European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 1, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday december 1, 1990 the stars and stripes rags 25commentary up Over few things Divide a nation More than the army Navy game. There was the thing about who shot . Last dec Ade. Done to forget the women reporters in the locker room soap opera How about the question of Pete Rose being banned from the halt of Fame wed be remiss if we did no to mention Bart Simpsons Rise to Fame and unbridled commercial Appeal. Tastes great the other sides saying Quot less talk about great issues of our Day. The army Navy game is no different. When the two squads hit the artificial turf at veterans stadium next saturday a country of Saddam haters self styled Couch spuds and Flag wavers Flag buyers will sit in front of their to sets to watch the ,91st instalment of the game. It began in 1890 when Navy pounded the cadets 240. Since that game the game has persevered through two world wars a conflict a police action and now a hurry up and wait action in the persian Gulf. The game was not played from 1894-1898, or in 1909, 1917,1918,1928 and 1929. Navy holds a 42-41-7 Edge Over the Donkey led cadets. Few football games evoke a More outpouring of patriotism than this one. I be always wondered Why. Both teams Are just 5-5 going into the game the first army Navy game i watched was in the mid-1970s. My brother and i curled up and watched a crowd of Gray Clad cadets rant and rave Over their football team. Back then a military life ranked slightly below being flogged with a hot wheel track by my brother on my list of priorities. The game was horrible. There was virtually nothing to get excited about. The Navy kept scoring. And scoring. And scoring. That 1973 game finished with Navy winning 51-0. To hum. The games never got better. There were exciting moments but the game never matched up with something like a chargers dolphins playoff game. There were some Nai biters like the 24-23 game army won in the final seconds in 1971. New York daily news reporter Gene Ward called it the Quot greatest army Navy game Ever played. It was one of the greatest football games in be Ever seen. There were no bowl bids hanging on the outcome not a single player will Ever sign a pro contract. But it was tremendous and 90,047 fans walked away from decrepit old Juk stadium where football is played once a year talking about a game never it ten years ago i would be laughed at Ward i still chuckle. Army Navy a Good game Gene i got this Bridge. _ 1 i went to the 1987 game after that experience Ward did no to seem destined for that straitjacket after All. T it was a chilling scene on a Chilly afternoon at Phil Lye a vet to the left thousands of chanting sailors. To the right another 4,000 future army us in the mid die the dignitaries remained Neutral in the luxury boxes season ticket holders thought they were coming to the eagles redskins game. The army Guys did pushups in the end zone after ads. The Navy jeered. And vice versa. It was Mutum Rob Staggenborg army f to all1890 a 1990 hate. For a pack of Young men and women who practice Legal hazing at the academies and live for this one game of the year they turned into the Best fans. It was a vast step from the dress right dres spit and polish lives they Lead the other 364 Days of the year. I returned to Philly in 1988 to a virtual Carbon of the �?T87 game. Some of the faces were different but the screams and banners were recycled a up Navy beat army and go army sink Navy even the John 11 6 Guy came Back _ giants to beat 49ers in by Dave Goldberg _ a football writer a a so what if monday nights matchup Between the it ants and 49ers is tarnished because both teams lost last week it la still be the first time since 1948 that teams with one loss meet so late in the season in �?T48,. \. _ the cardinals won that won 24-21, which is probably something like the score will be monday night. San Francisco is favored by 3 Points which Means that the people who make the Odds think the 49ers Are a half Point better the other three Are what is conventionally Gay for the Home Field advantage a -. Both teams could Clinch division titles if things break night and the giants already have a playoff spot Theis big mounts can t figure out any me my Why does he care he has won five in a Row and May have the a Fly a Best team right now put the eagles also nil predictions have to prove they can keep their concentration against acc teams. Bills 20-16. Green Bay plus 5 at