Army-Navy. Still the Best Rivalry of Them All.

This is rivalry week. Or so ESPN tells us.

It's the week we get some big college football rivalry games.

Ohio State-Michigan: Not so much this year.

Northwestern-Illinois: Becoming very interesting lately.

Washington-Washington State: You are joking right?

Utah-BYU: BCS or bust

There are many great rivalries in all sports. None seem to carry the luster that college football rivalries hold.

And none has the meaning of the Army vs. Navy rivalry.

No, neither team will compete for a BCS berth or a conference title. Most times, a bowl game is a great reward to a service academy. And yes, Army has hardly been competitive in the last few years (against anyone).

But, that does not take away from this game.

I know deep down that Army will most likely get beat down again, but I will watch every play from start to finish. I always do.

Many people cannot understand why this game gets the attention it does from CBS and the national media given that it is usually a mismatch and neither team has national prominence.

No answer I give will satisfy these critics.

This game is very special to some of us who have served in the Military. To me, there is nothing quite as cool as seeing the "Beat Army" banner on a Navy Ship or "Beat Navy" on a Bradley or an Abrams.

Alabama vs. Auburn can't do that.

One of my favorite games I have ever watched was the 2004 game. Even though it was another Navy massacre, with a score of 42-13. But, just getting to watch it at all from a bunker in Fallujah was awesome for me. It helped bring a little distraction, even if only for three hours.

Navy has won nine of 11 games and six in a row.

But, I will hold out hope that Army can pull off the upset and make this a close rivalry again.

While Air Force and Navy continue to book their annual bowl reservations, Army continues to look for answers every year.

The future never seems to be any brighter. After today's 30-3 loss to Rutgers drops the Black Knights to 3-8, the present isn't looking good either.

On the bright side, they have four losses by 10 points or less. Hey, whatever you can take right?

But come Dec. 6, all that can change. With one win, the program can take a drastic upward turn.

In the one rivalry where records truly do not matter, anything can happen.

I will hope for the best for Army football and enjoy what is if not the best rivalry in sports, the most meaningful one by far.

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