#019 - Army Navy Game with Dishan Romine '17, Calvin Cass Jr. '17 & Alex Barta '17

The Army-Navy Football Game - Insider Information

In this episode, Grant is joined by Dishan Romine '17, Calvin Cass Jr. '17 and Alex Barta '17 all who are graduates from the United States Naval Academy. 

The Army-Navy game is the most celebrated rivalry in college football. It is frequently attended by sitting U.S. presidents and it is well known to be a "bucket list" item for sports fans.

Each of my guests were players in those games during their time at the academy.  They are tremendous football players, amazing officers and great men of integrity.

On this episode, they give us an "insiders" view of the game: the preparation, the feelings associated with preparing and playing in this game.  This conversation between four good friends spans their recruitment to the academy to what goes on leading up to and stories from the games.  This interview goes way beyond the cliches of all the players are willing to die for everyone watching the game to learn about what these games mean, the intensity leading up to the game, the trash-talking on the field and certainly gives a glimpse into what makes being a football player at Navy so special.

Grant's guests are proud Navy officers, members of the "Brotherhood" of Navy Football and an organization we have shared on the podcast previously YBE - Your Best EveryDay.  You can hear more about that in episode #003 with Troy Thompson.

If you're a fan of Navy Football and are not familiar with Academy Insider, Academy insider is designed to provide information to loved ones of midshipman as well as prospective midshipmen to provide them insight into what life at the Naval Academy's actually like. So if you want to learn more about the United States Naval Academy, what the midshipman experience is all about and what life after the Naval Academy is like, make sure to check out our webpage at https://w

The mission of Academy Insider is to guide, serve, and support Midshipmen, future Midshipmen, and their families.

Grant Vermeer your host is the person who started it all. He is the founder of Academy Insider and the host of The Academy Insider podcast and the USNA Property Network Podcast. He was a recruited athlete which brought him to Annapolis where he was a four year member of the varsity basketball team. He was a cyber operations major and commissioned into the Cryptologic Warfare Community. He was stationed at Fort Meade and supported the Subsurface Direct Support mission.

He separated from the Navy in 2023 and now owns The Vermeer Group, a boutique residential real estate company that specializes in serving the United States Naval Academy community PCSing to California & Texas.

We are here to be your guide through the USNA experience.

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If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, have an idea, question or topic you would like to see covered, reach out: podcast@academyinsider.com.

Transcript

spk_0:   0:03
This is your host Grant Vermeer Naval Academy class of 2017 and I'm your Academy nsider. It's my goal to be your guide through the Naval Academy experience. By sharing my stories and providing you inside information into the life of a shipment. Academy insider is in no way officially affiliated with the United States Naval Academy. All of the content on Academy Insider is my own and does not reflect the views of the United States Naval Academy, the United States Navy nor the Department of Defense. Everyone. And welcome to the Academy insider podcast with the Army Navy game around the corner. I wanted to take the time to bring on some my friends, classmates and members of the Navy football Brotherhood to talk about what it's like to actually play in the Army Navy game. So today I'm joined by Dacian, Roman Calvin CASS in Alex Barta as they share their stories about the preparation for and actually playing in the Army Navy game. If you're not familiar with the Academy insider podcast, my name is grand premiere. I'm a Naval Academy graduate from the class of 2017 and I was a member of the varsity basketball team during my time in Annapolis. And now it's my goal through Academy Insider to help educate and informed love ones and family members and anyone who wants to learn Maur about the mid shipment experience in Annapolis. So if you're interested to find out about what our life is actually like as Midshipman subscribed to the podcast and follow my Web page. Www dot academy insider dot com. But for this episode, it's a really fun conversation, and you guys are really gonna enjoy it, So check it out. All right, everyone. And welcome to the academy insider podcast today I'm joined by debate Oblique. Probably the fastest person ever play Navy football. Ah, boy, Dacian. We got Alex Barta and Calvin CASS here with us, too. So thank you guys. So much for taking the time to come on the podcast and share stories. Really appreciate it on before we get started. If we could just go around the room here really quick on, just let people know a little bit of background about who you are. So where you from, how you came to the academy on and then a little bit about your mid shipment, self. So your company your major just your time is, um, a shipment. All right,

spk_2:   2:14
I'll start it off. Uh, hello, everybody. My name is Dyson. Rolled by. I'm originally from moving Kentucky. Found out about enabled Captain me through recruitment off Claudia went to the academy, was in 10. Company majored in economics. I had an amazing time at the Naval Academy establishment. Lifelong friendships, you know, added some family members to, uh, my level. It's and then commissioned as a swot. Spent the last two years out in Japan

spk_3:   2:46
where I

spk_2:   2:46
was stationed, that had amazing opportunity to travel the world,

spk_1:   2:52
everybody. I'm Alice Bardem from Clarkson, Michigan, suburbs of Detroit. Uh, just in six company major assistance engineering. Playing the football team with these two guys I was upon her in right now. And the F RST fleet, right into squadron for helicopters in Virginia Beach, Virginia, just learned how to fly them. Age 60. Sierra

spk_3:   3:13
copycat Junior from sick with New Jersey Found out that they were gonna be the recruitment as well was burning back down there. Jim didn't Academy is gonna bet the 25th company, uh, from some academy post. My note under the bear shark Open

spk_1:   3:28
English

spk_3:   3:29
Major when I was there, uh took the easy rounder than these guys. Economic demand that the easy way out commission in this world I'm stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, just came back from the deployment that deployment out fifth Fleet. And, uh, it's been a fun time from right so far out on this, our fleet and I'm important Seaman status.

spk_0:   3:48
Absolutely. I appreciate you guys again. Take the time to come on here Well before we get started and again, the main point of this episode is to talk all about the Army Navy game and what makes it special as a player because we all talk about, you know, everyone comes out here and they say, Oh, this is the game. We know where everyone's willing to die For everyone else who is watching the game like, Yes, it is a very romanticized game as well, But I want to talk about just the personal aspect of playing football against a rival and how all of that just takes place in kind of the extra emphasis and, I guess, special side to the game. So before we get to that point, I just want to talk a little bit about the recruiting process. That piece, as you guys mentioned a lot of this for you is Hey, I It was the same for me as a basketball player. I didn't even know about the Naval Academy until I started to get recruited. Ah, so for anyone out here who may be in high school may be interested in the academy. What was it about Navy during the recruitment process? That was like, Hey, this is a place that I want to go. This brotherhood is the one that I want to be a part of. And this is what I want to do for four years.

spk_2:   4:52
Yes. I'll, uh, I'll answered this one. No starting fresh. So, yeah, I started getting good in my senior year of high school. Is it a late first semester? Or the second semester? Went up, Maybe for Rocco Just came to my high school, and again, I mean, is that never knew about the Naval Academy Navy football. I just thought they had, like, open tryout to the best athletes and the fleet, you know? And, you know, if you were the one of the better athletes that you could make the made football team. We're on a basketball team, you know. That's what I thought it was. I had an amazing counselor, and once she heard that I was being recruited about name Look, I mean, she sat me down in small. Hey, I don't know if you're aware of the magnitude of these opportunity that you have in front of you, and I didn't and you know, she told me that I It was about five years prior to me that one of her students went So they look at me and Dayna, I can't believe he was e o d or Seal. He was permission at a special warfare. And I think you're in touch with him. And, uh, she just told me the, uh the educational value that AA degree hell from the Naval Academy. And I remember I had this book that compared all the major colleges in the United States probe. You know, the academic side Thio the how much money earned after graduation Side thio. How students more out waas from going to school there through surveys and so on and so forth. And you know, at the end today, the Naval Academy was ranked number one in a lot of categories. But, you know, across the board, it was the naval captain. Give him other Ivy League schools. So at that point, I knew I was getting a great education, and I knew that the weight of a degree from that institution create a lot. And then when I went toe my official visit, I met the football coaches. That's what That's what. Really, Uh, you know what? My heart comes near Monticello and the other coaches. Probably one of the most loving groups of men that I've been around finds coaching staff. And immediately, I was told about the brotherhood, made my decision the day that I, uh I have my official business along with many other men and, uh, you know, that's where it all started.

