Tradition Dismissed! Air Force Academy Cadets Quitting On Football Team
Well, what can you say?
The Air Force Academy (founded by West Point graduate Lieutenant General Hubert Harmon from the famed "Class that stars fell on" of 1915) has enjoyed success on the football field over the years. Part of that success can absolutely be attributed to the hundreds of cadets in the stands cheering on their Falcons.
According to Air Force's head coach, Troy Calhoun,
"there have been many times that plays in the north end zone, near where the cadets are located, that their energy has disrupted timing for the opposing team or led them to commit penalties."
That is a little something we like to call home field advantage. Only 3 schools have their entire student body show up for every home game and can boast that advantage.
"Our trio's down to two." - Timon
Only two schools now, Army and Navy, will have their entire student bodies in the stands moving forward. Student sections are part of what make college football special. The various traditions, the camaraderie, and the spirit of those sections impact the flow of the game. Not to mention, students take pride in watching their school compete. For those of us at schools who have to attend class, it's awesome when you run into your friends in class or perhaps students you don't know super well and they want to rehash the weekend's game with you.
The reasoning provided for this change was a bit of a head scratcher.
“This change is taking place to maximize attendance across all 30 intercollegiate athletic home events,” according to an email from an Air Force spokesman to The Gazette sent on Thursday evening. “This is being done to not only bolster team spirt and unity, but also to embody the values of camaraderie and resilience, which is essential for leadership.”
How are you bolstering team spirit when you tell everyone it doesn't matter if they show up to the games? Also, no other sport is playing games at the same time as the football team.
Seems to me one of two (or both) things happened out there in Colorado Springs.
- The students complained enough about going to games that the leadership finally relented or
- Air Force doesn't care about their football program as much as they once did.
Your guess is as good as mine but one thing is for certain - my personal feelings aside, there is something to be said for competing against Air Force with all of the cadets in attendance. It adds to the atmosphere. Anyone who's attended an Academy football game can attest to as much.
You said it, brother.
It's a sad day in college football when traditions die…even if it's the little brother of the three Academies.