{"id":4659,"date":"2012-11-13T23:13:00","date_gmt":"2012-11-14T04:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4659"},"modified":"2012-11-14T07:21:59","modified_gmt":"2012-11-14T12:21:59","slug":"setting-the-stage-for-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jmusportsblog.com\/?p=4659","title":{"rendered":"Setting the Stage for Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"

We’ll be back with our usual and more in-depth game preview as always on Friday, but we wanted to set the stage for this week. \u00a0We’ll have multiple posts this week so keep your eyes peeled for a guest post from 04 and a hoops season preview before the opener at UCLA on Thursday.<\/p>\n

But in the interest of trying to shake off the ennui and self-loathing that enveloped us all after the Villanova game and crank up the hype machine in earnest, we want to get a few things out there.<\/p>\n

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It's late November!<\/p><\/div>\n

First, thanks to The Breeze for publishing our “stay for the ODU game” rant as a Letter to the Editor today, albeit in abridged version deemed more acceptable for publication. \u00a0Who would’ve thought that 16 years after my last column covering the 1996 Dukes baseball team, I’d be back in the byline?!<\/p>\n

Next, the CAA announced the tiebreaker possibilities today given the very real chance that six teams (ODU, TU, UNH, VU, UR, JMU) could all finish at 6-2 in conference after this week’s games. \u00a0Unfortunately, due to the unbalanced schedules and the ridiculous and shortsighted use of the Sagarin ELO_Chess rankings, and the inability to use those rankings in their final form that won’t come out till Sunday, JMU is no longer in the running for the Automatic Qualifier. \u00a0If you’re interested, here’s the full explanation<\/a>. \u00a0Simple verison, UNH beats Towson, they win the title. \u00a0Towson or Villanova will likely win the league otherwise since ODU is ineligible. \u00a0We’ll update what JMU is rooting for on Friday.<\/p>\n

We’ll run through all the “who JMU is rooting for” scenarios on Friday, but the only thing we absolutely know is JMU has to win. \u00a0We also know that a 7 p.m. game on NBCSN against the #3 team in the country is as good of an opportunity to impress the selection committee as anyone has anywhere on Saturday. \u00a0Lastly, we know that more than likely we all stumble into Bridgeforth BEFORE kickoff Saturday, we’ll likely know how things stand in terms of the Dukes’ chances.<\/p>\n

A ton of fellow fans and alums, The Breeze, the Student Duke Club, and even the administration have done all we can to increase student attendance at this game but for the most part our pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears. \u00a0That said, at least we can bet that those students in attendance will be real-deal fans so treat them well and all of us on the opposite side of the stadium need to step up our game in shouting down what seems likley to be a Monarch-heavy Godwin side. \u00a0Dress warm, tailgate early, preferably with bourbon, and don’t give up on this season just yet! \u00a0This is 1-AA, where much, much crazier things have happened than a disappointing, but talented and desperate team upsetting a rival at home. \u00a0Just remember what Bridgeforth can\u00a0occasionally\u00a0produce<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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