Hey, who believes those Days Inn commercials? Not the Swami or Jake Hyde. Thanks to the good people at Tiffin, who undoubtedly knew their RV sales would rocket with the right endorsements, we traveled to the game in style: a 2006 Zephyr Class A Motor Home. With one of those babies, it's not hard to find chicks who like to cook in convection ovens, with which this model is equipped.

But it doesn't end there. The galley contains not one, but two, under the counter beer taps so that the Swami can quaff some "Old Swami" brewed especially by the famous Leopold Brothers in Ann Arbor, Michigan. And, with a 19% alcohol content, it packs a punch too. Jake still likes Yellow Rose's "Bubba Dog," which has a fine bouquet and clean finish that all Texas beers named after canines are famous for.

Everyone should be encouraged to abstain from alcohol while driving, so the Swamiettes were pressed into action while the Swami and Jake sampled the brewskis and took in the scenery while the chicks cooked up some sumptuous German brats from Egon Binkert's in Baltimore.

At Garrison, New York, the Team Swami entourage looked directly across the Hudson River from West Point. This excursion up east bank of the Hudson, framed dramatically by the towering Palisades, is one of the Swami’s favorite journeys, but today fog shrouded the view of the river and Palisades for much of the trip. As we pulled into Garrison at 1000 hours, the sun was burning off the fog, leaving patches of mist wafting over the river’s glassy flow. The imposing gray granite, military Gothic architecture of the US Military Academy spreads across the 500-foot rock-bound promontory jutting from the opposite shore … the “West Point” of the Hudson.

Awaiting the Swami’s party at the Garrison Station dock was the West Point Superintendent's “yacht,” the US Army Vessel FB 814. For some reason the Army doesn't choose to name its boats, though the 65-foot USAV FB 814, with it's canopied upper deck and the glass-enclosed, wood-paneled splendor of its main saloon, surely deserves an elegant name. USAV FB 814 pulled smoothly away from the dock and ferried the Swami, Jake, and party in suitably grand style across to West Point's South Dock, hard by the West Point Railway Station, which, unfortunately, no longer receives passenger service. As USAV FB 814 approached West Point, the Swami noticed the four-year-old, state-of-the-art Caufield Crew and Sailing Center just up river from South Dock and wondered why Army’s rowing and sailing club teams don't have varsity status as they do at Navy. The assembled greeters from the West Point Public Affairs Office (PAO), the Office of the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (ODIA), and the Army Athletic Association (AAA) had no answer, but did point out that the Army mens'' varsity four without coxswain won the gold medal and national championship at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championships last June, despite their club status. In that field were the 2004 champion Colgate, as well as Cornell, Harvard, North Carolina, Princeton and 10 other crews, including Navy. They voiced the hope that Army would do as well against Navy in lacrosse. Their answer left the Swami even more puzzled.

An Easter-egg array of West Point Military Police SUV’s and vans … light green with dark green and gold swoosh-style strips, white with black and gold stripes, tan with black and gold stripes, dark green with gold stripes, and purple (!?) … waited to escort the Swami's caravan. Miss Bunny Bimbette, who thought the multi-colored police cars looked “cute,” asked if the Department of Defense is buying up auto dealers’ surplus stocks, while the Swami and Jake sucked down a few more brewskis.

In keeping with his well-deserved reputation for impartiality, the Swami had previously determined to split his time evenly between the Navy and Army contingents at this intensely partisan event, spending the pregame tailgate and first half with the Navy crowd and the second half and postgame tailgate reception with Army's supporters. In the meantime, Jake would inquire of the Superintendent's Office whether we would be assigned some Military Police for protection against the Army Lax Moms, who accosted the Swami on these very grounds while the Swami performed an Elvis imitation only two years ago. Accordingly, the Swami's caravan snaked its way up the face of the bluff to A Lot, directly above Michie Stadium, where the Navy lacrosse parents planned to have their tailgate. But there were no Navy parents to be found, only a harried Army lacrosse alumni parent who had been assigned to stake out the Navy group's tailgate area. Showing infinite patience and suppressing the grumblings of the Swamiettes, the Swami and Jake waited, and were rewarded by the effusive greeting of the Navy Lax Moms as they arrived. In the spirit of the Army-Navy rivalry, the Navy moms seemed bent upon usurping the cousin's' long-standing, special relationship with the Army Lacrosse moms. The Swami, of course, encouraged the attention, ignoring the gimlet-eyed husbands. One husband, the tall, white-haired, mustachioed apparent major-domo of the affair, looked on nervously as his diminutive and very attractive wife fawned over the Swami, pressing upon him various delectables. Jake remained unperturbed until offered another Bubba Dog. Hey, these ladies had done their homework.

