That time of year....again

By Stephen Proffitt | The Breeze

The countdown to basketball season is officially underway following Tuesday’s annual Colonial Athletic Association’s media day. This year, unlike the previous 24, the focus was on Baltimore, Md., the new host city for men’s basketball tournament. This season’s tourney will be held March 7-10 at the Baltimore Arena. The women’s tournament will again be held in Upper Marlboro, Md. March 13-16.

JMU’s Matt Brady and Kenny Brooks, coaches of the men and women’s programs, were on hand to field questions on the upcoming season.

The women’s team received high preseason praise as they were chosen to win the CAA. On top of that, senior guard Kirby Burkholder was selected Preseason Player of the Year. Burkholder averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game last season for the Dukes.

“It’s flattering,” Brooks said of the attention. “These are awards voted upon by your peers. It’s nice to be recognized as a really good program, but other than that we’re not interested in being paper champions.”

Sophomore guard Precious Hall was named to the Preseason All-Conference First Team along with Burkholder.

Much of the talk on the JMU women’s side surrounded the return of Nikki Newman, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility after suffering a season-ending injury just nine games into last year.

“I felt like I lost my security blanket last year,” Brooks said of Newman.

Over on the men’s side, coach Brady’s squad was selected to finish seventh out of nine teams.

“It’s all conversation for one day,” Brady said. “This doesn’t impede the process of our progress.”

The team will be led by redshirt senior Andrey Semnov who was granted a sixth year of eligibility, like Newman, after being injured for the majority of last season. Semenov will team up with a four-person sophomore class, who led the Dukes much of last season, and a talented six-player freshmen class.

Sophomore standout, Andre Nation who is suspended for the first 15 games of the season, was named Preseason Second Team All-CAA. He was a member of the All-CAA Rookie last season.

Despite losing five seniors, who accounted for much of the offensive production, Brady sees the bright side of things.

“We have momentum,” he acknowledged.

Both teams open their regular season on Nov. 8 against the University of Virginia — the men’s team on the road and the women’s team at home.

For more in-depth coverage of the Dukes’ preseason, check out The Breeze basketball special section on November 7.

Contact Stephen Proffitt at proffittjs@gmail.com.

Culture of fandom has changed, not for the better (Column)

By Stephen Proffitt | The Breeze

The front page headline-inducing fight following Sunday’s Jets-Patriots game had a 38-year-old male Jets fan, Kurt Paschke, throw a haymaker straight into the jaw of a female Pats supporter. I cannot decide what is more ironic in this situation, the fact that the Jets won, or how the same Jets fan had an anti-bullying post on his Facebook earlier in the week.

What is sports fandom coming to that a week seven NFL game provokes a man to coldcock a woman? Paschke, the bully, previously spent three years in jail after being convicted for the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old inside of a pizza parlor. His mother is defending her son in the fight Sunday calling it self-defense, claiming that the 105-pound girl had thrown three punches at her son (probably 6’3”, 235). He drives around a short school bus that he has converted into the “Jets Mobile.” He thinks he’s a Jets fan. I think he’s a thug.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first incident like this. At the end of September, a Dodgers fan was stabbed to death by two Giants fans outside AT&T Park.

Sports bring out the best and worst of people. Lately, however, they’ve been bringing out the worst. We are in desperate need to re-evaluate what it means to be a sports fan.

Earlier this year, Brian Reese, a junior media arts and design major and close friend, attended JMU’s first-round NCAA tournament game nine hours away in Dayton, Ohio engulfed in purple body paint. Inadvertently, Reese used craft paint — which didn’t wash off easily — and was forced to attend class the following day looking like the Kool-Aid man. He dropped everything and spent hundreds to be with the team he loves. That is true fandom.

So is camping outside Cameron Indoor Stadium days before a coveted Duke basketball game.

And don’t you dare make fun of the Redskins’ Hogettes in Landover. They don’t oink around.

