Favorite College Game of the Year

[Water Pony]

Sam I Am

Great post. I am slightly embarassed to say that I was on a destroyer in the Med when you were in country. I salute the green and the Army, except when the Navy game is played.

We can quibble about the skills by both teams on the field but there is no more passion, energy and commitment to win than that displayed by these two fine service academies as when they play each other. It is a "must see" game.

Go Navy! Go Midshipman! Beat Army!

[PonySoprano]

It's the rivalry that matters between Army & Navy, certainly not the caliber of play on the field. When the game is played in Philly, it has all of the drama of an equally divided Cotton Bowl for the UT/OU game. The players dedication is inspiring, knowing that the seniors may well be in Iraq or Afganistan very soon.

Totally agree with you and WP. This game is all about the rivalry with the added bonus of players playing for the love of the game.

btw, if you haven't read it already, every college football fan should read John Feinstein's book: "A Civil War: Army vs. Navy, a Year Inside College Football's Purest Rivalry." Feinstein spent the entire 1995 season following both Army and Navy and had full insider access to both teams.

Once you read this book, you will never watch this game the same way.

The only bad part of the book for SMU fans is the detailed account of the 1995 SMU-Navy game at the Cotton Bowl where we lost 33-2, and the Navy QB set some kind of rushing record against our defense.

Feinstein also wrote the book "The Majors: In Pursuit of Golf's Holy Grail" where he provides all the behind the scene details of the 4 majors in 1998. Payne Stewart is one of the main characters, with the details of his loss in the US Open in Lee Janzen in 1998 - the year before his great victory over Mickleson in 1999.

[DomerPony]

Notre Dame - USC.

Most rivalries are local calls. This one is different.

[Water Pony]

As a matter of fact, the USC game the last 3 years (all 30 point losses) probably cost Tyrone his job.