There was some comments on this, and since I came across it online, I thought I’d go ahead and post a link to the story:
Jones is 3rd-highest pick in EMU history; Tennessee ends DL’s wait in 2nd round
Congratulations to him, though I still think we ought to drop down a division in football….
Update:
Jim Allen sent me a link to this article in the Tennessean.com, “Lineman’s strength: his arms.”
Just for the record there is a division of football between Division 1-A and Division II, it’s Division 1-AA. That’s were the entire MAC really belongs.
Two things:
1. This great for Jason Jones and EMU. He was drafted by a team that is at least a playoff contender, one that’s maybe two years from being competitive for the Superbowl. Depending on how well he does in training camp, he could be a starter this year.
2. Don’t want to be a bummer here, what with the good news and all, but I’m not so sure there’s even a point of EMU having a football team anymore. Nobody follows the team, and no one shows up at games. They haven’t won a MAC title since probably 1986. Even as a student, I followed U-M more closely than our own school’s team.
Congrats to Jason Jones! The May/June issue of emYOU TheMagazine will have a story called “Going Pro” and will highlight the work of two EMU grads: Jason Jones (NFL, Titans) and Brian Bixler (MLB, Pirates). There are a lot of great athletes coming from EMU, and I think our football and basketball programs are headed in a good direction…maybe not great…but a good direction
I attend every home Men’s bball game, and a handful of away games, and same for football. We have a group of students, and recent alumni that go to EMU home football games, as well as making a couple of road trips during the season. But EMU with no football team would kill me!
Jim Allen:
Sorry to disappoint you, but I know several people who follow the football team! I have not missed a home football game in over 25 years!
Alum
Alum,
Good for you! I must say, while I have only been to two games since I started at EMU I do tend to keep up to date with the team. There are some pre-season reports out there that indicate EMU should have a better team this year, which I hope is true. Last year, there were many games they could have (and should have!) won if it weren’t for stupid mistakes near the end of the game.
Also, I thought it was sad, again, that the Ann Arbor News in all it’s glory, has multiple sections talking about where UofM Drafts went and even the MSU player who was drafted, but not a SINGLE thing about Jones.
Well, I’m not really disappointed because several isn’t quite the same as thousands, right? To be honest, there are so few people that follow the team that this school got caught fudging attendance numbers at games and the alumni association was buying tickets in order to keep Eastern in the MAC (if I remember correctly). Which is why I have to reiterate, nobody really follows the team.
EMU has the disadvantage of being located within a 90-mile radius of three other major football programs/teams (Michigan, Michigan State, and the Detroit Lions), and thus, they receive little to no attention at all in the media. The years that I lived at Eastern, I couldn’t tell you who are main rival was; the school above all else, we have to beat. Michigan has Michigan State. Western has Central. Even that’s kind of wack; you’d think geographically that “Eastern v. Western” would make a far better rivalry than Western v. Central. I could only guess that Toledo was our biggest rival, given its proximity to Ypsilanti, but I didn’t know, and others didn’t either.
Alum, don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to wage some full-fledge campaign to disband the entire program. It’s good that you go to games and all, and if it’s quality entertainment to you then by all means, keep supporting them. But when you lay the facts on the table, the question of whether or not there’s a point in having a team becomes something worth pondering.
Let me say one more thing why I actually take interest in seeing Jones going to the pros, and that’s because of what Mike just talked about. Year after year, those two schools always have some hotshot that gets a lot of media hype. We don’t really get that. It’s sad the Ann Arbor news won’t cover him; he’s got a real shot at not just playing, but establishing himself as an All-Pro defensive end.
90-mile?! Try 10! Not only are within a really easy commute to the University of Michigan’s campus/stadium (in fact, with all the commuters at EMU, I wouldn’t be surprised if more EMU students live closer to U of M stuff than EMU stuff), we are right smack-dab next to one of the major traditions in college football. So while none of the MAC schools have sports fans/followings similar to any Big 10 school, I think our proximity to Ann Arbor means it’s pretty pointless to assume we ever will.
To tell the truth, I don’t understand why they don’t just give tickets away to all of these games. It’s not like EMU makes any money off of these events anyway.
Alum! I heard we’ve got a great squad this year as well. I spoke with two of the leaders of this year’s team, Andy Schmitt and TJ Lang, and both mentioned that this is the 2nd summer in a row that all of the players are staying for training and practice. On top of that, there is just better overall leadership for the team since there are actually more than a couple of seniors. The MAC to me is so wide open, that why its exciting to watch. Any team can win any game….and its especially important to be able to close out games. We’ve got a great quarter back in Andy, a sweet wide receiver and leader in Tyler Jones, and even if the whole world isn’t excited, I AM! And I know quite a few others who are as well!
Well, that’s true, but I say 90-mile because about half the state lives between Flint, Detroit, and Ann Arbor. Two national universities and one NFL team pretty much absorb almost all the media market, leaving Eastern and Wayne State virtually nothing.
But there are small schools and/or programs that do flourish within the realm of major traditions in college football. The annual Army-Navy game is a classic example. Some have argued that Western Michigan and Central Michigan’s rivalry is in fact a bigger in-state rivalry than Michigan and Michigan State.
However, your last point does sound like a good idea. Eastern probably makes more money alone in one game from playing a large school like Michigan State and Michigan than they would from selling tickets for all their home games. But don’t hold me to that, I’m only guessing.
If you dont support the school team, why complain? As a former player, I can attest that plenty of people, aside from the naysayers, love to follow EMU sporting events…win or lose, attending or not attending the events. And as frustrating as it may be, EMU is not far off from mid-performing teams, and that gap closes every year.
I work w/collegues from Miami, OH, Ball State, Ohio, WMU, CMU and each played a non-football sport at Div. 1 competition. I should tell these folks they should drop down a league as well or close up shop. Because I am guessing the OH swim team and Ball State Soccer is not being followed thousands.
Last time I checked, in the past few years we own the best record vs WMU, CMU and that will continue to help us.
Just a thought….here in FL.
Could not agree more. We have enough negative comments from outside MAC people. Look at it as a great payday to keep us afloat!
GO EMU