Basketball Loses Another One

On By MikeIn navy basketballLeave a comment

Bill Wagner is reporting that Trey Stanton is leaving the Naval Academy. Stanton, who was a Patriot League All-Rookie selection last year, apparently didn’t feel comfortable with the military obligation.

The list of schools interested in offering a scholarship to Stanton– Wagner reports that Gonzaga, Texas Tech, SMU, USD, and Evansville are– should tell you how big of a blow this is to Billy Lange and Navy basketball. Stanton is a matchup nightmare, a big man with the perimeter shooting ability of the 6-3 guard that he was before his growth spurt. With two traditional post players in Jeremy Wilson and Mark Veazey coming in next year, Billy Lange was looking at going from one of the shortest teams in the Patriot League to one of the tallest, potentially putting 3 players on the floor 6-9 or taller. With Stanton, Navy could stretch their opponents’ defense by forcing a post player out to the perimeter to guard the 6-10 forward. That would create space for Navy’s post players, help with rebounding, and take pressure off of Greg Sprink. Sprink is the team’s only real scoring threat, and his shot selection is questionable at times because Navy depends on him to jumpstart the offense. Having Stanton on the perimeter with a year of experience under his belt would have done wonders to help with that.

What was looking like a very promising season is now looking a bit more shaky.

My I-Day Manifesto

On By MikeIn football, I-Day, lacrosse, navy basketball, navy football, navy lacrosse, navy sports, plebe summer, recruiting11 Comments

The two best pieces of advice you can give to someone who’s about to head off to Plebe Summer are to keep a sense of humor, and to remain anonymous as long as possible. Don’t do anything that will make a detailer remember you. For my plebe summer roommate, that second part was a bit of a problem.

It wasn’t any fault of his own, really. He is the best athlete I’ve ever known, recruited to play both soccer and lacrosse. When you are that high-profile of a recruit, the detailers already know who you are. Everyone ends up getting some time in the “spotlight” eventually during Plebe Summer, but my roommate had the honor of being first. When the detailers wanted to drop the platoon for pushups, it wasn’t unusual to hear the process begin with one of them yelling, “You’re just here to play lacrosse!”

Fast forward a few years to 2003. In his book, Recruiting Confidential, David Claerbaut chronicles the college recruiting process experienced by his stepson, Chicago running back James Velissaris. James committed to the Naval Academy, and his family made the trip with him to Annapolis to see him sworn in on I-Day. When it came time to take the oath, though, James didn’t do it. Reading over the commitment papers, he felt that he was only there to play football; to him, that wasn’t reason enough to sign. Velissaris would end up playing for Harvard.

Two different stories, but with similar themes: sports as the primary motivation in choosing to attend the Naval Academy. As I was reading James Velissaris’ story, the same thought occurred to me as when I would hear my Plebe Summer detailers barking at my roommate: is there really anything wrong with that?

June has arrived. It is the time when a select group of high school seniors across the country are about to trade the cap and gown of the graduate for the dixie cup and whiteworks assigned to the Naval Academy’s lowest of the low. Included in this group preparing for the challenge of Plebe Summer are the athletes recruited to fill out the rosters of Navy’s several varsity sports. On I-Day, these athletes are going to face decisions of their own. Like James Velissaris, they might find themselves questioning their own motives. They shouldn’t. It is perfectly acceptable that being recruited to play a varsity sport would be someone’s main attraction to the Naval Academy. It should be expected, and in a lot of ways, encouraged.

Plenty of Academy alums would bristle at that thought. Some of these graduates seem to think that every midshipman-to-be that passes through the gates of USNA does so because each one of them is driven to have a career as a Navy or Marine Corps officer. Some of them are. Or at least they think they are. Let’s be real, now; how many 18 year-olds coming straight out of high school really have any idea what it means to be an officer in the Naval Service? I am a third-generation Academy graduate and spent my entire childhood surrounded by all things Navy. I thought I had a pretty good idea going into I-Day. It took all of 15 minutes of Plebe Summer for me to realize that I didn’t know squat. If most grads would take an honest look at their own experience, they’d probably admit the same thing. If a person doesn’t truly understand what being a Naval officer entails, then he can’t truly be dedicated to a Naval career from day one. It’s unfair to expect otherwise.

