(06-19-2013 12:53 PM)NH/JMU Saxkow Wrote:  

(06-19-2013 10:00 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-19-2013 04:00 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 04:42 PM)NH/JMU Saxkow Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 09:22 AM)Dukie95 Wrote:  Not sure what has transpired that would cause people to honestly put CCU, Bethune Cookman, Wagner, Tennessee State, Chattanooga above us...but yeah, motivation.

CCU, Bethune-Cookman, and Wagner were all playoff teams last year - and they will be favored to win their conferences again this year (especially with Albany leaving Wagner's NEC and Stony leaving CCU's Big South). Chatty will also be one of the top (eligible) SoCon teams with Appy and GSU gone. Tennessee State was at one point last year 7-0, before going 1-3 in their last 4 games (against stronger competition).

Like others have said, these polls mean nothing. Even the TSN poll - which gets updated throughout the season - is mostly a joke. There are a ton of examples of the polls just being out of touch with reality. As for JMU, I have no idea how we'll play with Birdsong and a "new" offensive system. I certainly would have us ranked low until I know that answer. We'll settle this on the field.

The MEAC hasn't won a playoff game since 1999. BCU is 0-4 in the playoffs during that span. Being favored to win a cupcake conference who representative has lost 15 straight playoff games (a couple of seasons had 2 teams in) doesn't mean anything.

And Tenn State was a fraud. They were 7-0 vs a cupcake schedule, then went 1-3 vs teams from another conference that hasn't won a playoff game since..I just looked it up....1996. Again, being favored to win a conference that has lost 18 straight playoff games (a couple of seasons had 2 teams in) doesn't mean anything...

Again, this guy from Lindy's loses any credibility by including those teams.

And I forgot to mention CCU. They finished 8-5, 3-5 vs OOC. Of the 3 quality teams they played:
ASU lost 55-14
SBU lost 27-21
ODU lost 63-35.
Yet they are in peoples top 25 because of what?

And we won nothing last year. (What has been our recent record against teams with winning records again? I remember someone posting it on the Zone, but I know it was embarrassing.) And now that starting QB has been run out.

I agree with you that some/most of those teams are actually weak. (I even started criticizing Tenn State last year in my playoff articles when they were still 7-0.)

Again, it's a preseason poll. I bet the way most people figure these out is by starting with the playoff teams from last year and who they think will make it this year. Then they see if there are any big hurdles coming up this year for those teams. Is it kind of lazy? Yup. But until they start playing, it's all guesswork.

But if it bothers you so much, come up with your own Top 25. Seriously, it will hold about as much weight as the Lindy one.

Doesn't bother me. I don't think there should be any polls till the mid point of the season, when you actually have something to go on.

The way I see it, if you really don't care about these preseason polls then I correlate that to mean you are satisfied with being an FCS team. You feel we will be better than these polls reflect and ranked higher as the season progresses. But, since you are satisfied with playing the teams we currently play, why worry about it.

On the other hand, if this ranking disgust you, then I believe you want to see us moving to FBS. You want our FB program to have respect from our peers and the media because you believe we deserve more, and a higher ranking will help us get the FBS invite we deserve. We know that our TV market is weak so we need some other factors to help push us into the world of Big Boy football and one factor that might help is a consistent preseason top 10 ranking.

(06-19-2013 08:46 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  The way I see it, if you really don't care about these preseason polls then I correlate that to mean you are satisfied with being an FCS team. You feel we will be better than these polls reflect and ranked higher as the season progresses. But, since you are satisfied with playing the teams we currently play, why worry about it.

On the other hand, if this ranking disgust you, then I believe you want to see us moving to FBS. You want our FB program to have respect from our peers and the media because you believe we deserve more, and a higher ranking will help us get the FBS invite we deserve. We know that our TV market is weak so we need some other factors to help push us into the world of Big Boy football and one factor that might help is a consistent preseason top 10 ranking.

Or some of us realize that these polls are heavily flawed to begin with - whether pre-season or during the season. They are just a measure of hype - nothing more. None of the teams on these polls have done anything this year. Then why should I care?

I don't want hype. I want wins on the field. I want a playoff spot. I want playoff wins and I want a championship.

I want to know why you think we are entitled to a ranking. What have we done since 2008? We have won 1 playoff game. We beat Tech. And we then lose to almost every other strong team.

Now a team that didn't even make the playoffs last year is replacing their QB with a freshman who ended the season injured. Yup - we deserve hype.

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

(06-20-2013 09:25 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

We had a powerful reputation and that was reflected in the 2009-2012 polls...four years of mediocrity and one of the most unwatchable offenses of all time has contributed to this. I'm not upset about it, we've lost all the goodwill/benefit of the doubt from the 2004-2008 seasons.