As dozens of Navy parents and fans congregated around the Navy Lacrosse banner and Mini-Matt statuette mounted atop two tall SUV’s, the event picked up steam, fueled in no small measure by two separate tables dispensing competing Bloody Mary recipes. The Swami, a connoisseur of such things, had a favorite, served from an SUV with Maryland plates and requisite black lab by a particularly handsome Navy mom in a white cable knit sweater. Spicy, with just enough snap to make it interesting … the Bloody Mary, that is. Miss Bimbette looked on in disgust.

Mindful of his duties later, the Swami limited himself to two servings.

Interspersed in the Navy crowd were cadets in their BDU’s (battle dress uniform), trolling for food the likes of which they seldom see in the Washington Hall cadet mess. The Navy crowd generously did not disappoint them. And there, in his gray, black and gold amidst the sea of blue and gold, was still the slightly paunchy, slightly forlorn figure of the Army lax parent. When asked, he described arranging the tailgate as a “joint operation,” in the spirit of the current DoD policy of "jointness," but then came out with a strong "GO ARMY! BEAT NAVY!" before slipping away down the hill to join the Army parents gathering to enter Michie.

Coming off their win over Maryland and nine straight victories over Army, the Navy parents were confident of the outcome. Though they were careful with all the right disclaimers, they seemed to anticipate a close first quarter or half, with Navy then pulling away to a decisive win. That's what had happened in the last three Army-Navy games, and based on the records of the teams this season, it seemed reasonable.

Cousin Jake wasn't so sure, though he too had predicted a Navy win. His sources within the Army camp suggested that this team was getting healthier and stronger as the season progressed … just the opposite of the last two years in which a series of injuries diminished the team late in the year. And Jake has seen at least three games at Michie this season. Army could be peaking right about now.

Team Swami had to be in the stands early to avoid overexciting the fans gathered at the ticket windows. Also, the steep hill down to the Stadium gate is difficult to negotiate in four-inch spike heels, Miss Bimbette’s preferred footwear. Graciously acknowledging their adoring fans, the Swami and his party took their first half position in a reserved area behind the Navy bench. After the morning’s fog, the day was bright with a slowly dissipating high haze. A beautiful spring day for lacrosse.

Behind the Army bench, the 2nd Regiment of the Corps of Cadets filed in, 1000 strong, in battle dress, with company guidons flying. The Rabble Rousers Army pep band was to the south of them, and many other cadets, both in and out of uniform, were already in the stands. Surrounding the special area set aside for the Swami's party in the second half, were the Army Lax Moms, with excited, expectant expressions on their faces. The Swami had at the last minute been unable to attend the Air Force game, and these ladies looked forward eagerly to seeing him. Moreover, Jake had come back speaking with the powers-that-be with the news that no MP protection would be forthcoming. Apparently, the Army Lax Moms had beaten Jake to the punch and had pulled some strings of their own. The Swami is loathe to think of how that might have been accomplished.

Behind the Navy bench were the first of the Navy parents – including the white-haired fellow, who seemed to be paying special attention to the goalie warm-ups; other fans in blue and gold attire, many with short, military style haircuts; a bus load of midshipmen who had made the trip up from Annapolis; and many of the general lacrosse fans who settled there because it was closer to the main gate for this game. When the Swami inquired about a tall Army captain on the Navy sideline, a Navy mom in the know identified him as Lee Dingman, older brother of Navy All-America attackman, Ian. Apparently, CAPT Dingman is on the Naval Academy faculty, teaching in the Center for the Study of Professional Military Ethics, and is an Officer Representative with the lacrosse team. The leading scorer on West Point’s 2000 team, he had scored a goal in the Army-Navy Alumni Lacrosse Game the previous evening (a 15-8 Army win), but now was on the sideline of West Point’s primordial opponent. “Jointness” makes strange bedfellows.

On the field, the Army and Navy teams warmed up in white and navy blue game shorts, respectively, and unnumbered shirts … black short sleeved for Army and navy blue long sleeved for the Mids. The atmosphere was tense as the stands filled (eventually to total 7,288, a new record for a regular season lacrosse game at Michie Stadium). Spectators, especially the children, consulted their programs and speculated on who was who.

