<p>Train derails in Baltimore near stadium
11/24/2007, 8:47 a.m. EST
The Associated Press </p>
<p>BALTIMORE (AP) A freight train derailed Saturday near the center of this city, knocking five tanker cars off the tracks, the fire department said.</p>
<p>There were no reports of injuries and authorities were trying to determine what the tanker cars were carrying.</p>
<p>The derailment occurred near M&T Bank Stadium, where the NFL Ravens play, and several highways</p>
<p>Ron Snyder</p>
<p>Nov 24, 2007 3:00 AM (6 hrs ago) by Ron Snyder, The Examiner Annapolis (Map, News) - Navy coach Paul Johnson tells his players before every season they will develop an identity unique to the teams that came before them.</p>
<p>When asked the Midshipmen entering 108th meeting against Army next Saturday, Johnson quickly came up with one word: resilient. The Midshipmen (7-4) have won three straight since they hit what Johnson called the lowest point of the season: a 59-52 loss to Football Championship Subdivision foe Delaware on Oct. 27.</p>
<p>"It's been a bizarre year, but I don't pay that much attention," Johnson said. "I just take it one game at a time and try to score one more point than the other team. Once the game is over, I put it behind me and move on."
Since that loss to Delaware, Navy has won in a number of ways starting with its historic 46-44 triple-overtime win at Notre Dame, which snapped the Fighting Irish's 43-game winning streak over the Midshipmen.</p>
<p>Navy then rallied from an early 21-3 deficit to defeat North Texas, 74-62, in a game that set the Football Bowl Subdivision record for most combined points scored in regulation. Navy won its home finale last week, 35-24, over Northern Illinois and is focused on defeating Army (3-8) for the sixth straight year.</p>
<p>"I think it's hard to shake [our team]," Johnson said. "You take the North Texas game when we were down by 18 points on five different times in the game. They just didn't quit. They had a belief that they were going to score every time they got the ball and the defense believed they were going to get a stop when they had to."</p>
<p>Navy senior linebacker Irv Spencer said this season has been memorable for him for many different reasons, including going 2-1 in three overtime games and being in position to win a fifth straight Commander-in-Chief's trophy outright despite a season in which they will likely allow more points than any team in school history. Navy has allowed 435 through 11 games; the 2002 team gave up 436. But there¹s a gigantic difference between the two squads: Navy finished 2-10 in 2002.</p>
<p>"It say a lot about us as individuals and our character," Spencer said. "Adversity comes and we just find a way to keep going. These are things that I can take with me when I join the fleet to show others how to keep morale up when things are down."</p>
<p>Navy's strong close to the season should come as no surprise as the Midshipmen are 17-5 in games played after Oct. 31 the last five years. The Midshipmen average 38.5 points per game in those contests, including 51.7 a game in three games this year.</p>
<p>"We showed a lot of perseverance overcoming so many obstacles and being able to keep going," Navy senior slot back Reggie Campbell said. "That is a great attribute of this team and it's help us as we've gone along."</p>
<p>NAVY NOTES</p>
<p>Navy has won 10 of its last 11 games played after Oct. 31. The loss was a 25-24 setback to Boston College in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, N.C.</p>
<p>Navy has scored on 31 of its past 45 possessions, including 27 touchdowns during that span.</p>
<p>In a statistical oddity, Navy's offense has gained 5,041 total yards - the exact amount it has allowed.</p>
<p>Navy stays busy on Thanksgiving</p>
<p>Mids</a> focus on Army, not turkey - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Wide receiver O.J. Washington misses the Korean touch his mother added to the traditional Thanksgiving meal.</p>
<p>Fullback Adam Ballard longs for a taste of the one-of-a-kind chocolate pie his mother always made for dessert on Thanksgiving....
