Former Army linebacker’s latest role: Star in the upcoming movie ‘Battleship’
April 26th, 2012 | Army Football | Posted by Phil Creed
College football player. Soldier. Actor.
Army Col. Greg Gadson has officially done it all.
For those not familiar with Gadson, he’s a West Point grad who played football at Army in the late 1980s. After getting his commission and becoming an artillery officer, he served in the Persian Gulf War and also deployed to Bosnia and Afghanistan.
In 2007, Gadson was nearly killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq while serving as a battalion commander for the 2-32 Field Artillery. Gadson survived the blast, but he would ultimately lose both legs above the knee, in addition to sustaining serious head and arm injuries.
While rehabbing his wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C., Gadson was asked to speak to the New York Giants before a game against the Redskins in the fall of 2007. Trailing at the half, the Giants came back and won, and receiver Plaxico Burress gave Gadson the football after catching the game-winning touchdown pass.
Gadson stayed close to the team and became an honorary captain for the Giants during their improbable run to the Super Bowl in January 2008. He’s since been a fixture with the Giants while continuing to serve on active duty and being an all-around inspirational figure.
Now the colonel has gone Hollywood, cast by director Peter Berg in the upcoming sci-fi blockbuster Battleship. Subway has posted three behind-the-scenes videos about Gadson’s acting debut. As you can see below, the colonel had some scenes that were quite physically demanding — including a fight with an alien — as well as scenes with Brooklyn Decker, which I’m guessing were much less stressful.
Navy football home games set: Same Mid times, same Mid channel
April 25th, 2012 | After Action Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Navy cornerback Albrey Felder warms up at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium before last season's Nov. 5 home finale against Troy. All of Navy's games at Annapolis this year will have a 3:30 p.m. start time and air on national cable TV. (US Presswire photo by Evan Habeeb)
Going to Annapolis for a football game this year, or just planning to watch a home game on TV? The Naval Academy has made it easy to set your schedule.
All five games set for Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium this fall will be played on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. and televised on CBS Sports Network, according to a news release. Not sure if you get CBS Sports Network? Check here to see whether it’s part of your current cable package — or if an upgrade is in order.
The home slate doesn’t begin until mid-September, after season-opening trips to Dublin (vs. Notre Dame, Sept. 1) and Happy Valley (vs. Penn State, Sept. 15). Then come home games against VMI on Sept. 22 and San Jose State on Sept. 29 before a trip to Air Force on Oct. 6 to begin the Commander in Chief’s Trophy series.
The home schedule rounds out with Indiana (homecoming, Oct. 20), Florida Atlantic (Nov. 3) and Texas State (Senior Day, Nov. 17). The Army-Navy game will be in Philadelphia on Dec. 8 with a time to be announced, according to the release.
Returning to a deferred dream: Ex-Falcon Ben Garland back with Broncos
April 24th, 2012 | After Action Air Force Football | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Air Force 2nd Lt. Ben Garland works out March 12 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Garland will be leaving active duty to rejoin the Denver Broncos. (Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Valencia)
We’ve written about Air Force 2nd Lt. Ben Garland before, when his career paths collided last year and he chose to give up his chance at becoming a pilot for the chance pursue an NFL career.
As we reported, the defensive lineman had to skip the 2011 NFL season and serve on active-duty while applying for the Palace Chase program, part of which allows airmen “early release from active duty to pursue activities with potential recruiting or public affairs benefit to the Department of the Air Force.”
Cut to a year later — his release has been approved, according to this Defense Department-released article, and Garland’s busy making the transition from “Air Force shape” to “knocking over an NFL offensive lineman” shape.
Good news: He had to meet Air Force fitness regs during his year away from football. “Air Force and fitness go hand in hand,” he told Stuart Zaas for this article on the Denver Broncos’ official site.
Bad news: Air Force fitness has limits. Garland said in the DoD article that he’ll need to hang about 300 pounds on his 6-foot-6 frame to “stay competitive” in pro football — a number that would’ve made the exercise portion of the Air Force fitness test difficult and the waist-measurement portion darn near impossible. He was an inch under the maximum 39-inch waist limit, he said in the article.
