The plaque sits just outside Michie Stadium, on the crisp, immaculate and glorious campus of the United States Military Academy. It relays a quote attributed to Gen. George C. Marshall, who led the Army to victory in World War II.
“I want an officer for a secret and dangerous mission,” the plaque reads. “I want a West Point football player.”
It serves as a forever reminder that the football program at Army — or Navy and Air Force — is unlike any other in America.
There may be better teams that play in bigger stages, but the training, the lessons, the entire ethos of this goes far, far beyond a 60-minute game.