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What’s Still Great About Sports
A contemporary sports fan with a brain surveys the pro and college sports landscapes and is forced to consider, “is this really worth my time, money, and energy?”
Astronomical salaries, lunatic agents, endless analysis, coaches who think they’re Patton, and fans who feel every blown call is a grounds for an appeal to the Supreme Court — it all takes its toll.
And then there is the Army-Navy game.
This weekend, Philadelphia welcomes the two service academies for their 85th consecutive meeting (116th overall). In the stands you will not find a more congenial, good-natured group of fans anywhere in the country. On the field you will find patriotism, respect, fair play, and hard tackles.
The game this year pits the shockingly good Navy Midshipmen (9-2) against the Army Black Knights (2-9) who, unfortunately, are still struggling. No matter. These two squads will go at it tooth and nail. The players care deeply, and will give 100 percent on every play, every minute, and every hit. When the final whistle blows, they will shake hands, jog to each other’s sideline, and sing the school anthem.
And then they will get on with their lives, either as officers in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army, or back to class in one of the most rigorous academic environments in the country.
As a fan, who can’t but admire the passion, the commitment, and the purity of the endeavor? Who can’t but be glad that this game goes on and still holds sway over our country? Critics may dismiss the game as not the highest quality football. They could not be more wrong.
Published in Military, Sports
There is no “minimum of service.” There is fulfilling one’s obligation. If an academy grad does that, he has served honorably, completely, and with no hint of corruption.
Should a grad go on to serve further, good for him. Otherwise, that grad has served honorably and should be lauded for his service.
Plus, what’n hell is wrong with ROTC? Does the commissioning source cheapen the service?
As an aviator friend, who had gone the AOCS route, once said:
USNA: 14 weeks of training crammed into 4 years . .
Wull, yeah. On the Navy side…
“I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission. I want a West Point football player”
General of the Army George C. Marshall Chief of Staff during World War II
Interesting discussion on whether the Academies should be fielding competitive D-1 teams but I think if Gen. Marshall were still around he’d advocate for the academies to continue to do so.
That’s mere surmise, sir. (say that 3 times fast).
I would surmise, differently, that Marshall would not want men for his missions that had been chosen for the academy mostly because they could play football. Division 2 or 3 players are just as dedicated and brave, but are likely possessed of all the non-football attributes that Marshall wants along with the ones demonstrated by the sacrifices demanded by football.
Because his dumb ass will sign up for it, even knowing I’m trying to get him killed.
As for brave, you are surely right. That is a trait that is definitely not exclusive to a division 1 football player. As for dedicated, I am not sure it even compares. While I have no doubt a division 2 or 3 team spends time honing their football skills I would be willing to bet it doesn’t even compare to the time a division 1 team does.
And whether they went to the academy to play football or went to be a part of the military is irrelevant. Regardless the initial motivation, just about all cadets/middies are commissioned as officers to support and defend the constitution. They have all been trained to a high degree and have all been deemed capable of doing the job of a junior officer. The differences are in the margins and I would argue someone who went through all of the same tough academy experience plus a division 1 football experience has shown more resiliency than one who did not play football. This is what I think Marshall was looking for in his missions.
(continued) And going back to the motivation for going to an academy, what does it matter? I know one individual who went to play football and ultimately stayed for 20 years. He was on track to become a General officer (made it to O-6) but elected to spend more time with his kids instead. He did not start out planning on staying but through the West Point experience he grew to love the Army and committed himself to the profession. If he had not gone to West Point to play football, the Army would have missed out on an individual who is as high speed as you can get.
You might also be aware of another football player who not only stayed but gave much for his country. Col. Greg Gadson played football at West Point in the late 80s. He lost both legs in Baghdad in 2007. He went to play football but stayed because he found his calling.
In both cases, football brought two phenomenal men to the Army that otherwise would not have happened. The exposure the academies get with division 1 programs is one of the best recruiting tools the service Academies have.
When you add the ability to bring top level individuals in that you otherwise wouldn’t get with the fortitude an academy and division 1 football experience develops you have some very capable individuals keeping you and I safe at night.