spk_0:   7:21
Yeah, And were you guys did any of you were any of you on the same recruiting trip, or did you three meet each other when you actually reported on your first

spk_1:   7:29
day? So I went the nap. So I'm a year older than the Calvin Inundation, so it's a little bit different, but I'm talking about meeting people so 2011 Army Navy game in D. C. I'm sitting in the end zone and two seeds over is nom de nom de years Oma and I had no clue who he was. Never talked to him. Nothing. We meet up after the game in the locker room. Everyone Obama was there was like the big game. The the streak was continuing. David. No, He was introduced myself in like a two minute conversation of, you know, used for North Carolina from Michigan. Our parents talk, never talk to each other, walk through the locker room at naps, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I remember you and all of a sudden it was just boom like we're right there. Just chemistry began again. It was one of those were, like, Sit next to him one day. You don't see him for about 1/2 a year. So analysts on you're in the same locker room now, doing the same mission that naps trying to get to the academy and be successful there. So it's a small world, but the recruiting process is just crazy. How it is. You know how it is for basketball.

spk_0:   8:27
Yeah, absolutely. And Calvin was it? Were you getting recruited by any other schools or was Davey You're once where? I guess what was the differentiating piece for Navy, where you're like, Yes, this is definitely the program that I want to be a part of

spk_3:   8:41
Profits. Start a little earlier myself in Iraq. We went to the camp with the Navy camp with my dad and introduced me to the Naval Academy. T I play football The West Point.

spk_0:   8:50
So

spk_3:   8:50
he asked me one summer, Do I want to go to a football camp? And I was just like, Yeah, sure. And hey, just the West for another. I know they lose too much. So

spk_0:   9:00
what's

spk_3:   9:01
up with my

spk_1:   9:02
fist? And

spk_3:   9:02
I went there and they were headed. We can't at the camp actually met a coach overboard. I might go spirits who will become more, including my recording coach. Coach. I did pretty well that they can young for my grade, and I did well enough to bump me up with the kids are actually there for recruiting purposes and and I'm doing well enough to get M v p to the camp. And now am I basically told me that he's gonna continue to follow my high school progression of the phony doctor. So with that being shaved, my high school progression wasn't as exponentially fast as my

spk_0:   9:37
10 progression. I

spk_3:   9:38
didn't really get other scouts involved until my senior high school. Like I said, a lot

spk_0:   9:43
more in this

spk_3:   9:43
situation. And then at that point, maybe came back Coast desperate. Often according to came down in my house. Everybody makes on official business, came up for an official visit experience. And I sent you, actually, Dyson going, Marcus

spk_1:   9:57
with me

spk_3:   9:58
out the Kendrick, we're on the same

spk_0:   10:00
Efficiency

spk_3:   10:01
is actually a pretty memorable moment. But we make knives by John how Meyer crawl like all the guys, man. And honestly, the person that made me that turned me over to the side of light really want to be part of the brother that was mired. I saw him in a lot of room way I walked in and he was going crazy in there like it was like

spk_1:   10:20
a fool dancing. But it was

spk_3:   10:23
a very genuine and authentic, And I think the thing you want to see when you go to these places is someone that's like you or someone that you could see yourself. Something that reminds you of your friends back at home.

spk_0:   10:36
And

spk_3:   10:37
the one thing I was afraid of was going to school like the Naval Academy and not seeing any light, actually, actually, but we got both the squares ever

spk_1:   10:45
saying this in

spk_3:   10:46
a locker room. But I mean, really not. But they're really just like you do something. You see that?

spk_0:   10:51
And see

spk_3:   10:51
the kind of people that they are genuine, authentic, and it still given her all in the field. You know, you wanna be part of some special like that. And that's what ended up sending me. And I wasn't quick station when I came to

spk_0:   11:03
make a decision, But

spk_3:   11:04
on the on the

spk_0:   11:05
flight

spk_3:   11:05
home from the visit before I got home, I actually said I was gonna I committed.

spk_0:   11:10
No,

spk_3:   11:11
it was pretty quick to those one. Those things where the entire the entire ambiance than ever treated themselves. You and your family on a continuum desert here.

spk_0:   11:20
Yeah, absolutely. And I'm gonna turn this one over to barter real quick. What do you think it says about the Navy football program that we're constantly competing at an extremely high level of breaking the top 25 on multiple occasions now happened when when you guys were on the team as well with guys who aren't as highly recruited this, some of the other schools that are in the same positions in a as us what you think that says about the Navy football program. And what allows you guys to be so tight knit and sew honestly, just objectively good at a point where we don't have these four and five star recruits that are consistently coming

spk_1:   11:55
through the Naval Academy? Yeah, I think it has to do with having, ah, positive chip on our shoulder. It's not like we're out to get people, but we're out to prove not the hater. But we're out to prove that we were worth the value in high school that they overlooked. Yeah, and talking about the relationships you build in terms of building that football team aspect in that culture is just the small things like going to swim class know once a week during the Notre Dame weekend starting week, Notre Dame Lee senior year Pat Force on. I swam the mile swim for the game. Stuff like that said Small. So you do that no other school see that just builds that culture of you having this stuff that's different than they dio. And then right after that class, we go straight into a doubly exam that we're definitely quick or whatever it was. But no other schools are doing that. Maybe air arm you're doing there, sir. Physical activities. But no one's going from Lejeune over, too Rick over to take a double the exam after our swim class. So it's just a small stuff like that. But it's it's that stuff on the yard that builds the football culture and builds what you see on Saturdays. It's that small stuff that we do for each other on the yard, in the hall, in rickets like produces Don's W's you see on Saturdays and those upsets that we've had in the past. When we're juniors at Memphis, those small little things build it and allow us to succeed for each other. And, like, just like these to calve inundation. If you go back to the Notre Dame game senior year, Dyson is out there throwing that haymaker block into the end zone and Calvin just Britain over jumping over the pylon. It's small stuff like that that people don't see that builds that culture,

spk_0:   13:29
man. That's that's a great answer we love. We love that. You guys that Dyson a cabin. You have anything to add on that or you are any thoughts on that topic?

spk_2:   13:41
Yeah, but I said, um, enemy is cliche, but it's not the size of the dog in the fights. The size of fighting dog, I mean you need is to give someone who has some talent what, no matter how big they are out there, if they are, they have talent. You get no something to believe me or something to hope for. Potential is through the roof, you know, and that's the at this Naval Academy is on.

spk_1:   14:07
I would say a big thing to every week going into it. You think that with the mentality that every team is overlooking us, even though we're smaller, we think they're slower. But it's the mental and it's the toughness that we have that gets us over those teams. I mean, Notre Dame's out there, throw in 6766 linemen, £330 out there and we got our guys, but I think they have more grit and toughness than they do. And that's why we we beat him in the senior year. Small things like that.

