Pretty cool to see an interview of Mike Houston in the New York Times. I don't particuarly find this interviewers questions to be that great, but there are some good answers from Houston that show you how passionate he is. We're lucky to have him.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/sp...ion/sports

(12-28-2017 05:26 PM)bridgeforthduke Wrote:  Pretty cool to see an interview of Mike Houston in the New York Times. I don't particuarly find this interviewers questions to be that great, but there are some good answers from Houston that show you how passionate he is. We're lucky to have him.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/sp...ion/sports

+1 Thanks for sharing!

(12-28-2017 05:26 PM)bridgeforthduke Wrote:  Pretty cool to see an interview of Mike Houston in the New York Times. I don't particuarly find this interviewers questions to be that great, but there are some good answers from Houston that show you how passionate he is. We're lucky to have him.

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/12/28/sp...ion/sports

Good stuff. Thanks for posting the link. Bourne did a great job hiring him and continuing to work his compensation and benefits package (along with Houston's staff and doing things facility-wise to help the FB program).

FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

I agree with HCMH winning is a good thing.. especially NCs, but yes you have the option to win the BAD BOY MOWERS GASPARILLA BOWL or some Kohler Toilet bowl... I rather be supporting and rooting for a NC win than some lame Kohler Toilet bowl whose score I may check when I sit on a bowl myself in the morning scanning espn... Sorry for being crude!

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

Hrm. You could read that a couple ways. When I read it the first time, I thought he was saying that if we transition, we wouldn't be having this level of success/winning in the near future. Re-reading it, I'm not sure what he means.

I had all the love and respect in the world for HCMH until I read this interview and learned our beloved coach is a Cowboys fan. Now I cannot stand the man!

(12-28-2017 06:54 PM)Rock House Duke Wrote:  I had all the love and respect in the world for HCMH until I read this interview and learned our beloved coach is a Cowboys fan. Now I cannot stand the man!

I hear ya. This is what I'll do FWIW...when he (eventually) leaves JMU for perceived greener pastures, I'll say thanks to him for what he brought to JMU, wish him the best of luck moving forward, and then claim I won't miss him because he's a Cowpunks fan.

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

So now we don't even talk about the geographic unicorn league?

Lol knew that lifelong Cowboys fan would bring out some delusional haters!

Dam, hard not to like the guy when you read articles like that. In every interview I've seen or heard him in he comes off as a class act.

(12-28-2017 06:36 PM)91Alum Wrote:  

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

Hrm. You could read that a couple ways. When I read it the first time, I thought he was saying that if we transition, we wouldn't be having this level of success/winning in the near future. Re-reading it, I'm not sure what he means.

'it' means experience. If we transition, the experience would not be the same. I agree.

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

I have to say, experiencing the past couple years felt much better when I felt it was kick-starting a stalled progression towards a future with a very high ceiling. Now I feel like we’ve reached that ceiling. It seems no one at JMU thinks we can compete at the next level. Am I the only one who thinks JMU has so much more potential than spending twice the budget just to be NDSU 2.0 for however long we can maintain it?

Hearing “wouldn’t be in the near future” from Coach Houston is worse to me than anything Bourne or Alger could say. The hot chick I’ve lusted after just told me “let’s just be friends” on our first date.

(12-28-2017 10:27 PM)Bisonlurker Wrote:  Dam, hard not to like the guy when you read articles like that. In every interview I've seen or heard him in he comes off as a class act.

Yes I agree HCMH leads by example and has built up leaders in this JMU team who find a way to win. He is not only a fantastic coach but a great mentor and has surrounded himself with an outstanding staff willing to giving their all to the teams success on and off the field. Hope these young men understand how special this program is and a privileged to be a part of it... It is built for Champions on and off the field, empowering these young leaders to succeed in life and not just football.

(12-29-2017 01:19 AM)2Buck Wrote:  

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

I have to say, experiencing the past couple years felt much better when I felt it was kick-starting a stalled progression towards a future with a very high ceiling. Now I feel like we’ve reached that ceiling. It seems no one at JMU thinks we can compete at the next level. Am I the only one who thinks JMU has so much more potential than spending twice the budget just to be NDSU 2.0 for however long we can maintain it?

Hearing “wouldn’t be in the near future” from Coach Houston is worse to me than anything Bourne or Alger could say. The hot chick I’ve lusted after just told me “let’s just be friends” on our first date.

So then what is your best case scenario? We smash through our ceiling and go...where exactly? Currently - at the highest level - there are how many games that actually matter during bowl season? UCF just went undefeated and nobody gives a crap because they're playing a three-loss Auburn team. Are you saying if we move up our ceiling could exceed that of a UCF caliber team/conference in the near future?

At some point the FBS playoff is going to have to expand. Or the Power 5 are going to split off and do their own thing. There is a sea change coming in the next few years. Why not wait it out, build a powerhouse, and make a strategic move once the chess pieces have been moved?

Exactly. FBS football as it stands today is a dumpster fire for 75% of the teams involved.

(12-29-2017 01:19 AM)2Buck Wrote:  

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

I have to say, experiencing the past couple years felt much better when I felt it was kick-starting a stalled progression towards a future with a very high ceiling. Now I feel like we’ve reached that ceiling. It seems no one at JMU thinks we can compete at the next level. Am I the only one who thinks JMU has so much more potential than spending twice the budget just to be NDSU 2.0 for however long we can maintain it?

Hearing “wouldn’t be in the near future” from Coach Houston is worse to me than anything Bourne or Alger could say. The hot chick I’ve lusted after just told me “let’s just be friends” on our first date.

Good head coaches are always thinking about recruiting, and are aware that any public comments from the coach potentially affect that recruiting. Perhaps he's concluded that we're more likely to be successful on the recruitment trail by marketing a winning / championship experience at the FCS level rather than a meh experience that maxes out in the American Standard Bowl at the G5/FBS level.

His thoughtful remembrance of what his Citadel team experienced during the horrific Charleston church shooting was what struck me the most about the article. Thanks for sharing.

(12-28-2017 10:27 PM)Bisonlurker Wrote:  Dam, hard not to like the guy when you read articles like that. In every interview I've seen or heard him in he comes off as a class act.

From day one, I bought into this guy 100% and he never disappoints. He does everything you'd want a coach of your program to do and he's an even better person.
There is no doubt we are absolutely lucky to have him coach our team and represent our University.

(12-28-2017 11:10 PM)JMU1985 Wrote:  

(12-28-2017 06:36 PM)91Alum Wrote:  

(12-28-2017 06:06 PM)waterwagen79 Wrote:  FBS related question:

"Q: Would it be worth it for James Madison to make the jump to the F.B.S.?

A: It’s something that has been debated a good bit. J.M.U.’s resources are on par with a lot of F.B.S. midmajors. It wouldn’t be a drastic overhaul. But you weigh that against the experiences we’ve had winning a national championship and playing for another one. If we transition, it certainly wouldn’t be in the near future. There’s a lot to be said for winning. Who knows if you’d ever have a chance to do that at the next level?"

Hrm. You could read that a couple ways. When I read it the first time, I thought he was saying that if we transition, we wouldn't be having this level of success/winning in the near future. Re-reading it, I'm not sure what he means.

'it' means experience. If we transition, the experience would not be the same. I agree.

it means its hard to play for the national championship in the FBS