Army/Navy game from the Navy perspective.

We are excited to be joined by Caroline Darnie from Bet For The Win on USA Today. Let's see, earlier in the program we had Chris Pitola, an Army veteran. John Feinstein wrote the book A Civil War on the Army-Navy Game. And now, Caroline, who is a Navy vet, although you did not actually play in the Army-Navy Game, right? No, I did not.

Okay. Very close, but no, did not plan it. One of the last cuts. So, I asked this of Chris and I'm curious, someone who has served, how do you look at this game? I was like it differently, I think, than someone who maybe went to either academy as an ROTC graduate myself. It is such, to me, it is the best rivalry in sports. Especially, even as a Red Sox fan, as someone who has grown up watching ACC everything. I understand UNC-Duke basketball. I understand Yankees-Red Sox.

I get all of that. This, to me, is its own special event and part of that is there's a really fun, like it's a fun rivalry. There's, you know, it's always go Navy beat Army, vice versa, when you see someone or the other service, but at the same time, there's a, I mean, it's camaraderie, right? Like at the end of the day, you're all, it's just the cliche, like you're all on the same team, like you're all fighting for the country and like all that stuff, which is true.

It's accurate. So, I think that's what makes this one super special. I was actually at the game when Navy lost for the first time in like a billion years, which should probably do something about my luck and what I bring to things. But even at that game, there was no hostility at the end. There were no Navy fans yelling at Army fans. It was just like, hey, great game. Like, you know, we'll start a new streak next year, like that kind of stuff.

So, it holds a special place in my heart and I love it. You know, it's interesting you said Navy fans or Army fans. I'm not even sure that other than members of the military, those exist. I mean, that might be accurate. That might be true.

I don't know. I'm very curious because I think one of the things is most of my friends, if not all, I wouldn't say all because that's obviously all encompassing, but have someone, a family member who served in some way over the years. And so, a lot of times you find yourself aligning with whoever that uncle or grandparent or aunt or whatever it is, sibling. And it just kind of, you get a day of siding with them or you can pick on uniforms or you can do whatever you want, you know. So, this year's are great. I always think, I'm trying to rock my brain for the last few years, but obviously I was partial to last year's aviation themed uniforms for the Navy because that's what I did. Yeah, we've long since left traditional uniforms aside in these games. Yeah.

We don't even care anymore. No, I interned with the Military Bowl when I was in grad school and they play at in Annapolis, Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. And I got to see in person, the hand painted ship helmets that I did. And I'll admit when I first saw the pictures of them, I was like, I'm getting kind of like mall kiosk vibes. You know, where you go and you get them to airbrush your name on something. Right.

State Fair, it's the Maryland State Fair. Yeah. But in person, they were stunning. And I absolutely love that they did, each position group got a specific type of vessel. Like that's extremely my jam. Right. But yeah, so I think that's part of it is you get the pageantry that's unlike any other game, whether that's the cadets and midshipmen marching onto the field. I just love it.

If you haven't had a chance to go to one in your life, I highly recommend taking a weekend, going to tailgate and going to Army Navy because it's a blast. Right. Well, we'll take you up on that. Caroline Darnie from Bet For The Win. All right.

Let me ask you some, maybe a little bit more in your wheelhouse, although that certainly sounded like it was in your wheelhouse as well. And this has been a difficult run for UVA football for a lot of reasons. And then it really became real at the end. They never played, they didn't play their last two games. The Virginia Tech game never got played. How do you explain to people about what the community, how the community was impacted by the shooting death of three players?

And other people were injured as well. So how do you explain the last month? How do you explain the last month to people? Honestly, there's parts of it some days where it still doesn't feel like it's something that happened. It was, it is still, I still get a little, you know, it's just, it's something that, you know, you go into the weekend thinking like the most important stuff is whatever game's coming up or not making a bowl game or if people are going to enter the transfer portal. And obviously there are so many more important things.

And that doesn't, I'm not diminishing what people care about or what people are focusing on, but that's what, you know, the community, I was, you know, I have been a part of the Charlottesville community for almost my whole life now because of doing my undergrad there and then now I live there. And Geico asks, how would you love a chance to save some money on insurance? Of course you would. And when it comes to great rates on insurance, Geico can help. Like with insurance for your car, truck, motorcycle, boat, and RV, even help with homeowners or renters coverage. Plus add an easy to use mobile app, available 24 hour roadside assistance and more. And Geico is an easy choice. Switch today and see all the ways you could save. It's easy.

Simply go to Geico.com or contact your local agent today. It was remarkable, not surprising, but still very touching to see just how the community responded and how quickly and, um, in what ways people reached out to each other, were there for each other, um, reached out to the families of not just those that we lost, but that were impacted. Like you said, you know, um, the well, which is going to Mike Hollins and the hospital, um, rooting for his recovery. Um, the support that the athletic department and coaching staffs across all sports, cause this isn't something that just affects one team. You know, a lot of these guys were not just friends with other student athletes, but they were by all accounts, incredible members of the Charlottesville and UVA communities. Like they were kids that went to class. They were, you know, I shouldn't say kids, but you know, the young men that went to class and participated in their communities and had impacts way, way bigger than what they were doing on Saturdays. Um, and so it was in the sadness. It was beautiful to hear stories about those three young men, about Lavelle, Deshaun and Devin, how they impacted other people, how they impacted their classmates, um, how they impacted their teachers. Um, and it's just been really, really difficult.