In fact, the Navy itself doesn’t expect it. Have you seen Navy advertising on television? A recent Navy ad shows three Navy officers who turned their Navy experience into successful civilian careers. All branches of the military use college money and other benefits to bring people to the recruiting office. The Marine Corps sells itself as an exclusive club. It’s true, obviously; but it’s also secondary to to what being a Marine really means.

There is a bit of a double standard at work here, too. Many of the same graduates and onlookers who cringe when a recruit says that he came to play football have no problem with other reasons that a midshipman might give. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone complain when a mid says that he came to USNA for the quality of the education. When someone comes to Annapolis because his father or brother or sister did, it’s generally regarded as a heartwarming nod to family tradition. How are these reasons any different? The Naval Academy does a lot to make itself attractive to applicants as a school. Athletics are a part of that, as are academic programs, extracurriculars, traditions, etc. Coming for any of these reasons is no different than coming to play a sport. None of them are the same thing as saying, “I want to be a Navy or Marine Corps officer.”

Those who question the mindset of these soon-to-be midshipmen need to remember the mission of the institution. It is not the job of the high school senior to be dedicated to a career of naval service; it is the job of the Naval Academy to motivate him to do so. As long as coaches are upfront with kids on the recruiting trail about the challenge that lies ahead, there really is no bad reason to come to USNA. That’s why the Navy is comfortable advertising about how it can help jumpstart a civilian career. Those who want to use their Navy experience to do so, can. But some of those people brought in by that ad might find that a Navy career is more rewarding than they realized, and they’ll stick around for a while. There’s a cliche at the Academy about how the guys who’d swear they would be in for life end up getting out as soon as their commitment is up, and the guys who’d swear they would get out as soon as possible end up becoming admirals. There’s some truth to that; no matter what you think going in, it isn’t until you’ve actually experienced the life of a Naval officer that you’d know if it is for you. Very few of these young men and women about to take the oath really know what’s waiting for them on the other side, but they’re willing to give it a try. The country needs people who are willing to give it a try, even if it doesn’t always work out in the end.

We should be thankful for each and every one of those who will raise their right hand on June 27th, regardless of why they’re doing it.

Poinsettia Bowl Update

On By MikeIn bowls, football, navy football3 Comments

P-Bowl logoSome news today out of San Diego… The Poinsettia Bowl is looking to alter its format so that it no longer offers an at-large berth. According to the article in the U-T, game executives would like Navy to play there once every three years with the Pac-10 providing its #6 choice in the other two years. While in my heart I love having at-large berths in bowl games, in the current bowl climate this makes sense. After a healthy start in 2005 with Navy bringing 20,000 fans to its game against Colorado State, the Poinsettia Bowl struggled to attract fans for its TCU-Northern Illinois matchup last year. Bringing a Pac-10 team onboard to play someone from the Mountain West would provide two regional opponents whose fans wouldn’t have much difficulty travelling to a pre-Christmas bowl game. In the long run, anything this game can do to stay afloat is good for Navy. Having a spot guaranteed for us every three years is a tremendous help when you’re an independent with no other bowl tie-ins of your own.

The article mentions that the Hawaii Bowl is also interested in hooking up with the Pac-10’s 6th choice. If I’m Chet Gladchuk, I’m placing calls to Honolulu to see if those folks wouldn’t mind Navy once in a while, too.

Treading Water

On By MikeIn lacrosse1 Comment

Washington Post lacrosse guru Christian Swezey tackles the top issue facing Division I lacrosse today: growth. Or more specifically, the lack thereof.

Lacrosse is exploding across the country. High school programs from Florida to Michigan to California are thriving, with more than 1,000 schools adding lacrosse over the last 25 years. But while Division III has matched that growth– doubling in size to 145 over the same time period– Division I has not. When Butler dropped its lacrosse program in January, it brought the total number of Division I lacrosse schools down to 56, only 6 more than where the division stood in 1982. So why hasn’t Division I lax matched the growth of the sport?

