They met as opponents on the field of competition yesterday knowing that possibly sometime soon they will meet as comrades on the field of battle.
Air Force played at Army in a matchup that always holds more meaning than the typical college football game. The players at the three service academies share a lifestyle and commitment that goes far behind academics, practice and games.
“Every person on my sideline and their sideline could be someone that I’m going to need in the near future,” said Army’s Delente Brewer. “I respect them in that sense.”
The respect that exists among football players at the three service academies has always been unique from any other that exists in Division I-A football. When seniors from Boston College to Southern Cal graduate, they can look forward to pursuing professional careers, possibly sitting behind the desk at a Fortune 500 company.
Soon after the seniors at the service academies graduate, they could find themselves thousands of miles around the world, hunkered down in a defensive position with an M-16 instead of a PDA in their hands.
“You get that feeling that the person across from you is going through a very similar experience, a very unique experience compared to the peers that we play against during the rest of the college football season,” acknowledged Air Force’s John Rudzinski.
Brewer, a cornerback from Dallas, and Rudzinski, a linebacker from Green Bay have never met, never thought they’d attend a service academy and never imagined they’d be months away from graduating into a world traumatized by the senseless, cowardly acts of terrorists.
In less than a year the most defining responsibility of their jobs will be to keep America and Americans safe. But yesterday their focus was on winning a football game and beating the man on the other side of the ball.
“You have respect for what they go through but I don’t consider that when I’m out on the field,” said Brewer. “I know it’s Air Force. I know what they go through. It’s a football game until the game is over. Then it’s time to shake hands, make amends. You might see them on the battlefield but until then, it’s a war.”
When Brewer and Rudzinski, neither of whom are from military families, decided to enroll at their respective academies, Sept. 11th had yet to become a day that would live in infamy. The service academies offered excellent academics, financial assistance for a college education and no imminent threat of facing battle.
That has changed. Neither Brewer or Rudzinski have discussed with family members the dangers that suddenly are less than a year away. Neither wants to alarm the ones they love but as Rudzinski said, “I’m sure we’ll have that conversation.”
“I’m just getting my mind mentally ready for that,” said Brewer. “In my daily preparation just keeping track of what’s going on [in Iraq]. Even though it’s in the future just the way you carry yourself on a daily basis it’s nothing to joke about now.”
When asked their thoughts about the servicemen and women who have lost their lives in Iraq and other parts of the world, their responses were compassionately similar.
“The first thing that goes through my mind is I grieve for them and their families,” said Brewer. “The second thing is, that’s reality. I’ll be over there soon so it puts further emphasis on that what I’ll be doing when I graduate is serious.”
“It’s a life and death situation,” continued Brewer. “You take any type of training you get very seriously because it will be very applicable as soon as I graduate.”
Rudzinski also is finding a balance between the present and the future.
“As a member of the military family, you grieve for the families,” he said. “From my perspective you’ve got live each day like it’s your last. I’d be excited for that opportunity should I be called to serve in one of those forward locations.”
Air Force (3-5) needed Rudzinski to stand tall yesterday against Army’s power running game. Army (2-5), needed Brewer to be sharp against Air Force’s option attack. Yesterday there were no thoughts of war or the possibility that the player on the other sideline could soon be your closest ally.
“Up until the time the game is over with, I’m not thinking about, ‘Are we go to be on the same fighting field,'” said Brewer. “It’s a war until the game is over with. Maybe I’m guilty of not feeling that way. When the national anthem’s playing, I’m not looking across the field and thinking, ‘One of those guys could be next to me [in Iraq].'”