And it isn’t over yet. Fortunately, even through all this upheaval, we can take solace in knowing that some things will never change:
Author: Mike
THE NAVY FAN’S GUIDE TO CONFERENCE EXPANSION
The looming cloud of conference expansion is the top story in college sports right now, and undoubtedly will be all summer. It’s no surprise that just about everyone seems to be weighing in on the subject. Well, everyone except for me until now. There’s two reasons for that. One, I have the work ethic of a sloth. Two, this is a very hard subject about which to write, because the news and rumors change so quickly that anything written becomes obsolete after a day or two. By the time I’m done writing this, the Pac 10 will have invited Germany and Japan to join the conference, with plans to invade Poland by Labor Day. A simple report that the Big Ten is looking at expansion options has turned out to be the seed of an impending college athletics armageddon, with conferences and schools maneuvering to put themselves in the best possible position to ride out the tsunami.
It feels like we just went through this little exercise when the ACC declared open season on the Big East in 2005, but that was but a hiccup compared to the seismic shift on the horizon now. When Virginia Tech, Boston College, and Miami defected, it started a domino effect of conferences reshuffling their lineups to make up for the schools they lost. The change was significant, but not overwhelming. This is different. The Big Ten and Pac 10 are reportedly both looking to expand to perhaps as many as 16 teams, and they’re willing to filet the rest of the BCS in the process.
It’s premature to say for certain that either conference will do something that drastic, but it isn’t that hard to imagine. If they do, it will mean a lot more than just another round of musical chairs. Conferences will cease to exist. Rivalries will end. The traditional geographic boundaries of each conference’s footprint will be meaningless. It will be chaos, at least for a while. When the dust settles, college athletics will come out looking completely different.
But different enough for a Navy fan to care?
Absolutely.
Continue reading “THE NAVY FAN’S GUIDE TO CONFERENCE EXPANSION”
THE GBU, 6/9
The Good: Strasmas!
Back when the Nationals announced that yesterday would be Stephen Strasburg’s major league debut, I felt sorry for the guy. I mean, there’s pressure, and then there’s pressure… Like having the hopes and dreams of a franchise on your shoulders and being hailed as the savior of the future of the sport in Washington. There’s no way anyone can live up to that kind of hype on the first day, right? LOL wrong. Apparently what the Nationals call the “minor leagues” is really Xavier’s School for Gifted Pitchers, teaching mutants like Strasburg how to control their powers of knee-buckling curveballs and escape-velocity fastballs. A few of those pitches were one flux capacitor away from landing in 1955. The town of Strasburg, Virginia decided not to rename itself “Stephen Strasburg,” a decision they’ll likely regret when Strasburg eventually destroys all of us. You could’ve had your lives spared to merely serve as his slaves for eternity, Strasburg VA, but now you’ve just made him angrier.
Seeing a sold-out baseball game in Washington on a Tuesday night in June made me wish I was back in high school in Arlington. Then again, if DC had baseball when I was in high school, I would’ve flunked so horribly after going to games every night that I never would’ve made it to USNA. But at least you would’ve been spared this horrible blog. The real tragedy in all this is that clearly Strasburg would’ve single-handedly tipped the scales in Washington’s favor in the From The Rumble Seat Sporting City Tournament. Definitely grounds for a do-over.
The Bad: Hell’s offseason has claimed another prize, as Mario Washington has been separated from the Academy. Washington is a sure-handed wide receiver who had 9 catches last year, which is significant in this offense. He’ll probably be missed the most as a punt returner, though. Not that he set the world on fire running punts back, but his good hands were a real asset. He was switched to cornerback as an experiment this spring and played well, but it’s all moot now.
The Ugly: The Baltimore Sun’s Faceoff lacrosse blog looks at Navy’s prospects for next season. When the “Bad” paragraph is twice the length of the “Good” paragraph, you know you’re in for a treat!
The End of the World: The seventh seal might be broken as early as Friday if this story in the Omaha Herald comes to fruition. More on that later…
The Blogs: Subway Domer finds a silver lining in losing to Navy twice in the last three years. If you come away from that post offended instead of realizing that it’s a compliment, resist the urge to react the way you did when you wrote letters to newspapers complaining about the Missouri marching band you pansy. Barking Carnival LOLs @ Baylor. I admit, though, that I have a soft spot for Baylor thanks to The Next Step In Human Evolution, and defensive coordinator Brian Norwood– Niumat’s best friend, former Navy assistant coach, and all-around nice guy. Pre-Snap Read is up to #86 in his countdown, Arizona State. The cool kids who follow him on Twitter, though, know to tune in tomorrow, because #85 is Army.
