IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING

I have always been a staunch supporter of Navy football remaining independent, for reasons most of you are already familiar with. The Mids are approaching a decade of football success that was jump-started by schedule changes made possible by the flexibility that independence provides. Thanks to its national fan base and their willingness to travel, Navy has managed to secure berths in bowl games for 8 straight years, and has locked in agreements for several more, all on its own. Independence means maintaining rivalries while having the freedom to include a little variety, too; Navy has played at least one team from every conference and has played in every time zone in the country over the last decade. Gone are the days of dialing into Teamline to listen to every game; the same national draw that makes Navy attractive to bowl games has enabled them to secure their own television contract with CBS Sports Network. CBS is even making a movie! It’s a little harder to fend for yourself sometimes, but independence has been good to the Naval Academy.