Interesting presser today from Brady, but one of the things he pointed out was that Radford just won at VA Tech. People dismissed them as being a good team. He also mentioned that Longwood will be very tough next season with some key guys sitting out. Also, some interesting stuff on his evaluation of his team and how guys that are doing well at other schools as starters had written JMU off as a place to go because of Brady's contract status. He didn't whine about it, but it's all as we had surmised.

That lame-duck year with 6 scholarships to fill really set JMU back 1-2 years.

(12-08-2014 01:11 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Interesting presser today from Brady, but one of the things he pointed out was that Radford just won at VA Tech. People dismissed them as being a good team. He also mentioned that Longwood will be very tough next season with some key guys sitting out. Also, some interesting stuff on his evaluation of his team and how guys that are doing well at other schools as starters had written JMU off as a place to go because of Brady's contract status. He didn't whine about it, but it's all as we had surmised.

The above comments are exactly why I don't understand people's complaints about our schedule so far.

We've played 3 in-state OOC games at home so far this year. Its impossible to get ODU, VCU, Mason, UVA, VT, etc on our schedule every year when none of them are in our conference.

Our home OOC schedule is as good as any mid-major program right now if not better.

College athletics has changed greatly since the late 80's/early 90's and JMU hasn't done itself any favors by having a less than mediocre product on the floor the last 2 decades. But right now we're winning games, and could potentially be 11-2/10-3 going into conference play.

We've all seen things start off great in the past and crash and burn late in the season so I understand some people being cautiously optimistic. But Brady and our guys have done everything right up until this point in the season so lets enjoy it and cheer on the Dukes!

I think Radford beating VT has more to do with VT not being that good than Radford being particuarly impressive. Radford might be the best in the Big South though.

Didn't vt just pick up that coach from Marquette? Seems like a good hire

The Radford win looks better now. Radford is 5-3 & High Point is 6-2 both with better records than VT when major conferences tend to rack up wins in bunches this time of year.

These are all out of conference games and you schedule who you can get ---- four of the firts 8 games were in-state opponents at home. People gripe about the schedule all the time. Last year it was we did not play enough home games. Now this year it is JMU is playing too many home games and not against the all the in-state schools we want them to play. JMU/Matt Brady can try to schedule them all day long, if they don't want to play as well it ain't happening. And truth be told they would probably prefer not to play us at this point.

I said it in either the Radford or the Longwood thread. Radford passed the eye test for me. They have good athletes at all five positions, have decent depth and will contend for the Big South title this year.

Tech may not be the second coming but Radford was a good win, especially without two of our top 6 or 7 guys.

Say what you want about Tech, but their new coach, Buzz Williams, is highly regarded, rightfully so. Their current freshman class, and I just looked it up, has three four-star recruits and one three star. I didn't evaluate the rest of their roster, but that's a very good freshman class and their incoming class next year also looks quite good (has no impact on current roster, of course, but shows the quality of their program under Williams. Not easy to beat an ACC opponent on their floor.

(12-08-2014 01:44 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Say what you want about Tech, but their new coach, Buzz Williams, is highly regarded, rightfully so. Their current freshman class, and I just looked it up, has three four-star recruits and one three star. I didn't evaluate the rest of their roster, but that's a very good freshman class and their incoming class next year also looks quite good (has no impact on current roster, of course, but shows the quality of their program under Williams. Not easy to beat an ACC opponent on their floor.

I watched most of the second half. Tech wasn't punch-less and played pretty well. Radford flat out beat them.

Dalembert is having a huge season so far, considering how far he has come since the start of last year I'd be pretty excited about him. Not only is he a solid defender his offensive skills are coming together quickly. Seems like he could easily be an all conference performer come Sr year, which is universe away from where he started.

Jackson Kent also has had a nice start to the season.

It obviously was killer to have a lame duck season when you used 6 schollies but at least a couple of guys will be be ok. Vodonovich and Satkus seem like they'll at least be rotation/glue type guys on a decent CAA team.

(12-08-2014 01:27 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  Didn't vt just pick up that coach from Marquette? Seems like a good hire

Haha, either this is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek post or an accurate post that I just found really funny.

(12-08-2014 02:07 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 01:27 PM)Centdukesfan Wrote:  Didn't vt just pick up that coach from Marquette? Seems like a good hire

Haha, either this is a hilarious tongue-in-cheek post or an accurate post that I just found really funny.

Buzz will do well at VT. It might take a season or two, but he'll do well. Same thing with Pearl at Auburn.

(12-08-2014 02:03 PM)UofRfan Wrote:  Dalembert is having a huge season so far, considering how far he has come since the start of last year I'd be pretty excited about him. Not only is he a solid defender his offensive skills are coming together quickly. Seems like he could easily be an all conference performer come Sr year, which is universe away from where he started.

Jackson Kent also has had a nice start to the season.

It obviously was killer to have a lame duck season when you used 6 schollies but at least a couple of guys will be be ok. Vodonovich and Satkus seem like they'll at least be rotation/glue type guys on a decent CAA team.

UofRfan, What is your connection to JMU that make you so interested in their sports? You seem to have a lot to add, have a genuine interest in its programs and sometimes I forget that you are a spider (you don't act like the other spatters). Just curious.