Eh. First, I’d like to see the provenance on the quote, to include the date/time, the mission being contemplated, and the Commander who owned the ground the mission was going off in. ‘Cause that Commander was probably being a toad in the road and had played football at the Academy, so George C. stroked him up a little bit. George, as savvy, upstart VMI guy, had to cover his flanks against all those ring-knocking bastards scandalized that an Academy grad wasn’t in charge.
Next, any Academy grad that plays four years of any varsity sport deserves accolades for it. You think playing football at the Academy is tough? Try the wrestling team. Those guys are insane. LaCross? Not pushovers. Hockey? Brutal.
Too, no slack in the classroom. For anyone. Mostly.
Whatchoo you mean, “mostly?”
It’s the division 1 designation that I take issue with.
Going division 1 reduces the pool of football playing recruits for the academies dramatically. So one who might have many more of the qualities that makes for a great officer might be excluded from consideration because he’s 50 pounds too light or a step too slow for D1.
Playing D1 might require more dedication to football, but that means less dedication to everything else that’s going on at the academy.
A great thread, triggering old memories; Navy alum from over four decades back.
I remembered our football program as something below horrible back then. Went back tonight to look, & it sure was. Over four years, 8 wins. And 4 of those wins were by a total of 9 points.
We played MONSTERS of Div 1 football back then. Notre Dame all 4 years (ND only lost 7 games in 4 years.) Penn State all four (4 losses over 4 years, w/2 perfect seasons.)
We played Michigan. And Texas. Remember the early days (’69 & ’70) of the wishbone offense, when cameras never could stay on the ballcarrier? We played Texas their second year of running the ‘bone all over everybody. Texas had a perfect season that year; believe they ran out about 30 straight wins.
Scores weren’t far worse because many of the opponents massively subbed in the second half.
At a reunion years later, I heard that we played those teams because it was important to maintain a National Presence, for Recruiting. Never did figure out why getting mangled in public enhanced our image.
You could sign up to bet a bathrobe back then. I certainly contributed a lot of them to Army & AF Cadets, but we did manage to beat Army once, by 4 points. I still have that USMA bathrobe. 17-14 is written on the name label.
I’m glad to see Navy winning, but the current streak (15?) is way too high. Absolute hats off to the Black Knights for scaring the daylights out of the Mids. (Minor point of etiquette here: middies is a term of mild disparagement — but I know that on this forum, no insult was intended.)
Army does need to win one & break this streak. Hope it’s soon.
Roger (the Dodger) Staubach used to come & eat in the mess hall with us, too. As a plebe (freshman) I remember being ordered to run up & give him a tour around the mess hall. Plebes would race up, grab poor Roger’s chair & hoist him above head level. Then the crowd would race around the huge (4000 seats) mess hall. He’d smile, wave (when he could), then finally be returned to the OOD’s table to eat.
Thinking back, I believe the Cowboys’ owners/coaches heads would’ve exploded if they’d seen the crazy rides their star QB got, held up in a chair by a bunch of 17/18 yr olds.
Mission focus worked, though. We never dropped him.
This topic came up in a recent thread as well, how Academies seem to have “scholarship” slots reserved for sports teams.
Annefy had an example of a girl she knew who went for soccer.
http://ricochet.com/women-in-combat/
[update] Katie Rule adhered to.
Don’t forget rugby. Son #1 talked his roommate into going out for rugby – he played all four years as a starter, graduated in the top 10% of his class and is now a Navy SEAL. Started BUDS 6 weeks after an emergency appendectomy, 4 weeks after getting his foot run over by a car.
His mom started a prayer circle – son #1 said: don’t waste your prayers. He’s got this.
I hope to have the opportunity to vote for him someday. Remember the face of the guy in the back. I’d tell you his name, but then I’d have to shoot you. (SEALS has got a scary search engine – I mentioned his name once on Facebook and I got a phone call from him to scrub it. Ever since SEAL Team 6 no names, no pictures online)
EDIT: No pics in uniform
FURTHER EDIT: Pic removed at MLH’s suggestion.
Best take the photo down, A
No uniform. No name. All good.
however you have given lots of background info and his face. The NYT is blabbing how SF are in country in Afghanistan, etc. I refer you to here for reference to the principle.
fair enough. If he ever enters public life time enough to see how good looking he is.
and Taylor’s part two of the link is interesting, too.