Basically if you don't think you can move to the FBS until you are at the top of FCS most teams would have never moved up.

If there is no announcement this winter I'm gone like the rest of my friends. We all used to get together when the Dukes were on TV. Now, nobody gives a ****.

(11-18-2013 10:40 PM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  If there is no announcement this winter I'm gone like the rest of my friends. We all used to get together when the Dukes were on TV. Now, nobody gives a ****.

You said the same thing this time last year.

Odu stole out Cusa spot when we wouldn't pull the trigger fast enough. Freakin 3/4 of a Fbs stadium playing FCS

(11-18-2013 10:40 PM)DoubleDDuke Wrote:  If there is no announcement this winter I'm gone like the rest of my friends. We all used to get together when the Dukes were on TV. Now, nobody gives a ****.

If we have not announced by this spring we are moving up and we keep MM for the last year of his contract than I know the school does not give a damn about the football program and I will join in its sentiments.

(11-18-2013 07:14 PM)Hart Foundation Wrote:  Consider this - Boise State was 7-4 in their last year of 1-AA football missing the playoffs in 1995.
Also, 3 years before moving up they were a pathetic 3-8 in 1-AA.
They were 7-16 in their first two years of 1-A football and haven't had a losing season since.

1-AA success is not a predictor of 1-A success.

For every Boise State there are several UMasses and WKUs. Odds are JMU will fall somewhere in between, but a much better chance at becoming a WKU than a Boise.

Just looking at the last decade since 03' (well, 05' for that matter) have been 3 long time I-AA programs that have already moved up: WKU, Tx State, and UMass.

-WKU
02' 12-3 won NC
03' 9-4 lost qtrfinals
04' 9-3 lost opening round
05' 6-5
06' 6-5

07' 7-5 (transition season with part I-AA, part I-A schedule)

08' 2-10 (full I-A schedule)
09' 0-12
10' 2-10
11' 7-5
12' 7-6 (lost to Cent Mich in the Little Caesars Bowl in DETROIT.
13' 6-4 so far. Next 2 games vs other 6-4 teams...

That's 6 I-A seasons, 24-47 so far, 1 lost Toilet Bowl in Detroit where they may as well have been playing in Beirut..

Tx State
12' 4-8 (1st season full I-AA schedule)
13' 6-4 so far (WKU this weekend)

UMass
12' 1-11
13' 1-9 so far

As far as App State, they are 3-8 in their last I-AA season. Not looking good for next season. GSU is 6-4, right now, so who knows next season.

As far as the drive bys go: FAU and FIU nearly carbon copies of ineptitude:
-FAU: 1st season football 01', full I-A schedule 05': 7 losing seasons, 2 winning seasons, 2 toilet bowls, 1 in Detroit, best season 8-5
-FIU: 1st season football 02', full I-A schedule 05': 7 losing seasons 2 winning seasons, 2 toilet bowls, 1 in Detroit, best season 8-5

-USA: 1st season football 10', I-A in 12'. (remember MM offered job here 08')
12': 2-11
13': 3-6 so far

-UTSA: 1st season football 11', I-A this season, 5-5 so far.

-GST: 1st season football 2010. 1st season I-A this season, 0-10 so far.

ODU: Jury still out, 1st I-A season not till next season. Are 8-3 with @ UNC coming up. 7-0 vs I-AA, 1-3 vs I-A, win was @ 1-9 Idaho.

It ain't gonna be rainbows and unicorns when JMU moves up. Get ready for a # of losing seasons. And when that happens people that are gung ho about the move up and are bitching about no announcement yet are going to be on here bitching about a 2-10/3-9/4-8/5-7 JMU as bad if not worse than they're bitching now. Just watch...

It's definitely a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation with FBS/FCS. I just want to know why we spent $70 million on a freaking lopsided stadium. Just make a 22k seat symmetrical horseshoe and call it a day.

(11-18-2013 11:48 PM)DBJMU2006 Wrote:  It's definitely a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation with FBS/FCS. I just want to know why we spent $70 million on a freaking lopsided stadium. Just make a 22k seat symmetrical horseshoe and call it a day.

This.

(11-19-2013 08:10 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 07:01 AM)JMUDuke2002 Wrote:  

(11-18-2013 11:48 PM)DBJMU2006 Wrote:  It's definitely a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation with FBS/FCS. I just want to know why we spent $70 million on a freaking lopsided stadium. Just make a 22k seat symmetrical horseshoe and call it a day.

