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Alex Gallardo / Reuters
Workers prepare the Carrier Classic NCAA men's basketball court on board the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, Calif., Nov. 10, 2011.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels talks to his players during practice for the Carrier Classic NCAA college basketball game aboard the USS Carl Vinson on Nov. 10, 2011 in San Diego, Calif.
Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Members of North Carolina Tar Heels practice for the Carrier Classic NCAA college basketball game on board the USS Carl Vinson on Nov. 10, 2011 in San Diego, Calif.
Wow, that is one big aircraft carrier.
From AP: As long as the rain stays away from the Carrier Classic on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson on Friday afternoon, coaches Tom Izzo of Michigan State and Roy Williams of No. 1 North Carolina are confident their teams will put on a great Veterans Day show for the approximately 7,000 in the crowd, including the nation's basketball-fan-in-chief, President Barack Obama, plus a national TV audience.
Izzo and Williams said they and their players were blown away when they boarded the nuclear-powered carrier, which stretches 1,092 feet, weighs 95,000 tons and has four steam catapults that can accelerate a jet fighter from 0 to 165 mph in just more than two seconds.
Read the full story here. Also, listed below are other stories from our site related to the ball game.
Leave a Comment:
who is paying for this
Folks with a lot more respect for veterans than you.
Nevermind the fact that this event looks like it's going to be great. Never mind the fact that all of the attendees are going to be active duty personnel from the ship and veterans of our armed forces. You want to be the guy to ask who's paying for it. Well if you had bothered to pay attention when they announced this back in JULY that this event was being paid for by the sponsors of the event. In addition to the ad money from ESPN and the great free press that the Navy is getting I'd say this is a win/win for everyone.
The ship was going to be in port anyway, the cost of installing the floor and bleachers was minimal, and in the highly unlikely event that WWIII breaks out before tipoff tomorrow the ship would be battle ready in the same amount of time that it would if it were just sitting in port.
Long story short. You aren't paying for it so pipe down and enjoy the game.
RyanNYC thanks because people really did not pay attention to the original announcement
gieco
it is totally paid for by corporate sponsors. i said geico below but it is actually Quicken. it will be a great game. go heels!
h2>
Morale Entertainment began with the vision to increase sports and entertainment opportunities for U.S. military personnel around the world. Founded in 2006 by a small group of patriots with a large amount of respect for our military men and women, it became Morale’s goal to use the power of sports and entertainment as a vehicle to educate and communicate a message of positive awareness.
Morale Entertainment’s mission is to entertain and celebrate the men and women of the Armed forces and to inspire appreciation and support across the United States.
The needs of those who serve are constant, both before during and after their service, and Morale Entertainment works full-time to provide support for them as soldiers and citizens. From war time to peace time boot camp to retirement, Morale Entertainment celebrates the needs of the soldiers in a way that also raises awareness to the nature of their service and sacrifices.
Morale Entertainment works to provide unique entertainment for their rest and recreation, and provides a platform and venue that helps men and women across America become more familiar with the obstacles and challenges that many soldiers face. They are more than their service and uniform. To us they are husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. The weight of their service is also carried by their family and friends, and Morale Entertainment works to develop that understanding and compassion across the United States. We should always have a sense of them as fellow citizens and not just when we call on them to defend us.
Who's paying for this?? It won't be the same folks who paid for W's 2003 "Mission Accomplished!" landing stunt and aircraft banner.
Go back to sleep.
A short bio of the NBA's number one, MVP star player who'll be aboard the Carl Vinson :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIbp5C-5WXM
Who is paying for this is a valid question. I, too, recognize that offensive things can be read into it, and might even have been implied, but geez people. Clearly there are people with an axe to grind in their responses here and in below messages. I doubt the manner of reply earned the respect people clearly don't feel is being paid and which they are railing against. Ironic.
And here I was just clicking to see some cool photos. My what a mess we can make of things.
Have to agree..who is paying for this? Unreal doing this when the country is doing bad, colleges can afford it... not the USA NAVY!!!
If someone else besides the DOD is paying, make sure the security tab is included!