spk_0:   14:31
Absolutely. It's special. Um, And now just to Taylor, just a little bit away from football before we go right back to it. Um, you talked a little bit each of you A little bit about what you're doing right now in the navy. Um, Dyson, your service warfare officer out in Japan. Been on a couple of patrols out their deployments. And Calvin, you actually just got back from deployment, right? Yeah. How was how was that, right? I mean, we're talking about this, and we do mention there is that aspect of football that after you graduate, the 99% are gonna go out into the fleet Navy, then re core and have it have a job like a real job. Do you mind just talking a little bit about your deployment And how that experience waas and how life has been after graduating the academy

spk_3:   15:17
we left with a plummet on April 1st of the year came back November 5th. So all the mold about seven months going on That eight mark came back. Um, definitely, Definitely. From Long Day's out, there definitely will. Hi. We were out in fifth Fleet. So, you know, right by the Middle East. So very, very hot, Very tight. Busy day transit, but, uh, escorts and dealing with different, different threat studying for my slow. Okay, I got my sloping on deployment and then turned around trying to get my e out. What I got what I got that under my belt. Wait. Okay. And I know you said you trying to get away from football back

spk_1:   15:57
breaker,

spk_3:   15:59
I think, man, a lot of the things that make us expect officer out here, whether being removed swot different communities, is the things we weren't doing that locker room. And I think you could say the same thing for your locker room as

spk_1:   16:10
well. A lot

spk_3:   16:11
of the things that I think there's some things harder than they got of definitely teach you academically.

spk_2:   16:17
How to

spk_3:   16:17
be a

spk_2:   16:17
far

spk_3:   16:17
is when you're trying to study and get your qualifications, making it be a day to day and ambience acceptable in extending at your job. And when the moment comes, you push through that adversity out of you deal with? Oh, I think that you have one still, but you do it, maintain it. Your private phones ago that you said, If I don't learn that, I definitely not in that locker room There were tough times in. There was times when our brothers will serve their time. But we had a family that was going on that life for most games. Stuff. Go when you still have your hit. You still got a curtain. Put your fish back into the party, get back up and do it over again. And that's saying business like repetitive MS. 11 Teen is something that I have mirrors out when I was on deployment because things became routine every day, the same thing. Same watches, the same water, the same everything. But you gotta make thing high alert on your feet and use because at a moment's notice, something could get serious like that quick. So you

spk_0:   17:12
have

spk_3:   17:12
maintained alertness, pounds and how many pain that was with a tennis that I learned in the buckle.

spk_2:   17:19
Yeah, I agree with Calvin 100% you know, So all the student athletes that you can't listen to this and special football players the, uh what you're learning now Instant athlete is preparing you to be a successful naval officer. The confidence, the relational skills, the leadership that you learn being in that locker room where there's football, another sport, it's directly transitional to being a leader in the Marine Corps in the Navy. The schedule that I had at the academy is pretty identical to the schedule I have on the ship. To be honest, I'm here at the Academy. I was waking up around 55 30 in the morning to go into a locker room for rehab before practice. And if it wasn't rehabbed all summer media lt's for us. A message about because I feel I feel the struggle. I know it. But yes, I was like, really at the academy to be my day started rolling, right, Anto quick breakfast. I'm going my fresh class in the you know, even though my last period, it wasn't a full, let's pray because we had Thio get back to, like, run watch Phil. I mean, same thing on this ship. I was, you know, during the door. Unless I was eating quick lunch and I did. They're going to get a quick workout and set some time aside to study for a clarification. And then I'll stand up later than normal business hours underway in on the ship to get extra work done against a bomb with my division. No, it being being a division officer in the Navy is, you know, kind of like being a, uh you know, a captain on the basketball team or position Captain, the football. You know, those men and women look up to you so much I have to do is really just be yourself realized what it is that the team is working towards. And, uh, you know, make it make it make the decision Thio to be all in. And then when she made that decision, it's easy. Uh, the coach is that the name can be said the ultimate example toe where I mean life is just kind of just runs down because of the things that they've been still in me other than football. The example of the cousin Yamato Lolo, coach, award coach. Just cultural kind of coaching him say, you know, watch these guys as not only just coaches, but it's meant no as husbands and fathers, you know, I was able to the first hand see things that they were dealing with in their life and see how they, you know, put on basically a Superman cape and came to practice and was able to, you know, when the day he's in every day, despite what what was going on, You know, that pressure in my eyes And they were humbling out toe open up some of that to what? We were able to see it and learn and develop ourselves, as you know, future father's future husbands. So on and so forth. So, um amazing amazing time, uh, being deployed going to these other countries, being able t o be a pedestal for family and friends. Amazing.

spk_0:   20:39
Absolutely. And I shin you, you mentioned a point that I kind of wanted to touch on. Was that? Hey, what you're out there in the fleet as a division officers, platoon commander. Whatever it is, it's similar to being like a captain in a locker room. And the point I want to get to that is for all those kids out there that may be hesitant about attending the Naval Academy because They're like our man. I don't know that I really want to join the military. I'm not sure about the military aspect of this. It's important to note that when you're an officer in the military, what you are is a leader like your job is leadership, right? And so if you want to go out and this is not a knock on anything but if you wanna, you know, you get your degree and then you go and you work at, um, an enterprise rent a car. We'll just use the N C A commercial, right? Like that's one thing. But like, there's some different about getting the opportunity The moment you graduate, one to be making a nice salary. I mean, like, you know, for for a single 20 you know, 20 something year old kids. It's not bad, but to you have the ability where your job is leadership. Your job is taking care of people and being part of a tightknit unit that is doing something meaningful. And I think that's really, really special. And then you do cool stuff like Bardo like going to fly planes and stuff like bar. Do you ever think you were gonna fly planes in your life or helicopters. Oh,

spk_1:   22:01
heck, no, no. I got my wildest dreams. But the Navy pays me to do. And it's an awesome experience.

spk_0:   22:06
Yeah, absolutely. So I just wanna make that point for anyone who may be listening, That's like, I'm not sure about the naval. Can't because I'm not sure about the military aspect, which is exactly how I was even once I got to the Naval Academy. I love my job now. I love it and I love being a part of the Navy. I think it's tremendously cool in a really awesome opportunity. And it doesn't have to be your passion. You know, you have all these people like, Oh, you wanna have toe, you know, have that this massive desire to serve your country. But But what's important to be noted is that that gets built, like that's not something you need to have to start the camaraderie that you build in the Naval Academy. The people that you're around, those are the things that cause you toe want to do it by the end, right? And so if you don't have that like burning desire to serve your country like that. That's okay, because you will. You will grow to grow that sense because of the people that you're around. Um, and I think it's just a special opportunity and the jobs were actually pretty cool. There's a lot of stuff you can do in the military that is fun. Does anyone have anything to add to that? I apologize for rambling on a little bit.

spk_1:   23:15
Yeah, and I would just say it's doing something bigger than yourself is a big especially with Navy football being like a smaller school in terms of athletes were always doing something bigger than ourselves, especially have to rejoin the conference and then being, ah, military officer, it's being doing something bigger than yourself in flight school. We really I didn't really get that experience because you're really focused on you getting your wings, getting ready for the fleet. And then now that I'm now in the fleet right into squadron and eventually in a Fleet squadron like this equivalent of a ship, it's doing something bigger than yourself. Not working with enlisted sailors or air crewman in the backward. I haven't gotten to the stage. We drop them out for star for search and rescue missions. Like my brother in law, Josh is doing that in the fleet right into squadron. It's just small stuff like that. It's bigger than yourself that I think drives people more than maybe saying I want to be in the military. It's just doing something bigger than yourself for a greater cause.

spk_0:   24:08
Absolutely. Um, well, we appreciate that. And now we're gonna hop right back into the main topic of this entire episode, which is Army Navy. Ah, and we're gonna start from the beginning of the week because for anyone whose nose knows a little bit about the Naval Academy, um, Army Week is crazy. Much like Air Force weak. Like when we have a rivalry weeks life at the Naval Academy just turns into pure chaos. Um, so now I'm just going to turn it over to you guys a little bit in terms of do you try to be involved with any of the crazy stuff that's going a big crop taller? You try and just, like, absolutely stay out of the way and clear your mind and just focus about what's going on in the locker room. And with that is there like a special, I don't know, even like feeling in the air during that Army week, where practice or more intense, they're more crisp. Oh, are kind of what's the what's the attitude going into the week?

