Analogy
10/06/05

On Sunday, October 13, 2002, Bob Smizik, a sports columnist of post-gazette.com, stated, “Joe Paterno, who should know better, began what eventually would become a wonderful and thrilling football game against Michigan with the most peculiar of strategies.” Football is a strategy game, often referred to as a chess match between two sides. For this reason, the Nittany Lion football team is like the U.S. Military.

The U.S. military is the strongest and perhaps the most-storied fighting force on the planet. The military has four main branches: Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy, as well as other smaller defenses such as the Coast Guard. These branches help serve and protect the people who believe and trust in them to serve and protect our nation [repitition]. The Penn State football team fights to protect its own nation, Happy Valley. As the U.S. military goes through boot-camp and training, the Nittany Lions do as well, practicing everyday and doing drills of their own. The tradition that Penn State football holds may, in fact, be the most-storied football team in college [football] history [I suggested these changes because you are talking about a tradition in the first clause and a team in the second. This way you are talking about a tradition in both]. The weapons that our team possesses this year are unstoppable. [I like this sentence, but I'm not sure it fits in with this paragraph]

The Nittany Lions strongest branch of its military is the Marines, the defense, who will search and destroy any enemies as well as hold their line. They consist of veterans who have gained much needed experience and know exactly what operation to perform. The defense can put down an offensive operation with a sack, or intercept information by picking off a ball. My roommate, David Tyler, who has a brother in the Marines, refers to this branch as the “tip of the spear” (Tyler). This is indeed true for the Nittany Lion football team, because our defense is the best part of our team [whose defense is the best part].

The other branches that make our team unbeatable and renowned start with our Air Force, which consists of the speedy freshmen wide receivers. Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, Justin King, and company fly past the defense in a spread formation while blowing past the enemy and scoring touchdowns. Our Navy, the special teams, fight for field position. For example, our punter tries to pin our opponent deep inside their own territory, as the Nittany Lions try to form a blockade to trap the returner. This is similar to both chess and Battleship, as strategy and position are crucial to the victor. Our Coast Guard, the hefty linemen, protect our borders and block penetration from enemies. Finally, the Army, our core of running backs, fight in the trenches, as well as wind the clock down at the end of the game when we have the lead. This is relevant to the Marines, who perform the special operations first and then let the Army stay around and clean up.

The President of the U.S., George W. Bush, serves as the commander-in-chief of the military. He makes the last call and makes decisions when his country is in trouble. The commander must be a quick-thinker, and his awareness must be good so he is not out-smarted by his enemy. Michael Robinson, the quarterback of the Lions, serves as the commander-in-chief of his team. He calls the plays, makes the decisions, and leads the team. The commander-in-chief has his followers, as well as his opposers on the home front. There are always people who want to remove the commander from his position because they disagree with his decisions; however, the number of supporters always outweighs the non-supporters because of the love of the team.

The U.S. military gains endless support from the civilians at home. As soldiers go off to war, they are saluted and praised, and as they return, there are parades to celebrate. The Nittany Lions football team is cheered on by the hundreds of thousands of fans that bleed the blue and white that the players wear in their uniforms. The fans are proud to wear these colors, just like the citizens of the U.S. are proud to wear red, white, and blue.

Some may argue that the Penn State football team can not even compare to the U.S. military. For one, no nation or force can stack up with the U.S.. Our country has not really had a threat (except from terrorists) since the Cold War. In NCAA football, there are 15 teams ranked above Penn State. The past couple [of] years, the Nittany Lions have not even been a powerhouse or a threat in the Big Ten; however, this year they are back. No team has come close to beating them yet this year, and this year’s team is what I am comparing to the U.S. military, not the years in the past.

[Finally, w]hat is a military without recruiting? The U.S. has the figurehead Uncle Sam, as Penn State has Joe Paterno. Hundreds of worthy high school football players want to play for the legendary coach rather than anyone else because of the honor they would have playing for Paterno. Soldiers enlist in the army to serve their country, and feel honored by putting their life on the line. Likewise, the Nittany Lion football team is honored to play for the fans that chant, “We are…Penn State.”

[This is a very well-considered paper. I think some more reasoned prolepsis could have been included (are PSU football players really risking their lives day-in and day-out like the military? (for instance)). Also, the conclusion could have been a bit stronger (it really needs one more sentence between the last one and the one before it just to let the audience know the conclusion has been reached. That's minor, though.]

WORKS CITED

Smizik, Bob. “Paterno's early strategy no help to PSU.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
13 Oct. 2002. http://www.postgazette.com/sports/columnists/∞ 20021013 smizik1013p1.asp

Tyler, David. Personal Interview. 3 Oct. 2005.