PleaseSanta!

98 Ornament

It’s Christmas time, so we at JMU Sports Blog headquarters put our heads together and came up with our wish list for Santa Claus. Here are some of things we’re asking for in the coming year.

Even Santa is a Dukes fan

A CAA Tourney Run for Men’s Hoops

Readers of the blog are aware of our developing man crush on Denzel Bowles. We might be a little bit overwhelmed by the big guy’s start to his JMU career, but we honestly think Coach Brady has a squad that is capable of making a little run in the conference tourney. We’re just sick of setting our sights on “hopefully avoiding the play-in game”. Please give us at least a trip to the CAA semis.

Bridgeforth reseating for 2010 to be the same seats as 2009

Confession time: This was the first year that Todd and I bit the bullet and actually got our own season tickets, after years of leaching off friends. We sat in different sections, but both hit the jackpot and would love if we had comparable seats in the new and improved Bridgeforth. Todd has front row seats right next to Coach Lucas of the Field Hockey team, which is a real thrill for him. The jury is still out on how she feels about it.

A CAA Championship and a Sweet Sixteen Appearance for the Lady Dukes

Last weekend I found myself doing something I’ve never, ever done before. Checking the score for a woman’s hoops game to see how the JMU ladies were doing against Duke. You know what? I’m not even embarrassed about it (kidding, of course I’m embarrassed). Dawn Evans is legit and I’ll gladly jump on the bandwagon. We all should. Kenny Brooks is building one heck of a program in the ‘Burg.

95 Ornament

For Justin Thorpe to Grow Up

Let’s clarify this one before anyone freaks out. We think JT kind of gets a raw deal from Dukes fans. He’s not Rodney Landers. We get it. Everyone seems to ignore the fact that he was CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year and that he led the team to 4 straight wins to close the season. With that being said, he’s got great potential and we’re ready to see him show some maturity both on and off the football field. Even if Drew earns back the starting job next season, JMU is going to need Thorpe to contribute and to be the man the following two seasons.

If Cincy, Rutgers, or the ‘Cuse go Big Ten, We Wish to at Least be a Nationally Rumored Replacement for the Big East (crazy how much this one has changed and that’s why I didn’t update it from the ’09 post, but our thoughts on JMU have not!)

We’re definitely not in the camp that believes JMU has to go D-1 as soon as possible. We’d much prefer to stay at the FCS level than to make the leap to a bad conference or at a time that isn’t right. It would be great though for JMU to at least get some recognition for all the resources it’s putting behind football and the caliber of the program it’s built. It’s never to early to star the chatter.  (We’re on board with the East Coast Conference “if and when” and cautiously optimistic about the long-term direction of the program; have to wait and see on President Alger)

For Charles Haley to Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame

We attended JMU long after Haley was gone. Plus, Todd is a Skins fan and I’m a Giants fan (which made for a tense week here at JMU Sports Blog), so we’d both be lying if we said we were huge Haley fans in the NFL. Also, as readers of Jeff Pearlman’s book will attest, Haley might have had, um, let’s just say the worst locker room presence of all time at best, or some deep rooted psychological issues at worst. We’ll ignore that. Put a Duke in the Hall!

A Girls of Madison Calendar

Yeah. We don’t see anyway this can end badly for these young ladies. We’re sure the tens of dollars they each stand to make from this little venture, will outweigh the blowback from the highly unlikely scenario in which potential employers do something crazy like, oh, I don’t know, Google their names. That would never happen. Bravo ladies. We applaud your decision to put our interests of random guys everywhere above your own. In all seriousness, if you got it, flaunt it and it’s very cool that the calendar is raising money for Madison for Keeps. I think that’s why I’m going to buy one.

For Dave’s Taverna to Launch a Pizza Peddlers-esque Tailgate Delivery System

Admit it. This is friggin brilliant! Someone get on this ASAP. Daves on Demand at all JMU Sports Blog tailgates!

For the ESPN Gameday Crew to Broadcast from an FCS Playoff Site

Calm down. We know that due to stadium construction, JMU won’t be hosting a playoff game next year. However, we still want Fowler, Corso, and Herbstreet to lose their FCS playoffs virgnity next season. That way they can work out the kinks and have things running on all cylinders for the first playoff game in the new Bridgeforth stadium’s history in 2011.

A QUIET Offseason for Football, please!

We’ve all heard MM is staying and has control of staff decisions so we don’t expect much turnover there for better or worse, but after last year’s Jailblazers-esque offseason, we could all really go for a quiet offseason from the current Dukes.  Oh yeah, and a great recruiting year wouldn’t hurt either.

For Taylor Heinicke to declare early for the NFL Draft

Hey, this is a “wish” list after all, right?!

A Final Four Run for Field Hockey

When they get Taylor West back next year, look out!

These Kids to grow into stud Dukes athletes (or at least big donors!)