spk_3:   25:00
They, uh, have this one? Oh, so while there is chaos, the chaos in the ER in the hole there's also, I would say, since chaos on the field. But I don't need we take it back to training camp as far as the madness going on. Always Miller, because they say, uh, some of this khat thing when you when you go into the locker room will be black stripes on the scout team's helmet because they're

spk_0:   25:25
going against,

spk_3:   25:25
they're going against the traveling team. Who's gonna be saying those black stripe numbers and we go out on that damp little boy,

spk_1:   25:32
and more than years, everything

spk_3:   25:35
is full pad. Everything is we're hitting everything off lot back for cutting all the backs of cutting or whatever you're cutting. You are running your running just corn every time he touched the ball, and all skill plays better run to the end zone as well. Long may you run in these 10 yards. Um, it's intense, right? The defense is hard. Officer go hard to scout. Players go hard because they want to get the best lookin shoot. They want to come in travels as well. Like everything is amplified because the stakes for whatever the record is on their side and our side, they just got that with higher. You hate. I think people get a misconception on. Like you said, Uh, the commentators like this is the only game where everybody deal. It's gonna protect everybody that's watching the game, and they don't kind of that kind of take the the the hate robbery out of

spk_0:   26:26
it. Kind

spk_3:   26:27
of like like it's not Ohio State Michigan

spk_1:   26:29
or

spk_3:   26:30
like Duke North Carolina basketball. I feel the same way on it.

spk_0:   26:32
It's a big time, Wayne. Yeah,

spk_3:   26:34
we are. We do not that them on other 1000 field. We don't like that and we're gonna play this. We don't like that. We don't like the whole lot of trash talk with fear. There's a whole lot of a lot of give and take and physical very

spk_1:   26:48
enabled

spk_3:   26:49
by

spk_0:   26:49
an almost, and I think that's so important because this is a competition and you guys are competitive dudes. You are big time college football players. And that competitive aspect is what makes it fun. That's what makes it a great game. Tow, watch, Um, and so kind of turn it back to practice. I think you'd be interesting. I think a lot of people would assume that before a big rivalry game like that, practices would be light. Almost. You know, I don't wanna I don't wanna get injured. Don't want to get tired. Want to make sure we're ready to go. But it sounds like it was to the opposite of that effect, actually. And so how did you guys feel about that as players in the almost the last week of the season? Bodies or beat down? Does it Does it matter? Is the fact that it's army weak, just like you. Just like forget it. Like we're just gonna go hard and who cares,

spk_2:   27:33
man, We try. At that point, we're trying to establish the culture, uh, within the team. I think all four years that I play maybe, with the exception of wine army, we fell right out there by week. So wear a full week of practice without a game and then another week of practice and then Army Phil, you know, on this Saturday. So since you have two weeks basically camp, it was what it feels like. They're, um yes, full contact practices Monday through Friday. Uh, the only direction this night getting tackled to the ground is the best quarterback, and the intensity is just beyond. It's just through the roof. Things that coaches would normally you know, overlooked or that normally met the standard. You can guarantee that that we is not gonna be enough. You know, even if even if you do something that is satisfactory checks the box on that occasion is not gonna be enough is more so just establishing the culture within the team to go out and fight. Imagine trying Thio to fight yourself. Imagine looking at Mary and trying to, you know, be the guy in the mirror body. So every plant you, though, who recognized during the same month on the Army and Air Force. They are the toughest looks we get each and every year. I mean, it's like plan ourselves. I mean, we know they're played, they know our place. We know their cause. They know our call. Uh, it's the toughest that we're going to get. No, he's going a little. It come down to my new things. There went the game. Oh, my new Didn't think that create a change of momentum that leads toe big plays and leads to you know who the winner is at the at the end of the game. So Ah, very great special time

spk_0:   29:41
with that. Oh, yeah, no Arctic particle.

spk_1:   29:44
Know what Josh was saying is the everyone but the quarterback it's hit. During those weeks, even I was getting hit that freshman and sophomore year out. They're just running the scout team point and coach coach Graham on. Think He Grantham. He doesn't coach anymore, but he would bring me into the punt return team film, and you'd be like, I want you to do the exact same thing that that punters doing. And then he would just bring the house and you would just let them try to block it and destroy the scout team. And I was like, the only time that I actually got hit in practice, I thought it was bringing that up. Yeah, I even now, even I would be in hitting practice.

spk_0:   30:18
Oh, man. Punters, Punters getting hit eyes dangerous. Now

spk_1:   30:22
it's not good for the brand,

spk_0:   30:24
you know? Yeah. Where's most McAfee when you need him? I know. Exactly. Ah, yeah. All right. So you talk a little bit about the full contact. Got all the pads you put in stripes on the scout team helmets, so let him know, you know? Hey, this is this is what we're practicing for this, Morgan ready for with any other little things, whether it was in the locker room or during practice that were different during army, like weak. Is there anything specific? Little things here and there? Um, I mean, literally a simple as as putting stripes on a helmet, things in the locker room, different posters or anything like that. Was there anything that made Army Week a little bit different in

spk_2:   31:01
the locker room? Another thing is, sometimes you know we'll practice indoors during the season if the weather was bad or, um, whatever the case might be Army Navy week. Your e o. It's a blizzard. The only name me one thing that would make us go inside would be if it was lighting, but anything other than that, You mind what the temp tree is? How hot, How come? How much ring is just going to wear out?

spk_0:   31:37
Yeah. Um, all right. And so you're going through. You have this week of practice, you know, you're sleeping And Bancroft Hall. Nothing like those comfy beds and Bancroft Hall. At what point? Um, and I answer this question for the year that you were in Baltimore, the years that you were in Baltimore In the years that you were in Philly, if it changed, when did you actually leave and go toward the stadium? Was that the night before? Was it two nights before, Um, and then with that, what's what's the pregame routine like starting from the night before the game, going up until game

spk_1:   32:08
time? I can't talk about the travel part, and then they hit the pregame stuff. But the travel stuff. We would normally games on Saturday, so we would have a normal practice on a Thursday, a pregame or pre walkthrough practice. So not much hitting a lot more of, ah, a demo run through type of practice, going over onside. Kick all the small special team stuff and then the offensive guys did go through their things and defence to do there. We go get a meal over in King Hall, and then we get our to go meals. You jump on the bus and then we head up to fill your Baltimore of the hotel on Thursday night. We have a ah, like a late night snack Thursday night, and then we'd wake up. Friday, we do a foam rule, eat breakfast. Then we take the bus over to the stadium. Or one time we went to the Philadelphia Eagles practice facility. We do a small walk through again there that was just shorts and T shirt. Same thing we do on the road, at away games from band work. And then the guys will play walking to and touch football, or we'll just punt the balls into the stands. Just have a little bit of fun before the game on, and then we'll head back to the hotel. Kind of, You know, that's time for your mental prep before a game, trying to get your mind right, trying to get your body right, and then we'll have the pregame meal on Friday night and then they can get into the Saturday prep prior to the game.

