Howdy. I was looking at some older football schedules and noticed games against The Citadel ('06) and Army West Point ('06 and '08). I was wondering if the Corps did anything special leading up to this game with cadets from the other academies? Was anybody on this board in the Corps at the time, and do you remember any interaction with Army or Citadel cadets? Also open to hearing stories from prior games.

Oh boy, so there we were frick year in the fall of '08. Just lost a ball game to Arky State. Smoke sessions were plentiful and horrid. Each outfit had a contingent of West Pointers that stayed with them. Let's just say the few days leading up to the game were spicy. Large amounts of trash talk and bets were made. I remember there were a few West Pointers that stayed with our pissheads, and they were extra ornery. Now given that we were fish, we didn't know what exactly happened, but it wasn't good. We overheard one of our pissheads tell his buddies that he left a present in the bag of the west pointers staying with him right before they left the quad. He claimed to have deposited a #2 log as a going away present. Could he have been talking big? Sure. Did it fit his ornery bill too? Yes it did. Never heard back from'em boys, but I've always wondered if an Easterwood airport employee had a rude surprise for checking their bags.

Now were also had plenty of cadets (WP, N.A., AFA, Citadel, VT, VMI, etc) come to the quad for conferences, and such. The Academy boys took the experience as a breath of fresh air. Most of them went too hard in the paint at north gate, and found themselves quite hungover. My butt year on corps staff the west pointer staying with us was so obliterated that he slept in a tree one night because he didn't know where he was.

My zip year I went to the Citadel for one such conference, and those guys fought to have a guest stay with them, because they got a pass from their barracks to go out at night. Some who didn't have guests fashioned sheet-ropes to climb out of their room on the third and fourth stoop of the barracks. My favorite military college to interact with by far.

I remember those games well.

'06 - Was an entire Corps' trip. Huge march-in for us and a ton of West Point cadets. It was marketed as the "Corps Classic." I think Sq 16 had a giant banner they made with the supposed Patton quote that they held up in their section. Definitely too close for comfort - ironicaly also the year we were something like a collect 5 points and 2 minutes away from going undefeated, then got crushed in the Holiday Bowl.

Citadel was also too close for comfort, though I don't recall much special for that game. Not sure more than a handful of their cadets came. I think I do remember a D lineman getting an INT or fumble recovery and running 40 yards for a TD and then being out of breath for the next 10 minutes. I think that was that game.

'08 - Some 500ish West Point cadets came to the Quad Thursday/Friday and stayed with us in the dorms, ate with us at Duncan, did PT with us, went to yell practice, were wide-eyed at what they perceived to be hazing (like FDT practice, some outfit smoking their fish, etc). Their plebes had to be in uniform the whole time, so there were cadets walking around everywhere off campus in uniform, like Best Buy, Northgate, grocery stores, etc.

I would love to play army over the next 3 years. My son is a plebe at west point so completely for selfish reasons, I get a free weekend to see him in the fall.

Those plebes do have to wear those uniforms 24/7. We are seeing him at the Army/ air force game this weekend and I asked him what clothes to bring. He said "mom do you have an extra white over gray in the closet"

We also played and beat Army at their place in 1969. The return game in 1972, we got outscored at Kyle Field.
Loosing to Army when I was in the Army was the worst going back to work Monday ever, and that includes numerous Mondays after Thanksgiving.

Navy and Air Force would also make for good games.

I seem to recall we were supposed to play AF in the early 10s IIRC but it got called off. I too remember that 06 Army game and it being uncomfortably close.

2008 season, USMA played us at Kyle. Also uncomfortably close. The Ags pulled out the win 21-17.

I believe USMA had a contingent perform their "March On" onto the field, while the Corps did the normal "March In" of the time.

I had VERY cheap season tix in the Zone back then, and I recall interacting with their fans was a real pleasure. Kept hoping we'd set up some kind of rotating schedule vs the academies as I'd have loved to attend an away game at Army, Navy or AF. Never happened.

I went to a few Navy games when I was stationed in Maryland. Then you could get good seats at cheap prices. The pre-game F-18 flyover was always up-close and spectacular - I'd swear those Navy grads were trying to tailhook the 50-yard line.

I'd love to see us bring in The Citadel and VMI as some of our cup cake teams early in the season.
We could alternate years and have one of them every year.
I'm sure they could use the payday too.