(10-08-2017 07:42 AM)JMUNation Wrote:  My understanding of the rule is that intent does not factor in the decision. If the defensive player leads with his helmet and makes contact with an offensive players helmut, it is targeting. They have to get their head up or hit with the shoulder pad.

Actually most targeting hits are not intentional, which makes the penalty even more difficult to take, especially with the next game suspension time.

(10-08-2017 08:10 AM)jmuroadwarrior Wrote:  So the wife and I were at the Richmond game. We bought the tickets off their website, which showed less than 100 tickets available for the game. The $35 tickets were $25. When we got there we found our way up to Row O in section 216. All the rows below us had "reserved for students" signs tape on them and were empty. All of 217 also was reserved for students and maybe was 25% full. All sections of the remaining parts of the stadium had people in them with lots of empty seats throughout. Hard to say how many butts in seats, perhaps 5000 or 6000? Of course the box score showed 8217, a sell out. Actually I can predict that every game at Richmond will be recorded as a sell out 8217. The crowd that was there was quiet until overtime. Microphones allowed the stadium sound system to amplify the very nice Varina HS band of 60 members into many bands at each speaker. Those speakers blasted a siren, that sounded like Da Nang in the 60's during a rocket attack, at maximum decibels and lasted way after the Albany offense had started their snap count. Throw in some super amped rock music and all that fake noise had me regretting leaving the ear plugs at home, and missing the Bridgeforth stomper and real crowd noise. The only saving grace was that they did play some Tom Petty on occasion.

We tailgated in the same parking lot as we were in for JMU's last game there when it was FULL of tailgaters. We had our tailgate for a party of two. We had our own little private event. Next time I will bring the blanket and think orgy. NO body was there. Occasionally some students would go to their cars to drive off campus. Game? What game?

I wore an Albany shirt and a JMU hat. Nobody noticed. I did find some Albany folks generally related to the team. With 25 or so Maryland, DC, NoVa players on their roster, Albany had a fair showing.

The game itself had Albany win all the statistical battles, time of possession was way in Albany's favor. The one stat that hurt was the early missed FG and as it goes, that was the difference in the game. Albany really missed having its stud RB and the back-up who was limited due to prior injury. Richmond hit 2 big long yardage pass plays where the Albany defender was not fully committed to coverage for the entire deep route, or deflected the pass into the Richmond receivers hands. (How many times over the years have I seen that Richmond deflection pass TD play? Ugh!). In OT Albany again missed a FG. Albany's specialty is heartbreaking OT losses to the Ticks.

I monitored the other games and gave up on Maine after their 4th turnover, (they ended up with 6).

The best part of the day was eating lunch at the Hogshead Café! AND getting through the Bye week!

I wanted to add that I did see some OLD folks there. I mean, like 90. Some were with the canes and walkers, some not, one with an oxygen tank. I was thinking: "good for them, I hope I can still get to a game if I make it to that age and if I still know what a game is." They were the friendliest of the bunch, I guess that comes with age, perhaps.