The coolest things that happen during the Army-Navy Game

Every November, the halls of the Pentagon are torn apart in one of the biggest and oldest rivalries in college sports: the Army-Navy Game. While the outcome of the game may no longer determine who will win the College Football National Championship (and the combatants tend to be unranked anyway), it will affect interpersonal relationships within the Department of Defense for days, maybe weeks, afterward.

It also may affect who gets the biggest prize of all, the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, and a trip to the White House to have it presented personally by the President of the United States. So yeah, it’s about a lot more than pride. The game is a spectacle, full of more than a century of traditions, pranks, and the best military showmanship the two service academies can muster.

1. Spirit Spots

Ranging from the highly-polished, well-produced masterpieces like the video above to simple iPhone-shot music videos or the destruction of idols and mascots, West Pointers and Midshipmen shoot, edit, and publish numerous videos about how their school is going to beat the other school, how their school is superior to the other school, and how their culture is more fun.

And sometimes, it’s not just students and staff, either. All over the world, troops and graduates make their own videos and upload them to YouTube, DVIDS, and anywhere else someone might see their work of art.

2. The Army-Navy Game Prisoner Exchange

For one semester every year, the U.S. Military Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy choose select members of their classes to attend the rival school. At the beginning of the annual Army-Navy Game, these students are returned to their proper academy to cheer on the appropriate side. The swap at the beginning of the game is known as “The Prisoner Exchange.”

3. The March On

If you’re into watching military formations on the march as a military band plays on, be sure to catch the pre-game events before the Army-Navy kickoff. One of these events is called “The March On,” and features the entire student bodies of both service academies marching in formation across the open field. It’s really quite a sight.

4. Military Hardware

Lots of football games get flyovers. The Army-Navy Game is no different: it always starts with a huge show of military power, either in the form of Blue Angels flyovers, Army helicopters, the Army’s Golden Knights Parachute Team, the Navy‘s Blue Angels, or who-knows-what-else. But it always has two flyovers. It’s always an awesome sight: not many football teams can boast that their pregame show can actually invade a small country.

5. New Uniforms

Every year, both Army and Navy take the field in their newest digs, ones designed to honor a part of their individual histories or traditions. Army’s uniforms are created with Nike, while Navy’s are created with Under Armour, making for a true “showdown-before-the-showdown.” Past uniforms have honored Army World War II Paratroopers, the 10th Mountain Division, types of Navy ships, and the original Navy frigates.

6. Presidential Traditions

When the Commander-in-Chief is present at the Army-Navy Game, he must follow traditions of his own, which includes the coin toss. Of course, the POTUS is the person in charge, and in reality, he can do whatever he wants, but he’s always expected to cross the field at the 50-yard line at halftime and watch the game from the other side, a tradition dating back to President Theodore Roosevelt.

7. Honoring the Fallen

The goal for both teams is to “sing second.” No matter who wins or who loses, both teams will not leave the field without singing both schools’ alma maters. The winners go to the losing team’s fans and sing to them, taking the sting out of such a heated rivalry loss (at least a little bit). Then the two teams will sing the winners’ song.

That’s sportsmanship.