Army-Navy Game a Snoozer, But New Uniforms Are Triple-Distilled Awesome

Promise me this: Once in your life, please try to make it to a football game at one of our service academies. I can't promise you a great game, but I can promise a great experience. Yes, even if Army football is involved.

Army-Navy is one of the sport's oldest rivalries. It hasn't been much of a rivalry lately, though. Navy has had Army's number, winning nine of the last 10 games, including today's contest, which Navy won 34-0. The Black Knights of the Hudson have really hit the skids. The last time they won more than four games in a season was in 1996, when they went 10-2.

Navy dominated today's game, which was basically over after Navy's first possession. The Midshipmen controlled the line-play on both sides of the ball. Paul Johnson may have taken his system to Georgia Tech, but he left behind his top assistant, Ken Niumatalolo, who hasn't missed a beat. Navy's triple-option offense still works beautifully, with both Shun White and Eric Kettani going for well over 100 yards of rushing. The real story is the dominance of Navy's defense, which held Army to seven first downs and 150 yards.

Okay, that's not the real story.

The real story is the new 'Enforcer' uniforms both teams debuted for this game. Nike, perhaps atoning for all the eyeball arson they've committed in the name of the University of Oregon, came up with a couple winners here. Navy's unis incorporate symbols associated with the Marine Corps for the first time ever, while also including the blue and gold always associated with the Naval Academy.

Army's new uniforms, though, have officially become the Baddest Uniforms in All Sport. There's not an ounce of glimmer or shine in them anywhere, while the Army's new digital print camouflage is everywhere, on the helmets, on the pants, and even on the jersey numbers. You would not need to be told that these are Army's uniforms; they almost look like they could be worn into battle.

The unflashy new uniforms didn't prevent the first shutout in the last 30 years of this series, however. Army has something football-related they can be proud of, however, as running back Collin Mooney became Army's all-time leading rusher, by a single yard, on the last play of the game.

This game, of course, is not about the football. It's about what Army has printed on the back of its jerseys, in the place usually reserved for player names: "Duty. Honor. Country." Their sacrifice in school and on the battlefield helps make it possible for people like us to be free to complain about college football as much as we do, and for that we should all be grateful.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-07-2008 @ 9:07AM

matt said...

army's new uniforms are awesome.

12-06-2008 @ 7:21PM

FormerMCRetiredUSN said...

Talk, talk, talk about the new uniforms. . . show any pictures of them? Of course not.

12-06-2008 @ 7:52PM

Mark Hasty said...

That pic up there is the best I can do right now. Our wire service has lots of pictures of President Bush at the game, but no pictures which show both uniforms clearly. I'll keep an eye out for better pictures and add them to the article if/when they become available.

12-06-2008 @ 9:14PM

Katherine said...

Thank you for the last paragraph! Not something usually seen in a sports column, too many forget that there is a world beyond sports. Anxious to see the uniform pictures, too. Go Army!

12-06-2008 @ 11:35PM

Armydad said...

The Army uni's were AWESOME!....BDU's on the gridiron, what a fantastic concept!.....I can't wait for my son serving his 2nd tour in Iraq to see them, he will love them! Thanks to all our service men and women for the selfless job they do and the security they provide....GO ARMY!....

12-06-2008 @ 11:50PM

Dev_null said...

A photoset for the Army uniforms

http://www.goarmysports.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?PALBID=45508&DB_OEM_ID=11100&PAGE_ID=9&ZID=3421366

I couldn't find an actual photoset for the Navy but theres a few here

http://navysports.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/navy-m-footbl-body.html

12-07-2008 @ 1:47AM

jacks said...

Those were great unis. Well atleast the helmets were great, camo helmets, those were perfect for the army team. Loved them!!!! And while i'm on here, just want to say thanks to all of our armed service men and women. I dont think that can ever be said enough, its because of them that we get to celebrate the great game of football, as well as all our other freedoms! Thanks again, you all make us proud to be Americans!!!

12-07-2008 @ 2:26AM

Turp said...