(12-08-2014 03:13 PM)JMU Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 02:03 PM)UofRfan Wrote:  Dalembert is having a huge season so far, considering how far he has come since the start of last year I'd be pretty excited about him. Not only is he a solid defender his offensive skills are coming together quickly. Seems like he could easily be an all conference performer come Sr year, which is universe away from where he started.

Jackson Kent also has had a nice start to the season.

It obviously was killer to have a lame duck season when you used 6 schollies but at least a couple of guys will be be ok. Vodonovich and Satkus seem like they'll at least be rotation/glue type guys on a decent CAA team.

UofRfan, What is your connection to JMU that make you so interested in their sports? You seem to have a lot to add, have a genuine interest in its programs and sometimes I forget that you are a spider (you don't act like the other spatters). Just curious.

I believe his parents teach at JMU and have for quite a while, unless I'm confusing him with someone else.

(12-08-2014 01:21 PM)DolleyMadison Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 01:11 PM)Dukes84 Wrote:  Interesting presser today from Brady, but one of the things he pointed out was that Radford just won at VA Tech. People dismissed them as being a good team. He also mentioned that Longwood will be very tough next season with some key guys sitting out. Also, some interesting stuff on his evaluation of his team and how guys that are doing well at other schools as starters had written JMU off as a place to go because of Brady's contract status. He didn't whine about it, but it's all as we had surmised.

The above comments are exactly why I don't understand people's complaints about our schedule so far.

We've played 3 in-state OOC games at home so far this year. Its impossible to get ODU, VCU, Mason, UVA, VT, etc on our schedule every year when none of them are in our conference.

Our home OOC schedule is as good as any mid-major program right now if not better.

College athletics has changed greatly since the late 80's/early 90's and JMU hasn't done itself any favors by having a less than mediocre product on the floor the last 2 decades. But right now we're winning games, and could potentially be 11-2/10-3 going into conference play.

We've all seen things start off great in the past and crash and burn late in the season so I understand some people being cautiously optimistic. But Brady and our guys have done everything right up until this point in the season so lets enjoy it and cheer on the Dukes!

I am convinced that you have not tried to understand our point of view about the weak schedule. Many of us feel very strongly that we are playing a padded schedule. The lack of attendance supports our claim.

Radford's win at Tech is an extraordinary. This is Radford's first win against an ACC program in over 20 attempts. Last year Tech blew out Radford by 25 points. This year, Radford may be better than their average but Tech is certainly not very good this season. Historical standards have Tech a far better program than Radford. At the end of the season, I doubt that the Radford win will mean very much in terms of a quality win.

I am as happy as anyone that we have won our games. However, that does not change our opinion and many of us feel that we need to be scheduling more teams from mid major conferences, MAC, CUSA, A-10. Schools with name recognition will draw more attendance and help finances.

You would have a better luck getting a Baptist preacher to cuss than to convince us that we are playing a top scale schedule. Let us agree to let this subject rest until the end of the season; by then all of the ratings tend to come together in agreement.

(12-08-2014 05:50 PM)Top Dawg Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 03:13 PM)JMU Wrote:  

(12-08-2014 02:03 PM)UofRfan Wrote:  Dalembert is having a huge season so far, considering how far he has come since the start of last year I'd be pretty excited about him. Not only is he a solid defender his offensive skills are coming together quickly. Seems like he could easily be an all conference performer come Sr year, which is universe away from where he started.

Jackson Kent also has had a nice start to the season.

It obviously was killer to have a lame duck season when you used 6 schollies but at least a couple of guys will be be ok. Vodonovich and Satkus seem like they'll at least be rotation/glue type guys on a decent CAA team.

UofRfan, What is your connection to JMU that make you so interested in their sports? You seem to have a lot to add, have a genuine interest in its programs and sometimes I forget that you are a spider (you don't act like the other spatters). Just curious.

I believe his parents teach at JMU and have for quite a while, unless I'm confusing him with someone else.

You are not confusing him with someone else.

My favorite takeaway from the presser...

@NSunderland4
Lastly, Brady said he's told athletic department administrators that he'd like to see students seated closer to the floor at JMU home games.


...ya think? It is about friggin time someone with a real voice speaks up and says this. Hopefully the "athletic department administrators" get on this NOW.

Grew up in the Burg going to JMU games/CAA Tournaments back when Lefty was around and parents have been teaching at JMU for approx 25 years. I have multiple friends who graduated from JMU. I follow the program closely even if not an alum.

And yes students should be closer to the court. Back when Richmond got beat on the Mickey Dennis shot, the students were an arms length from the court and made a real difference. Yes some students are going to take advantage of the situation and be inappropriate, you handle the bad apples accordingly. You don't ruin the whole experience and home court advantage to avoid a few confontations.

(12-08-2014 09:56 PM)JMU_Degenerate Wrote:  My favorite takeaway from the presser...

@NSunderland4
Lastly, Brady said he's told athletic department administrators that he'd like to see students seated closer to the floor at JMU home games.


...ya think? It is about friggin time someone with a real voice speaks up and says this. Hopefully the "athletic department administrators" get on this NOW.

Time to bring back the bleachers!