The spring time brings feelings of tranquility, peace and rebirth.  They are the days of blossoming buds and the return of sunny skies.  Where better can we come across such harmony, that the brick roads of beautiful Annapolis, Maryland.

            The answer my friends, is a lot of places because not only does the spring bring all of these lovely things to this quaint city, it also brings the greatness that is Navy Lacrosse.  A world class program compromised of world class men, who fuel the aura that is the Navy "Hooligans."  While I could spend hours talking about the superiority of the team, this story is more focused on what some have coined to be the closest thing to a tasteful combination of Mexican and English soccer fanatics in the game of college lacrosse, maybe in all of college sports.

            Many of you don't even know what lacrosse is, but it's not hard to imagine what maybe a Navy football game and tailgater would be like if a group of rowdy midshipmen didn't have to wear their uniforms and march around all day.  Truck beds and Kenny Chesney, busted ass charcoal grills and Natural Light flowing like rain from the sky, these are whole afternoons of debauchery and festivity the likes of nothing you've seen before.  While I have no doubt that these "Hooligans" are a pound-for-pound match for any schools pre, half and post game tailgating, there energy flows to and from the parking lot and the stadium seats directly behind their beloved team, where chants of "Take it to the house!" and "I got a feeling, Navy's going to the Super Bowl!" soar towards the field.  I know it doesn't make sense, but you get the point. 

             Other campuses have shown no match to the refined domination, as they have brought their spirit from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium as far as the "Horseshoe" in Columbus, OH.  I had the opportunity to witness them own College Park this past Friday, which resulted in a post on laxpower.com stating:

"One of the best battles of the night was the Maryland and Navy Hooligans. Maryland dressed there top 15 chess club members in Maryland hooligan T shirts who stood behind the Navy bench pregame and did what hooligans do best. There plan was working flawlessly until three minutes after the game started. That's when the Navy Hooligans showed up led by what appeared to be the entire wrestling and football team. The Maryland hooligans tried their best but were overwhelmed and over run by the Navy guys who were noticeably better hooligans."

To credit the class of the Navy tailgaters, a group of police officers that came to make sure the road way near their tailgater was cleared was forced to apprehend only one person, a stray Terrapin that had lost his way.

            I think it's important to dispel any ill-feelings that some may have to these future (and current for that matter) leaders of America carrying themselves in such ways.  First of all, Navy Lacrosse tailgaters and games are not more than a weekly occasion, whereas Joe College Fratboy, your future doctor, lawyer or kid's school teacher, is doing far worse on, what in many cases may be a daily affair.  So chill out.  Second, they work hard day in and day out, and an afternoon of fun is well deserved.  Finally, would you rather these fine young men and women be spending their Saturday afternoons shining shoes and doing homework, or engaging in an immense social spectacle of patriotism and pride for their nation, their services and their school that rings throughout the land? 

            I dono, but for me as an American, the emotion of these Midshipmen builds something within me that puts a big smile on my face, and will always maintain my belief that "we will win."