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Navy-Air Force game may fall victim to federal shutdown
Topic Started: Oct 1 2013, 12:47 PM (127 Views)
Copper
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Shortstop

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2013/10/01/naval-academy-air-force-army-government-shutdown/2901611/

Quote:
 

Navy-Air Force game may fall victim to federal shutdown

The government shutdown might affect college football this weekend and is already having an impact on other sports..

A decision will be made by noon ET Thursday on whether to postpone Saturday's sold-out game in Annapolis, Md., between the Naval Academy and Air Force, according to a release from Navy. The game also is planned for national TV coverage on CBS (11:30 a.m. ET).

According to the release, the Department of Defense has suspended all intercollegiate athletics competitions at all three academies, including West Point. For example, Tuesday night's Navy-Howard soccer game has been canceled.

The suspensions of athletics will last through the government shutdown. If the shutdown is going to extend through the weekend, then the Navy-Air Force game would be postponed, a person with knowledge of the decision process told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because they were not cleared to speak publicly.

Troy Garnhart, an associate athletics director for Air Force, told The (Annapolis) Capital newspaper that upper-class cadets at Air Force are considered military personnel, which means they could be subject to travel restrictions under the shutdown.

In an email update Tuesday afternoon, Garnhart said, "The Air Force Academy Falcons will attempt to play all home intercollegiate athletic contests but those may be cancelled, as well. Academy officials are working with Mountain West Conference officials, those teams the Falcons were scheduled to play and officials at The Department of the Air Force to make up as many games as possible."

CBS spokesperson Jen Sabatelle said in an email, "We are prepared to cover the Air Force vs. Navy game on Saturday if it is played. We are working on alternate programming in the event the game is not played."

If a football postponement happens, both teams have room at the end of the season to make up the game. Navy is off from Nov. 22 until Dec. 14, when it plays Army. Air Force concludes its season Nov. 30. The Mountain West is debuting a conference championship game this year. That game is scheduled for the following week, but Air Force already is 0-4 in the league.

Navy is 2-1 after a loss last week at Western Kentucky. Air Force is 1-4 and on a four-game losing streak that is the Falcons' longest since a four-game slide to end the 2006 season.

Army goes into Saturday's game at Boston College at 2-3, coming off a win against Louisiana Tech at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

In a statement emailed to USA TODAY Sports, Boston College athletics director Brad Bates said, "We have been in close communication with Army athletics officials regarding the potential impact of the government shutdown on this Saturday's football game. Obviously our intention is to exhaust all possibilities to play the game and we will communicate the information promptly as soon as we have resolution."

One event already affected is Air Force football coach Troy Calhoun's weekly news conference.

In an email Tuesday morning, Garnhart wrote: "Due to the government shutdown today's press conference with head football coach Troy Calhoun and selected football players is cancelled. Should the government shutdown end we will look at rescheduling. There will be no media availability with coach Calhoun or players today."


The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
All service games will take place as scheduled.
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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