Who is paying for this?
what the heck does it matter? Its an honor and a break away from the every day for our husbands, hat a great way to spend a holiday weekend just a short time before another lengthy deployment.
Vinson wife . Im a Military kid who went on to be a vet himself with kids of my own serving . We often thank our Veterans But my Mother spent years alone raising me while my father did several deployments . Thank YOU for YOUR service . God bless you girl and hang in there .
Who will be paying for it?
You are. You will be getting the bill in the mail in the next few days. And thank you for being so kind and paying for this game. It will go a long way for moral.
Freaking jerk!
David:
Maybe corporate sponsors, maybe the Navy through Morale, Welfare and Recreation or Public Relations funds (after all, it's a great recruiting tool).
So let's ask you this question, in turn:
Who's paying for your freedom? Maybe the 7,000 sailors currently serving on the CVN-70? The one's who are about to deploy for 8 months so that you can sit in front of your computer and complain about the event in relative peace and quiet?
Or maybe it was the over 50,000 sailors who have at one time or another made up part of the crew of the CVN-70 over her operational lifetime - a group I am most prod to admit I am a member of.
Prove to me you're someone who has served and defended his country, and then I'll start to even consider whether your complaint is worthy of honest consideration.
D. G. Speirs
DP1, USN
S7 Div, USS Carl Vinson 1990-1993
Yeah, because only those served are worthy of an opinion. Check yourself DG Speirs, being a Veteran gets you admiration from your countrymen and Tri-Care not a blank check to decide who is worthy and who is not of an opinion. Being an American gives you that right and you served to protect it.
Someone is just upset they didn't get their teabags this morning...
DG Speirs, let me remind you that the military's equipment, paycheck, and equipment are paid by the American Taxpayer and engineered by scientists and engineers who for a majority are civilians.
There is nothing more honorable than fighting for this country and our freedoms. But I believe it is hypocritical to think less of civilians and their opinions when you yourself have sworn to protect not just your freedom and rights but all American's freedom and rights.
I do commend your service, but I just wanted to remind you that there are plenty of more ways to serve our country other than military service and it definitely is not a prerequisite in expressing opinion or of deserving respect.
AWESOME
Fantastic idea . Haze gray and underway , Lets shoot some hoops . Go Heels !!!
Go Green!
This is great. I love it.
Paying for the event? I suppose you are talking about the carrier? Think of the positive publicity this event is giving the Navy. The attendees are supposed to be active and retired military from SoCal. The ship was scheduled to be in port anyways so there is no cost for moving it. All other expenses are being underwritten by the sponsors of the game. According to patch.com, "Preparations for the Carrier Classic cost $2 million, said Mike Whalen of the Morale Foundation, which put the event together. The Navy's parameters were clear, said Rear Admiral Dennis Moynihan. The game's cost could not be borne by taxpayers, nor could it disrupt the Navy's mission."
Between the huge national audience and other considerations should be a big money maker.
Who ever fouls gets shot off the flight deck by the Catapult!
Go NAVY!
That's great!! Seems perfectly appropriate for shooting fouls.
But I'd hate to think what an intentional foul entails...!
Keelhauling!
Arggg!
Regardless on who actually "Pays" for this. It is for the veterans and I for one am glad its going to this instead of some congressman's publicity stunt.
paif for by sponsors, geico the main one. no cost to the government. be prepared for a lot of geico commercials. it's going to be a great game. go heels!
I can not believe you said that. I can see you have never fought for our country,or been without a love one, or die for us. So, If they have a little fun on our tax money that they also pay into so be it. You sound like a person that has NO heart, No love for our country. Let our service men and women have fun even if we have to pay for it(which we don't) So go on with your life and let them be. I am a very Proud wife of my husband who was in for 22 years, his father and his father's brothers. GO NAVY!!!!
Who paid for the event, the Veterans past and present, by the way I am a veteran a military retiree
I'm a vet too. I'm a 12 year US Marine with 2 tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. I'm in my 30's, and sometimes don't consider myself a "Vet". I absolutely love talking to Vets from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Through the years the weapons, and technology has evolved, but I know when I'm talking to that 90 year old from Iwo that we went through the same things and had the same experience on the line. Happy Veterans Day everyone. And Happy 236th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps. Semper Fi!
