I believe a few of us (not me this time) will be ordering Crow Pie

I'll take the last bite of my Crow Pie now, great job on conference positioning Jeff Bourne

When things go right some times its difficult to tell whether its dumb luck or great strategy.

I'm an analyst by trade, half empty, etc.. But TBH, this is great strategy implemented by all involved at JMU. If you arent sure...we passed on Sun Belt first time around. We passed on CUSA. Passed on the MAC. Waited and parlayed success and leveraged national attention AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

Not only is the Sun Belt football a slam dunk, but Sun Belt soccer. Im going to argue hoops is a better sitch too. All options are 1 bid leagues. AAC for womens lacrosse. This is a 10-0 shoutout won by the JMU administration.

Viewing it some other way is destructive to ones credibility.

Did we pass on the MAC? I thought back then it was more that we straight up declined Sun Belt, declined ODU's proposal that we approach CUSA together, and maybe hoped for the MAC. Regardless, things worked out perfectly. It's kinda funny now to think we wanted the AAC when you look at who we're with in the SBC.

Hoops is definitely a downgrade in any and all measurables, but I'd agree it could end up being a better situation overall. Gill and some members sound like they're looking to make it a priority so hopefully it improves a lot. If and when it does, we have more teams to care about. ODU alone is more intriguing than every single CAA matchup. Marshall and App State should quickly get there too, if not already. I mean, who even was the most appealing CAA matchup? The never been dancing nerds? It's a sad situation when that's the conference game to look forward to.

(09-11-2022 04:14 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  Did we pass on the MAC? I thought back then it was more that we straight up declined Sun Belt, declined ODU's proposal that we approach CUSA together, and maybe hoped for the MAC. Regardless, things worked out perfectly. It's kinda funny now to think we wanted the AAC when you look at who we're with in the SBC.

Hoops is definitely a downgrade in any and all measurables, but I'd agree it could end up being a better situation overall. Gill and some members sound like they're looking to make it a priority so hopefully it improves a lot. If and when it does, we have more teams to care about. ODU alone is more intriguing than every single CAA matchup. Marshall and App State should quickly get there too, if not already. I mean, who even was the most appealing CAA matchup? The never been dancing nerds? It's a sad situation when that's the conference game to look forward to.

They were interested. We were not. Not sure how formal the overatures were. The ODU/CUSA thing is accurate but I see that as symantics.

(09-11-2022 04:14 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  Did we pass on the MAC? I thought back then it was more that we straight up declined Sun Belt, declined ODU's proposal that we approach CUSA together, and maybe hoped for the MAC. Regardless, things worked out perfectly. It's kinda funny now to think we wanted the AAC when you look at who we're with in the SBC.

Hoops is definitely a downgrade in any and all measurables, but I'd agree it could end up being a better situation overall. Gill and some members sound like they're looking to make it a priority so hopefully it improves a lot. If and when it does, we have more teams to care about. ODU alone is more intriguing than every single CAA matchup. Marshall and App State should quickly get there too, if not already. I mean, who even was the most appealing CAA matchup? The never been dancing nerds? It's a sad situation when that's the conference game to look forward to.

About a decade ago, JMU was very close to joining the MAC. The 14th school would have been UMass, moving from football only to full membership. UMass didn't want to leave the A-10 and was kicked out of MAC for football.

The MAC was discussed by the BOV (and likely would have happened), but was contingent on UMass moving all sports there. When UMass left the MAC, so did our invite hopes there.

Somehow though, I don't think JMU in the MAC coached by Withers (who just wanted a FBS job) would have put us on a better trajectory than what has occurred since.

(09-11-2022 04:26 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  The MAC was discussed by the BOV (and likely would have happened), but was contingent on UMass moving all sports there. When UMass left the MAC, so did our invite hopes there.

Somehow though, I don't think JMU in the MAC coached by Withers (who just wanted a FBS job) would have put us on a better trajectory than what has occurred since.

OMG - call it luck or strategy, we are in the best position we could have possibly imagined. We are in a GREAT conference and we CAN COMPETE. **** AAC.

(09-11-2022 04:24 PM)JMU2004 Wrote:  

(09-11-2022 04:14 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  Did we pass on the MAC? I thought back then it was more that we straight up declined Sun Belt, declined ODU's proposal that we approach CUSA together, and maybe hoped for the MAC. Regardless, things worked out perfectly. It's kinda funny now to think we wanted the AAC when you look at who we're with in the SBC.

Hoops is definitely a downgrade in any and all measurables, but I'd agree it could end up being a better situation overall. Gill and some members sound like they're looking to make it a priority so hopefully it improves a lot. If and when it does, we have more teams to care about. ODU alone is more intriguing than every single CAA matchup. Marshall and App State should quickly get there too, if not already. I mean, who even was the most appealing CAA matchup? The never been dancing nerds? It's a sad situation when that's the conference game to look forward to.

About a decade ago, JMU was very close to joining the MAC. The 14th school would have been UMass, moving from football only to full membership. UMass didn't want to leave the A-10 and was kicked out of MAC for football.

Ah yeah that's right. I was drawing a blank on the details but yeah so we wanted the MAC and didn't get the invite. I'm glad UMass blew the invite up!

I got sold “we’re going to the MAC” by an athletics fundraising guy. Good dude, but he was wrong. And I can’t quite understand why our BOV was discussing such a move when there was about a 1% chance of UMass joining as a full member. It seems like some people were selling it hard despite no realistic possibility due to the UMass situation. I did not appreciate being sold that story at the time. I knew UMass wasn’t ready to ditch the A10 basketball. Shouldn’t they have also known? It felt like a dishonest money-grab to me.