You’re not too cool to be a fan. I don’t care if you’re 20 or 65; it’s not uncool to live in the apparel of your favorite team. My entire wardrobe consists of Red Sox and Phish shirts. They’re my two favorite things in life. Live your fandom like no one is watching. Be proud of your fandom. Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters said it best — “I don’t believe in guilty pleasures.”

This week we embark on the greatest event on the sports calendar all year, the Fall Classic. Fans of the bearded Red Sox and clean-cut Cardinals will leave work early, call in sick, wear fake beards and pay absurd amounts of money to cheer on their team whether it is in Fenway or at Busch Stadium. This is what we live for. Whatever team you pull for, live it; eat up every angle that you can because you never know when it may be gone. Success is not always guaranteed. Between 1919 and 2003, the Red Sox won zero World Series titles. You just never know. That’s what makes sports the realest thing in the world.

As you read this I will be in Boston frantically awaiting Fenway staff to open the gates for Game 2 of the World Series. I cashed out every penny I own to attend this game with my sister. I never second-guessed the decision because I have a lifelong, emotional connection to this team. It just feels right. Hundreds of dollars vanished from my checking account with two clicks of a mouse. It’s just a figure; it’ll come back, I’m sure of that. But will the Red Sox ever make it back to the World Series? That I can’t be sure of.

Live in the moment. Step out of the closet and be profound.

Whether it’s Dayton or Boston you’re bound for, as a sports fan you are called to do something crazy like this. There’s no need to punch a girl, stab someone or even get drunk to be a kid in a candy store throughout this series.

Look for me tonight among the many bearded Boston fanatics, section 37, row 20 in dead center. Don’t worry, I’ll stick out. Go Sox!

Stephen Proffitt is a junior media arts and design major. Contact Stephen at proffittjs@gmail.com.

Jordan vs. LeBron

By Stephen Proffitt | The Breeze

It’s America’s pastime. No, I’m not referencing yesterday’s coveted start to the Major League Baseball season. I’m talking about the ever-growing debate over who’s mightier: Michael Jordan or LeBron James. It’s becoming a topic that could decide who your father-in-law may or may not be.

No matter what side you stand on, both of these players will go down as two of the most iconic players to ever step on an NBA hardwood. James is coming off leading the Heat to a commanding 27-game win streak. Even the greatest team in NBA history, the 1995-96 Bulls led by Jordan couldn’t put together more than an 18-game winning streak during their historic 72-win championship season.

So now I’m going to throw you a 12-6 curveball and tell you why James will never reach the same level as Jordan — Jordan’s brief baseball career easily makes him the best basketball player ever.

I could’ve gone the usual route of six championship rings (Jordan) to one (James), but that would be ignorant, plus I like opting for the hipster highway. Since we can look back on Jordan’s career in its entirety, trying to compare it with James’ mere 10 years in the league (yes, it’s been that long) would be like comparing the still-new Washington Nationals to the legendary Yankees. It’s just not fair. James will win more rings, maybe not six, but definitely more than one; his next could come as early as this June.

In honor of a new season filled with pine tar and chewing tobacco, Jordan is light years better than King James for what he did on the diamond, not the hardwood. I’m as crazy as Dennis Rodman, right?

On Oct. 6, 1993, Jordan retired from basketball after nine seasons in the association. His reasoning was equivalent to Lil Wayne’s departure from music (thank God) to a newfound skating endeavor. It just didn’t make any sense, especially as the Bulls were entering the 1994 season as back-to-back-to-back NBA champions.

In the spring of ’94, Jordan took his talents to the Birmingham Barons, the Double-A affiliate to the Chicago White Sox. He went f

rom a jet-filled luxury lifestyle to taking charter buses through the back roads of Alabama.

While his numbers wouldn’t arouse Buster Olney, his journey into the unknown was commendable. Jordan finished at .202/.289/.266 in the three main batting categories (batting average, on-base and slugging percentage).

With his presence he brought a little slice of Hollywood to a colorless minor league baseball team.

