Army Sings Second

The Army team surprised a lot of people with their thoroughly dominant 21-0 victory over Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 4. In a game between service academies, the alma mater from each school will be sung following the game, but the winner gets to sing last. Army finally had the rare opportunity to "sing second" after an Army/Air Force game.

It was rainy along the Potomac last Saturday, so I made a fire in the fireplace and watched the game. My wife came in for the fourth quarter and watched the successful ending with me. I got excited after Air Force sang, and urged her to join me standing inches from the television so we could see all of the West Point alma mater action clearly.

You could see the difference between the two units with the singing of the two songs. The Army team clearly knew the words, and was belting it out -- no pretending to know the words without really singing.  We have seen that before, and it indicates a lack of commitment to some important things.

I hate to admit it, but I get choked up when attempting to sing the alma mater, like I was doing in my living room inches from the television. But I made it through and watched the cadets and coaching staff punctuate the completion of the song with the customary "BEAT NAVY" with a fist in the air. And I punctuated my singing with an appropriate palm tap to the gluteus of my teammate standing with me and said, "Isn't that awesome!?!"

We had a great all around family day at our house on Saturday -- we weren't busy, but still got chores done; the kids had soccer games, but they got to hang out with friends too; and we had a great family dinner in the evening. Sunday morning I was just floating around filled with a sense of optimism. I have been stringing together a lot of good weekends filled with family, friends and good times lately, but there is something special about a weekend when you get to sing second.

Hoops Along the Potomac with a Fellow Hoosier

I had the great opportunity to link up with a long time friend, Josh Carter, from Richmond, Indiana at the Washington Wizards/Dallas Mavericks game in Capital One Arena, Nov. 7. Josh and I have known each other since the first grade, and played a lot of sports together growing up, including our Test Middle School eighth grade basketball city championship team (Josh probably started, and I had to have been coming off the bench). He also ended up becoming a heavy-hitting safety on the Richmond High School football team.

The link-up was way too short, but well worth the effort. I don't go out on a "school night" much, but you can bet I will do it to link up with a Hoosier at a basketball game. I always tell people to hit me up when they come through the District -- real glad Josh did.

Those Wizards though....uh, not so good Tuesday night.

The Wizards lost 113-99 to the Mavericks, who came into the game with the worst record in the NBA, 1-10. Washington has now lost three straight games and sits at 5-5 in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings. This is not the start fans were anticipating from a team expected to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics as the top team in the conference.

The Wizards are better than what they showed against the Mavericks. They know it, and they tell people they know it. They need to start showing it.

With Josh Carter at the Capital One Center Green Turtle following the Wizards/Mavericks game, Nov 7. Sometimes I make people laugh.

Redskins earn huge road victory in Seattle

The Washington Redskins went into their game Sunday in Seattle against the Seahawks without four of their five starting offensive linemen, their best tight end, and a key wide receiver. The Seahawks rarely lose at home, were 3-0 at Century Link this year, and the winners for four straight games. This was a game that Washington was not just supposed to lose, but practically guaranteed to lose.

But they didn't lose. Washington was well on their way to the predictable loss when they got the ball, down four points, with less than two minutes remaining. They grabbed the game in the final moments thanks to some clutch hook-ups between QB Kirk Cousins and receivers Brian Quick and Josh Doctson, both of whom had done very little prior to Sunday's game.

And with that, as John Keim of ESPN wrote, "a game that appeared destined for Moral Victory City ended up being one of their best wins in recent years."

Colts halt three-game skid with win over Texans

On the strength of Colts WR T.Y. Hilton's performance (2 TDs, 175 yards), Indianapolis held a 20-7 advantage with 9:12 remaining in their game at Houston this Sunday. The Colts have coughed up double-digit fourth-quarter leads multiple times already this year. They almost did so again.

Houston QB Tom Savage drove the Texans to the doorstep of the Colts goal line in the final seconds for one last fourth-and-goal shot at the game-winning touchdown. Luckily for Indianapolis, Jabaal Sheard strip sacked Savage on the last ditch effort as time expired.  That's good news in a season filled with bad news, right?

Fresh news now is that owner Jim Irsay is saying Andrew Luck's injury is "in his head." Well great. One step forward, two steps back for the Colts again.


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