I'm a Navy fan. My parents met at the Naval Academy and my Dad was a Marine after graduating Annapolis. It's in my blood to root for Navy football no matter what. It's often a hapless task.
Thankfully, it’s made easier by the fact that the Midshipmen only require fanatical devotion two Saturdays out of the year. As much as we love cheering our boys on in bowl appearances, Navy fans aren’t in it for the post-season. Nor are we in it for the season. really. We’re in it for two games, and two games alone: Notre Dame and Army.
As long as I’ve been alive, Notre Dame has preceded Army on the schedule.
The pre-game mantra: “This is the year.”
Inevitably, we lose a heartbreaker, and the mantra changes: “There’s always Army.”
If we lose to Army, the mantra changes again: “There’s always next year.”
If Navy went 9-2 with the two losses coming at the hands of Army and Notre Dame, the season might still be considered a wash by die-hard fans. That’s how fanatical the rivalries against these two teams are.
No matter how fanatical a Fighting Irish fan you are, there’s no denying that Notre Dame is terrible this year. And no matter how painfully aware of this fact Notre Dame Nation is, Navy fans were even more aware of it coming into the game. When my mom claimed “This is the year,” it wasn’t out of an underdog’s determination, but out of genuine possibility. My family and I sat down to the game actually optimistic about the outcome. We tried to keep away the thought that many a fan before us had felt the same, only to come away disappointed.
That familiar sinking feeling rose up in me all throughout the first half. Every time Navy tied the score, Notre Dame surged ahead. Sure, Navy wasn’t failing miserably, but we were on the wrong end of trading touchdowns. But the fans kept the faith.
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Article comments
1 - Brian Burns
That was great Steve. Keep up the good work.
2 - Michele
I am a HUGE Navy fan....and I, too, was on the edge of the couch watching and hoping to see who would end up walking away the victor! When Navy won, I jumped up screaming and shouting, my husband looked at me like I was nuts.
I knew walking into the Army/Navy game that Navy would win. It was a great moment in Navy Football history...six straight wins against Army, the longest winning streak thus far.
GO NAVY BEAT ARMY!!!!!!!