The Army-Navy experience: America’s Game full of pride, excitement, emotions
Bill Hughes
Bill Hughes
Army players prepare to take the field for the Army-Navy game Dec. 11 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Bill Hughes
Bill Hughes
The Naval Academy shows its support for the Midshipmen before the Army-Navy game on Dec. 11 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Pregame ceremonies are held during the Army-Navy game Dec. 11 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (Photo by Bill Hughes)
Submitted photo
Bill Hughes (right) and Jack Backo stand on the field at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., before the Army-Navy game on Dec. 11.
Rarely do sporting events live up to the hype like the Army-Navy football game.
The 122nd edition of America鈥檚 Game took place Saturday, Dec. 11 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the event once again lived up to the hype.
The game, a hard-fought 17-13 win by Navy, was the 60th time (49.2 percent) in the history of the rivalry that the game was decided by one possession.
Navy holds 62-53-7 record in the all-time series, and Saturday鈥檚 game drew 82,282 fans, a collegiate record for MetLife Stadium.
While the game was exciting, the spectacle as a whole gives the entire experience a new meaning.
Experiencing my first Army-Navy game two years ago at Lincoln Financial Field was something special and is something I will never forget.
However, this year鈥檚 game was even more meaningful.
The phrase 鈥淣ever Forget鈥� was used with the game as it was 20 years and three months to the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. MetLife sits in the shadows of New York City, a mere 10.9 miles from where the World Trade Center towers once stood.
Seeing the crowd split as close to 50/50 as possible between Army and Navy fans, it really is special to see fans of the teams support their respective branch so vociferously for one afternoon knowing that every other day of the year, everyone in MetLife is on the same 鈥渢eam.鈥�
For one local sports fan, Belle Vernon native Jack Backo, attending his first Army-Navy game is something he will never forget.
Backo is a known sports enthusiast and has been to World Series games, MLB All-Star games, MLB games around the country, regular season and playoff games for all three Pittsburgh pro sports teams, been to a bowl game, NCAA March Madness games and more.
But Saturday was something special for Backo as he served two years in the Army and was in the reserves for 11 years. He was there to provide his unique perspective of the game.
Being on the field from 11 a.m. until both teams sang their respective alma maters was a wondrous experience.
鈥淚 have seen many sporting events in my lifetime, but nothing compares to what I witnessed in New Jersey for the Army-Navy game,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople arriving four or five hours before the game, not to tailgate, to go into the stadium to watch the March On three hours before kickoff.
鈥淭o observe this and to see thousands of Cadets and Midshipmen walk on the field is mind-blowing.鈥�
Backo became emotional watching the Cadets march and also while the team sang the alma mater after the game.
The experience is powerful for anyone who gets the opportunity to attend the game.
鈥淭he stadium is divided right in the middle of the goal posts with half for Army and half for Navy,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut no matter who wins or loses, the ending is a tearjerker when the teams sing their alma maters.鈥�
Backo and I traveled out together for the game and took in a New Jersey Devils game at the Prudential Center Friday night in Newark, but there was definitely a buzz there for the Army-Navy game.
There were plenty of fans there in either Army or Navy gear, and the same happened Saturday night at the New York Islanders game in the brand-new UBS Arena in the Elmont section on Long Island.
New York City is always buzzing, but this specific weekend was on a whole new level.
Everywhere you turned, you saw advertising for the game, fans wearing gear or there was an Army or Navy themed event going on.
As far as the game, the pregame and postgame festivities take the cake.
Even had the game been a blowout, seeing everything involved is an honor.
We were able to watch the U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Naval Academy Glee Clubs practice the national anthem several times around 11 a.m.
Then to see their graceful mastery of the anthem during the pregame festivities in front of a sold-out crowd was special.
The anthem came seconds after the powerful invocation by Captain Richard Bonnette, the Command Chaplain of the U.S. Naval Academy, moments before both teams made their way onto the field.
Being by the Army鈥檚 tunnel for their entrance, bagpipes and all, was special as was seeing the flyovers by the F/A-18 Super Hornets and the Apache helicopters.
Listening to Lee Greenwood sing God Bless the USA was a feel-good moment, and it gave me goosebumps listening to him perform the song live.
Several times last Saturday, I stood back and watched Backo鈥檚 reactions, his facial expressions and at times, his emotions as he wrote his notes. Words were not necessary for Backo to describe what being at the game meant to him.
As we were leaving the field after the alma maters, Backo beamed with misty eyes.
鈥淭his was the greatest spectacle I have ever witnessed,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd if anyone has the opportunity to go, it is a must see.鈥