You know its bad...

[frontrangeclone]

When we were in Colorado last year, we went to the Air Force Academy and saw the stadium...I like the facility.

I'd enjoy watching a game there sometime. When we were out there, they were getting ready for their big game against Notre Dame. I think we were down there on Friday and the area was going nuts.

Too bad the game this year isn't at Air Force - I think they got a good shot at ND.

22- It's a pretty nice place for a game. I've gone to 2 games there, both vs. Navy (in 04 and 06).... my brother is a naval officer and was stationed in C. Springs (figure that one out) and the pageantry of 2 academies playing one another is awesome. Navy brings several hundred midshipmen (and midshipwomen) in the stands and boy they are loud, as well as the AF cadets. They are probably so loud b/c they're blowing off steam from the pressure cooker of their training. It's esp. nice sitting in the east stands and having Pikes Peak and the foothills to look at. The rivalry between the military branches is quite amusing as well... one year we made a sign with an aircraft carrier poster on it (got it from a recruiting office- thank you tax payers) with the message... "Hey Air Force- Land on This!" Navy folks loved it, AF people gave us some dirty looks.

[bandit]

I think Wanny's whirlpool is approaching 212 F....

seriously though, you have to admire the academies...considering the difficulty of recruiting kids who have D-I talent, but aren't too big (military regs), qualify academically, and want to serve for 4 yrs after graduating... it's really incredible they can compete at all in D-I. I saw Navy beat Air Force last year in Colo Springs and although they ran on probably 90% of their plays , they played VERY fundamental, disciplined football and were very physical.

One of the best books I've read is Feinstein's Civil War about the Army-Navy FB game. You gain a whole new level of respect for the guys out there. I'll fully admit I had a hard time cheering against Army when we played there. The hell these guys go through before they even get to football camp and the life they while in school (think: polar opposite of the Johnson County Jail Birds) is incredible.

If you want a good read, check it out.

[bandit]

John Feinstein wrote a book called A Civil War, and it's about football at the academies. I recommend it highly.

It details a year in the life, the fact that these kids (some of the finest young men and women this country has produced), go through fb as well as the life as a Cadet or Midshipmen is enough for me to root for them every game.

The telling quote is from a former Army coach, when he said that football practice is the easiest part of their day.

Oops, sorry for the repeat-hadn't gotten this far down the thread yet on my previous post.

Seriously, it's a great book-I've bought it for friends and given as gifts. That's saying a lot considering I usually wait until the book comes out as a movie to "read" it.