spk_2:   33:23
Yeah. Um, Ali, Rewind a little bit too. All the football players? Definitely. If you If you're not already, I would definitely cried youto get and participate in those activities leading up to Army Navy. I personally was what toe, You know, focus and kind of spend some time alone with you in my playbook and so on and so forth. But, uh, you know, all this is for you guys. So all the pep rallies and festivities go into creating this atmosphere to put on free it for the football team. So if you get out there and participate, you know, show facing from videos and social media that I've seen since I graduated Seems like football team is doing a great job, including the players with the activities on the RSO. Continue that. But Army Navy, we actually leaves like normally throughout the rest of season. We would leave Annapolis on Friday afternoons after classes, depending on how far the game was. So if it was within a couple of our trip couple hour flight, you know, we would leave after the last class Preeti on Friday afternoons and then if it was somewhere for I mean by California that Omar longer travel. Then we might leave slightly before lights on Friday. But Army Navy specifically, we actually leave. There is a evening after, uh, all the classes. And then we have a practice and they won't get on the showers. Get on the buses, go up to the Baltimore Philadelphia, and that's all Taylor towards allowing the team toe get the extra. They're complete focus. Just 100% locked in going to the field a day early. It's getting a sense of what the atmosphere is gonna be like getting a sense of what the field, the grass feels like, all of the above. So it's all it is weird because there's some. There's some dinners, like pregame dinners where, you know, everybody's happy laughing. He almost feels like Thanksgiving dinner. When people are joking. A damn it. Some dinners where you come in and it feels like like you're in time out, like just I know you're at. Yeah, nobody's laughing. Everyone's focused. You can see the looks on the coach's face is when the players, it's like business. Strictly business. Um, yeah, you know, you do like that cycle of, you know, relaxation and focus. Relaxation focus. And it's all buildup tours right before the game. And it's just like, you know, the countdown. Not 321 and just Goto.

spk_0:   36:18
And I want to touch on something that you brought up station again, right? No one talks about the fact that we do. Oh, I'm sorry. Tau cut you guys off. I just wanted a toe. But in here real quick with the fact that you do leave early for games. And this is consistent for all varsity athletes. But I wantto askyou guys. What was it like? Bees again? Well, people need to realize about Naval Academy athletes is like just cause you're an athlete, it it doesn't It doesn't matter. In terms of academics in school, like it's extremely difficult. You're taken 17 18 credit hours a semester and you're doing all that, and now you're missing you full day of classes. Especially like during Army Navy time. That's like during finals week. How did you guys manage to, like, make that happen? What? What was the process and how do you clear your mind of like? I can't worry about what's going on at school at practice. But, like, I also have to worry about what's going on at school if I want to play in the game on Saturday. Uh, how difficult was that? What resource is where did you guys have to help you out on that? Um and yeah, just talk a little bit about the academic process in all of this cabin. Let me

spk_2:   37:27
see. Let me see some real quick in your room and over you cast. But to all of the, uh, non athletes who don't kind of get a sense of who don't understand and have questions as to why does it take so much time to be, ah, football player, basketball player, whatever the case may be. And why this man, it's almost time away. I had quizzes test that I would have to take weekly with football. And if I didn't pass that left, then I was not going to play and that football game. So Lily, each week I was studying playbooks. Then I would have thio take a test on on a Friday or a Saturday. And if I didn't pass that test, then I wasn't going to test it. Field so may you all can can imagine whatever, whatever class that you have, that takes a lot of time that you have to put in, you know, a couple hours a day toe review on stuff so that you're prepared for the quiz of the test is coming up. You know, athletes and specifically football players have that season every week where you know they're having to dedicate a lot a lot of time. So it's definitely a commitment, a comical habit.

spk_3:   38:52
I was completely right. They're saying the same amount of time you put it to a three credit for credit class were put in saying mental focus on

spk_0:   39:02
appeared well, because least

spk_3:   39:05
like he's saying, there's a whole a whole new playbook for that week that was put in that needs to be memorized to the point where it is second nation to your body. A lot of time here the field on Saturday and only way to do that is the key. Keep looking at it. He's studying and he doing it. Wait could balance that with the fact that we were bottles week for an Army Navy, and I'm gonna be the first to tell you I was in the best way that they were coming

spk_0:   39:29
by e e. I would take

spk_3:   39:32
my action on how I handled that the way to do things But my words now, probably more. What

spk_1:   39:38
corrected

spk_3:   39:39
the

spk_0:   39:39
issues? Um,

spk_3:   39:42
the teachers that teaches there they do, they have they accommodate. Ah, you want? Um, wait. Whatever you do between the duration, the direction that you're gone, um, you can either pushed up ahead or push the bond by the by today. So if you take a test on Monday that was going riding or you take that test on Thursday when everybody stay home Friday and you have to tailor your week up until that point, get yourself ready to do that while balancing the other thing that you're doing. Now that's not a UTI pack, but it's just it was one of things. You have the truck it had been do because the standard doesn't get dropped because you're going to go play football case. Alright, like they're

spk_0:   40:25
still

spk_3:   40:25
used to have to meet a goal to graduate. And the academy isn't gonna loan that gold because you're doing something that isn't necessarily required you to graduate football where there for, um, where there are star football Back in the day we could we could be removed from a football team and still just be a student people. But people have been at the dishes before, but you have to do everything within your power. Talk to your teachers healthier. You see, I instructors, coaches talk to teens. If you teach on listening, um, try toe, try to help the get as much out the way as you can get to that point and then set yourself up to where you either have taken all that stuff done. It's done early, and then you can go ahead and focus on the game or push it back into that Monday and focus on the game. But through the game's over. God, I understand you have double e test on Monday that you

spk_0:   41:14
get ready for. So yeah, we're not We're not taken. Yeah, like and athletes here, especially to we're not taking these random classes, right? Like these quizzes that dash is talking about is not like a, um I don't even know, like a like an underwater basket weaving or like a dance class right like that. That's not it you're taking. You're taking a quiz about chemistry or physics or electrical engineering or thermodynamics. Yeah, and that's even if you're an English major, right? Like it doesn't matter If you're like you're not choosing that like that, that was just a requirement. And that's extremely difficult. And it's something that as athletes, it's really tough because I feel like there is a, ah, a tension between Farsi athletes and on varsity athletes. Because neither side truly understands kind of everything that actually is going on in the other person's life. Right? Varsity athletes aren't maliciously trying to get out of things or do the like or not be around. It's just literally like Calvin and Dyson are saying, like they have to learn an entire playbook and they have to study and they have to go to film. And if they get ready to pass a quiz in physics or thermo or chemistry, right, like at a certain point, you need to be off deck because you have to be away from the distractions. If you're going to study adequately in order to get all of that stuff done and pass, it is tremendously difficult, right? And so This has been something I've been preaching for a long time, and it really frustrates me because some of my best friends were tarps and also a lot of really great athlete friends. Just take the time like if you're listening. And I know Midshipman, don't really listen to This is more for the parents. But, like, if you're a parent, encourage your kids to still, like try and understand what the other person is going through, right? Cause we don't Yeah, I got it. We don't have to march in parade practice or march on practice or do all that stuff. You are absolutely correct. And do those things suck? Yes, they do. They're not fun. I don't want a party for a practice I don't but like you can still respect and understand. The other person struggles in obstacles and trials and the things that they have to put up with because for Calvin inundation, embargo and for all these people, they love this game and they want to perform to the best of their ability. And it was the same thing with me and basketball. I love the game of basketball, and I wanted to be the best basketball player I could be, But I also wanted to be the best student. I could be the best man shipment I could be. I got it, But there's not enough time in the day to do all of those things. So it's just a special, unique aspect that could be very difficult. But it's important to understand. For people who are learning about the academy, is that athletes? And normally Gemma's well, life at the Naval Academy is really hard. No matter what you are doing, whether you're a football player, whether you're doing nothing, it's hard. It's just hard in different ways. We just need to do a better job of understanding and accepting and trying to be kind about understanding what all is going on in the other person's life and sorry to get on. Ah, soapbox. There is just something that I just I feel very strongly about because I feel like people just don't want to take the time to try and understand what the other person's life is like. Yeah, I know you bring up a

spk_1:   44:29
good point. I tried. I tried the bridge. That tension senior year, first year, spring semester went for X over my company and I, thankfully got picked is the XO and that the purpose was I was trying to bridge the gap between you know, you can say narcs and varsity athletes is a show other varsity athletes and my company that I was capable of getting an excellent position in our company and that I could also do that as well as playing football at the time. And I think it was it was good to see the other kids in the company's seeing that a varsity athlete can do something like that instead of just blending in is a mid shipment in ranks. And if you show more face, the more they agree with you and the more hopefully they meet you in the middle. Not everyone's gonna meet us in the middle in terms of that argument. But it's bridging the gap, as close as we can. Absolutely.

