W&M's rivalry with James Madison is a long and treasured one, and a terrific one between two top tier state universities.

I have a question:

It is becoming more and more certain with each passing day that within a year or so the five major football conferences (Big10, ACC, SEC, etc) aregoing to break away from the rest of college football and the NCAA and form their own "super" top football division. All the major TV
money will go to these five leagues.

They will not play teams in the lower conferences and, if they do at all,
it will be only at their stadia and with little consistency.

The lower leagues will be related to playing in minor, mostly unknown
bowl games played in early to mid-December, quickly forgotten and,
in all cases, meaningless.

Many of the lower tier teams in the Conf USA, SunBelt and similar leagues, will face red ink and be burdened to play far-flung teams
in their league in games with little or no natural rivalries.

Why would JMU, if they really intend to (and I'm encouraged to see
wisdom of doubt seeping into the picture), want to pursue what may
be folly chasing football glory that now appears to be impossible?

actually, if you read the plan, it's not the top 5 breaking way.

it's all the FBS football leagues and the top 2-3 basketball only leagues (Big East, A10, MVC).

it's the CAA's of the world that are going to be left behind. Which is even more reason JMU should (and will) move on.

Even if the top five conferences were to break away, I would want JMU to play in the second tier rather than the third tier. I want to see us attempt to compete at the highest possible level.

Did Tom Yaeger sign up as Big Tribe? Kind of a propaganda-laced commentary.

Doesn't WM have an open invitation to the Patriot League? JMU aspires to greater things.

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)JMU Wrote:  Doesn't WM have an open invitation to the Patriot League? JMU aspires to greater things.

"Greater things" isn't the same as best fit which is what my school aspires to. For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago and moved to 1-AA ~30 years ago. For us, we chose to not stick it to students by jacking up their fees to the level of JMU. Our schools' visions are obviously very different but the fact that the PL wants another superior academic university doesn't mean W&M aspires to lesser things. If JMU can successfully move to a FBS conference, go for it...that is your best fit and I wish you good fortune.

There is nothing wrong with going to the Patriot League, for W&M that is not a step down, it will be a lateral move. It is a solid league with like-minded schools. JMU is at a different place; we are growing as a school and growing in our sports prowess (especially in Football).

Whether or not major changes happen in the NCAA, the breakdown of the CAA is occurring, and the full break-up is inevitable. We will either leave before that happens (causing is to occur), or when it does. No matter what though, we will not end up in the same league together again.

(08-01-2013 09:34 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)JMU Wrote:  Doesn't WM have an open invitation to the Patriot League? JMU aspires to greater things.

"Greater things" isn't the same as best fit which is what my school aspires to. For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago and moved to 1-AA ~30 years ago. For us, we chose to not stick it to students by jacking up their fees to the level of JMU. Our schools' visions are obviously very different but the fact that the PL wants another superior academic university doesn't mean W&M aspires to lesser things. If JMU can successfully move to a FBS conference, go for it...that is your best fit and I wish you good fortune.

so why are some of you Tribe fans getting all bent out of shape that JMU wants to move to a conference that is our "best fit"?

cause it sure as hell isn't the new (not improved) CAA.

(08-01-2013 09:34 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)JMU Wrote:  Doesn't WM have an open invitation to the Patriot League? JMU aspires to greater things.

"Greater things" isn't the same as best fit which is what my school aspires to. For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago and moved to 1-AA ~30 years ago. For us, we chose to not stick it to students by jacking up their fees to the level of JMU. Our schools' visions are obviously very different but the fact that the PL wants another superior academic university doesn't mean W&M aspires to lesser things. If JMU can successfully move to a FBS conference, go for it...that is your best fit and I wish you good fortune.

From an "athletic fit" JMU doesn't belong in the CAA anymore. It is time to move. Most of our peers in FCS have done so as well. For JMU not to move then a similar timeline like the one you have mentioned will entrap JMU. Moving up is the best chance to keep from falling behind.

(08-01-2013 09:34 AM)Tribal Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 08:58 AM)JMU Wrote:  Doesn't WM have an open invitation to the Patriot League? JMU aspires to greater things.

"Greater things" isn't the same as best fit which is what my school aspires to. For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago and moved to 1-AA ~30 years ago. For us, we chose to not stick it to students by jacking up their fees to the level of JMU. Our schools' visions are obviously very different but the fact that the PL wants another superior academic university doesn't mean W&M aspires to lesser things. If JMU can successfully move to a FBS conference, go for it...that is your best fit and I wish you good fortune.