It’s simply the concept here. He withdrew from basketball, his way of living, to pursue a childhood passion, and he wasn’t too terrible at it. No one does that. Do you think James could hang with the Richmond Flying Squirrels? I don’t.

Jordan then threw in his glove after one season and returned to the United Center, embracing his Bulls teammates once again at the end of the ’95 season. 1994’s MLB strike is said to have influenced his return to basketball. Many say that without it, he would’ve continued his journey to the big leagues.

While no one can be certain where Jordan’s baseball ceiling would’ve been, it’s fun to speculate.

In his first full season back (’95-’96) Jordan won MVP honors and led the Bulls to another Finals victory. They repeated again in ’97 and ’98.

The philosophy is simple: Jordan wins three MVP’s and three straight championships, quits basketball for an entire year to play baseball, returns and again brings three straight championships and two MVP’s to the city of Chicago.

If James is as good as Jordan, he’ll win the championship this year and next, then become a tight end for an arena football league team. After briefly getting his feet wet on the gridiron, he’ll need to return to South Beach and win another three straight Finals rings.

Well, that would be about as probable as the Houston Astros winning the World Series this year.

Stephen Proffitt is a sophomore media arts and design major. Contact Stephen at proffijs@dukes.jmu.edu.

Catching Up With Brady

By Stephen Proffitt | The Breeze


JMU may not have upset Indiana, but Tuesday, they were able to close out the 2012-2013 campaign with a “significant” win with another on the horizon. Redshirt senior Andrey Semenov will return for a sixth season after receiving clearance from the NCAA.

Head coach Matt Brady hopes that Semenov can remain healthy and take advantage of his additional year.

“I think it’s significant,” coach Matt Brady said Wednesday afternoon. “The challenge with Andrey is to find a way to keep him healthy.”

Semenov only played in seven games this season for JMU. The Dukes were 5-2 in those games. He missed much of the early part of the season, battling a groin injury, but was able to rejoin the team in December.

As the calendar turned, so did Semenov’s ankle as he injured it against Old Dominion on January 2 — he missed the rest of the season.

“We’re still not there yet, he’s still under the care of the doctor’s with respect to his ankle,” Brady said. “If we can keep him healthy for a year, he’s obviously talented guy with a great skill at putting the ball in the basket.”

Semenov will be the only senior starter on the team next season. It’s a big victory for a lineup that will feature four sophomores.

“I would be eager to watch him take a leadership role with next year’s team,” Brady said. “He’s been in a lot of games.”

Semenov’s scoring ability, especially from the perimeter, along with his experience will be welcomed with open arms. In his seven games this season, Semenov averaged 10 points per game while shooting 46 percent from deep.

“I think he takes the scoring pressure off a very young nucleus of guys,” Brady said. “Not that Andrey Semenov’s got to be a double-digit scorer consistently, because I think we have a talented roster of guys that can all score, having a guy that can clearly put the ball in the basket is helpful.”

Semenov’s clearance is probably not the only paperwork that the JMU basketball office will be completing in the coming weeks. Brady, who was just recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as the Co-Coach of the Year for District 10, will likely be signing a new, multi-year contract in the coming weeks. His five-year contract expires on April 24.

“We still have a ways to go,” Brady said. “We still have some more conversations to have.”

He’s in a good spot to lobby for a new deal after recently completing his third 20-plus win season in five years. This coupled with three postseason appearances makes Brady a hot commodity. The negotiations are moving along at a steady pace though according to Brady.

As schools continue to leave their conferences, Brady is trying to prevent the complete loss of a great rivalry with George Mason, who recently announced their departure from the Colonial Athletic Association.


“First thing’s first, we are in contact with them to keep the rivalry in tact by having the game every year,” Brady said.

The game, if scheduled, would likely happen in the early, non-conference months of the season: November or December.

“It’s unfortunate that college athletics is changing so rapidly, but it’s a fact of life,” Brady said. “Change is inevitable at the college affiliation level.”

JMU has recently been tossed around in conversations involving the Sun Belt and Mid-American conferences over the past few weeks, but a jump would not be wise, at least right now, according to Brady.

