The Corps Has...

That's West Point "old graduate" shorthand for "The Corps has gone to hell in a handbasket", and is usually uttered any time an old grad hears how much better today's cadets have it that we did "back when men were men and dinosaurs roamed The Plain." I'm sure it was uttered when cadets first got indoor plumbing, were allowed to have cars, were forbidden to physically haze freshmen--and, of course, when women were admitted.

But those pale--I mean pale--in comparison to the life of luxury and decadence experienced by today's cadets.

WEST POINT, N.Y. - The Dave Matthews Band will play for Army football next month — at two free shows.

The U.S. Military Academy beat out Air Force, Navy and more than 100 other colleges that participated in the World's Loudest Pep Rally contest to win a visit from the rock star. Matthews will play for cadets Nov. 14 and 15.

"Congratulations! We'll see you in November," Matthews, 40, said in a videotape that was to be shown to cadets at West Point's mess hall Wednesday.

Cadets at the storied Hudson Valley academy won the contest by submitting invitations by text messages or postings at attblueroom.com. AT&T sponsored the contest.

Cadets showed off their hip-hop moves in one posted video, while others made direct pleas to Matthews, such as "West Point NEEDS someone to ROCK our stonewalled campus."

Army's Black Knights are 3-5 this season.

Dave Matthews never played when I was there. The Corps has.