Heals Over Head - Navy 17, Army 3

It was a beautiful day in Philadelphia. The skies were clear, not all that much wind, and temperatures were not so cold that with a few layers of clothes, dry chemical hand warmers, and a blanket over the lap, we were fixed up and in great shape until dark. As the Cadets first and then the Mids took their turns marching onto the field before the stands were full, and a few spirit spots ran on the big screen, a great video was run by CBS before the game. We didn't catch it until today, and you can catch it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqgQM9T_t9o
It pretty much tells the story, without a score.
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As of yesterday evening, it is now eight straight Navy wins over the Army Black Knights. For all the bravado by the Cadets, their not-too-bad Spirit Spots that outdid those crafted by the Mids, and
general attitude, the outcome turned out the same as the past seven years. The Washington Post summarized the 110th Army-Navy football meeting this way: And so, an afternoon that began with a bit of Army sass -- a goat's head, similar to the one worn by Bill, Navy's mascot, was batted around the section of the stadium that housed the Corps of Cadets -- ended as so many recent Army-Navy games have. In the final minutes, the Midshipmen in the stands waved brooms and chanted, "I believe that we will win!" Camile Powell, Sunday, December 13, 2009
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It was great to be back home in our house after the game - warmed up on the bus ride back to Annapolis, no anxiety about the outcome, the Commander in Chief Trophy assured, a guaranteed trip to the White House Rose Garden (unlike the absence of roses for another favorite team; see Disappointment and No Consolation). The emotions for Army have got to be for a world turned upside down - there are now generations of classes that have only experienced losses. The Navy Class of 2006, the class before our son was a plebe, was able to bask in four years of nothing but wins over Army - the same now for the Class of 2010 - and all the classes in between.