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Sunday, February 05, 2006
Forget the records, this one is big
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Navy at Army, 1 p.m.: For these two struggling teams, the season can be made with a win today. Oh sure, if Army loses, it can take consolation in having beat the Midshipmen in Annapolis earlier this season. But that game was sort of a warmup. This one is for the "Star", which loosely translated means this is the one that really counts. Players at the two academies can add a star to their varsity letter for a win over their archrivals, when the two meet more than once in a season in a sport, then one game is designated the star game.

That is why this is the meeting between Army and Navy that will be nationally televised on CBS (that and the fact that the two schools made televising an Army-Navy basketball game a part of the package for the rights to the annual football classic).

To best understand the significance of the rivalry between Army and Navy, pick up John Feinstein's account of the Army-Navy football game, "A Civil War." Or if you don't feel like reading a football book (it really is more than just a football book), browse some of the little shops in downtown Annapolis and notice the amount of Navy merchandise that includes the slogan "Beat Army." They even make Gold and Blue Navy beanie bears, the one with "Go Navy" embroidered on the foot, the other tagged with "Beat Army." Or go to a game at Alumni Hall and notice how many Navy cheers include that line, even when they are playing against somebody else.

This game has added significance this year, too. The two teams are in a virtual tie for last place, each with just a single league win. This is probably both team's best chance to pick up a second win to escape the cellar and the dreaded first round matchup on the top seed's homecourt.
Army notes | Navy notes | USA Today matchup | | Navy radio
Published at 9:47 AM by Hoop Time.
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