Garland, who anchored stellar defenses at the academy from his nose tackle spot in 2008 and 2009, will be leaving his post as 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs chief of media operations at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. How’d he do off the field? Well, according to public affairs chief Karen Petitt, per the report:
We absolutely adore Lt. Garland! … He’s this big gentle giant with a great laugh, strength of character, and genuine interest in his team. He’s got this amazing gift for details and a memory that keeps us on track with all the taskings that come our way. Everyone just naturally looks to him as a leader, but not because he’s the ‘office linebacker’ like you see on those TV commercials, but because he’s got integrity and charisma, and they know they can depend on him.”
(Note: Too young to remember the “office linebacker”? Do yourself a favor.)
Garland, 23, is one of seven defensive tackles listed on the Broncos’ roster, a number that could swell with the upcoming draft and post-draft free-agent frenzy. It’s unlikely the team will carry even the existing seven on the active roster, meaning Garland’s NFL dreams aren’t reality just yet. Here’s a little more on the offseason team activities Garland will be a part of (including a picture of some guy the Broncos already made roster room for). We hope to have updates as the offseason progresses.
Tuesday link central: National Guard invades Kansas (race track), lots of Air Force football, Navy bowl update
April 24th, 2012 | Air Force Army Baseball Football NASCAR Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
The Kansas National Guard assisted in the demolition of the Kansas Speedway track after Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race. (AP photo by Orlin Wagner)
A handful of military-sports links for a Tuesday morning — weekend stuff you might’ve missed, some scheduling notes, and your typical mid-America military invasion (no, not this one):
1. Tank vs. track: When you absolutely, positively have to destroy a race track surface so it can be repaved and ready for a fall NASCAR Sprint Cup race, call in the National Guard. That’s what they did in Kansas on Sunday, using military equipment and know-how to break up the asphalt. As deployments go, you could do worse than the infield of a Sprint Cup race.
2. Falcon left behind: Missing from this video of President Obama honoring the Air Force Falcons football team at the White House on Monday is senior running back Asher Clark, who is not “meeting academy standards” and was not allowed to make the trip, according to this report. Clark stared 40 games over four seasons for the Falcons and is second on the all-time rushing list.
3. Better news from the sidelines: Another one from Frank Schwab at the Colorado Springs Gazette — read this feel-good story about former Air Force defensive coordinator Richard Bell returning to the sidelines at age 74 to help out a high school squad.
4. Speaking of former coaches: Despite years of therapy, Air Force football fans might still remember a 31-30 loss to nationally ranked Tennessee that started the 2006 season with a whimper. Why did head coach and College Football Hall of Famer Fisher DeBerry go for a late two-point conversion instead of playing it safe? He tells all here, and it sounds like he’d do it again.
5. Book your tickets: If Navy wins six games this year, it’s booked to play in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, which will be held Saturday, Dec. 29 at AT&T Park — formerly Pacific Bell Park, formerly SBC Park … it’s safest just to go with “The Field Where the San Francisco Giants Play Baseball.” The game will be broadcast somewhere on the ESPN family of networks and is scheduled to include a team from the Pacific-12 Conference as well as the Mids.
6. Baseball milestone: The Army Black Knights, thanks in part to a Saturday no-hitter by senior southpaw Logan Lee, rank 30th in the nation in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll — a first for the program. Army (33-9) is a perfect 16-0 in the Patriot League and will face Marist on Wednesday.
Video: Air Force seniors presented Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy at White House
April 23rd, 2012 | Air Force Football | Posted by Phil Creed
The Air Force Academy came to the White House on Monday to receive the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the second consecutive year. It’s the 18th time that Air Force has won the trophy, far and away tops among the three service academies, and President Obama was given a Falcon jersey with the number 18 on it to mark the occassion.
The president praised Air Force for overcoming injuries and a tough schedule (listen closely and you can hear the groans from nearby Annapolis). Obama also singled out a handful of players for their contributions during the Falcons 7-6 season, including linebacker Alex Means, whose blocked extra point in overtime against Navy was perhaps the biggest reason Air Force was back in D.C. today.
Speaking of Navy, I can’t help but imagine if they had won the CINC. It would have been pretty awkward to show up without their starting quarterback.
