Each day this week, my campus is seeing 11:57 overflights by F-16s, C-5s, KC-135s, UH-60s, A-10s, a B-52, and a B-2. And, well, yeah, you’d think it’s a pretty nice way for them to officially observe my 37th birthday today, even if I’m somewhat ambivalent about the cultural and economic implications of such over-the-top militarism. (Amherst is right now feeling far more distant than a three-hour car ride, and I’m somewhat ambivalent about that, too.) But no, it’s actually for the Army-Air Force football game on Friday night, which should be quite a spectacle, perhaps improved only by my Thompsonian attorney’s agreement to join me in the stands. I’ll do my best to remain sufficiently un-bent to render a report that night concerning the degrees (or distressing lack) of what Dr. HST might have called the decadence and depravity of sport among the service academies, but if past experience is any indicator, the pre- and post-game tailgating should be pretty dang good.
Here’s the thing: I remember Jenny grumping about game day, and I’ve felt the same way on game days here when traffic backs up two miles from every gate (where they have to do security checks and such, since it’s both a military base and a college campus), but then again, being in and on campus during such times is an exhilarating feeling, in ways I haven’t encountered much before. Here, where my students are so ridiculously overscheduled (they’re up at 5:20 doing homework, cleaning the barracks, getting their uniforms in order; classes start at 7:30 and end at 3:50; they’ve got athletics and dinner until 7:30, lights out at midnight), an alcohol-free football game where nobody’s yelling at them is the equivalent of a bacchanal. And as committed as the cadets have shown themselves to be to their intellectual education, I figure it’s the least I can do to meet them halfway; to engage the spirit as well as the intellect; to commit myself to some cadet fun outside the classroom as well as cadet education inside the classroom.
And, well, it’s gonna be a big fun spectacle, too.
Happy birthday Mike! I loved football games when I was an undegrad at Washington. They were great fun, walking across campus to the stadium amidst the throng, hauling a thermos of, uh, well, you know, getting a little bit loaded. I’m sure it doesn’t compare to the spectacle you’re about to experience, but I loved it nonetheless.
Yeah, happy b day!
Sounds like you’ll have a really fun belated birthday celebration at the game! I’ll be interested to read what you write about it.
Happy belated Birthday!
Jenny crunks? Cool. Oh…grumps. I get it.
Don’t let her fool you. When she gets into State College more, she’ll love game days. It is a great way to dull the senses before the hilly roads become slicked with ice.
Happy Birthday. I just had my 35th and I feel remarkably alive. Hope you do too.
Happy birthday from the Navy state!