After the teams repaired to their locker rooms, West Point recognized both the Army and Navy alumni whose game had benefited the Fallen Heroes Fund – a worthy cause, it is not too late to make a donation in the name of the 2006 Army-Navy Alumni Lacrosse Game. New Army head coach Joe Alberici and the team captains, John Walker and Matt Luyster, then presented a special gift to Army's retired Hall-of-Fame mentor Jack Emmer and his wife, Joan, for decades every player’s surrogate mother at West Point. Then there was a solemn moment of silence for Maggie Dixon, the inspirational 28-year old Army women's basketball coach who died only two weeks after leading her team to it's first NCAA D-1 Tournament berth last month. Dixon had been buried the day before in the West Point Cemetery among legendary generals, alumni, and faculty.

After all that, the start of the game seemed almost anticlimactic. Little did we know that we were about to experience one of the most entertaining college lacrosse games in years.

The intensity, tempo, and tension increased quarter to quarter--and minute to minute through the final quarter. These two teams threw everything they had into the game, and extended themselves beyond what even they themselves were perhaps aware they had to give.

Army was in all white with their new black helmets with gold visors--the Swami preferred the recent gold with black visors that harkened back to Army's great teams of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s--and Navy was in navy blue shorts and their “lucky” gold jerseys, which they wear both home and away. The Swami has wondered before how broadcasters feel about the contrast between the gold jerseys and home-team white. For the spectator in the stands (and the Swami suspects for players on the field) it presents no problem.

Interesting things happened right away. Jake Hyde picked up on the fact that Ian Dingman was not introduced as a starter and was not in the pregame lineup at the center of the field. Could this be a stratagem to disrupt Army's defensive game plan?

The first quarter began the way recent Army-Navy games have ended, with Navy dominating. The formula for that domination has been an overwhelming advantage at the face-off X, impeccable goalie play and outlet passes generating transition goals, strong scoring from Mid midfielders, and patient offense. Navy won the opening face and controlled the ball for the almost two-and-a-half minutes. Worse for Army was that 5’ 5” Army FOGO Tony Vozzolo was trapped on the field playing defense, and Navy repeatedly arranged to isolate him against middie sharpshooter Billy Looney who is both nine inches taller and faster. Looney was shooting over Vozzolo almost at will, and only some uncharacteristically errant marksmanship saved Army from a score. Army was forced to use a timeout on a dead ball situation to get Vozzolo off the field--but, to no avail. Only forty-two seconds after the timeout Navy middie Tommy Wallin managed to fire a shot right over 5’ 9” Army D-mid Tom Ronan that beat Army keeper Adam Fullerton, who appeared to have difficulty seeing the ball all day.

William Wallace then was awarded his second of sixteen face-off wins on the day on a push call. Noticing that the Cadets were slow dropping into the hole, Wallace drove hard for the goal and scored unchecked at 12:20. Two Navy goals in ten seconds! Shades of Navy's devastating runs to break open their last three games against Army, but his time it was happening in the first three minutes of the game.

It got worse for Army. Sean Reppard won the ensuing face-off for Army on an illegal procedure call and the Black Knights patiently set up and executed their offense for about a minute, only to see Navy's nonpareil keeper Matt Russell snuff them with a doorstep save and quick outlet pass that was nullified when a Mid stepped into the Army crease. Army's ensuing possession again lasted about a minute before John Walker fell into the Navy crease trying to shoot--Russell saved it anyway. However, Army LSM Tory Sokol broke Navy's clear and Army again held the ball for almost two minutes before throwing it away with just over eight minutes to go in the quarter. Army had held the ball for half the time so far, and had nothing to show for it.

Now Navy enjoyed an extended possession before Billy Looney buried a shot stick side low past Fullerton. 3-0 Navy, and still 5:41 to go in the first period. The Army fans were still vocal, but their faces were somber.

Navy won the face-off, but Army pursued persistently and had the ball by 5:10. Another patient two-minute Army possession, thwarted by a Russell save, a pinpoint outlet pass, an electrifying fast break, and a John Birsner feed to Nick Mirabito for a goal at 3:08. 4-0 Navy, with the Mids apparently cruising.

Army capitalized when an illegal procedure call gave them the ball, pushing it quickly into the attacking zone where Mike Obringer found Paul Wigdzinski open for the Cadets’ first goal. Army was not giving up, but as the quarter ended, they had won only two face-offs and had not solved Russell. The way Navy was possessing the ball and patiently executing its offense, the Swami wondered what Army could do to climb back into the game.

