Despite all the venom in the news this game gives me confidence our nation’s next generation is in good hands.
Amen to that.
Military has been OK all along. Civilian leadership on both sides is highly questionable.
NOTICE I SAID BOTH SIDES
Meanwhile OU missed a chip shot FG at the end of regulation and it’s going to OT.
Or it means a service academy is focusing a little too much on football…
Army was winning national championships in the 1940s when we were also occupied, you know, with beating Hitler and the Japanese. Seemed to turn out OK.
Yes, and I find it odd that West Point was still participating in football in those times.
For those of us who follow recruiting, this is no big surprise. Army probably signs more 4 and 5 stars than anyone. Generals that is.
Yep, you’re right. Had huge effect on outcome of war. We just didn’t take it serious enough
They had the perfect offense to play against a team like Oklahoma because they don’t let you have the ball
I just had hope late that Army would pull it out. Leadership is only part of what those men learn! I also hate OU!
Why? They couldn’t stop training future officers for the duration of the war; some of their mid-war grads probably never made it to VE Day or VJ Day. And if you remain open, no reason not to play football. NFL and MLB didn’t shut down during the war, although the Steelers and Eagles temporarily combined forces for the 1943 season because of a lack of players. Neither did the rest of college football.
Because it still takes resources to run a football program. Not to mention the fact that football players are only focused on football, not grades or getting involved with other cadet activities. To be fair, though, the service academies aren’t what they used to be.
You don’t understand the academies then. All cadets/midshipmen are more or less required to play a competitive sport, whether it’s as a varsity athlete, club sports or intramurals. That didn’t change during WWII either.
I can assure you ballplayers care about their classmates and other cadet activities. Seals, green berets, special tactics officers are largely ex service academy athletes. Service academy athletes work their tails off making grades and competing in D1 sports. Furthermore grads today impress me with their character just as much as my classmates 20 years ago.
I graduated from one. I’ve never understood the DoD’s interest in having strong football programs. Trust me, there’s something to be said for student athletes, but a lot of times they are exempt from participating in the things that make the academies difficult.
Better check up on how the Academies work. sports is a big part of their trianing. It builds chacter and leadership. They all must play at some level.
You are right. They are not what they use to be. They are better, and those that go there are the best of the best.
I have seen where some on this board have even said it is a waste for the Army/Navy game get such billing at the end of the year. Yep, a real waste to give them those 3.5 hrs when they may very well be dying the next fall so we can watch football and other far more import things.
“You don’t understand the academies then”
Uh… “I graduated from one.”
:shock:
In any event, Boomer Sooner. Glad they pulled it out. I’d like to see the Sooners back in the playoffs.
95% of service academy grads support financial backing and support of service academy football. I’ll leave it at that.
They’ll be in the playoffs again because of their cupcake schedule. They’l also lose in the first round to prove they should’nt be there.