Former Canes Hoops Star Now ATL Firefighter

((HT: WSB-TV))

For those of you who really remember your college hoops, you remember Tim James and his physical presence at the University of Miami (FL). He had a cup of coffee with the Knicks in the NBA before enlisting in the army.

Now, he's taking on his next life challenge- being a rookie firefighter with the city of Atlanta...

Wendy Corona did the story and looked up a lot...

DEVELOPING: Service Academies WiIl Play This Weekend

((HT: CFT/McGuire))

But for now, it looks like a one time only deal...

A senior defense official, who isn't going on record with his or her name, says Army will get to play Boston College and Air Force will play Navy after all...

Future games will be evaluated as the government continues to be in lockdown.

The games are paid for with non-appropriated funds, and have been long planned. The late review was coming from the lawyers of the service academies just to make sure that any appropriated funds were not going to be used in the process...

In a very classy move (and a very pee-ahr driven one, the HQ is sure), United Airlines stepped up and told Air Force that they could fly for free. And Boston College even told Army that they would pitch in on expenses...

Navy made it official on the Twitter machine:

#NavyFootball game on Saturday against Air Force is a GO. Kickoff 11:30 AM on CBS. No word on the rest of the sports this weekend.

Here was the original story from Denver when the thought that there wouldn't be any more game came to the fore...
((HT:TheDenverChannel.com))

Armed Services Games Might Be Played Regardless Of Shutdown

((HT: ESPN))

Through other sources of funding that have nothing to do with government dollars...

According to people who have talked to Brett McMurphy, all that's lacking ar ethe lawyers final sign off and the sign-off of Secretary of defense Chuck Hegel...

"The games (Air Force at Navy, Army at Boston College) have been approved to be played by everyone at the service academies, even the lawyers," the source told McMurphy. "Everyone is in. All the boxes are checked, just waiting for approval by the Secretary of Defense, who has final say, which would make it official."

The source also said that costs would be taken care of by "non-government funding."

"Not a dime of expenses: travel, game expenses, anything. Not one dime of government money will be spent."

The problem: Navy sports are all done through unappropriated funds while Army and Air Force have some appropriations...

Mark Schlabach discusses from his home...


There is an exception... Division III Coast Guard...

Their coaches are all staff and not on furlough- even as equipment staff, the sports information director and other civilian employees in the athletic department are.

The HQ would recommend showing some support for them with their home game against Western New England if you're around on Saturday...

Sing Second Stays With Navy

((HT: Stripes Channel))

The question for today is: How long is too long...???

From a television perspective...

Army-Navy is a bucket list item for everyone... or, at least, it should be...

You need to show up early for the processionals of both forces and the game itself, really, pays no attention to points spreads established by the professionals in that sort of thing.

Doesn't matter how bad one team is going in, it's competitive the whole time...

Army had their chances to break Navy's winning at ten, but then...

Here's the last drive of the game and the aftermath from ground level...


For those of you who watched from that point, you noticed a lot of this...


And as much as the CBS cameras stayed with Steelman, it's almost too much to bear for the viewer. A lot of the social media conversation afterwards dealt with the cameras staying on the indelible image too long...

It got very uncomfortable for even the HQ...
What say you, dear reader...???

We side with laying off or finding a happy medium and we also side with both teams and having guys like Steelman defending our country...

Daniel Rodriguez Cleared To Play For Clemson

((HT: RaycomSportsVideo))

So, what...??? You say...

Rodriguez was a three-year football player at Brooke Point High in Stafford, Virginia, and family issues led him to go into the Army days after graduating.

He wanted out of it all...

While serving in Afghanistan in 2009, he and Pfc. Kevin Thompson had a conversation where they each encouraged the other to pursue their dreams when they got back stateside. In the battle of Kamdesh, Thompson died...one of 40 to die in the battle.

Rodriguez kept his promise...and that's the beginning of the story...

Here's Raycom's feature...


“I am very happy for Daniel,” said Clemson head Coach Dabo Swinney. “He is getting the opportunity to follow his dream. We are excited to have him join our program. I have no doubt that he will become a great leader for us. His background and story is an inspiration to us all.”

As are we all...
The HQ will applaud as he runs down the hill to touch Howard's Rock...

Afghan War Veteran To Walk On Clemson Football Team

HT: TigerNet.com

Daniel Rodriquez To Walk On Clemson Football Team

Daniel Rodriquez won’t be in the running for the Heisman Trophy this year.  He may not play a down this year but that doesn’t matter.  Rodriquez is getting an opportunity to make the football team at Clemson University.

Rodriquez was informed Friday morning by the NCAA he had been cleared to walk-on the Tiger football team.  He starts classes on Monday.

After graduating from Brooke Pointe High School in Stafford, Virginia where he was a three year starter on the football team, Rodriquez enlisted in the Army.  That led to a deployment in Afghanistan.

On October 9, 2009 Rodriquez and his Army unit became engaged in one of the bloodiest battles of the Afghan war, The Battle of Kamdesh.
Some 300 Taliban militants attacked American Combat Outpost Keating in the early morning.  The soldiers were backed into a corner before fighting back.  Outnumbered the unit killed or wounded over 150 Taliban soldiers pushing the insurgents outside the outpost.

While in the middle of the fight Rodriquez received shrapnel wounds in his legs and neck and a bullet fragment through his shoulder.

Rodriquez  recovered and completed his one year tour of duty as well as receiving a Bronze Star for valor during the battle.

With a G.I. Bill in hand Rodriquez starts classes at Clemson Monday and after a few years away from football Daniel’s ready to get back at it and compete for a spot on the Tiger football team.

“I freaked out I was so excited.” Rodriquez told TigerNet.com Friday. “But really, It will be just a cool feeling to run out on that field again and be a Clemson Tiger.”

We can’t wait either to see Daniel Rodriquez run down the hill at Death Valley.

Watch more of Daniel Rodriquez’s story from HD Net.