spk_0:   45:15
And that's so for all the all the parents out there. Sorry, we just got into a 15 minute discussion, but that's a that's a very real thing at the Academy, and I'm sure you've probably heard about it is there is a little bit of attention between, and we're just being realistic here. There is a little bit of attention between bar see athletes and ah, non varsity athletes s o. If you haven't heard the term narp, that's not even a Naval Academy specific thing. Nonathletic regular person. That's just that's the term we use. Uh, but that's just something that ah needs to be addressed and talked about because it is. And that's not say everyone, like again some of my best friends. Absolutely. We're narcs, but it's definitely something, um, that exists. I'm glad we got to talk about it because these three guys on here with me are one a part of Y B E, which we'll talk about it just a little bit. But these air, these air, these air good guys like everyone. There is a good guy and a good gal. And just like man, everyone's just trying. Everyone's just trying to survive and and do as best they can and win football games, right? Like I mean, that's kind of what it's what it's about, But let's jump backed up. Let's get back to Army Navy here before we get too far down the rabbit hole. Um and I wanna this this one off. Eat thio, Calvin here. What's it? What's it like is Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium? It's beautiful and I love it. But what's it like running out onto an NFL stadium with a entirely packed stands? You know, running out onto the Philadelphia Eagles Stadium or the Baltimore Ravens Stadium? What's that feeling like like it can't be matched.

spk_3:   46:56
I think, I think, for folks recruited for football, man, like when you grow up watching, watching these stadiums. Maybe playing Madden like arm ago was, But we're gonna play the Ravens game. Everyone plays the Eagle Stadium and me growing up in New Jersey, I want the Eagle games a lot. So I've been in, like, a financial, as expected, Um, seeing a couple games and actually being able to be a player on the field and run out and see the Stansfield right to the top. It's it's crazy, but I don't I don't even know if there's a word to describe that feeling, because it's like it seems like your preparation and you're your preparation. I met your match of dream At that point. Just be able to see that and live that and, uh, one moment. Specifically. I remember. Um, I want to say we were in. We were in Baltimore, were both more down, uh, one year, your sophomore junior year. Not to be talking. Um, it was all five kids, and we have recovered on psychic to feel the wind. And I was on the hand keen, and I was in the front line and, uh, there's a TV time out right before the inside Kate And as I was a zoo were preparing to run field. They played some song that got both of them, got the midshipmen in the corporate debt,

spk_0:   48:15
Just jumping,

spk_3:   48:16
jumping in the sand and you could see the whole side that I was facing could go up

spk_1:   48:22
and

spk_3:   48:22
down, up and down, screaming. And I could. At that moment I was I was blown away, but

spk_0:   48:28
I

spk_3:   48:28
had to actually, I just hit my focus because if they kick the ball during that time, I would have no cool.

spk_1:   48:35
We could easily way

spk_3:   48:37
locked again. Thankfully, we recovered at onside kick, but it was one of those moments where you're you feel like, Wow, I'm really here. Like,

spk_0:   48:46
really? Yeah.

spk_3:   48:47
This is one of my fucking this item back, in fact, and cross off because I'm going up you. It's a dream in a dream begin God.

spk_0:   48:55
And at any point does that nerve and excitement go away and it's just football. Or does that does that little, uh, the excitement, the nervousness that just the sheer grandeur of the event is that present throughout the whole game? Or once you're on the field, is it like, man, we're just playing football at this point?

spk_3:   49:16
Drive after after you get you see it all you had a trial where you just you're locked in.

spk_2:   49:22
Um,

spk_3:   49:22
because you found a, um you kind of you've done it before. There's been stadiums. We played an n f F A m. We've been blessed to be throughout some places during the regular season where we might end up at the NFL Stadium like we played Notre Dame in Jacksonville when we went down to one, went over the Notre Dame. That's got a big baby. Um, players like that. So we had the the advantage of that perspective where we've seen atmosphere similar to it. I mean, what, you go out? Yeah, you embrace me like, Wow, this is This is really this is what it feels like. And then once once you get a back circle what? You start talking to the people he talked to you. Before you get in that game, you start the narrowing, the focus, get tunnel vision on the gold. And that's the only way to be successful in moments like that is to take yourself out of the minimum so you can go ahead and execute methodically like you.

spk_2:   50:12
Another thing about the atmosphere is you can feel the crowd from the locker room, but you can if you can get your vibration in the locker room from the crowd in this stadium. Uh, so it sze all build up because you go from playing in college locker rooms with, you know, things were pretty pretty nice. A Division one athlete, Um, this'll NFL Stadium when everything is like luxury, you know, imagine. You know, you were driving Ah, Mercedes Benz. And now you're driving a Bentley. Now that's hot for me. Usually a game. You know, I was I was a very, uh, a very passionate person. So it was nothing to see me, you know, crying just out of pure passion and excitement for a game before, before the kickoff. And then once the kickoff happened, you know, I was calm. Calm as any other day. Uh, but Army, maybe specifically, I think it takes a few a few snaps, or maybe even like a possession to settle in. I like most games when you can, you know, hear the call from the sideline or you can, you know, here, the quarterback in the huddle, Army, Navy. You cannot hear the quarterback in the hope That s o I imagine the guy standing four feet away from you, and it's so loud that you did not hear what he's saying. And I talked about, you know, having to steady and be prepared for quizzes, uh, for games and such for Army Navy, you know, is we have to stay and understand, You know the place and you know where to go Black swan and so forth. But at the same time, there's this entire new play signal. Then we have to learn to memorize from the sidelines. So the coaches are showing you no signs thio the players, and usually they changed those signs that were being used from the rest of the season because we are playing opponent who just got unless all year around and they know our costs, so they know what causes. But we know we know that we know that they know our cause, but, uh, trying to get a slight advantage with money. Yes, a new play call system, new signals. So hopefully it takes them a little bit longer to realize what? We're ready. Eso way. You have to learn of the play signals if you get out there and the coach holds up a sign that you don't know what this is Yeah, think think simply it takes, you know, it takes a couple snaps Thio settle in and two starting Now, Um, is this a new adrenaline rush throughout the entire game? But you kind of you kind of find, like, the balance or what? It what? It sit up.

spk_0:   53:15
That's gotta have a western basketball, too. Like we the first the 1st 4 minutes of the game. You better not expect anyone to make any shot. The adrenaline was so high. People are throwing, throwing the head off the just it's bad. But, um yes 0 2013 You guys win 34 to 7 2014 You went 17 to 10 2015. The flu game for Mike Jordan a k Alex Barta. Ah, you win 2117 2016. Unfortunately, uh, you lose 2117. What? And I'm gonna pass this now, teach of you. Is there a game out of those four that was most memorable for you? And what was it about that game that made it so special?

spk_3:   54:00
We can all say it's just being objectively speaking. We said it were memorable. The most memorable one was fired last month

spk_0:   54:08
because

spk_3:   54:09
of how everything will hold it. Boy, also, I think just from the perspective of the fact that we were down and it's not making excuse, I'm

spk_1:   54:17
not.