I was on board to join the MAC and the Sun Belt. But became a strong Sun Belt proponent when App State and GS joined. The MAC was not meant to be. In hindsight, I'm glad we didn't join the MAC, winter games would be brutal.

(09-11-2022 09:11 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  I got sold “we’re going to the MAC” by an athletics fundraising guy. Good dude, but he was wrong. And I can’t quite understand why our BOV was discussing such a move when there was about a 1% chance of UMass joining as a full member. It seems like some people were selling it hard despite no realistic possibility due to the UMass situation. I did not appreciate being sold that story at the time. I knew UMass wasn’t ready to ditch the A10 basketball. Shouldn’t they have also known? It felt like a dishonest money-grab to me.

Because he's a fundraising guy. Which means he's a salesman without a product. You always have to assume that when you're talking to a salesman that they're willing to lie to you to get what you want. "we have a 1% chance of joining the MAC? Tell them we're in."

I'm sorry if that sounds cynical, but I've spent too much time around sales and marketing people to have a high opinion of their honesty (starting with being honest with themselves.)

(09-11-2022 09:11 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  I got sold “we’re going to the MAC” by an athletics fundraising guy. Good dude, but he was wrong. And I can’t quite understand why our BOV was discussing such a move when there was about a 1% chance of UMass joining as a full member. It seems like some people were selling it hard despite no realistic possibility due to the UMass situation. I did not appreciate being sold that story at the time. I knew UMass wasn’t ready to ditch the A10 basketball. Shouldn’t they have also known? It felt like a dishonest money-grab to me.

I honestly think they may have believed it was 95% instead of 1%, and didn't understand UMass motivations and intentions at the time. It's possible there was different messaging and communications coming from the conference. Perhaps the MAC itself was blindsided there.

I know the board members discussed it and were taking this pretty seriously. They understood some of the drawbacks of the MAC (attendance, etc), but still seemed to be prepared to approve it.

(09-12-2022 11:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(09-11-2022 09:11 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  I got sold “we’re going to the MAC” by an athletics fundraising guy. Good dude, but he was wrong. And I can’t quite understand why our BOV was discussing such a move when there was about a 1% chance of UMass joining as a full member. It seems like some people were selling it hard despite no realistic possibility due to the UMass situation. I did not appreciate being sold that story at the time. I knew UMass wasn’t ready to ditch the A10 basketball. Shouldn’t they have also known? It felt like a dishonest money-grab to me.

I honestly think they may have believed it was 95% instead of 1%, and didn't understand UMass motivations and intentions at the time.

I know the board met on it and was taking it pretty seriously. They understood some of the drawbacks of the MAC (attendance, etc), but still seemed to be prepared to approve it.

Thank God we didn't. I've been on the SBC train since back when we did the Carr study. Regional, Appy, LaLa and GaSo was enough for me back then. Marshall and ODooDooU, plus CCU make it that much better.

(09-12-2022 11:05 PM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(09-12-2022 11:00 PM)JMURocks Wrote:  

(09-11-2022 09:11 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  I got sold “we’re going to the MAC” by an athletics fundraising guy. Good dude, but he was wrong. And I can’t quite understand why our BOV was discussing such a move when there was about a 1% chance of UMass joining as a full member. It seems like some people were selling it hard despite no realistic possibility due to the UMass situation. I did not appreciate being sold that story at the time. I knew UMass wasn’t ready to ditch the A10 basketball. Shouldn’t they have also known? It felt like a dishonest money-grab to me.

I honestly think they may have believed it was 95% instead of 1%, and didn't understand UMass motivations and intentions at the time.

I know the board met on it and was taking it pretty seriously. They understood some of the drawbacks of the MAC (attendance, etc), but still seemed to be prepared to approve it.

Thank God we didn't. I've been on the SBC train since back when we did the Carr study. Regional, Appy, LaLa and GaSo was enough for me back then. Marshall and ODooDooU, plus CCU make it that much better.

I'm quite happy where we landed. Feel like MAC would have been suboptimal. We might have succeeded, but wouldn't have gotten the rocket shot forward SBC is giving us. Also would have missed out on some of our best FCS moments, and the journey along the way.

(09-11-2022 05:01 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I believe a few of us (not me this time) will be ordering Crow Pie

I'll take the last bite of my Crow Pie now, great job on conference positioning Jeff Bourne

kudos and rep points to purplehaze for acknowledging the administrations plan working out to perfection. there are a lot more on here that were super critical of the admin who have not done the same. the chicken little crew that used to feel the world was falling down everytime another school "moved up and left us behind". you know who you are.

there were are few of us on here that believed and had confidence in the plan and jmu, we were mockingly called the "admin apologists".

the rest of the reason should confirm - but based on early results, I believe we were able to build a stronger team and program spending the last 6-8 years dominating the FCS than having moved prematurely to FBS.

just look at the teams that left us behind - umass, odu, charlotte, uconn, MTSU, ark state, Ga State - all are at the bottom of the fbs.

So the real question... Who's in the area and going to go fly a JMU flag in Boone?!

(09-13-2022 10:24 AM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  So the real question... Who's in the area and going to go fly a JMU flag in Boone?!

It should fly front and center and make that fraternity flag (I know their name.. I just rather not give them any more credit) look like a child's pennant.

I said we were going to the AAC and we did.





In Women's Lax.