Author: Mike

DRAFT RECAP

On By MikeIn football8 Comments

I don’t care that much about the NFL draft, but I do like to see how many Navy opponents get selected. Here’s this year’s list:

Round 1

Aldon Smith – DE – Missouri
Blaine Gabbert – QB – Missouri
Jonathan Baldwin – WR – Pittsburgh
Muhammad Wilkerson – DT – Temple
Cam Heyward – DT – Ohio State

Round 2

Jabaal Sheard – DE –  Pittsburgh
Kyle Rudolph – TE – Notre Dame
Jaiquawn Jarrett – DB – Temple
Torrey Smith – WR – Maryland

Round 3

Vincent Brown – WR – San Diego St.
Alex Green – RB – Hawaii

Round 4

Greg Salas – WR – Hawaii
Chimdi Chekwa – DB – Ohio St.

Round 5

Kealoha Pilares – WR – Hawaii
Brandon Burton – DB – Utah*
Dion Lewis – RB – Pittsburgh
Jason Pinkston – OL – Pittsburgh
Jermale Hines – DB – Ohio St.

Round 6

Dwayne Harris – WR – East Carolina
Aldrick Robinson – WR – SMU
Caleb Schlauderaff – OL – Utah
Brian Rolle – LB – Ohio St.
Ross Homan – LB – Ohio St.

Round 7

Derek Newton – OL – Arkansas State
Da’Rel Scott – RB – Maryland
Greg Romeus – DL – Pittsburgh
Andrew Gachkar – OLB – Missouri
Demarco Sampson – WR – San Diego St.
Cheta Ozougwu – DL – Rice

* Burton was redshirted and did not play vs. Navy

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED GETTING A JOB

On By MikeIn air farce, army, football8 Comments

We all have our problems, I guess. For Mr. Campbell’s sake, I hope his West Point degree is worth more in his employment search than an Air Force Academy degree is. It’ll take a while to pay back the government if your only prospects are plumbing and chicken wings.

In other news, there was a time when a headline like this would seem a little ridiculous when talking about a soon-to-be service academy graduate. I guess not anymore.

POP QUIZ

On By MikeIn air farce21 Comments

It’s her selection, her service to her country, her duty, what she’s been striving for, to be an officer.

To what Air Force career path does this refer? Pilot training? Intelligence? Combat systems? Missile operations? Or prep school assistant women’s basketball coach?

I suppose it’s possible that this is not a permanent gig, and is instead one of those stash jobs before heading on to train for something else. I doubt it, though. Why would anyone make a big to-do about a stash job with no mention of, you know, actual Air Force stuff?

Along those lines, the mythical Air Force football service selection list actually made a public appearance today. I’m not sure if this is a sign of the apocalypse or if I’m about to turn into a pillar of salt for looking at it or what. Anyway, the list includes exactly what we thought it would include: three players listed as “prep school coach, instructor” and one “AFA JV coach” with no follow-on career assignment in the operational Air Force. Now, it’s not like Navy players aren’t stashed at NAPS for a semester before they head off to the real world, but they do head off to the real world. Those operational service assignments are what gets publicized, because that’s what makes a service academy a service academy. To read how a coach “gets what it means to be at a service academy” because she was excited to announce that one of her players gets to be a basketball coach is almost surreal.

So here’s hoping that this isn’t really what’s happening here, and that there’s an actual Air Force future in store for these cadets. But I’m not holding my breath.

YES, I KNOW

On By MikeIn NAPS, naval academy10 Comments

Yes, I am aware of the “controversy” surrounding NAPS and admissions and whatnot. No, I’m not going to talk about it beyond the few sentences you’re about to read.

Nothing whips up page views for the Capital quite like a Naval Academy argument, and that’s all we have here: the Capital stirring a non-existent pot. Now that the Bruce Fleming admissions crusade has sort of run its course (at least until he writes his next book), the Capital has simply redirected those same arguments toward the prep school. What? NAPS is a “back door” for candidates with lower grades to get into USNA? No shit, assholes. That’s what it’s always been there for. Strangely, not everyone shares the opinion that SAT scores are the alpha and omega of what makes for a good naval officer. The prep school is a way to get those candidates with potential– but lower scores– the chance to prepare for the academic rigors of USNA life. It couldn’t be more straightforward, but by repeatedly using phrases like “back door” the Capital is clearly trying to cast NAPS as some shady, secret enterprise. The whole routine is a joke.

Take a close look at this article. What is the story? That a Naval Academy graduate wrote an e-mail to a senator. That’s it. I mean, really? This is news? I’m a Naval Academy graduate, Earl. Would anyone write a story if I sent a few e-mails? That newsprint was wasted on something as ridiculous as some random disgruntled grad shooting e-mails to Jim Webb just illustrates the Capital’s intent. My link to that pathetic “story” is as close as I’ll come to playing along.

If you think the Academy should do away with the admissions board altogether and just accept the top 1000 SAT scores that apply, good for you. I’ve already responded to that. I’ll respond to a new argument when someone actually makes one.