spk_3:   54:18
We lost the game, but we were down. A lot of key plays, I think is about 10 starters of major contributors were out that game from outside linebackers to captain starting quarterback. See that there was a lot of people go in that game, and I think just our expectations from the beginning of that season and everything that could have happened between the Cotton Bowl and the championship and an Army Navy. Good thing in the street. Um, a lot of that came to a whole. I want all that stuff started. Once the train started to read a little bit at the end

spk_0:   54:55
of an

spk_3:   54:55
injury. It was one of staying where, you know there's no regrets. Obviously mean this season season season. I enjoy the season, but it's kind of his memory for the reason that you always feel like way left a little bit out. Best deal could have been done. Will have been accomplished.

spk_0:   55:12
All

spk_3:   55:13
those that we put on the board preseason, where Goto go to a major bowl game when Army win a C C championship. All those things were literally in our hands going into the last three weeks. It seemed like something. For that reason, that game was very memorable, and also for the fact that the uniform that we wore that game, you probably never, ever see again because

spk_0:   55:34
they

spk_3:   55:34
had a star, uh, got the center of our jersey that was waiting in the field, only one that can definitely lost the game. I think they burned,

spk_0:   55:44
uh,

spk_3:   55:44
the game. I think I think that was most memorable for me. Uh, but speaking positive and negative,

spk_1:   55:51
Yeah, he brings up most memory games at one by far is probably the most memorable. But I wear a Brotherhood Navy football brotherhood patch on my flight suit and I'll brief brief with the tenants or other people in flight school. And non academy grads will ask me like What year did you graduate? And I say, I say 17 and immediately. The first thing is you guys were the ones that lost. You're the one that ruined your own streak, and it's kind of it makes it really. It makes a very bitter conversation start off. But I cried. I try to turn it in the better, but that's where the most memorable part comes in. And you were talking about the 2015 game. That was the awesome helmet game. But that game was personally, that one was the most memorable for me because I had 11 points in that game, which almost set the school record for a single game. We didn't we had no turnovers, but we just cut and getting fourth down and then they kept on sending me out there, but and then on top of that for that game. I also I got food poisoning and turned it into the flu that following weekend. So it was not fun, and it was not. It was not fun not warming up. Sitting in the locker room, going out there, hunting a ball, running back to the sideline, feel like I was about the throw up and running back out there. And then, to make things worse in our favor, though, Daequan intercepts that last pass that they do in that Hail Mary right in front, the end zone, and he doesn't go back in the end zone. He falls on the one yard line on and then we run. We run. We were on the Kenyan dive through the air gap three times and then, uh, and then they send me out there and ball's on the three yard line. 20 seconds left. We're up by. We're up by four points and now it's on my shoulders to kick the ball as far as I can to put them as far away from the end zone.

spk_0:   57:28
So So what's going? What's going through your mind at that point? Right? Like are you? Are you nervous like like catch the ball just like I got a matter like hands getting slippery, the little sweaty

spk_1:   57:39
little of this. So that game in Philly they got they have very big screens on both sides of the end zone that span the whole field. And when you're out there by yourself, back for upon or sometimes for a field goal for the kicking guys you will look up to like Look at the upright there, look downfield and you'll be looking at yourself because the cameraman, the other side, the field has it directly on your face. So you'll have this type of, like, exception, Norman. And that's what I just that were like like Oh my God, I'm out here by myself about to do this. Did you know you kind of go out there is a kicker. You always try to have positive thoughts, but you're always thinking Don't drop this point. This is the most important one. And of course, in that game I did. But I got a very lucky bounce on the ball, came back with my hands and, uh, thankful for the three big hogs in front of me who block and they were able to hold them off. And it was actually probably one of my best months of my careers closer to 60 yards in. The guy fumbled, and it kind of set up for that endgame. But But on a side comment, I actually, uh, junior year and class. I'm in leadership and I present my who I am to the class, and I used a photo of myself and the kid goes, You're the guy who dropped the ball neon zone And I was like, Oh my gosh, no, no, no. This is just need to sit it out. It's so that remark of the brand baby for the brand think this job, it's a thankless up. Yeah, that's That's where my member of a memorable experience ends with Army Navy game. So I'll let Nation hit on his

spk_2:   59:07
Yes, all the Navy supporters, the 2016 team. We are sorry, Uh, super do aside and be the ones and break the street if we get changed and we definitely believe that was a tough way to end the season for us. We were playing with, like, half a team. I think we lost our last three games in a row. But my most memorable Army man experience was my fresh Me, actually, um, play in Philadelphia. And it was the year the blizzard s Oh, I remember. I remember my good snow falling from the sky and it changed the like rain, and then it changed to sleep. Then you take it back to snow. Uh, I remember everybody being super cold. There was enough jackets and coats for everybody on the sidelines. So if you work in, the Navy will call a non critical asset. You You're not credible. Asset me? You were not that I was gonna get on the field. Um, then you needing a coat. So you were really Rico. But I remember kind of like planning the rain is a kid, you know, like playing the rain, You fall in the dirt, it doesn't hurt you just, you know, slide, you know, 12 feet and you get up. And like nothing ever happened, that's kind of how it was. I mean, people who can tackle the just like sliding forever. And then the pictures that were taken their game. Oh, my gosh. Those air $1,000,000 photos, some of them is the best pictures I've ever seen. We got planned for, but he would run the ball with, like, snow fall in the background and people diving at the legs. It was it was amazing. And then, uh, that was the first Navy when against Army that I experience? Uh, yeah, my favorite memory by far, of Army Navy. Absolutely.

spk_0:   1:1:03
It. And so as you look back on these moments and talk about these stories on the stuff, do you think during your time at the academy you are truly able to cherish just how special and cool these moments were? Ah, or is it or is it starting to hit now? Like, now is the time where you're like me And I can't believe that I got to be a part of all of this. Or were you able? Were you able to have that perspective while you

spk_2:   1:1:27
are a part of the team? Absolutely. Yeah, I remember. Uh, sorry. I grew up extremely family oriented type tomorrow. My family, uh, mama's boy, huh? And then, you know, as as it as a son, you always want Oh, proved that. Might, you know, saying like you may like, you know, you're you can carry the last name. So it was that aspect. And then I had great room, mother who I went completely blind while I was in college. And the Army Navy game is a game that's played on TV and radio. So this, like, no way that, you know, you have to miss it if you have, you know, a television already up, Um, my great grandmother saying that she heard my name on the Army on the Army Navy game, and that was very, very member. But you need to know that I have, you know, all my life's work up to that plant put me in a position to be able to play on a platform that allowed my grandmother, my great grandmother, too be able to hear it. A great great grandson's name being, you know, broadcast on television or the radio, even though she was blind. That was very special to me.

spk_0:   1:2:50
Yeah, is speaking of family and friends. I'm gonna pass this one to Calvin here. You guys are all a part of what you call. Why be your best every day? You part of the football brotherhood will always be a part of the Navy Football Brotherhood. What does it mean? Toe have those bonds for life. Do you guys still keep in touch regularly? Um, just talk a little bit about that friendship in those bonds you've created as a member of Navy football. Ah is part of why be?

