"The first day at Annapolis you get your head shaved and get an orientation by the superintendent and at the end you say 'Beat Army,' so right away you know that this is a big deal." - Roger Staubach, Navy.
That pretty much says it all and don't think for one second the same message isn't mentioned to every incoming cadet at West Point, “Go Army, Beat Navy.”
As I sit here at my computer, the 110th meeting between the two services academies is just half an hour away. The two teams meeting in Philadelphia for the 82nd time in the storied rivalry. The action on the field is no different from any other college football game, but the pageantry surrounding the event is second to none. From the march of cadets to the fly over to the presentation of the Commander in Chiefs Trophy, it's a smorgasbord for the senses.
The first ever game in this series was played in 1890 at West Point with the mid shipmen blanking the Black Knights 24-0. As a matter of fact heading into today’s game, Navy holds a 53-49-7 edge in the series and currently riding a six game win streak. At 5-6, Army needs a win to become bowl eligible. A win would mean a December 29th trip to the Eagle Bank Bowl, December 29th against Temple University, who ironically play their home games at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. If the Black Knights fail in their bid to beat Navy, Temple will play UCLA in the Eagle Bank Bowl. The outcome of today’s game has no bearing on 8-4 Navy’s bowl plans, win or lose they have a New Years Eve day rendezvous with Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
Since moving to Philadelphia 19 years ago, the Army-Navy game has always been one of my favorite events to cover. Check out the youtube snippet below. Just me having fun while doing one of my many preview stories for television.
That pretty much says it all and don't think for one second the same message isn't mentioned to every incoming cadet at West Point, “Go Army, Beat Navy.”
As I sit here at my computer, the 110th meeting between the two services academies is just half an hour away. The two teams meeting in Philadelphia for the 82nd time in the storied rivalry. The action on the field is no different from any other college football game, but the pageantry surrounding the event is second to none. From the march of cadets to the fly over to the presentation of the Commander in Chiefs Trophy, it's a smorgasbord for the senses.
The first ever game in this series was played in 1890 at West Point with the mid shipmen blanking the Black Knights 24-0. As a matter of fact heading into today’s game, Navy holds a 53-49-7 edge in the series and currently riding a six game win streak. At 5-6, Army needs a win to become bowl eligible. A win would mean a December 29th trip to the Eagle Bank Bowl, December 29th against Temple University, who ironically play their home games at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. If the Black Knights fail in their bid to beat Navy, Temple will play UCLA in the Eagle Bank Bowl. The outcome of today’s game has no bearing on 8-4 Navy’s bowl plans, win or lose they have a New Years Eve day rendezvous with Missouri in the Texas Bowl.
Since moving to Philadelphia 19 years ago, the Army-Navy game has always been one of my favorite events to cover. Check out the youtube snippet below. Just me having fun while doing one of my many preview stories for television.
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