The second quarter was more of the same, but more so, with Army pressing desperately and Navy answering with extraordinary saves from Russell. Characteristic was a flurry of activity about two minutes into the quarter featuring a Navy turnover in the Army end, followed by another doorstep Russell save, and then a Russell interception of an attempted cross-crease feed. That led to a Navy fast break, one of Fullerton’s three recorded saves on the day, Fullerton’s outlet that caught Ryan Chase in full stride, and Chase’s feed that found Walker alone on the crease. Russell charged from the goal to hit him just as he released the ball to score Army's second goal at 11:12.

The action continued up and down the field in that manner, as in the stands Army's alumni lax moms, led by their head cheerleader ’04 mom, were firing up the crowd. But Russell from the cage maintained calm control of Army's frantic efforts with seemingly effortless saves and precise outlet passes, notably when his stop of a John Burton doorstep shot squelched Army's first EMO with just over six minutes remaining in the half. Army was gaining possessions and generating good shots, but to little avail. Then, with a little more than two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the half, an Army unforced passing error gave the ball to Navy. Wallin charged toward the goal drawing the Army defense, and then dumped the ball back outside to Mirabito who beat Fullerton to put Navy's lead back to three goals, 5-2. Bodies landed in piles as both teams pursued the ball on the next face-off. Navy All America midfielder Steve Looney, Billy’s brother, broke his collarbone in the melee when Army's Sokol fell on him--another casualty of this annual bone-jarring affair. The frenzied action continued to the end of the quarter, culminating in an illegal body check call against Navy D-man Brendan Teague on a sideline play with just seven seconds on the clock. All the fury, all the expenditure of effort by both teams, but the Navy lead was still three goals, and their formula for beating Army seemed to be holding up. Navy fans looked forward to the expected second half run that would put Army away.

The extended fifteen-minute halftime featured a youth lax scrimmage and the ceremonial parade of celebrity spectators from behind one team's bench to behind the other's. In the absence of anyone more senior, and to display further his impartiality, the Swami performed this time-honored ritual for the fans on Saturday. His arrival amidst the expectant Army Lax moms might have caused a riot, but the Swami calmed them with promises that he would be available after the game. Hey, this is a show that chicks at Homewood Field never see.

The Swami does not know if the Army players noticed his presence in the stands behind their bench as they returned from their locker room at the end of halftime. What is indisputable is that they took the field for the second half with heightened purpose, sustained energy, and fire.

Due to the personal foul called at end of the first half the Army had the ball and the Black Knights moved confidently into their EMO. Thirty-three seconds later Chase found Matt Scheel alone on the crease and for once Russell was beaten. Navy won the face-off, but Luyster and Matt Bowerman doubled Ian Dingman, who had entered the game in the second quarter, and stripped the ball. As Luyster cleared the ball Navy's Billy Looney was called for a push. On the EMO, Army lost the ball, but Walker stripped the clearing Navy pole and fed Obringer for Army's only easy goal of the day, exactly one minute after Scheel’s goal. Suddenly it was a one-goal game and Army seemed to be gaining control. The cadets and Army fans whooped in anticipation, but Navy's formula reasserted itself. Wallace won the face-off and shortly thereafter Terrance Higgins fed Mirabito to push the lead back to two goals. Army won the next draw, but squandered the opportunity when Hunter Wakeland fired a high-to-high shot that did not seem to challenge Russell. The scouting report on the 5’ 7” Navy keeper has always been to shoot high, but the Swami has not often seen that succeed, at least on shots beyond ten yards. Navy cleared the ball and Billy Looney buried another 17-yard rocket over Fullerton’s shoulder. The Navy lead was back to three goals, 7-4, despite the Army team's heroics. The Army crowd around the Swami reeled.

Wallace again controlled the face-off for Navy, but this time the Army wings persevered, gained possession of the ball, and moved it to Obringer who fed Walker for the score, just thirteen seconds after Looney’s goal. Army hope rekindled. Navy won the face-off again, but Dingman was offside as they cleared the ball from their end. Army went through their offensive sequences for a minute and a half until Obringer dodged free and made it a one-goal game again. The ball changed hands several times over the next ten minutes as the teams battled for any advantage, until just before the five-minute point, Army got out into transition yet again, only to see Russell yet again save the shot and send the ball back the other way where Looney buried his third high, hard shot. An illegal procedure call on the face gave Army the ball, but Russell easily handled a Burton shot and Navy cleared the ball to Higgins who, in turn, fed Dingman who beat Fullerton high-to-low to return Navy's margin to three goals with just under three minutes left in the period. Army fans’ faces were long, but this wild quarter still had more thrills.