From a Kansas Jayhawk alum who hated to see Roy go, this is beyond cool, and yet another measure of his class and devotion. No doubt his and UNC's only questions when given this opportunity were, "where and when??!"
Rightfully so.
Well done, Coach. (And we'll see ya'll in March!)
Events like this actually make me proud to be an American. Go Navy...
Our country is in the @!$%#ter.
Young men and women that have gone over to the middle east are coming back with gaping wounds, either mentally and or physically and we are going to put a basketball court on a nuke carrier?
Who's deranged mind did this?
I am sorry, but it's just wrong.
Whats so deranged about it? It's an outdoor basketball game.
Are you speaking from personal knowledge? As in you have a deranged mind? That would be my guess.
And I think if you ask the troops, you will find that they don't mind at all. In fact I bet that more of them wish that they could attend. And the ones in the war zones right now? I bet they would love to attend too. And then go back on patrol.
Go crawl back into the hole you crawled out of!
it is totally paid for by corporate sponsors. it will be a great game. go heels!
h2>
Morale Entertainment began with the vision to increase sports and entertainment opportunities for U.S. military personnel around the world. Founded in 2006 by a small group of patriots with a large amount of respect for our military men and women, it became Morale’s goal to use the power of sports and entertainment as a vehicle to educate and communicate a message of positive awareness.
Morale Entertainment’s mission is to entertain and celebrate the men and women of the Armed forces and to inspire appreciation and support across the United States.
The needs of those who serve are constant, both before during and after their service, and Morale Entertainment works full-time to provide support for them as soldiers and citizens. From war time to peace time boot camp to retirement, Morale Entertainment celebrates the needs of the soldiers in a way that also raises awareness to the nature of their service and sacrifices.
Morale Entertainment works to provide unique entertainment for their rest and recreation, and provides a platform and venue that helps men and women across America become more familiar with the obstacles and challenges that many soldiers face. They are more than their service and uniform. To us they are husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, fathers and mothers. The weight of their service is also carried by their family and friends, and Morale Entertainment works to develop that understanding and compassion across the United States. We should always have a sense of them as fellow citizens and not just when we call on them to defend us.
I'll tell you what is deranged. As a soldier in the US Armed Forces I've served, been in combat and thankfully made it through, and I find it deranged that you would have a problem with other active duty military personnel taking part in the very same enjoyment that you as a civilian take for granted. Guess what, when you are deployed on a ship it's not real easy to run down to the arena and grab a ticket and watch a game. The arena came to them. Perhaps you should join up, take a couple of combat tours and come back and tell us how deranged it is that they are playing a game on an aircraft carrier. Speaking from experience, there are quite a few things that I missed while deployed. Seeing a game was high on that list. One of the first things I did when I got back home was go to Yankee Stadium, I don't even like the Yankees, but after a year in the desert 3 hours at Yankee Stadium was like paradise.
How is it wrong? The proceeds paid to the Navy are going to recreational programs for sailors and Marines.
Waste of taxpayer money. Returning vets can't get a job so let's have a basketball game on a billion dollar aircraft carrier.
Read... the... article. The government isn't paying for this, the government (Navy) is GETTING paid for it.
Another teaparty bagger...
I guess you would rather have that 2 billion dollar carrier at war?
I'm more pissed about getting color newspapers in the mail from my congressman that read "prepared and paid for with taxpayer money", when his views are opposite mine. Go pander the teaparty mantra somewhere else and let the military participate in Veteran's Day events....
It's nice for the corporate sponsors to do this for the vets. Now the question---who invited B. Hussein Obama??? Wanna bet he takes a couple of "shots" for campaign???
B Hussein has a total disregard for the military despite being the "comander and chief", he takes credit for military operations that were in the works BEFORE he was elected and bows to the heads of countries sponsoring terrorist--then sends them millions of MY (and others) tax dollars
Obama is a slap in the face to all the fine men and women who serve and defend this country.
