News and Notes Post Spring

A few more post spring recaps and Sal Interdonato has his fingerprints all over these ones.

Army is built to run the ball, but has the talent to stretch the field. One last look back at a healthy spring session.

How did I miss this guy? Unreal site. DannyWild.com has an amazing recap of the spring game. Old boy writes better than I do and he snaps his own pictures... plenty of content over there, and that earned his site a slot in the BIG East blog list to the left. <--- I don't know how much time he puts into Army coverage, but after reading just one post I am seriously impressed. It's always nice to see Army get some attention in addition to the usual sources, here's an early 2010 Army preview by BCS Evolution. I guess if you're on the prowl for content after such an early spring practice season it helps to be projected 112th. Hmmph

It is what it is and all things considered it's a fair preview. Their poll asks whether Army will go bowling, and their preview notes the lightness of Army's schedule.

Elsewhere Kevin Gleason has a piece dealing mostly detailing the low points of Army football's past 14 years. Gleason takes the reader back through a very dark cave of past events which -I've got to say- is tough to take in all at once.

His laundry list of Army football events include:

You watch a good season become a great season, then a special season. It is 1996, a wonderful time to be an Army football fan.


4-7 record in 1997
Army joining Conference USA in 1998.
3-8 record in 1998
3-8 record in 1999

Bob Sutton fired

2000, fans given priority parking according to donations to the Army 'A' Club

Todd Berry going 5-35 in his first 40 games.

Todd Berry fired midway through the 2003 season.

2004 Army pays $400,000 exit fee and leaves Conference USA

and then the article adds in

You receive the smashing news that Rich Ellerson will be your next coach. He has experience, vision, a sharp football mind. He has led Cal Poly, a Football Championship Subdivision school, to a 56-34 record in eight seasons, with seven winning seasons.

You watch Ellerson field a competitive team that goes 5-7 in his first season this past fall.
You are refreshed and rejuvenated as an Army football fan.

That feeling didn't come by leaving things the way they were, it came by hiring a coach with the right schemes and the right attitude for the academy. The team played probably the softest schedule in D1-A, and even bringing in a new coach with academy friendly schemes Army still had just a 5-7 record. It's understood that it takes a couple of years for a program to change schemes in such a drastic fashion, so it stands to reason that 5-7 wasn't a bad result at all.

So Army has a new coach and decent results in his first year, coming within a game of a bowl for the first time since we entered this dark cave in 1997. The program is searching for success and moving toward that success with new coaches and new ideas. Clearly the program is moving forward in light of these changes. My question is... then why not the fans?

I don't think it's that big of a deal to move the student section behind the opponents bench. At the very least it will add to the production value since CBS cameras won't have to break the 180 degree rule to get shots of the cadets. At its best it will transform the an intimidating visiting sideline. Put it this way, do I want to see 400 guaranteed Army supporters sitting behind the opponent's sideline or 4000 cadets standing and voicing their support on that sideline. Sorry ticketholders, I'm going with the cadets. I just don't see how this is that big of a deal to some people. The common thread in arguments for staying in the previous seats has been, "We supported the team even when they were 0-13." That's commendable but the cadets were also there for every game, plus there were 4000 of them. If in those 10 or 20 years season ticket sales on that side of the field grew by 1000% I would look at the situation differently - but right now I think it is to the football team's advantage to put the cadets behind the opposing team's bench. Besides, the team hasn't had a winning season for 13 long years. Wouldn't you want to switch it up at some point?

I really don't want to dwell on it, because ultimately I am on the same side as the ticket holders, but considering that you can select your new seats I just don't see how this is any sort of indignity. This team needs every advantage it can get at this point and I really think this is a simple concession to give up for the team. I'd love to hear from some season ticket holders on this, and if you feel I'm off base with this take, please comment below.