Military Bowl

Yeah, the military is in the Military Bowl.  Back to work this week so I've got to creatively catch these games. Wait, I'm in charge (mostly), dammit, I'll watch at my pleasure.

This week that many employed people are off is peppered with games, and with the new way the bowl season is configured, more than half of all the bowl games fall between today and Saturday.  This takes BowlQuest to a whole new level. 21 games in six days.

Pittsburgh vs. No. 22 Navy

For anyone who's followed all these posts, I've made it aware that I made my vacation time a mess this year and finally took an entire week off prior to Christmas.  Despite working at home while on vacation, I came back to a ton of things to get done.  Anyone have to use Workday?  I do, and I also need my staff to keep track of their hours as if it was 1972.  It took me 30 minutes just to catch up on hours and still not be done.

Music scheduling, promo writing, ratings, show prep, my own afternoon drive show - and none of that stopped me from being in front of our big screen TV at work at 2:30pm to see this game get underway.

Boom - Pittsburgh returns the opening kick for a touchdown.  This seems to happen a lot in these bowl games.  Like both teams are sluggish, don't know each other, the game starts with a score.

No matter, Navy runs the triple option and Pitt acted like they've never seen it before despite playing Georgia Tech that runs the same offense, just not as well as Navy.

Navy's Keenan Reynolds was the best player on the field and Navy unleashed the triple option.  Reynolds had three scores to cement his all time NCAA record.

I watched the full first quarter and had the game on the rest of the way while I was on the air. Speaking of that, I may want to watch being distracted while trying to do a live radio show.  Just saying, to myself.

Pitt had a nice third quarter but were down too far to come back. 

Navy 44  Pittsburgh 28

My Pick:  Navy (11-8 record)

Game Notes

-Navy used the same helmets from the Army/Navy game.  Why?  Because they're badass.

-This may have been one of the worst 24 hour periods for Pittsburgh sports.  The Steelers lost while sleep walking against the Ravens, the Penguins were shutout 1-0 against Calgary and Pitt did what Pitt did today, watch Navy run all over them.

-What did I eat?  Prior to the game I ran over to the strip mall near the radio stations and decided on Jimmy Johns.  I always go with the Vito, with hot peppers.

-Player swag:  Score, the Military Bowl gets it - Microsoft Xbox One with Kinect bundle; Under Armour duffle bag.

-I don't think it mattered in the outcome, but this was a home game for Navy, played in Annapolis.  Pretty solid crowd.  Both teams that played home games have won.  I liked when this game was played at the old RFK Stadium.

-For BowlQuest enthusiasts who know my penchant for bench marks, each year the Military Bowl is sponsored by Northrup Grumman, and I like to pick a corporate item that would make a nice gift.  This year, it's the NG Air Claw.

 It looks like a pleasure craft, right?  Wrong.  This baby does all kind of shit. Give Lou Vogler a call, he'll fill you in.