(06-20-2013 09:34 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 09:25 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

We had a powerful reputation and that was reflected in the 2009-2012 polls...four years of mediocrity and one of the most unwatchable offenses of all time has contributed to this. I'm not upset about it, we've lost all the goodwill/benefit of the doubt from the 2004-2008 seasons.

So, you're okay with the way we are perceived? So, you don't care to be any better? What was, was, and what is, is, will sum up your fillings about us. Wow!

I agree with your post, in that, we lost what we had achieved, I just want, and expect us to continually command a high standard from inside and outside of our University.

(06-20-2013 10:27 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 09:34 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 09:25 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

We had a powerful reputation and that was reflected in the 2009-2012 polls...four years of mediocrity and one of the most unwatchable offenses of all time has contributed to this. I'm not upset about it, we've lost all the goodwill/benefit of the doubt from the 2004-2008 seasons.

So, you're okay with the way we are perceived? So, you don't care to be any better? What was, was, and what is, is, will sum up your fillings about us. Wow!

I agree with your post, in that, we lost what we had achieved, I just want, and expect us to continually command a high standard from inside and outside of our University.

At no point did I ever suggest I cared about us not being any better or was okay with mediocrity (no idea how you interpreted it that way). I just don't care about how we are perceived by some internet writer who has no influence on anything. In a previous post in this thread I posted a link to a ranking list that listed us at 17 (which is where I perceive the Dukes to actually be until they prove otherwise).

I'm not entitled enough to get outraged when JMU is not mentioned in every preseason top 25 by guys who know less about FCS than many posters on here. We had four years of goodwill where we were over-ranked at every turn, it was bound to happen that people would start to question how good the team really is.

(06-20-2013 09:25 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

That I agree with. What got me about your comment was that those who don't care about the pre-season polls are basically just I-AA apologists. I don't care about the polls because polls in general are worthless (for any sport), but I do want us to move up to I-A in the near future - and I think we will. (My hatred of the over-reliance of polls certainly extends to I-A and the awful BCS system. As it moves to an ultimately expanding playoff system, I-A becomes even more attractive.)

I don't know if I would consider us a Top 25 team right now - I just don't know how we will adjust to the Birdsong offense. But I have been disappointed with our team over the last couple of years - the Thorpe era was just not that good. I don't blame the pollsters - which it seems like some are. The fault rests with Mickey and his coaching/recruiting. Hopefully MM can get us back on track and to the upper echelons where we should be.

(06-20-2013 01:39 PM)NH/JMU Saxkow Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 09:25 AM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(06-20-2013 05:14 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 10:12 AM)BDKJMU Wrote:  

(06-18-2013 05:31 AM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  I must say, I am very disappointed that JMU Football is not a pre-season top 25 team. For all of everyone's talk of going FBS, it appears we have a lot of work to do in 1AA. It is unimaginable to me that we aren't a top 10 every year; much less top 25. I am very disappointed.

Really? Pre season polls, esp at the I-AA level, are absolutely meaningless. Worthless as tits on a bull. I couldn't care less if JMU was ranked pre season #1, #10, #20, or #50 in some meaningless pre season poll by some people who likely don't know jack diddly squat about I-AA.

Regardless of the validity of these polls, I believe whenever there is a conversation of the top 25 teams in 1AA football, JMU should always be a part of that conversation. We should be dominant enough that we are always looked at as a "re-load" program as opposed to a "re-build" one.

Yes, I am disappointed that we are not in that poll. My expectations for our football program are much higher than that.

I agree BSKB.

NH/JMU, I'm not saying we deserve better, I'm saying we should want a better ranking. I think that I'm saying that the way I intend. Clearly you don't think we have earned a powerful reputation, I don't either, but dad gone it, I want it and believe we need to reach for this type of respect.

That I agree with. What got me about your comment was that those who don't care about the pre-season polls are basically just I-AA apologists. I don't care about the polls because polls in general are worthless (for any sport), but I do want us to move up to I-A in the near future - and I think we will. (My hatred of the over-reliance of polls certainly extends to I-A and the awful BCS system. As it moves to an ultimately expanding playoff system, I-A becomes even more attractive.)

I don't know if I would consider us a Top 25 team right now - I just don't know how we will adjust to the Birdsong offense. But I have been disappointed with our team over the last couple of years - the Thorpe era was just not that good. I don't blame the pollsters - which it seems like some are. The fault rests with Mickey and his coaching/recruiting. Hopefully MM can get us back on track and to the upper echelons where we should be.

Through all of this discussion I absolutely put the blame on JMU, without putting our coach, JB or anyone else as being primarily responsible for our fall. Again, I look at these pre-polls as respect for our program, or lack there of, and I simply want it back.