“There’s going to be fallout in league’s around us,” Brady said. “And there’s going to be opportunities. It’s kind of like investing, you think that the stock market’s dropping, you got to get out.”

With Mason out and the College of Charleston in, the CAA basketball roster will include nine schools heading into next season.

“I think it’s paramount that the CAA figures out a way to keep our league as strong as it ever was under the leadership of [commissioner] Tom Yeager,” Brady said. “I think they are hard at work keeping our league not just in tact, but growing.”

JMU has been a part of the CAA since 1979. As Brady will seemingly enter his sixth year in Harrisonburg, he remains confident on where the school stands.

“There’s great potential in the CAA,” he claimed. “I think it’s too early to turn our back on this league.”

Contact Stephen Proffitt at proffijs@dukes.jmu.edu.

Baseball Drops Three Touchdowns

By Stephen Proffitt | The Breeze


JMU seemed to taking batting practice during the middle of a game Wednesday afternoon as the Dukes obliterated the Liberty Flames, 21-4.

“We’re not as good as that score and they’re not as bad as that score,” said head coach Spanky McFarland. “It’s just one of those things. It kind of got ugly.”

The bats started early and no one could save Liberty pitchers. It was an ideal baseball game for JMU as both bats and arms were on point.

Freshman Michael Church got the nod to start on Wednesday for JMU. It was his fourth start and eighth appearance on the year. Church went three and two-thirds innings, giving up no runs on three hits.

Due to NCAA rules, if a team declares that a game will be a staff day (using a lot of players throughout a game), a starting pitcher may earn the victory without throwing the traditional standard of five innings. Under these rules, Church was credited with the win, his third. A quartet of bullpen relief prevented much of any Liberty damage.

“I hadn’t pitched in a week and I brought my ‘A’ game, basically,” Church said. “My curveball was looking good, and it worked out for me.”

Sophomore Chad Carroll, who has found his new home in left field, has been on his own self-promoted hit parade this season. Against Liberty, Carroll started off with a homer and then followed that up with a base on balls, single and a triple. He finished a double shy of the coveted cycle.

“[I was] just seeing it pretty well. I felt good,” Carroll said. “Just consistent work in the cage and at practice has really paid off.”

Carroll finished the day three for five, with five RBIs and five runs scored. Both are also career highs.

The former JMU shortstop is batting a team high .431 after Wednesday and leads the nation with six triples.

“I feel comfortable out there,” he said. “Whatever helps the team do well, I’m all for it.”

A plethora of JMU batting categories rank nationally in the weekly NCAA statistics release. As of Monday, batting average (.323), scoring (8.4/game), runs (205), triples (17), slugging percentage (.470) and on-base percentage (.412) all rank in the top 11 in the nation.

Fourteen batters stepped to the plate for JMU Wednesday, and 12 reached base in some manor. The Dukes’ offensive explosion was out of control. JMU compiled its 21 runs on 19 hits. Both numbers were season-highs for the Dukes.

“Rather than ease up, we just get other kids to play so they can still play hard,” McFarland said of the large lead.

Liberty sent a total of 11 pitchers to the mound on Wednesday. Prior to Liberty, JMU hadn’t faced more than six pitchers.

“With young pitchers, you never know what you’re going to get,” McFarland said. “All mid-week games are adjustment days.”

Three hitting streaks were extended Wednesday. Carroll and seniors Johnny Bladel and Cole McInturff added to their double-digit totals — 11, 13 and 15 games, respectively.

The Dukes (13-9, 6-2 CAA) are on a roll as of late. JMU will ship up to Boston this weekend for a three-game conference series with Northeastern. The Huskies (12-11, 2-7 CAA) have yet to win a conference series this season.

“It was a good game. It was a fun game,” McFarland said. “A lot of guys got in and got hits, but don’t read too much into it. It’s just a game that got out of hand, but I’d rather it get out of hand for us.”