But today was about Air Force, and the fellas had a great time with the real CINC, who they even coaxed into to striking the Heisman pose. Enjoy:
Air Force to be presented Commander in Chief’s Trophy on Monday at White House
April 20th, 2012 | Air Force Football | Posted by Phil Creed
For the second year in a row, Air Force is meeting the president.
The Falcons are traveling to the White House for a Monday ceremony where they’ll be presented the Commander in Chief’s Trophy by President Obama. Only Air Force’s 28 seniors will there, however. An Air Force SID told ESPN the reason for this stems from tradition and the high cost of flying the entire team across the country.
The Commander in Chief’s Trophy is awarded annually to service academy who comes out on top in the Army-Navy, Army-Air Force and Air Force-Navy games (if there’s a split, the previous year’s winner keeps the trophy). In 2011, Air Force beat Navy 35-34 in overtime in Annapolis and stormed back from a halftime deficit to top Army 24-14 in Colorado Springs.
This is Air Force’s 18th CIC win, the most of the three academies. Last year the Falcons ended a Navy run of seven straight CICs.
For any AF fans nostalgic for last year’s White House ceremony, here ya go:
Now slimmed down, former Navy lineman leads Marines in Afghanistan
April 18th, 2012 | Afghanistan Football Marine Corps Navy | Posted by Dan Lamothe
Jeff Lenar, a former guard for the Navy football team, dropped some 50 pounds en route to becoming a Marine infantry officer. (James J. Lee/Staff)
KAJAKI, Afghanistan – Second Lt. Jeff Lenar is a long way from the bright lights of college football at the U.S. Naval Academy, and it took serious discipline to get there.
The infantry officer with 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, leads 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, overseeing Marines in combat who patrol near the landmark Kajaki Dam in Helmand province. Since deploying early this year, he has led his platoon in raids into Taliban-held area and overseen surveillance missions used to collect information about insurgents.
His trip there was complicated: to join his fellow Marines, Lenar shed dozens of pounds from his 6-foot-4 frame. He was listed at about 270 pounds while on the team, but now weighs about 220, he said.
Lenar, 25, of Marietta, Ga., said he lost the weight in about six months before reporting to officer training at The Basic School, out of Quantico, Va.
“I went into it knowing I had to gain weight, and then that’d I’d have to take it off,” he said of playing college football.
As a Midshipman, Lenar provided depth at offensive guard, graduating in 2010. He reported to 1/8 in July 2011, and has been with the battalion since.
Wednesday update: Navy QB Proctor resigns, Falcons look forward, Byers makes a promise
April 18th, 2012 | Air Force Army Football Navy Wrestling | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Navy quarterback Kriss Proctor looks downfield during the 2011 Army-Navy football game, his last game as a Midshipman. (US Presswire photo by Danny Wild)
Three quick hits from around the web on a Wednesday morning:
1. Proctor resigns: Bill Wagner at The (Annapolis, Md.) Capital broke the news yesterday — Navy quarterback Kriss Proctor, who finished his senior season with a win over Army in December, has resigned from the Naval Academy and will not graduate. The resignation hasn’t been accepted, according to the report, but it likely will be, and was reportedly triggered by an alleged honor code violation.
2. Falcon free agents: Frank Schwab at The (Colorado Springs, Colo.) Gazette brings better news, reporting on the pro football dreams of Air Force receiver Jonathan Warzeka and safety Jon Davis. Don’t expect to hear either name during NFL draft coverage, but both hope they’ll get a look as free agents despite the service commitment that comes with an academy education. Warzeka tied for the team lead with 31 receptions and caught four touchdowns while also handling kick return duties, racking up 254 rushing yards and throwing a touchdown pass. Davis had a team-best four interceptions and was second in tackles with 94.
3. Byers’ medal hunt: From Tim Hipps of Army Installation Management Command public affairs (via TheMat.com) comes this story about Army Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers, who will attempt to make his second U.S. Olympic team this weekend. Byers has owned the 120-pound Greco-Roman wrestling division for years — a 10-time national champion who’s earned gold, silver and bronze at the world championships. Byers opens up about the Olympic medal he promised his grandfather, along with his thoughts on the return of Rulon Gardner, his time with the Army’s World Class Athlete Program and his career plans beyond the London games. Byers, 37, won’t have to participate in the Olympic qualifier tournament on Saturday in Iowa City; he will meet the winner of that event Saturday night in a best-of-three showdown for the Olympic berth. Gardner will attempt to make weight on Friday.
