Army - Navy 2008

Saturday will be 109th meeting between the Army and Navy football teams. Many call this the greatest rivalry in sports. As a Michigan man I think I am obligated to reserve that title for the Michigan/Ohio State game. No matter what you want to call it, it certainly is one of the most traditional and enduring spectacles in all of college sports. I simply love it because of what it represents. I look forward to it each and every year. If you are looking for something good to watch on Saturday afternoon, turn on CBS for a while and check it out. You will be amazed at how hard these guys play.

Before the invention of the conference championship game, this game was always the final hurrah for the college football season. No matter how bad both teams were, it was an important sports story. Starting next year, this game will move back one week to take it's rightful spot as the final game of the season.

This game has been played many in different locations (including the 1983 game at the Rose Bowl) -- but most often (80 times to be exact) it takes place in Philadelphia, which is basically equidistant from both academies. Navy has won the last six games (the longest streak in the series history) and holds a 52-49-7 advantage in the series.

In the past both Army and Navy were often national powers and the game occasionally had national championship implications. However, as college football has developed into a training ground for the NFL, both teams have continued to focus on their primary mission: training the future leaders of our armed services. The difficult entrance requirements, tough academic workload, height and weight limits, and the post graduation military commitment limit the competitiveness of both programs. Only twice in the last 45 years (1963 & 1996) have both teams entered with winning records.

If you have ever been to West Point or Annapolis, you will soon understand how heated this rivalry can be. "Beat Army" or "Beat Navy" is the most common phrase on each campus throughout the year. Both teams basically spend the entire year preparing to play the other side. I have many friends from my Marine Corps days that played football at Navy, and this game can define the entire season. Winning this game can turn a dismal season into a celebrated success. I vividly remember in 2000 when Navy entered the game at 0-10 and danced away after they won the game against Army.

This explosive rivalry nearly died an early death following the 1893 game when an incident between a Navy Rear Admiral and an Army Brigadier General nearly led to a duel. US President Grover Cleveland called a cabinet meeting and had general orders issued prohibiting both Army and Navy football teams from playing away games until further notice. As a result they were not allowed to play each other because neither team was allowed to travel. This ban lasted for five years when tempers eventually cooled down and the series resumed.

The game is very emotional for the seniors of both schools, since it is certainly the last competitive football game they will ever play. Few, if any service academy football players will ever get a chance to play professional football. They play simply for the love of the game. During wartime the game is even more emotional. Most recently in the 2004 game, former Navy football player and fallen Marine 2nd Lieutenant J. P. Blecksmith, was remembered when his former teammates placed his pads and jersey on a chair on the sidelines. Finally, at the end of the game the alma maters of both teams are played and sung. The winning team stands alongside the losing team, with both teams standing at attention facing the student sections. This is done in a show of mutual respect and solidarity. To me, it is one of the best moments of the entire football season and stands in direct contrast to the trash-talking antics that I see during college football games during the entire season.

Both teams run the ball A LOT. Navy leads the nation in rushing yards per game and Army is ninth. The two teams are 118th and 119th (out of 119) in DI passing offense. This year Navy is 7-4 and headed to their 6th straight bowl game. Army is 3-8 and needs to beat Navy to salvage their season. I fully expect this Navy football team, led by the nine class of 2009 seniors that have chosen to be Marine officers to deliver their history making seventh victory in a row over the Black Knights from West Point. These guys have never not lost to another service academy (Army or Air Force). They are simply a better football team and should dominate.

In the end, there are no losers in this game.

Go Navy, Beat Army !!!