The iPod: Neko Case– Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
The Padres: Can’t hit worth crap, slipped a half game behind the Dodgers in the NL West, and are one good losing streak away from selling Adrian Gonzalez to the first team who offers them a box of rocks and a coupon for Applebee’s. But other than that they’re awesome.
YOU THINK YOU WERE HARDCORE?
You think you went on recons? You think your little trip down the Ho Chi Minh trail dodging Jimmy Legs and grabbing a Slurpee from the Taylor Avenue 7-11 after sneaking around the St. John’s campus makes for a good story?
BAD NEWS, GEORGIASOUTHERNHAWAIINAVYTECH FANS
I hate to be the one to break it to you, Georgia Southern Hawaii Navy Georgia Tech fans, but I think you’ve hit your ceiling. It’s time to accept the hard truth: your one-dimensional, gimmick, high-school offense has done all it can do for you. For your team to rise to the next level, they need a balanced offense. Without one, you’ll never win the Southern Conference a I-AA national title in Division I-A the WAC the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy bowl games a BCS conference a national championship. Sure, you think you’ve seen some success with this cute little scheme, winning 4 I-AA titles winning Hawaii’s first-ever conference championship taking Hawaii to the first two bowl games in the school’s history taking a winless service academy to 10-2 and #24 in both polls in 3 years ending a 4-decade losing streak to Notre Dame winning the ACC last year. And sure, you guys beat Furman Youngstown St. Montana BYU Illinois Cal Rutgers Pitt Wake Forest Notre Dame again Georgia with it. But this is different. The spread option isn’t a real offense, and once it sees the speed of a Big 10 ACC Big East SEC Big 12 Pac 10 BCS defense, it’ll be shut down. To win a national championship, you’d probably have to beat a more talented BCS team that will have a month to prepare; and we all know that is never going to happen.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY – 6/2
I’ve screwed this blog up something awful. It’s become less of a blog and more of a place for me to drop whatever 2000-word colossus I can churn out every 3-4 weeks. Not that there’s anything wrong with some substance once in a while, but a proper blog has its share of fluff and filler to let people know that you’re still converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. Wednesdays used to be open thread days, but since we started the message board those became obsolete. I need a new Wednesday thing, so I hereby resolve to post more meaningless crap!
The Good: Former All-America defensive back Chet Moeller was selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The honor is long overdue, especially if you look at the resumes of Moeller’s inducted contemporaries at his position; many of them are in almost as much for their kick returns as they are for what they did on defense. Rest assured that Moeller isn’t being recognized for that kind of namby-pamby, glory-hog nonsense. No, he was inducted because he broke people. On occasion, he broke whole teams, like Penn State in 1974. I have a copy of that game on tape… Kind of grainy coaches’ film. My first time watching it, I asked, “Which one is Moeller?” *CRUNCH* *IMPACT* *DIVIDE BY ZERO* “Never mind.”
The Bad: This:
The Ugly: Ken Griffey Jr. retired today. In other news, I now know what it feels like to be old.
The Meh: Apparently the worst-kept secret in college football is that the Mountain West is about to extend an invitation to Boise State, perhaps as soon as Monday’s meeting of the conference’s board of directors. Kind of cool for both parties on the surface, but if Utah gets invited to the Pac-10 it’ll be a net loss. There’s more to consider than just winning games, and although they’re media darlings, Boise State doesn’t carry the same heft in terms of a dedicated following. If your conference has its own television network, that’s pretty much all that matters. I’ll post more on the conference expansion flap some other time.
The Blogs: One Foot Down talks scheduling and Notre Dame independence— a topic we should all be interested in. Pitt Blather rounds up the latest conference expansion news. And by news, we mean speculation, “sources,” and no news at all. Paul Myerberg of the NY Times has Ricky Dobbs at #10 on his list of Heisman contenders.
The iPod: The Decembrists – July, July!
The Padres: Are still in first place, thanks to a game-winning grand slam by Adrian Gonzalez in extra innings tonight.
I’M NOT AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR, BUT…
Man, just when I think I’m going to get caught up on all the stuff I’ve been meaning to write, I get an avalanche of garbage to respond to that takes up all my time.
