| 1. |
Commentary: The Raw, Ugly Facts 2009-10-19
HARRISONBURG - It was the perfect metaphor: a raw, ugly offense on a raw, ugly afternoon. James Madison's football team - under the direction of an inexperienced, mistake-prone quarterback - looked so abysmal Saturday that its fans had all but deserted it by the third quarter.
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| 2. |
Bad Break 2009-10-12
HARRISONBURG -It was the football version of the chaos theory. But instead of a butterfly flapping its wings and sending a tornado off course, a quarterback broke his foot and sent a season veering toward irrelevancy.
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| 3. |
JMU's Bad Break 2009-10-11
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| 4. |
Commentary: If U.Va's Smart ... It'll Look Hard At JMU's Matthews 2009-09-30
Drawls fit in quite nicely among the serpentine walls and khaki pants at the University of Virginia. Twangs? That might be another story.
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| 5. |
COMMENTARY-Dudzik or Thorpe? 2009-09-21
HARRISONBURG-With big, open-door eyes, it's hard for Drew Dudzik to hide his feelings.
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| 6. |
Clark Shakes Off Symbols 2009-09-08
BRIDGEWATER - Mike Clark isn't big on symbols. Yes, he ordered his Bridgewater College football team to shake hands with Averett's players before Saturday's season-opener here, but he did so with a sense of irony befitting an English literature major.
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| 7. |
Is Marist Right? 2009-07-27
Last winter, I got a call from a friend covering the Super Bowl. Another reporter, he said, had told him that a high-ranking Marist official had recently remarked, off the record, that the little Hudson Valley school was still itching to file a lawsuit against Matt Brady.
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| 8. |
'Now It Begins' -- Dukes Finally Fighting (Commentary) 2009-02-08
HARRISONBURG - After James Madison beat George Mason in basketball for the first time since Barack Obama's final year as a state legislator - 2004 -- Julius Wells uttered three bold, even audacious, words.
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| 9. |
JMU Dominated Local Sports In ’08 (An Opinion Column) 2008-12-30
HARRISONBURG - In a perfect sports world, every season would be filled with
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| 10. |
Still Amazing (An Opinion Column) 2008-12-13
HARRISONBURG -- As bad as James Madison's football team looked at times Friday against Montana in the Division I-AA semifinals - turnovers by superstars and role players alike, a defense that the Grizzlies simply toyed with much of the night - this was still the most amazing season in Dukes history.
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| 11. |
One More Chance To Salute Landers 2008-12-08
- I'm tapped. Well, not quite. Rodney Landers' favorite movie is
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| 12. |
For Landers, It's All In The Wrists (An Opinion Column) 2008-11-30
HARRISONBURG — Before each football game, Rodney Landers takes a purple marker and writes “757” on white tape. On another piece of tape, he scrawls “take over.” Then, he wraps the two homemade fashion accessories around his wrists.
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| 13. |
To Expand Or Not? (An Opinion Column) 2008-11-25
HARRISONBURG - There's never been a better era for James Madison football. The Dukes have been ranked No. 1 much of the season, they've secured the top seed in the Division I-AA playoffs and they've essentially sold out Bridgeforth Stadium for three straight years.
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| 14. |
Playoffs, Here They Come (An Opinion Column) 2008-11-17
HARRISONBURG - Only the sky - a mad swirl of blue and white and black and gray - provided drama Saturday afternoon at Bridgeforth Stadium. The football game? Pro forma.
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| 15. |
Who's The MVP? (An opinion column) 2008-11-03
HARRISONBURG - It might be stretching it to call Rodney Landers, who looks like he belongs in a Park Avenue boardroom, a NASCAR guy.
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| 16. |
No. 1 And No. 1: Dukes, Obama Both Atop Polls (An Opinion Column) 2008-10-27
HARRISONBURG - Late last week, Mickey Matthews clued his football team into a hush-hush rumor: Barack Obama - likely the next president of the United States - might be coming to town.