Burton won one of Army's few face-offs and the Cadet offense refused to panic. Walker found freshman Alex Rhodes with room and opportunity to shoot. Rhodes missed, but his shot went straight to Obringer seven yards off the crease. Russell prepared for the shot, but instead Obringer fed cross crease to Scheel who buried the ball before Russell could recover.

On the next face, Burton controlled the draw but went for a one-handed scoop. It was Navy ball and still a two-goal lead with just a minute to play in the quarter. Army regained possession in the Navy end with under ten seconds left and Fullerton launched an end-to-end clearing pass in Walker’s direction, even though he was tightly covered. The pass appeared to be headed to a harmless bounce in front of the Navy defender, but at the last possible instant, Walker stepped around him, caught the ball underhanded at thigh height, and immediately backhanded it to Obringer who was streaking to the goal. SCORE! Five point seven seconds on the clock. 9-8 Navy. Pandemonium in the Army stands. For the quarter: ten goals between the two teams--six by Army; nineteen shots; seven turnovers--five by Navy; three saves, all by Russell (without benefit of video replay, Jake noted that the official recorded save totals for both goalies were low, but the ratio between the two keepers was about right).

Despite the combined twenty-five turnovers to this point in the game, this was not a sloppily played contest; just two teams pounding on each other with no letup. Both played patient settled offense, but pushed transition opportunities when they occurred. The Swami wondered why more games can't be like this, but then realized that this was Army-Navy. No further explanation was needed. While fewer goals would be scored, the fourth quarter would be even more wild with twenty-three shots, four broken clears, and thirteen turnovers, mostly forced. Two teams playing excellent lacrosse with apparently infinite resources of heart. What did not change was Navy's formula, face-off domination (Navy won four of five) and decisive play in the goal from Russell.

The field of play was now heating up and it was apparent that this game would not be following the pattern of more recent Army-Navy trysts. Fans from both sides began to buckle themselves in for another wild ride.

Wallace controlled the face-off for Navy to open the quarter, but the Army wings stole the ball back and pushed it into the offensive end. Russell withstood a rapid sequence of close in Army shots, the last of which rebounded to Scheel just off the opposite pipe. Army goal! TIE GAME! 9-9.

Army received the ball on an illegal procedure call against Wallace, and everyone in the stadium sensed that this was the decisive moment. Instead, over the next three minutes, intense pressure from both teams caused the ball to change hands twice, but neither team generated a significant threat. The tension simply built. Perhaps inexplicably given Fullerton’s problems with outside shots on the day, Army was in a zone when Wallin found Looney about fifteen yards out. The Navy middie ripped his fourth shot past Fullerton to restore Navy's lead. Ten minutes to go.

Wallace won the face-off, but Navy turned the ball over and Army patiently worked for the shot that would tie the game again. At 8:35 Army created that opportunity when Obringer drove Russell’s right pipe and then found freshman midfielder Kevin LoRusso with a rocket cross crease feed that Russell couldn't beat--but he did, punching at LoRusso’s quick-stick shot to the left pipe with his bottom hand and deflecting the ball with the butt-end shaft of his stick. It was simply an otherworldly save to deprive Army of the tying goal, then allowing Navy to come up with the ball.

Army threw in a ten-man ride to recover the ball, and Navy had a few narrow escapes on clears, but it was Wallin who scored next, on another long shot over Fullerton’s shoulder.

Navy had a seemingly secure two-goal lead with just over five minutes to play. The Army fans, driven by their ’04 Army Lax Mom dynamo, were pleading with their team.

Navy won the face-off and shot almost immediately, missing the goal at 5:08. Looney tried to drive home the coffin nail at 4:45, but Fullerton snatched this one and Army cleared the ball. Army worked the ball around until it reached Scheel, behind left about twelve yards from the goal. He moved strongly across X, apparently looking to feed, and then curled around the crease to beat Russell to the top corner, just inside the left post, with exactly four minutes left. The lack of a hard slide was one of the few Navy defensive lapses on the day.