The Army uniforms are Chuck Norris approved and certified baddass.

12-09-2008 @ 8:20AM

dean-o said...

OK: I love service academy football. As a 21-year navy veteran, my sympathies are obvious (but I would like to see Army's program improve to a point where the outcome is in doubt sometime: it was clear during the first series yesterday which way that game was going).

Anybody who enjoys football but is cynical about what college athletes are preparing for should get to the first Army-Navy football game they can possibly make it to.

There's a real good chance it will be a cold, raw day in New Jersey or Philly (or even Baltimore if you go). Dress in layers...and get there in time to watch both student bodies march onto the field. And not matter what the score: stay until the end of the game. Then watch each team offer their respects to the other school's student body as the alma maters are played. If you don't get a lump in your throat: you might want to check for a pulse...or see a cardiologist to see if your heart is made of stone.

About the Army uniforms: Gotta disagree with the other praise of them. To me they seem like what would happen if you asked a 12-year old boy to come up with a cool design for an Army uniform. The helmet isn't bad. But the camo on the pants...and the numbers...and the credo on the back. Not subtle. Not elegant. Not badass. When your name is as cool as "The Black Knights", you don't need to hyperbolic touch of unnecessary camo.

12-07-2008 @ 11:05AM

greg said...

What was the lettering down the side of the Army pants?

12-07-2008 @ 11:07AM

One side of the pants said "West Point". The other side said "Boots on the Ground". Source was Nike.

12-07-2008 @ 11:23AM

ntwallace said...

Navy fullback Eric Kettani was asked what he thought about the Army uniforms and he said he never saw them, they were camoflauged! He said he was tackled on a play, but never saw anyone and thought, "whoa--what happened?"!!!

12-07-2008 @ 2:08PM

mrxcountry06 said...

agree w/ the comment about how the unis looked like a 12 year old designed them, but my real issue with them is that they looked like an advertisement- like something out of a "Army Strong" or "Army of One" commercial... just cheezy

Navy's were nice, kept it somewhat traditional and similar to the old designs, you've gotta love the "blood stripe" and EGA's as well.

12-08-2008 @ 11:50AM

brh said...

I had the honor of attending the game this past weekend to witness the unveiling of the new uniforms. There was a buzz in the stands when the Army team came out to warm up with the new pants, then the new jerseys (they donned the old gold helmets during warm-ups), but it was electric when they came out of the tunnel in the new ACU (Army Combat Uniform) digital pattern. What many didn’t see was at the same time the team came out of the tunnel with the new helmets, the Corps of Cadets donned the same patterned baseball caps to wear for the game.

Perhaps the biggest hit with the patriotic fans sitting with me was the words “Duty, Honor, Country” across the back of the jerseys. In a day and age where individuals seek recognition, that simple act of selflessness showed that they were part of something larger… their individual performance is important, but it comes together as a team effort for the greater good.

I only wish the outcome would have been closer…

12-08-2008 @ 11:56AM

Styx said...

I disagree with most people on this blog. I thought the uniforms were absolutely atrocious. The Army-Navy game does not need to be a huge publicity stunt. It already has the most tradition of any game out there. Both Army and Navy's uniforms are have years of tradition behind them. To change them is to change the tradition of the game. If they continue, it will no longer be visually recognizable as Army-Navy. To me, it looked like at the end of the game they were going to open a cage of pheasants and let Army go hunting.

In the end, I feel publicity stunts are ok at times. But when it comes to a game as deep in tradition as this rivalry, no publicity stunts are needed. If people need to see new uniforms or be entertained by new stunts as it seems increasingly the case, then they aren't that big of fans in the first place. I hope for the sake of both programs that the uniforms were a one time thing and do not go into next year.

Finally,..........34-0!!

12-08-2008 @ 4:54PM

ISC (AW) Don Harrington said...

Well, on a different tack - "eyeball arson" - ROFLMAO! I love it when someone has a way with wrods like that. I was working this past weekend (Change of Command and seven retirements) so I missed the game. Enjoyed the outcome though (obviously).