Comments on: Maryland vs. Navy & Rivals.com

By: REV

REV — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 18:24:43 +0000

Are there any freshmen that might have an impact this season for the Academy?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 13:08:39 +0000

The game is more than 11 individuals exercising their talent. It is about a team exercising the collective efforts of 11 individuals. The intangibles; discipline and composure, have always been an under rated asset of Navy teams.

Of course the triple option style is the perfect fit. Don't ya grow weary of hearing how teams don't have time to prepare for the plays Navy runs? Particularly with the vast talent differential that all the other teams have over Navy.

from: A PSU grad who might soon be
eating his words......b

By: navy68

navy68 — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:55:02 +0000

Completely foolish exercise to use the recruit rankings (especially Rivals when it come to Navy) and player stars to gauge the effectiveness of a football team. If Navy needed it, this article would make good locker room bulletin board material. I think the Navy staff, though, does a good job of keeping the kids grounded and focused. They KNOW every game will be tough… but they have an added ingrediant this year that could make for something special. I don't know a lot about the UMD's coaching staff, except for your HC. If you wanted to measure effectiveness of a staff, maybe you could measure longevity with the team and team wins. Navy's coaching staff has been so solid over the last 8 years, even after losing Johnson and the record speaks for itself. They are more than coaches. They know what it takes to win at the Academy. Just listen to a Coach Niumt presser after a game and hear for yourself the emotion with which he speaks of his players. And the players…. forget about it. They are a team first and indivudals second…. they know all about sacrifice and oh, by the way know how to play the game of football. They might be the best conditioned team that Maryland faces all year. I sense something very special brewing from this group of Navy players and coaches. Looking forward to 6 Sep. BTW, I will be watching UMD LB Alex Wujciak with interest. He's a local kid who got a lot of attention when he was in high school. He's a tough kid and a legitimate All American candidate. No question, Navy will have its hands full, but sell them short at your own peril.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:28:38 +0000

C'mon everybody…one need look no further than the author's last name (Stoner) to know where all of this came from 😉

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 02:28:28 +0000

Chris, I am also from Maryland and a Navy grad. Grew up a Terps fan before becoming a Mid. I agree with you, it's not a question of talent, collectively, Terps would win when stacked up man for man…I think I've got a decade on you so you are likely too young to remember the '80 US Hockey Team. I watched and what I think that game proved was that it's not all talent…it's teamwork and coaching that builds teamwork and confidence. We all know the saying…"it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog"…that is Navy in a nutshell. Many of my friends became Navy Seals…it's not the muscle guys that make it, it's the guys that really want it and have the heart to stick with the tough training…that's how Navy plays. Take a look at the roster and count how many want to be Marines or Seals. Those same guys, and those before them, are the ones leading the combat ops in our current conflicts…Geoff USNA '92

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:55:13 +0000

So, if I understand your argument, you say since Maryland has year after year done less using more, and Navy has done so much more with so much less, this season we should believe it will all turn around just because you want it to? And you get paid for this? Wanna trade?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:44:57 +0000

Alabama has a 5 star player by the name of Barrett Jones that started in the national championship game.Navy has 2 players Jabaree Tuani (2 sacks) and Barry Dabney (1 sack) that completely dominated him in a high school game.They were considered too small for college football.They were both rated 1 stars until the Navy offer.

By: 30 days and counting, sir!

30 days and counting, sir! — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:31:56 +0000

If you took the time to look into the background of each Navy football player you would certainly see that there is an abundant of talent there. Many were “All State” in high school. Many set highs school records in their respective schools. Many were team captains that played football since 5th grade right along side the so called 5 star recruits. The ONLY reason they were not recruited to the end by big schools is strictly because of SIZE.
Anybody that thinks that Rivals.com has the ability to evaluate every kid in the country is foolish. They miss tons of kids…especially the small ones. And to use these rankings after these “5 star” recruits get in college as a measuring stick for the team ranking and talent as you are is beyond foolish…it’s ludicrous.
With a good game plan and TALENTED, disciplined players, that size difference can be neutralized very effectively as Navy has demonstrated. You are about to see it live on Labor Day.

By: gonavy89

gonavy89 — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:30:00 +0000

I am thankful that our country is defended by the likes of the "non-talented" Navy players and their brothers at Army, rather than the more recruited players at Maryland.

Navy plays with heart and discipline; they play as a team. If more teams stressed this with their young players I think we would all be better off. Chris Stoner you are a fool.

By: stennis

stennis — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 23:29:24 +0000

I sincerely laugh at the author's assertion that he is a "professional". If talent alone was the sole discriminator in determining wins and losses, not too mention losses, Notre Dame would be in the Top 5 every year, however their record tells another story.
The scheme, coaching, the use of the talent and the motivation of the players are all parts of what makes a team win. Maybe this author should have been playing the game vice writing about it and watching it. Maybe then, he would know what it takes to win on the field.