One popular explanation is Title IX. Division I women’s lacrosse has grown to 81 programs, with more being added every year (including at Navy next year). Unlike the men’s game, D-I women’s lacrosse stretches from coast to coast with programs at Cal, Stanford, Oregon, St. Mary’s, and UC Davis. A team from the midwest, Northwestern, has won the last two national championships. This kind of growth is possible because there is no women’s equivalent to football. Football eats up 85 scholarships at I-A schools and 63 at the I-AA level, so any idea of adding another men’s sport is already handcuffed if the school is to remain Title IX compliant.

Even without Title IX, though, money would still be an issue. Coaches’ salaries, recruiting, travel, equipment, and 12.6 scholarships aren’t cheap. Men’s non-revenue sports are usually the first to get cut at most schools, as any wrestling or gymnastics fan could tell you. It’s no surprise that colleges aren’t scrambling to add another one.

The dirty little secret, though, is that many people in the lacrosse community don’t want Division I to grow. Look at who some of the best teams in college lacrosse are: non-scholarship Ivy League schools, service academies, Johns Hopkins… If Division I grew to include I-A mega-schools like the those in the SEC and Big XII, what would happen to the traditional powerhouses? The answer is the same thing that’s happened in every other sport that these schools once dominated; eventually they’ll fade away as larger state schools with lower admissions standards take over. For some of the game’s biggest supporters, that isn’t very appealing. Lacrosse is still a tight-knit community in the Northeast, where everyone more or less knows each other. A lot of people want to keep it that way.

So where can growth in Division I come from? The answer might be Division II. Bellarmine is a small school (2,500) whose sports compete in Division II. The school started its lacrosse program in 2005, and in 2006 played its first full season in Division I. NCAA rules prohibit a school from fielding teams in both Division I and Division III. There is no such rule for Division II, though. Lacrosse is now the flagship program at Bellarmine, who is using the growing popularity of lacrosse to raise the school’s profile. The Bellarmine model could be a blueprint for other schools to follow.

One way or another, Division I needs to grow. Whatever other motives people might have, nothing is more important than giving more kids the opportunity to continue playing the game they love after high school. That’s supposed to be what it’s all about, right?

It’s Good To Be Loved

On By MikeIn bowls, football, navy footballLeave a comment

Bowl game talk is in the news again. The Baltimore Business Journal is reporting that the Camden Yards Sports and Entertainment Commission is considering submitting a bid to bring a bowl game to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Like the proposed game in Washington, the Commission is interested in possibly establishing an affiliation with the Naval Academy. Unlike the Washington game, this would not be a new bowl game but rather a transplanted game that is struggling in its current host city. It’s still early in the process, and the game wouldn’t happen earlier than December 2008; but the more bowl talk that’s surrounding Navy, the better.

Fenske Transferring?

On By MikeIn navy basketball, recruitingLeave a comment

CSTV’s Hodge Report is reporting that forward Bobby Fenske is leaving the Naval Academy. Fenske (6-8, 196), a prized recruit who originally committed to the Air Force Academy before being medically disqualified, averaged a little more than 8 minutes per game in his freshman campaign (including 10 starts). While seeing limited action, he did shoot 40% from behind the arc (10-25) and was almost certainly being counted on as a centerpiece of Billy Lange’s frontcourt for the next three years. Fenske’s departure leaves the small forward position a two-man battle between junior Adam Teague and sophomore T.J. Topercer. No word yet on where Fenske will end up.

OJ AvworoCoach Lange may be losing a forward via transfer, but he’s gaining a guard. Idaho’s O.J. Avworo (6-0, 180) is transferring to Navy. Avworo, who was heavily recruited by Navy before committing to Idaho, will sit out next season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. He averaged nearly 27 min./game with the Vandals last year while starting 24 games and leading the team with 95 assists. Avworo should contend for the starting point guard spot when he is eligible to play in 2008-2009, which would free up Kaleo Kina to take over Greg Sprink’s role as Navy’s primary scoring threat in the backcourt.

eBay Scavenger Hunt, Vol. 1

On By MikeIn army-navy, ebay, navy football2 Comments

There are dozens of old Navy game programs on eBay at any given time. This one, however, is a bit different. First, it’s supposedly signed by the enitre Navy team, including Roger Staubach. Second, whoever is selling it has the date wrong. The seller says it’s from the ’67 game, but that’s actually the program from 1964. Obviously, since Roger had already been to Vietnam and back by the ’67 Army-Navy game.

