Thursday, October 3, 2013

Service Academy Games Still In Limbo (Updated)

UPDATE 10/4 5:50 P.M.: Mike McMahon of College Hockey News is reporting that Army has, in fact, not been cleared to play at Penn State next Friday. That's obviously quite a turn from yesterday, when Army officially declared that the game was on. As it turned out, the clearance given from the Department of Defense was for games this weekend only, with games further down the road receiving review next week.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette's Joe Paisley, there's bad news on the Air Force front as well.
The Air Force Academy football team will play against Navy in Annapolis, Md., Saturday, but unless the federal government shutdown situation changes, all other sporting events, both home and away, including Monday’s home exhibition hockey game, are postponed until further notice, the academy announced at about noon MT [Friday].
We'll keep monitoring the story, obviously. Unfortunately, that's about all we can do.

Here's the original post, which is obviously pretty much moot now:


Our 48-hour (potential) nightmare is over.

Army's athletic department has announced that, thanks to a decision from the Department of Defense, upcoming sporting events involving the U.S. Military Academy's teams will go on as scheduled - including the Black Knights' October 11th trip to Penn State to initiate Pegula Ice Arena's varsity rink.
Based on a decision by the Department of Defense, Army’s football team will play at Boston College Saturday afternoon. Army will face the Eagles at 1:05 p.m. at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass., as scheduled.

In addition, all previous contests not cancelled will compete as scheduled.

Any changes to the schedule will be posted to www.goARMYsports.com and via Twitter @ArmyAthletics.
Concerns about the viability of the Nittany Lions' men's opener arose on Tuesday when, citing the federal government shutdown that began that day, the U.S. Naval Academy announced that the Department of Defense had directed the cancellation of all service academy contests. Army later followed the apparent order by postponing a pair of soccer matches on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

PSU plays its second and third games of 2013-2014 at Air Force on October 18th and 19th meaning that, had the cancellation come to pass, the team potentially would not have played until October 25th against RIT at Pegula Ice Arena. It's important to note that no announcement has been made by the Air Force Academy which, according to College Hockey News, has an athletic department largely made up of presently-furloughed military personnel, while Army uses civilians in many of those same roles. For the time being, those two games should still be considered in limbo.

Regardless, the biggest of the developing headaches, the threatened postponement of the highly-anticipated men's home opener, now appears to be a footnote to history.

6 comments:

  1. Well thank god we aren't being held hostage by hockey.

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  2. Just for entertainment purposes, Rolf is in better spirits today. Although he still seems to think that the game was something more than potential collateral damage from an unfortunate situation. I can just picture Obama on the secret red phone demanding Congress end the shutdown or he'll tell the Secretary of Defense to axe hockey games.

    ............
    A college ice hockey game was NEVER more important than America going bankrupt because of the BS known as Obamacare --- but it is nice to know that whoever was threatening to cancel the ARMY vs PENN STATE contest has taken their jackboot off whoever's throat and, thus, the new PEGULA ICE ARENA will formally open as scheduled on October 11.

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    1. So what exactly DID you accomplish with the deceitful (that would be "LYING" put politely) headline "GAME ON - SERVICE ACADEMIES NOT SHUT", Kyle?

      Sure, you and some of your college buddies got a few chuckles. And you found out I never bothered to really your article here. Super. What ELSE did Penn State hockey get out of that?

      You realize if you and Penn State hockey want to screw with me --- then I can never buy any Penn State hockey tickets, merchandise, etc., right?

      Let me guess --- PSU hockey has enough fans and money, right?

      Alright, fine. You clowns win. I'll make it a point to not support Penn State hockey in the slightest bit.

      Sincerest congratulations.

      ROLF OELER

      PS --- Come to Allentown next year and check out our $ 177.1 million dollar Palace of Sport --- you bozos (assuming you are residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, of course) helped pay for this whether you realize it or not so you mind as well come and patronize it.

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    2. Both Army and Penn State announced on Thursday that the game would go on as scheduled, prompting my headline. Their announcements turned out to be premature according to reporting from the highly-respected Mike McMahon, hence the update and change to the post title here.

      You do realize that I have literally zero control over this situation, right? I'm not affiliated with Penn State hockey in any way whatsoever beyond as a booster. I'm just along for the ride and hoping for the best out of the situation just like everyone else.

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    3. PS. I'm not a resident of Pennsylvania. I'm also deleting your repetitive comments on literally every post I've made over the last couple of days. You've made your point, as idiotic as it may be.

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  3. Hey, Rolf Oeler, here's a free clue for you: TYT posts news like this after an official announcement from elsewhere, not before. But congratulations on probably being the only reader of this blog, ever, who needed that to be explained to him. How could so much dumb be wasted on one person?

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