Football games= military obligations?

Are plebes and even some upperclassmen mandated to watch all football games?

My understanding is that all mids who are not away from USNA, participating in other sports, etc., must attend all home football games. I'm not aware of plebes even being allowed, let alone "forced" to watch away games. Although that may have changed, I would be surprised. But maybe a current mid can chime in.

After 6 weeks plebes were allowed to go on football MOs, but they were hard to get.

No one in their right mind would force someone to watch a Navy away game on a weekend. There are too many relevant games on as it is. Besides, everyone is clawing to get out of the zoo on the weekends.

My son attended a home Navy Football game when he was down for a recruiting weekend in late October. He had a great time attending the game with the midshipman and I believe solidified his desire to attend USNA. I am not sure why any mid would NOT want to attend such an event???????

OhioWrestler said:

I am not sure why any mid would NOT want to attend such an event???????

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Listen to Marvin on this one. Nothing makes liberty off-Yard taste as sweet and unobtainable as mandating sports event attendance on a weekend. It's just not like a regular college campus where students come and go at will.

Choosing to go to football games once an alum is much more enjoyable than mandatory fun. I think most SA grads say something like "Bad place to be, great place to be FROM."

Supporting your team and Academy at home football games is fun. Enjoy the camaraderie. Best of luck!

Home games are mandatory attendance, away games are voluntary.

I hear it from my mid all the time, home football games fall into the catagory of mandatory -fun. The entire brigade has to march about a mile into the stadium, and watch the game standing up, no sittiing. It does not matter the weather, sunny and hot or cold rain/snow with 30 mph winds, you are required to be there. Think of this like eating your favorite ice cream flavor. The first time it's great, the 50th time in a row not so much. Lastly, this cuts into precious Saturday liberty time for every mid.

That said, it's all about perspective. At 2C parents weekend we sat next to a former grad and he and my mid talked about this very subject. He told her that she was lucky because the football team is good and is winning. In his day the football team stunk and as a midshipman he used to root for the clock more than the team. Today as a grad he has season tickets and the games are the social highlite of the week.

OhioWrestler said:

I am not sure why any mid would NOT want to attend such an event???????

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As a plebe, you don't get liberty until after the game. That means if it's a Saturday afternoon or evening game, you'll get an hour of two of liberty for the game. Also, while the spectacle of the whole thing can be exciting (flyover, Navy-Marine Stadium, etc.) by November it really isn't. They simply become just another thing you have to show up at it. Not to mention that Navy Football isn't always the most exciting brand of football to watch, even if they are winning.

Some people I knew really loved Navy Football and looked forward to every single game. But most people just want the game over so they can get ou ton liberty.

I found it interesting when I was an exchange cadet to Navy that the home games were designated as "Mandatory" and the mids (back in '86) marched to them from their company as a required formation. And grumbled about having to go, etc. (conceding the team wasn't as good then).

Meanwhile, at West Point, there was NO requirement to go to a football game - completely voluntary, and yet I never knew anyone who didn't go unless they were on the area/restriction or were in danger of failing a class if they didn't use that time to study. Really, maybe once in 4 years did I know anyone who "skipped" a game to study. Now as a plebe, if an upperclassman saw you not at the game, you'd probably be in trouble (unless there was an academic reason). But it just seemed more like something that OF COURSE you would do.

I rooted for the clock most games, so I could get to the post game tail gate and work on violating 0013.

If I had the duty, I tried to stand watch during the game. Usually you could knock out your entire responsibility for the weekend, and no one is on deck. This does not apply to Army-Navy game, because every drunken graduate from your company, up to Admirals will start calling the deck phone to annoy you.