Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy deserves Air Force bookend stage to go with traditional Army-Navy Game

PHOTO (Air Force Athletics): Troy Calhoun at last year's Cheeze-It Bowl at Chase Field in Phoenix. By TOM SHANAHAN It’s not often as a sportswriter offers a suggestion and a football coach agrees it’s good idea. Yet, that’s what I’m pleased to report I heard from Air Force coach Troy Calhoun on Tuesday during a Zoom call. The Army-Navy Game, with its 120-year history, has historically owned the stage as college football’s final regular season game. So, since…

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Air Force winning with typical seniors that waited their turn as starters

PHOTO (Air Force Academy): Falcons linebacker Will Trawick's eyes close in on Navy quarterback Ryan Goslin. By TOM SHANAHAN Air Force opened the season with a dominating 40-7 win over Navy, its rival for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Typically, a team's coach makes available a couple of star players early in the week to talk about the win and upcoming opponent. After an unusually one-sided game, Air Force must have All-American candidates to offer. Maybe 2020 versions of the…

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Calhoun and his assistants nominated for Armed Forces Merit Award

By TOM SHANAHAN Sportswriters tend to only celebrate the world champions in pro sports and national titles in college athletics. For the individuals athletes in the pros, it’s the season MVP awards. In college football Heisman and a bunch of others. Credit the Football Writers Association of America for thinking beyond winners and dismissing the vanquished. The FWAA announced its nominations for the 2020 Armed Forces Merit Award, an honor coordinated by the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl…

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