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</p>
<p>Comments from Navy head football coach Paul Johnson following practice on Wednesday, Nov. 21</p>
<p>On why the team practices on Thanksgiving </p>
<p>"It never occurred to me not to practice. It's the biggest game of the year and I don't know what kind of message you send by sending the guys home for four days. We will take the weekend off. Once we start the season I don't like to take more than a couple of days off. We will take Saturday and Sunday off." </p>
<p>On if they did it that way when he was an assistant coach at Navy </p>
<p>"No. We practiced early Wednesday morning and then the team took off after classes on Wednesday. Nobody asked me then. I was an assistant coach. If you talk all year about it being the biggest game of the year then you need to act like it's the biggest game of the year and you need to practice. We get in some good work and it also gives our team some time to be together. They are here together with nothing else going on and they don't get a lot of that here with the way this place is set up so it's good." </p>
<p>On if the attitude of the players change going into this game </p>
<p>"I don't think the attitude changes. They understand it's a big game, but we try to approach every game with the same even keel. There are going to be guys that handle it better than others. Some guys will get real hyped and other guys will stay calm, that's just the nature of the beast. That's the way it is for every game. </p>
<p>On Kaipo </p>
<p>"He was in pads today and I expect him to play." </p>
<p>On the Northern Illinois game </p>
<p>"We didn't run many triple-option plays, but we ran a lot of the mid-line option. We ran a lot of option with the quarterback-fullback." </p>
<p>On the Navy offensive playbook </p>
<p>"We have a decent size playbook, we just don't hand it to anybody. This year we basically ran eight or 10 plays. It doesn't matter how many plays you run, it matters how you run them and if they work off one another. If they are doing something to stop one play than you should have another that works pretty good. We rep plays during the week that we think might work on Saturday."</p>
<p>Academies looking for bragging rights in 108th Army-Navy Game
By Patrick Thornton, Stars and Stripes
Online edition, Saturday, November 24, 2007</p>
<p>Got something to say about your favorite or least favorite team? Want to sound off about the big game? E-mail <a href="mailto:ArmyNavyGame@gmail.com">ArmyNavyGame@gmail.com</a>, and we'll select the best e-mails and audio clips to post on our special feature coming later this week.</p>
<p>Please include your name, age, location and rank and unit, if applicable. If you are sending an audio file, please make sure it is smaller than 15 megabytes.</p>
<p>The Army-Navy game is much bigger than the Super Bowl * 10 times bigger.</p>
<p>At least, that¹s the viewpoint of one person who has played in the Super Bowl and coached in the Army-Navy Game: Army Head Coach Stan Brock, a former New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers offensive lineman.</p>
<p>"This is the biggest game I have ever been involved in," Brock said. "The Super Bowl is not even close. The emotion inside the Super Bowl can't compare to this."</p>
<p>Brock reasons that the Super Bowl is sold out well in advance, long before the contestants are even known. The stands are filled with lots of corporate America types who don¹t really care about the outcome. Army-Navy is the exact opposite.</p>
<p>Virtually everyone within M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 1 for the 108th meeting of Army-Navy will be rooting for one of the two teams and most of the crowd will be affiliated with one of the two branches of the military. It's a rivalry that defines both services and the players who attend both schools. A win over their rival can atone for a season of football sins.</p>
<p>First-year head coach Brock, who served as an assistant for three years, will be looking for his first victory over Navy and the Black Knights' first victory over the Midshipmen since 2001. The 108th meeting will feature a bowl-eligible 7-4 Navy team against a rebuilding 3-8 Army team. The series is virtually even with Navy leading 51-49 with seven ties, but Navy has owned the rivalry the past five years, outscoring the Black Knights 202-68.</p>
<p>A 3-9 Army team did make it interesting last year before losing 26-14, but keeping the score close is not a consolation prize for the proud school and its alumni and fans spanning the globe. An Army victory will turn a largely forgettable season into one that many will remember forever. When people find out a student is attending one of the two academies, the game is usually a part of the conversation.</p>
<p>"The first thing [people] ask is, Did you play football?" senior wide receiver Jeremy Trimble said. "The next thing they ask you is, 'Did you beat Navy?'"</p>
<p>Trimble can't say that he has, and he has witnessed some less-than-stellar Army teams. But a victory in his last game ever as a Black Knight would change all of that.</p>
<p>"I want to say that I beat Navy," he said.</p>
<p>Standing in Trimble's and the Black Knights' way is a talented and well coached Navy team. The Midshipmen have been to four-straight bowls and are bowl eligible again, and the Navy seniors would like to go out with one last victory over their arch-rivals.</p>
<p>"It would mean a lot to our seniors to beat Army every season they have played them," Navy Head Coach Paul Johnson said.</p>
<p>But this game is different than most rivalries. It's one of mutual respect, not hate, because the players realize that one day they¹ll be serving with one another on the same team as part of the U.S. military.</p>
<p>"I never say 'I hate Army,'" Navy linebacker Irv Spencer said. "It's a game -- you can never take it farther than that."</p>
<p>Army is looking for a victory like the one Navy scored in 2002. Navy's 58-12 win after a 1-9 start ignited the program and was the catalyst for the success the program is enjoying. The win gave them the momentum to go 8-5 the following year and make their first bowl since 1996.</p>
<p>"We want to have a winning record," Brock said about emulating Navy's recent success.</p>
<p>He is keenly aware of Navy's turn around and what a victory could mean for his program. But for the millions of people following this rivalry around the world, both program¹s seasons * winning records or not * come down to one game. Even though it is just a game, it means a lot more than that to a lot of people.</p>
<p>"It's a tradition," Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk said. "It's an American way of life."</p>
<p>Close</a> captains - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Campbell, Spencer a pair of kindred spirits</p>
<p>Editor's note: This is the first in a week-long series profiling Navy seniors leading up to the Army-Navy game. </p>
<p>Reggie Campbell is a 5-foot-6, 168-pound slot back from Central Forida. Irv Spencer is a 6-foot, 238-pound linebacker from Northeast Ohio....