I have only myself to blame for this. Bruce Fleming, USNA’s outspoken English professor and self-appointed military expert, trots out more or less the same op-ed every year or two questioning the nature, and occasionally the existence, of the Naval Academy. A refined opportunist, he tweaks it slightly each time to maximize its effect, relating to whatever recent events he can use to suit his purpose before shopping it around to various publications. This time he exploits the Marcus Curry situation in the New York Times, telling readers that the service academies have “lost their way” and should either be “fixed or abolished.” If I was a smarter and more productive person, I would have had a canned response ready for his canned commentary. Unfortunately, my lack of foresight means that I have to start from scratch. So be it. Fleming’s argument that the service academies are on a bullet train to mediocrity is specious, relying on extrapolations based on anecdotal evidence and unfairly blaming athletes. His conclusions illustrate a fundamental lack of appreciation for what service academies are supposed to be. Continue reading “I’M NOT AN ENGLISH PROFESSOR, BUT…”
SLOTBACK, INTERRUPTED
It’s been over a week since the news broke, so I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Marcus Curry has been dismissed from the football team for a violation of team rules and is likely to transfer.
Like many Navy fans, I hold my breath from January until August; news that breaks during the offseason is almost exclusively bad. You won’t read fun things like “Associated Press Retroactively Awards 1957 National Championship To Navy,” or “Yellowstone Caldera Erupts– Air Force Academy Swallowed Whole.” No, instead it’s always about somebody leaving the team, somebody getting hurt, someone looking to hire away a Navy coach, etc. It sucks, and this offseason has been no exception thanks to the drama surrounding Marcus Curry. Curry’s troubles came to the public’s attention back in January when it was reported that he had failed a drug test, yet was retained. Now the news of his dismissal from the team is picking at that scab, leading to a re-hashing of conversations that had mercifully ended despite the best efforts of random Facebook moms to stir up enough populist outrage to get a congressional inquiry or something. This latest episode of wailing and gnashing of teeth hasn’t really led to any new or insightful commentary other than serving as a vehicle for some people to take their indignant side out for a spin.
I think a lot of us figured that Marcus would transfer anyway, for his own sanity’s sake. Who would want to put up with the kind of mocking and public scrutiny that he’s seen for the last 4 months? Apparently he was, but couldn’t walk the straight and narrow line that was undoubtedly placed before him as a condition of his second chance. Oh well. We all know that Naval Academy life isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Marcus gave it a shot, and it didn’t work out; just like countless others who, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, have left or will leave the Naval Academy. Attrition is inevitable in every class, and Curry is hardly the first person to be kicked off of the football team. Knowing this, I am absolutely dumbfounded as to why some people insist on making his impending transfer personal. Insulting him? Saying things like, “good riddance?” Really? Have we completely lost perspective? The Naval Academy needs young men and women who are willing to give it a shot, even if some of them come up short. Curry, for all his alleged faults, was still willing to attempt something that most people his age will not. There is value in the attempt, even if it was ultimately misguided. As a graduate I am far less ashamed of anything Marcus Curry has ever done than I am of those who would spit on him as he walks out the door. Tell some people that they’re the “best and brightest” enough, and you’ll create the kind of arrogance that gives Academy graduates a bad name. It’s the stereotype that well-adjusted alums have been fighting for generations, and until this episode I thought it might have been somewhat unfounded. Holy crap was I wrong.
None of this is to say that Marcus Curry is without blame for his own situation. He made his mistakes just like we all have in life. The difference is that the court of public opinion doesn’t rule on our worth as a person based on our mistakes. It is unfortunate, and more than a little disturbing, the way Curry has been dissected in the media. Admittedly, the nature of the Naval Academy makes headline news out of things that might be footnotes at other schools; if a player has a positive drug test, it’s a big deal. That comes with the territory. On the other hand, that isn’t an excuse to broadcast Curry’s entire conduct record to a predominantly clueless audience that has no idea what something like “demerits” at USNA entail. The Naval Academy is not a reality show where we all get to vote undeserving mids off the island. Those of us who are married probably don’t want all our arguments to become episodes of The Marriage Ref. I’m quite thankful that my conduct record wasn’t public; I inherited my father’s “you rate what you skate” approach to Academy conduct matters. Marcus deserved the same privacy that any other mid expects in Academy matters.
But again, that’s just a repeat of things we’ve already said. Meanwhile, the team has to find a way to replace their top slotback. Conventional wisdom regurgitators that populate internet message boards will say something like “that just means someone else will step up” or some other manner of rah-rah, although that undervalues the contributions each individual player makes to the team. Starters are starters for a reason, and losing Marcus Curry shouldn’t be so easily dismissed.
