Navy doesn’t need much motivation (Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy too big for jet - deputy improvises)

The Telegraph Online ^ | 9/29/04 | MARK SCHLABACH

[Libloather]

Navy doesn’t need much motivation
By MARK SCHLABACH
Published: Wednesday, Sep. 29, 2004

A few minutes after Navy beat Army last December, Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk had an order for Capt. Greg Cooper, the academy’s deputy director of athletics. “Go get the trophy,” Gladchuk told him. Two days later, Cooper flew to the Air Force Academy, where he gladly accepted the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy from the Falcons.

But later that day, when Cooper arrived at Colorado Springs, Colo., Airport with the trophy delicately packed in its metal box, airline officials told him they couldn’t fit the box through the boarding door or into the cargo hold of the jet taking him to Baltimore. Airline personnel suggested shipping the trophy, which would arrive in three or four days.

“You don’t understand,” Cooper told them. “I’m not going back to the academy without it.”

So Cooper did what any proud Midshipman would do. He rented a U-haul truck, strapped the trophy in and drove more than 1,700 miles to Annapolis, Md.

“I never realized there were so many country-western radio stations between here and Colorado Springs,” Cooper said. “It was a labor of love, but we were eager to show the Midshipmen what they’d won.”

[reed13k]

Ummm - the Marine Corps commissions officers out of the Naval Academy. About 200/clas if I'm not mistaken... I know because some of my classmates went Corps. In addition, the Marines fall under the Secretary of the navy and is considered a NAVAL service. Thus NAVAL Academy and not NAVY Academy ;)

GO NAVY!
USNA '89

[nevergore]

My daughter is a cadet at the Air Force Academy. Her boyfriend is a midshipman at Annapolis.

My wife flew up there today to see our daugther and watch the game. Grrrrr...I have to stay behind and work.

BTW, Lee Greenwood is scheduled to sing the national anthem and "Proud to be an American".

NeverGore :^)

[MEG33]

I am sorry you must miss the fun....Sounds terrific!

[nevergore]

It's going to be a great time regardless of the game score...

BTW, just got off the phone with my wife and she just met my daughter up at Arnold Hall...the view of the moon was incredible, bright orange and atmosphered amplified to 10 times it's normal size....

That's truly beautiful country in C.S.

NeverGore :^)

[Calpernia]

When Navy faces Air Force on Thursday night, the players know the game is little more than a distraction from their first priority: training to defend the country. With friends and family members serving overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, including some who might never come home, it's hard not to have some perspective.

[El Gato]

Go Navy! It's just as well that the MARINES don't don't have a team or neither of them would get it back

Marines are part of the Navy. Many Naval Academy grads become Marine officers instead of Navy Officers. (A few Air Force and Military Academy grads do as well, although that's pretty unusual)

[El Gato]

Even ROTC grads "cross over". A friend from High School, but also in college with me, was in Army ROTC, but when he couldn't qualify to fly helicopters, he chose to be commissioned in the USAF with an assignment as a navigator. He's now a retired Major, IIRC.

[dljordan]

I bow to your superior knowledge.

[Max Combined]

"Navy is off to its first 4-0 start"

I hope Rice whips them this year.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Navy Dad says "Go Navy!"

[Max Combined]

"My daughter is a cadet at the Air Force Academy."

So wouldn't that make her a cadette?

[windchime]

Bump!

[Squantos]

I'll take Air Force and give you three points Meg.......:o)

[Polybius]

My daughter is a cadet at the Air Force Academy. Her boyfriend is a midshipman at Annapolis.

That's a bad combination for coordinating duty stations.

Do they plan on spending much time together during the next 10 years?

[nevergore]

They know it too......

If it's "true love" they'll find a way......

NeverGore :^)

[Hemingway's Ghost]

GO NAVY

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD

[Honcho]

[Hemingway's Ghost]

USNA '89

Egad . . . flashbacks to the summer of '88 . . .

[CaptRon]

she just met my daughter up at Arnold Hall

Hopefully named after 'Hap'...

[LTCJ]

The Navy is the Senior service in the USK.

There ya go. Wrong country - though Tommy Atkins is no slouch, either.