Again, Wallace’s dominance at the face-off X gave Navy the ball. Obviously in no hurry to score, they drew a stall warning at 3:10. Army finally achieved a trap at the edge of the box and forced an errant side-arm pass at 1:58, but the Fullerton made an uncharacteristic bad outlet to give the ball right back to Navy. The Mids killed the ball for another fifty seconds, but then Sokul checked the ball loose from Mirabito near midfield and Scheel picked it up and raced toward the Navy goal. Just as he was about to shoot, Teague, who was trailing, lunged desperately and just managed to catch a piece of Scheel’s stick, sending the shot past the goal. Still, Army had the ball with a minute to play, but after play restarted, Walker made a bad pass out of bounds. Navy ball. Army rode furiously, but Navy's clear succeeded. Army fans wore expressions of anguish and the Navy fans noticeably relaxed.

But then Bowerman and Yakulis again trapped Dingman, stripped him of the ball, and got the ball to the offensive end. Over the next twenty seconds, three Army shots missed. Time was running out. Walker fired and missed with five seconds on the clock, and Scheel drove from behind to Russell’s left, only top shoot over the goal with one second on the clock.

Game over. Jubilation surrounding the mobbed Russell, on the Navy bench, and in the Navy fan section. Stunned, anguished disbelief visited the Army contingent. The Cadets had come so close only to miss narrowly, and to miss narrowly against Navy.

But this was Army-Navy, after all. During the handshake lines, there were many hugs between the players from the two teams. A cadet then sang the two Alma Maters, which was good, because to hear the words of these two songs reminds us of what sets the academies apart from normal colleges. Unlike the sometimes saccharine nostalgia of many Alma Mater lyrics, these songs say something. Moreover, all the players, cadets and midshipmen, alumni, and some fans actually know the words and sing along.

The losing team comes first, West Point’s Alma Mater:

Hail, Alma Mater dear,
To us be ever near.
Help us thy motto bear
Through all the years.
Let Duty be well performed.
Honor be e'er untarned.
Country be ever armed.
West Point, by thee.

(If you really want to feel chills, go online and read or listen to the other verses, especially the last.)

For an unprecedented tenth straight time, Navy Blue and Gold was performed second.

Now colleges from sea to sea
May sing of colors true;
But who has better right than we
To hoist a symbol hue?
For sailors brave in battle fair,
Since fighting days of old,
Have proved the sailor’s right to wear
The Navy Blue and Gold.

A hearty “BEAT NAVY!” or “BEAT ARMY!” follows each song, though the stunned West Point contingent’s cry was relatively feeble this time.

The Swami somewhat dreaded his appearance at the Army parents’ and players’ post game reception, but he need not have worried. The current and former Army lacrosse moms put aside their disappointment with the outcome of the game and welcomed the Swami as only they have over the years. The family atmosphere of Army lacrosse meant that parents attended from classes that had graduated as many as a half dozen or more years before. The reception was in the venerable Firstie Club, located in the old Armory that is one of the Academy's oldest buildings. Players, parents and families, coaches and their families, alumni, and friends of Army Lacrosse packed both the club and its adjacent courtyard. The mood was surprisingly upbeat, since this group is now confident that they can beat Navy if they see them again in the Patriot League Tournament. On the strength of Saturday's performance, the Swami thinks that is quite possible if the tournament is held in Hamilton, NY. However, if Bucknell beats Colgate and Army draws Navy in a first round game April 28 in Annapolis, the Swami believes the Midshipmen will be very hard to beat.

The other question about Navy is obviously its 31-year losing streak against Hopkins. The Swami's initial impression is that the Midshipmen should not have much trouble with this year's Blue Jays. However, the loss of Steve Looney raises some doubts. Even when he does not have a visible game statistically, the older Looney brother has been the soul of Navy's teams for the last three years. When he went down at the end of last season, the nature of that squad changed for the worse; Navy surely will miss him as long as he is out.

The Swami had to cut out early to fly back to Baltimore to catch that evening's Maryland-Hopkins match. Jake Hyde would have to carry on in the tradition of true "This Week" troopers: Chick Magnet to the Stars. Team Swami may be persona non grata at many other venues in Division I lacrosse, but not here and not in Annapolis. Now, if only the military could control its chicks.

But what a terrific day for lacrosse. It was a game to eclipse all others that weekend in excitement.

And what else could a rabid lacrosse fan ask for: Spectacular weather. Dramatic setting. End-to-end, never quit, physical lacrosse supervised by officials who in the main "let-'em-play." Opponents who care about nothing so much as beating the other team, but who also respect each other deeply because very soon they will be on the same team, competing against a common foe, in a much bigger arena. Highlight reel individual plays in the midst of real teams. And a dose of patriotism.

As the Swami said in last week's editorial, it is this game that will someday put Division I lacrosse on network TV and change the sport like nothing before has ever done.

What a day!