Army West Point Athletics
Ask The AD Transcript
February 01, 2007 | General
Below is a transcript from Army Athletic Director Kevin Anderson's latest "Ask the AD" segment with Rich DeMarco on Jan. 31, 2008.
Rich DeMarco: Hello again everyone, Rich DeMarco back on another edition of “Ask the AD,” you’re chance to ask questions of Army Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kevin Anderson, and have Kevin Anderson answer your questions about the Army Athletic Department. Kevin, welcome back to “Ask the AD” as we’re right in the heart of the offseason for football but a lot going on with the Army Winter sports with Spring sports right around the corner.
Kevin Anderson: Great to be back with you, Rich... extremely proud and happy of what happened this past weekend, sweeping the Air Force hockey team and going down and beating Navy both in men’s and women’s basketball. Our wrestling team had a great weekend, as well as our swimming team. So, so far 2008 has been very good for Army Athletics.
RD: Kevin, big news coming out in the past week. The 2008 Army football schedule released. The schedule begins August 30th, with the Black Knights hosting Temple at historic Michie Stadium. And Kevin, I know a lot of time and effort when into this schedule, but it’s a finished product I know you’re very proud of.
KA: A lot of time, Rich! A lot of time! But you know we got it right. And taking the amount of time we did take I think was the right thing to do because we feel very good about this schedule. We believe that we’re playing some very good programs and we’re playing a very competitive schedule that once again I keep talking about our goals of winning a bowl game and winning the Commander in Chief’s Trophy. So, I think everybody at the Academy feels good about it and are ready to move forward and looking forward to the 2008 football season.
RD: When we look at the schedule... six home game and of course the Army/Navy Game in Philadelphia on December 6th. But out of those six home games, four of them between September 20th and November 1st... so a lot of time for fans to enjoy the foliage here at West Point on a football gameday.
KA: For those fans who don’t think I’m listening to them, I heard you loud and clear that the best time for Army Football is between September and October. So that’s how we made this schedule, and we hope everybody comes out and enjoys it.
RD: And that brings us to our first question on “Ask the AD,” from Mickey Wind from Hicksville, New York. And Mickey is a big Army Lacrosse and Football fan... wants to know how many of these Army football games scheduled for 2008, you had scheduled more than a year in advance and how many you had to schedule in the past 12 months? And he says overall great job on that 2008 schedule!
KA: We probably had to redo half of the schedule. And so, we called people across the country and the nation, and asked them if they were interested in playing Army and we wound up with the 2008 schedule. I’m very pleased with it. I believe it gives us a well-balanced and competitive schedule, one that we can be successful and one that we can try to meet our goals of going to a bowl game and win the Commander in Chief’s Trophy. So, it was something we worked on until the very last minute. Now we’re there and it’s complete and we feel good about it. The good thing is that we believe that 2009 is almost complete as well as 2010, which we will be able to announce much earlier than we have than the past few year. I would like to share this with all our Army Football fans... I’ve heard you loud and clear and that people wanted us to play academically-like schools, like the Dukes, like the Vanderbilts, like the Northwesterns, Stanford and schools such as like that. And once we release the schedules that will be beyond 2009, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised that many of those teams will be on those schedules.
RD: And Kevin, our next question... comes from Tom Walko from Hanover, Pennsylvania. Tom is both a graduate of West Point and the Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University, and he would like to see Army take on Western Kentucky... the Hilltoppers are the newest member of the NCAA Bowl Subdivision.
KA: Well, Rich, I think Tom will be pleasantly pleased that in the out years, Western Kentucky quite possibly will be on our schedule. We are talking with the school now and we have several dates locked in and now it’s just a matter of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s.
RD: Kevin, our next question is from Chris, from Ridgefield, Connecticut. And with it being in the offseason for Army Football, Chris wants to know if Army will go back to the option on offense?
