ken and curtis: Mike Kadlick says Robert Kraft will be looking for excuses to keep Bill Belichick
"There’s really nothing like Army-Navy," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told media on Friday morning. "I've been in a lot of big games. I've seen a lot of big games. Both collegiately and professionally. But, Army-Navy is special."
He was right.
Foxborough, Massachusetts' Gillette Stadium played host to the 124th edition of the historic Army vs. Navy football rivalry on Saturday, and to say the environment was electric is an understatement. The last-second, goalline stand from Army to squeeze out a narrow 17-11 win wasn't even the half of it.
Here's a look at the historic day:
College GameDay
College GameDay, ESPN's flagship college football pregame show, was live from the parking lot outside of Gillette Stadium prior to Saturday's contest. The weekly broadcast is hosted by Rece Davis with analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee, and Lee Corso alongside - but Saturday's edition in Foxborough garnered two special guests to the panel.
Both Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick joined the show at different points throughout the broadcast, with Belichick serving as this week's "guest picker" during their game picks to conclude the show.
We're so honored," said Kraft during his segment when asked what it meant for Gillette Stadium to host 2023's Army vs. Navy game. "This is America's game. There's nothing like this anywhere in America. To see this, what's going on here. We've been to Super Bowls. We've been to all kinds of pregames. What's happening here is unique and it's a good thing in America today to see people coming together to celebrate. People with opposition, different viewpoints. They're putting the game and the people first, and America first."
He was then asked how the Patriots were able to maintain success, given their history of winning and, of course, their six Super Bowl titles:
"It's all about people," Kraft explained. "Collecting good people, people of good character. People who are loyal. I'm very happy that most of our key people have been with us a long time. You know, we have a head coach who's been with us 24 years... that's the model we have in all of our companies. To try and pick the best people."
That coach, of course, is Bill Belichick. New England's long-time head coach joined the panel as the show came to a close and, while his tie to the United States Naval Academy is well known as his father spent over three decades coaching in Annapolis, his moxie as a television personality only comes out in bits and pieces. Luckily, we were able to get that side on Saturday.
"We talked a little bit about football and a little bit about the history of the Army-Navy Game," Belichick told the crew about his meeting with the Navy team, who he spoke to on Friday. "Just the competition. It was great. A great thrill for me, an opportunity for me. I've been involved in the game, as a spectator, for a long time so it was great to kind of be a part of it there. A great group of kids, obviously. Coach Newberry and his staff were very accommodating. It was a thrill."
He went onto explain the history and the importance of the game, which was really summed up by his first sentence: "If you're at Army or Navy, you're better off being 1-10 with that being the win than you are at 10-1 with that being the loss."
While Belichick picking Navy to win the game was obvious, he made his selection one for the ages in true Belichick fashion:
"My pick on this one?" he said as he pulled a replica 1962 Navy helmet out from under the desk." Coach [Corso], I'm going take a page out of your book here. Go Navy, beat Army."
March On
March On, one of the greatest traditions in college sports, took place at noon as both the Brigade of Midshipmen and the Corps of Cadets marched onto the Gillette Stadium field in formation. Here's a look:
Guest List
As one of the premier sporting events of the calendar year, the Army-Navy game at Gillette Stadium was packed with a top-tier guest list. Here are a few of the notable names who were in attendance:
- Patriots owner Robert Kraft
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick
- Former Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski
- Businessman Elon Musk
- Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy
- Patriots QB Bailey Zappe
- Patriots C David Andrews
- Patriots DL Deatrich Wise Jr.
- ESPN personality "Stanford Steve" Clifford
The Game
As for the game itself, it delivered as it always does.
A 10-0 Army lead at the half, Navy put themselves on the scoreboard with 12:45 to go to cut the Black Knights' lead to 10-3.
They then got the ball back with just over seven minutes remaining in the contest and a chance to tie it, but a 44-yard strip-sack and score from linebacker Kalib Fortner instead gave Army a 17-3 lead.
But the Midshipmen weren't done. They took it right back down the field on a two-minute, seven-play, 59-yard drive capped by a 14-yard Jayden Umbarger touchdown. And then again after a swift turnover on downs and down 17-9, had a chance to to tie it up at the goal line.
Army's defense, however, held strong and stopped the suddenly surging Navy offense. They turned them over, took a safety with no time remaining, and won the barn burner 17-11. The Black Knights have now won two Army-Navy games in a row and cut the Midshipmen's lead on the series to 62–55–7.
Alma Maters
Both teams met in the middle of the field following the Army win and, as is tradition, faced their classmates in the stands as they sang their alma maters. Losers first, winners second.
Army, of course, sang second to cap off an incredible day at Gillette.
All the rest
Cleaning out the notebook and the Twitter feed, here's a look at some other sights and sounds from Foxborough on Saturday:
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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