Contact Stephen Proffitt at proffijs@dukes.jmu.edu.

Knee Slapper

Check it out

Be on the lookout for a column on anger management in basketball tonight

Do the 'Conference Shake'---What GMU move means for JMU Hoops

Tony Skinn's sister?

   Ain't that a bitch. Sorry for the language, mom. George Mason is doing what the devil never did, but what everyone else seems to be doing, leaving. In particular, leaving the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association). The Patriots will join the Atlantic-10 on July 1, 2013, effective for all sports. They are not eligible to participate in post season play this spring.

  So we are left with nine, not the most logistical number. James Madison, Northeastern, Hofstra, Delaware, William & Mary, Towson, Drexel, UNCW, ands soon to be newcomer, College of Charleston (SOCON). In case you need a refresher, Old Dominion (C-USA) and Georgia State (Sun Belt) are also withdrawing from the conference following the completion of this academic year. Before yesterday, it looked as if basketball would be setup quite nicely next season with an even 10 team shootout with all roads leaving to **Baltimore. Now, we're left scratching our heads once again. 'Ain't nobody got time for dat.'

This was most likely taken during a GMU game...just sayin'

 
   The move does affect JMU, especially hoops. Arguably JMU's largest rivalry in many sports, minus baseball (Spanky says UNCW) is on their way out. Matt Brady (who will most likely receive an extension) may be thanking the basketbal gods once as he never could find the right formula to beat Mason. He's 1-10 against GMU in his tenure at JMU. There is another side to this, however.

   Despite the trouble, a Mason-Madison game was always a hype. It brought even the most apathetic people out to the Convo. I would argue it's really the only time when there is a campus buzz about the game, multiple days in advance. Well, there was that game when I'm Schmacked came and suddenly everyone cared about a JMU-Hofstra game? Please don't get me started on those guys. Let's get back on track.

   The usually televised game would always feature in my opinion the CAA's best rivalry between the two, Mason/Madison. Old school VCU/ODU could land on the top too. Barring non-conference match ups (which I hope happen), this legendary CAA rivalry will truly be missed. While Brady has been less than stellar against the Fairfax foes, he can say that he did beat them at least once. It's something Dean Keener can't do. Keener never beat GMU in his four seasons at JMU. It should be noted if you're unfamiliar with those times that Keener only brought 31 total wins to the program during his four seasons. This is compared to the 85 losses he wrote in their history books. Keener was playing the golf style of basketball, fore! So to do the math for you, Mason has beaten JMU in the last 19 of 20 meetings. And despite all of this, JMU still leads the all time series, 46-44.
 
   In what use to be a mecca for the CAA, Virginia has steadily fallen off the map in terms of membership. First it was the University of Richmond who said goodbye in 2001 after a 22 year relationship with the conference that stemmed all the way back to their founding year in 1979. Then last year VCU took their talents to the A-10 after a 17 year stint in the CAA. Without football and basketball team growing faster than Bonds' head on steroids coming from within the Siegel Center, it made all logical sense for the Rams to move on up to the big leagues. Then it was ODU who said deuces. The Monarch's move was definitely made with football in mind. The Patriots and Rams moves are nearly identical.


   Here is the statement from JMU on the move:

JMU President Jonathan Alger and Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne comment on the departure of George Mason University to the Atlantic 10 Conference beginning July 1, 2013

In speaking for the institution and many of our fans, we are extremely disappointed in this decision, as GMU, a founding member of the CAA, represents the key characteristics by which we judge our own conference affiliation.

This news comes at a time when instability and movement within conference membership continues across the country. The immediate strategy by the conference involves the CAA continuing to look at potential new members, a process that began earlier this year with the addition of the College of Charleston.

From our internal athletics perspective, we are actively engaged in a strategic planning process as a component of the University’s Madison Future Commission. In pursuing this plan, we are working with Carr Sports Consulting to assist us in establishing a comprehensive strategic plan that addresses all of our programs and long-term actions. While this process is set to conclude this summer, our planning is fluid and will help position and prepare us for important long-term decisions that are in the best interest of our student-athletes, coaches and the institution.