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| 17. |
McGee Simply Lethal (An Opinion Column) 2008-10-13
HARRISONBURG - Step back, Gary Clark. You too, Charles Haley. Ditto, Akeem Jordan.
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| 18. |
Landers A Marketing Whiz (An Opinion Column) 2008-10-05
Rodney Landers expects to have two primary options when he leaves James Madison University: 1) play pro football, or 2) get into marketing.
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| 19. |
No. 68 - Matthews JMU's All-Time Winningest 2008-09-29
HARRISONBURG - If Mickey Matthews were picking a place to become James Madison's winningest football coach, I doubt if Maine would be atop his list.
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| 20. |
Style, Grace, Guts -- And An Amazing JMU Victory (an opinion column) 2008-09-21
HARRISONBURG – When a body bubbled to the surface atop the giddy wave of students who swarmed Bridgeforth Stadium after James Madison’s mind-bending victory over No. 1 Appalachian State on Saturday, it belonged to none other than wide receiver Patrick Ward.
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| 21. |
JMU: Run, Run, Run -- Till They Stop You (A column by sports editor Chris Simmons) 2008-09-14
HARRISONBURG – Not long into James Madison’s football game with Massachusetts, quarterback Rodney Landers got a little annoyed with his center, Scott Lemn.
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| 22. |
JMU's Exhibition Season Is Over 2008-09-07
HARRISONBURG -- Too bad North Carolina Central couldn’t have just sent its band -- the “Marching Sound Machine” -- to Harrisonburg on Saturday. With Hanna a no-show, it would have been a pleasant evening for a concert.
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| 23. |
JMU's Schedule Worth The Money 2008-08-25
HARRISONBURG - If there's a Barack Obama and John McCain on James Madison's football schedule - please keep reading - it's Appalachian State and Duke. One is the sexiest team in Division I-AA; the other is one of the least sexy in I-A.
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| 24. |
Owah: Still A Streak (Commentary) 2008-06-12
Alex Owah wears a ring around his neck, a ring that reminds him of his past and - he hopes - of his future.
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| 25. |
Not A ‘Name,' But Not A Bad Hire (Commentary) 2008-03-26
HARRISONBURG - Chuck Driesell got an interview. So did Mike Jarvis. Sexy names? For a mid-major school trying to rebuild a crumbling basketball program, certainly.
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| 26. |
A Big Name? Or Maybe A No-Name (Commentary) 2008-03-17
I asked Lou Campanelli, who was relaxing at his home in the San Francisco Bay area, whether James Madison University needs to hire a big-name coach to overcome the stench of eight straight losing seasons in basketball.
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| 27. |
Another ‘Driesell' (Commentary) 2008-03-01
HARRISONBURG - If you're one of Lefty Driesell's grandsons, you really don't have a choice.
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| 28. |
For Keener, Numbers Didn't Add Up (Commentary) 2008-02-23
HARRISONBURG - This wasn't exactly like the Berlin Wall falling.
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| 29. |
A 'Pest's' View Of JMU 2008-02-18
HARRISONBURG - Heiden Ratner might sound like the name of a German philosopher, but once James Madisons resident pest opens his mouth, you know the kids not from Heidelberg.
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| 30. |
Rip's Advice To Mickey (Commentary) 2008-02-13
HARRISONBURG - It has been 13 years since Rip Scherer bolted James Madison University to become the head football coach at Memphis - and he is still kicking himself for leaving.
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| 31. |
A Tale Of Mickey And Dean (Commentary) 2008-02-11
Suddenly, it's a tale of two coaches. As James Madison University mulls the fate of basketball's Dean Keener, it also might have to begin searching for a new football coach.
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| 32. |
I-A For JMU? (Commentary) 2008-01-28
HARRISONBURG — Three questions: 1) Does James Madison University have a sub-tropical beach in its back yard? 2) Does JMU’s football team play in a palm-fringed, 65,000-seat NFL stadium? 3) Does Madison have 44,000 students on a campus located in the nation’s epicenter for high school recruits?
