Fair Weather Friends

I watched the jousting of the Knights - Scarlet vs. Black, Rutgers vs. Army - the other night. Not many of Army’s games outside of Army/Navy are televised in my area so when I get the chance to catch a game I make it a point to watch.

The pageantry, the excitement, the cadets in the stands acting out their nervous anticipation, all were familiar to me. Not so familiar was the large structure at one end of the field; the Kimsey Center’s offices overlook one end zone and provide a bird’s eye view of the action in living room comfort. The silhouettes of several onlookers were visible in the windows.

The events after the opening kickoff went poorly for Army and are now the stuff of memory and history. Unfortunately, the disappointment on the field was matched by failure in the stands. The cadets, conspicuous in their gray raincoats, stayed huddled together and were on their feet for the duration of the game. The remainder of the stands, however, emptied faster than an SUV’s gas tank. Even the silhouettes in the creature comfort offices quickly disappeared.

The message to the athletes struggling on the field was clear: Call us when you start winning. And besides, its cold out here and it’s raining.

Sparse stands are symptomatic of a wide margin loss and nobody I know enjoys inclement weather. But this was the United States Military Academy. This was West Point, where the term character takes on a deeper, almost solemn, meaning.

The cadets showed up. Some of them knocked heads on the field, others demonstrated vocal and animated support from the stands. But when it counted, the remainder of the corps’ support ran like the weather’s rivulets off the stadium steps.

Whenever I’m privileged to see the Black Knights play, particularly if it’s a home game, I get the itch to somehow be a part of it. This game was no different. I envied those who were afforded the opportunity to get their posteriors wet on those cold bleachers. I wouldn’t think for a minute that this sentiment isn’t shared by many others and especially by our troops who are deployed far from home, some in hostile lands.

Regardless of the score, the real losers weren’t down on the field Friday night.

~ Dempsey