This.

yup

+3

(11-18-2013 09:47 PM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(11-18-2013 09:33 PM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(11-18-2013 08:40 PM)Steve1981 Wrote:  

(11-18-2013 06:03 PM)atljmualum Wrote:  

(11-18-2013 05:57 PM)JMUETC Wrote:  Say what you will about the bowl system* but assuming you are okay with it, or like it and would be excited to travel to a neutral site to root, I see a series of meaningful games during an FBS season.

6 wins gets JMU bowl eligible. Each game leading up to 6 wins has meaning.

If JMU finds themselves winning a lot early, say 5-1 after 6 games with bowl eligible all but guaranteed then games are meaningful because the team is good and there is a conference championship to play for. Presumably, conference championship leads to a better bowl game and bowl game destination.

If your concern is a losing record for a few years well that is a genuine concern. I personally will make it through this by continuing to have fun tailgating at games, and rooting against teams I have more interest in seeing. My goal early on would be 6-5 or 5-6. Competitive. I would much rather see 5-6 at FBS than 6-5 (7-5, 6-6) at FCS. I think we can be ready for 5-6 sooner than you think. Akron is 4-7 and JMU would have beaten them with any other coach.

+1

I would be much more excited to travel to a neutral site bowl destination over the holidays, particularly if it's in a sunny destination, than I would to Frisco, TX (not that we find ourselves there often anyway).

I don't understand how anyone can compare us to UMASS' situation though. UMASS is playing their games in an NFL stadium two hours from their campus and did not have the following/fanbase that JMU does at the FCS level and is in the NE market (not exactly CFB friendly). Not a fair comparison.

Hope you guys move up to the MAC as it makes sense to the MAC and they take care of their teams during Bowling time.

Being a UMass fan will comment on the quote.
Your are similar to UMass as the team quality is heading in the wrong direction and could be a coaching change.

You are not similar to UMass as you have a beautiful 25k stadium.
Just to correct a few things. We are play 3 games at home next year and even thou our attendance is low by your standards, it was our best year ever. If the NIU did not happen at the same time as the Red Sox victory parade, it would have been a bit higher.

Our 2013 attendance
- Sept. 7 vs. Maine: 15,624
- Sept. 21 vs. Vanderbilt: 16,419
- Oct. 12 vs. Miami: 21,707
- Oct. 26 vs. Western Michigan: 20,571
- Nov. 2 vs. Northern Illinois: 10,061
- Nov. 16 vs. Akron: 10,599



People have valid concerns, but we are happy with the move.

Happy with the move at 2-20 so far? You'all must have a completely different type of fanbase than we have here. If JMU was 2-20 in its 1st 2 seasons after having moved up, staring at 2-22, this place would implode. Would make the current bitchfest (last 5 seasons, MM, not having made a move up announcement yet) look like tiddily winks.

I would rather be in the position to ***** about going 2-20 in FBS than where we are now any day.

So you would take 1-11 I-A over 7-5/6-6 I-AA? Not me.
I'd rather be an unknown than a known laughingstock.

Just playing devils advocate on here. JMU is gonna move up no matter what any of us arm chair QBs wasting time on a message board think....

(11-19-2013 08:57 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  Just playing devils advocate on here. JMU is gonna move up no matter what any of us arm chair QBs wasting time on a message board think....

good

(11-19-2013 08:57 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  Just playing devils advocate on here. JMU is gonna move up no matter what any of us arm chair QBs wasting time on a message board think....

there's a certain decision maker that recently made the comment to me that a lot of the "arm chair QBs" and "sunday morning QBs" haven't been to a game in years. Personally, I'm sure those people won't be back JUST because we move to FBS.

YAY we go from playing StFU, CCSU, Albany, Stony Brook etc to playing FIU, UAB, Akron, Georgia State, and directional Michigan. If the opponents we play are your reason for coming to games you should probably stay home anyway. It's about supporting the University, the team, the sport, and duh the tailgating. But i digress.

One thing that no one is mentioning is that 5-6 going into our last game this week would actually be meaningful. 6-6 in FBS is bowl eligible.

You guys can make fun of the "toilet" bowls all you want. It doesn't change the fact that you have a national television audience around the holiday season. I watch every single bowl game; there are many people that do the same. Most of those so-called "lower" bowls are the only game on that particular night. You can't buy that type of publicity.

Obviously, I know we are 6-5, but there was a lot of conversation about 5-6 teams in the future

07' 7-5 (transition season with part I-AA, part I-A schedule)

08' 2-10 (full I-A schedule)
09' 0-12
10' 2-10
11' 7-5
12' 7-6 (lost to Cent Mich in the Little Caesars Bowl in DETROIT.
13' 6-4 so far. Next 2 games vs other 6-4 teams...