You are talking to people on a sports message board here. There are many within JMU who feel the way you do about FBS football and that is probably why JMU has stayed away from any FBS conference talk until recently.

(08-01-2013 09:34 AM)Tribal Wrote:  For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago....

Imagine if you hadn't. You could be Duke today.

(08-01-2013 09:56 AM)bulldogg Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 09:34 AM)Tribal Wrote:  For W&M, best fit used to be FBS but that door started to close when we turned down an ACC invitation ~40 years ago....

Imagine if you hadn't. You could be Duke today.

Nobody is Duke without Coach K.

(08-01-2013 10:15 AM)mistrhanky Wrote:  Nobody is Duke without ESPN.

Fixed it for you...

Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

(08-01-2013 11:41 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

The thing I have not ever understood is, why do people want to be punching bags? I find no great honor in having someone popular and nationally known kick my ass. Nor would I have any interest in kicking someones ass that is far weaker than me. How is that fun for anyone? I would rather play competitive games.

(08-01-2013 01:07 PM)mistrhanky Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 11:41 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

The thing I have not ever understood is, why do people want to be punching bags? I find no great honor in having someone popular and nationally known kick my ass. Nor would I have any interest in kicking someones ass that is far weaker than me. How is that fun for anyone? I would rather play competitive games.

Lot more fun to whip some butt than to get your butt whipped!

(08-01-2013 01:07 PM)mistrhanky Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 11:41 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

The thing I have not ever understood is, why do people want to be punching bags? I find no great honor in having someone popular and nationally known kick my ass. Nor would I have any interest in kicking someones ass that is far weaker than me. How is that fun for anyone? I would rather play competitive games.

They do it for the big paydays and the hope that they can pull off the upset and get all the glory. JMU and App St. have gotten as much if not more pub at the national level for beating VT and Michigan as they have from winning national titles at the I-AA level. Add the extra few hundred thousand $$ they got for playing the game (which the athletics department depends on every year for the revenues) and they'll always be of value to the smaller programs.

I just want to give some mad props for the use of "stadia."

(08-01-2013 01:18 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 01:07 PM)mistrhanky Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 11:41 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

The thing I have not ever understood is, why do people want to be punching bags? I find no great honor in having someone popular and nationally known kick my ass. Nor would I have any interest in kicking someones ass that is far weaker than me. How is that fun for anyone? I would rather play competitive games.

Lot more fun to whip some butt than to get your butt whipped!

Not disagreeing with you, but speaking only for myself, I had more fun watching us play and lose to UMD a few years back than I did going to both St. Francis and the Alcorn St. games put together last year. I was yelling, jumping and screaming that entire game. After the first quarter of SF and AS, I carried a conversation and was nowhere near as into it for the final 3 quarters.

(08-01-2013 03:25 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 01:18 PM)BSKB 24 Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 01:07 PM)mistrhanky Wrote:  

(08-01-2013 11:41 AM)CharlestonDuke Wrote:  Good point, but moving up doesn't preclude us from moving back down if the NCAA as we know it dissolves.

The only way the Big 5 stops playing the minor FBS teams is when going 8-5 is enough to get into playoffs and make a run. Current system, going undefeated is imperative. If fans can stomach losses to schedule big names, then yes, the Big 5 will break away. Until then, they will need punching bags.

The thing I have not ever understood is, why do people want to be punching bags? I find no great honor in having someone popular and nationally known kick my ass. Nor would I have any interest in kicking someones ass that is far weaker than me. How is that fun for anyone? I would rather play competitive games.

Lot more fun to whip some butt than to get your butt whipped!

Not disagreeing with you, but speaking only for myself, I had more fun watching us play and lose to UMD a few years back than I did going to both St. Francis and the Alcorn St. games put together last year. I was yelling, jumping and screaming that entire game. After the first quarter of SF and AS, I carried a conversation and was nowhere near as into it for the final 3 quarters.

Sure, but I pretty much included that in my comment. A non-competitive game is really not much fun regardless of which side you are on. Their is just a lot less stress when you are winning it. I can't say that I found a whole lot enjoyable about the WVU game. The tailgate was fun and all, but the game was a bit of a colonoscopy.