Chronological faux pas aside, signed memorabilia is something I get nervous about buying anywhere, let alone on eBay. But if you aren’t paranoid like me, it’s worth a look.

Paul Johnson Visits Jacksonville

On By MikeIn navy football, Paul Johnson1 Comment

Head football coach Paul Johnson made a swing through Jacksonville to talk to the local alumni association chapter on the wine and cheese circuit. The Birddog was there, along with more than 100 alumni and fans at UNF’s University Center.

The Times-Union was there too, although they didn’t provide any detail on the speech. Hopefully that’s where I can step in. Fullbacks coach Chris Culton made the trip too. If you’ve heard Coach Johnson talk to USNA alumni groups before, you know that he makes basically the same speech each time. It’s nothing most hardcore Navy fans don’t already know, but it’s still good stuff; especially for those who may have forgotten just how far Navy football has come in 5 short years. Some highlights:

– Coach Johnson said he was “astounded” that Navy’s facilities hadn’t improved between the time he was offensive coordinator (1995-1996) and 2002 when he took over as head coach. Facilities had slipped behind both Air Force and Army over that time. That was one of the first things he set about correcting when he came back.

– Player attitudes were another thing that needed correcting. Coach talked about how, in his first year, the team would lose a game but the players didn’t act like they cared. After the game they’d be on their cell phones looking to see where the party was. Accountability and a winning attitude were things that didn’t really exist. One of the things that he did to correct this attitude was ramp up the intensity at practice. The more you invest, PJ says, the harder it is to lay down. Of course, the harder you work, the fewer people there are who’ll want to do it. A side effect of this new philosophy was that a lot of guys “didn’t think football was fun anymore,” as PJ put it, and ended up quitting. That helped to keep the team at a more manageable size (about 150 or so).

– Mentioned that the first goals that he set for the program was to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy and to make Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium a tough place to play again.

– Coach Johnson had a 3-pronged strategy for improvement. First was making the players that he inherited better. To do that, PJ brought strength and conditioning coach Mike Brass with him from Georgia Southern. With summer training taking up a lot of the time that other schools would be using for offseason workouts, Coach Johnson wanted to find a way to make more time for players to use for conditioning. The end result is “0” block cruise. Football players have a chance to start their summer professional training as soon as classes end rather than waiting until after Commissioning Week festivities are over.

The second part of the improvement strategy was to recruit better players. The previous staff cast a wide net, bringing in hundreds of players in the hopes that through sheer luck, a few of them will turn out to be legitimate I-A prospects. Rather than do that, PJ and his staff target kids that they know can play.

The third leg of the rebirth of Navy football was to change the schedule. Playing top 25 programs week in and week out doesn’t give us a chance to win. Coach restated the 4-4-4 scheduling philosophy: 4 teams you should be favored against, 4 teams where it should be pretty even, and 4 teams that you need to “play up” to beat.

– Coach Johnson wrapped up the prepared portion of his talk by talking about spring practice and looking ahead to this season. He said that he felt that the team made good progress this spring. He said that all three quarterbacks played very well and that he’d be comfortable with any of them. He also said that the defense made great strides. At the beginning of the spring, the offense pretty much had their way with the defense. The opposite was true at the end. That’s important because, according to PJ, the defense was always ahead of the offense on the best teams he’s coached.

– The offensive line might be the best he’s had at Navy. Definitely the most athletic. The whole team, in fact, is more athletic than ever. There are a lot of young players on defense; 10 new starters. Coach Johnson says that he thinks they can play, but you never know until you play a game.

– After his speech, Coach opened the floor to questions. Lots of good stories in the Q&A. For example, PJ talked about the 2002 Air Force game, when Fisher DeBerry told newspaper reporters after the game that he wanted to “send a message.” PJ clipped that newspaper article, framed it, and kept it on his desk for motivation until the next year.

The most interesting thing that Coach talked about in the Q&A was the need to play a game in Florida for recruiting purposes. He talked about maybe getting games with USF or UCF. If something couldn’t be put together with either of those schools, then PJ said that the answer might be to schedule the Notre Dame game in Florida again. But one way or another, PJ was very clear that we needed a game in Florida.

That was about it. Tom Heilmann once again did a terrific job putting the event together. Football season can’t get here soon enough.