Let it never be said that the Navy — which is a global force for good, after all — didn’t include athletes of all backgrounds and stripes. For example, we give you these gladiators of old, who carry the traditional samurai names of Lt. Stephen Warne and Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Austen Gant, practicing the ancient art of sumo aboard the dock landing ship Fort McHenry. It appears, from this photograph, that Warne, in the red sumo thong, is about to deliver some kind of outrageous sumo suplex-combination to poor Gant, and, in keeping with naval tradition, probably throw him…
The Naval Academy Midshipmen will doubtless be eager for vengeance this weekend when they host the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Annapolis. It’s Navy’s homecoming game and it’ll be the first meeting of these football squads since Wake Forest defeated the Mids at the inaugural EagleBank Bowl last December at The Thunderdome RFK Stadium in Washington. (You can see our live-blogged coverage of the game here, along with a story about the Marine Corps’ Logistics Vehicle System Replacements, for some reason.) This year, the Mids want to notch five straight wins for the first time since 2004, and one of…
When in doubt, bet on Shaq. Future Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has signed on to help the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program this Christmas season, lending his considerable star power to an effort near and dear to this blogger’s heart. From AP: The Cleveland Cavaliers center will be seen wearing a Santa hat on posters inside Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores, whose shoppers will be asked to donate new toys or money to support Toys for Tots’ mission of providing holiday gifts to millions of needy children. O’Neal says he’s really just a big kid…
Nick Hill may never make the major leagues, but he’s already getting a fair amount of media exposure. A 2007 West Point graduate pitching in the Seattle Mariners farm system, he has been interviewed frequently during the last two years, as his future with the baseball and military became clear. Hill, of course, is one of several officer-athletes who were caught in the middle when the Army decided in July 2008 to drop its Alternative Service Options program, a plan launched in 2005 to allow West Point and ROTC graduates with professional sports contracts to play immediately after graduation. The policy said…
Expectations skyrocketed after Army beat Vanderbilt in overtime Oct. 10. While its football program doesn’t equate to the Floridas and the Alabamas, Vanderbilt is still a member of the Southeastern Conference, and following a win over the Commodores, realistic bowl talk popped up in discussions amongst West Pointers for the first time in years. The Black Knights haven’t played in a bowl game since it lost to Auburn in the 1996 Liberty Bowl. Unfortunately the equation to earn a bowl bid this year got tougher after wasting a golden opportunity this Saturday in Philadelphia against a beatable Temple Owls team.…
Say hello to Saint Louis Rams cheerleaders Jayne, Michele, Megan, Kate and Mary Beth, who performed for 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines at Forward Operating Base Delaram, Afghanistan. While touring the base, the girls visited the mortar pits, attempted to carry a Marines combat load and hung out with Weapons Company scout snipers where they got to view the city of Delaram through high powered rifle scopes. After the tour, the cheerleaders performed for the Marines, but they also got to see a show of their own as Marines tried to one-up each other for “best touchdown dance” in the hopes…
Here comes the latest Military Times blog, one sure to be up your alley. Our crack team of reporters are hunting for the best sporting action with a military brand. From the recent Combatives tournament at Fort Benning to Junior’s bid at the Sprint Cup, we’ll have an opinion. We were going to watch anyway, so why not get the boss to pay for it? Don’t like what you are reading? Hit that comment button and fire away. Comment enough and who knows — maybe we’ll recruit you, too.