{"id":3356,"date":"2011-12-11T21:27:39","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T02:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=3356"},"modified":"2011-12-11T21:27:39","modified_gmt":"2011-12-12T02:27:39","slug":"jmusbs-2nd-anniversary-and-a-christmas-wishlist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=3356","title":{"rendered":"JMUSB’s 2nd Anniversary! (and a Christmas wishlist)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As hard as it is to believe,\u00a0today is our second anniversary here at JMUSB.\u00a0 And of course we’re celebrating by drinking ourselves silly (which these days only takes three beers and a glass of wine) and slinging darts at a picture of Taylor Heinicke.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>But we also wanted to take a look back at one of our initial posts.\u00a0 Here’s are 2009 Christmas List<\/a>.\u00a0 The incredible thing is how many items remain the same.\u00a0 With a few minor tweaks, we simply ask again for the following:<\/p>\n

A CAA Tourney Run for Men\u2019s Hoops<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Readers of the blog are aware of our developing man crush on AJ Davis. We might be a little bit overwhelmed by the 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\u2019re just sick of setting our sights on \u201chopefully avoiding the play-in game\u201d. Please give us at least a trip to the CAA semis.<\/p>\n

For Justin Thorpe to Grow Up<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s clarify this one before anyone freaks out. We think JT kind of gets a raw deal from Dukes fans. He\u2019s not Rodney Landers. We get it. Everyone seems to ignore the fact that he was CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year<\/a>\u00a0, that he led the team to 4 straight wins to close the season his freshman year, and the Dukes have won nearly every game he’s started against FCS competition. With that being said, he\u2019s STILL got great potential and we\u2019re ready to see him show some maturity both on and off the football field.<\/p>\n

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Dec 24\/Rob<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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PleaseSanta!<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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\"9898 Ornament<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It\u2019s 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\u2019re asking for in the coming year.<\/p>\n

\"EvenEven Santa is a Dukes fan<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A CAA Tourney Run for Men\u2019s Hoops<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019re just sick of setting our sights on \u201chopefully avoiding the play-in game\u201d. Please give us at least a trip to the CAA semis.<\/p>\n

Bridgeforth reseating for 2010 to be the same seats as 2009 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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. <\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

A CAA Championship and a Sweet Sixteen Appearance for the Lady Dukes<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Last weekend I found myself doing something I\u2019ve never, ever done before. Checking the score for a woman\u2019s hoops game to see how the JMU ladies were doing against Duke. You know what? I\u2019m not even embarrassed about it (kidding, of course I\u2019m embarrassed). Dawn Evans is legit and I\u2019ll gladly jump on the bandwagon. We all should. Kenny Brooks is building one heck of a program in the \u2018Burg.
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\"9595 Ornament<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

For Justin Thorpe to Grow Up<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s clarify this one before anyone freaks out. We think JT kind of gets a raw deal from Dukes fans. He\u2019s not Rodney Landers. We get it. Everyone seems to ignore the fact that he was CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year<\/a> and that he led the team to 4 straight wins to close the season. With that being said, he\u2019s got great potential and we\u2019re 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\u00a0the man<\/em> the following two seasons.<\/p>\n

If Cincy, Rutgers, or the \u2018Cuse go Big Ten, We Wish to at Least be a\u00a0Nationally 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!)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019re definitely not in the camp that believes JMU has to go D-1 as soon as possible. We\u2019d much prefer to stay at the FCS level than to make the leap to a bad conference or at a time that isn\u2019t right. It would be great though for JMU to at least get some recognition for all the resources it\u2019s putting behind football and the caliber of the program it\u2019s built. It\u2019s never to early to star the chatter.\u00a0 (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)<\/p>\n

For Charles Haley to Make the Pro Football Hall of Fame<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We attended JMU long after Haley was gone. Plus, Todd is a Skins fan and I\u2019m a Giants fan (which made for a tense week here at JMU Sports Blog), so we\u2019d both be lying if we said we were huge Haley fans in the NFL. Also, as readers of Jeff Pearlman\u2019s book<\/a> will attest, Haley might have had, um, let\u2019s just say the worst locker room presence of all time at best, or some deep rooted psychological issues at worst. We\u2019ll ignore that. Put a Duke in the Hall!<\/p>\n

A Girls of Madison Calendar<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah. We don\u2019t see anyway this <\/a>can end badly for these young ladies. We\u2019re 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\u2019t 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\u2019s very cool that the calendar is raising money for Madison for Keeps<\/a>. I think that\u2019s why I\u2019m going to buy one.<\/p>\n

For Dave\u2019s Taverna to Launch a Pizza Peddlers-esque Tailgate Delivery System<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Admit it. This is friggin brilliant! Someone get on this ASAP. Daves on Demand at all JMU Sports Blog tailgates!<\/p>\n

For the ESPN Gameday Crew to Broadcast from an FCS Playoff Site<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Calm down. We know that due to stadium construction, JMU won\u2019t 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\u2019s history in 2011.<\/p>\n

A QUIET Offseason for Football, please!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Oh yeah, and a great recruiting year wouldn’t hurt either.<\/p>\n

For Taylor Heinicke to declare early for the NFL Draft<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hey, this is a “wish” list after all, right?!<\/p>\n

A Final Four Run for Field Hockey<\/strong><\/p>\n

When they get Taylor West back next year, look out!<\/p>\n

These Kids to grow into stud Dukes athletes (or at least big donors!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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