picnic, and then fill up a solo cup, wander through Hanson and the old baseball lot before strolling down to the kids zone on Godwin so the little ones can hit the moon bounce before kickoff. You’ll find most everyone is friendly and willing to chat about the Dukes and even share a drink or two. And as long as you’re drinking from a cup and not making an ass of yourself, feel free to take that adult beverage with you.

There you go. Take these things to heart and you’ll fit right in. See you Saturday.