Anyone who knows me well, knows I have a philosophy that most things happen for a reason, most of the time the reason remains "behind the curtain" but for a reason none the less.
This past week we had to take our second oldest child (if you can call a 17 year old a child) to the hospital to have surgery to correct some problems with impacted teeth that as we've found out could lead to serious health problems later in life if not dealt with. That was Thursday. On Friday there was to be a firkin fest of sorts at the Hulmeville Inn, with one of my favorite beers Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe served from a cask conditioned firkin. As it turns out we couldn't go, the surgery went well, but we didn't feel comfortable going out the night after her surgery although she was feeling much better. The disappointment of not going, trying beers that I both know and don't know, meeting with friends at the Inn was turned around with the ring of our phone. Friday evening, my former Navy roommate called to ask me what I was doing Saturday. A few odds and ends I replied, but nothing was cast in stone. How would you like to go to the Army/Navy Game he asked? Someone he knows had 3 tickets, and as my friend Rod's wife and daughter couldn't go, he was inviting me and if I could find one other person.
In life there are times you must think about something, if you are married there are times where you tell someone that you have to consult with your spouse first, this was not one of those times. I accepted the invitation on the spot on behalf of myself and my soon to be 11 year old son.
December 6th, game day, the next day, brightened into a cold and damp day. From the first step outside it felt like winter, the air had the feeling of snow. My son and I were off early, first stop at his school for the annual Christmas Gift Shop. A gift shop that allows kids to make a list, and a budget for family and friends and do their own shopping. The majority of gifts are very inexpensive, but at least for me, knowing he is the one that picked it makes his gifts some of the best I've ever received. After the school, (which took way longer than planned which made us 10 minutes late for our rendezvous.) we headed to Rod's to pick him up.
We picked up Rod, and headed to Philly, traffic was great and getting into the stadium was pretty easy. Since the POTUS was in the house, security was a bit tighter what might be usual at Lincoln Financial Field. This was our first time at "The Link", overall a great facility but one thing I though that was a little odd was the main level concourse areas seem really dark.
Our seats were in the SCA Club boxes, posh is an understatement, an indoor heated concourse filled with concessions and restrooms, sofas and tables, and TV screens everywhere you look. The actual seats are outside but with great views of the field.
Nick and I wandered and explored while Rod and Neil went below to try to find Neil's son amongst all the Midshipmen dressed in black and white. (Thank goodness for cell phones)
As Nick and I sat down for a quick lunch I noticed the pre-game ceremonies had started, on the TV's over our heads we could see the Army and Navy parachute jumpers, I told Nick he should run out and watch and that I would stay with his lunch. Even on TV what an amazing sight. These guys coming into the stadium, some coming in faster than you could imagine, sticking their landings on the Army/Navy logo at midfield. The most amazing display was two teams of the Navy Leap Frogs each team was two guys, they came in side by side, in other words they were side by side bodies touching and the edges of their canopies touching. When they were right above the stadium they changed their positions such that their canopies were opposite each other and their legs held each other, similar to the photo in this post. Once their canopies were in position they started doing barrel rolls or loops. They split their formations right at stadium level and swooped in to perfect landings. Simply amazing.
Next was the Benediction and National Anthem, flyovers of Navy Fighters and Army Choppers, the coin toss by 'W' and finally we get settled into the real thing, the game.
Army went 3 and out on the first possession of the game. A weak punt gave Navy the ball with good field position. It took them just three plays ending with a sweep to the left and a breakout for a 53 yard touchdown for Navy.
One of the most impressive plays for me in this game probably didn't make the highlight reel. On their second possession Navy was forced into a 4th and long and elected to punt. The snap was either errant or hit someone but the ball sailed over the punters head and rolled all the way to the end zone. I've seen NFL teams panic on errors like that, not so Navy, their line held, the punter scrambled for the ball, rather than falling on it he calmly picked it up, positioned himself and punted, the ball sailed past the 50 yard line at which point the line had broken to cover the punt. After the catch the Army return guy got next to nothing for yards. What could have been a game changing error, was turned into just another play, everyone on the field did their job and adapted to the change, discipline on display but sadly probably overlooked by many.
The other thing that I found interesting was the very limited number of penalties on both sides. Don't get me wrong, there was energy, there was trash talk, hard hitting, but there is also again discipline.
My last observation is this; walking through the stadium, among the Corp, and the Midshipmen, thousands upon thousands of young people, pursuing their education and careers, many from military families. There is something different about this crowd, yes they were vocal, they were excited, they supported their teams fervently, but they were also not the demented fans that you would see at other sporting events. Their reception for The POTUS was something amazing to watch. As the President walked to stand in front of first the Corp and then the Midshipmen, each group rose as did their voices, the roar filled the stadium, on the big screen you can see that this man has aged much more than 8 years from the last time I saw him in Glenside. He has made mistakes, he has chosen to do things that in my mind he shouldn't have, but again, given the choices, our Nation is, believe it or not, far better off than we would have been with the alternatives (Gore and Kerry).
I wonder how next year's Army/Navy Game will go, the game itself is heaped in tradition and in the past has involved the President in the entire game. I will watch with interest to see how the new Commander in Chief is received, how he handles himself as Commander, and I will also watch with interest to see if Navy can make it 8 in a row.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, I sat with my son, I whispered to him, "You see all of the Army and Navy Cadets and Midshipmen down there?" "Yes Dad." "We need to say a good prayer for each and every one of them." He looked up at me with a very puzzled look....."Why?" I told him, because each and every one of them right now are going to school, but the difference is when they graduate the majority of them will be Officers in our military, they will be the ones that will defend our freedom, so we can live free, do the things we would like to do, and for that they are willing to risk their lives, to give up their lives, for us, strangers, watching Their Game, the 109th Game, the game that Navy won 34 - 0 on that cold, damp day in Philly, where as we left and headed home the snow began to fall.
So my wife and I were not meant to sip beer and meet with friends on Friday night, we were meant to be home, to answer a call, to accept the invitation to attend a game, to teach a near 11 year old some more about Country, to see tradition on display before our very eyes.
Dear God in Heaven, please watch over these young men and women, help them make the right decisions, give them strength when they need it, and please let them feel the love and respect at least from this family, Amen.
Many thanks to Rod and Neil and families.
