FanHouse Army

Sports talk and message boards have been abuzz about the Army reversing their decision to let West Point graduate, Caleb Campbell play safety for the Detroit Lions. The Detroit News "Behind the Scenes" columnists contend that it was pressure from the service academies that caused this change:

The feeling at the United States Military Academy in West Point is that higherups and other branches of the service -- the Navy, in particular -- were jealous of the favorable publicity Campbell has generated for the Army since the Lions drafted him on the seventh round in April.
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Campbell, who graduated from West Point on May 31, was eligible to play pro football under the "alternative service option" available to graduates of the service academies. The Navy and Air Force required two years of active duty before exercising the option. The Army allowed it immediately after graduation.

The Dept. of Defense has ordered the Army to comply with the policy as implemented by the Navy and Air Force.

So Navy wants to be able to keep beating Army and that's why they changed the policy? Maybe if Campbell went to the Washington Redskins instead of the Detroit Lions, maybe the Washington-based DoD people would have held off in making this policy change.

So far, a change of pace and scenery looks good on Mark Martin.

Yeah, I know ... NASCAR *robbed* him of his first Daytona 500 win last week ... but with a second place finish there and a top 5 finish in California, Martin has taken the lead in the Nextel Cup standings for the first time in four years.

Too bad he's only scheduled to run 22 races for his new team. Or was. Since his (almost) success at Daytona last week, he has added the Pepsi 400 to his calendar, too.

Martin insists his early success won't change his mind about running a full season ... but if he continues at this rate, maybe Ginn Racing can twist his arm?

After all, this is their first taste of the lead, too. And Martin's teammate and former driver of his #01 Army Chevrolet Joe Nemechek currently holds the 7th spot in the standings. Can't Regan Smith split the season with him instead?

I'm betting a potential run at the championship could make a difference for Martin. After 19 years at Roush, to win with Ginn would be a heartbreak to be sure ... but could anyone blame him for trying?