That's 6 I-A seasons, 24-47 so far, 1 lost Toilet Bowl in Detroit where they may as well have been playing in Beirut..

I would prefer this over 6-5 in FCS every year. I really would (though the 0-12 would be painful). Those last three years are solid.

(11-19-2013 08:07 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  By staying in our current state, we will never connect with those alum that may start really watching JMU football in a D1A conference, but more concerning is that we risk losing the already hardcore fans on here, like me. Even before losing on Saturday I knew I wasn't going to Towson. A game that would have meaning, I just had no desire to go. Myself from 10 years ago would want to kick the crap out of myself today for saying that.

Do you really think the 'casual' fan is going to come to more games because we're playing Louisiana-Lafayette rather than Towson? My experience with JMU has taught me that only one ultimately thing dictates attendance: Winning. (And Family Weekend!) The slight drop in attendance this year has everything to do with a 7-game schedule and mediocre on-field performance.

I'll agree that a September home game against a regional FBS or major conference opponent (Maryland, Kentucky...hell, probably even App State) definitely would create some excitement and likely sellout. But I'd also argue that a 2/3-win record in November would draw worse crowds than a top-ranked CAA team competing for an FCS playoff seed.

Again, to reiterate, I want to play football at the highest level possible. Really, we're all on the same page in ultimately wanting the Dukes to be the best. I'm just scared a desperate leap into a less-than-ideal situation could create indefinite years of meaningless football.

(11-19-2013 09:18 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  One thing that no one is mentioning is that 5-6 going into our last game this week would actually be meaningful. 6-6 in FBS is bowl eligible.

You guys can make fun of the "toilet" bowls all you want. It doesn't change the fact that you have a national television audience around the holiday season. I watch every single bowl game; there are many people that do the same. Most of those so-called "lower" bowls are the only game on that particular night. You can't buy that type of publicity.

Obviously, I know we are 6-5, but there was a lot of conversation about 5-6 teams in the future

You must have no job or no life...

I doubt many people, not even 1 tenth of 1% of sports fans watch all 38ish bowl games..

(11-19-2013 10:04 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 09:18 AM)NYJMUPIKE Wrote:  One thing that no one is mentioning is that 5-6 going into our last game this week would actually be meaningful. 6-6 in FBS is bowl eligible.

You guys can make fun of the "toilet" bowls all you want. It doesn't change the fact that you have a national television audience around the holiday season. I watch every single bowl game; there are many people that do the same. Most of those so-called "lower" bowls are the only game on that particular night. You can't buy that type of publicity.

Obviously, I know we are 6-5, but there was a lot of conversation about 5-6 teams in the future

You must have no job or no life...

I doubt many people, not even 1 tenth of 1% of sports fans watch all 38ish bowl games..

What is the need to be such a d#$k all the time? Do you not get laid enough?

I enjoy football. I coach football as one of my two jobs. Why would I have no life if I watch the bowl games? Would you rather me come over your house to watch Real Housewives of New Jersey?

(11-19-2013 09:58 AM)Pitz Wrote:  I'm just scared a desperate leap into a less-than-ideal situation could create indefinite years of meaningless football.

Meaningless football is what we've been doing and if we stay FCS that's all we'll continue to do.

(11-19-2013 09:58 AM)Pitz Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 08:07 AM)fanofallthatisjmu Wrote:  By staying in our current state, we will never connect with those alum that may start really watching JMU football in a D1A conference, but more concerning is that we risk losing the already hardcore fans on here, like me. Even before losing on Saturday I knew I wasn't going to Towson. A game that would have meaning, I just had no desire to go. Myself from 10 years ago would want to kick the crap out of myself today for saying that.

Do you really think the 'casual' fan is going to come to more games because we're playing Louisiana-Lafayette rather than Towson? My experience with JMU has taught me that only one ultimately thing dictates attendance: Winning. (And Family Weekend!) The slight drop in attendance this year has everything to do with a 7-game schedule and mediocre on-field performance.

I'll agree that a September home game against a regional FBS or major conference opponent (Maryland, Kentucky...hell, probably even App State) definitely would create some excitement and likely sellout. But I'd also argue that a 2/3-win record in November would draw worse crowds than a top-ranked CAA team competing for an FCS playoff seed.

Again, to reiterate, I want to play football at the highest level possible. Really, we're all on the same page in ultimately wanting the Dukes to be the best. I'm just scared a desperate leap into a less-than-ideal situation could create indefinite years of meaningless football.

Your concerns are valid. However, what options will their be going forward, once the sbc fills with a 12th team? What if liberty moves up? Their admin won't hesitate when they get an invite.
If we have to think about the what if we lose scenario, you have to think about the what if the world passes us by scenario.