Monday, September 13, 2004
BLACK KNIGHTS
It's near impossible for Army to feild a competitive football team in this day and age. Since the seventies all the service academies have had to take a back seat in the recruitment department. It's no big secret that talented players are not going to give up three to five years of prime NFL earnings to serve their country. Army will always have strength, intelligence, leadership, and courage to their credit, and those are big assets on the gridiron, but speed and talent will always get purchased away from them. Enter Bobby Ross. Army's alumni association has been working overtime to find the funding to pay Mr. Ross and his coaching staff, and the evidence was on the field on saturday at Army's home opener against Louisville. Of course Louisville won. There was little doubt of the outcome, but what was surprising was the fact that the Black Knights managed to put twenty-one points up on the board. Although they lost, there was an air of triumph about in Michie Stadium, and a well deserved one at that. After last years 0-13 record, it was good to see them have some success. Most Army fans are still crying for the wishbone, and I'll agree that the running game is the best bet for success, but Reggie Nevels managed to complete 9 of 19 for 126 yards, and every time Army crossed the 50 they managed to get the ball in the end zone. It's all up hill for Bobby Ross and Army, but it seems a good amount of that ground has been covered.
It's near impossible for Army to feild a competitive football team in this day and age. Since the seventies all the service academies have had to take a back seat in the recruitment department. It's no big secret that talented players are not going to give up three to five years of prime NFL earnings to serve their country. Army will always have strength, intelligence, leadership, and courage to their credit, and those are big assets on the gridiron, but speed and talent will always get purchased away from them. Enter Bobby Ross. Army's alumni association has been working overtime to find the funding to pay Mr. Ross and his coaching staff, and the evidence was on the field on saturday at Army's home opener against Louisville. Of course Louisville won. There was little doubt of the outcome, but what was surprising was the fact that the Black Knights managed to put twenty-one points up on the board. Although they lost, there was an air of triumph about in Michie Stadium, and a well deserved one at that. After last years 0-13 record, it was good to see them have some success. Most Army fans are still crying for the wishbone, and I'll agree that the running game is the best bet for success, but Reggie Nevels managed to complete 9 of 19 for 126 yards, and every time Army crossed the 50 they managed to get the ball in the end zone. It's all up hill for Bobby Ross and Army, but it seems a good amount of that ground has been covered.
Comments:
Very good summery Jackson... While the disappointment was written on the faces of the Army team as they left the field Saturday, the overall feeling of the West Point community which includes current staff, former staff, and all those who are proud to call West Point their home town, is that Bobby Ross and his assistants are the prefect fit to restore a winning program at Army. No matter what the outcome on any given Saturday at Michie stadium might be, taking in a game at West Point remains one of my greatest joys in life and Saturday did not disappoint. I attend and watch a great deal of college football here in Atlanta, but nothing comes close to what you get with Army football. It's taken me a long time to realize that when you are amongst past and present members of the Long Gray Line, you are truly amongst the best that our country has to offer. It is very much a contagious feeling, from the parachute drop in of the game ball, to the bagpipe serenaded team walk on, to kickoff, to the somber playing of West Point's Alma Mater at games end. We WILL do it again this season. Perhaps the cadets will pull off a victory for us. Either way we will have a lot of fun. Oh yeah, BEAT NAVY!!!
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