For this next story, you'll all have to turn to page 19 in your copy of "Navy Athletics: Full Speed Ahead."
What's that? You haven't got a copy? Fine. Either look on with your neighbor or go here. That page has all the plans for what's being called "Phase IV" of the renovations to Navy-Marine Corps Stadium that are taking place ahead of the Midshipmen's Big East debut, which is tentatively scheduled for 2015.
Among the features of the latest renovation, which the academy is backdating to 2002, when Navy to the Big East was more or less a pipe dream are:
- Expanded seating capacity (40,000)
- New video boards in each end zone (gotta have those)
- A new media center "to meet Big East standards" (we're frankly not sure what that means)
- New locker rooms for Navy football and lacrosse
- New club-level seating
- "Enclosed recruiting reception areas in the south end zone" (again, we're not quite sure what that entails)
Never mind all that, though. Look at that massive planned stand in the south end zone, behind where the picnic area will hopefully remain. That's some SEC-caliber planning right there.