John Feinstein, Does It Again

Feinstein book

John Feinstein wrote another excellent story about the essence of the Army-Navy football rivalry that appeared this morning in the Washington Post, as a link along side the report of Navy's win yesterday. He builds into the legend of the two service academies - catching the ethereal meaning of the annual game. I have been aware of his sports reporting since first hearing his commentaries on NPR - along with Frank Deford - as regulars on Morning Edition. When our son began at the Naval Academy, I read his 1996 book A Civil War: Army vs Navy A Year Insides College Football's Purest Rivalry. Even though we have become Navy fans, as far as it goes when it comes to this game, we still have a heightened sensitivity to wanting success for all the Service Academies - this game makes all that other loyalty go our the window.

Our son in the Army was with us on Induction Day when our youngest entered the Naval Academy. He was proud and supportive of his little brother's decision. However, when the families attended the orientation session (while the new Plebes were being sheared, poked, marched, and all other kinds of indoctrinations into military life), he was more than glad to respond to call of "Go Navy!", but the following cheer "Beat Army!", was going to far. Regardless, to show his support, he displayed a bumper sticker on his car with "Go Navy" - sans the "Beat Army" part. We heard there was a bit of controversy on post at Fort Myer, but he didn't care.