Minnesota a if the eagles Arentt the leagues hottest team the Vikings May be Mike Ditka who absorbed a 41-13 pounding in the dome last week thinks they won t lose again. Well at least not for another week even if Don Majkowski is Back. Vikings 24-13. Raiders minus at Denver. The raiders have lost three of four. The Broncos have lost four of four. Of Well. Raiders 17-13. _ Cincinnati plus 4 at Pittsburgh -. Another of those two week turnarounds we be been getting so often. What does it. Tell you about the bengals. That they Are underdogs against a team they beat 27-3 two weeks ago Steeles 24-17.miami minus 3 at Washngton the be Suhag you can say about the redskins is that they be had 10 Days to rest since their drubbing in Dallas. The three generals go nuts at army Navy time. They pump up their poor charges by uttering just one sentence it is extremely shameful to lose to Navy. Quot normally the army and Navy work together in a spirit of joint Ness to defend our great nation Quot usar eur s Boss and 1958 West Point graduate Gen. Crostic e. Saint said in a written statement. A on game Day we give no Quarter. That is the Way it should be. That is the Warrior ethic. When game time comes we Are for the win. Losing is not acceptable. I think the Black knights Are combat ready. I naturally predict an army insert airborne infant grunting Here saints sentiments Echo those of the Navy a admirals and Petty officers. Petty officer 1st class John j. Lanzone will definitely be watching the army Navy game. A i want to see the Navy kick army a butt Quot said the administrative specialist assigned to the Naples naval support activity. Although Lanzone usually prefers watching pro games the Plainfield n.j., resident said he wants to see the army Navy game because its Quot always a rival game and even though both teams Are sorry this year they re both going to be playing their hardest to win. Quot its like when you were in High school and there was that one team that always painted your goal Post. That a the Way it is for these a a we re Gonna crush pm a said it. Cmdr. Chris Wode a 1978 Annapolis graduate. Quot in be attended six games and there a nothing like Wode a resident of Charleston w.va., chief of staff at natos naval striking and support forces Southern Europe. 7 a a it a the culmination of both teams seasons and All kinds of records Are broken a said Wode. Quot last year army had a really Good team and Navy was kind of floundering but Navy v next saturdays game will be played against the backdrop of a massive military buildup in the Gulf Region. A -.�, 7 7 _ .77-7/. A a 7 Quot 7 a a the Pentagon released an itinerary of the pregame and halftime acts. There a going to be a Navy Seal team delivering the american Flag by Parachute f-15 flyovers a the Normal pomp that accompanies this game. "777 a a 7 7-. -7 o7.t_7. A. 7&Quot.-77&Quot .7 nowhere in the itinerary is there a mention that we have More than 240,000 Flag waving americans in the persian Gulf some of whom will be screaming Quot go Navy White the others will be shouting a beat still mighty generals and admirals will be sitting in their Arlington va., Homes that Overlook the Pentagon cussing the other hated service. Under the table wagers will be made this week a a week of pure uninhibited hype that precedes Kickoff. Perhaps the hype is warranted. For one Day out of the year cadets and midshipmen get to lose their bearings in front of cd so cameras. Their 15 seconds of Fame have come at last. For that one Day out of the year they can forget How mediocre their teams Are this season. Starting this week the one game season begins. A tb8�n not a strip a a a a a. A a a ight showdown Points for the Home Field in this one is Well deserved. Redskins 20-16. # new Orleans minus 1 at Dallas a so Why is the Dallas powerhouse and its two game with Nung Streak a Home underdog not because Steve Walsh is better than Troy Aikman cowboys 20-19. Detroit plus 8 at Chicago the last time the Lions ran and shot in the wind was two weeks ago in the Meadowlands. They lost 20-0. Bears 20-0. Atlanta minus 2 at Tampa Bay How bad Are the bucs outscored 133-4q in their last four games they re underdogs at Home to a team that has lost 16 straight on the Road. Falcons 2l7. Other games Home team in Caps rams minus 3 31, Cleveland 13, Kansas City minus 74 20, new England 6. Phoenix minus 2 20, Indianapolis 13.san Diego minus vhf 19, jets j4. Seattle plus 1 24, Houston 22. A last week 6-8 spread7-7 straight up. Season 7281-1 spread9362 straight up
