The emotions of the annual Army Navy Game may be unrivaled in the sport of college football when you take a hard look at it. Each year, as with most rivalries, a season can be defined by the outcome of just one game. For Army and Navy, that is the Army Navy Game. The thrill of victory has an exact opposite in the agony of defeat.
Words cannot do justice to the emotions of Army quarterback Trent Steelman, who was focused from before the season ever started on bucking Army's ten-game losing streak to Navy. This was supposed to be the year for the Black Knights, and on Saturday it seemed as though fortune would be with Army in a hard-fought contest between the two service academies. But a botched hand-off to senior running back Larry Dixon resulted in a lost fumble as Army was poised to take a late lead on what would be the defining drive of Steelman's career. Instead it was Navy, once again, celebrating a victory after the final game of college football's regular season, winning by a score of 17-13.
While the television cameras from CBS were focusing on the pure pain Steelman was coping with, you may have missed a more positive post-game event that was taking place on the other sideline. Senior Navy linebacker Brye French leaped in to the stands along with some of his teammates to celebrate with the Midshipmen in their Navy blues, but French was looking for his girlfriend for a special moment we have seen from time to time following big wins.
French proposed to his girlfriend, Taylor Veazey, and she said yes.
Senior Navy LB Brye French was a team captain today. His team beat Army 17-13. He ended the day by proposing to his girlfriend. Quite a day.
— Kevin McGuire (@KevinOnCFB) December 9, 2012
French was injured earlier in the game, with what was initially reported to be a strained Achilles, but nothing was going to hold the Alabama native from proposing to his girlfriend, a student at the University of Alabama.
I happened to be down on the field just as this was happening a few feet away but was unfortunately oblivious to what was happening until a loud roar erupted around French and Veazey, followed by a chant of "She said yes! She said yes!" from the ecstatic sailors. I knew immediately what had happened as I saw the two being congratulated by everyone around them before French made his way back to the field to celebrate with his teammates as they were awarded the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy by Vice President Joe Biden.
The moment was captured by a few photographers, including Darnell Brady (@SpreadHDGFX on Twitter), who was kind enough to allow us to share some of his photos. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but we here at Crystal Ball Run have just a few words to share to the happy couple.
Congratulations and best of luck!
Check out the rest of Brady's Army Navy Game photos on Flickr.
Kevin McGuire is the national college football writer for Examiner.com and host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast.
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