Never too early: Navy-Notre Dame notes, including an early wake-up call
April 17th, 2012 | Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Navy announced a 2 p.m. Dublin time start for its Sept. 1 showdown with Notre Dame, meaning fans in Annapolis will have to wake up at 9 a.m. to catch the action. CBS will air the contest, which will serve as a lead-in to a busy opening Saturday of college football.
Not quite ready for some football just yet? Here are four news bites to get you in the mood:
1. Spring update: Click here for the official spring game roundup, including video clips. Blue earned a 21-0 win over Gold, with incoming starting quarterback Trey Miller rushing for two touchdowns. Miller, a junior, is linked to Notre Dame in a way he might rather forget — his first collegiate start came last season against the Irish in a 56-14 loss.
2. Stadium setup: The Sept. 1 showdown in Ireland will be the second Navy-Notre Dame game hosted by that nation. Navy fell 54-27 at Dublin’s Croke Park in 1996. This year’s game will be played at Aviva Stadium, which opened in 2010 and seats 50,000. Check here for some facts and figures, including some details on a “‘state of the art’ beer system” that can dispense a pint in four seconds. Priorities.
3. Quick history: Since the teams have months to reshuffle and strategize, let’s get a few facts out of the way that won’t change between now and kickoff: Notre Dame leads the all-time series 72-12-1 and has handed Navy the most defeats by any school. Notre Dame won the first game 19-6 in 1927 and would later reel off a 43-game win streak that was snapped in 2007 thanks to a 46-44 triple-overtime thriller. Coach Ken Niumatalolo is 2-2 against the Irish; only Wayne Hardin has led Navy to three wins over Notre Dame as a head coach.
4. Hosts with the most: It’s not what you’d call a “home game” for anybody, but Navy will play host to the Irish in Ireland. History’s full of home games against Notre Dame on the road, taking advantage of larger stadiums to create a big-ticket college football showcase. Other host cities include Baltimore (1927 and many times since), Chicago (1928, complete with cool poster), Cleveland (throughout the 1930s and 40s, and again in the mid-70s), Philadelphia, New York (well, East Rutherford, N.J., at both the old and new stadiums), Washington (well, outside D.C. at what’s now FedEx Field) and Orlando, Fla. Head here for a city-by-city, stadium-by-stadium breakdown.
Academy sports roundup: Friday night Navy football, Army documentary debuts, Air Force hoops
April 12th, 2012 | After Action Air Force Army Basketball Football Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Hundreds of soldiers attended Army's spring football scrimmage March 9 at Fort Benning, Ga. A documentary on the game airs this weekend on CBS Sports Network. (Army photo by Staff Sgt. Teddy Wade)
Three Thursday-afternoon academy sports bits, one per service:
1. Army at Benning, on TV: It’s a little early for Saturday college football, but if you’ve got the itch, scratch it with “Army Spring Football Mission: Fort Benning,” a 60-minute documentary on the Black Knights’ trip to Georgia for a scrimmage at Doughboy Stadium. Catch a short preview here, during which Army head coach Rich Ellerson says the magic words regarding the Benning experience for all Black Knights fans: “It’s going to pay off on Saturdays.” CBS Sports Network will air the doc at 8 p.m. Eastern, according to an Army release; if nothing else, it’s a fine excuse to find that channel on your local cable provider — all three academy football teams likely will be featured on CBS Sports Network sometime this season.
2. Friday night lights: Speaking of football on the magic box, the Naval Academy announced via Facebook that the Navy-Central Michigan game will move from Saturday, Oct. 13, to Friday, Oct. 12, and will air in prime time on ESPN2. The Mids are 2-0 all-time against the Chippewas and last faced them in 2010, winning 38-37. It’s the only Friday game on Navy’s schedule (so far) this season; fittingly, CMU will celebrate Military Appreciation Night that evening.
3. Falcon hoops recruits: The academies don’t participate in the high school hoopla that is signing day for either football or basketball, so digging up the details on recruiting classes can be a challenge. Frank Schwab at the Colorado Springs Gazette answers the call, however, with this primer on the Air Force 2012 men’s basketball class. The usual recruiting-link caveat: Every class looks good on paper.