<p>For those of you participating in this thread who actually attended the Academy, let’s not pretend that sports (particularly football) is not a huge bonding force for the entire Brigade and for the Fleet.</p>
<p>Tell me you didn’t feel chills when the midshipmen defeated Notre Dame this past year.</p>
<p>Just as the Blue Angels perform to RECRUIT, Naval Academy sports can achieve much the same thing.</p>
<p>Sports are a huge part of the Academy program, whether it be varsity sports or intramural.</p>
<p>So let’s not pretend that it’s not important. Apparently SOMEBODY thinks it’s important or it would not be so tightly woven into the curriculum.</p>
<p>Every blue moon some particularly talented midshipman gets noticed for his tremendous athletic prowess. Are we to say he cannot pursue that unique opportunity because he is to be a warrior, as Douglas MacArthur would say? He cannot be extended some latitude (do some recruiting in the off season) to become a professional athlete? The Navy will suffer if he does? I don’t think so.</p>
<p>If it’s all about producing combatant officers, then why does the Academy allow some graduates to pursue medical degrees at civilian institutions upon graduation?</p>
<p>Somebody has to pull the trigger. (the combatant)</p>
<p>Somebody has to give medical care to the guy who pulls the trigger. (the doctor)</p>
<p>And somebody has to convince a young man that the job of trigger pulling is worth pursuing. (the recruiter)</p>
<p>Everybody plays a role.</p>