Oh really? Is that so? What unit are you with? And has that unit lodged a complaint about "B. Hussein Obama"? First off, any respectful soldier, or American for that matter would show respect to the office and the person holding that office. So for you that would be Barack Hussein Obama, or better yet Mr. President.
I'm so tired of those who happen to not like whatever President that happens to be in office speaking for me. I am United States Marine. It is obvious that you have never served one day in uniform, because if you did you'd have respect for the Commander in Chief. I've served under 3 Presidents. I didn't always agree with their politics, but when the Commander in Chief gives an order, we follow that order and do our jobs to the best of our ability.
If you haven't served you have NO RIGHT, NO PLACE, and NO BUSINESS telling anyone that any President is a slap in the face to the military. If you want to speak for me and anyone else in uniform then join the military and become an information officer. If not I respectfully ask, and I'm sure I've earned the right to speak for many others that serve now or have served, that you take your own personal political feelings the hell away from our military. Don't like the President, don't vote for him.
The slap in the face to the service people was done GWB for making them go to war on a lie. He got a lot of them killed and injured for weapons of mass destruction. Obama is bringing them home for X-mas & getting them out of harms way. Your ignorance is exceeded only by your ignorance.
He's the president, so it would be natural for the Commander in Chief to be invited.
You Obama bashers rarely if ever present a good case for the reason you don't like their policies. If you can present one, great, I may respect your opinion, but without specifics, you're just blowing hot air, and I can't respect that.
I'm a veteran (of that particular ship, in fact), and I voted for Obama. I'm not 100% happy with the job he's doing, but I do believe he's doing a better job than his opponent would have done.
Your outright disrespect for the President of the United States and the continued use of his middle name discredit anything you have to say. Your dribble is patently false and lacks any credibility.
Well said Ray. At best the middle name thing is a seriously lame attempt at guilt by association and reveals extreme bias that renders any resulting comments not worth hearing.
Have fun guys and enjoy the game. From one vet to another, thanks for serving and protecting our country.
Sponsors and broadcasters are footing the bill, and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation fund is getting a cut (I'm not sure if it's the ship's MWR fund). Basically, the Navy gets some publicity - at no cost - and the MWR fund gets a boost in order to help provide a little relaxation for sailors later on. All totally above-board and honest.
My ship, home for one year, one month and one day at sea! Many arrested landings in S-3A Vikings on that deck, and I was able to get underway on the ship in mid-September for three days. I even managed to talk my way into a helo ride in order to shoot some video. Great trip! Great bunch of young sailors!
BZ!
The bad news is its supposed to rain but they set up a court in the hanger bay in case it does, just less bleachers.
Take it for what it is, and I think that the whole thing is awesome. Just think of the positive repercussions, there are not alot of big ticket things out there that everyone including the college players can say years later how cool it was to play on a destroyer...As a adult and a taxpayer, I would think that this is something that I really worth its weigh in gold..It reminds me of Bob Hope and Co. I am personally jealous, that I am not invited...And the President has every right to be there and personally represent myself and my family and tell all the soldiers how proud we are of them...Freedom is not free, there is a cost, money is the least of it..Just think most of these soldiers give their life so that the rest of us can voice our opinion, we all may not like it but we should all respect it...
My best to all present and retired service members and their families on this, their day of recognition. I hope all those on board and those watching at home, be they civilian or service personnel, enjoy this awesome event. Let's all leave politics out of this, at least for the day. What a country. Even with all that ails us, we are still truly blessed.
This is a great idea. GO NAVY!
Now this is one reason why I love America. They know how to treat their Veterans, and to rally the entire country around an epic battle on the basketball courts. This game is gonna be freakin of the chain! And thanks to all the veterans out there, including myself, who served this country selflessly.
Freedom is NOT free.
To all those whingers..........Get a life !!!!
To all U.S. Service Personnel, and Veterans everywhere. God Speed, and thank you for the good you've done in the past, and at the present time on this Remembrance Day ( Veterans Day U.S. ) All decent people in Australia appreciate your deeds, and loss, through time for the good of people before I was born, and since.Have a great time watching your Basketball wherever you are, but take a minute to remember those less fortunate to enjoy living today for they gave their day for our benefit.
Lest We Forget,