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| 33. |
A Perfect 10 Dooms Dukes (Commentary) 2008-01-20
HARRISONBURG - There's a popular radio station in New York City called "10-10 Wins." That could have been George Mason's motto Saturday night at the Convocation Center.
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| 34. |
Just Keep This Duke Away From Squirrels (Commentary) 2008-01-16
HARRISONBURG - It's bad enough that people drive on the
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| 35. |
From Franklin High To The Big House (Commentary) 2008-01-09
Everything about Rich Rodriguez is quick. His runners. His no-huddle offense. Even his assistants.
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| 36. |
A Year In Sports (commentary) 2008-01-02
Sports is a personal thing. Each of us picks our favorite teams, favorite players, favorite games. For instance, I love Allen Iverson; lots of people can't stand him.
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| 37. |
Did One Call Alter Madison's Season? 2007-12-13
A few years ago, a professor at Cal-Berkeley did a study suggesting that football coaches would be better off going for it on fourth down - even with the ball in their own territory.
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| 38. |
Matt Miller Seeing 'Different' 2007-12-10
HARRISONBURG - Matt Miller is pretty. As it turns out, he's also smart. And good.
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| 39. |
Credit JMU's Win To The Sack Brigade (Commentary) 2007-11-17
HARRISONBURG -- For big John Baranowsky, the joy of a sack can be reduced to simple logic.
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| 40. |
For Rascati, Dream Lingers 2007-11-09
If you’re a kid stuffing burritos at Taco Bell or selling Slurpees at 7-Eleven or slicing bananas at Dairy Queen, consider this: Compared to Justin Rascati, you’ve got it made – at least financially.
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| 41. |
JMU Missing Firepower (Commentary) 2007-10-27
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| 42. |
BC Could Have Scored A Hundred (Commentary) 2007-10-14
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| 43. |
JMU May Finally Be Ready To Roll (Commentary) 2007-10-07
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| 44. |
Dukes On A Sunny Roll (Commentary) 2007-09-30
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| 45. |
Landers' Legs On Display (Commentary) 2007-09-23
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| 46. |
JMU's Goal: Speed PLUS Brawn On Defense 2007-09-16
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| 47. |
Rodney Landers: JMU's Patrick White 2007-09-09
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| 48. |
Matthews, Keener And Arenas 2007-08-06
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| 49. |
Calmly, Brooks Elevates Dukes 2007-03-14
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| 50. |
Pressure Now Officially On Keener 2007-03-08
So, the long, long, long honeymoon is over. James Madison University officials may still be in love with Dean Keener, but for the first time since they pulled him out of obscurity three seasons ago, they’re sending him a deceptively simple message:
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| 51. |
Carter’s Worlds Collide 2007-01-29
In Terrance Carter’s world, James Madison’s basketball team is an unbeaten powerhouse. Not only that, but the Dukes are ranked No. 1 in the land.
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| 52. |
Stressing Progress At JMU 2007-01-07
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| 53. |
It’s All In The Head 2006-12-16
The timing was unfortunate. After losing to previously winless Dartmouth last weekend, James Madison’s basketball players had to sit courtside, smile and sign autographs – mostly for little kids offering unconditional love, it seemed – as they digested yet another miserable performance.
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| 54. |
A New Convo? Not Now 2006-11-30
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| 55. |
The Face Of JMU's Basketball Future 2006-11-23
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| 56. |
Stars Fading At BC 2006-11-20
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| 57. |
Girls, Food And JMU Football 2006-11-05
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| 58. |
Ringing In Richmond Week 2006-10-22
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| 59. |
Keener Looks Safe Through ’07-08 2006-10-12
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| 60. |
Rascati JMU's Best Ever? 2006-10-08
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| 61. |
Sadly, JMU Made The Right Decision 2006-09-30
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| 62. |
So, Who Had The 63 Scholarships? 2006-09-03
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Chris Simmons
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