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</p>
<p>Future contests interest Baltimore, Philadelphia</p>
<p>Army-Navy</a> game in high demand -- baltimoresun.com</p>
<p>
[quote]
With Baltimoreans about to enjoy the rare experience of watching high-stakes college football at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens and city officials already say they want the Army-Navy game back in future years.</p>
<p>Baltimore is likely to face stiff competition, however, from the game's traditional home in Philadelphia and other cities along the East Coast.</p>
<p>The game is committed to Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field for 2008 and 2009. Officials from the service academies are expected to discuss plans for games beyond that in the first half of next year....
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</p>
<p>Navy</a> seniors ready to solidify their legacy - Examiner.com</p>
<p>
[quote]
Navy slotback Reggie Campbell and linebacker Irv Spencer were Naval Academy Preparatory School students watching from the stands when Navy snapped a six-game losing streak against Air Force with a 28-25 victory at FedEx Field in Landover in 2003.</p>
<p>That win set the tone for Navys run of winning the Commander-in-Chiefs Trophy for four straight years a streak the Midshipmen (7-4) will extend Saturday when they play Army (3-8) at M&T Bank Stadium. But Navys victory over Air Force also confirmed Campbell and Spencers decisions to enroll at Navy to help continue the revival of Midshipmen football under Coach Paul Johnson, who was hired in 2002....
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</p>
<p>Ex-Bruin lineman sought to play in ACC</p>
<p>Academy</a> approach won Gabbard over - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Editor's note: This is the second in a week-long series profiling Navy seniors leading up to the Army-Navy game. </p>
<p>Ben Gabbard was once enamored with the idea of playing football for an Atlantic Coast Conference school....
[/quote]
</p>
<p>SPORTS SHOWCASE: Army-Navy: 'brothers, fighting on the same team'
By DAVID GINSBURG, AP</p>
<p>BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Clint Bruce played in four Army-Navy football games, never winning a single one of them.</p>
<p>As captain of the 1996 Naval Academy team, Bruce helped the Midshipmen beat California in the Aloha Bowl and earned a spot in the prestigious Hula Bowl. But that didn't erase the agony of losing to the hated Cadets by 1, 2, 2 and 4 points.</p>
<p>"At the time," he recalled recently, "it was like the end of the world."</p>
<p>It wasn't until Bruce became a Navy Seal that he realized the true importance of being part of college football's biggest rivalry.</p>
<p>"I'm not diminishing the significance of the game when you're playing in it, but after you graduate and start running across guys who played with or against you, that's when it really means something," said Bruce, a former linebacker. "Knowing the sacrifices they made to play football, knowing how far they're willing to go, it gives you the peace of mind to go into battle with those men. They're warriors."</p>
<p>Unlike Bruce, Navy quarterback Craig Candeto was extremely successful against Army. He scored six touchdowns in the 2002 game, a 58-12 rout, then guided Navy to a 34-6 win as a senior.</p>
<p>"People still come up to me and say stuff about that 2002 game," said Candeto, now about two months shy of completing training to become a Naval aviator.</p>
<p>"The guys I played against, I may end up saving their lives. Or they might save mine," Candeto said. "That kind of makes the football game seem kind of small. We are truly brothers, fighting on the same team."</p>
<p>There are older rivalries and games that feature more talented players, but no football game elicits more emotion from the participants - and their followers - than Army-Navy.</p>
<p>"When I got to Army, I just thought it was another rivalry like Michigan-Ohio State, teams that didn't really like each other," senior receiver Jeremy Trimble said. "But around campus, everywhere you look there's a sign that says Beat Navy. Everything we do during the season, the offseason, even in class, in the back of our mind it's all about beating Navy."</p>
<p>Decades ago, the Army-Navy game matched up two of the country's finest football teams. Navy won the national championship in 1926 and lost only to Notre Dame in 1943; Army won the national championship from 1944-46.</p>
<p>Three Army football players have won the Heisman Trophy; Navy has produced two Heisman winners, including Roger Staubach, who vividly remembers his feelings as a starting quarterback in the 1962 Army-Navy game.</p>
<p>"I didn't sleep the night before," Staubach said. "President Kennedy was there, there were about 100,000 people. ... It was probably the most excited, as well as nervous, I've ever been for a football game."</p>
<p>This, from a player who participated in four Super Bowls. Even though Staubach became a star with the Dallas Cowboys, he often returns to the Naval Academy to offer words of inspiration.</p>
<p>"You could see how much the Army-Navy game meant to him, 30 years down the road," Bruce said. "Something like that gives you the sense of being a part of something that's bigger than you."</p>
<p>Staubach played his last college game in 1964, graduated in 1965 and served four years in the U.S. Navy. After a tour in Vietnam, he joined the Cowboys and played for 11 seasons. It is rare these days for a player to go from the service academy to the pros, mainly because high-quality players aren't willing to follow up their college career by serving in the military.</p>
<p>"Our young men are not necessarily destined to serve in the NFL," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said, "but they will do something greater: Serve our country."</p>
<p>According to legend, the series began when Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie accepted a challenge from the Naval Academy to play a football game. Navy won that game, 24-0, on Nov. 28, 1890, and the teams will meet this Saturday for the 108th time.</p>
<p>The Super Bowl, in contrast, is a just an infant.</p>
<p>"Our game is way bigger, and I don't think it's even close, from an emotional standpoint and by the people it affects," Army coach Stan Brock said.</p>
<p>The players in the Army-Navy game aren't just playing for themselves or their teammates. From San Diego to Iraq, from Afghanistan to Iran, soldiers at virtually every U.S. military instillation in the world will be watching Saturday's game.</p>
<p>"There's just so much pride, playing for the men and women serving our country," Candeto said.</p>
<p>"I think it's the biggest college rivalry there is," Navy linebacker Greg Thrasher said. "Everybody from around the world pays attention to this game. That makes it special to us."</p>
<p>Bruce never beat Army. Irv Spencer, a senior linebacker on Navy's current team, has never lost.</p>
<p>"It's one of those things, when you come here people say, 'We don't care how you do in the season. Just beat Army,'" Spencer said. "It's not about you. A whole lot of people are depending on you to win. It humbles you."</p>
<p>Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</p>
<p>recordonline.com</a> - Army-Navy behind the scenes</p>
<p>
[quote]
The Army-Navy game is one of the most prestigious and biggest rivalries in college football. The two teams will meet for the 108th time at noon Saturday in Baltimore.</p>
<p>Army beat writer Sal Interdonato caught up with a player from each team to compare Midshipmen football to that of the G.I. Joes....
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</p>
<p>Running</a> away from the past - Examiner.com</p>
<p>
[quote]
The gunshots rang through the night, as 10-year-old Zerbin Singleton sat outside his home, praying the bullets from a bounty hunters gun missed their target his mother, who was running from an Alaskan bounty hunter.</p>
<p>The bullets shredded Brenda Singletons blouse, missing flesh by less than an inch. But for Zerbin, it was the beginning of the end to the life he knew so well. Brenda went to jail for a parole violation when police seized drugs from the home she shared with her then-boyfriend. For Zerbin, it meant leaving the cold streets of Anchorage for a sweltering Atlanta suburb to live with cousins Carey and Lorine Hall, who is Brendas niece....
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</p>
<p>We live in the Atlanta metro area and have not heard of that student; what an amazing story! Thanks for sharing it!</p>
<p>2007 NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION GOLD MEDAL AWARD CO-RECIPIENTS
ARMYS PETE DAWKINS AND NAVYS ROGER STAUBACH</p>
<p>THE DAWKINS RESUME
1975 College Football Hall of Fame inductee
1958 Heisman Trophy winner
First cadet in West Point history to serve as Brigade Commander, class president, football captain and rank in top five percent of class academically
Received two Bronze Stars for Valor for service in Vietnam
Retired as Brigadier General after 24 years of service
Former Republican candidate for the Senate
Vice chairman of Citigroup Private Bank
Royal Oak, Mich. native now living in Rumson, N.J.</p>
<p>THE STAUBACH RESUME
1981 College Football Hall of Fame inductee
1963 Heisman Trophy winner
Earned letters in three sports while attending Navy
Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964, but did not play until 1969 due to military commitments
Led Dallas to two Super Bowl victories and claimed MVP honors in 1972
Landed six trips to Pro Bowl
30-year chairman & CEO of The Staubach Company real estate firm
Silverton, Ohio native now living in Dallas</p>
<p>The highest and most prestigious award bestowed by the NFF, the Gold Medal recognizes an outstanding American who has significantly contributed to college football and our country. Established in 1958, seven U.S. Presidents and many other dignitaries have received the Gold Medal.</p>
<p>Dawkins, Staubach and the other NFF Major Award winners will be honored at the NFFs Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, December 4, 2007, at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City alongside the 2007 College Football Hall of Fame Class.</p>
<p>Major Award Winners: Pete Dawkins and Roger Staubach (Gold Medal), Rocky Bleier (Distinguished American), Collegiate Bowl Games (Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football), Jeremy Foley (John L. Toner), Bill Hillgrove (Chris Schenkel) and Jim Kemerling (Outstanding Football Official).</p>
<p>Hall of Famers include: Tom Brahaney (Oklahoma), Dave Brown (Michigan), Jeff Davis (Clemson), Doug Flutie (Boston College), Johnnie Johnson (Texas), Rex Kern (Ohio State), Ahmad Rashad (Oregon), Anthony Thompson (Indiana), Wilson Whitley (Houston), Reggie Williams (Dartmouth), Richard Wood (Southern California), Chris Zorich (Notre Dame), Coach Herb Deromedi (Central Michigan) and Coach Joe Paterno (Penn State).</p>
<p>Comments from Navy head football coach Paul Johnson following practice on Monday, Nov. 26</p>
<p>On the meaning of the Army-Navy game </p>
<p>"It's the biggest game every year for us and it's really special because we have a chance to win another Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, which is one of the goals of the team. We are playing a little closer to home in Baltimore and we are excited about that as well." </p>
<p>On the defense against Northern Illinois </p>
<p>"We made some progress, but when you are excited about giving up 24 points you still have a ways to go. Hopefully we can build on the progress we made and can come out and play hard and play fast like we did against Northern Illinois." </p>
<p>On Kaipo </p>
<p>"He should be good to go. He's practiced every day." </p>
<p>On the team </p>
<p>"We are ready to play. We are used to playing after a couple of days practice so we have had a little more time. I wish the game were tomorrow. I think we are ready to play. The big deal is to maintain our focus. We took the weekend off and I was pleased with the way the guys game back today." </p>
<p>On which team has the most pressure </p>
<p>"I think the pressure is on both teams in a game like this. Both sides want to win very badly. I don't know if the pressure is worse on one team more than the other." </p>
<p>On the kicking situation </p>
<p>"It's really based on feel right now. We have two good kickers and we are going to go with the one that is kicking the best. We went to Harmon in the Northern Illinois game because Joey (Bullen) wasn't hitting the ball very well. He made them, but they weren't coming off his foot very solid." </p>
<p>On Joey Bullen </p>
<p>"I have a lot of respect for Joey Bullen. He really fought back from his injury and when he came back he wasn't the starter, yet he never hung his head and stayed in there. Then when Joey won the starting job, Matt did the same thing. We are fortunate we have two guys that we can use." </p>
<p>On why Kaipo didn't have a good game against Army last year </p>
<p>"I don't know. It might have been because it was his first game (Army-Navy). There were a lot of things we didn't do well in that game and you have to give Army credit for that. They played very hard. I do think we can play better." </p>
<p>On if he expects Army to line up defensively the same this year as they did last year </p>
<p>"I'm sure they will, they had a lot of success. You can only line up so many ways. You can only play 11 guys. I'm not worried about Army. I'm worried about Navy. I have a pretty good idea of what they will do, but if I'm wrong I will know what they are doing after the second play. That stuff doesn't bother me. I don't care what they do, it's how they do it and what we do and how we do it. Last year they played hard and made a lot of plays and we didn't make a lot of plays. It's not magical; it's how you execute and how you play.</p>
<p>Navy</a> goats kidnapped, returned - Naval Academy - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Bill the Goat was stolen from the former Naval Academy Dairy Farm in Gambrills.</p>
<p>Well, he was more like borrowed. </p>
<p>According to a YouTube.com clip and one of the farmers at the dairy, Bill XXXII, Bill XXXIII and Bill XXXIV - the three angora goats who serve as the Naval Academy's mascot - were stolen early on the morning of Nov. 17 during "Operation Good Shepherd," the code name for the thieves' caper....
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</p>
<p>Navy</a> QB eager for 2nd shot at Army - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Reviewing film of last year's Army-Navy game was a painful experience for Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. Surrounded by his offensive teammates, the junior from Hawaii simply wanted to shrink into his seat and disappear.</p>
<p>Kaheaku-Enhada feels personally responsible for the fact Navy put forth one of its poorest offensive showings in last year's 26-14 victory over Army. The Midshipmen managed 275 total yards of offense, more than 100 less than their season average....
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</p>
<p>Healthy</a> Bullen back in decisive Navy mix - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Editor's note: This is the third in a week-long series profiling Navy seniors leading up to the Army-Navy game.</p>
<p>A year ago, Joey Bullen couldn't reach for a glass of water without the painful reminder of his lost season as the Navy placekicker....
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</p>
<p>*Aspiring Astronaut Wins Prestigious 2007 Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award *</p>
<p>LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Nov. 27) - U.S. Naval Academy slot back Zerbin Singleton has displayed an unwavering determination, overcoming a serious car wreck and a series of family tragedies to follow his dream of one day becoming a part of the U.S. space program. For his courage and perseverance, Singleton is this year's recipient of Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award, given each year to college football's most inspirational figure. Disney's Director of Sports & Recreation Planning and New Event Development Kellen Winslow, an NFL Hall of Famer, will present the award to Singleton during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards at the Atlantic Dance Hall at Walt Disney World Resort on Thursday, Dec. 6. The 17th annual awards show is scheduled for 7:30-9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live on ESPN. </p>
<p>Singleton, a senior aerospace engineering major from Decatur, Ga., overcame several obstacles growing up, including leaving Alaska after his mother's incarceration following a parole violation. He met his father for the first time as a senior in high school, then was forced to cope with his father's suicide a year later. </p>
<p>At age 11, Singleton found stability in Decatur, Ga., where he lived with his cousins and quickly developed a natural aptitude for school and athletics. A three-year football letterman at Columbia High School (Decatur, Ga.), he was also elected Senior Class President, along with President of CHS's National Honor Society. </p>
<p>Initially accepted into the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy, Singleton chose the Navy because of the challenge of flying a jet to and from an aircraft carrier. However, Singleton's dreams of aviation were derailed after his car was struck by a drunk driver one week before graduating from high school as class valedictorian. As a result of a broken collarbone suffered in the accident, he couldn't participate in Navy's plebe summer and was subsequently denied admittance to the academy. </p>
<p>Undeterred by his physical limitations as a result of the car accident, Singleton never gave up and instead enrolled his freshman year at Georgia Tech University. Once healthy enough to complete the physical requirements set forth by the Naval Academy in 2004, he transferred to the academy in Annapolis, Md. </p>
<p>"Zerbin Singleton is the embodiment of character, purpose and determination," said Winslow. "We at Disney's Wide World of Sports are proud to present this honor to a member of our Armed Forces whose ambition and focus will ultimately lead him to inspiring new heights." </p>
<p>A three-year starter at slot back, Singleton enters the annual Army-Navy game on Dec. 1 playing perhaps the best football of his collegiate career. Primarily utilized as a blocking back the past two seasons, he has compiled back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances the past two games (at North Texas and vs. Northern Illinois), along with scoring three touchdowns in each of those contests. This season, he has rushed 59 times for 423 yards and eight touchdowns for the nation's leading rushing offense (357.4 ypg.). </p>
<p>"I am honored and humbled to be selected for this award," said Singleton. "All the credit goes to God and my family." </p>
<p>Singleton also excels in the classroom where he carries a 3.14 GPA in aerospace engineering. Last season, he was named Academic All-District by ESPN the Magazine. </p>
<p>This honor marks the second Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award for the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2001, the U.S. Service Academy football teams from Air Force, Army and Navy collectively received the Disney Spirit Award in recognition of their academic, athletic and military commitments following the tragic events of Sept. 11th. </p>
<p>Disney's Wide World of Sports Spirit Award is presented annually to college football's most inspirational figure. Singleton becomes the 12th recipient of the Disney Spirit Award, joining past honorees Daniel Huffman (1996), Dwight Collins (1997), Matt Hartl (1998), East Carolina University (1999), Hameen Ali (2000), the United States Service Academy football teams (2001), Dewayne White (2002), Neil Parry (2003), Tim Frisby (2004), the Tulane University football team (2005) and University of Louisville band member Patrick Henry Hughes (2006).</p>