We look forward to working with our many constituents, both on campus, and around the country, in developing and sharing a strategic plan which positions our institution for long-term success.

Jonathan Alger                                                        Jeff Bourne
President                                                                Director of Athletics

"I swear the CAA will have at least four teams next year"

   
   My immediate reaction to this is they are trying to leave in some manor.

   The Dukes have a few choices to make in terms of this shuffle. I have been saying this for a while, but any movement by the school will be made with football on the front burner. In my opinion, it's sad to say it, but I think it's true. Appalachian State and Georgia Southern joining the Sun Belt do not help this cause either as they are FCS football powerhouses.

   So there have been a few options that I have heard being tossed around. The first is (was) talk of a possible completely new conference in the works that would feature many independent football schools and maybe some other programs that would leave their respected conferences too (Marshall was a name thrown around). Another far fetched one would be a membership in C-USA, like ODU. I think this would be JMU's best move with all sports in mind. However I think if there was any chance, it may be out the door now. Next, there has been mention of the MAC (Mid-Atlantic Conference). I want you to name me five MAC schools without cheating. Most of you can't. Akron is a MAC team and they got worked by VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament last week. The margin of victory, 46. This isn't me trying to say the MAC sucks, it's me putting a team into perspective for readers.

   While stability nowadays is crucial, so is exposure, and I don't think the MAC offers much especially hoops wise. JMU has sat back and seen teams in the CAA get bypassed (cough cough Drexel 2012) in March because of their mid-major conference. The CAA is a better basketball league than the MAC. Making a move to the MAC would put a blossoming hoops program back under the dust of mid-major life. If you move to the a different conference, you immediately become that team that won the CAA, but is buried somewhere in a new, unfamiliar, and not well respected league. Why do it?

   Finally, there is the move I would suggest. Nothing. Yes, don't do anything. I will not deny that the CAA is down and just got kicked in the groin by GMU while attempting to recover from VCU/ODU/GSU, but there is hope. I'm not getting paid by Tom Yeager to advocate this, but I see a light at the end of this gloomy tunnel. I'm saying that JMU should just stick this one out and have confidence in the CAA to find them new partners. College of Charleston is a good addition. The Cougars finished 24-11 this season, 14-4 in SOCON. They got a College Basketball Invitational (CBI) invite and lost on a last second tip to....yep, George Mason. The SOCON is a conference that produced the likes of stealth sniper, Stephen Curry, who is currently a member of the Golden State Warriors. Curry attended Davidson, who turned down an invitation to join the CAA last year.

   The immediate reaction is to kick the CAA to the curb, but what if JMU had done that last year when VCU/ODU/GSU announced their withdrawals? What if the Dukes had followed suit? There definitely would have been to Student Duke Club buses going to Dayton last week. This is my way of saying JMU would not have been dancing. They were able to use this opening to their advantage. JMU took a seven-team tournament and played it in their favor, like they should have. They finally caught a break after years of adversity. Next year it looks as if the tournament format will be similar, just with two more squads barring anymore APR issues. Get hot at the right moment, 350 or so days from now and JMU may be dancing for the second straight year.

   The whole point of this column is with basketball in mind. You could probably make a different argument for all 18 Division I JMU teams on what to do. I'm confident Yeager will find replacements and make the conference respectable again. When your team is going to be led by underclassmen, why shake things up, especially after success? Andre Nation, Ron Curry, Charles Cooke, Taylor Bessick have all seen these CAA squads once already. No one in the CAA or NCAA in whole loses as many seniors as JMU did. So these young players will see many familiar faces again next season. The Dukes may not be the preseason favorites in the conference, but I could see the team making a big impact next season. It may seem broken now, but don't attempt to fix it yourself, JMU.

   I'd like some input on this one. Yell at me on twitter @jstheproffitt - comment on the post- OR if you want to blatantly curse me out and not have it public, do it on email, proffittjs@gmail.com