spk_3:   1:3:20
But it's something very special. And I know it's very cliche to say every every young, every person feel that they've made bond that that will last them a lifetime. And they're probably all balance. And I don't discount those. But I think the ones that we were able to form with the with the, um, things that were going on all the time that we were there, uh, why these Navy football brother, Um, I think that that is something that will have a 1% last until the day we all die and hopefully way leave a proper legacy where it continues on through people that live alone at that point. But we went through so much, and we're from the point where taco got hurt when my mom was sick, too. When anybody, anybody involved in our group has something going on, somebody was family, some classes, someone got separated. I'm going to go to act bored. And we were like we were always able to be there for each other. And throughout that time, when we were still playing football and trying all working toward a common goal, whether it be, win the game that week when the when the season goals or just graduated. For all that the graduate on knows, though, adversity those those situation diversity that, uh, that showed up at untimely time made us off, mate. It's all locked arms and that we carry each other to the 50 we had to be. And I definitely say that. I mean, these boys know that anytime they need something they could call, they call me and I I'm on the phone. I wish you didn't do what you want. Actually say anything out of the same thing when I got back from appointment. Um, I guess it was the anniversary of when we played Notre Dame and I come back in. The first thing I see on Facebook is Dyson re posting the pictures of our

spk_0:   1:5:11
cuts in. We'll

spk_3:   1:5:13
do it in the corner, and then I scored and I own a pie over the parlor and that was, that was the first thing I saw was opened up a whole. It's like it's times like that where even when you go in seven months out, he's not seeing anybody. You know, you see, keep heading over, email, come back. It's right there because that's the type of that type of bomb before me. And I think your best every day. Just the mantra. So, basically, even when we're not within phone contact, our email contacted each other knowing that my brother is doing the same thing. I always put myself ticket saying to do that same thing, because when I see him, when I'm able to talk to him, he's gonna expect me to have that same same result that we're pushing, too. When we had last complain, that mutated. So it's on us to carry that, but we can make sure that we're mean the standard that we spent resting. I think it's a very good accountability method, very good bonding technique in a very good Martin live our and we keep what's been going on.

spk_0:   1:6:11
It's special. It truly is just being on the outside and witnessing all of you guys excel in. Not only during your time at the academy and football and school is a midshipman. Ah, but it. But in life and now in the fleet, um, it's truly special. And so it's a phrase that I like to use is that we hear peer pressure. We always hear that as like, a negative connotation. I don't fall in a peer pressure, but what you guys are doing is positive peer pressure. You guys are encouraging each other and holding that standard and being positive peer pressure on one another. And everyone who witnesses who you guys are as men on as leaders to be the best version of themselves and constantly Stratford's to do good things. So I just want to thank you guys for who you are and what you do in the standards that you hold yourself to cause you're setting a phenomenal example for everyone. Uh, who is not only appears with you, but coming after you and 1/2 even come before you. So, um, thank you for that. And I have one final question, and I do I want to pass this one off to barter here. Um, we've talked a ton about why Navy football is special. Why Army Navy is special why these games have been so fun. But for any recruit considering the Naval Academy, why should they really consider about becoming a goat? What is truly special about Navy football? Summarize it all up for us, right here for anyone about why recruit should come to the

spk_1:   1:7:40
Naval Academy. Yes. So the big thing is, we always talk about it. We wear patches on flight suits. We have a brotherhood were brotherhood page on by Shake Frank Shank. The biggest thing is the brothers they were talking to right now, these two guys Dyson, Calvin and then my other wybie brothers, Troy, all those guys. It's those bonds in those relationships you make with them because the academy, Yeah, you can make it through individually and it's gonna be a little tough. But if you do it as a whole as a group, or is it? There's a brotherhood. It makes things much simpler, makes those small little things that go in the class and then have another practice or having to travel up to Memphis or California makes it easier if we could do it together instead of doing an individual and then, like I wanna discuss in those times when his mom was going through a little bit of trouble, we can help lift him up and get him going, because if he's fighting that battle by himself, it's gonna be one hell of a battle. But if we can support him, we can give him love and we could nurture him throughout the whole process. He'll come out on better man, will come out better leaders as well. And then the big thing is, you're saying there's I would say native fool brotherhood, hold each other accountable is the biggest thing. Accountability is something I see that slips and from other people who may not see the same ideals of the same way of life that we see and by holding each other accountable, I think we're gonna be more successful together. And then that coming into the Brotherhood aspect is, if you're holding each other accountable, you will be successful, especially on the football field, especially in the classroom at the academy. The big thing is just getting in. The team bonding aspect that builds the accountability, builds all that stuff that nobody else sees that we hold each other accountable, like example, running hills during the summer during workouts. I'm not the fastest person, norm. I got the fast twitch muscles like these guys, but they're yelling at me, holding me accountable to get my butt up that field and running. It's small stuff like that that gets me going that maybe I can't. They can't do. But I can also help in other aspects, like the classroom or leadership stuff at school. So and then join the Brotherhood is just a phenomenal organization. Post graduation. The resource is that we get now there, Frank and all the other guys. There's nothing like it. You can hit up anyone in the country from the Brotherhood, and they'll be there at the drop of a pin. They're constantly posting about meetups in Virginia. I'm assuming they do stuff in California of watching the games, getting together, talking about leadership, mentoring each other because they wanted to do the same thing to They want to pass the torch down the US so we can pass it down to the guy's airplane right now. Then we can pass it down to those high schoolers that are thinking about coming academy. I love

spk_0:   1:10:12
it well for the entire academy insider audience that's been listening. I hope you've been able to see one not only just be able to watch them on the field and see how impressive they are as football players, but you just get to hear a little bit about what goes on behind the scenes, who they are as men and who are. They are as friends in piers and teammates. Um and so I really hope that you enjoyed this episode. Dyson. Alex Calvin. Thank you guys So much for taking this time out of your day again. For anyone who's listening stations in Japan right now. He woke up at, like, 5 a.m. to join us on this call just cause he wanted to share these stories and be a part of this and talk with us. It's special. So thank you guys so much for taking the time to do this. I really, really appreciate it.

spk_2:   1:10:57
Yeah, I love I love you guys. Grants always been a role model to our list. The opinion you have a sister, Natalie pushes themselves as trying to bridge that gap of misunderstanding between the athlete in the narc world room. Yeah, just thanks. And, uh, continue to support, uh, but Israel on, And I definitely appreciate going to the Naval Academy. I

spk_1:   1:11:24
absolutely agree. Appreciate it up. Sorry I let you go home. Calvin.

spk_3:   1:11:31
I just appreciate you have a phone. Your man always been a fan of yours. You're actually in our sister company. Appreciate it, man. Definitely one of those people that I looked at it. A genuine leader, genuine and everything he did. And there you were. Definitely. Except for a moment. Will you have you Have you worked for juggle and not the bribes you were able together football today, they would have this conversation going to keep doing what you're doing. That research. I

spk_1:   1:11:58
appreciate it. Yeah, I appreciate as well. Especially bridging that gap. It's something people really don't see because it's inside the walls of the yard. And I know we all appreciate it from Why be that? You're trying to do that for us with these small little podcast in everything you do on Facebook, so yeah, really greatly appreciate that

spk_2:   1:12:15
much lower?

spk_0:   1:12:17
Yeah. Absolutely. Takes thanks so much. Appreciate that a cow in this way he said that I was telling my dad earlier about all that and be a part of it. What's funny is I specifically remember you a story from you during please summer where one of the dudes was getting, you know that. But whoever that second class detailer was in 25th company, I still can't remember his name. But he was out there and making fun of do for doing push ups, and you challenged him to a pushup competition. And you said I could do more pushups in you in one minute. Then you've got to leave him alone. You repped out, you repped at, like 88 push

spk_2:   1:12:49
ups pro in like a minute.

spk_0:   1:12:50
And I was dying at the detail. He did, like, 40. He was like, See, he was struggling. I was dying, but honestly, it just speaks to the dude you were from the day you stepped in there. Honestly, looking out for the people in your company knowing that you could dominate is about anyone in a physical competition. So, um, I love it, but all right, guys, take you guys so much. The entire academy inside our audience Thank you for listening. Ah, and I hope you all have a good day. And most importantly, beat army.

spk_1:   1:13:18
Meet him, you know. Thank you all for listening to the podcast. Please leave me a review on Apple podcasts and be sure to subscribe. If you want to know Maura about the United States Naval Academy or the mid shipment experience, you can find more articles and content about the life of a

spk_0:   1:13:33
mid shipment on my Web page, www dot academy and center dot com or my Facebook Page Academy Insider. I'm Grand Premiere, the Academy insider, and thank you so much for letting me be your guide to the United States Naval Academy.