I am actually thinking about getting into the car this week and heading to Colorado Springs. It's only 1500 miles. So if you see a decrepid old fart in Navy blue and gold from head to foot, drooling, and humming Anchors Aweigh slightly off key, give him a beer. He will need it.
Anyway, this game will define Navy's season. We should have beaten Maryland. They have a long history of poor sportsmanship against us which is why we haven't played them in almost 50 years. It continued this year and I feel cost us the game. Crowd noise is great. It is the 12th man. But when the entire marching band is going full bore when the other team is running the ball, it is uncalled for. Against the rules in many conferences. During our final drive, it cost us an offsides and rattled the team. Then a Saturday GA Southern game after a Monday game. Ask Va Tech. Hard on the players. And Ga Southern knew our offense as well as we did. Our defense was great in both games (after UMDs only two touchdowns on their first two possessions).
Ricky Dobbs has been touted as a Heisman candidate. He was also elected captain of the team. Either he has been attempting to carry the team or validate the Heisman hype the first two games. He tried too hard. Bottom line, if we need a yard and you line eleven guys up on defense on our center, I hope he doesn't try to run the ball over all eleven of them.
The altitude will be a factor but Navy is in as good a shape as I have ever seen them. And my feeling is that this is the best Navy team in quite a while.
It's going to be a great game.