Curry was a big part of the 2009 offense. Among other things, he was the team’s leading reciever, averaging nearly 30 yards per catch. The bulk of his numbers came in Navy’s biggest games; he had 101 yards and 2 spectacular touchdowns against Ohio State, 5 catches for 97 yards against Missouri, and a 25-yard TD reception against Army. With Bobby Doyle graduating, the Mids now lose their top two receivers going into 2010. Losing receivers probably isn’t the worst thing that could happen to this offense, but it certainly isn’t good. These were some clutch catches, especially in Ohio State and Mizzou games. I don’t think you could say that any random schmo could step in and make those plays.
Of course, the Mids won’t be asking any random schmo to step in and make those plays, since slotback is widely considered the deepest position on the team. In fact, there are probably 5-6 guys who are ready to step in as the #2 guy right now. The question now is whether any of them are ready to be the featured slotback. Curry shouldered a hefty load; despite missing three games due to injury, he still had 46% of all slotback carries last year. That’s the third-highest percentage since 2004:
2008 Shun White 73.7%
2006 Reggie Campbell 53.2%
2009 Marcus Curry 46.2%
2004 Eric Roberts 37.7%
2007 Shun White 35.4%
2004 Frank Divis 32.8%
2007 Reggie Campbell 32.2%
2005 Marco Nelson 30.9%
2007 Zerbin Singleton 30.4%
2005 Reggie Campbell 29.3%
Are any of the remaining slotbacks ready to assume that kind of responsibility? Gee Gee Greene is the leading candidate athletically, but the transition from freshman to #1 guy is a lot to ask. Curry did it, so it’s certainly possible; but it isn’t something that should be taken for granted. The other possibility is that there won’t be a clear-cut #1 A-back, and that carries will be distributed a little more randomly. Either way, Curry’s absence means a change of plans for what was one of the most stable positions going into 2010.
DRAFT RECAP
If you really think about it, if someone wanted to design the worst television show ever, it would probably look something like the NFL draft. I mean, it’s a guy reading a name every 10 minutes. For whatever reason, we all watch it anyway. For me, other than seeing who the Chargers take and pretending I know if it’s a good pick or not, I like to see how many draftees played against Navy during their college careers. Here’s the list for the 2010 draft:
ROUND 1
Anthony Davis/OL/6’6/325/Rutgers
Sean Weatherspoon/LB/6’2/245/Missouri
Devin McCourty/CB/5’11/185/Rutgers
ROUND 2
Koa Misi/OLB/6’3/263/Utah
Zane Beadles/OL/6’4/305/Utah
Jimmy Clausen/QB/6’3/223/Notre Dame
Toby Gerhart/RB/6’1/237/Stanford
Golden Tate/WR/5’11/195/Notre Dame
ROUND 3
D’Anthony Smith/DT/6’2/300/Louisiana Tech
Emmanuel Sanders/WR/5’11/180/SMU
Brandon Ghee/CB/6’0/191/Wake Forest
ROUND 4
Thad Gibson/OLB/6’2/240/Ohio St.
ROUND 5
Robert Johnson/FS/6’2/200/Utah
Chris DeGeare/G/6’4/335/Wake Forest
Stevenson Sylvester/LB/6’2/230/Utah
ROUND 6
Dennis Morris/TE/6’2/265/Louisiana Tech
Sam Young/T/6’8/320/Notre Dame
Nate Byham/TE/6’4/265/Pittsburgh
Eric Olsen/G/6’4/305/Notre Dame
ROUND 7
R.J. Stanford/DB/5’11/180/Utah
Dorin Dickerson/TE/6’2/230/Pittsburgh
C.J. Wilson/DL/6’4/278/East Carolina
Jim Dray/TE/6’5/253/Stanford
Ryan D’Imperio/LB/6’1/241/Rutgers
Doug Worthington/DT/6’6/276/Ohio St.
Kurt Coleman/S/5’11/195/Ohio St.
Austin Spitler/LB/6’3/234/Ohio St.
Erik Lorig/DE/6’4/265/Stanford
These are people who actually played in games against Navy. If a drafted player’s school played Navy, but that player didn’t get into the game, I didn’t list him.
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE NEW MILLENIUM
In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve expanded my internet empire by finally joining Twitter. You can follow me here: http://twitter.com/navybirddog
Be warned that half of my crap consists of complaints about La Liga, Padres injury news, and retweeting funny comments by Chargers players, but I swear I manage to mix some Navy stuff in there once in a while too…
The Birddog 