There's some times where there's anyone who's experienced loss knows that honestly, the only thing that can hope to make things feel better is time. Um, and as that's gone on a little bit, you know, it's everyone's way, you'll get like a remind me of the buses on grounds. This is one of the things that will get me every time the, um, boards that cycle through, like where they're going, their destination.

So it'll say like, you know, university circle or whatever. And then we'll always go through, remember Lavelle, remember Deshaun, remember Devin, they each get. And so it's just one of the small things that is a nice, you know, what's important now is remembering those three young men, um, and carrying on their legacies. You know, I was, I was happy to see the, I was happy to see the, um, degrees posthumously.

Um, I think Tony Elliott has been a very solid leader through this whole process. Um, you know, it wasn't what I imagined his dream first season would be on the field, but he has spoken to the fact that he thinks he's, he was there for a reason for this, like to be there to support. And, um, you know, and I'm so proud of the student athletes that, you know, the women's basketball team, for instance, played the first game after the shooting and went out and put it all out on the court and played with their hearts. You know, you saw the men's basketball team do the same in Vegas and they won those games.

If they had lost those games, I think the amount of pride would still be the same just for, you know, it's a heavy thing to carry. And so, and then the last thing I'll say too is, is I am still so incredibly touched by the gestures from across the athletic community, like around the country. Um, our friends down in Blacksburg were fantastic. Um, yeah, they, they have a share, you guys have a shared experience. Right. Exactly. But, and I said this to David Teel at the time that, um, if anybody understands what Charlottesville was going through, it would be, uh, it would be Blacksburg.

Caroline Darnie is joining us here. Uh, let me bring, let me, let me make you angry. Can I make you angry? I made, I made you sad. Now I want to make you angry because you, you already mentioned, I had already planned on asking you this anyway. Explain to me as a Red Sox fan, how you can let Xander Bogarts walk out the door now, knowing that if this was even a possibility, you should have traded him at the deadline.

What happened here? My rankings of like things that make me mad about it is mostly that the Red Sox let it get to this point. Right.

Um, because one Red Sox fans are already still mad. Right. Yeah. Justifiably.

Yeah. So you're kind of like, what are we doing here guys? Um, and so I'm just like, it never should have gotten to this point because there is absolutely no reasonable way. They should not have matched an 11 year contract for, for Xander.

And so they put themselves in a situation in which they could not match some of these offers because they let it get to this point. If that makes sense. Like I am very happy for, for Xander. He did great things for the Red Sox. I wanted him to stay a Red Sox.

I hope he, I hope he wins titles out in San Diego. 11 years is a very long time. Yeah. All those contracts are done every single one of these contracts. That's 11 years or eight years.

They're all dumb. The last third of those contracts are going to be albatrosses. But it's not about the last third of those contracts because all those teams will figure out a way out of the financial morass of that. It's about the first part of that contract and having the player available to you for that. Caroline Darnie. All right.

Sorry. I was just going to say San Diego is, is at least surrounding him with other players. Like this is like a very, I'm the GM now I'm going to win now type move. Whereas like the Red Sox right now, aren't paying anybody else. So if they just paid all that money for an 11 year contract for a 30 year old shortstop, like that's, that's worse. Right. And you can get good steroids there. Right. You can get good steroids there because Fernando, I'm sorry.

It's unfair. And who knows, maybe Manny Machado won't opt out of his contract. He will, because he's great. And he's going to get paid. And the Padres apparently have shown they have all the money because they were in on Aaron Judge too. They offered Aaron Judge more money than the Yankees offered Aaron Judge.

Same, I think same value, but on one, one extra year. All right. Your basketball team is off to a good start as always. Nobody's surprised.

Oh, I think people may be a little surprised how well, just because, so here's the, it's totally better than Virginia. Why would we ever be surprised when they're good? That's a good point. But I think a lot of people were like, Oh, they bring back all five starters from a team that didn't make the tournament. You know, like, is that really a good thing? And I've long, long, long, long, long since, I mean, since his first year been on the key hay is a benefit to this team train. And man, if he hasn't shown that again this year, like there were people that were like, Matty was coming back.

I was like, what is wrong with you? He's a good player. You can't have enough good players. I mean, he doesn't have to play 40 minutes. I mean, maybe he does, but you don't have to play 40 minutes, but I would prefer he didn't have to because that would also mean that Reese Beekman was healthy again.

So, and that's been the last two games who were like, Oh, I don't know about this team. Not having a 100% Reese is, I mean, he should, this is my hot take for this. If he's not in your ACC player of the year discussion right now, I don't know what you're doing. It's early for that though.

Don't put pressure on me now. I feel I've never felt more comfortable about being like one of four people to put Reese Beekman on my all ACC team preseason than I have been in the first. I only have Drake May on my all ACC team list.

That's all I have is Drake May. Caroline Darnie at CW Darnie on Twitter. Give me a Go Navy Beat Army.

Go Navy Beat Army. Thank you. I appreciate your time. Best to you and I'll have Merry Christmas to you.

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