Reed’s Take:

The bottom line is that Annapolis is one of the best places to watch college football in the US.  The city itself is an historic treasure and the Naval Academy, it’s alumni and Midshipmen are great hosts to visiting fans.  Below is a ton of info about the Bowl game and associated issues.  There will be a lot to do.  One thing I highly recommend is that you take the opportunity to work in a visit to the Naval Academy itself.  Visiting there is a pretty formalized because so many people do it every day.

Here is the link to the Armel-Leftwich Visitors Center and some more additional info and numbers to call if you plan on getting more info. I will say this – if you go to the Main Chapel (ADM John Paul Jones is buried here)…

Adm John Paul Jones’ Crypt

and to the Naval Museum on campus be prepared for the waterworks to start… at least they always do for me.  The Naval Cemetery is impressive as hell also.

I plan on visiting in late morning on Sunday and because I am a retired Coastie can park on the Academy grounds at the Visitors Center – I can take three guests with me if anyone is interested – you just have to have valid photo IDs.

Our favorite restaurant/pub in Annapolis is the Irish pub Galway Bay but there are a ton of good and interesting places to eat and drink.  Sometimes the weather in late December isn’t all that bad so don’t hesitate to go down Main Street and walk around the dock harbor.   You’ll see that statue of Alex Haley, author of “Roots” and who was on active duty with the US Coast Guard when he wrote that book (way before my time you jagoffs). Also  check out this small museum, the Waterfront Warehouse, for in-depth history of Annapolis and immediate region.

Let’s use the comments section on this article for a Roll Call” about our travel and hotel/partying plans so that we can coordinate a “Blathering” (i.e. a Blather Happening). I will keep re-posting this article so that as the days go on we can see is going to be where – both on Sunday/Monday and sitting in the stadium for the game.

I’ve reserved a room at the O’callaghan’s Hotel for Sunday night so I’ll be hotel and bar hopping & Pub Crawling along with everyone else.  My conversations with the front desks of that hotel and two others I called shows that the rooms are going fast – remember that it isn’t just Pitt fans travelling to the game, there will be Naval Academy Alumni and other Navy types flying in from all points of the compass for the game and they are booking rooms also.

Now, onto the most important things – the tailgates and the game itself.  Navy-Memorial Stadium grounds are perfect for the tailgating crowd and there is a lot of space for it… tailgaters basically wrap around the whole 360 degrees of the stadium.

But the best maybe the Pitt Tailgates that are set up – this one comes with nubile co-eds enclosed.

So, if you haven’t got off your ass and made arrangements for the trip to Annapolis and the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium it is probably best to do so now.  It looks like Pitt is going to sell out its 8,000 ticket allotment (at this writing three days after the announcement Pitt has sold 5,100) and why shouldn’t we,  Annapolis is only a little over fours hours drive time from downtown Pittsburgh.

Here is what the official Pitt Athletic Dept. website has for us fans:

TICKETS
Tickets are now available for the 2015 Military Bowl. It’s very important that Pitt fans purchase their bowl game tickets through Pitt Athletics. Pitt is responsible for an allotment of tickets and we want to provide our team with the greatest fan support at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium that we can. CLICK HERE to order tickets.

Ticket Office Contact Information

Navy Ticket Office
566 Brownson Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
Located in Ricketts Hall inside Gate 1 of the United States Naval Academy

1-800-US4-NAVY (1-800-874-6289)
tickets@usna.edu

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., excluding Holidays

TRAVEL PACKAGES
Packages are available from PrimeSport, the official fan travel provider of the Pitt Alumni Association and Pitt Athletics. All travel packages will include a Military Bowl ticket.

Visit www.PittPanthersSportsTravel.com for more details.

TRAVEL ACCOMODATIONS
Fans traveling from out of town and looking to make a relaxing overnight trip to the game have a variety of options in Annapolis and Washington D.C. For a list of preferred hotels visit the Military Bowl website.

Those fans staying in Washington D.C. can take advantage of a Shuttle Service available from three (3) hotels. Roundtrip shuttle service is available for only $25 and can be reserved here.

HOSPITALITY
The Pitt Alumni Association will be hosting a Military Bowl Pregame Tailgate prior to kickoff. More details to be announced soon.  Here is the Association’s webpage with some details…

BOWL EVENTS
Check out the fun events leading up to the big game for Panthers Fans.

Military Bowl Eve Bar Crawl – Join fans from both teams at some of the local establishments. Crawl to the Military Bowl with us on “Military Bowl Eve”, December 27! Each participating location will feature $3 Budweiser from 4-9 p.m. No tickets or registration are necessary… put on your team gear and join us at any of the bars below for a great time before the big game!

Military Bowl Eve Wine Walk – Select galleries in the area will feature tastings from local wineries.  Join us Sunday, December 27 for the Military Bowl Wine Walk! Select galleries will feature tastings from local Maryland wineries.  Take a look at the list of establishments that are taking part in the Wine Walk– lots of art galleries.

Military Bowl Parade – One of the great game day traditions. The Budweiser Clydesdales will lead the way as we cheer on Medal of Honor recipients and enjoy the Pitt Marching Band, Pitt Cheer and Dance teams and ROC.

Military Bowl Tailgate – Admission is free and includes music, games and food and beverages from area restaurants.

PARKING
Stadium Lot and RV Parking passes for the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium lots are available for advanced purchase online or by calling 888-841-2787 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST, 7 days a week. Passes begin at $25, and must be purchased in advance to guarantee a spot in the stadium lots on game day.

To Purchase Stadium Parking – CLICK HERE

To Purchase RV Parking – CLICK HERE

OFF-SITE PARKING – FREE

Satellite parking is available at the Harry S Truman Park and Ride (map linked), Harry S Truman Parkway & Riva Road, will open at 7 a.m. The Annapolis Bus Company will offer a free shuttle to and from the stadium until 7 p.m.

Directions to Satellite Parking: Exit US 50 at Aris T. Allen Blvd. [MD 665] (exit #22) and bear to the right (Riva Rd. exit). Right turn on Riva Rd. Right turn on Harry S. Truman Pkwy. Park & Ride is located on the right just before the MVA.

This is where I park every time – it is free and only a ten minute bus ride (also free) to the stadium. Getting to and from that parking lot is very easy also.

I would suggest that you get there early though and that’s fine because then you can get to the stadium and walk around all the tailgates and just absorb a great gameday atmosphere.

Here is the Google Map with directions from Pittsburgh... 4 hrs drive approx.

Finally here is somthing fun I just ran across – those who have served will get this right away… the deal is that ecvery other service thinks all Air Force personnel is sit in chairs at desks all day.

SO – LET’S SEE THE ROLL CALL FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY, WHERE ARE YOU STAYING, WHERE YOU WANT TO MEET AND WHERE ARE YOUR TICKETS?  I will keep a running list and will update it on here at a regular basis so details please…

FYI”: Getting my first tattoo tomorrow… after 33 years in the military without one.  Turned 60 and said “What the hell…”. Here it is: