Category Archives: Football

Football season has arrived

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Email sent 29 August 2018

Greetings ’85,

I am writing this looking at surfers on Waikiki Beach and getting ready for the morning walk with my wiife Sherry towards Diamond Head all because Navy is playing U of Hawaii Saturday at 1700 local Hawaii time. We have a GREAT crowd from our Class in attendance; as usual, the most of any individual graduating class (115 tickets sold). Thanks to those who made the trip and I will see you all this week if I have not seen you already. Check out our Class of ’85 Facebook group for the pictures we will post as we cheer the Mids to their first win of the season. So, let’s talk about our first home game. Charlie Smith and the crew in Annapolis have sent me this to attach:

****************  Home Tailgate Information  ************************************

I hope everyone is looking forward to another fantastic season of Navy Football. Navy hosts Memphis for the home opener at 3:30 on Sept 8th and our tailgate crew is already working on another great season of tailgating to complement our Midshipmen’s glory on the field.

With last year’s investments in the tent, trailer and gear, we have all the ingredients in place for an excellent tailgating experience. We are using the sign up page again this year and you can find the signup for the Memphis game here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A48ABAB28AAF49-memphis

The theme for the first game is Memphis BBQ. Charlie and Bill have agreed to cook ribs to get things kicked off. We will have cold beer on tap and other beverages to keep you cool. Please sign up so we can get a good count and plan to bring something to share with Classmates.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to Charlie @ Charles.M.Smith@gmail.com if you have suggestions or questions. Your feedback is welcome.

Go Navy – Beat Memphis

********************************************************************************************

Home tailgates will follow the same theme as last year, we have the Class of ’85 Tent, trailer and tailgate site ready to roll out next weekend. Last year everyone pitched in to make this new and improved tailgate site possible. Those who came to any home saw just how nice it is to have such a quality tailgate each and every game. In order to help me fund class tailgating again this year, I will ask that anyone interested in a one time contribution to our Class tailgate fund ($25, $50 or $100) please send it via Paypal or Venmo to: MD11driver85@gmail.com and PLEASE indicate it is for the Class of ’85 Tailgate Fund being sent to friends or family. This will allow me to budget for catering and for beer and wine, as well as continued improvements to our Class of ’85 tailgate experience both at home and away games. We will still have our “Honor box” at tailgates, these donations will help add to the things we can do and will keep the food hot and the beer  and wine flowing.

Next week,  I will be sending out an email dedicated to our Class of ’85 trip to San Diego for the Notre Dame game on October 27th. I have all the events planned out, so it is time to start collecting money and finalizing my head counts at all the events. There is still plenty of openings to join us on this trip, the hotel block has a few rooms and the Friday night party and tailgate is WIDE OPEN. You can still get tickets to the game from local sources. We are over 100 people signed up for this weekend and I would love to see us reach 150 or more. Stay tuned next week as I roll out the schedule of events and payment information. For now, enjoy the Navy game late Saturday on CBS Sports Network at 2300 EST and look for the Class of ’85 about the 20 yard line on the Navy side in rows 6-10. Get signed up for Memphis if you are going on September 8th and help Charlie out AND, donate a few dollars to our class tailgate fund if you will.

Thanks and BEAT HAWAII!!

Bob Smith ’85

PS: Please see the USNA ’85 website for details on all upcoming class events: http://1985.usnaclasses.net

Navy vs Notre Dame Weekend 2018

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Email sent 13 Aug 2018

Class of 1985,

Some of you have already signed up for the Navy Notre Dame weekend, bought your tickets and reserved your hotel room and I thank you for doing this as it helps my planning tremendously. Now that I have the Hawaii trip pretty well planned out but not yet executed, I need to turn my sights to the Notre Dame game in San Diego on October 27th. For those of you not yet signed up, please go to the Class website and do so, here is the link: http://1985.usnaclasses.net. There are still a few rooms in our class block and plenty of rooms at other hotels in the area, so staying at the class hotel is not required to attend and enjoy any or all of the events. There are still game tickets available through ticketmaster or other ticket websites, so you can get those taken care of easily. I do not have the exact location of our class seating block other than it is on the Navy side of the field in or near an endzone. Once again, not required to attend the pre and post game tailgate with us, get your tickets and sign up. The schedule events so far looks something like this (all times are local or PST):

Thursday Kick off Happy Hour: 1700-2000, location TBA (Gas Lamp District, cash bar)

Friday Golf Outing: Time and location TBA, but will be morning at a local course.

Friday Evening Cocktail Reception at the Westin Gas Lamp: 1700-1900

Saturday:

  • Pregame tailgate party at the Gas Lamp Tavern hosted by Eco-Catering: 1230-1530
  • Board Buses to Qualcomm Stadium: 1530
  • Kickoff: 1700
  • Buses to Gas Lamp Tavern 30 minutes post Navy Blue and Gold

The approximate cost of the Friday night Happy Hour (Appetizers and Open beer/wine bar) $80pp

Tailgate Cost: (3 hours of food and open beer/wine bar) $80 pp

Bus transport to and from Qualcomm Stadium: $25.00

This once again promises to be a GREAT weekend for the Class of 1985 and so far, our attendance is amazing and I am sure there will be more of you that can now commit to this trip, so please go ahead and register. If you are not sure, please email me and I can tell you if you are on the list. In a few weeks I will start to finalize the counts for our events and collect money as necessary in advance via Paypal or Zelle. For now, get your travel plans and hotel rooms and game tickets lined up and stay tuned for more updates. We are working on a special Class of ’85 Navy Football Jersey that will go on sale for that weekend courtesy of James Gang Printing and classmate Jim Berdeguez.

Thanks as always and GO NAVY, beat the IRISH!!   Bob Smith ’85

Class News and Travel Updates

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Email sent 4 Aug 2018

Greetings Class of ’85,

It’s time for an update on things as we are about to begin the 2018 Football Season. First off, I am proud to say we are taking nearly 100 Classmates and families/friends to Honolulu for the opening game of the 2018 Navy Season on September 1st against the U of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. There is still availability for this weekend if you want to join us. I am finalizing my ticket, tailgate and Class dinner numbers on August 15th. So, be like a few others who just said: “What the H… We are going to Hawaii”. Airfares seem to be pretty reasonable and I can still get you the Class group rate at the Marriott Waikiki Beach. If you are interested, contact me ASAP. If anyone who thought they had signed up for this trip and you have not been receiving our small group emails and texts, you NEED to contact me ASAP. Next, I am finalizing plans for the October 27th game against Notre Dame in San Diego. Although our class block of tickets is sold out, you can get them from other sources and still join us in San Diego for the weekend. That schedule of events will be published in the next few weeks and I will start collecting money for the tailgate and Friday night cocktail reception. We will be over 170 strong in San Diego or more likely over 200, so why not get on board NOW with this trip?? We will have a Thursday night kickoff happy hour in the Gas Lamp district, Friday night cocktail party, Saturday pre and post game indoor tailgate at the Quad Pub in the Gas Lamp quarter and of course the game. I am looking for someone who lives in San Diego who might like to organize a golf outing for Thursday or Friday morning in San Diego. Classmate Jim Berdeguez and I are designing an ’85 Special Edition Football Jersey for sale starting that weekend to commemorate this event.

Our normal Class of ’85 Tailgate parties will be on for all home games this season. That information will be provided as we get closer to our first home game. If you are coming to a Navy game, you know that ’85 will always have a great tailgate. I am working on events for the Army/Navy weekend, so if you happen to live in Philly and want to help me out, I am appreciative of some help for this year’s game on December 8th. Also, if you live in a city where there is a Navy away game and want to put a class event together, I welcome anyone doing that. Now that Navy plays in the AAC, we play in some fun places. Also, I have started working our 35th Reunion in September of 2020. This is tentative and based on Navy finalizing the 2020 football schedule, BUT, I am looking at a home game now scheduled for September 12, 2020 (Hint: Save the date UFN). Westin Hotel reserved and exploring great options for all events. I will be starting a committee next year for help with all major events of our reunion. (I am getting too old to do all this stuff solo any more).

Enjoy the remainder of your summer and start thinking about Navy football and joining your classmates in Hawaii, San Diego, Annapolis or Philadelphia this season.

As always, Go Navy…. Beat Army! (and everyone else)

Regards,

Bob Smith ’85

USNA ’85 Hawaii Trip update and more

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Email sent 17 July 2018

Greetings Classmates,

As we all enjoy our summer and summer vacations, it’s time start the final phase planning of the Class of ’85 trip to Hawii in late August on your near term calendar, as well as the late October San Diego trip next on your radar scopes. We have about 90 Classmates and family members attending the Hawii Trip which is awesome and once again makes us the “Class with Class” as no other class will have half this number. Here is where we stand and I am still finalizing a few things, but need to get the word to everyone now as the final pieces come into place. Here is what I have in chronological order:

1) Thursday morning at 0845 we have a tour of the the Pearl Harbor area on the Admiral’s Barge. Please contact Ashley Yetman ASAP if you are interested as there are limited spots. Her contact info is: apy@comcast.net. Ashley has also posted this event on our Class Facebook post and you can messenger her there.

2) Thursday evening, classmate Rich Tilghman has arranged for those interested to attend the Hale Koa Luaa, Thursday, August 30th. Meet for drinks at 5:30 at the Barefoot bar for the 6:30pm dinner and show.  “Navy 85” 808-955-0555 Aug 30th. You have contact the Hale Koa directly to attend, 808-955-0555 and tell them you are with the Navy 85 group. The deadline is July 24th at 2300 EST to do reserve. Remember, tell them you are booking as part of “Navy ’85”. There are fireworks next door at the Hilton that go off right after the Luaa ends. Rich says it is an amazing show and fireworks so don’t miss it. Contact Rich at richardwtilghman@gmail.com or he in the class Facebook group and always answers messages promptly with questions.

3) Friday, Rich has also volunteered to do a half day Island Tour for anyone interested. The dynamics of the tour will depend on the level of interest. Please contact Rich on Facebook or at the above email address to attend a tour he that is still in the making.

4) Friday evening, we will have a 1600-1800 Happy Hour at the Marriott Waikiki Beach, which is the class hotel. This will be an event designed to allow for classmates to then go off and enjoy a nice dinner at one of the many local restaurants. I will reach out directly to those who have signed up on the class website to share a list of who is going so people can look network with each other on dinner plans. I have request a cash bar type event and am still working with Marriott staff on this and will post final details when I have them.

5) Pre and post game tailgate for the football game against Hawaii on Saturday, September 1st; we will be teaming up with the local USNA Alumni Chapter for a fun tailgate event. This will include bus transport to and from the Hale Koa and Marriott hotels and game tickets in our class block. Once again, you need to sign up on the class website: http://1985.usnaclasses.net so I have an accurate head count and can set up payment options. Game tickets will be lower level endzone seats I arranged directly through the U of Hawaii football ticket office and will cost $40. Soon, I will start collecting money for tickets, tailgate and bus transport directly to my paypal account so I can pay for this stuff ahead of time.

6) Sunday, September 2nd, Rich Tighlman and his chihuahua will be hosting a party at his house and a beach trip for the day. He lives 1/2 block from one of the nicest beaches in the world: Kailua Beach. It will be a meet at 1200 from hotels for transport to his house where he has a nice pool area and it will be a full day of fun at his beachside bungalo and the beach. Once again, please contact Rich and his chihuahua to RSVP so that we can get a count regarding transportation, food, drinks, speedos (Charlie Giles?), etc. Once again, transport leaving from the Hale Koa and Marriott Waikiki Hotels and returning when the fun runs out.

We have a GREAT turnout for this event so far away and I appreciate this and think we have done a good job of putting a full schedule of events together for those making this trip. I want to thank Ashley and Rich for all their help and support in putting this weekend in place and please sign up on the class website and/or contact me with any questions. The Navy/Notre Dame weekend is coming into view and I will soon be coming out with more specifics on this weekend, but we will have a full schedule of events for those coming to San Diego for that weekend as well. Sign ups are on the class website as well and it helps me to have you sign up in advance. If you are going to Hawaii, PLEASE sign up for our events ASAP so we can do proper planning. I will soon have the tailgate info and will reach out to collect money for the transport, game tickets and tailgate events; so stay tuned.

Outside of all of the travel events, we are gearing up for another great season of home Navy Football games as well as events for the Army/Navy game in Philadelphia and will keep putting out info on these events as the plans come together. If anyone lives in or near a city where there is a home game and wants to help us sponsor a tailgate event or class party, PLEASE let me know and I can help you support it. So, keep enjoying your summer as I am and focus on these upcoming events if you plan to attend. Go Navy and Beat Everyone this season…. MOST OF ALL: ARMY!!

Regards,

Bob Smith ’85

 

Hawaii Trip Info – Tentative Schedule

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As the Hawaii trip schedule of events gets formalized via our class president, Bob Smith, here is the tentative schedule as posted on Facebook by Rich Tilghman:

Thursday, 30 AUG 2018
AM:  VIP Pearl Harbor boat tour through COMPACFLT- FIRM
PM:  Luau- dinner+/show , Hale Koa Hotel –  FIRM
NOTE:  *** 50 seats together blocked for us- UNTIL 5 PM, Hawaii time, JULY 25- purchase ASAP BY
ACTUAL PHONE CALL, only, 1-808-955-0555, option “2” between 0900-1630 Hawaii time to book AND pay. Specify “Navy 85” tables.

Friday 31AUG 2018
AM: 1/2 day or so island tour on A/C coach…. swim, lunch, sightseeing, narrated by Rich
PM:  Dinner/drinks TBD Waikiki

Saturday 01 SEP 2018
AM:  Pickup for tailgater with Hawaii USNA grads
PM:  Hawaii/UH game (tix info coming)

Sunday 02 SEP 2018
PM:  Pool/beach party, Rich’s place, Kailua

Important Information:

  • Through our class Facebook group, please reply soon WITH interest in EACH event (or NOT)
  • Purchase YOUR luau tix ASAP (64.95 each) by Phone only!!!
  • Facebook PM Ashley Yetman with interest on VIP Pearl Harbor tour ASAP

If anyone has any questions or is interested in the list of attendees, please feel free to reach out via email to Bob Smith or Angela Orlando or reach out to our own Hawaii tour guide, Rich Tilghman, via Facebook.

Finalized schedule to be posted as soon as it becomes available.

Aloha!