Duke dog gets his own set of facts
Alumnus inspired by recent Chuck Norris phenomenon
By Amanda Wilson, contributing writer
Posted on April 27, 2006

Whether you’ve graduated from JMU or are a current student, there are always ways to plug in and show your Madison pride, no matter how unorthodox the way may be.

Even if some students never got into it, the recent Chuck Norris Internet craze has been making headlines and appearing on T-shirts across the country. Facts, such as “Chuck Norris doesn’t wear a watch, he decides what time it is,” are all over Web sites devoted to the martial arts master.

Now, a JMU alumnus has decided to create his own list of Duke Dog facts, mirroring some of the quotes inspired by the Chuck Norris obsession.

Matthew Tremonte (’05), who now works for Miratek Corporation, recently had the idea to make up similar facts about Duke Dog. For instance, one of Tremonte’s facts reads, “Duke Dog gave Justin Rascati pointers on how to throw a football at the beginning of the 2004 season, and we all know how that story ended.”

Tremonte thinks it would really boost school spirit if students were able to come up with their own Duke Dog facts.

“I think it would be a great way to bring up the school spirit around campus and create a buzz,” Tremonte said.

Tremonte feels publishing Duke Dog facts and allowing students to get excited about their mascot will help boost sometimes-lacking school spirit.

“I feel like this would be something funny to get people talking,” said Tremonte, a big fan of JMU athletics who attended all the home football games this season. Tremonte stressed how important it is to support JMU athletics and keep school spirit levels high even after graduating.
 
Alumni especially should be excited, he said, because their attitude about their alma mater can truly have an impact on prospective students.

Junior Mike Shockey, director of marketing for the Student Duke Club, says that it is encouraging to see die-hard fans come up with ideas that help bolster support for JMU athletics, regardless of their record.

“Next year should be an exciting year for JMU athletics, and any new ideas to help enhance school spirit are awesome,” Shockey said.