KA: Well, Rich, on several of the “Ask the AD’s,” we have really broached and talked about kind of football we are going to play and what kind of offense and defense we’re looking to run and that the football staff right now is out there recruiting and I believe that we’re going to have one of the best recruiting classes that we’ve had in quite a long time. I’m very pleased with it. You know, as everybody knows, bringing in good recruits doesn’t always equate to having good football players, because they haven’t been tested in the college arena. So, on paper and how these young men played in high school, very encouraging and I think everybody will be pleased. But now it’s seeing how they play their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years. So, the proof will be in the pudding. However, the football staff is about to change gears now and come out of recruiting and look at what we do next year, what we need to do to go in and be successful in 2008 and beyond. And one of the things we’re looking at and that we’re planning to do is what gives us the best advantage to be competitive and win on the field?’ And one of the things that Stan and the coaching staff is looking at is the option and how it will benefit what we try to do as a football team in order for us to win. So, I think that everybody will be pleased at what we put together next year and what we put on the field, and option football is a strong possibility.
RD: Kevin, our next question is from Ronald Harrison from Skokie, Illinois. Ronald is a subscriber to Knight Vision, the multi-media arm of goarmysports.com, and he has a couple of questions. He wants to know what goes into planning out what broadcasts are going to be available via Knight Vision... and he enjoys the diversity... not only on live broadcasts but also the features that are available through Knight Vision.
KA: I’m very pleased with what we’re doing multi-media-wise. If you listen to my colleagues throughout the country in college athletics they rave with what we doing with Knight Vision and the Army website. We’re very pleased with the product and that we’re just looking at expanding it even greater than it is now. That does that take resources, and it does take people, and those two things are at a premium here at the academy. But as we continue to grow, and our resources become greater, we will do even more on our web and our webpage and our multi-media connection.
RD: Kevin, our next question... from Louise Colella from Wilmington, North Carolina. And Kevin, Louise wants to know if there’s any plans to make women’s lacrosse a varsity sport here at West Point?
KA: Well, if we do choose to expand, and we would like to -- again, resources are the key to the expansion of any sports program -- and so once we are able to increase our revenue and raise more money to expand our program, women’s lacrosse is on the top of our list. We’re looking at facilities now for men’s lacrosse and if we are fortunate enough to build a men’s lacrosse locker room and office facility that we will make sure that we incorporate a women’s locker room and women’s offices in there so that when we’re able to establish a women’s lacrosse program, they will have a home and a space to make their program get off to a great start.
RD: Kevin, our last question comes from Ryan Davis from Sparks, Nevada. Kevin, you and I already have spoken about Knight Vision, the multi-media arm of the goarmysports.com website... Ryan has a question about the Army Gift Shop, which of course is also available online at goarmysports.com. Ryan wants to know if there’s a way he can purchase a pair of the authentic Nike game shorts the Army basketball team wears?
KA: First of all, Ryan, I understand you have had a lot of snow in Sparks, Nevada. I have a lot of friends that go up and ski in Tahoe and they tell me the snow has been fantastic. So, I don’t know if you’re a winter sports fan or not, but if you are I hope you’re enjoying it. Ryan, we are about to expand and increase the business and the partnership that we have with Nike. Right now, I would say that those shorts are not available. However, in the very near future, with the expansion of our relationship and the growth that is taking place with our apparel and Nike, I believe that you will be able to buy anything you see either our players or our coaches wearing. So, hang in there with us and I think that’s going to happen very soon.
RD: Kevin, that brings us to the end of another edition of “Ask the AD,” as we hit the month of February, getting ever closer to Army Spring Football as well as the stretch run of the Army Winter sports with the Army Spring sports right around the corner.
KA: Well, I’m looking forward to each and every one of those events. Spring Football... just seems like football season ended and we’re going into Spring now with excitement. And the other thing is our Spring sports have been very strong since I’ve been here... so I’m looking forward to a very strong finish with Army Athletics. And so I appreciate everyone’s support.
RD: Kevin, good to be with you... we’ll catch up next month.
KA: Thanks, Rich.
RD: That’s Army Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kevin Anderson. And I’m Rich DeMarco on another edition of “Ask the AD.” Thanks for listening, have a great day!
