Friday, November 30, 2007

Black Knights Seek to End Streak in 108th Army-Navy Classic

WEST POINT, N.Y. (Army News Service, Nov. 29, 2007) - The 108th Army-Navy Game will be played Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore and CBS will broadcast the game nationally beginning at noon.

The Sirius Satellite Radio (channel 123) will also carry the Army Sports Network broadcast and the game will be televised live overseas to service members on the American Forces Network.

The Black Knights will be trying to snap a five-game skid to the Midshipmen. Navy's winning streak in the rivalry is tied for the longest by either, giving the Midshipmen a 51-49-7 advantage in the series.

An Army victory would end the Black Knights' regular season five-game losing skid while evening their Commander-In-Chief's Trophy record at 1-1 in 2007 (lost at Air Force), thus creating a three-way tie for the trophy.

Senior wide receiver Jeremy Trimble said beating Navy would mean validation.

"All the workouts in the off-season over the past four years, all the summer training, getting up early and going to bed late, it would just mean everything. For us seniors, it can be that program-changing win and also could be a career-defining win," said the Ashburn, Va., native. "We're going out there and giving it all we've got, and we're going to leave everything on the field on Dec. 1."

This revered series began when Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie accepted a "challenge" from Naval Academy midshipmen for a football game against the Cadets. That first contest was held on "The Plain" at West Point on Nov. 29, 1890. The more experienced Mids, who had been playing organized football since 1879, defeated the Cadets 24-0.

Army Head Coach Stan Brock said his team understands the tradition of this "challenge" and the prize they're playing for: pride.

"To the Corps of Cadets, it's a huge pride factor. There are people here at West Point who have never beaten Navy," said Coach Brock. "Some day they will be out in the military world and the first question is, 'Are you a West Point graduate?' Then, 'Did you beat Navy?' It will give them the opportunity to say 'Yeah I did; we beat them in 2007.' We take a great deal of pride and know we are representing the United States Army and the United States Military Academy."

This will be the fourth time the historic game has taken place in Baltimore and the first time since 2000. Army won the first two contests, which were held at Municipal Stadium. The Army-Navy classic will return to Philadelphia for 2008 and 2009, where eighty of the 107 games have been played.

And what does the old Navy Chief think about Army getting redemption in this game --- NOT! Go Navy - Beat Army!!